Hello, everyone!
I'd like to design a fortress for a Duke of Hell (I don't have a specific Duke in mind at this point), and I'd love some input from the Paizo forums! This fortress would be located in his realm. He would have defensive measures, obviously, but what I'd really like to focus on are the measures taken to keep foolish adventurers from escaping.
You see, this Duke loves hosting tournaments, and never misses an opportunity to use the naive mortals who occasionally wander into his midst as arena fodder. With the resources likely available to a Duke of Hell (almost limitless), what are some simple, creative, or complex means of imprisoning and holding high-level adventurers? Mythic rules/items are welcome, since we're in demi-god territory.
If it strikes your fancy, I'd also love some ideas for other features of the fortress: decor, treasure, servants, hidden rooms, defenses, guards, etc. Let's fill this fortress with stuff! :)
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A duke of Hell, needs to have a harem (female and male humanoids from various races imprisoned).
As suggested in the pathfinder books, duke of hells are unique pit fiend with the advanced template and class levels. Fighter would be the most obvious choice but frankly, I think it would be more fun if you go with some kind of a bard.
Simplest way to hold high level adventurer, simply prevent teleportation/dimensional travels when inside of the fortress.
The Duke of Hell probably have a favorite pet, a Broken soul Azata Bridjidine, after the many years of torture has just become an obedient toy of his wrath.
First thing that comes to mind for me is a living maze that re-arranges itself to keep PCs inside. Possibly with traps, possibly with guards, possibly with both, although you should expect your PCs to try to use the two against each other.
EDIT: Oh and décor will change heavily based on which duke you decide to go with.
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A series linked demi planes with one way gates. The only way to get out is to run the gauntlet so to speak. Each plane is connected only to the adjacent planes, and the first plane is a magic dead plane to prevent you from going back. Once you start the gauntlet your choices is win or die.
@ Eltacolibre: Very good ideas! I'm especially fond of a CG Broken Soul as a pet/servant. Bard levels would also be a creative spin from the over-done fighter levels.
@ Green Smashomancer: A living maze would be OK, but I feel like it's been done a few too many times (I know, I know; so has evil creature forcing heroes to fight in tournaments :)). I understand that different Dukes would have different tastes, but I don't know what kind of Duke will be the host, so maybe some random decor ideas will help bring the right Duke to life!
@ Mysterious Stranger: That's a cool idea. I never thought of demi planes as being one-way.
Keep em coming :D
Rather than a maze that rearranges itself, a confusion effect that makes people believe they are going a different way than they actually are. At every intersection the players must save. Of course you would probably want a bunch of pre-rolled saves because players get suspicious when you say make a will save at every intersection.
The first point I always set up when designing evil fortresses is the gate. And I'm not talking about the outer wall, they could just fly or teleport etc. etc. their way past that. I'm talking gate to the keep, so they have to go through.
1st: No traps. No really, why would he fill his entrance hall with traps that would just keep blowing up his own guys and guests? If he has a magic casting minion set some up when adventurers come rocking in that's fine.
2nd: Murderholes, these were a defense used in real castles. Basically as they are going through a hallway/entryway/arch there are holes and slits in the walls, ceiling, and floor that his guys can shoot through. Turn a bottleneck into a meatgrinder of arrows, bolts, spells, and spears. Best bit, the minion will get +8 AC from the improved cover.
As to magic mazes and the like, I have less input. My campaigns have rarely gone past mid level so I haven't used them. *shrug*
Seems like one of the recent adventure paths had several clever examples of hellish locations and ways of dealing with high-level PCs. What was it called again?
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Keeping high-level adventurers from escaping means shutting down any teleportation, flight, or other travel spells they have, and that means anti-magic fields and other ways to disrupt magic.
The Duke, then, should either be a Wizard who can cast such powerful anti-magic, or a pure martial type who can surround himself with these fields and never be bothered by them.
You could always just house rule your own effect, and incorporate it into the decor. Perhaps the Duke's arena grounds are caves full of bats and vermin, whose constant squeaking and foul odors create a distracting effect and force periodic saves vs. sickening, or perhaps there's a nasty storm constantly blowing and so the PCs have to make concentration checks, take Perception penalties, and need to make Survival checks just to know where they're going?
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Contractual Obligation seems apropos.
For added effect, print it out in it's 238-page glory and throw it down on the table in front of the table. Let them marvel at its heft. Appreciate its complexity. Maybe even read a few pages. (Obviously, make sure the first three or so pages say absolutely nothing save for obfuscatory preface).
Generally agree that their souls, minds, and bodies belong to the Duke should they leave without permission.
Then, you don't even need to lock the door.
Wonderful! I'm so happy with these ideas! And if I had the time, would TOTALLY write out a 100+ page contract :)
Remember that ethereal travel and shadow walk abilities don't function on the Outer Planes.
So, some ideas...
A cursed magic item (caster level 35th) that grants a +4 profane bonus to all ability scores but comes with the drawbacks of continuous dimensional anchor, greater spell immunity (remove curse, freedom of movement, fly, mass fly, wind walk, gaseous form, air walk, polymorph any object, statue), and Aroden's spellbane (wish, miracle, limited wish, break enchantment, mage's disjunction, greater dispel magic, dispel magic, antimagic field).
As a side effect of making them magically immobile, nothing can remove the character's buffs. Dispel, antimagic, and disjunction effects don't work on them, or anything within 10 feet of them.
The only way to get rid of it is to cast Aroden's spellbane (Aroden's spellbane).
I'd rule that the only way to do that is by wishing for greater effects, via the pit fiend's wish ability. If the players try the wish for greater effects routine, they are thwarted by the item's spellbane (unless they are familiar with the spellbane spell and are good lateral thinkers), which is like antimagic for wish. The pit fiend, though, with his spellbane against spellbanes, can then walk up and remove the item from them when his spellbane cancels the item's spellbane, and he can cast greater dispel magic to remove the curse. Since he has it at will and spellbane lasts for hours, let him take 20.
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Wonderful! I'm so happy with these ideas! And if I had the time, would TOTALLY write out a 100+ page contract :)
Really, you only need to get about 14-24 legalese sounding paragraphs, then repeat them at random throughout the document, mixing the ACTUAL text somewhere on (say) page 136.
Hell (no pun intended), you could probably just copy a page over and over again to fill out the middle.
Wonderful! I'm so happy with these ideas! And if I had the time, would TOTALLY write out a 100+ page contract :)Really, you only need to get about 14-24 legalese sounding paragraphs, then repeat them at random throughout the document, mixing the ACTUAL text somewhere on (say) page 136.
Hell (no pun intended), you could probably just copy a page over and over again to fill out the middle.
My GM did this to me; brought me an actual contract to sign. I sign it, the devil laugh, saying that my soul belong to Hell because there was a hidden note (pointing at it) that said so. I counter laugh, saying: "Look at the document. I misspelled my name, thus the document is not valid. Could you bring me another copy of the document? No kidding this time."
Back on topic;
1) Why should they know they actually are in a duke fortress?
2) The strongest will always wins over anything, so why don't you places events that prohibits run even while nobody watches the door? "The duke said that he will say something about the McGuffin if we don't escape." "He will track and kill my family if I'm a coward now."
"If I don't try to stop him now, the world will end."
3) Deprive them of anything. Disarm them, steal their stuff, burn their resource. A lv 16 Wizard without spells, spellbook and sleep is not too far from a Lv 16 Commoner.
Have fun going to town on the flavor text and assorted mini-onions of varying import. Does this Duke/Duchess prefer that the staff dress in the six suites of Harrow cards, butler/maid outfits or the latest in skinned meat snacks (hapless victims usually)?
Thematics matter, especially for a unique entity of this power level. What is the Duke's/Duchess' shtick? Does your campaign feature the full gamut of Pathfinder core/base/hybrid classes - if so, perhaps your Duke is the Duchess Frankenstein..
I once designed a fortress for a Devil based upon Dante's nine circles of Hell(I think it was actually for 1st edition Shadowrun rather than Pathfinder but the idea works the same). Each of the fortress areas was modelled on one of the circles with the big bad guy at the centre of the fortress. Not massively original but it worked really nicely thematically and the player's seemed to enjoy it.
You need lots of either fire or ice depending on what duke/duchess it is. Now what if its a flying citadel? Not a small castle but something huge unlike anything found in earth. I mean its like 5 castles combined or even larger and in the center you have a huge arena. The PC's enter the front gate and have no gear. If they want to leave they have to find there way to the arena and arm themselves, there is a town on the grounds where they can somewhat rearm. Plus there is gear all over the citadel. Now everything, well almost everything has been tasked with killing the party so they have to talk or kill there way to the arena. Its up to you if you wish to make it like a maze to get there or not. Maybe have some levels or floors act as each level of hell to give them some idea of what the arena is going to be like. Make the mood of running thru the citadel like watching a Bennie hill show. You want to make the main even be the arena fights where if they are lucky they might get to fight the duke or duchess.
as for some decor think of some S&M for what it could look like or even worse. Rooms where people are being tourchered and asking for more. Maybe let the LE dragon work for them if they are willing to reword him/her enough with what ever they will get for winning. It could be a nice twist of things for the group to get a dragon on there side.
Wonderful! I'm so happy with these ideas! And if I had the time, would TOTALLY write out a 100+ page contract :)
Take a PDF of Obamacare, change the font to Symbol or Dwarvish or something, then print out as many pages as you're willing to spend the money for. So, about 2% of the text, I'd guess.
Wonderful! I'm so happy with these ideas! And if I had the time, would TOTALLY write out a 100+ page contract :)Take a PDF of Obamacare, change the font to Symbol or Dwarvish or something, then print out as many pages as you're willing to spend the money for. So, about 2% of the text, I'd guess.
*Laughter* Nice!
Besides a town full of slaves and devils plus i would think maybe some Djinn's or the like to spell higher magical items the party will need. Also if you start the players with no idea, I.E. gear-less. Leave the wizard with his mind full of spells and let him find a spell book pretty early so he could scribe his memed spells into his new spell book.
Also make it so that no flying/teleportation is allowed outside of the citadel but inside the citadel some forms of flight, teleportation is ok. But no planner travel or anything of the like inside or outside. As i come up with more I'll add more idea's.