What does this even mean?


Advice

Liberty's Edge

***SPOILERS***

I will be GMing the PFS scenario "Storming the Diamond Gate". In this scenario, there is a puzzle that I am not understanding. Here's the snip that explains it:

SPOILER:

Once in place, an amulet acts as a dial to rotate the iron
portal’s three rings, every ring rotating in turn for each
90 degrees Areshkagal’s demonic rune is rotated from
plumb. The amulet can be turned to the right or left
as desired, until locked into the initial position
(with Aldinach’s demonic rune aligned
correctly on the dial), locking all the rings
in place at their current alignment. Only
one ring rotates at a time, and when the dial
is turned, one ring stops before the next begins
its rotation; the mechanism doesn’t stop between
runes, and there is always a demonic rune in each ring
under the crimson diamond at the portal’s apex.

What's going on here? These are cryptic instructions, and I am supposed to know what's going on. I can provide more if needed.


It sounds like unlocking a door in Skyrim.

Liberty's Edge

That's sort of how I imagined it. Thanks for the input, that's how I'll run it tomorrow.


I read over the description in the PFS module. It does indeed seem like a door from Skyrim, though slightly different.

Here is how I understand it:

The crimson gem at the top of the three rings is the indicator beneath which all the proper symbols need to line up. Each of the three rings has a number of runes only one of which on each ring must be aligned to the gem. From outer most ring to inner most ring, these symbols are:

Spoiler:
Lamashtu, Areshkagal, and Aldinach.

I would perhaps give the players a knowledge check to identify the runes in each ring.

You place an amulet in the depression on the pedestal and it can be used rotated to adjust the rings. The players can either rotate to the left or right, but once they start to rotate in one direction, they are committed and it can only be rotated in 90° intervals. The amulet in the pedestal effectively starts 0°.

Lets assume the turn it to the right 90°: The outer most ring will start to rotate, cycling through all of the symbols over and over. When the group feels the correct symbol is under the gem, they rotate the amulet another 90° (Amulet now at 180°). This stops the outer most ring from rotating, locking the first symbol in place, and then it starts the second ring rotating.

Once again, this ring cycles through the symbols. Once the PC's are confident that the correct symbol for the second ring is under the gem, the rotate it to the right yet another 90° to lock the second ring in place. (Amulet now at 270°). This causes the inner most ring to start to cycle between symbols. Once the players feel the correct symbol is under the gem, they can rotate the amulet one final time. This return the amulet to 360°/0° and thus sets the combination of runes in place. If they chose correctly for all three, the secret door opens. If they are incorrect, bad things happen.

I would suggest drawing up several symbols for each ring, if you want the players to interact with it, and have them point to which symbol stops under the gem for each ring. Give them a check to identify the main symbols, or see if they can recall what you might have shown them earlier in the module.


I hope this makes sense.

Liberty's Edge

ArtlessKnave wrote:
** spoiler omitted **...

I happened to check this right before I got to this point in the module. The PCs didn't have to worry about it, because

spoiler:
They had help from the quasit.

Still, two had the ability to read the languages needed to interpret things and I made it fun. Thanks all for the help deciphering this oddly worded puzzle.

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