A neutral wizards sanctuary [Archive] - Wizards Community

A neutral wizards sanctuary [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
jacob22
08-03-06, 03:38 PM Ok, I am fishing for ideas here.

The general idea is to make a sanctuary for my wizard making heavy use of magic. I am paranoid and want to minimize the chances of discovery by normal and magical means like scrying. Thus, I can't just hire people to do jobs for me or I'd have to kill them.
My character is 8th lvl and the way I see it I will save gold for it and be able to start at 9 or 10th lvl. The general thing that I want is a safe place for him to research in comfort. Any items he can create himself with create wonderous item and assume basic spells as well as MofF, SS, MotW, and the arcane lore books are fair game.
The general idea is to go to a secluded mountain and burrow into solid rock by polymorphing into an xorn. Dig out a room in the mountain then to reinforce the walls I may need a goblin or some sort of miner critter and bring lumber and materials in a bag of holding of largest size. I could use undead, this is why I mentioned my alignment but I have no craft skill for making doors and such. I see doors as essential as they can be trapped by lots of spells. I was thinking with a pouch of air the base need not even need ventilation. Once I have a basic concept I can hollow out other chambers for traps and such.
Thanks for any ideas in advance.
tarkin
08-03-06, 04:39 PM First, let me talk about doors. Why do people want doors? To get in. Do you need a door to get in? No. Do other people want them? Yes.

Doors can be fine for the "public" areas of your home.

For the private areas, there are these tiny little holes that only someone in gaseous form can get into or out of.

And then of course, there is Dim Door, which being a teleport effect, can go right through rock.

Second, Xorn and earth elemntals don't leave trails behind them. They are not good diggers. Neither are most burrowing creatures, as they don't leave a trail behind. Better to do it by magic directly.

You can dig everything out, then use wall of stone (or Rock to Mud, move the mud, dispell it, or Simply StoneShape) to block off most of the entrance

Or you could get lucky and find a natural air pocket and simply teleport/gaseous form in and then start digging.

Unseen Servants can do light digging/carrying/moving mud for you.

You might also throw in some good Illusionary walls, particuarly with a twist, such as Illusionary wall blocking sight of a pet basilisk you keep locked up. That will keep the smart alecks from intentionally disbelieving.
Harrowdroth
08-03-06, 04:48 PM Using goblins could be risky for you "Nuetral" alignment, because using goblin slaves, may be considered evil (We could go into a long philosophical debate about What "Evil" is, but i think I'l save my mind for the idea.),
Even if you where going to use the goblins or undead (undead goblins?), I would recomend using transmute rock to mud (and vice versa) to make the stone very movable, then have it put into the big bags of holding,
(The bag(s) of holding, stop any spell indefinitly?), then have the goblins shape the mud into walls for you fortress.
I'd get the stronghold builders book By WOTC it's about 25$ and worth it.
also i recomend reading DRACONOMICON page 84-85,

The Harrowdroth.

PS: Goblins aren't much good for building, I prefer undead!
Thiez
08-03-06, 05:05 PM Thoqquas leave behind a tunnel when they burrow. You could have a large one with lesser planar binding.
Iver Gearsham
08-03-06, 06:03 PM Shrink Item will Increase the effectivness of your Bags of Holding.
I allso recomend Stronghold Builders Guide book lots of good stuff for you there.

Coating your sealed layer in a inch thick sheet of lead on all the walls and floors, Then all ways Teleporting in go's a long way for secuity.

Casting and latter Enchanting Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum on the work site/home/workshop will keep you hidden till the lead is applied.

Here is an idea have a Wonderous Item coller Major Image and Sustanance. The collar is put on a creature Major Image makes it look like you Sustanance keeps it alive fed and watered.
Put the collared creature in a room that looks exactly like your main work room or were ever you spend the bulk of your time.

If your foes do the Scry in Teleport manuver they can end up in a dead end room you could have traped to high heaven.
jacob22
08-04-06, 03:22 PM I am kinda afraid to use any other creatures for assistance save undead. Maybe not even them. This is because to cover my tracks I'd need to kill them. I may be able to get away with using undead and using them as servants. My character has Aboleth blood so he may slide to evil allowing slaves and such. Which will present more problems to solve.

I like many of the ideas so far. I could use polymorph to take Thoqqua form, burrow in and hollow out an area. The heat should seal the rock so that it'd be more resistant to cave ins. I have thought a lyre of building would go a long way in putting the place together. That and some of the bags of holding with raw materials and a fabricate spell at later levels. I was thinking of making many chambers outside the central good one filled with traps. This way if someone tries to teleport in and fails they could end up in one of them.

I was thinking of permanent ghost sounds to make for a trap but the sustenance idea is great too! Interlopers come to a door and hear someone muttering and writing. They think I am beyond the door researching but in reality it is a silent dooom beyond that door.

The lead's a good idea too... Maybe you teleport into one chamber and there is a time limit somehow to get to the safe area. A trap or something that only my char could disarm or you die horribly...
Iver Gearsham
08-04-06, 04:47 PM For traps I recommend Dimentional Lock tiggers when room is entered (no Fast escape contingent Teleports) With the Crushing Room trap it is an auto hit trap that can reset and crush again.
Magicianguy131
08-04-06, 06:21 PM You can just use stone shape and all that jazz to make it into your wonderful little home..maybe add a white picket fence....a lawn where your dog can bark and the kids can play.......oh sry getting off topic. You can also maybe, if your DM allows it, cast permenacy (sp?) on Horde of Unseen Servants or something like that. It should be maybe 2,000 xp? If your using craft points that should be easy. Once you get to lv 16 you can make a teleportation circle. I like the idea of having a home underground...very hobbitish.

Magicianguy131!
Verelor
08-04-06, 08:51 PM I think that the magic turrets (Dungeon Master's Guide II) are exactly what you seek.
Perun
08-05-06, 02:38 AM You listed MoF above, which I assume meansMagic of Faerun, implying you play in the Realms? In that case, I suggest making your stronghold somewhere in the Yuirwood (see Unapproachable Eas, p. 100, second paragraph from the top on the right side of the page; in short, if you're in the Yuirwood, you can't be magically scried or detected).

Other than that, anything goes. If you want workers to dig for you, I suggest kobolds if you have access to Races of the Dragon. They can dig real well, are excellent at making traps, and are easy to charm and slaughter after they're done working :devil:

Regards.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
jacob22 08-03-06, 03:38 PM	Ok, I am fishing for ideas here. The general idea is to make a sanctuary for my wizard making heavy use of magic. I am paranoid and want to minimize the chances of discovery by normal and magical means like scrying. Thus, I can't just hire people to do jobs for me or I'd have to kill them. My character is 8th lvl and the way I see it I will save gold for it and be able to start at 9 or 10th lvl. The general thing that I want is a safe place for him to research in comfort. Any items he can create himself with create wonderous item and assume basic spells as well as MofF, SS, MotW, and the arcane lore books are fair game. The general idea is to go to a secluded mountain and burrow into solid rock by polymorphing into an xorn. Dig out a room in the mountain then to reinforce the walls I may need a goblin or some sort of miner critter and bring lumber and materials in a bag of holding of largest size. I could use undead, this is why I mentioned my alignment but I have no craft skill for making doors and such. I see doors as essential as they can be trapped by lots of spells. I was thinking with a pouch of air the base need not even need ventilation. Once I have a basic concept I can hollow out other chambers for traps and such. Thanks for any ideas in advance.
tarkin 08-03-06, 04:39 PM	First, let me talk about doors. Why do people want doors? To get in. Do you need a door to get in? No. Do other people want them? Yes. Doors can be fine for the "public" areas of your home. For the private areas, there are these tiny little holes that only someone in gaseous form can get into or out of. And then of course, there is Dim Door, which being a teleport effect, can go right through rock. Second, Xorn and earth elemntals don't leave trails behind them. They are not good diggers. Neither are most burrowing creatures, as they don't leave a trail behind. Better to do it by magic directly. You can dig everything out, then use wall of stone (or Rock to Mud, move the mud, dispell it, or Simply StoneShape) to block off most of the entrance Or you could get lucky and find a natural air pocket and simply teleport/gaseous form in and then start digging. Unseen Servants can do light digging/carrying/moving mud for you. You might also throw in some good Illusionary walls, particuarly with a twist, such as Illusionary wall blocking sight of a pet basilisk you keep locked up. That will keep the smart alecks from intentionally disbelieving.
Harrowdroth 08-03-06, 04:48 PM	Using goblins could be risky for you "Nuetral" alignment, because using goblin slaves, may be considered evil (We could go into a long philosophical debate about What "Evil" is, but i think I'l save my mind for the idea.), Even if you where going to use the goblins or undead (undead goblins?), I would recomend using transmute rock to mud (and vice versa) to make the stone very movable, then have it put into the big bags of holding, (The bag(s) of holding, stop any spell indefinitly?), then have the goblins shape the mud into walls for you fortress. I'd get the stronghold builders book By WOTC it's about 25$ and worth it. also i recomend reading DRACONOMICON page 84-85, The Harrowdroth. PS: Goblins aren't much good for building, I prefer undead!
Thiez 08-03-06, 05:05 PM	Thoqquas leave behind a tunnel when they burrow. You could have a large one with lesser planar binding.
Iver Gearsham 08-03-06, 06:03 PM	Shrink Item will Increase the effectivness of your Bags of Holding. I allso recomend Stronghold Builders Guide book lots of good stuff for you there. Coating your sealed layer in a inch thick sheet of lead on all the walls and floors, Then all ways Teleporting in go's a long way for secuity. Casting and latter Enchanting Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum on the work site/home/workshop will keep you hidden till the lead is applied. Here is an idea have a Wonderous Item coller Major Image and Sustanance. The collar is put on a creature Major Image makes it look like you Sustanance keeps it alive fed and watered. Put the collared creature in a room that looks exactly like your main work room or were ever you spend the bulk of your time. If your foes do the Scry in Teleport manuver they can end up in a dead end room you could have traped to high heaven.
jacob22 08-04-06, 03:22 PM	I am kinda afraid to use any other creatures for assistance save undead. Maybe not even them. This is because to cover my tracks I'd need to kill them. I may be able to get away with using undead and using them as servants. My character has Aboleth blood so he may slide to evil allowing slaves and such. Which will present more problems to solve. I like many of the ideas so far. I could use polymorph to take Thoqqua form, burrow in and hollow out an area. The heat should seal the rock so that it'd be more resistant to cave ins. I have thought a lyre of building would go a long way in putting the place together. That and some of the bags of holding with raw materials and a fabricate spell at later levels. I was thinking of making many chambers outside the central good one filled with traps. This way if someone tries to teleport in and fails they could end up in one of them. I was thinking of permanent ghost sounds to make for a trap but the sustenance idea is great too! Interlopers come to a door and hear someone muttering and writing. They think I am beyond the door researching but in reality it is a silent dooom beyond that door. The lead's a good idea too... Maybe you teleport into one chamber and there is a time limit somehow to get to the safe area. A trap or something that only my char could disarm or you die horribly...
Iver Gearsham 08-04-06, 04:47 PM	For traps I recommend Dimentional Lock tiggers when room is entered (no Fast escape contingent Teleports) With the Crushing Room trap it is an auto hit trap that can reset and crush again.
Magicianguy131 08-04-06, 06:21 PM	You can just use stone shape and all that jazz to make it into your wonderful little home..maybe add a white picket fence....a lawn where your dog can bark and the kids can play.......oh sry getting off topic. You can also maybe, if your DM allows it, cast permenacy (sp?) on Horde of Unseen Servants or something like that. It should be maybe 2,000 xp? If your using craft points that should be easy. Once you get to lv 16 you can make a teleportation circle. I like the idea of having a home underground...very hobbitish. Magicianguy131!
Verelor 08-04-06, 08:51 PM	I think that the magic turrets (Dungeon Master's Guide II) are exactly what you seek.
Perun 08-05-06, 02:38 AM	You listed MoF above, which I assume meansMagic of Faerun, implying you play in the Realms? In that case, I suggest making your stronghold somewhere in the Yuirwood (see Unapproachable Eas, p. 100, second paragraph from the top on the right side of the page; in short, if you're in the Yuirwood, you can't be magically scried or detected). Other than that, anything goes. If you want workers to dig for you, I suggest kobolds if you have access to Races of the Dragon. They can dig real well, are excellent at making traps, and are easy to charm and slaughter after they're done working :devil: Regards.