You need to have a certain level (depending on which lock) of lockpicking before the game lets you to pick it. If the slavers put you in a somewhat isolated cage then you can't train your lockpicking by unlocking the shackles from other prisoners because you can't reach them while you are in said cage. That leaves you with only your own shackles to train on and if you happen to unlock them on your first tries then your lockpicking will not be raised enough to then unlock the cage.
Granted this is somewhat rare but it can happen. Maybe I was just unlucky but for whatever reason the slavers wouldn't take my character out to work/move in another cage, so I was stuck for 3-4 days inside a cage, before I got bored and started over.
That's what I'm confused about. Fresh character, locked in a cage, still able to get out of the cage before the first night is out. I didn't even bother with the shackles for some time, I merely got in and out of the cage multiple times.
Something isn't matching up, here. I have found chests that were too complicated for a newbie to successfully pick, but I've never had issues with cages or prisoner poles.
I agree. I've noticed its incredibly easy to escape slavery, because the stupid slavers always send my characters
outside of the base to mine/farm something. Just wait for that, then for the guard to get called away, and hoof it. It does take patience, but it happens. Plus, my characters get free training in athletics, laboring/farming, lockpicking, and maybe even stealth (although usually just running when the guards aren't looking is the best option).
...and since we can make money by selling our own people into slavery, its even more fun!
EDIT: Just read the bit about some cages/poles being too high, that kind of sucks.