So I have built a puzzle for a treasure room and it may be a little involved so wanted to playtest it here if anyone is up for it.

slimmed down flavor text - you enter a room which in the center has a raised platform, there are 5 unlit candles surrounding the platform and the room is fairly sparse apart from the raised platform but has ornamental carvings horizontally along the walls on all sides.

You can be any class of player and cast any spell.

Cast Find Traps

Typical player reaction:

Two steps:

1. Steal the candles
2. Smash the carvings, looking for secret doors.

You cast find traps - you find no traps-

you take the candles, you have 5 candies added to your inventory.

which ornamental carving do you try and smash ? N S E W

I would cast passwall on the wall behind the platform. If that fails, I would cast teleport and get the heck out of there.

I'd inspect the carvings. [Reading it as like a ribbon of carvings going all the way round the edge of the room] 

Also is the platform a hexagon with a candle on each side or what is the set up? 

I mean you could just walk out the door and save the high level spell, it’s not a trap room it is a treasure room, the incentive isn’t getting out it’s getting the reward

When you inspect the platform you see it is a 5 pointed star with a candle at each point separated from a pentagon in the centre.

the carvings are as follows

on the east and west of the room there are three triangles on either side with 3-5 runes carved into each.

the south wall has similar but four triangles

the north wall is engraved with text in common that reads 

“The Candle Makers Word Of Warning”

I'll have a ponder... and don't judge me for hexagon having 5 sides... :D

Edit: assuming Mog hasn't ran off with the candles id like to look at the bottom of each candle to see if it has a second wick

Does the passwall do anything?

The pass-wall creates a 20ft deep divot in the wall with the clue on ;)

Quote from GaspodeWD >>

I'll have a ponder... and don't judge me for hexagon having 5 sides... :D

 

Edit: assuming Mog hasn't ran off with the candles id like to look at the bottom of each candle to see if it has a second wick

 The candles all seem to be fairly standard looking candles, each point of the star has a circular metal candle holder about an inch high that the candles sit in, wicks appear completely normal and coming out of one end

I’ll light one of the candles. If nothing happens with just one I’ll continue to light all of the candles.

You light the first candle and it lights without problem the flame flickers and dances on the wick but causes nothing to happen, 

so you attempt a second, this one lights and on burning releases a fragrance, it smells salty and cold, instantly making you think of the sea.

you attempt to light a third it instantly snuffs itself out with a plume of smoke trailing away from the wick, you attempt again and the same thing happens

the fourth lights though and also releases an fragrance although a far from pleasant on, it smells acrid and sulphurous.

the final candle also snuffs itself out although rather than give of a trail of smoke it appears to release a thin mist

Nice, you weren’t kidding when you said it’s a little involved.

ill inspect the carvings on the walls. Starting with the wall closest to the second candle that smells of the sea. Wow! I rolled a natural 20 on that check you told me to make! lol

Yeah it’s to keep them busy for the equivalent of a combat encounter so there are a couple pieces to it.

The carvings on the wall on closer inspection are engraved triangular tiles, they have ornate edging and all feature runic symbols at least 3 no more than 5 on each of the tiles. The south wall has 4 of the tiles the east and west wall have 3 on each.

the runes are not in a language you recognise even with your +5 intelligence and natural 20. You do however(due to your wonderfully high roll) notice there is dust of a similar colour to the edging of the tiles on the floor where it meets the walls in front of those areas.

Cast Detect Magic and inspect the candles and wall carvings. If there is any specific schools of magic associated with either, roll an Arcana check to determine an association between the two.

You cast detect magic

- the candles have an outline of colour that suggests enchantment

- the carved tiles have no magic aura

-the engraved text has an outline that suggest illusion

Even with a natural 20 on your arcana check there is nothing in your schooling in the wizarding ways that give you a clue in what links them 

I'd like to feel the wall that has the text that is an illusion on it and feel what is behind the illusion.