Post/Author/DateTime	Post
youcanthetoocan 11-16-05, 10:23 AM	My group has two Emerald Claw soldiers in a jail cell. We need info out of them but they're not talking. We are lvl 5 so we dont have too many options. I play a super holy good guy so torture is not really an option. Any ideas?
DarkWarriorKarg 11-16-05, 11:03 AM	My group has two Emerald Claw soldiers in a jail cell. We need info out of them but they're not talking. We are lvl 5 so we dont have too many options. I play a super holy good guy so torture is not really an option. Any ideas? Charm Person Remit the miscreants to the Holy Inquisitors Remit the miscreants to local authority
Lincoln Hills 11-16-05, 03:18 PM	...We need info out of them but they're not talking... torture is not really an option. You have three options: attempt to bully the information out of them (Intimidate), or attempt to get them talking on neutral topics and win their confidence (Diplomacy), or trick them into revealing the information (Bluff). I don't know what sort of time constraints you're working against, or your character's personality, but if I recall correctly the Emerald Claw are pretty fanatical. That said, a good Diplomacy approach might be, "I've always been fascinated by your brotherhood but I've never had a chance to ask questions. Sometimes I question my path... Is it rewarding, working for the Claw?" Alternately, one player offers to feed them their own ears if they don't fess up, while the other "calms his rage", hustles him out of the room and presents himself as more sympathetic. Police often use this dynamic: a person who's just been captured will usually feel helpless, and appreciative of any actions perceived as "protective".
Gedrin 11-16-05, 03:49 PM	First, if at all possible, seperate your prisoners. For the remainder, I will opperate under the following assumptions: 1. Your prisoners have been direct participants in dire evil acts. 1a: A "dire evil act" is an act you could ethically use lethal force to prevent from occuring were you to witness it first hand. eg, the murder of innocents. 2. Your prisoners have information that can be used to prevent dire evil acts. 3. Your prisoners are willfully witholding that information, for the purpose of assisting in the commission of dire evil acts. 4. You are, for whatever reason, the closest thing to a just and good authority available. (otherwise you turn them over). Providing you have time to use persuasion, use persuasion. Remember, to a certain extent, no matter what methods you use, Bluff, Diplomacy and Intimidation will be required. The methods used will need to be chosen with respect to time allowed and the Skills in the party. A number of persuasive techniques have already been detailed, most involve a carrot (good treatment) and a stick (bad treatment) aproach. A number of things non-torture can be done to lower the resistance to giving information: Manipulate the environment of your prisoners to the end of disorientation. Manipulate the impressions and information that your prisoners recieve from their captors. Physical hardship and disorientation can weaken the body, resolve and mental clarity making it more likely that things will "slip out". Try to create a situation where the prisoner's psychological needs (validation, security, understanding) are served by giving up information. Example: A prisoner wants to feel important, so you let him believe that he will become important to you by telling you vital information. You are fortunate that you have two prisoners, and they can be played off against each other: Attempt to create the impression that the other prisoner has already talked. Use information gathered from one to gain/verify information from the other. When one prisoner is being treated harshly, resentment and rift can be generated by allowing them to witness good treatment of the other. Providing you're willing to execute a prisoner based on what you already know (say you know they're a murderer, and you are the local legal/justice authority), you can offer mercy (take the death penalty off the table) in exchange for an act of contrition (giving over the information). If you have no time, then you will need to find a method that will immediately force these prisoners to cease their participation in whatever dire evil acts they are assisting with their willful silence. Mind you, such methods usually make them resentful and less cooperative long term.
epifreak 11-16-05, 07:00 PM	Okay, if you need information quickly, this might work. All it requires is two vials, a low level arcane caster with two silent image spells, someone with a decent bluff and a very nice intelligence. 1.) Collect a vial of water. 2.) Have a caster throw silent image (a first level spell) on it (more on this in a moment) 3.) Scratch them with a dagger (try to knick an artery or vein of some sort), place a hollow straw-like tube in the wound, and funnel the contents of the vial into the wound, making sure that they actually enter the blood stream rather than just flowing out. 4.) Explain to them in great detail the painful, crippling symptoms that the poison that you have just exposed them to causes. Be EXTREMELY descriptive. (Personally, I like the idea of using mercury. It's something that is physically very identifiable and everyone's heard about mercury causing madness and brain problems.) 5.) hold up another vial filled with some other fluid (maybe a nice saliene solution) and inform them that this vial is the antidote and you'll let them drink it in exchange for the information you need. 6.) roll bluff and pray you succeed.
youcanthetoocan 11-17-05, 08:33 AM	Good ideas guys, thanks for the info. Anyone else have anything else?
KJW 11-17-05, 08:38 AM	Personally I don't think you need anything else, just use Gedrin's post. The only other thing is maybe find a local cleric or wizard who can help with some divination spells, but just do what Gedrin said and my guess is it should work.