Taken Prisoner

[SelcSilverhand]

I'm working on an adventure using a plot hook I've never tried before: Imprisoning the players.

My plan is to have a group of raiders attack a caravan and take prisoners along with all the loot. Once they wake up from the non-lethal damage they will be given a chance to escape while their captors are dividing the spoils. If they have a rogue in the party, that person gets a chance to spring the lock and rescue everyone. If not one of the NPC's from the caravan would do it. After that they have a chance to steal back their gear and escape. The rest of the adventure is them on the run from search parties.

I've heard a few people comment in the past that this always annoys players because they are usually forced into it and end up losing their gear. I'm hoping to make it a fun experience and would greatly appreciate any advice from people with experience with this, DM or player. Thanks in advance!

 

[JamesonCourage]

I'm working on an adventure using a plot hook I've never tried before: Imprisoning the players.

My plan is to have a group of raiders attack a caravan and take prisoners along with all the loot. Once they wake up from the non-lethal damage they will be given a chance to escape while their captors are dividing the spoils. If they have a rogue in the party, that person gets a chance to spring the lock and rescue everyone. If not one of the NPC's from the caravan would do it. After that they have a chance to steal back their gear and escape. The rest of the adventure is them on the run from search parties.

I've heard a few people comment in the past that this always annoys players because they are usually forced into it and end up losing their gear. I'm hoping to make it a fun experience and would greatly appreciate any advice from people with experience with this, DM or player. Thanks in advance!

If you're playing out them being captured, make the force capturing them formidable. Not just formidable, actually, but powerful.

My players seem to get frustrated when they feel unnaturally forced into things. They don't mind being outgunned, outmatched, or overpowered. However, if a group of 5 level 1 bandits were to capture them because I thought it would be a fun plot, then it becomes a problem to them.

I'd suggest having the force that takes them be mostly lower level (2-5, maybe? I'd imagine you'd get decent experience as professional raiders), augmented by a few powerful casters and a powerful warrior.

For example, say your players are level 4, they might think they can take on a group of 20 level 2's (for whatever reason). However, throw in a level 10 monk (good for nonlethal and running players down), and a level 10 cleric and wizard (the cleric just counterspelling, the wizard just casting things like Suggestion), and all of a sudden they know they were simply outmatched.

When they escape successfully and recover their gear, the players are going to be smart enough to know they shouldn't mess with that group. So, they'll probably flee*. This sets up your "I want them running from the raiders" plot pretty nicely, in my opinion.

Just make sure you're having fun, and play what you and your group likes

*It is with great sadness that I must point out an important note: all players will ruin things. Players are the dirtiest fighting, most unpredictable set of sociopaths that have ever walked into your lovingly crafted imaginary world. They will strive to ruin any plan you had in mind, they will often screw one another over (accidentally or not), and they will act first and think about consequences... at some point. Just be flexible, and you'll do fine.

 

[fuzzlewump]

Player's are going to want to play through the capturing process, especially if it isn't the first session of a campaign. Wizards will teleport away, rogues stealth and sneak away, etc. Real people really don't like being captured. Allow and encourage this, maybe some organically get away and others don't, that means the rest have to break them out. If they all escape, then maybe they want to set up an ambush and kill the raiders. Or maybe they just kill them in the capturing attempt.

If it's essential that they deal with the raiders, make them capture an important NPC even if the players get away or they have treasure / items that the players want.

 

[Janx]

Never, ever form the basis of an adventure on the party getting captured.

Sure, there are exceptions when to use a party capture.

But generally speaking, planning one such that it depends on the capture to succeed leads to crap GMing.

 

[scourger]

Never, ever form the basis of an adventure on the party getting captured.

Ditto. I've never enjoyed it as a player, so I won't do it as a GM. Now, you could make them the ones who escaped the caravan raid, giving them the chance to rescue others. Otherwise, think of a different start.

 

[jonesy]

Over the years here I've seen a lot of threads by DM's who love a plot where the PC's are captured, and by players who hate that just as much.

The DM's generally want to run the getting captured part as exposition without any chance for escape, while the players practically always want the opportunity and choice to try to avoid or escape the situation as it happens.

If you're really deadset on running the scenario be very careful in how you do it. It has been a campaign killer when done wrong.

 

[Hand of Evil]

One, an inside man. Have a bandit be part of the caravan and have him poison the players (and other members of the caravan) at the evening camp. This then allows the players to have a "foe" they can identify with, I recommend the "cook" and the event taking place after a few days of travel.

Also, make them a likable foe. Chatting and yelling "come and get it" at meal time or when he is walking about with the food. Have some jokes or tall tells he can tell the players.

 

[fuzzlewump]

One, an inside man. Have a bandit be part of the caravan and have him poison the players (and other members of the caravan) at the evening camp. This then allows the players to have a "foe" they can identify with, I recommend the "cook" and the event taking place after a few days of travel.

Also, make them a likable foe. Chatting and yelling "come and get it" at meal time or when he is walking about with the food. Have some jokes or tall tells he can tell the players.

Heh, this is why some player's don't trust any NPC that has the detail of having a name or beyond. Either DMPC or Enemy, and those players don't like either of 'em.

Of course, pepper in at least 2-3 other similar but 'good' NPC's with something good to offer the players and that willl probably work pretty well.

 

[Herobizkit]

Announcing that the players are taking subdual damage will set the right amount of panic and foreboding. This might seem contrived, but this would be the perfect time to put the spotlight on a stealth-based PC. Have everyone captured but the stealthy PC, and you can enact a fun stealth-based mission for him... depends on your group if the other players can tolerate it.

 

[Hand of Evil]

Heh, this is why some player's don't trust any NPC that has the detail of having a name or beyond. Either DMPC or Enemy, and those players don't like either of 'em.

Of course, pepper in at least 2-3 other similar but 'good' NPC's with something good to offer the players and that willl probably work pretty well.

Yep, make the inside man the one to free them. He could also be the guy to provide them with a lot of their stuff back. He could also lead them to a mini-adventure.