Need a solution to get a character into a fortress

1. 60

   kookoo88posted 13 years ago

   The situation:
   The party wants to get into a secure fortress. A servant's guild has agreed to get them in by posing as servants.
   
   The problem:
   One of the party is a knight in full plate with a big sword sticking over his shoulder.
   1. he can't take off the armor.
   2. he can't get rid of the sword.
   3. invisibility won't work as there are ways to detect it.
   4. He has to be there and there is no other way in.
   
   So, basically I need to figure out how they convince the guards that the knight should be allowed in with the rest of the party. Any ideas?

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   1. 91

      Urbane Chaosposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Have him walk boldly through the front gate:
      
         ..posing as a noble from a distant land.  He doesn't speak, only the head servant, indignant at the thought of some lowly gatekeep trying interrogate his lordship.
      
         ..claiming to have a letter for the king/prince/whomever that he has been charged with.  He's the only one who can deliver the letter, and must do so as soon as he arrives without delay.  He doesn't have time to waste talking to the guards.
      
         ...poising as a guard for some rich merchant.  Sure, he may have to pay out a few coin to the merchant to let him walk in with them, but these are rough times, and the merchant is so greedy that he'll take coin from anyone.
      
      There's a hundred different ways to do this.  Think like the guards would - they've been standing at their post for several hours, are bored, tired, hungry.. They really don't want any kind of trouble, but they can't let anyone in without a reasonable explanation.  With hundreds of travelers coming in and out of the gates, they'll quickly forget about one knight that has a good alibi.
      
      Once the knight enters, he quickly gets lost in the crowd by ducking into side alleys or merchant stalls.  This sets up a new scenario, one that drives the story along.
      
      Hope that gives ya some good ideas..

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   2. 59

      Druid Dudeposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Exactly the predicament I face right now. Sometimes Armor is more a benefit than one might think, even on a perceived adversary. My plan is to approach others who have a more access free advantage. For instance, certain friends who can form a "Diplomatic Retinue" which can serve as a cover. Let me know how it works, if your plan is implemented before mine.

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2. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

   it might help to have a bit more background. why do they want to get into the fortress?  where are they coming from?
   if they're posing as servants, perhaps the knight could be an escort they had encountered on their perilous journey and wanted to make sure they arrive safely to the fortress.

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3. 60

   kookoo88posted 13 years ago

   You're right, I do need to give more background.
   
   The fortess is owned by a different Race called "Rojuun".  They are 8' tall and have four arms.  This is a military fortress and they do not recognize human knights as any sort of authority, in fact they don't even know what a knight is yet.  Humans are all servants to serve the Rojuun in their eyes.
   
   Complicating the fact is that only a few humans are allowed in and those humans are servants who do menial tasks like cleaning.
   
   The party is made up of 4 extraordinary characters who can fight, but not against an entire army.  They are going in to rescue a human prisoner that the Rojuun have imprisoned.
   
   Going in as servants works, as the Rojuun don't really keep track of what humans look like.
   
   The knight has no body, just the magical armor that his soul is bound to.  If the armor is disassembled, it will destroy him.
   
   Let me know if you need any other information.

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   1. 91

      Urbane Chaosposted 13 years agoin reply to this

      Alright.. scratch my previous thoughts..
      
      Some more: 
      
      Is there a way that he can enter through a sewer system or other unknown cavern/tunnel?  Maybe there's a river that runs through the fortress that supplies water and there's a way in that way?
      
      In crowded fortresses, every spare inch of space is used.  Maybe there's an old watch tower that's being used as a storage room that has an opening. (for dropping rocks on the Rojuun enemy's heads?)  Maybe the servants guild can drop him a rope..
      
      What about putting him in a casket and wheeling him through the gates? The servants are taking him to be blessed by the high priest.  They are under orders that the casket cannot be opened by anyone, upon pain of death.  In fact, a magician made the casket and set a curse on it..
      
      ...or get a little more crazy: Maybe the knight has the ability to shift the molecular properties of stone, thereby creating a gateway where the was none.  Or maybe open a portal that leads to somewhere inside the fortress..
      
      Hey, I'm tryin' here.

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      1. 60

         kookoo88posted 13 years agoin reply to this

         The last part is an excellent idea!  He actually has the ability to shift in space for short distances and has used it in battle.  I can have him use it hear.   There's no portal, he just shifts.  I haven't set a limit on it, so I can have him see where he's going when the entrance opens, then just shift.  The others can distract the guards.
         
         Thank you!

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         1. 91

            Urbane Chaosposted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Glad I could help out... Just don't forget us little people when you become a best-selling author!!

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            1. 60

               kookoo88posted 13 years agoin reply to this

               Sorry, I'm totally famous now.  I've sold 9 copies of my book so far.  I don't know you anymore.
               
               *grin*

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               1. 91

                  Urbane Chaosposted 13 years agoin reply to this

                  You're a quack!!!    Seriously, congrats on the sales!  Hopefully that'll be 9,000 soon!

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4. 0

   Longhunterposted 13 years ago

   I like Urbane Choas' idea about just walking in boldly as a noble but, if that's not possible, maybe have him in a breakaway wooden box that he's taken in in.

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5. 84

   rebekahELLEposted 13 years ago

     I like this idea of opening a portal, like a time traveler. 
   or if the Rojuun's don't pay attention to what a human looks like, he simply walks through the gate with the others.

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   1. 60

      kookoo88posted 13 years agoin reply to this

      I'm going with Urbane Chaos's idea of shifting into the fortress.  It will work with everything else just right.
      
      Thank you all very much for helping me work this out.  I was really stuck!

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      1. 84

         rebekahELLEposted 13 years agoin reply to this

         sounds like a good story line! I also like that idea, he should use his abilities to his advantage.
         
         when first reading, it made me think of Michael Crichton's writing in Timeline, but they're quite different once you explained it more. He used a lot of science based theory in his fiction, one of my favorite writers.
         
         good luck!

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         1. 60

            kookoo88posted 13 years agoin reply to this

            Thank you.   I'm trying to make make magic so that it can do many of the things that science can do, just in different ways.

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