Puzzle 01: The Statue [Area 02]
Puzzle Synopsis: The cathedral is inescapable as the doors can only be passed through when the players are in their incorporeal form. The purpose of this puzzle is to kill all the players so that they can see the introduced mechanic of being a ghost.
The statue located at A is an image of the god Tyr holding up a sword in his right hand; the sword appears to be made of an extremely shinny material (it is a mirror) but does not appear to be magic. Above the statue painted into the stained glass window is a similar image of Tyr with his right hand missing (it is common knowledge Tyr lost his right hand in battle), also a ribbon with the words “Restore me to the image of myself” written across it.
Solution: The players must desecrate the statue of Tyr and cut his right hand off. With this act the the mirrored sword falls to the ground and entire party will be instantly killed by a booming thunder that cries out “Defilers!”
The Vault Keys
Overview: There are three keys needed to open the True Vault [Area 45] that can be acquired throughout the map. The keys are in the northern portion of the map in areas that are accessible and not barred by puzzles. In the event players get stuck on the puzzles it should not completely halt the progress of completing the dungeon (in my opinion!). There is no clue to what these keys are for until they find the door of True Vault [Area 44].
Puzzle 02: The Stained Glass Windows [Area 02]
Puzzle Synopsis: The windows to the cathedral hold a hidden clue to accessing the first key. Whilst the key can only be picked up when in corporeal form, the clues can only be seen when the players are in their incorporeal form. This puzzle can be completed without any of the clues, but the players will take damage.
When looking upon the windows in corporeal form they appear as normal stained glass windows depicting Tyr in various situations and Saint Veradais. The images of Tyr are of well-known constellations that have been named after the god and at the base of each window is a glass ribbon with the name of the constellation.
[B] “The Lone Star” constellation: Tyr handing a key to Saint Veradais, a huge sun has risen above them
[C] “Ferseditas” constellation: Tyr shown beside his flying steed Ferseditas
[D] Shows Saint Veradais on his pilgrimage
[E] “The Smiter” constellation: Tyr’s warhammer, part of the symbol of those who worship Tyr.
[F] “Duty and Balance” constellation: An image of Tyr his arms stretched out as if to the room and his scales of balance at his feet
[G] “The Chariot” constellation: Tyr being pulled on his chariot by Ferseditas
[H] Saint Veradais slaying demon alongside Tyr’s archon/angels
[I] “Justice” constellation: Tyr holding up his famed magical longsword “Justice”
When the windows are looked at as a ghost 6 of them show constellations of stars that glow slightly blue worked directly into the window, the constellation being a pattern of dots connected by lines.
Along one of the walls (J) there is a wall with 36 holes in it, they are too dark to see inside but big enough for a person to put their hand in and above the holes engraved into the stone work is the image of a 6 sided star. In one of the holes is a key to the True Vault (Area #45), putting a hand (or object that your hand is attached to..) into the wrong hole will deal lightning damage to the player. By using the shapes of the constellations on the windows the shapes can fit perfectly when laid over the holes; the key can be found in the only hole that is not covered up (the “Lone Star” which is a single star constellation, as shown in the window Tyr is giving Saint Veradais the key).
If the players can’t work out the puzzle they can still systematically put their hand in every hole (ouch!).
Puzzle 03: The Bath House [Area 02]
Puzzle Synopsis: This puzzle is more trap related and interacting with the environment than any use of logic per se.
The room is filled at its centre with a shallow waist height pool of water and fountain like taps spaced around the pool in the shape of open mouthed fish. Observant players will see at one end of the room [A] is an iron chain with a hook at the end protrudes from a hole in the wall, on the other side of the room [B] there is a metal ring embedded into the wall. There is a similar metal ring under the water in the middle of the pool embedded into the floor.
The players must pull the chain out of the hole, which can extend the length of the area and be hooked onto the metal ring (Note: in hindsight I would extend the length of the deep pool up the wall at A so that the players have to go into the water and can’t simply pull the chain out adjacent to the hole). The chain can be pulled to extend five feet per round (low STR check) , the chain is 75 feet long and would require 15 rounds to extend it its full length, at the other end of the chain, attached to a metal link, is the vault key; the players must smash the chain when fully stretched to release the key.
When the chain is pulled the door to the area slams shut and water begins pouring from the fountains. The next turn swarms of water snakes begin to pour from the fountains into the pool; which will instantly attack anyone who is in the pool and a new swarm appears every other turn (can only be attacked by melee if in the pool). If a character is injured when holding the chain they must make a save throw to not be pulled back one square towards [A], the players may hook the chain in the middle of the pool to try and deal with the snakes.
If when the chain is hooked in the middle of the pool the players decide to take a short rest to heal up wounds, etc. the water continues to flow in that duration and soon overflows the height of the pool and the snakes are now able to move around the full area of the room. When the chain is smashed it will shoot back inside the wall, turning off the water and opening the door to exit the area (any snakes in the pool remain, any that have made it onto the side will remain immobile and eventually die after a few rounds and are considered helpless).
Puzzle 04: The Scales of Justice [Area 28]
Puzzle Synopsis: The players must gain access to the Fake Vault to recover a key, however, lying or cheating adventurers will be led astray and may believe this to be the end of their adventure. There are two puzzles in this area, first to access the room and then to find the hidden items within.
Outside the Fake Vault there is an alcove in the wall that has a pair of golden scales such as those used by Tyr sitting inside it. In one of the scales bowls sits a number of gold coins and precious gems. You estimate the worth of the bowls contents to be around 1000gp. The other raised bowl is empty. Engraved in the stone wall below the scales a message reads “Bring full balance as Tyr would.”
There are three possible “solutions” to this puzzle, in each situation the scales and its contents will disappear and the door will open:
- The players try to “bring balance” by removing all the treasure and thus the scales become balanced. However, theft isn’t something the God of Justice looks kindly upon, the door will open up and the room will seemingly be filled with treasure which the players are allowed to loot. Make a note of what they add to their inventory as the moment they leave the dungeon it will all turn to ash.
- The players may try to estimate the weight of the goods and balance the weight with mundane items and not the value of the items. Tyr does not look kindly on those who try to cheat and so the players will be rewarded as above
- The players put an equal amount of gold, gems and magic items into the scales to balance them out. The items and scales will disappear and the door will open. However, they will find their items (it is unnecessary to return any non-gear items) in area <Letter> on the table and all the gold and treasure they loot they will be able to keep, more than accounting for that which they lost in the scales. The GM can moderate this to however much they wish to give the players, but reward them they should for acting with honesty.
Puzzle 05: The King in Copper [Area 29]
Puzzle Synopsis: This puzzle requires some lateral thinking and placing the right items on the statue, but is not too difficult; there is however a fiendish trap within.
Within the room there is a statue of a bearded man, his arm stretched out towards the western wall ahead of him in a loosely closed fist. The man is unknown, but it is actually an image of the lich Aesperus before he became undead. Lining the walls are six plinths which contain three crowns and three sceptres, one of each in gold, silver and copper.
Accessing Room [B]: The players must put the golden crown on the statues head and the golden sceptre in its hand, when this is done a secret opening will appear on the wall leading the players into the room. In this room a vault key can be found on the western walls plinth. If the crown and sceptre are removed the doorway to [B] remains open.
Accessing Room [C]: For those that lied or cheated their way into the Fake Vault then they are lead astray. A copper necklace appears in the alcove on the northern wall of room [B], if the players were honest with the Scales of Justice puzzle, then the necklace doesn’t appear (and thus they will avoid being misdirected and the potential trap).
To access this room the players must put the copper sceptre and crown on the statue (the King in Copper) along with the copper necklace which will open the doorway between [B] and [C], in this room is a fake phylactery on a plinth. If the necklace is put onto the statue whilst the gold or silver crown and rod are on the statue then anyone in room [B] at the time will see the door to [C] open in the round, then at the end of the round any players in rooms B and C along with the player who placed the necklace on the statue will be transported to [Area 43] (bottom of the map).
Area 43: This area has a door that can only be opened from the other side and is inescapable if in ghost form. The room is littered with bones that will animate into skeletons to attack the players. The player who placed the necklace on the statue appears with the copper necklace in their hand. By placing the necklace on the statue in [Area 43] on the eastern wall the entire group and skeletons are transported back into [Area 29], but without the copper necklace (the players may then think they have to find the necklace again to get the phylactery, even though it is fake). [Area 43] can be accessed through the cemetery [Area 30].
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