By Jason Campbell
In my most recent fantasy campaign I created a new puzzle for the characters which was challenging but still enjoyable.
The Setup
The characters were following a mystic map which would lead to an ancient powerful artifact.
When the characters reach the end point they find an enormous black granite cube, 10’ x 10’ x 10’. The cube is covered with lettering carved into it, but none of the characters can read it. They find that the cube cannot be moved or altered, so they must figure out this mystery. The wizard casts Comprehend Languages but it still can’t be read. They find that the letters are dwarf runes, but they don’t form words in any dwarf language. The messages use a combination of 7 dwarf letters and 3 symbols, but not in a repeating pattern. The carved letters don’t radiate magic.
The Puzzle
The message can’t be read because it’s not a written or spoken language, it’s music. If the letters are understood as written music they can be sung or played. The song is an ancient dwarf song of hope, and when played within 60’ of the cube, the cube transforms into its form as a powerful artifact. Anyone who understands the dwarf language can recognize these are dwarf letters, but that they don’t spell any words.
It’s best to let the characters use spells to get clues. An Identify spell, for instance, would reveal that the letters are the key to using the artifact, and they hide the secret of using it. Detect magic should reveal that the cube is highly magical, but the letters aren’t inherently magical – they aren’t magical glyphs such as a Glyph of Warding..
Running the Puzzle
The best puzzles are those which challenge the players without overly aggravating them. We;re all here to have fun after all. Don’t let a simple skills roll yield the solution though – if the players haven’t been challenged then unearthing the secret won’t give any satisfaction.
The players might figure out the puzzle right away, but if not, the best way is to give them clues. They might head off to a local University or library to research more. If they’re stumped, a successful history, arcana or similar skill check might remind a character that they’ve seen similar glyphs or patterns before in a library, or perhaps in the study of a rich person’s mansion, or even on a note carried by a corner troubadour.
If your players take long enough to solve the puzzle that they get frustrated, you can add action to the situation. If the players prefer more combat in their conflicts, perhaps they need to defeat a guard who holds the secret to the musical puzzle.
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