CLS@houxe.UUCP (01/12/84)
Subject: Help!...Jailbird I'm running a 2nd level L-G cleric of Athena who has gotten herself in a real tight spot. I'm seeking creative ideas on how she might utilize 1st level cleric spells, psionics [Psi Strength: 101; A/D: A/F,J; min.disc.: Hypnosis, Mind Over Body] or other tactics to survive the following situation: She has been separated from her party and is being hauled off to "jail" by a pack of burly thugs who masquerade as the local police. She has never dealt with them directly before, but has heard that they spend more time harassing transient riff-raff than they do chasing thieves or assassins. Her personality is lawful-goody-goody, and has heard rumors of an impending coup on the currently Athena supportive monarchy of her country. This has made her aggressively antagonistic toward the non-LG militia which has her currently in toe. Emotional desires to defend this domain of lawful-good, have overpowered her normal tendancy toward caution and common sense. [Stats: S:15;I:17;W:16;D:7;Co:11;Ch:15]. She has the capacity to carry four first level cleric spells, but is currently down to one Cure Light Wounds (hopefully the authorities will throw her in the clink for a couple of hours and she can re-coupe). While she is a tough fighter for a cleric [HP: 15] she doubts she could handle a herd of mean militia on her own. She has several "friends" in town, who might be willing to give her some help, if she could figure out how to get word to them. The entourage is rapidly approaching the jailhouse, she is going to have to do some fast talking and a little soft-shoe wouldn't hurt. Once they get her in the jailhouse, her chances of contacting "friends" will be severely reduced. All ideas will be greedily accepted, but HURRY... time's running out. Chris Sotinsky [houxe!chris]
nick@utcsrgv.UUCP (T.C. Nicholas Graham) (01/21/84)
As a fellow devotee of Athena, I think it is important to point out
the dangers of calling upon one's deity any time one finds oneself
in a little danger. If every second level cleric who found him/herself
in jail were to call upon Athena, what would happen when something really
important came up (such as MY character needing help! :-) )?
In any case, your situation isn't that desperate yet: consider the following
possibilities, each of which might work, depending on the details of your
predicament. Unfortuanately, as far as I know, the size of the jail you are
in could be anywhere from a hick-town police depot to something that rivals
the Bastille. Anyway, try the following: STEP 1: get out of your cell.
Easy. Memorize several command spells. With the simple word 'unlock',
you are out of your cell. With the second simple word 'die', the obliging
guard will be happy to roll around on the ground gagging for a round.
This gives you sufficient time to get to work on STEP 2: get out of the
prison. Not quite so easy, but possibilities abound. One idea would
probably require a ruling on the part of your DM: use a sanctuary spell.
If the DM is pleasant, this spell would require all guards and other nasties
to make a saving throw before attacking/reapprehending you. This would greatly
aid your chances of sneaking out. Depending on how magic-starved your area is,
something so simple as casting a light spell in the back of some other cell
could create an effective diversion. In a larger prison, something as old
as the gambit of stealing the clothes of the guard you did in for a round
could produce highly useful effects. None of these ideas have even
touched on your psionics. Personally, I'd enjoy the
challenge of trying to get out without having to resort to them, as your
hypnosis discipline really makes the whole thing rather trivial. ("I suggest
that you and your comrades have orders to take me into town for trial...")
However, if things get tricky they are always there to smooth things over.
Be innovative; you have quite a lot to work with. And remember that if
things get REALLY sticky, you still do have a one-in-a-zillion chance of
catching Athena's attention.
Loads of luck,
-- Nick Graham, U of T