Hey all, I have been clearing out cupboards and I've found a ring which has roman numerals around the outside of it.
The sequence goes:
3, 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, and then repeats back to 3, 6..., so 2-and-a-half of the pattern.
(III, VI, IX, XII, III, VI, IX, XII, III, VI, repeat)
A bit of googling implies this is symbolic of using all the hours of the day, and probably means they didn't plan it well enough to loop properly, hence the 2-number overrun.
My question is, how can I use this as a prop for a D&D puzzle? How may different puzzles can I get for a ring with this pattern on it?
My initial thought was that there would be a start number and then a number to go around by, but the repeats make that inconsistent. So, I thought I would open it to the community! Any ideas how you would use this ring?
What is your party currently doing? Are they in Avernus? A dwarven mine? Shadowfell? It could help spark some ideas to tie it to something they're currently doing or doing in the near(?) future.
My initial thought was tying them to the alphabet: A=1, B=2, C=3, and so on. That would become CFILCFILCF, which doesn't really mean anything, unless you say it's a spell in draconic or goblin or something similar.
Second idea was to map them into schools of magic somehow. Maybe there's 8 pedestals with different orbs, each containing a spell of a certain school. The characters would have to place the ring in such a way that each number is pointing to a specific school of magic.
And final thought was the obvious one, that maybe it is indeed just the hours of a day. Maybe in a place where time works in a funky fashion, like the Feywild and the ring is the key to help them navigate.
You could use it for perhaps a magic ring of time.
Or you could place the ring in a pedestal and turning it, turns a much bigger object.
If I ever need inspiration for a puzzle, I always look at fantasy video games, or shows. If you can find a good Zelda puzzle, it will always roll a nat 20 with the players. The only problem is that if the players have also seen/played the movie/game they might recognize it.
Perhaps the ring's numbers are there to remind the wearer of worship times throughout the day.
Perhaps the ring, when worn and attuned, gives insight into monsters that are grouped in the number in the sequence. Encountering 3 trolls, gives a boon of (attack bonus, damage bonus, monster lore, or some other advantage). Then the next encounter with 6 X kind of monster yields a similar boon.
Perhaps The ring is paired with a weapon the allows an elemental damage type bonus. 3-Fire, 6-Cold, 9-Electricity, 12-Poison or the like. Then the when the attack roll lands on the corresponding number, hit or miss, (3,6,9, or 12) that type of damage is dealt for an additional damage die of the appropriate element on a hit, until a different special number is rolled.
The ring has an aura of divination. It will function a number of time a day as the wearers PB. When called on the PC rolls a d20. 1-6=no bonus and the PB is wasted, 7-13=+3, 14-17=+6, 18-19=+9, 20=+12. The bonus will effect a skill test, attack roll or save to the wearer.
The numbers are cardinal directions. 12 is North, 3 is East, 6 is South, 9 is West. Or any configuration that makes sense. Pair with a treasure map and have the first set of instructions in Days. The next set of instructions in Hours. The next in minutes/steps or something of that fashion.
Hey all, I have been clearing out cupboards and I've found a ring which has roman numerals around the outside of it.
The sequence goes:
3, 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, 9, 12, 3, 6, and then repeats back to 3, 6..., so 2-and-a-half of the pattern.
(III, VI, IX, XII, III, VI, IX, XII, III, VI, repeat)
A bit of googling implies this is symbolic of using all the hours of the day, and probably means they didn't plan it well enough to loop properly, hence the 2-number overrun.
My question is, how can I use this as a prop for a D&D puzzle? How may different puzzles can I get for a ring with this pattern on it?
My initial thought was that there would be a start number and then a number to go around by, but the repeats make that inconsistent. So, I thought I would open it to the community! Any ideas how you would use this ring?
Make your Artificer work with any other class with 174 Multiclassing Feats for your Artificer Multiclass Character!
DM's Guild Releases on This Thread Or check them all out on DMs Guild!
DrivethruRPG Releases on This Thread - latest release: My Character is a Werewolf: balanced rules for Lycanthropy!
I have started discussing/reviewing 3rd party D&D content on Substack - stay tuned for semi-regular posts!
What is your party currently doing? Are they in Avernus? A dwarven mine? Shadowfell? It could help spark some ideas to tie it to something they're currently doing or doing in the near(?) future.
My initial thought was tying them to the alphabet: A=1, B=2, C=3, and so on. That would become CFILCFILCF, which doesn't really mean anything, unless you say it's a spell in draconic or goblin or something similar.
Second idea was to map them into schools of magic somehow. Maybe there's 8 pedestals with different orbs, each containing a spell of a certain school. The characters would have to place the ring in such a way that each number is pointing to a specific school of magic.
And final thought was the obvious one, that maybe it is indeed just the hours of a day. Maybe in a place where time works in a funky fashion, like the Feywild and the ring is the key to help them navigate.
You could use it for perhaps a magic ring of time.
Or you could place the ring in a pedestal and turning it, turns a much bigger object.
If I ever need inspiration for a puzzle, I always look at fantasy video games, or shows. If you can find a good Zelda puzzle, it will always roll a nat 20 with the players. The only problem is that if the players have also seen/played the movie/game they might recognize it.
Perhaps the ring's numbers are there to remind the wearer of worship times throughout the day.
Perhaps the ring, when worn and attuned, gives insight into monsters that are grouped in the number in the sequence. Encountering 3 trolls, gives a boon of (attack bonus, damage bonus, monster lore, or some other advantage). Then the next encounter with 6 X kind of monster yields a similar boon.
Perhaps The ring is paired with a weapon the allows an elemental damage type bonus. 3-Fire, 6-Cold, 9-Electricity, 12-Poison or the like. Then the when the attack roll lands on the corresponding number, hit or miss, (3,6,9, or 12) that type of damage is dealt for an additional damage die of the appropriate element on a hit, until a different special number is rolled.
The ring has an aura of divination. It will function a number of time a day as the wearers PB. When called on the PC rolls a d20. 1-6=no bonus and the PB is wasted, 7-13=+3, 14-17=+6, 18-19=+9, 20=+12. The bonus will effect a skill test, attack roll or save to the wearer.
The numbers are cardinal directions. 12 is North, 3 is East, 6 is South, 9 is West. Or any configuration that makes sense. Pair with a treasure map and have the first set of instructions in Days. The next set of instructions in Hours. The next in minutes/steps or something of that fashion.
<The image was removed.>