Although I've never participated in a D&D campaign as a DM, I like creating puzzles and mazes. In the past I provided many friends with verses like the following, which they used in their campaigns. Since English is not my mother tongue, the vocabulary I use is limited and that is the main problem I face. If you have created verses like this, noticed any misspellings, or know a word that rhymes better with a verse, feel free to post. It will help me get new ideas or see new rhymes.
1. I created this for a 1st level party, but if you think the DC checks are high, tell me so I can lower them too (As I said I’ve never been DM).
2. The thought was to have the party recover parts of a note, written by the only adventurer who came back alive - but insane. Each part of the note will have information about one trial, except the first one. Another interesting part of the puzzle could have the party trying to figure out the right order of the notes. It could be an easy task, by simply placing numbers on the notes in a language other than Common (A character familiar with the language can easily find out the order), or you can choose a more difficult way.
3. What XP would you give to the party for each trial?
0.If truth is what you only seek.
Lies led you to this place.
But if you still want to proceed.
Four trials you must face.
(It is the first piece of the message. There are two or three different ways, for every trial, to reach your destination. 1. Solve the riddle. 2. Make a successful check. 3. In trials 1, 4 you can just move through the traps and hazards and reach (after taking some damage) your destination.
1.When wander in a mist so dark.
A silent scream will draw you near.
Three times you will ask yourself.
“What guides me? Guts or fear?”
Once wrong; twice right;
What difference does it make?
Within these walls the black is white.
Your body is what will break.
(You enter a maze. The party will meet three junctions. In every junction the PCs have two choices. The doors leading left have a medusa slate over it and the others have a blank slate. The text says “What guides me? Is it fear? Once wrong, twice right”. If fear is what guides someone, he will not pick the door with the medusa, but the other one. So, in the first junction (wrong) the PCs should choose the door with the medusa(since it is not fear that guides them). With that in mind, the PCs should choose for the 2nd and 3rd junction the door with the blank slate. But here comes the 7th verse (Within these walls the black is white), so in order to find the right route you have to make the opposite choices). If a party chooses a wrong corridor, it meets a thick mist (hazard) which makes attacks +7 vs. Fort when a creature enters or begins its turn in the mist. On a hit, the target takes a -2 penalty to Fort defense (Your body is what will break) until he takes an extended rest. The mist appears suddenly when the party is in the middle of the corridor. A DC 20 Dungeoneering check can show the party the correct route without having to solve the puzzle. You move to the next trial.)
2.And now, another choice to make.
This, a tricky one it is.
For only one who isn’t wake.
The hidden truth his eyes will see.
(You reach a room that appears to be a dead end. You see a vase filled with yellow dust. You ask the players what they do. Anyone who inhales the dust will fall unconscious for two minutes and takes 1d4 poison damage. He sees a vision, in which some people push a hidden switch on the wall and a passage opens. A DC 18 Perception check will reveal to the party a hidden switch. When a PC presses the switch, a trap triggers doing 1d8 damage to all players and the hidden door opens. A DC 22 Perception check will reveal to the party the real switch. By pressing it the door opens without triggering the trap. You move to the next trial.)
3.Two stony pillars stand alone.
In wait of a courageous one.
The offering to icy stone.
Must only be two drops of blood.
(When you enter the room you see two pillars near the opposite wall, three stone pedestals in the center of the room and three sarcophagus (can not be open them by force). You also see two torches on the pillars illuminating the room with dim light. The first one has a flame burning on top of a slate, and the second has an icy cold slate on top. On the third pedestal is a hand shaped dent. When a character places his hand on the third pedestal he takes 1d4 damage and must drop two drops of his blood on the icy slate (A character can pinch his finger with a weapon, taking 1 damage). If more drops fall onto the slate the fight with the zombies begins. Either way, the trapdoor opens leading to a dark corridor ten feet down)
A DC 18 Perception check can detect a trapdoor between the two pillars and a handle on it. If the characters try to force it open, a DC 18 Strength check is necessary to open the trapdoor. When the party use the handle to open the trapdoor, the three sarcophagus open and a fight with 2 zombies and a Rotwing Zombie begins. A DC 20 Perception check will reveal to the characters that the real switch is one of the torches.
4.This passage if you wish to cross.
You have to do with care.
Cause if you don’t show some respect.
You’ll only meet despair.
(On the wall you can see a partly destroyed wall painting with people on the knees. Any character who tries to cross the corridor standing, is attacked by darts(every three squares) making attacks +7 vs. Reflex. On a successful hit the character takes 1d6 damage. To move safely, the characters must cross the corridor on their knees. The traps can be detected with a DC 22 Perception check, and disarmed with a DC 20 Thievery check)
1. I created this for a 1st level party, but if you think the DC checks are high, tell me so I can lower them too (As I said I’ve never been DM).
2. The thought was to have the party recover parts of a note, written by the only adventurer who came back alive - but insane. Each part of the note will have information about one trial, except the first one. Another interesting part of the puzzle could have the party trying to figure out the right order of the notes. It could be an easy task, by simply placing numbers on the notes in a language other than Common (A character familiar with the language can easily find out the order), or you can choose a more difficult way.
3. What XP would you give to the party for each trial?
0.If truth is what you only seek.
Lies led you to this place.
But if you still want to proceed.
Four trials you must face.
(It is the first piece of the message. There are two or three different ways, for every trial, to reach your destination. 1. Solve the riddle. 2. Make a successful check. 3. In trials 1, 4 you can just move through the traps and hazards and reach (after taking some damage) your destination.
1.When wander in a mist so dark.
A silent scream will draw you near.
Three times you will ask yourself.
“What guides me? Guts or fear?”
Once wrong; twice right;
What difference does it make?
Within these walls the black is white.
Your body is what will break.
(You enter a maze. The party will meet three junctions. In every junction the PCs have two choices. The doors leading left have a medusa slate over it and the others have a blank slate. The text says “What guides me? Is it fear? Once wrong, twice right”. If fear is what guides someone, he will not pick the door with the medusa, but the other one. So, in the first junction (wrong) the PCs should choose the door with the medusa(since it is not fear that guides them). With that in mind, the PCs should choose for the 2nd and 3rd junction the door with the blank slate. But here comes the 7th verse (Within these walls the black is white), so in order to find the right route you have to make the opposite choices). If a party chooses a wrong corridor, it meets a thick mist (hazard) which makes attacks +7 vs. Fort when a creature enters or begins its turn in the mist. On a hit, the target takes a -2 penalty to Fort defense (Your body is what will break) until he takes an extended rest. The mist appears suddenly when the party is in the middle of the corridor. A DC 20 Dungeoneering check can show the party the correct route without having to solve the puzzle. You move to the next trial.)
2.And now, another choice to make.
This, a tricky one it is.
For only one who isn’t wake.
The hidden truth his eyes will see.
(You reach a room that appears to be a dead end. You see a vase filled with yellow dust. You ask the players what they do. Anyone who inhales the dust will fall unconscious for two minutes and takes 1d4 poison damage. He sees a vision, in which some people push a hidden switch on the wall and a passage opens. A DC 18 Perception check will reveal to the party a hidden switch. When a PC presses the switch, a trap triggers doing 1d8 damage to all players and the hidden door opens. A DC 22 Perception check will reveal to the party the real switch. By pressing it the door opens without triggering the trap. You move to the next trial.)
3.Two stony pillars stand alone.
In wait of a courageous one.
The offering to icy stone.
Must only be two drops of blood.
(When you enter the room you see two pillars near the opposite wall, three stone pedestals in the center of the room and three sarcophagus (can not be open them by force). You also see two torches on the pillars illuminating the room with dim light. The first one has a flame burning on top of a slate, and the second has an icy cold slate on top. On the third pedestal is a hand shaped dent. When a character places his hand on the third pedestal he takes 1d4 damage and must drop two drops of his blood on the icy slate (A character can pinch his finger with a weapon, taking 1 damage). If more drops fall onto the slate the fight with the zombies begins. Either way, the trapdoor opens leading to a dark corridor ten feet down)
A DC 18 Perception check can detect a trapdoor between the two pillars and a handle on it. If the characters try to force it open, a DC 18 Strength check is necessary to open the trapdoor. When the party use the handle to open the trapdoor, the three sarcophagus open and a fight with 2 zombies and a Rotwing Zombie begins. A DC 20 Perception check will reveal to the characters that the real switch is one of the torches.
4.This passage if you wish to cross.
You have to do with care.
Cause if you don’t show some respect.
You’ll only meet despair.
(On the wall you can see a partly destroyed wall painting with people on the knees. Any character who tries to cross the corridor standing, is attacked by darts(every three squares) making attacks +7 vs. Reflex. On a successful hit the character takes 1d6 damage. To move safely, the characters must cross the corridor on their knees. The traps can be detected with a DC 22 Perception check, and disarmed with a DC 20 Thievery check)
