# Community Participation > Mapping Challenge Archive >  March 2013, Challenge Entry: The Jester's Tomb

## Bogie

I haven't entered a challenge for a couple months, even though I wanted to.  However this challenge sounds to good to pass up.  So I am going to see if I can find time to finish this one.

I haven't started the map yet, but here is the backstory and some of the clues. 

*The Jester's Tomb*

Dunham had been the king's jester for so many years that they became friends.  The king eventually realized that to be truly funny required a brilliant mind and he started to consider Dunham to be his best advisor.  Over many years the Jester became the Advisor, and when the king became ill, Dunham became his Steward.  When the king died, the Jester ruled the kingdom as Steward for several years until the king's grandson reached maturity and could take his place as rightful ruler.  Several years later, Dunham died in his sleep and was laid to rest in a crypt he had designed himself.  He knew that his tomb would be desecrated as he was quite rich.  Always the jester at heart, he built many tricks and puzzles to protect his final resting place, and his treasure.

1: Entry Hall.  As you pass through a hallway into the tomb, you can see that the walls are covered in brilliant paintings.  All are depictions of The Jester Steward in momentous events.

Paintings:

Dunham as a teenager putting on a jester's costume.  Under the painting is etched: To find the safe path beneath your feet, Near icy landmark start to seek,  Meander thence from cold to hot, Travelling always on the diagonal.

Dunham, slightly older, performing for a large crowd in a village square.  The pictures shows him holding up a silver coin in his left hand as if he is going to make it disappear.  In the background are two mountains painted gold.

The Jester performing for the king in the royal court.  A tapestry on the wall behind the jester in the painting clearly says "Nine lives he has, not three".

Dunham performing for a group of nobles.  This painting has 3 panels.  In the first panel he is juggling 5 identical bottles, in the second he juggles 3 of the bottles, and in the final panel he holds but one bottle and is pouring the water from it onto the padlock of a locked door.  On the top is carved "All for one, and One for all we can get away with."


A painting of the jester walking a tightrope over a pit of fire while juggling 3 daggers.  The crowd is painted with such detail that individual faces can be identified.  Everyone is clapping except one woman. The painting is labeled, "My greatest performance".  Etched into the bottom of the frame is: "Ignore the door, jump into the pit"

A tapestry showing Dunham wearing his jester's costume but standing behind the king while he sits on his throne.  In front of them is a group of foreign diplomats bowing.  Woven into the tapestry are the words "The King is a little to vain."

Another tapestry shows the King and Dunham riding horses on a stag hunt.  The King's horse is large and magnificent, the jester's horse is nice but smaller.  There is a brilliant rainbow arched over the group.  The rainbow touches down on a large oak tree in the distance.  A small sign under the tapestry reads:  "For this challenge there is naught to do, but take each step and follow through.  The path you take brooks no retreat, Until the open portal do you meet." 

This painting shows Dunham surrounded by his family in a classic pose.  Careful examination reveals the letters, G K N T and Z mixed into objects in the painting.

There's a painting of Dunham once again standing behind the King on his throne, but now Dunham is in regal court attire and he is whispering in the King's ear.  Carved into all 4 sides of the frame are the words: " Go up, Go right, go down, go left,  more easily said than done, the real problem is can you all finish as one?

A large tapestry depicting the King's funeral followed by Dunham's coronation as Steward of the Kingdom.  In his left hand he holds a ceremonial staff, in the other an unusual key.   Beside him stands a teenage youth who looks a lot like the dead King.  Carved into the frame is: "The First is Five, The Last is Three, but only  a Pure One opens Me."

In this painting Dunham is seated at the head of a banquet table wearing the Crown of the Steward.   On a banner behind him are the words, "The more there is of it, the less you see"

The last painting shows Denham placing the true crown on the head of a young man.  Careful examination will show that this is the teen from a prior picture probably 4 or 5 years later.  On a banner in the painting it says:  "If you have to choose between good and evil always try to choose good, but if you have to choose between what is right and what is funny, I usually choose funny"

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## Bogie

Just to show that I have started a map and not just been writing like a madman.  Here is the Entry hall and 1st room.

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Attachment 52832

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## Ramah

It says your attachment is invalid.

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## Bogie

Interesting,,,, it worked fine last night.  Will try again.

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## Bogie

I have finished a few more rooms:

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## lostatsea

You have a good Start on the map and an exceptional if extremely ambitious story to fulfill . Have some REP for the story and you had better finish this !! Or I'll be angry  :Mad:  :Mad:  I just have to know how this fleshes out !! :Smile: 





ERG ...Rep as soon as I am able !

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## Cunning Cartographer

Watching with a keen eye on how the story behind this one makes its way into the map  :Smile:

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## Bogie

Thanks guys, hope I can live up to your expectations on this one.  The map is 75% done, then I have to write up the room descriptions.

Here is a low res preview of the map so far:

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## - Max -

Looks nice. But for me, all those colors kinda spread attention though

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## arsheesh

> Looks nice. But for me, all those colors kinda spread attention though


I t

Those are my thoughts as well.  But then, this is "The Jester's Tomb", so I guess it is aprapos.  Perhaps if the colors were slightly muted, and or darkened?  At any rate, you've done a nice job with the textures.

Cheers,
-Arsheesh

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## Bogie

The only really bright colors are the ones on the 2 checkerboards.  I agree that they are bright, but there is a reason.  One set is supposed to represent the colors of the rainbow and the other is Fire & Ice.  I'll try toning them down a bit and see if it still works.

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## Bogie

I darkened the bright checkerboards, it does look better and still works for the puzzles.  Thanks. :Smile: 

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Maybe I'll try darkening the hallways also.

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## - Max -

:Smile:  You're welcome. Hurt the eyes less now  :Very Happy:

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## anomiecoalition

This looks like its going to be super fun to play/DM.  

Re: All the pretty colors - I often find myself in a similar predicament trying to balance floor tile choices for each room independently and then assessing the overall look of the map.  On the one hand, one would assume that just any of us would pick out a floor for the rooms in our own homes independent of what we have  going on in the rest of the house - so too would the architects of dungeons.  And sometimes you just want a tile for one room that clashes with everything else yo have going on in the house.  On the other hand, its cheaper and easier to buy in bulk and have multiple rooms with the same tile (even more true in a fantasy world.)  And - it ends up looking better for the overall map when all the tile colors/designs are similar to each other.  Doing battle-maps in this realistic style makes this balance all the more difficult to attain.  

Overall - I think it looks great and that you've achieved that balance for the most part.  The only thing that throws me off a bit is the blue and pink tiles in the bottom rooms.  But - if the story calls for it, then the story calls for it...and these are just silly musings from someone who makes maps in a similar style and has been heavily influenced by your work in particular....

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## Bogie

I've been playing with the checkerboard tiles ( and a lot of the other ones also ).  I found a couple that represent Fire & Ice better.  
Let me know what you think of these:

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## Bogie

This is pretty much the final map, though I am open to suggestions and there is plenty of time to make changes.

I will be writing up all the room descriptions with all the tricks and puzzles explained.  There are over 30 rooms and
about 20 tricks or puzzles.

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I should also Thank Jaxilon for his excellent Joker's Sceptre, it was perfect for the entrance to this map so I had to use it!

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## - Max -

I would feel bad to be lost in this donjon  :Very Happy:  Nice job!

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## Jaxilon

Hah Bogie, I was looking this over from the thumbnails and said, "Hey! That's me!" Well, sorta anyway, I'm not actually a skeleton yet although I use it for my avatar image.

This is a cool map Bogie.

I want to enter this month but I've been swamped once again, this time with an emergency bathroom remodel (4 days of demo and construction in every waking hour until collapsing into bed after the midnight hour). It's not textured yet but then the relatives arrived. So another week slips past without being able to draw anything. At least the bathroom looks great.

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## Bogie

Trying a little darker moodier look by adding heavier shadows.

Hoping to get the room details written up in time, but I am also trying to get my taxes done.  Darn real life!

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## Larb

I think it looks better with the heavier shadows. As well as adding more atmosphere it makes the walls look more defined.

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## Bogie

Thanks, I like the darker version better also.

Here are the room descriptions I have done so far:

2: First Room.  Fill the Bowl.  In this room are two ceremonial tables.  Both of them have blood spattered on them.  The eastern one has a bowl on it, the other has a ceremonial blade.  Above the northern door it says "Fill bowl & light the candles to proceed"  The door is not locked, it simply won't open.  It cannot be opened by strength, there is no lock to pick, it is impervious to magic of less than Limited Wish level.  
Filling the bowl with any liquid, then lighting all 8 candles will open the door.  Any liquid will work, it does not have to be blood despite the blood stains.  If they do cut themselves, they will take damage, 1d3/pint and lose a strength point for each pint.  The bowl holds 2 quarts.

3: Main Hallway.  Turn right or left, players choice.  None of the other doors out of this hall are locked.

4: The Final Countdown.  This long room has 2 things in it, an altar with a chest containing several pouches of silver pieces on it, and a large lever.  As soon as anyone approaches within 5 ft of the chest the door is replaced by a solid wall, The door is gone, the is no other way out.!  They hear a loud voice start counting down from 12, ( actually count out loud, it is scarier ).  If the lever is pulled the countdown stops.  After a minute it starts again, one digit less each time.  The trick is that when the count hits 0 the eastern wall slides open.

5: Escape Room  Small room with nothing in it, unless the DM wants to throw in some treasure or an encounter.




6: Fire and Ice Room  A 40' x 45' room with a blue and red checkerboard patterned floor and large collumns in the 4 corners.  There is a door in both the north and south walls.  The danger in this room are the collored floor tiles.  If you pass over a red tile you get hit by a blast of fire from above that will deal 3d6 flame damage, the blue tiles will blast a cone of cold up from the floor that does 3d6 freezing damage.  Flying or levitating above the tiles will still trigger them, running very fast across them will reduced the damage by half if a DEX check succeeds.  The safe way to cross is to figure out the clue on the first painting.  "To find the safe path beneath your feet, Near icy landmark start to seek, Meander thence from cold to hot, Traveling always on the diagonal."  If a character examines the pillar in the southeast corner they will find that it rotates revealing a large opening in the pillar.  Inside are ladder rungs that go down.  Below the floor is a small 5' x 5' room with 2 tunnels, one heading straight north and one towards the north west.  If they go north they will encounter a dead end.  There is a round 3' platform with an arrow pointing up.  Due to a distance distortion illusion it will seem like they have traveled about 40 feet when in fact they have only gone 15'.  When the platform is stood on it starts to rise towards the ceiling which opens up.  The player may think they are going up into the pillar but they are actually being left on the blue square 15' from the pillar they entered.  If the character takes the diagonal tunnel they will arrive at a set of ladder rungs which will take them up into the north west pillar.  It can be rotated to  allow them to get out and head for the north door.

7: Southern Round Room  In this 30' round room there is a fountain with clear running water on the left and a table with 3 bowls on the right.  The bowls are labeled 5 dobs, 3 dobs, & 1 dob.  The bowl labeled 1 dob is fixed to the table and cannot be moved without damaging it, the words "Only a pure one opens me" are engraved in the bowl .  No one will know what unit of measurement a dob is because Dunham made it up for this puzzle, in actuallity it is a bit less than a pint. The north door is magically locked.  Above the door a plaque reads: "Solve the water puzzle to open the door"  The clue is hidden in the painting of Dunham juggling:  In the first panel he is juggling 5 identical bottles, in the second he juggles 3 of the bottles, and in the final panel he holds but one bottle and is pouring the water from it onto the padlock of a locked door.  The most direct way of placing exactly 1 dob of water in the middle bowl is to fill the 3 dob bowl from the fountain and pour it into the 5 dob bowl, then refill the 3 dob bowl and finish filling the five dob bowl which will leave 1 dob in the #3 bowl.  That can then be poured into the 1 dob bowl.  If 1 dob is poured into the 1 dob bowl the northern door will open, if any other non-exact amount is poured in the bowl will reject the water and a medium sized water elemental will surge out of the fountain and attack.

8: Hallway  The door in the western end of the hall is magically locked and can be opened by turning the lower set of handles in room 9.

9: Northern Round Room   Another 30' round room.  This one has 3 statues holding halbards and a post with 2 sets of handles, one upper one lower.  If the lower set of handles are turned to the left, counterclockwise, the door in hallway 8 will open.  If it is turned right, clockwise, the door to room 9 shuts and locks.  If the upper handles are turned to the left the statues (stone guardians or stone golems, DM's choice ) will attack anyone in the room.  If the upper handles are turned right then the door to the room shuts and locks and the statues attack.  The statue halbards cannot be removed in one piece from the statue, and they do 1d10+6 damage, but are not magical.

10: Mirrored Treasure Room  On the southern end of this room is an empty treasure chest with the lid open.  On the northern end is a statue holding a large mirror.  Anyone looking in the mirror will not see themselves, but will instead see the treasure chest which is now full of treasures.  As they watch, an old man walks in, scoops out some of the treasure, smiles at those watching him and walks out of sight.  He returns, takes some more and leaves with it.  It will take him 4 loads to empty the chest at which point he laughs at the watchers and leaves.  If the mirror is examined it can pivot in the hands holding it.  If the mirror is faced down all remaining treasure will pour out on the floor.  If the old man is in the view of the mirror when it is pivoted he will fall out on the floor with the treasure.  He will answer 1 specific question about this tomb honestly and then vanish.  He will only answer the first part of multi-part questions.  A question like "How do we find the Jester's sarcophagus"  might be answered with"  Use the jester's scepter to find the tunnel that leads to it.

11:  Lever Room  In this odd shaped room is an altar-like table with 4 levers.  There are 2 doors, the one you entered through and another door also in the north wall that is magically locked.  The levers must all be turned into the correct position, all at the same time, to open the door.  The applicable clue from the painting is: "Go up, Go right, go down, go left, more easily said than done, the real problem is can you all finish as one?"  The correct settings are the northwest lever has to point north, the northeast lever points east, the southeast lever points south, and the southwest lever must point west, and they all have to be turned in unison.  Any time this is not done correctly one of the secret doors to A, B or C will open, releasing whatever monster is in that room.  Suggestions are A: 3 Skeleton Warriors, B: 3 Flesh Golems,  C: 3 Invisible stalkers.  Feel free to adjust the power of the monsters to the parties level.

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## Larb

Some very interesting challenges. I particularly like number 4. I love "traps" like that. It also made me think of one from the L5R module Tomb of Iuchiban. It was this room with the infamous closing walls trap. The closing walls had a single niche in each of them that one person could fit in. Once the walls were five feet apart they just stopped and moved back and so were no danger at all. The idea was it makes "less honourable" PCs murder each other as they fight over who gets to go into a niche.

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## Bogie

So I guess I have to re-upload this because of the server crash.

I finished the map.  I made it a little darker, fixed some minor details, and added the room numbers.

### Latest WIP ###

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## Bogie

This post and the next will contain all the latest room info and game details.  I have to split it on 2 pages due to upload limitations.

The Jester's Tomb
By
Dan Roy, aka Bogie

Dunham had been the king's jester for so many years that they became friends. The king eventually realized that to be truly funny required a brilliant mind and he started to consider Dunham to be his best advisor. Over many years the Jester became the Advisor, and when the king became ill, Dunham became his Steward. When the king died, the Jester ruled the kingdom as Steward for several years until the king's grandson reached maturity and could take his place as rightful ruler. Several years later, Dunham died in his sleep and was laid to rest in a crypt he had designed himself. He knew that his tomb would be desecrated as he was quite rich. Always the jester at heart, he built many tricks and puzzles to protect his final resting place, and his treasure.

1: Entry Hall. As you pass through a hallway into the tomb, you can see that the walls are covered in brilliant paintings. All are depictions of The Jester Steward in momentous events.  On the floor is embossed a depiction of a Jester's Sceptre.
Above the doorway are the words:  Prepare yourselves, the Clueless will not succeed.

The large brass double doors are locked.  There is no trap or magic, but the lock is 25% more difficult than normal to pick.

Paintings:

Dunham as a teenager putting on a jester's costume. Under the painting is etched: To find the safe path beneath your feet, Near icy landmark start to seek, Meander thence from cold to hot, Travelling always on the diagonal.

Dunham, slightly older, performing for a large crowd in a village square. The pictures shows him holding up a silver coin in his left hand as if he is going to make it disappear. In the background are two mountains painted gold.

The Jester performing for the king in the royal court. A tapestry on the wall behind the jester in the painting clearly says "Nine lives he has, not three".

Dunham performing for a group of nobles. This painting has 3 panels. In the first panel he is juggling 5 identical bottles, in the second he juggles 3 of the bottles, and in the final panel he holds but one bottle and is pouring the water from it onto the padlock of a locked door. On the top is carved "All for one, and One for all we can get away with."


A painting of the jester walking a tightrope over a pit of fire while juggling 3 daggers. The crowd is painted with such detail that individual faces can be identified. Everyone is clapping except one woman. The painting is labeled, "My greatest performance". Etched into the bottom of the frame is: "Ignore the door, jump into the pit"

A tapestry showing Dunham wearing his jester's costume but standing behind the king while he sits on his throne. In front of them is a group of foreign diplomats bowing. Woven into the tapestry are the words "The King is a little to vain.

Another tapestry shows the King and Dunham riding horses on a stag hunt. The King's horse is large and magnificent, the jester's horse is nice but smaller. There is a brilliant rainbow arched over the group. The rainbow touches down on a large oak tree in the distance. A small sign under the tapestry reads: "For the last challenge there is naught to do, but take each step and follow through. The path you take brooks no retreat, Until the open portal do you meet."

This painting shows Dunham surrounded by his family in a classic pose. Careful examination reveals the letters, G K N T and Z mixed into objects in the painting.

There's a painting of Dunham once again standing behind the King on his throne, but now Dunham is in regal court attire and he is whispering in the King's ear while the king looks at himself in a mirror. Carved into all 4 sides of the frame are the words:   "Go up, Go right, go down, go left, more easily said than done, the real problem is can you all finish as one?"

A large tapestry depicting the King's funeral followed by Dunham's coronation as Steward of the Kingdom. In his left hand he holds a ceremonial staff, in the other an unusual key. Beside him stands a teenage youth who looks a lot like the dead King.  "Widdershins is to the left and left is funnier than right"

In this painting Dunham is seated at the head of a banquet table wearing the Crown of the Steward. On a banner behind him are the words, "The more there is of it, The less you see.  The answer grants you safety."

The last painting shows Denham placing the true crown on the head of a young man. Careful examination will show that this is the teen from a prior picture probably 4 or 5 years later. On a banner in the painting it says: "If you have to choose between good and evil always try to choose good, but if you have to choose between what is right and what is funny, I usually choose funny"

DM's notes:  To share the burden and fun of using the clues divide the clues up to all the players, except for any players who say they are not paying attention to the paintings.

2: First Room.  Fill the Bowl.  In this room are two ceremonial tables.  Both of them have blood spattered on them.  The eastern one has a bowl on it, the other has a ceremonial blade.  Above the northern door it says "Fill bowl & light the candles to proceed"  The door is not locked, it simply won't open.  It cannot be opened by strength, there is no lock to pick, it is impervious to magic of less than Limited Wish level.  
Filling the bowl with any liquid, then lighting all 8 candles will open the door.  Any liquid will work, it does not have to be blood despite the blood stains.  If they do cut themselves, they will take damage, 1d3/pint and lose a strength point for each pint.  The bowl holds 2 quarts.

3: Main Hallway.  Turn right or left, players choice.  None of the other doors out of this hall are locked.

4: The Final Countdown.  This long room has 2 things in it, an altar with a chest containing several pouches of silver pieces on it, and a large lever.  As soon as anyone approaches within 5 ft of the chest the door is replaced by a solid wall, The door is gone, the is no other way out.!  They hear a loud voice start counting down from 12, ( actually count out loud, it is scarier ).  If the lever is pulled the countdown stops.  After a minute it starts again, one digit less each time.  The trick is that when the count hits 0 the eastern wall slides open.

5: Escape Room  Small room with nothing in it, unless the DM wants to throw in some treasure or an encounter.


6: Fire and Ice Room  A 40' x 45' room with a blue and red checkerboard patterned floor and large collumns in the 4 corners.  There is a door in both the north and south walls.  The danger in this room are the collored floor tiles.  If you pass over a red tile you get hit by a blast of fire from above that will deal 3d6 flame damage, the blue tiles will blast a cone of cold up from the floor that does 3d6 freezing damage.  Flying or levitating above the tiles will still trigger them, running very fast across them will reduced the damage by half if a DEX check succeeds.  The safe way to cross is to figure out the clue on the first painting.  "To find the safe path beneath your feet, Near icy landmark start to seek, Meander thence from cold to hot, Traveling always on the diagonal."  If a character examines the pillar in the southeast corner they will find that it rotates revealing a large opening in the pillar.  Inside are ladder rungs that go down.  Below the floor is a small 5' x 5' room with 2 tunnels, one heading straight north and one towards the north west.  If they go north they will encounter a dead end.  There is a round 3' platform with an arrow pointing up.  Due to a distance distortion illusion it will seem like they have traveled about 40 feet when in fact they have only gone 15'.  When the platform is stood on it starts to rise towards the ceiling which opens up.  The player may think they are going up into the pillar but they are actually being left on the blue square 15' from the pillar they entered.  If the character takes the diagonal tunnel they will arrive at a set of ladder rungs which will take them up into the north west pillar.  It can be rotated to  allow them to get out and head for the north door.

7: Southern Round Room  In this 30' round room there is a fountain with clear running water on the left and a table with 3 bowls on the right.  The bowls are labeled 5 dobs, 3 dobs, & 1 dob.  The bowl labeled 1 dob is fixed to the table and cannot be moved without damaging it, the words "Only a pure one opens me" are engraved in the bowl .  No one will know what unit of measurement a dob is because Dunham made it up for this puzzle, in actuallity it is a bit less than a pint. The north door is magically locked.  Above the door a plaque reads: "Solve the water puzzle to open the door"  The clue is hidden in the painting of Dunham juggling:  In the first panel he is juggling 5 identical bottles, in the second he juggles 3 of the bottles, and in the final panel he holds but one bottle and is pouring the water from it onto the padlock of a locked door.  The most direct way of placing exactly 1 dob of water in the middle bowl is to fill the 3 dob bowl from the fountain and pour it into the 5 dob bowl, then refill the 3 dob bowl and finish filling the five dob bowl which will leave 1 dob in the #3 bowl.  That can then be poured into the 1 dob bowl.  If 1 dob is poured into the 1 dob bowl the northern door will open, if any other non-exact amount is poured in the bowl will reject the water and a medium sized water elemental will surge out of the fountain and attack.

8: Hallway  The door in the western end of the hall is magically locked and can be opened by turning the lower set of handles in room 9.

9: Northern Round Room   Another 30' round room.  This one has 3 statues holding halbards and a post with 2 sets of handles, one upper one lower.  If the lower set of handles are turned to the left, counterclockwise, the door in hallway 8 will open.  If it is turned right, clockwise, the door to room 9 shuts and locks.  If the upper handles are turned to the left the statues (stone guardians or stone golems, DM's choice ) will attack anyone in the room.  If the upper handles are turned right then the door to the room shuts and locks and the statues attack.  The statue halbards cannot be removed in one piece from the statue, and they do 1d10+6 damage, but are not magical.

10: Mirrored Treasure Room  On the southern end of this room is an empty treasure chest with the lid open.  On the northern end is a statue holding a large mirror.  Anyone looking in the mirror will not see themselves, but will instead see the treasure chest which is now full of treasures.  As they watch, an old man walks in, scoops out some of the treasure, smiles at those watching him and walks out of sight.  He returns, takes some more and leaves with it.  It will take him 4 loads to empty the chest at which point he laughs at the watchers and leaves.  If the mirror is examined it can pivot in the hands holding it.  If the mirror is faced down all remaining treasure will pour out on the floor.  If the old man is in the view of the mirror when it is pivoted he will fall out on the floor with the treasure.  He will answer 1 specific question about this tomb honestly and then vanish.  He will only answer the first part of multi-part questions.  A question like "How do we find the Jester's sarcophagus"  might be answered with"  Use the jester's scepter to find the tunnel that leads to it.

11:  Lever Room  In this odd shaped room is an altar-like table with 4 levers.  There are 2 doors, the one you entered through and another door also in the north wall that is magically locked.  The levers must all be turned into the correct position, all at the same time, to open the door.  The applicable clue from the painting is: "Go up, Go right, go down, go left, more easily said than done, the real problem is can you all finish as one?"  The correct settings are the northwest lever has to point north, the northeast lever points east, the southeast lever points south, and the southwest lever must point west, and they all have to be turned in unison.  Any time this is not done correctly one of the secret doors to A, B or C will open, releasing whatever monster is in that room.  Suggestions are A: 3 Skeleton Warriors, B: 3 Flesh Golems,  C: 3 Invisible stalkers.  Feel free to adjust the power of the monsters to the parties level.

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## Bogie

PART 2


12: Statue room   At the north side of this room is a 3 step dais with a life size statue of Dunham.  In his right hand is a staff and his left hand is held out with the palm up.  A deep voice says, "Proper tribute is due".  Clever players will remember that one of the paintings shows Dunham holding a silver coin in his left hand.  If a silver coin is placed in the hand, it will close.  When the hand opens the coin has been replaced by a silver key.  The key will unlock any door off of hallway 16.  If any other object is placed in the hand a Vrock Demon is summoned into the room.  A new demon is summoned for each incorrect object.

13:  Summoning Circle of Light  This 20' x 30' room has a large arched door in the north wall with the riddle "The more there is of it, The less you see" carved into the arch.  On the floor is engraved a circle of silver runes.  The room is dark.  When any light hits the runes they will start to glow with a blue radiance.  One round later it will summon a Will o Wisp that will attack anyone in the room. Every other round the light is touching the runes another Wisp will be summoned.  The answer to the riddle is "Darkness".  If all lights are put out, the Wisps will vanish and none will return even if the lights are used again.  While it is dark glowing runes on the wall spellout "The Jester's Scepter is a key ingredient"

14:  The Rainbow and the Oak  In this room is a 7 x 7 grid of tiles.  Most of them are tan but 7 of them are brighter colors.  On the border by the purple tile is a small but easily seen rainbow and on the border by the red tile is an oak tree.  This is a reference to the tapestry of Dunham and the King which shows a rainbow leading to an oak tree.  The riddle is on the same tapestry.  Essentially, you must follow the rainbow to the oak tree.  When someone steps on the purple tile all the others will drop down about 16 inches.  If the person steps onto each of the colors of the rainbow in the correct order ( purple, dark blue, light blue, green, yellow, orange, red ) then all remaining tiles will do the same leaving a winding rainbow staircase which will end at a heavy stone door.  If any incorrect tile is stepped on the floor locks where it is.  There is one fancy brown tile that will reset the floor allowing a second chance to get it right.  Since the stone door opens towards the stairs it cannot be opened unless the stairs are done perfectly.  Inside the hidden chamber is a chest with 4 small bags of coins.  One each of copper, silver, gold and platinum.  Under the bags is a 14 inch long scepter with a jester's head on one end.  The last 2 inches of the opposite end is carved in a triangular shape.

15:  Hallway with Fire Pit  The fire in the pit only lights up when someone enters this hallway.  It produces a lot of heat and the hall will become an oven in about 10 rounds.  There is a false clue on one of the paintings that players may remember.  " Ignore the door, jump into the pit"  Anyone in the pit will take 4d6 damage per round.  The players should not trust all the clues, Dunham is a jester and his tomb is here to protect him.  The door is locked but can be picked normally or opened with the key from room 12.    
16: Large Hallway  The main features of this hallway are its 10 doors and a large archway.  The doors are all locked but can be picked normally or opened with the key from room 12.  The arch does not detect as trapped because it is safe for the first 2 people passing through it, but that turns on the magic.  If detected for at that time the arch will detect as a magic trap but not before.  The 3rd person passing through the arch will be teleported into the middle of the webbing in room 22 ( there is no save but magic resistance will allow them to pass the arch, the trap will then affect the next person.)  They are paralyzed and cannot move or speak for 2 turns.  Everything they were wearing or carrying is teleported to room 20, EVERYTHING.

17:  Monster room   The DM should place any monster he wants here.  Keep in mind it should be something that can just sit in a room for hundreds of years like a golem or undead.   There is a pile of bones in one corner.  The DM can place a small magic item under the pile.

18:  Empty Room  Or is it?  Dm can place another monster or trap here.  Might be a good place for a pit trap.

19:  Vertigo Room  The strange pattern in the floor is mesmerizing.  Anyone passing through here must make a save vs spell or be hypnotized.  They are so fascinated by the pattern they will refuse to leave the room.  If forced to leave they will constantly try to return to the room until the spell is broken.

20:  Your Treasure Room   In this room are all the belongings of the person trapped in room 22.  It also contains the gear of another victim of the trap.  If the party is hurting and short on healing, this is a chance for the DM to let them find a couple healing potions.

21:  First Web Room  Two thirds of this room are filled with thick spider webs.  Inside are numerous undead spiders ranging in size from 6 inches to 3 ft diameter.  They will attack with a vengeance flowing out of the door from all sides.

22:  Webbed Holding Room  When the party opens the door to this room they will see a mass of webs just like in room 21.   They will also see a skeleton about 1 foot inside the web.  What they won't see is their fellow adventurer trapped in the middle of the web.   As noted before under #16, the adventurer is paralyzed, can't make a sound, and has absolutely no clothes, items or equipment.  All they can do is think.  Let's hope they don't set fire to the web.

23:  Impish Room  The room is lit by 4 braziers, one in each corner of the room.  They lit up when the door was opened.  There is a door on the opposite side of the room.  Near the middle of the room along the north wall is a gold table ( real or gold plated, DM's choice ).  On the table sits a statue of an Imp.  When the party enters the imp ( yes, of course it is alive ) turns to them and says "None shall pass lest ye make me laugh"  If questioned, the imp says "My master Dunham was the greatest jester in the land.  He made me laugh all the time.  If you can do the same, you may pass freely, I am bored, entertain me."  One of the players must tell the DM a good joke for the party to proceed.  If any adventurer attacks or tries to pass the imp, it will turn into a Balor Demon ( Balrog ).

24:  Flame On!  The first thing seen on entering this room is a flaming brazier.  Two hallways head west towards roaring flames, the heat and sound are intense.  If the brazier is extinguished, the flames go out.  The flames are a powerful illusion.  If they are not disbelieved or cancelled in some way, anyone entering the back of the room will feel like they are in a dragon's breath attack.  Inside the little alcove hidden by the flames is a small jester's wand, similar to the one in room 14 but half the size and without the odd shaped end.

25:  The Jester's Tomb, Not!   This round room looks like the Steward's final resting place. There are 2 treasure chests, two dragon statues, 2 braziers that light upon entering the room, and a sarcophagus on an altar with glowing magical lights dancing over it.  This is the decoy room.  The chests contain silver and gold coins and a mixture of large gems.  But there is a lot more silver than gold and the gems are real but flawed and of low value.  The dragons statues will turn into Bone Naga's and attack anyone that approaches the sarcophagus.  Inside the sarcophagus is a skeleton in rotted regal robes.  The bones belonged to a prisoner who died for his sins and is now serving his lord.

26:  Here Kitty, Kitty    Sitting on a treasure chest is a house cat.  It will ignore anyone who just passes by but it will defend the chest against anyone who tries to approach it.  It is actually a Guardian Daemon.  It is a 1 HD housecat with a nasty attitude.  If killed it reappears on the chest as a 2 HD Bobcat, if that is killed it reappears as a 3 HD cheetah, then a 4 HD Panther, a 5 HD Lion, then a 6 HD SaberTooth.  If that is killed it reappears as the HouseCat, then bobcat and finally the 9th life is the Cheetah.  When all 9 lives are killed it is finally gone.  The painting with "Nine lives he has, not three" refers to this monster.  In the chest are several potions and a couple minor magic items.

27:  Guard Room  3 man-sized Iron golems that look like jesters will attack anyone who uses this hallway.  Because of their size they have half the stats of a full size golem.  If the party holds up either the jester's wand or scepter ( from room 24 or 14 ) the iron golems will stop attacking.

28:  Vanity Room  Another 30' round room that has 4 pillars running from floor to ceiling.  Inspecting the pillars will reveal that they rotate and that each one has a mirror built into it on the backside where it cannot be seen.  If all 4 pillars are rotated so they face the center of the room and someone stands in the center point, a 6" diam post will rise up out of the floor to a hieght of 3'.  It has no markings on it but  there are 3 holes in the top of the post.  There is a round hole, a triangular hole and a circular hole.  If the Jester's scepter is inserted into the triangular hole and turned counterclockwise, the dais will descend 15' down to a tunnel that leads northeast to a set of stairs.  The stairs climb up into room 29 the Jester's Tomb.  
But if anything else is inserted in the holes or if the scepter is turned clockwise, dozens of blades will drive up from the floor into anyone standing on the platform.
The relevant clues here are "Widdershins is to the left and left is funnier than right"  Widdershins is an archaic term that means "counterclockwise"  There are numerous other references to Left including "If you have to choose between good and evil always try to choose good, but if you have to choose between what is right and what is funny, I usually choose funny"

29:  The Real Jester's Tomb  There are no traps or tricks here, just the Jester's body laid to rest with his treasures.  If  the DM needs one last encounter then Fire Elementals could rise up out of the braziers, or the Jester could be a powerful undead creature.

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## Cunning Cartographer

Finally got round to reading through the puzzles and there's some really fun and interesting ones in there as well as some great twists on some classics (I actually used the "water puzzle" in my old star wars campaign, but instead it was power to the ship and the players had to balance the ships power (water) into the three systems (jugs) to get one bar of power into the engines as the bare minimum required without shutting down major life support  :Very Happy:  Excellent work Bogie

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## Larb

This whole challenge is a bit of a gold mine of dungeon puzzles, especially the dungeon's both of you have made. It's a good thing these challenge threads get archived. =P

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## Bogie

Thanks Larb and Yospeck!  As you noted, some of these puzzles are my originals and some are old classics, but I tried to change them up so they would be at least a little different.

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## Cunning Cartographer

In the past "Professor Layton" games were my go to for stealing puzzles as there's plenty of walkthroughs that tell you all the puzzles and solutions, twist them so they fit in whatever setting and there's some nice easy puzzles for an encounter  :Very Happy:  My "Demon/Archon" statues puzzle I made up, as I did the riddles, but I stole the mirrored numbers runes for the doors puzzle straight from Stargate SG1  :Smile:

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## ravells

This is brilliant, Bogie. you should put it in as an entry to the One Page Dungeon Contest.

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