Teleport is a pretty basic spell, right? And its only component is verbal. So, what is to prevent an imprisoned wizard or sorcerer from simply saying the word and teleporting out of their cell and back to their lair or some other familiar location?
I'm pondering this, largely, because I'm not sure what keeps the magic-using inmates of the The Hells in Magnimar (the prison, not the lower planes) from just teleporting out on a whim.
My first thought is to say that Forbiddance is in effect. But would it remain in effect if the inmates (or some silly adventurers) destroyed part of the perimeter of the area it was cast upon? Perhaps by digging beyond it or managing to somehow disintegrate part of the wall or floor?
Also, is there anything in RAW that describes lead having the same effect on teleportation as it does on scrying?
Yeah it is pretty high level magic. Dimension Door is a bit easier and can be cast by character level 7 by some people, but even that's not really "basic".
If you want to hold PC's in your prison, you could have some kind of permanent DIMENSIONAL ANCHOR or DIMENSIONAL LOCK (and I'm sure any magical prison would have something like this). Alternatively you could have PHASE LOCKING manacles that keep you from teleporting while worn.
There may not be an official item for what you're looking for (although I wouldn't be surprised if there is) but it wouldn't be too hard to make something.
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Dimensional Shackles are what you need to keep them in place. It’s a DC 30 to break them or slip out and it affects you as Dimensional Anchor with no save as long as they are worn.
High level people are hard to keep locked up, the barbarian can likely punch down walls while the rogue can pick any lock using improvised tools.
The common trope, though hard to pull off without GM fiat, is an anti magic zone around the prison. That would stop any casters from breaking out. Teleport stands out, but dimension for works, gaseous form moves right through the cage unless it’s air tight, and it’s only a 3rd level spell. A still/Silent gaseous form is the same level as teleport and much harder to deal with.
A Guard (Warrior 3) who decides to "Tie you up so you don't do any magickin'" will make it so you can only cast spells with Verbal components and must make a concentration check with a DC of 15+Spell Level (20 for Teleport for most casters) to do so. That's around a 25% chance for your basic 9th level caster to fail. If you have a jail that actually expects to stand a chance of not being completely wiped out by a 9th level wizard, they would probably have a guy that is a bit better at tying people up.
At any rate, the Laws of Fiction dictate that the guards will have not thought of everything.
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Cure Light Wounds is a basic spell. So whenever spellcasters are captured, I imagine their jaws and fingers are routinely broken. And by "spellcasters" I mean: any stranger.
Teleport is a pretty basic spell, right?
As noted above, not really.
And its only component is verbal. So, what is to prevent an imprisoned wizard or sorcerer from simply saying the word and teleporting out of their cell and back to their lair or some other familiar location?
That's up to the scenario designer. If you're talking about a regular town jail, nothing. Most jails aren't built to stop 9th-level wizards. If the jailer is smart and knows the prisoner is a practitioner, a tight gag is sufficient to prevent verbal spellcasting, which works as long as the caster can't cast silent teleport, which is somewhat less likely to be on-hand (now we're talking 6th-level spell or a rare trait) but still quite possible.
I'm pondering this, largely, because I'm not sure what keeps the magic-using inmates of the The Hells in Magnimar (the prison, not the lower planes) from just teleporting out on a whim.
My first thought is to say that Forbiddance is in effect. But would it remain in effect if the inmates (or some silly adventurers) destroyed part of the perimeter of the area it was cast upon? Perhaps by digging beyond it or managing to somehow disintegrate part of the wall or floor?
Even Magnimar's only a population of around 16,000. The vast majority of prisoners taken would be incapable of such magicks, so they aren't likely to expend the resources to make their jails teleportation-proof. Forbiddance isn't too expensive or inaccessible for a small dedicated jail for magical troublemakers, though. Particularly dangerous criminals could be stowed there, practitioner or no, to prevent outside forces from plucking them out. As for being disintegrate-proof, probably not, but sufficiently capable and paranoid jailers could layer magic mouths and permanent alarms such that it'd take a lot of work or luck to dispel them all and make good the escape without making enough noise to alert someone. But any defense can be bypassed with sufficient knowledge and preparation--in fact, such jailbreaks are the stuff of adventuring legend!
Also, is there anything in RAW that describes lead having the same effect on teleportation as it does on scrying?
Nope. Lead doesn't stop teleportation.