So, how would one deal magic Casters in a campaign, where all the players are slaves. For logically speaking any magic caster is a threat to the duergar slave owners. What would a possible way to keep magic Casters around to not prohibit the classes from the players, yet have a logical way of the Duergar overlords. Wizard, they lose their spell books, and that greatly prohibits them, but sorcerers and other who are limited by such things going around casting spells would be a problem. Material Components would be highly limited. How would you think the duergar would deal with the risk of a slaves having spells
Think of the components: V, S, and M. To prevent someone casting spells with a vocal component, these prisoners would probably be gagged 24-7, preventing speech (or at least articulate speech). To prevent someone casting spells with somatic components, you would want to bind them to limit their movement beyond the minimum required for the work they'll be doing. The Duregar would probably have specific harnesses made for this purpose; chains between fingers that limit how far you can move them independently, chains shackling the arms (probably connected to a belt at the waist) so they cannot raise them over their head, that kind of thing. And material components are easy, don't let them have any possessions, no pockets, regular inspection of their cell to ensure they're not hiding a stash of spell components.
If you prevent a caster from accessing all of the three component types, they're cut off from their spellcasting regardless of class (unless they're a sorcerer with Subtle Spell, but I'd purposefully leave that loophole open so your players have something to work with to escape. Even then, they'd really only get one shot to get a spell off before being mobbed by the guards, so they'd need to use they're spellcasting wisely).
depends on what kind of spells. if it's something like Alarm or Clairvoyance you might ask your DM if they could be ritualized similar to Augury or Beast Sense. then, stage a dice/domino/draughts gambling game to help cover the use of a spell focus, gestures, vocalizations, etc. it's been years since i read Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon but i believe i recall some soldiers there occasionally participated in a very peculiar game of cards...
Seems like the realistic answer, if I’m a duergar here, I’d to just kill any caster. Honestly there’s very few of them, relative to the general population, so it’s not like they’ll lose much of their workforce. Why would they risk keeping them alive. Even with precautions, it would be like letting someone keep a pistol but taking the bullets, and hoping they can’t find any. You just remove it from the equation. So, to be a PC caster in n this world means keeping your talents hidden. Sorcerers and warlocks just don’t use their powers where anyone can see. Wizards are taught in secret by individual masters who find a promising youth. That kind of thing.
Spell casters are hunted. They simply kill spell casters.
Spell casters are exploited. Magic drainers, mind control etc...
Spell casters are irrelevant. The spell casting abilities of the players are so beneath the captors they don't bother intervening.
There is the option to run a very limited and stealth focused campaign with material components and weapons limited or non existent so players need to scrounge for items. Its not something I've tried but it could be interesting.
Thanks for the information, this was just what I was looking for. Was really unsure to handle this situation, and y'all have given me the insight I was looking for, with out feeling I will be to harsh on spell casters.
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So, how would one deal magic Casters in a campaign, where all the players are slaves. For logically speaking any magic caster is a threat to the duergar slave owners. What would a possible way to keep magic Casters around to not prohibit the classes from the players, yet have a logical way of the Duergar overlords. Wizard, they lose their spell books, and that greatly prohibits them, but sorcerers and other who are limited by such things going around casting spells would be a problem. Material Components would be highly limited. How would you think the duergar would deal with the risk of a slaves having spells
Think of the components: V, S, and M. To prevent someone casting spells with a vocal component, these prisoners would probably be gagged 24-7, preventing speech (or at least articulate speech). To prevent someone casting spells with somatic components, you would want to bind them to limit their movement beyond the minimum required for the work they'll be doing. The Duregar would probably have specific harnesses made for this purpose; chains between fingers that limit how far you can move them independently, chains shackling the arms (probably connected to a belt at the waist) so they cannot raise them over their head, that kind of thing. And material components are easy, don't let them have any possessions, no pockets, regular inspection of their cell to ensure they're not hiding a stash of spell components.
If you prevent a caster from accessing all of the three component types, they're cut off from their spellcasting regardless of class (unless they're a sorcerer with Subtle Spell, but I'd purposefully leave that loophole open so your players have something to work with to escape. Even then, they'd really only get one shot to get a spell off before being mobbed by the guards, so they'd need to use they're spellcasting wisely).
depends on what kind of spells. if it's something like Alarm or Clairvoyance you might ask your DM if they could be ritualized similar to Augury or Beast Sense. then, stage a dice/domino/draughts gambling game to help cover the use of a spell focus, gestures, vocalizations, etc. it's been years since i read Steven Erikson's Gardens of the Moon but i believe i recall some soldiers there occasionally participated in a very peculiar game of cards...
Seems like the realistic answer, if I’m a duergar here, I’d to just kill any caster. Honestly there’s very few of them, relative to the general population, so it’s not like they’ll lose much of their workforce. Why would they risk keeping them alive. Even with precautions, it would be like letting someone keep a pistol but taking the bullets, and hoping they can’t find any. You just remove it from the equation.
So, to be a PC caster in n this world means keeping your talents hidden. Sorcerers and warlocks just don’t use their powers where anyone can see. Wizards are taught in secret by individual masters who find a promising youth. That kind of thing.
Theres a few options.
There is the option to run a very limited and stealth focused campaign with material components and weapons limited or non existent so players need to scrounge for items. Its not something I've tried but it could be interesting.
Thanks for the information, this was just what I was looking for. Was really unsure to handle this situation, and y'all have given me the insight I was looking for, with out feeling I will be to harsh on spell casters.