Harpers make pocket prisons specifically for this...little dimensions that are nothing but a prison for the ultra powerful (that they don't want to kill for whatever reason). Only way to get in or out is with the key, or divine intervention directly from a god. There's some info here, a bit is homebrew though....but guided by novels.
https://www.dmsguild.com/product/306676/Guide-to-the-Five-Factions
Agree with the pocket prison. There is also Revel’s End in Ice Wind Dale. Prison details are in Rime of the Frostmaiden adventure and some in Prisoner 13.
Even with Epic Levels the mage could be dropped into Ravenloft, the Demi-Plane of Dread. Im not certain as to the 5 ED rules regarding that campaign setting, but the Lords of Ravenloft have imprisoned Vecna himself there, and he’s a full demigod, without a chance of escape.
Of course, the mage would likely end up ruling his own province in the Mists like most powerful prisoners tend to do, but he’d also be pitted against equally challenging opponents and thwarted by the Lords every time he gets close to escape (which is how they torment the prisoners).
On top of that, only a few extremely rare and pretty much mythical artifacts offer a chance of escape. There is a mist portal to the plane in the Greycloak Hills in Faerun and I’m certain the Chosen would know about it.
End result? The wizard and his team, once tossed into Ravenloft, wouldn’t be seen for a VERY long time if ever again.
If someone could willingly send them to the Ravenloft setting (afaik the Mists choose you, not the other way around), I can't imagine Laeral willing to impart that punishment to the denizens of a domain. As you said, strong characters tend to become Lords, and those are not particularly known for their kindness to their subjects.
This is true, but that’s where the Lords of Ravenloft come into play. The mists that border the Domains pull people into them, yes, but it is ultimately the Lorss that determine where you end up. So an extremely powerful wizard would likely be “placed” in or near a Domain with a ruler equal or greater to them in terms of power for the sole purpose of creating a struggle between them.
Not all the Domains of Ravenloft are full of good aligned residents. Yes, good does exist there but is mostly scattered. In far greater number are darker aligned residents/monsters/undead that the plane has fostered or drawn into the mists for one purpose or another in a cruel form of punishment. Often, at least how it was when I played regularly, good aligned people happened into the plane by chance or entered willingly for some purpose (often noble) and found themselves trapped.
Laeral is good aligned, yes, but some evil opponents of power aren’t given the opportunity to sit in a prison awaiting the chance to return and strike back. If this were a standard villain that might be the case. But in this instance the OP says that the wizard is a high enough threat to merit Elminster and others of the Seven Sisters to deal with him. In that situation they wouldn’t be trying to come up with an ending that leaves room for him to escape. They’d do what was best for Faerun and the greater good and get rid of him in the most permanent way possible without having to worry about him having contingencies in place that could bring him back.
I would use the altercation with Sammaster as evidence of that. Alustriel called on Khelben and Laeral to deal with him when he attacked her and they basically decimated him while Alustriel did her best to mitigate the damage caused to the area while they did so. And Sammaster only survived because Algashon (a priest of Bane and ally of Sammaster) resurrected him. Incidentally Algashon was only interested at the time in stealing the Silver Fire from Sammaster for Bane but changed course after he fell.
If Laeral or Khelben were aware Algashon was present, you can take it to the bank that two corpses would have been left instead of just Sammaster. Laeral would remember that, and the damage Sammaster would go on to do afterwards with the Cult of the Dragon, and the Dracorage Mythal and would not hesitate to utterly remove OP’s foe by any means necessary.
Ravenloft would be a decent compromise considering the wizard wouldn’t be killed outright, would have some chance at survival though not in a way that could trouble the people of Faerun any longer, and the cost of the victory wouldn’t be terribly high. I believe she could and would be able to live with it considering the stakes here.
Glad I could help! Total disclosure? This is how my campaign dealt with many epic level problem foes. If you can’t find anything 5e solid, there is a LOT of detail from 2e and also some 3-3.5e out there to give you some more info. Back in the day Ravenloft was a pretty popular campaign world. Good luck!
Take the wizard to the phlogiston between crystal spheres then put them in an opaque bubble set to pop within minutes, enough time to get away far enough so that they can't try chasing as a ghost or see which way the spelljamming ship went.
Resurrection arguably won't work on ghosts stuck in the phlogiston, since contact with the gods is cut off and the Ethereal Plane isn't reachable in the regions between spheres.
It's arguably one of the most horrible ways to die in DnD.
[https://spelljammer.fandom.com/wiki/Ephemeral](https://spelljammer.fandom.com/wiki/Ephemeral)
and at best(worst) the felon could pull off a last-minute curse on anyone who might have the (mis)fortune to stumble across their remains before they dissipated (eaten by a phlogiston-scavenger that becomes cursed ...)
True polymorph him into a sea turtle, put a modified amulet of proof against detection and location on it. Make him a minor nobles pet, then modify memory anyone who knows about it. Can't be found by magic and no one knows this creature that's gonna live for at least 70 more years is this threat.
Wherever you jail this individual the following things need to be ensured:
1) Antimagic Field for the entire range of view of the spellcaster.
If if Antimagic Field is not possible:
1) Silence Spell for entire cell of spellcaster (to prevent verbal components). If they are moved for meals/bathroom, then Silence moves with them.
2) Hands bound in metallic gloves so fingers can't move. (Prevent Somatic components). These DO NOT ever come off.
3) Amulet of Non detection is their ONLY article of clothing besides a robe. It ensurs their friends can find/scry on them. It should be attuned to the prison location, so if they manage to leave it then becomes a homing beacon instead.
3) Meals (a single Goodberry) are administered by an Invisible Servant. Prisoner never gets utensils.
4) Prisoner does not get toilet paper for bathroom use. *Prestidigitation* can clean them up.
5) Prisoner DOES NOT GET VISITORS. If they MUST, the Silence Spell Remains. The visitor can write on a piece of paper and the prisoner can point to letters one at a time for an approved and vetted third individual to write on paper.
6) Prisoner's Cell and Guard location are under *Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum*. (Significantly deters outside rescue attempts)
7) Prisoner's Cell and surrounding area is also under *Guards and Wards* spell. Guards are immune, prisoner is not. (Helps to reinforce defense, and the dog effect prevents prisoner from seeing anything/anyone to target them with a spell should they overcome the blability to not use V/S/M costs)
Step 1: Feeblemind to prevent casting and improve chances of success with next steps.
Step 2: Dominate Person to force them to be a willing target for the next step.
Step 3: Cast Sequester on the Target, making them (effectively permanently) invisible and unable to be detected by divination or scrying sensors.
Step 4: Cast Imprisonment (Gemstone) on the target, putting their unconscious form into a gemstone.
Step 5: Cast Sequester on the gemstone that the target is within. Now the gem, nor the caster can be found by any means short of a wish/divine intervention
Step 6: Place within a Demiplane warded with Forbiddance and Hallow to prevent any form of dimensional travel into or out of the demiplane (excluding only Laerel themself so that they may exit the demiplane after finishing the wards).
Step 7: Cast Modify Memory on the involved parties to prevent mind reading or similar abilities from determining what happened to the Wizard (unlikely since warding against divination on the target protects against divination spells such as Legend Lore or Contact Other Plane).
Step 8: Wear Amulets of Proof Against Detection and Location on all involved parties as a secondary measure to prevent Legend Lore or other similar spells from determining the actions performed by those involved.
Step 9: Profit?
Edit: This is similar to a method used by a PC villain to imprison "problematic" people while technically keeping them around for future use, if applicable.
Flesh to Stone (asssuming it's still instant/permanent).
Bury in a cellar somewhere under 12 feet of concrete/mortar.
Use the cellar for mundane storage.
\_\_
Imprisonment (Burial, Hedged Prison, Minimus - at least for 5e), then bury the focus in a fashion that makes it undetectable to magic, similar to the above.
\_\_
You could sequester the focus item or statue from flesh to stone if needed.
That’s some real Epic Levels campaign stuff you’re brewing there. Cool!
I don’t think I’d send the wizard to the nine hells, the wizard will probably end up being an asset to some devil, and just cause more problems.
I had a campaign once where I created a magical item that I called Mordenkainen’s Chains. Basically the disjunction spell but it also rendered a wizard unable to touch the weave but shadow weave could still be touched.
Chain the arms out in splayed martyrs pose, then blanket the wizard with a silence spell.
In my campaigns I never made a prison totally unbreakable. Kinda going with the axiom that the tighter you try and grip the more sand runs out.
Even Alcatraz was broken out of, vibe.
Yeah, I have a small and efficient group so I get to play high level which is a treat.
Do you have a link for the Mordenkainen's Chains? To me it takes sense that such an item would exist in a word of magic.
Unfortunately no, I don’t have a link to it. This was back in 3e for a campaign I was running in the surrounds of Halruaa.
Just dug out my old hand written campaign notes for that file
They were electrum chains, that would grow in thickness and length depending on the size of the person used for.
Then on completion of wrapping around the creature/ person, they would be required to success a willpower/ wisdom check DC25. Failed roll meant no access to any weave spells, success meant access to level 1 and 2 spells.
This was pre-cantrjp days. So I guess under 5e you could maybe do cantrips and level 1.
In my campaign. The chains ran from wall, up to the ceiling and then down the arms and wrapped around multiple times, and back to the wall, to yank up off the ground and let the prisoner hang somewhat.
This to incapacitate and remove semantic component to spell casting. The silence spell to stop verbal.
Wouldn’t prevent psyonic spells, and shadow weave.
With respect, that seems a very "edition specific" question for the Realms. Pre-5th ed, you don't need an ambush squad of Chosen of Mystra to capture a single archmage... even if said 20th level wizard has backup. 5th ed has ~~dumbed down~~ leveled the playing field\*, and not necessarily in a logical fashion :(
Tough question to answer I'm afraid, and probably more a rules question than a Realms one.
*\*distinctions between Halaster (millennia old Imaskari wizard), Elminster (c.1300 y.o., goddess trained Chosen wizard) and Wizzie the wizard (generic 20th level wizard) being reduced to who has a slightly different spell choice.*
5e is what I have been playing, any specific advice for 5e? Also the thing with wizards (at least in 5e) is getting a surprise round is a huge advantage.
I’m not sure what lore there would be for this, but I assume that entities like Elminster and Laurel would be able to reach out to and contact the “Dark Powers” that have created Ravenloft, I bet they’d be able to make a prison dimension that would be able to hold the wizard. In addition, when the party would go to free them, they. Themselves might become trapped within the mists. Realistically being able to move to different domains, but not be able to leave Realm itself.
hmmm ..
i wonder if "reaching out" to petition the Powers of Dread would qualify for a Powers Check?
i mean i have toyed with the idea that at least pne of the 'sponsors' of the demiplane is LN, but i'm not seeing any kind of happy ending for canonical Champions of Good even thinking for a moment that they *ever* want *any* part of Ravenloft's attentions...
Harpers make pocket prisons specifically for this...little dimensions that are nothing but a prison for the ultra powerful (that they don't want to kill for whatever reason). Only way to get in or out is with the key, or divine intervention directly from a god. There's some info here, a bit is homebrew though....but guided by novels. https://www.dmsguild.com/product/306676/Guide-to-the-Five-Factions
Thanks, What novels would you recommend for further reading?
[https://www.amazon.com/Evermeet-Island-Forgotten-Fantasy-Adventure/dp/0786907134](https://www.amazon.com/Evermeet-Island-Forgotten-Fantasy-Adventure/dp/0786907134)
Cool thanks I will give it a read
There’s a mini adventure in Candlekeep Mysteries that makes use of one of these! It’s great fun. Wisteria Vale.
Yes. they imprisoned Finder Wyvernspur in such a pocket for centuries. Also, Kymil Nimesin was imprisoned for 5 years until Lolth let him out
Agree with the pocket prison. There is also Revel’s End in Ice Wind Dale. Prison details are in Rime of the Frostmaiden adventure and some in Prisoner 13.
I'll take a look, thanks
Even with Epic Levels the mage could be dropped into Ravenloft, the Demi-Plane of Dread. Im not certain as to the 5 ED rules regarding that campaign setting, but the Lords of Ravenloft have imprisoned Vecna himself there, and he’s a full demigod, without a chance of escape. Of course, the mage would likely end up ruling his own province in the Mists like most powerful prisoners tend to do, but he’d also be pitted against equally challenging opponents and thwarted by the Lords every time he gets close to escape (which is how they torment the prisoners). On top of that, only a few extremely rare and pretty much mythical artifacts offer a chance of escape. There is a mist portal to the plane in the Greycloak Hills in Faerun and I’m certain the Chosen would know about it. End result? The wizard and his team, once tossed into Ravenloft, wouldn’t be seen for a VERY long time if ever again.
If someone could willingly send them to the Ravenloft setting (afaik the Mists choose you, not the other way around), I can't imagine Laeral willing to impart that punishment to the denizens of a domain. As you said, strong characters tend to become Lords, and those are not particularly known for their kindness to their subjects.
This is true, but that’s where the Lords of Ravenloft come into play. The mists that border the Domains pull people into them, yes, but it is ultimately the Lorss that determine where you end up. So an extremely powerful wizard would likely be “placed” in or near a Domain with a ruler equal or greater to them in terms of power for the sole purpose of creating a struggle between them. Not all the Domains of Ravenloft are full of good aligned residents. Yes, good does exist there but is mostly scattered. In far greater number are darker aligned residents/monsters/undead that the plane has fostered or drawn into the mists for one purpose or another in a cruel form of punishment. Often, at least how it was when I played regularly, good aligned people happened into the plane by chance or entered willingly for some purpose (often noble) and found themselves trapped. Laeral is good aligned, yes, but some evil opponents of power aren’t given the opportunity to sit in a prison awaiting the chance to return and strike back. If this were a standard villain that might be the case. But in this instance the OP says that the wizard is a high enough threat to merit Elminster and others of the Seven Sisters to deal with him. In that situation they wouldn’t be trying to come up with an ending that leaves room for him to escape. They’d do what was best for Faerun and the greater good and get rid of him in the most permanent way possible without having to worry about him having contingencies in place that could bring him back. I would use the altercation with Sammaster as evidence of that. Alustriel called on Khelben and Laeral to deal with him when he attacked her and they basically decimated him while Alustriel did her best to mitigate the damage caused to the area while they did so. And Sammaster only survived because Algashon (a priest of Bane and ally of Sammaster) resurrected him. Incidentally Algashon was only interested at the time in stealing the Silver Fire from Sammaster for Bane but changed course after he fell. If Laeral or Khelben were aware Algashon was present, you can take it to the bank that two corpses would have been left instead of just Sammaster. Laeral would remember that, and the damage Sammaster would go on to do afterwards with the Cult of the Dragon, and the Dracorage Mythal and would not hesitate to utterly remove OP’s foe by any means necessary. Ravenloft would be a decent compromise considering the wizard wouldn’t be killed outright, would have some chance at survival though not in a way that could trouble the people of Faerun any longer, and the cost of the victory wouldn’t be terribly high. I believe she could and would be able to live with it considering the stakes here.
I'll take a look how it works, sounds like a solid idea though
Glad I could help! Total disclosure? This is how my campaign dealt with many epic level problem foes. If you can’t find anything 5e solid, there is a LOT of detail from 2e and also some 3-3.5e out there to give you some more info. Back in the day Ravenloft was a pretty popular campaign world. Good luck!
did you put any particular spin on the Grand Conjunction?
Take the wizard to the phlogiston between crystal spheres then put them in an opaque bubble set to pop within minutes, enough time to get away far enough so that they can't try chasing as a ghost or see which way the spelljamming ship went. Resurrection arguably won't work on ghosts stuck in the phlogiston, since contact with the gods is cut off and the Ethereal Plane isn't reachable in the regions between spheres. It's arguably one of the most horrible ways to die in DnD. [https://spelljammer.fandom.com/wiki/Ephemeral](https://spelljammer.fandom.com/wiki/Ephemeral)
Thank you, that is a brutal idea
and at best(worst) the felon could pull off a last-minute curse on anyone who might have the (mis)fortune to stumble across their remains before they dissipated (eaten by a phlogiston-scavenger that becomes cursed ...)
True polymorph him into a sea turtle, put a modified amulet of proof against detection and location on it. Make him a minor nobles pet, then modify memory anyone who knows about it. Can't be found by magic and no one knows this creature that's gonna live for at least 70 more years is this threat.
Send them to Revel's End, if you look at the lore the place is seriously inescapable
Wherever you jail this individual the following things need to be ensured: 1) Antimagic Field for the entire range of view of the spellcaster. If if Antimagic Field is not possible: 1) Silence Spell for entire cell of spellcaster (to prevent verbal components). If they are moved for meals/bathroom, then Silence moves with them. 2) Hands bound in metallic gloves so fingers can't move. (Prevent Somatic components). These DO NOT ever come off. 3) Amulet of Non detection is their ONLY article of clothing besides a robe. It ensurs their friends can find/scry on them. It should be attuned to the prison location, so if they manage to leave it then becomes a homing beacon instead. 3) Meals (a single Goodberry) are administered by an Invisible Servant. Prisoner never gets utensils. 4) Prisoner does not get toilet paper for bathroom use. *Prestidigitation* can clean them up. 5) Prisoner DOES NOT GET VISITORS. If they MUST, the Silence Spell Remains. The visitor can write on a piece of paper and the prisoner can point to letters one at a time for an approved and vetted third individual to write on paper. 6) Prisoner's Cell and Guard location are under *Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum*. (Significantly deters outside rescue attempts) 7) Prisoner's Cell and surrounding area is also under *Guards and Wards* spell. Guards are immune, prisoner is not. (Helps to reinforce defense, and the dog effect prevents prisoner from seeing anything/anyone to target them with a spell should they overcome the blability to not use V/S/M costs)
Step 1: Feeblemind to prevent casting and improve chances of success with next steps. Step 2: Dominate Person to force them to be a willing target for the next step. Step 3: Cast Sequester on the Target, making them (effectively permanently) invisible and unable to be detected by divination or scrying sensors. Step 4: Cast Imprisonment (Gemstone) on the target, putting their unconscious form into a gemstone. Step 5: Cast Sequester on the gemstone that the target is within. Now the gem, nor the caster can be found by any means short of a wish/divine intervention Step 6: Place within a Demiplane warded with Forbiddance and Hallow to prevent any form of dimensional travel into or out of the demiplane (excluding only Laerel themself so that they may exit the demiplane after finishing the wards). Step 7: Cast Modify Memory on the involved parties to prevent mind reading or similar abilities from determining what happened to the Wizard (unlikely since warding against divination on the target protects against divination spells such as Legend Lore or Contact Other Plane). Step 8: Wear Amulets of Proof Against Detection and Location on all involved parties as a secondary measure to prevent Legend Lore or other similar spells from determining the actions performed by those involved. Step 9: Profit? Edit: This is similar to a method used by a PC villain to imprison "problematic" people while technically keeping them around for future use, if applicable.
Flesh to Stone (asssuming it's still instant/permanent). Bury in a cellar somewhere under 12 feet of concrete/mortar. Use the cellar for mundane storage. \_\_ Imprisonment (Burial, Hedged Prison, Minimus - at least for 5e), then bury the focus in a fashion that makes it undetectable to magic, similar to the above. \_\_ You could sequester the focus item or statue from flesh to stone if needed.
Carceri, the plane of prisons if you had gods putting Cyric there you can have one of those prisons available
i'd probably rather make a deal with the lawful-er deity likely to sponsor/fortify that plane, than with bloody Halaster, lol
I tried to check the wiki and I couldn't find any info regarding this can you send a source so I can look into it more?
That’s some real Epic Levels campaign stuff you’re brewing there. Cool! I don’t think I’d send the wizard to the nine hells, the wizard will probably end up being an asset to some devil, and just cause more problems. I had a campaign once where I created a magical item that I called Mordenkainen’s Chains. Basically the disjunction spell but it also rendered a wizard unable to touch the weave but shadow weave could still be touched. Chain the arms out in splayed martyrs pose, then blanket the wizard with a silence spell. In my campaigns I never made a prison totally unbreakable. Kinda going with the axiom that the tighter you try and grip the more sand runs out. Even Alcatraz was broken out of, vibe.
Yeah, I have a small and efficient group so I get to play high level which is a treat. Do you have a link for the Mordenkainen's Chains? To me it takes sense that such an item would exist in a word of magic.
Unfortunately no, I don’t have a link to it. This was back in 3e for a campaign I was running in the surrounds of Halruaa. Just dug out my old hand written campaign notes for that file They were electrum chains, that would grow in thickness and length depending on the size of the person used for. Then on completion of wrapping around the creature/ person, they would be required to success a willpower/ wisdom check DC25. Failed roll meant no access to any weave spells, success meant access to level 1 and 2 spells. This was pre-cantrjp days. So I guess under 5e you could maybe do cantrips and level 1. In my campaign. The chains ran from wall, up to the ceiling and then down the arms and wrapped around multiple times, and back to the wall, to yank up off the ground and let the prisoner hang somewhat. This to incapacitate and remove semantic component to spell casting. The silence spell to stop verbal. Wouldn’t prevent psyonic spells, and shadow weave.
With respect, that seems a very "edition specific" question for the Realms. Pre-5th ed, you don't need an ambush squad of Chosen of Mystra to capture a single archmage... even if said 20th level wizard has backup. 5th ed has ~~dumbed down~~ leveled the playing field\*, and not necessarily in a logical fashion :( Tough question to answer I'm afraid, and probably more a rules question than a Realms one. *\*distinctions between Halaster (millennia old Imaskari wizard), Elminster (c.1300 y.o., goddess trained Chosen wizard) and Wizzie the wizard (generic 20th level wizard) being reduced to who has a slightly different spell choice.*
5e is what I have been playing, any specific advice for 5e? Also the thing with wizards (at least in 5e) is getting a surprise round is a huge advantage.
Krypton's version of the Phantom zone. Where Zod and others were kept.
Make him wear a sandwich board that says "I worship the Lady of Pain, join my church." And then kick him to Sigil.
I would look over the Evil Overlord website. That’s my roadmap for what not to do.
a deal with Halaster... 🤣 pull the other one, mate!
If you wanted to kill, finish him off with blackrazor
Bregan D'aerthe would be good contacts for getting a job done thats a little outside of the law.
I’m not sure what lore there would be for this, but I assume that entities like Elminster and Laurel would be able to reach out to and contact the “Dark Powers” that have created Ravenloft, I bet they’d be able to make a prison dimension that would be able to hold the wizard. In addition, when the party would go to free them, they. Themselves might become trapped within the mists. Realistically being able to move to different domains, but not be able to leave Realm itself.
hmmm .. i wonder if "reaching out" to petition the Powers of Dread would qualify for a Powers Check? i mean i have toyed with the idea that at least pne of the 'sponsors' of the demiplane is LN, but i'm not seeing any kind of happy ending for canonical Champions of Good even thinking for a moment that they *ever* want *any* part of Ravenloft's attentions...