Defeated by puzzle - campaign over: Here is the offending puzzle!

[Dagger75]

I think Roman should be banned if he can't give us the answer.

Just kidding! (kind of)



There's only one way to solve a Gordian knot. Hack the bastard in two.



Three lesser temples...three symbols on the puzzle.

All three symbols combined into one big picture...within the "big" evil temple that combines aspects of the three lesser faiths into one "uber"faith.

Make the "puzzle" look like the holy symbol of the combined faiths. That's a possible solution, but none of us know what the symbols look like.

And it has been stated the campaign history has NOTHING to do with the puzzel. The puzzel would be same if he was playing Star Wars, Boot Hill, SPycraft or Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG.

 

[Tom Cashel]

We need to hear from the DM.

I don't care how he runs his game; I'm starting to hate his guts just for refusing to visit this thread.

 

[PaulGreystoke]

And it has been stated the campaign history has NOTHING to do with the puzzel. The puzzel would be same if he was playing Star Wars, Boot Hill, SPycraft or Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG.

I don't think this is necessarily true. If this puzzle has a solution, the number 3 seems to be significant. There are 3 symbols. And each of the symbols have 3 separate formations. This would seem to be an intentional link to the 3 lesser temples & their associated gods. If we assume that the 3 gods are supposed to be equal in this union, then perhaps the total numbers of each symbol in the puzzle are supposed to be equal. Thus (as has been suggested earlier in this thread) each symbol should total 75 once the puzzle is properly filled in. And to maintain the integrity of the 9 separate formations, the symbols can only be placed so as to build on the existing formations. So the choice of placement is limited.

But even if this is all true, I can't say that this pushes us to an absolute solution to the puzzle - only to the outlines of a possible one.

 

[Patryn of Elvenshae]

I don't think this is necessarily true.

The DM said that this is necessarily true.

EDIT:

Continuing, however:

This is the same room as that with the three gates byt the gates did not have any symbols on them nor did the monsters. In any case, as I wrote in my previous post the DM has now informed me that the symbols have no significance outside of the puzzle, so this is now moot.

3) The symbols have no significance outside of the puzzle and there is no significance to them being triangles or circles or arrows - you could replace them with any other three symbols and the puzzle would be unaffected.

Apparently, the symbols themselves have no particular meaning. I think many have taken this to mean that the count of symbols has no particular meaning. I can see how that might not necessarily follow.

 

[nopantsyet]

Man, I'm itching to see the answer and the explanation for how it was to be derived!

Roman's DM may be a good DM. Good DMs still make mistakes. Great DMs realize their mistakes and provide corrections for them. If "hints for Ints" doesn't appeal to you, fine. Find another way. But if solving the puzzle is the only way, you'd better be sure the whole group is on board because they probably showed up to play D&D.

Good DMs create challenging and fun encounters. Great DMs balance the two and are sensitive to the level of enjoyment among the players during actual gameplay. Even puzzle purists could become disenchanged if they conclude the puzzle is unsolvable. It is always the DMs responsibility to provide a way for the players to have fun.

Good DMs can start an interesting campaign. Great DMs find ways to keep it going despite plans gone awry. Just ask PirateCat about the time he ran The Great Modron March. Players will foul up your plans. It's a true test of a DM's mettle.

So Roman's DM is a good DM. That's great to hear. Hopefully he will learn from this and will become a great DM. I try to learn from my mistakes and can say I'm a better DM this campaign than I was last. But great is hard to pull off.

 

[Altamont Ravenard]

I sense that we'll be SOOOO disappointed once we know the answer... :\

AR

 

[Roman]

Ok, I called the DM. He still does not want to reveal the answer to the puzzle, because he said he might use it again at some point in the future. At one point he (I think jokingly, but I could be wrong) told me to tell you that there is no solution, but then he told me he will try to think of a clue to give me and you by friday that will not directly reveal the puzzle. I don't know about you, but I think I am ready to give up on the puzzle completely - I doubt I will see a solution given the circumstances. I will obviously still present whatever clue, if any, my Dm comes up with by friday. *Roman takes cover and prepares for the artillery (or on this board more likely 'spell') barrage.*

 

[Tatsukun]

ALRIGHT ! That's IT !

Give us this guy's name / address, we'll send Vinni and Rocko to um, well, talk to him about it!

Ok, I await the hint. But I am assuming the DM is sitting at home thinking "Damn, I can't belive I messed up those two squares and made the puzzle unsolvable. How am I going to cover my arse? ? ? "

-Tatsu

 

[Coredump]

he said he might use it again at some point in the future.

So let me get this straight. He used a puzzle, no one in the group could solve it in a week real time. It ended a year long campaign. It gets posted publicly, and tens of people fail to solve it in a week of real time.

And he is thinking of using it **again**??!!??

Tell me once more how he is a good DM?

Have him give the answer, and the next time he wants to end a campaign, he can use 50 ancient Red dragons instead of using this puzzle. Just as effective.

I assumed there was an answer, and he was just being daft. Now I am leaning towards the camp that there *is* no answer, and he is too stubborn to admit it. (either way is *not* the sign of a good DM....)

 

[Testament]

Ok, I called the DM. He still does not want to reveal the answer to the puzzle, because he said he might use it again at some point in the future. At one point he (I think jokingly, but I could be wrong) told me to tell you that there is no solution, but then he told me he will try to think of a clue to give me and you by friday that will not directly reveal the puzzle. I don't know about you, but I think I am ready to give up on the puzzle completely - I doubt I will see a solution given the circumstances. I will obviously still present whatever clue, if any, my Dm comes up with by friday. *Roman takes cover and prepares for the artillery (or on this board more likely 'spell') barrage.*

He's faking it. He's taking the time to create a new version of it, say you posted it wrong and MAKE a solution.