DM Help: Puzzle vault

[Keenath]

I'm a DM who is pretty much creating an adventure for the first time. I've run modules since mid-3rd edition, but never really done it myself.

So! Here's the deal. I have a puzzle-lock in mind, and I want to run it by some other people and see if it's too hard (or, for that matter, too obvious).

The door is a vault-door under a manor that was destroyed long ago. Inside is pie. I mean treasure. Whatever.

The door is a massive iron thing, built to resist virtually any attempt to breach it. On the front of the door are the previous owners' family crest, which features primarily a griffon rampant. Below the crest, at eye level, are a line of sliders, each marked with a letter of the alphabet. Each slider can move up or down an inch or so, and spring action forces it into position, so it acts like a toggle switch. All the letters are in the 'down' position right now.

A brief search of the room reveals a chalked note on the stone wall, possibly by some forgetful person, which reads "Cousin of the crest".


At this point, the players are free to do what they want.

1) It should be obvious that

Spoiler

they're meant to put in a password using the sliders, and that the password is the name of some animal that could be considered 'cousin' to a griffon

. Is that fairly clear from what I provided?

A moderate DC Nature check can provide a clue by giving a list of creatures who might work as the answer:
[sblock]
CHIMERA
EAGLE
HIPPOGRIFF
LION
MANTICORE
SPHINX
[/sblock]

A moderate DC Thievery check can't open the door, but reveals that

Spoiler

the code has four letters

. A second, higher check (hard DC) allows the players to determine

Spoiler

that H is one of the letters that should be up

. (Remember they might miss one of those clues.)

That's all the players'll get as far as clues from me.

There is one last key to the puzzle, which they will have to figure it out:

Spoiler

Each letter should be toggled each time it shows up in the password, so the solution is only the letters that show up an odd number of times in the password.

So, the answer to the puzzle:
[sblock]The password is HIPPOGRIFF, so the players should push up the letters G, H, O, and R. They then pull the lever, and the door opens.[/sblock]

So, what do you think? Too hard, too easy, or fine as it is?

 

[shinobi_guyver]

I like it.

It forces the players to think, without you giving too many clues as to the answer.

The only problem might be that none of the PCs have training in Nature, but I think I can be sure you've thought of that.

 

[XCorvis]

When I saw "cousin of the crest", I immedately thought "relative of the noble family", but I can see how someone else might think of the griffon first.

Ooh, that last part is going to drive them nuts. If they miss the first clue about the number of letters there's no way they'll figure it out. That seems pretty critical to me, so I would make the toggles automatically reset after the right number are switched. That might seem a bit too easy, but you probably want them to solve it within 15 minutes, otherwise it'll get frustrating and boring.

Remember to have a contingency plan in case they get stuck, since it seems pretty important that they get through the door.

 

[Sphyre]

There is one last key to the puzzle, which they will have to figure it out:

Spoiler

Each letter should be toggled each time it shows up in the password, so the solution is only the letters that show up an odd number of times in the password.

~~~

So, what do you think? Too hard, too easy, or fine as it is?

This is the only part that I think might be difficult. If you want them to actually figure it out, you might want to get another clue for this in there somewhere. Method of entry can be as difficult or even more difficult than finding the answer at times. I certainly stumped my players on that once, although I had fully intended on stumping them because I wanted them to carry the locked book around since the beginning and not figure it out until the end.

 

[Quickleaf]

Great puzzle, Keenath!

How about a hard DC History check to get the final clue about "odd letters only". It could be something about the linguistics of royal names of that lineage, or a bit of trivia about an infamous safecracker rogue that pertains to the matter at hand.

Also, given your criteria the answer could be "Eagle" (EAGL) or "Lion" (LION) as well.

Any consequences for a wrong answer?

 

[Keenath]

Also, given your criteria the answer could be "Eagle" (EAGL) or "Lion" (LION) as well.

Except EAGL doesn't contain an H, and it doesn't follow the rule of having only the odd letters. (The E would go up, then down, leaving AGL).

Any consequences for a wrong answer?

Nah. They already slaughtered everything in the vicinity. They can fiddle with it as long as they like, so long as they don't get irritated. I'll just play that by ear and see if they need one final hint.

As far as the final clue, though, I'm not too worried. I'm hoping to have a little visual aid so it's less abstract -- a little cardboard sort of thing, perhaps.