Poppy is blown over by the roar, picking herself, maintaining concentration (save 17) on faerie fire (so if you didn't attack with advantage, you should have)
She then tries another dissonant whispers (at level 2) dealing 17 psychic damage on a failed dc 13 wis save. Half on a success (and failure means using it's reaction to move as far away from poppy as it can via the safest route)
If it succeeds the save, it is reduced by 5 from cutting words, using up the last bardic inspiration. It it fails the throw it will not trigger so I'll mark it off once I know
Between Merle's extra hit thanks to faerie fire, then the 17 psychic damage, the sphinx is finished. It flinches away from Poppy's cursed mind melody, bounding away towards the center of the room, but finds it cannot escape the magic so easily. Cracks and gaps widen all along its body as it thrashes in the middle of the room, paws coming up to claw its face, air-wings beating furiously, but the cracks continue, merging with each other and widening, until the whole form bursts apart into strange blue fragments which very rapidly dissolve into violent gusts of air. You all feel buffeted and whipped about, but just for a moment, as the wind spends itself into nothing. Then all is still, and the sphinx avatar is gone.
Merry checks everyone with quick, practiced wraps from his healer’s kit, patching claw marks and wind-bruises in silence. “We’re upright—good,” he nods, wiping his hands (everyone who wants can heal 1d4+2, just let me know if you do and see below for the feature). He gives the chamber a swift sweep for hidden niches or fresh clues (Investigation: 16). “At least we’ve ruled out one word,” he adds dryly, eyes narrowing on the tunnel ahead. “And now we know what ‘wrong’ looks like—next time we answer, we’d better be right.”
Medic: You can use a bonus action to expend one use of a healer’s kit on a creature. When you do, that creature regains hit points equal 1d4 + your proficiency bonus. The creature can’t regain hit points from this feature again until it finishes a short or long rest.
(we can shorthand to the end at this point, if you don't mind, by hand-waving through the bottom floor of the dungeon and then reaching the sphinx again)
(You can rest if you like, in my opinion it doesn't really matter, as a bit of meta I think it's safe to say that you cannot hope to defeat the actual sphinx in combat)
The far passage leads once again to downward spiraling steps which eventually lead to another octagonal room, which has a passage leading south to another room, which has a passage leading NE NW to another room, which has a passage leading south to one last octagonal room. Here the sphinx sits regally and patiently. As you enter the room, it gives a toothy, mirthless smile and says,
"Now you are ready to answer my question. Tell me the word!"
(really clever puzzle that I suddenly realised! Are your directions slightly wrong on that last one though? Should it be NW?)
Poppy realises what the things are for. "the compass is probably if we couldn't read the walls. I think if we trace our path, we can find the word. A three letter word, one letter per floor. If we work together we can work it out." and Poppy helps remember the route.
(someone please check it. I think it's probably Zen but the n seemed backwards hence the first question)
(Yeah, you're right. I clearly remember the second floor and just checked the first for confirmation. I guess this would have been much more clear on a table where we actually draw the map, but I agree very clever puzzle. I always wonder how to include (word) puzzles, and this seems a very cool way indeed. I'm not sure that I would have figured it out myself. Nevertheless, I'll just go forward and offer the solution.)
On Poppy's comment Merry’s eyes narrow as he recalls the map Aulderoot has been sketching: a skewed Z on the first level, a perfect block-E on the second, and the stair-south-northeast-south pattern they’ve just walked—a clear block-N. Three floors, three letters: Z E N. A single, balanced word that speaks of calm understanding.
He steps forward, voice steady. “The word you wish to hear is … ZEN.”
The sphinx's facial features visibly relax into a calm, emotionless expression. Whatever tension may have been in its posture releases, and it suddenly seems to be at ease.
"That is correct," it says. Then she gives a loud laugh, full of the energy of the previous magical roars but this time more inviting and energizing, and the air around you swirls and blusters as before, then solidifies into a table laden with food. It is an actual heroes' feast. Those who partake will find themselves drifting into a sated slumber, and upon waking, they will find themselves re-inserted into their pre-sphinx-puzzle life.
This concludes the adventure. Feel free to post whatever denouement you wish, if any. Feedback also welcome. Thanks for humoring me.
Hearing Merry's words, answering the question that Merle himself was still yet to puzzle out, "ZEN, where did you pull that out of!!" Merle instinctively cast Shillelagh and turns towards the sphinx waiting for a greater presence then they had previously encountered. But Merle watched the creature physically, relax? "Nice pull," and gives Merry a nudge with his elbow.
Looking at the feast, Merle thinks to himself clearly this is poisoned and they are all going to be drugged. He partakes none the less!
Thanks for the opportunity, it was a nice little one shot.
I think the word puzzle itself is a very good idea that I haven't seen before and didn't expect. I think the one shot would be very well placed as the result of a powerful spell that invades the targets minds, whether in meditation or sleep (I'm thinking of the movie Inception). Perhaps, they are targeted unbeknownst to them and the next time they rest, this one shot happens to them, where they all share the same dream or dream-like experience.
Now, I think, where it might need some extra work is the environment. Perhaps, it is meant to be a barren labyrinth and that's fine but I think it would be more entertaining for the players if there were more stuff to interact with. I would try to think of each Octagonal room with one adjacent corridor like a map for Baldur's Gate 1 or 2 (the old computer game, you know?), where you can find one or two optional points (or NPCs) of interest on each map with which you can interact if you wish and which may help you in some way or simply provide you with interesting or useful (One Time Use) boons or items, like potions, scrolls (they don't need to be useful ones but might be worked into (more complex) side treks).
Another NPC (perhaps something like a wacky ghost that is one dagger short of twelve because they never made it out and it has passed a long time), that could help if need be, and/or trade with a very limited selection of items, and/or even a little side quest for a lost item or a missing hint they think they need (which doesn't need to be aligned with the actual riddle if they are crazy). Such a NPC could be a DM tool to pass hints to the players if they get lost in too many distractions (and I think distractions are what the adventure lacks).
Traps, hidden passages, small cavities, perhaps even inhabited by a rat swarm, spiders, a hidden cache, a mimic. Stuff doesn't need to make sense in a dream, like there could be a tiny passage (so that a halfling can squeeze through) that extends into a larger opening with smuggled wares perhaps opened towards an ocean to allude that it is used from the sea side. All additional map elements could be kept small as to not interfere with the general map structure.
Encounters. These are example that I think would be a match for the adventure but it doesn't need all of them
Spiders nested in a corner, perhaps entirely webbing a corridor.
Undead revived from ill-equipped previous captives
A tiny fracture that connects to the underdark with respective creatures
Slimes, oozes, snakes, some of them in pit traps
Flooded sections with or without hidden threats
Vegetation (Funghi? perhaps even living ones), with or without hidden threats
Two areas inhabited by tiny folk, which are locked in a feud or a disagreement, and the players may get involved to settle it one way or another
More items that can be found. I get that the compass can be crucial if players don't read the walls and it may be overlooked if there is too much other stuff, but I also think that there needs to be more to be found than the bare necessities.
I'm always a big fan of alternative endings. So perhaps, it would be cool if there were some way to trick the sphinx. That shouldn't be easy and it should probably be buried within several layers of secondary encounters but it would enrich the adventure in my opinion (like -and this is really only an example- there could be a hidden lamp with a handicapped genie that grants a limited wish but you'll learn about its existence and location only if you happened to do this and this and that). This could be very rewarding for those player that do find it.
I think I stop here, this list is already much longer than I had anticipated and I think you get what I mean.
I want to stress that I think that the riddle itself is really creative and that it was fun to be thrown into the unknown. I just had the feeling that we started to rush along when there wasn't anything to work with after the first level. The third you skipped forward completely, unilaterally. I think the one shot could be improved by filling all these map segments with more life.
While frank, this post is sincerely meant as inspiration to help you fill this one shot with life, because I think it has great potential.
Thanks Cyreon, I agree with you. I did want to test out the riddle first before fleshing out the dungeon more, though. If people don't "get it" then it would just be frustrating. I guess clues could be sprinkled in.
I only worked it out because I realised directions were important when you stated them for the last floor even though we skipped it. That plus the floor being completely empty so the directions were the only thing that changed between us being not ready, and ready.
So while I agree that more is needed for empty rooms (some left empty is okay), too much distraction will probably cause more confusion. If you do it in person, people might physically draw a map as they go however, like aulderoot stated he was doing, in which case it will be much easier
Merle dex save 14
Con save 12 (failure)
Poppy is blown over by the roar, picking herself, maintaining concentration (save 17) on faerie fire (so if you didn't attack with advantage, you should have)
She then tries another dissonant whispers (at level 2) dealing 17 psychic damage on a failed dc 13 wis save. Half on a success (and failure means using it's reaction to move as far away from poppy as it can via the safest route)
If it succeeds the save, it is reduced by 5 from cutting words, using up the last bardic inspiration. It it fails the throw it will not trigger so I'll mark it off once I know
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Thanks for pointing out the advantage!
Merle's second rolls from advantage: 24, 15, 22
Updated Merle attack:
Attack: 24 to hit (was 19) for 9 damage
Flurry of Blows Attack1: 19 to hit (same as before), for 5 damage
Flurry of Blows Attack2: 22 to hit (was 14) for 4 damage
wisdom save 17
Cutting words would reduce the save to 11, causing the sphinx to fail
Between Merle's extra hit thanks to faerie fire, then the 17 psychic damage, the sphinx is finished. It flinches away from Poppy's cursed mind melody, bounding away towards the center of the room, but finds it cannot escape the magic so easily. Cracks and gaps widen all along its body as it thrashes in the middle of the room, paws coming up to claw its face, air-wings beating furiously, but the cracks continue, merging with each other and widening, until the whole form bursts apart into strange blue fragments which very rapidly dissolve into violent gusts of air. You all feel buffeted and whipped about, but just for a moment, as the wind spends itself into nothing. Then all is still, and the sphinx avatar is gone.
Merry checks everyone with quick, practiced wraps from his healer’s kit, patching claw marks and wind-bruises in silence. “We’re upright—good,” he nods, wiping his hands (everyone who wants can heal 1d4+2, just let me know if you do and see below for the feature). He gives the chamber a swift sweep for hidden niches or fresh clues (Investigation: 16). “At least we’ve ruled out one word,” he adds dryly, eyes narrowing on the tunnel ahead. “And now we know what ‘wrong’ looks like—next time we answer, we’d better be right.”
Medic:
You can use a bonus action to expend one use of a healer’s kit on a creature. When you do, that creature regains hit points equal 1d4 + your proficiency bonus. The creature can’t regain hit points from this feature again until it finishes a short or long rest.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
(we can shorthand to the end at this point, if you don't mind, by hand-waving through the bottom floor of the dungeon and then reaching the sphinx again)
(You can rest if you like, in my opinion it doesn't really matter, as a bit of meta I think it's safe to say that you cannot hope to defeat the actual sphinx in combat)
The far passage leads once again to downward spiraling steps which eventually lead to another octagonal room, which has a passage leading south to another room, which has a passage leading
NENW to another room, which has a passage leading south to one last octagonal room. Here the sphinx sits regally and patiently. As you enter the room, it gives a toothy, mirthless smile and says,"Now you are ready to answer my question. Tell me the word!"
(really clever puzzle that I suddenly realised! Are your directions slightly wrong on that last one though? Should it be NW?)
Poppy realises what the things are for. "the compass is probably if we couldn't read the walls. I think if we trace our path, we can find the word. A three letter word, one letter per floor. If we work together we can work it out." and Poppy helps remember the route.
(someone please check it. I think it's probably Zen but the n seemed backwards hence the first question)
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)
Haha yeah whoops I went too fast, should be NW
(Yeah, you're right. I clearly remember the second floor and just checked the first for confirmation. I guess this would have been much more clear on a table where we actually draw the map, but I agree very clever puzzle. I always wonder how to include (word) puzzles, and this seems a very cool way indeed. I'm not sure that I would have figured it out myself. Nevertheless, I'll just go forward and offer the solution.)
On Poppy's comment Merry’s eyes narrow as he recalls the map Aulderoot has been sketching: a skewed Z on the first level, a perfect block-E on the second, and the stair-south-northeast-south pattern they’ve just walked—a clear block-N. Three floors, three letters: Z E N. A single, balanced word that speaks of calm understanding.
He steps forward, voice steady. “The word you wish to hear is … ZEN.”
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
The sphinx's facial features visibly relax into a calm, emotionless expression. Whatever tension may have been in its posture releases, and it suddenly seems to be at ease.
"That is correct," it says. Then she gives a loud laugh, full of the energy of the previous magical roars but this time more inviting and energizing, and the air around you swirls and blusters as before, then solidifies into a table laden with food. It is an actual heroes' feast. Those who partake will find themselves drifting into a sated slumber, and upon waking, they will find themselves re-inserted into their pre-sphinx-puzzle life.
This concludes the adventure. Feel free to post whatever denouement you wish, if any. Feedback also welcome. Thanks for humoring me.
Hearing Merry's words, answering the question that Merle himself was still yet to puzzle out, "ZEN, where did you pull that out of!!" Merle instinctively cast Shillelagh and turns towards the sphinx waiting for a greater presence then they had previously encountered. But Merle watched the creature physically, relax? "Nice pull," and gives Merry a nudge with his elbow.
Looking at the feast, Merle thinks to himself clearly this is poisoned and they are all going to be drugged. He partakes none the less!
Thanks for the opportunity, it was a nice little one shot.
I think the word puzzle itself is a very good idea that I haven't seen before and didn't expect. I think the one shot would be very well placed as the result of a powerful spell that invades the targets minds, whether in meditation or sleep (I'm thinking of the movie Inception). Perhaps, they are targeted unbeknownst to them and the next time they rest, this one shot happens to them, where they all share the same dream or dream-like experience.
Now, I think, where it might need some extra work is the environment. Perhaps, it is meant to be a barren labyrinth and that's fine but I think it would be more entertaining for the players if there were more stuff to interact with. I would try to think of each Octagonal room with one adjacent corridor like a map for Baldur's Gate 1 or 2 (the old computer game, you know?), where you can find one or two optional points (or NPCs) of interest on each map with which you can interact if you wish and which may help you in some way or simply provide you with interesting or useful (One Time Use) boons or items, like potions, scrolls (they don't need to be useful ones but might be worked into (more complex) side treks).
I think I stop here, this list is already much longer than I had anticipated and I think you get what I mean.
I want to stress that I think that the riddle itself is really creative and that it was fun to be thrown into the unknown. I just had the feeling that we started to rush along when there wasn't anything to work with after the first level. The third you skipped forward completely, unilaterally. I think the one shot could be improved by filling all these map segments with more life.
While frank, this post is sincerely meant as inspiration to help you fill this one shot with life, because I think it has great potential.
|| Oriace - Halfling Bard - Dragon Heist || Valerian - Elf Rogue - Wildnis || b'Reh - Stig Cleric - Humblewood || Rowan - Halfling Giant - Runewarren || Khazela - Spiritfarer Dervish - Tribute || Arista - Frost Sorcerer - Old Keep || Zephirah - Demonic Bard - Sands || Merry - Gifted Surgeon - Short || Marasatra - Blood Mage - Avernus || Lan - Dwarf Dragon - Wuxian ||
Thanks Cyreon, I agree with you. I did want to test out the riddle first before fleshing out the dungeon more, though. If people don't "get it" then it would just be frustrating. I guess clues could be sprinkled in.
I only worked it out because I realised directions were important when you stated them for the last floor even though we skipped it. That plus the floor being completely empty so the directions were the only thing that changed between us being not ready, and ready.
So while I agree that more is needed for empty rooms (some left empty is okay), too much distraction will probably cause more confusion. If you do it in person, people might physically draw a map as they go however, like aulderoot stated he was doing, in which case it will be much easier
After joining more my signature got out of hand so I am now a proud member of the extended signature club!! :)