Over the last few years I've created some puzzles and riddles for my D&D games that I figured would be fun to share!
My philosophy on puzzle and riddle design is that they are fun for the players to solve. So I try not to make them too challenging. The joy is when a player goes, "Oh, I know how to solve this."
Here's the first one:
This Door Is Shut
The characters encounter a large rectangle carved into a flat stone surface. Words are etched into the stone, as well as a circle.
The riddle reads:
In the morning I am a waking giant
I stretch my arms and legs.
By noon I am a frightened child
Beneath your feet I beg.
At dusk I stretch out hungrily
At night I swallow the land.
This door is shut and shall not open
But by the touch of my hand.
The answer to the riddle is:
A shadow. To open the door, the characters must make the shadow of their hand "turn" the doorknob. The door magically yawns open, revealing whatever is behind!
This puzzle involves a series of doorways in which their are no true doors, only mosaic walls. Each mosaic shows a scene from the life of a vicar of the god of death Arawan, who slowly went mad after being corrupted by an aboleth. The mad vicar has now become an immortal servant of the aboleth, and the dungeon the characters are exploring are the corrupted remains of his temple.
Each door can be opened by touching the mosaic with a specific material. These clues can be found in a series of books written by the vicar himself. The books should be found throughout the dungeon.
Door 1: The Vicar is a Gardener of Souls The mosaic of this doorway shows a beautiful garden. Mosaic letters spell out "The Vicar is a Gardener of Souls."
The key to opening this door is hidden in the book "Life of a Vicar Volume 2: The Vicar is a Gardener of Souls." Amongst the many pages, the characters can find the following passage:
“There are many who fear the soil; it is the abattoir of mortals, it is a vault of worms and bones. But know too that the soil opens a door all must walk through one day. The soil is death, yes, but new life sprouts from it - as after death the soul grows vast and many-branching.”
To open the door, the characters must...
touch soil to the mosaic. The wall will magically turn into a door, which can be opened, but that returns to a mosaic wall once closed.
Door 2: The Vicar is an Unburdened Traveler The mosaic within this doorway shows a man in a priest's frock traveling the countryside. Mosaic tiles form the words: "The Vicar is an Unburdened Traveler."
The key to this door is hidden in the book "Life of a Vicar Volume 12: The Vicar is an Unburdened Traveler." Amongst its many pages, the characters find the following passage:
“In my hands I carry only offerings of peace. But under my feet lies a red path, born of the hearts of sinners. Worshippers: this path is narrow, and many fall from it. But those who keep their balance, who balance their faith and fealty, who step with assurity through the house of sinners - these travelers may walk forever.”
To open the door, the characters must...
touch blood to the mosaic. The mosaic wall will magically turn into a door, but will turn back into a wall when closed.
Door 3: The Vicar is an Architect of Faith The mosaic within this doorway shows the temple itself being constructed. Mosaic tiles spell out the following: "The Vicar is an Architect of Faith."
The key to opening this door is hidden in the book "Life of a Vicar Volume 1: The Vicar is an Architect of Faith." Amongst the many pages, the characters find the following passage:
“Start with a nail. By its hammering you shall profess, ‘Here I build a house to worship the true god Arawan. Step in, wary travelers; you who are persecuted by the undying, you who toil under the whip of undeath, you who are chained to immortal masters, and be saved.’”
To open this door, the characters must...
touch a nail to the mosaic. The wall will magically turn into a door, but will turn back into a mosaic wall when closed.
Door 4: The Vicar is a Scribe of Memories The mosaic within this doorway shows a priest writing in archaic script upon the velum pages of a tome. Mosaic tiles spell out the words: "The Vicar is a Scribe of Memories."
The key to this door is hidden in the book "Life of a Vicar Volume 18: The Vicar is a Scribe of Memories." Amongst its many pages the characters will find the following passage:
“I understand now. I have heard the Voice, and the Voice has said: every last thing is an idea. A mortal soul; a flower; a star; even that final thing all fear. To name the thing is to control it. So I write that final thing upon the threshold of my life. That door remains open, but I shall not step through. I shall never step through.”
To open this door, the characters must...
write the word "death" on the mosaic. The wall turns into a door, but will turn back into a wall when closed.
Door 5: The Vicar is a Shepherd of Voices The mosaic within this doorway shows a priest sitting upon a hill, pondering a small iron bell in his hand. Mosaic tiles spell out the following: "The Vicar is a Shepherd of Voices."
The key to this door is hidden in the book "Life of a Vicar Volume 9: The Vicar is a Shepherd of Voices." Amongst its many pages, the characters find the following passage:
“Hear the bells sing with the voice of forged earth! The dead rise from their graves and must be led back within, yes, but they teach us this: the earth is alive, and beckons us to listen. Shall we not burden ourselves with its secret knowledge? So I say: hear the bells sing with each strike of forged earth! Follow the voice into the hollow of the grave and prepare your senses for the new world.”
To open the door, the characters must...
touch a metal object to the bell. The mosaic will turn into a door, though it turns back into a wall when closed.
