Today our DM presented us with a puzzle that blew our collective minds.
They had clearly put a lot effort into it, buying props and everything, and solving it was some of the most fun we’ve had as a group thus far.
Context: We are all hot elves. Technically, 1 half-elf (yours truly) and 1 aasimar (born of human/elf lineage). Our official name is #ElfSquad. Our selection of spoken languages is pretty limited to common and elvish, with the odd celestial or sylvan here and there. Given this, it’s not surprising that my character is the only one who has studied draconic.
With this in mind, our fabulous DM threw us into a dwarven crypt, locked all the doors, and presented us with nothing but a scroll written in draconic, and a table lined with seven differently shaped vials, filled to various different levels, each with a different colored liquid inside. The vials were numbered 1-7, left to right.
And I don’t mean in the game. At this moment, they pulled away a cloth and presented seven really real vials of liquid. Two were clearly red wine. We were already losing our shit.
They didn’t allow anyone but myself to even look at the scroll. If someone didn’t understand what I was reading, tough. I either had to communicate better, or someone had to listen harder. This turned out to be really annoying.
The scroll read as follows:
“Dwarves, escape you may try,
But our traps are ready, you will die.
If fighting our beasts you did succeed,
Perhaps this will be a harder deed.
For danger lies before you: the bottles that are lined,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find.
Only one among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead.
Two among our number hold only healing wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues of four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide,
You will always find some on healing wine’s left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are of different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second from the left and the second from the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
Now you are ready, so make a choice. You may drink all or none,
Or pack a bottle for your road if your quest is not done.
But know that when you make your choice, whichever it may be,
Drink the potion ‘til it’s gone, or there will be no effect you see.”
I still don’t quite understand how the rest of my party came to this conclusion, but we finally decided that vial number 3 was the one we were supposed to drink. At the very least, it wasn’t poison since it was the smallest one, and the third clue indicated that it was safe for consumption.
I was volunteered to do the honors (turns out the “potion” was like four shots of bourbon, so yay for me!), and lo and behold! The way out of the crypt popped right open!
This was the first time our DM utilized props, and it really enhanced the session as a whole.
Anyone able to explain how our party solved the riddle? I think the only visual you need to answer it is that vial number 2 was the largest in size, and vial number 3 was the smallest.
*Disclaimer: My DM has confirmed that yes, this puzzle was largely borrowed from HP. But this is D&D. Borrowing is allowed.
areudirty
stormborns
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turnnoffyourmind
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