Solve this puzzle (actual puzzle from a campaign)

[Quasqueton]

The big long thread about the campaign-ending puzzle has made me want to post this story of how a supposedly simple "puzzle" got unbearably complicated and annoying.

In the dungeon the PCs were exploring, there was a 50' octagonal room dedicated to each of the four elements. Ancient and mildewed frescoes and designs covered the walls of each room. A summoning circle was in the center of the room, and a shrine built into the far wall. Among the religious symbols and designs were words written in the relevant elemental language. For instance, in the Earth Shrine, the words in Terran said, "Grummock holds the Earth key."

When they translated the words, and spoke them aloud, a Large earth elemental appeared in the summoning circle. It stood there and looked at them. It had a cylindrical medallion on a chain around its neck. They tried conversing with it in Terran (and other languages), but it did not respond other than looking at the speaker in acknowledgement of being spoken to. After two minutes, it was "un-summoned".

They found similar things with the other four elements.

Ignan: "Crezix holds the Fire key."

Aquan: "Shwallop holds the Water key."

Auran: "Wissip holds the Air key."

Then they found a door elsewhere in the dungeon with four holes among elemental designs. They surmised the medallions on the elementals were the keys for opening this door. So, how to get the keys?

Each of the rooms were thoroughly searched by the rogue and mage. Only the summoning circle showed as magical, and there were no secret doors or traps. Through basic trial, they determined that they only needed to speak the name of the elemental (Grummock, etc.), not the whole written phrase, to summon him for 2 minutes. The summoning worked only once per day.

I'm was rather surprised at how long it took them to figure out how to get the keys. They are not a dumb group of players, but this puzzle just flabbergasted them. It was taking so long, and I was getting so tired of it all. They danced all around the answer without actually getting it right for a long time. They actually got a couple of the keys, but then couldn't get the others. I guess the answer was one of those things that's so simple that everyone over thought it, and they apparently missed what they did to get the first couple keys. I eventually just told them how they got the first keys, and so they did the same thing again to get the others and we moved on.

Now, I'm curious if you all can figure the solution to this puzzle. I've given you all the information you need.

Can you tell me how to get the Earth key?

Quasqueton

 

[Zappo]

Uhm, kill Grummock and take the medallion? Or, for the less violence-inclined, with a good Sleight of Hand check?

 

[SidusLupus]

Fight the elementals one at a time?

 

[Ze]

Simply grab the medallion one way or another... ?

 

[Estlor]

Ask nicely?

 

[yennico]

Can you tell me how to get the Earth key?

IIRC A summoned creature must obey his summoner.
so speak in terran: Grummock, give me the medaillon (or the key).
If this does not function, ask the elemental in his language under which circumstances it will give you the key.

 

[Ze]

IIRC A summoned creature must obey his summoner.
so speak in terran: Grummock, give me the medaillon (or the key).
If this does not function, ask the elemental in his language under which circumstances it will give you the key.

Now that's smart

 

[Quasqueton]

Well, killing the elementals would have worked. When the elemental died, the key would have fallen to the floor. I had considered this possible way for the PCs to approach the situation.

Grabbing the key could have worked, too, using the standard rules for such action.

The straight "answer" is to simply ask for/demand the key. But. . .

In the appropriate language [the only language the elemental understands], you must use the elemental's name, and ask for the appropriate key. For instance:

Terran: "Grummock, give me the Earth key."

or

Terran: "Grummock, can I have the Earth key?"
Terran: "Please, give me the Earth key, Grummock."
Terran: "Give me the Earth key or we'll destroy you, Grummock!"
Terran: "Grummock, Earth key."
Etc.


Unfortunately, what they kept doing was:

PC1, in Terran: "Give me the key."

PC1, in Terran: "Grummock, give me the key."

PC2, in Common: "Grummock, give me the Earth key."

PC1, in Terran: "We want the Earth key."

PC3, in Elven: "Please give us the Earth key, Grummock."

PC1, in Terran: "Give me the Earth key."

You see how crazy this got. Imagine 5 Players all trying to figure out the proper request, but only one spoke the language. Through all the conversation, I'd hear someone say the proper words, but not the Terran speaker.

Then after many tries, the Terran speaker spoke the correct words and got the key. They'd move on to the next room where a different PC spoke the language, and it would start all over. Replace "Terran" in the above conversation with "Ignan". No one caught the correct combination of language and words.

A minute later, even the speaker couldn't remember what he/she had said correctly. There were so many Players speaking, and so many different requests made, even the one who got it right got confused at the next room.

It was comical to me at first. But after several minutes of the confusion, it got tiring.

Quasqueton

 

[Jacen]

Well, killing the elementals would have worked. When the elemental died, the key would have fallen to the floor. I had considered this possible way for the PCs to approach the situation.

Grabbing the key could have worked, too, using the standard rules for such action.

The straight "answer" is to simply ask for/demand the key. But. . .

In the appropriate language [the only language the elemental understands], you must use the elemental's name, and ask for the appropriate key.

I would have done it hader. More like using special summoning method where name specifies whome to summon and rest to specify what to do. So "xxx, hold yyy key" (no s to hint that it is command) summons xxx who is having yyy key. "xxx, give yyy key" summons xxx and it gives the key. Simple but not too simple - well most likely simple for me but not for anyone else ;-)

 

[Ze]

PC1, in Terran: "Grummock, give me the key."

...

PC1, in Terran: "Give me the Earth key."

After this, you could have ruled that the elemental handed the key to PC1.
It would have made your life easier (and the session more fun), had you known how things were going to go...