![escape the underground jail escape the underground jail](https://media.freebibleimages.org/stories/FB_Peter_Prison/overview-thumbnails/006-peter-prison.jpg)
Part of the challenge could be to distract the guards. (the downside is that you may have to prepare a larger area) This allows the PCs the opportunity to scout the area, and perhaps gather material that will help them escape. They can carry water, building supplies, or work the fields-if they do not work, they do not eat. Have the PCs incarcerated in the cell below ground, as you initially designed, but selected characters are brought to the surface at times to labor.
![escape the underground jail escape the underground jail](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/GOzvTK_ukKY/maxresdefault.jpg)
There's no real danger of the PCs getting seriously hurt (the guards will stop things before it gets to that point), but it will give you a chance to work through a combat or two with the players, so that you both become a little accustomed to how a combat runs. Have a prison brawl, with the guards looking on. It may be more work, but you might want to consider the following: In this case, I recommend giving yourself as much flexibility as possible. Starting a campaign with new players is always a challenge. A complex that rarely has prisoners may have inexperienced guards who, although they are vigilant because they almost never have prisoners, may not know what to watch for or may make mistakes the players can capitalize on.Ī larger prison, with a well-trained garrison of guards, will be much more difficult to mount a large escape from. The prison complex and the guard's experience and discipline should also be a reflection on where the players are located. Other options that provide a relatively flexible escape opportunity would be a prisoner transfer from an outer holding point to a major stronghold (this also provides a bit of a deadline, as there is an incentive to escape before reaching Alcatraz).
![escape the underground jail escape the underground jail](https://cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/19389824/Star_Wars_Jedi_Fallen_Order_Underground_Jail_hall_door_1.jpg)
Examples are perhaps a chain-gang type of approach, working on a road bed or being held in a prison mine. If they are relatively new to RPGing or do not work well together, you probably want to be fairly flexible and place the PCs in positions where they have weapons readily available. The latitude you provide the players really depends on how experienced they are with gaming. Ensure you are at least aware of these issues.įirst of all, do the players want to start the campaign this way? If they want the challenge, and look forward to how you are going to present the environment, you can ignore most of the major challenge and get to developing the adventure itself. But you will also face two main challenges: overcoming the cliche and preventing the players from feeling railroaded. It solves a lot of problems for the Gamemaster, such as providing a reason for a party of strangers to work together. The old prison escape is a tried-and-true means of starting a campaign. To answer your questions, I'd really need to know more about your players (and a little about the campaign direction-both the feel of the campaign and the objective).