How do Splugorth Slavers actually capture people?

[narcissus]

I just GMed a fight between the PCs and a Splugorth Slaver. At one point the party was all magic netted, but they obviously weren't about to give up, and with some Dispel Magic Barriers and Teleport, they managed to win the fight. There was a point though where they literally couldn't do anything because they were all netted... but then what? How does the slaver go from "I got you in my net" to "you are now my prisoner"? Does an Altaran just run over to the net and slap a Zombitron on everyone?

[taalismn]

Probably stun, cuff, strip, shackle. If they're not in a hurry and you're not a speedster if mobile, you're hobbled and forced to walk yourself in coffle to the pickup point. If they're in a hurry or you're valuable enough, but a flight risk, you bound hand and foot and thrown on a transport platform., or maybe slung in a net under the Slaver's platform.
Slaver parties likely have TW/anti-grav sail barges(see Rifts Atlantis II for specs) accompanying them to carry loot.

[narcissus]

Probably stun, cuff, strip, shackle. If they're not in a hurry and you're not a speedster if mobile, you're hobbled and forced to walk yourself in coffle to the pickup point. If they're in a hurry or you're valuable enough, but a flight risk, you bound hand and foot and thrown on a transport platform., or maybe slung in a net under the Slaver's platform.
Slaver parties likely have TW/anti-grav sail barges(see Rifts Atlantis II for specs) accompanying them to carry loot.

I guess I'm more asking about the mechanics. If a party is netted, but not going to give up, how do you play out getting stunned, cuffed, etc.? If an Altaran tries to cuff them, they're going to fight back. Is being Magic Netted just an automatic inability to fight off someone trying to stun, cuff, strip, and shackle you? What if they're in environmental or power armor? Or, in the case of my PCs, are demigods?

[Mack]

Well, your PCs are well above the typical slave stock a normal Slaver goes after.

So the Slaver would probably keep the net on the PC until the Slaver team can stun them into unconsciousness (or unable to resist). Then quickly strip them and bind them for transport. There's a variety of magic spells that can penetrate both environmental and power armor, if needed. And a Slaver typically carries 20 zombitrons.

[Shark_Force]

most NPCs don't have the meta-game knowledge that if they die, they just get to come back as something else they were interested in playing (and this even assumes the game is one where PC death is a realistic possibility - I feel like it has become the standard lately that the PCs should never really be in any danger they can't escape from, and I frankly don't think Rifts really works in a "combat as sport" model as well as it does in "combat as war" where the enemies absolutely can be too powerful for you to defeat if you refuse to ever consider any outcome other than victory). as such, when faced with the option to surrender or die, and death is a very probable outcome, NPCs off-camera are far more likely to surrender.

perhaps you could try letting the PCs know that if their character dies, the only replacement (at least for the next few sessions) will be a random-rolled vagabond (conveniently there's a thread on the front page of this subforum for that) that has also been captured and as such has no equipment, to give them the proper fear of character death (that may or may not be something your group would be up for, I don't know them well enough to tell).

basically, PCs are willing to take stupid risks because death doesn't really do anything to the player, in my experience.

also, slavers, can be equipped with a variety of equipment, which likely includes at least one psi-interrogator, which can bio-manipulate someone to be paralyzed for some time.

but seriously, the vast majority of the time it is just a simple matter of most people having a self-preservation instinct, and many PCs having a sense of invulnerability and/or lack of consequences even if death actually occurs.

[narcissus]

most NPCs don't have the meta-game knowledge that if they die, they just get to come back as something else they were interested in playing (and this even assumes the game is one where PC death is a realistic possibility - I feel like it has become the standard lately that the PCs should never really be in any danger they can't escape from, and I frankly don't think Rifts really works in a "combat as sport" model as well as it does in "combat as war" where the enemies absolutely can be too powerful for you to defeat if you refuse to ever consider any outcome other than victory). as such, when faced with the option to surrender or die, and death is a very probable outcome, NPCs off-camera are far more likely to surrender.

perhaps you could try letting the PCs know that if their character dies, the only replacement (at least for the next few sessions) will be a random-rolled vagabond (conveniently there's a thread on the front page of this subforum for that) that has also been captured and as such has no equipment, to give them the proper fear of character death (that may or may not be something your group would be up for, I don't know them well enough to tell).

basically, PCs are willing to take stupid risks because death doesn't really do anything to the player, in my experience.

also, slavers, can be equipped with a variety of equipment, which likely includes at least one psi-interrogator, which can bio-manipulate someone to be paralyzed for some time.

but seriously, the vast majority of the time it is just a simple matter of most people having a self-preservation instinct, and many PCs having a sense of invulnerability and/or lack of consequences even if death actually occurs.

I couldn't have said this better. Great insight Shark_Force. I admit that I'm a softy as a GM. My players aren't that experienced, so I try to cut them some slack. But I do like the vagabond threat

[Blackwater Sniper]

Just make sure you do things that aren't in the book.

If you have a rules lawyer in the group or someone who doesn't play their character but uses player knowledge, it's handy to have alternatives available.

We would use Splugorth slavers as the last line in the process. Mercs, bounty hunters between jobs, or professional slavers capture what they think will bring in a good price for the day. They do the dirty work hunting, trapping, and subduing the target. After that, they contact several slavers who want/need the target and go to make the sale.

Why go after something yourself when you can have others do the work for you? Use the power and the name of the Splugorth, it means something and most people won't want to cross them.

[ITWastrel]

This one's simple.

As a GM, you adapt to the TPK in progress and change the narrative to fit.

OK, the PCs are all netted and the logic is now they are captured and enslaved. By professional slavers. Stop asking for combat actions, declare the consequences of being netted. The players are taken captive. They are shackled and chained.
The GM can now move on to a new adventure tack. "They've chained and restrained you. Yes, Darek, I understand that Captain Whaitwhat is, somehow, immune to chains, ropes, and string. These are professionals, they quickly applied a Zombietron, rendering you docile. They drive you North for several days, before selling you and your gear to a strange litttle green man. Your new owner offers you your freedom. Recover his lost McGuffin and he will set you free!

True story, as a baby GM 30+ years ago, I faced a fiat capture situation (It's in the plan they get caught and confront the BBEG) where one player objected to being webbed, chained, etc because of some freedom of movement ability, was somehow immune to charms, kept rolling nat20s for saves, and generally wouldn't take fiat as final. I was a noobie GM, so I was trying to make him save. Eventually I just had the 30+ soldiers beat him to death, dead, reroll new PC, your new PC is a prisoner.

[Axelmania]

We don't 100% know that the Splugorth don't have access to Utrom stun weapons from TMNT Guide to the Universe, jus'sayin