I have the first part of the puzzle worked out but it is the solution that has me stumped.
I have my players in a haunted and abandoned manor. They have to find salt so they can use it to make a ward at the entrance on the manor so that they can keep some monsters out. The monsters are being held temporarily at bay by a spell until they find salt.
here is the puzzle:
they enter the kitchens of the manor and see at the far end of the room a brazier littered with pots and pans. They also notice a canister of salt that sits atop the brazier. They try to grab the canister but every time they do so a ghostly hand materializes and slaps their hands away. A disembodied voice is heard. “It’s not ready yet! Shame on you.”
how would you solve it? I got the idea from a politeness puzzle I found somewhere where a ghost bares your way through a door so that you can’t enter no matter what you do. You have to say,” oh no after you sir.” And then the ghost says “oh no, I insist after you.” And then disappears.
I want the answer to be something like that. Please help!!
The statement "it's not ready yet" indicates to me that there is some other component required to produce the salt. So I guess the manor is haunted by the ghost of an alchemist?
I am almost 100% sure my players would start with Turn Undead or similar means, burning half their resources in the process, before trying to say something or ask for it.
The manor is haunted by many ghosts. It sits on cursed land that has caused many untimely and grizzly deaths. I was thinking this particular ghost might be an old cook. A motherly or grandmotherly type that is only concerned batting away premature taste testers. That type of thing.
I'm not sure "It's not ready yet" is a sufficient hint to the politeness required. "It's not ready" implies something is cooking and hasn't finished. If I'm trying to solve this, I'm going to be looking around the room for other ingredients and try to light the brazier and finish whatever was cooking.
If I'm wanting to get the players to be polite, I would have the hand say, "Manners, manners!" or something along those lines.
Also, that would only be for general politeness. It's unreasonable to expect the characters to say a specific set of words, such as "After you sir", vs. other polite expressions, without a much more specific hint.
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So, in this instance is the puzzle to keep the players from being able to get the salt or is it about making the ward? Is the getting the salt only the first part of the puzzle? I realise you wish to have some McGuffin to have the players use to create a specific effect. So not stopping on what the McGuffin, I'd recommand using some more exotic item/ingredient. I know my players would argue they have salt in the adventuring gear. But let's not split hairs.
How do they learn about and how to use the salt? is this the ultmate goal? If so, in the info they get to help with the puzzle, a hint could be given about how to solve it. If it's just about how to get the salt away from that old cook, there could be in a different room some journal entry about how that person used to sneak into the kitchen to taste old granny's food and being turned away. You could hint in your wording that the person was impolite during their interractions with Granny. Otherwise could be some signs in the kitchen that the person who used to work there prefered order and respect in her kitchen (maybe they hear her mumble something about impolite brats from time to time)
I'm not sure "It's not ready yet" is a sufficient hint to the politeness required. "It's not ready" implies something is cooking and hasn't finished. If I'm trying to solve this, I'm going to be looking around the room for other ingredients and try to light the brazier and finish whatever was cooking.
I agree. Maybe have them make a perception check to notice a pot of soup. If they heat up the soup, the Granny ghost says: "Be a dear and add a pinch of salt"! Now that the characters have been allowed to handle the salt, move on to the next phase.
The idea here is, being polite gets you what you want. But you have to show them that by having the hand be polite, and react negatively if they are not polite back, or something.
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
The puzzle is about getting the salt because yes they will use it to make the ward but ultimately they will need it, along with some other things, to fight the boss.
Maybe having them give thanks for their meal aka say grace?? Could that work do you think? Maybe I’ll just let them solve it however they come up with.
They will see the brazier littered with old pots and pans as well as a canister of salt and when they go to grab it a ghostly hand materializes and slaps their hand away. A disembodied voice is heard, “ It’s not ready yet! It needs more time.” Every attempt to go near the brazier will be met with a similar outcome. On a perception check they will notice a spice cabinet off to one side of the room. The solution is to grab the thyme from the spice cabinet and add it to a pot of rotted food that sits atop the brazier. The ghost will then let them take the salt.
Yeah, make sure you mention thyme, along with two or three other spices, on the table right next to the salt. Don't require a perception check; it's unlikely that I'd make the time/thyme connection without thyme being mentioned. Remember, the goal of most puzzles (except in megadungeon "are you bad enough to reach the bottom" type games) is to make players feel smart, not make them BE smart.
I would probably just make a hand-out... a sketch of a spice rack with maybe 6 or 8 spice containers and the names of them all on there: "cinnamon," "paprika," "pepper," etc., and one would be "thyme."
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WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
They blew through the riddle like it was nothing. I didn’t even get through the ghost’s opening sentence before they were like “Thyme is a spice! Are there any spices in the room?” I mean they didn’t even pause to think about it.
my players are VERY puzzle oriented. this has just taught me that I am going to have to make the puzzles in the future way less obvious with what clues I give.
Matt Colville once said that the DM knows everything, but there is only one of you and there are 4 or 5 or however many players.... 5 people will almost always be able to out-think one.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
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I have the first part of the puzzle worked out but it is the solution that has me stumped.
I have my players in a haunted and abandoned manor. They have to find salt so they can use it to make a ward at the entrance on the manor so that they can keep some monsters out. The monsters are being held temporarily at bay by a spell until they find salt.
here is the puzzle:
they enter the kitchens of the manor and see at the far end of the room a brazier littered with pots and pans. They also notice a canister of salt that sits atop the brazier. They try to grab the canister but every time they do so a ghostly hand materializes and slaps their hands away. A disembodied voice is heard. “It’s not ready yet! Shame on you.”
how would you solve it?
I got the idea from a politeness puzzle I found somewhere where a ghost bares your way through a door so that you can’t enter no matter what you do.
You have to say,” oh no after you sir.” And then the ghost says “oh no, I insist after you.” And then disappears.
I want the answer to be something like that. Please help!!
The statement "it's not ready yet" indicates to me that there is some other component required to produce the salt. So I guess the manor is haunted by the ghost of an alchemist?
I am almost 100% sure my players would start with Turn Undead or similar means, burning half their resources in the process, before trying to say something or ask for it.
The manor is haunted by many ghosts. It sits on cursed land that has caused many untimely and grizzly deaths. I was thinking this particular ghost might be an old cook. A motherly or grandmotherly type that is only concerned batting away premature taste testers. That type of thing.
I'm not sure "It's not ready yet" is a sufficient hint to the politeness required. "It's not ready" implies something is cooking and hasn't finished. If I'm trying to solve this, I'm going to be looking around the room for other ingredients and try to light the brazier and finish whatever was cooking.
If I'm wanting to get the players to be polite, I would have the hand say, "Manners, manners!" or something along those lines.
Also, that would only be for general politeness. It's unreasonable to expect the characters to say a specific set of words, such as "After you sir", vs. other polite expressions, without a much more specific hint.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
So, in this instance is the puzzle to keep the players from being able to get the salt or is it about making the ward? Is the getting the salt only the first part of the puzzle? I realise you wish to have some McGuffin to have the players use to create a specific effect. So not stopping on what the McGuffin, I'd recommand using some more exotic item/ingredient. I know my players would argue they have salt in the adventuring gear. But let's not split hairs.
How do they learn about and how to use the salt? is this the ultmate goal? If so, in the info they get to help with the puzzle, a hint could be given about how to solve it. If it's just about how to get the salt away from that old cook, there could be in a different room some journal entry about how that person used to sneak into the kitchen to taste old granny's food and being turned away. You could hint in your wording that the person was impolite during their interractions with Granny. Otherwise could be some signs in the kitchen that the person who used to work there prefered order and respect in her kitchen (maybe they hear her mumble something about impolite brats from time to time)
Put a large, prominent sand hourglass, on it's side, as if it has fallen. One side is almost full, the other almost empty.
The solution is to turn it upright (either side being on top) and to wait for the sand to run out.
I agree. Maybe have them make a perception check to notice a pot of soup. If they heat up the soup, the Granny ghost says: "Be a dear and add a pinch of salt"! Now that the characters have been allowed to handle the salt, move on to the next phase.
Yup, that works better.
The idea here is, being polite gets you what you want. But you have to show them that by having the hand be polite, and react negatively if they are not polite back, or something.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
If the ghost did say “ manners, manners!”
how would you try to retrieve the salt then?
Say 'please'
There is no dawn after eternal night.
Homebrew: Magic items, Subclasses
The puzzle is about getting the salt because yes they will use it to make the ward but ultimately they will need it, along with some other things, to fight the boss.
Maybe having them give thanks for their meal aka say grace?? Could that work do you think? Maybe I’ll just let them solve it however they come up with.
So I think I will change it up a bit
They will see the brazier littered with old pots and pans as well as a canister of salt and when they go to grab it a ghostly hand materializes and slaps their hand away. A disembodied voice is heard, “ It’s not ready yet! It needs more time.”
Every attempt to go near the brazier will be met with a similar outcome. On a perception check they will notice a spice cabinet off to one side of the room.
The solution is to grab the thyme from the spice cabinet and add it to a pot of rotted food that sits atop the brazier. The ghost will then let them take the salt.
What do you think?
I like it... the play on Time and Thyme. Make sure the spices are labeled and I think it's fair.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
Oh yeah I will be sure to list off a few of the spices. Good idea.
Yeah, make sure you mention thyme, along with two or three other spices, on the table right next to the salt. Don't require a perception check; it's unlikely that I'd make the time/thyme connection without thyme being mentioned. Remember, the goal of most puzzles (except in megadungeon "are you bad enough to reach the bottom" type games) is to make players feel smart, not make them BE smart.
Wizard (Gandalf) of the Tolkien Club
I would probably just make a hand-out... a sketch of a spice rack with maybe 6 or 8 spice containers and the names of them all on there: "cinnamon," "paprika," "pepper," etc., and one would be "thyme."
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.
They blew through the riddle like it was nothing. I didn’t even get through the ghost’s opening sentence before they were like “Thyme is a spice! Are there any spices in the room?”
I mean they didn’t even pause to think about it.
my players are VERY puzzle oriented.
this has just taught me that I am going to have to make the puzzles in the future way less obvious with what clues I give.
Matt Colville once said that the DM knows everything, but there is only one of you and there are 4 or 5 or however many players.... 5 people will almost always be able to out-think one.
WOTC lies. We know that WOTC lies. WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. We know that WOTC knows that we know that WOTC lies. And still they lie.
Because of the above (a paraphrase from Orwell) I no longer post to the forums -- PM me if you need help or anything.