Aristocrat's Home (urgent) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Aristocrat's Home (urgent) [Archive] - Wizards Community

Post/Author/DateTime Post
WCH
07-06-05, 07:14 PM Quick, rogue wants to break into the home of an aristocrat (we're playing over MSN atm -- regular sessions are in person, but we do side things online). I gave him 5 options, and he happened to pick the only one of the five with a backstoried owner (LE aristocrat taken from Justine by the Marquis de Sade... the fat man who bleeds his wife).

What I need is quick stuff for an aristocrat's house, relevant to a break in attempt. DCs, guards, security measures, treasure.
krichaiushii
07-06-05, 08:02 PM Fat LE aristocrat with sadistic tendencies?

A well-stocked kitchen and pantry and wine-cellar. His cook(s) and butler may be working there due to blackmail or fear (RP opportunity).

A secret torture chamber and perhaps prison cells for his victims. The entrance may make use of the Improved Arcane Lock spell from Stronghold Builder's Guide. This area may have the Inscriptions of... from the SBG, as well - to keep things hidden.

All doors that lock will have MW locks. Keys will be limited to the aristocrat, and perhaps the butler and chief of guards. Different keys for different locks, of course. Only areas the aristocrat wants private will have locks - his suite, a vault, the wine cellar, guest rooms (so he can lock people in "for their own safety").

Guards will be war2 or 3, with ranks in Intimidate and the Alertness Feat, armed with MW weapons and armor (as befitting a noble's guards). Very bullying; pairs of guards with pairs of mean war dogs (who can scent invisible beings) on patrol, pairs of guards at important portals.

The estate likely consists of a main house (2-3 story and small basement) and a separate stable enclosed by a wall (more for privacy than anything else). Patrols in the courtyard, and sentries at the gate and the door to the house.

Treasure will mostly be art, fine clothing and jewelery, expensive furnishings, silver and crystal place settings, rare wines, and imported spices (maybe drugs and poisons, too). Coinage and perhaps some potions will be squirreled away by different members of the household.

If the aristocrat keeps a journal (and he should; all villians should have some weakness) describing his "hobby", this could be quite a conundrum for the PCs.

Do they: Turn it over to the authorities, while fibbing on how it was obtained. Use it to blackmail the aristocrat. Use it as an excuse for a bit of righteous vigilantism.

Vain persons often have distinctive possessions, perhaps even marked with thier name or family coat of arms. Not only does this make resale of said items difficult, it makes scrying for these items VERY easy (until they are melted down, at least).
LCD2YOU
07-06-05, 08:19 PM Depending on how rich the guy is, and if I'm correct the guy is loaded, or how old the place is, it will be well guarded.

I'd say he'd have 1 guard per 10,000 ft^2 of grounds plus 1 guard for 1000 ft^2 of mansion/keep.

The guards should be armoured, breastplate or chain shirt, your choice.

They should be well paid and worth it. After all, the guy's weird and wants to keep it secret. I'd have them older, warrior 5th or 6th level, and seasoned. They figure they are basically doing a "working retirement" and want to keep the cushy job.

Traps are noise makers and non-lethal, ie nets, sleeping poisons, paint to id the perps and depending on your magic level in your world magic areas that reverse gravity, magic mouths and the like to capture or merely annoy the unwanted.

Many places of the house are not trapped, if he entertains but well patrolled.

Now, the traps that lead into his treasure room is well trapped and most likely leathal. Traps that affect the mind is what I'm thinking here. Again, depending on the magic level in your world, Illusions of floors that are infront of false doors and the like sounds good. The noble person would have hired a few "security experts" who would have told him that traps that explode or such don't do well against nimble theives.

You may even want to have the inner areas, again based on your magic level in you world, have a forbindence or dimensional anchor on the area.

If the guy is truly twisted, have dead ends, with traps, mostly non-lethal and built to torment his "special guests" and I'm not talking about theives here. Those will be his special areas for his "hunts". Even have the party find some pretty young thing, half starved, who's been there too long and really wants to leave. Have her scream and cower behind a party member whenever the noble or guards are around. Tht makes it even more entertaining.

The girl? Oh, 17-21, thought she'd sen in all, an aspiring courtesean(sp?), who thought that she'd be sleeping her way to the top. She's not evil, just a bit selfish, a level or two in rogue/expert, and really re-considering her present course in life. Can you say "Cohort"?

Hope that helps.

Post/Author/DateTime	Post
WCH 07-06-05, 07:14 PM	Quick, rogue wants to break into the home of an aristocrat (we're playing over MSN atm -- regular sessions are in person, but we do side things online). I gave him 5 options, and he happened to pick the only one of the five with a backstoried owner (LE aristocrat taken from Justine by the Marquis de Sade... the fat man who bleeds his wife). What I need is quick stuff for an aristocrat's house, relevant to a break in attempt. DCs, guards, security measures, treasure.
krichaiushii 07-06-05, 08:02 PM	Fat LE aristocrat with sadistic tendencies? A well-stocked kitchen and pantry and wine-cellar. His cook(s) and butler may be working there due to blackmail or fear (RP opportunity). A secret torture chamber and perhaps prison cells for his victims. The entrance may make use of the Improved Arcane Lock spell from Stronghold Builder's Guide. This area may have the Inscriptions of... from the SBG, as well - to keep things hidden. All doors that lock will have MW locks. Keys will be limited to the aristocrat, and perhaps the butler and chief of guards. Different keys for different locks, of course. Only areas the aristocrat wants private will have locks - his suite, a vault, the wine cellar, guest rooms (so he can lock people in "for their own safety"). Guards will be war2 or 3, with ranks in Intimidate and the Alertness Feat, armed with MW weapons and armor (as befitting a noble's guards). Very bullying; pairs of guards with pairs of mean war dogs (who can scent invisible beings) on patrol, pairs of guards at important portals. The estate likely consists of a main house (2-3 story and small basement) and a separate stable enclosed by a wall (more for privacy than anything else). Patrols in the courtyard, and sentries at the gate and the door to the house. Treasure will mostly be art, fine clothing and jewelery, expensive furnishings, silver and crystal place settings, rare wines, and imported spices (maybe drugs and poisons, too). Coinage and perhaps some potions will be squirreled away by different members of the household. If the aristocrat keeps a journal (and he should; all villians should have some weakness) describing his "hobby", this could be quite a conundrum for the PCs. Do they: Turn it over to the authorities, while fibbing on how it was obtained. Use it to blackmail the aristocrat. Use it as an excuse for a bit of righteous vigilantism. Vain persons often have distinctive possessions, perhaps even marked with thier name or family coat of arms. Not only does this make resale of said items difficult, it makes scrying for these items VERY easy (until they are melted down, at least).
LCD2YOU 07-06-05, 08:19 PM	Depending on how rich the guy is, and if I'm correct the guy is loaded, or how old the place is, it will be well guarded. I'd say he'd have 1 guard per 10,000 ft^2 of grounds plus 1 guard for 1000 ft^2 of mansion/keep. The guards should be armoured, breastplate or chain shirt, your choice. They should be well paid and worth it. After all, the guy's weird and wants to keep it secret. I'd have them older, warrior 5th or 6th level, and seasoned. They figure they are basically doing a "working retirement" and want to keep the cushy job. Traps are noise makers and non-lethal, ie nets, sleeping poisons, paint to id the perps and depending on your magic level in your world magic areas that reverse gravity, magic mouths and the like to capture or merely annoy the unwanted. Many places of the house are not trapped, if he entertains but well patrolled. Now, the traps that lead into his treasure room is well trapped and most likely leathal. Traps that affect the mind is what I'm thinking here. Again, depending on the magic level in your world, Illusions of floors that are infront of false doors and the like sounds good. The noble person would have hired a few "security experts" who would have told him that traps that explode or such don't do well against nimble theives. You may even want to have the inner areas, again based on your magic level in you world, have a forbindence or dimensional anchor on the area. If the guy is truly twisted, have dead ends, with traps, mostly non-lethal and built to torment his "special guests" and I'm not talking about theives here. Those will be his special areas for his "hunts". Even have the party find some pretty young thing, half starved, who's been there too long and really wants to leave. Have her scream and cower behind a party member whenever the noble or guards are around. Tht makes it even more entertaining. The girl? Oh, 17-21, thought she'd sen in all, an aspiring courtesean(sp?), who thought that she'd be sleeping her way to the top. She's not evil, just a bit selfish, a level or two in rogue/expert, and really re-considering her present course in life. Can you say "Cohort"? Hope that helps.