Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Grymar 06-01-05, 05:09 PM	I'm planning on a 'prison break' sort of adventure for my players where they have to get someone out of Dreadhold. How do you see this prison and how do you think I should plan it? Obviously, there is going to be some dealings with the dwarves of Dreadhold, plus they have to get through the pirates of Lhazaar. But how large is the prison? How difficult would it be to find a single prisoner? I know it is a sort of Monte Cristo/Alcatraz place with guards every which way, but I'm need to get a better grasp of how to plan out the possible assaults.
Hellcow 06-01-05, 05:25 PM	I'm planning on a 'prison break' sort of adventure for my players where they have to get someone out of Dreadhold. How do you see this prison and how do you think I should plan it? Obviously you shouldn't feel bound by official material - but I'll merely note that you may see something official on Dreadhold sometime over the next two months.
Gurv 06-01-05, 07:16 PM	My players have discovered that Dreadhold is built on a manifest zone of Dolurrh, one with a lesser version of that plane's entrapping trait. People there must roll a Will save daily or become apathetic and unconcerned with escape. They don't become incorporeal spirits or aything, but the place is pretty miserable. The dwarves who guard the place have protective amulets that stave off the effect of the manifest zone, but not perfectly: that is why they hate being stationed there. It isn't the danger, since the prisoners never try anything. It's the misery. I just added to the theory, incorporating the lich Vol into the story, in this thread: Where does Vol keep her phylactery? (http://boards1.wizards.com/showthread.php?p=6333892#post6333892)
Hellcow 06-01-05, 07:31 PM	My players have discovered that Dreadhold is built on a manifest zone of Dolurrh, one with a lesser version of that plane's entrapping trait. People there must roll a Will save daily or become apathetic and unconcerned with escape. An excellent idea! I actually went an entirely different direction; in the version of mine which you'll see eventually, it's actually on a manifest zone to Lamannia - which may seem like a strange choice, but you'll see why it makes sense. But the Dolurrh trap is a wonderful idea, and I certainly won't be offended if people prefer it to what I've done with the prison.
Gurv 06-01-05, 09:17 PM	An excellent idea! Thanks. But now I want to know why they built a prison on a manifest zone to Lamannia, of all places. In my game, I introduced a new character to the game as a prisoner en route to Dreadhold (for a crime he didn't commit) since the other PC were already escorting a handful of war criminals there. Naturally, there was trouble while they were there (pirates trying to break an ally out) and Dreadhold went into a "lockdown" mode, with guards and wards and guardian creatures. But I needed a reason why the other prisoners wouldn't help them, and a reason why the PC should actually attempt escape rather than just wait for outside help. Worked pretty good for me.
Setherial 06-02-05, 03:32 AM	My players have discovered that Dreadhold is built on a manifest zone of Dolurrh, one with a lesser version of that plane's entrapping trait. People there must roll a Will save daily or become apathetic and unconcerned with escape. They don't become incorporeal spirits or aything, but the place is pretty miserable. The dwarves who guard the place have protective amulets that stave off the effect of the manifest zone, but not perfectly: that is why they hate being stationed there. It isn't the danger, since the prisoners never try anything. It's the misery.[/URL] wow this is great stuff, love it !! (makes breaking into the place a lot more dangerous). I guess this information would be pretty classified and not many people would know about it.
Zedium 06-02-05, 10:55 AM	Hmm, curious, a manifest zone to the endless forrest, this means it either makes dreadhold harder to escape, or easier. I wonder though, would the prison have been build there on purpose or was it just an accident. Also, Dreadhold probably holds many curious inmates. Afterall, after the players have defeated the great baron of evil, he is probably send off to dreadhold, only to escape again lateron (Batman anyone?). Personally, I think the most curious prisoner would be Kaius II (at least I think he would be there). Still alive, the poor guy has been affected by a spell to erase his facial features, including mouth and eyes, and he is magically fed by the spell. Nobody knows who he really is, and probably no one will ever will know, unless the players stumble on him.
Grymar 06-02-05, 11:08 AM	Thanks Hellcow. That is very cool that info is coming out on it, but also very frustrating! Do I delay this adventure? I love the Dolurrh concept, it works great with my plan. But I can't for the life of me figure out how Lamannia is going to effect the prison. Animals as guards? Entangle spells?
EscherEnigma 06-02-05, 11:59 AM	Easy. Lammania has a bunch of left over weres from the purge. So they have all the entrances/exits travel through there. The guards have made a deal with a local tribe/whatever that in exchange for however much material goods, they just have to bite any un-escorted prisoner. That way if someone DOES manage to escape, the guards just report the guy to the Silver Flame, and as far as they're concerned the guy is dead. Okay, I really can't see a manifest zone being used that way, but its an amusing thought anyway.
Zedium 06-02-05, 12:45 PM	Actually, the Silver Flame no longer truely purges lycantropes officially, only some extremist sects do that kind of thing these days. My guess is that the effect has something to do with the 3 elements that are common in Lamannia (Air, Earth and Water). I could immagine that the water element holds sway in the fortress, having many passages flooded from time to time. Maybe some parts of the prison have solid stone walls instead of bars, making it really difficult to enter and exit.