Pass-Word | Free 5e and PF2e Puzzle

Written by Claire Martin

Difficulty: medium

This is a kind of “telephone” with stakes. The characters must communicate a specific word down the line without warping the original word.

A large rectangular stone room holds two metal doors on either end. The entrance door has a pair of large lips carved into its surface, while the exit door has a large ear etched into it. Three circular metal plaques stand in a line on the floor, one in front of the entrance door which reads, “The Listener,” another in the middle of the room which indicates, “The Illiterate,” and the last one in front of the exit door which says, “The Whisperer.”

Puzzle Features

The puzzle will activate once all characters stand on a plaque. Add plaques as necessary to accommodate the party’s size. When accomplished, two stone walls descend from the ceiling, dividing the room into three corresponding sections and starting a three-minute timer.

Each plaque has a magical effect on its host if they are still standing on it. The effect dissipates when the person steps off the plaque. The listener plaque casts a curse of silence, rendering its host unable to speak. The illiterate plaque renders its host unable to read or write in any language. The whisperer plaque casts a curse of deafness, rendering its host unable to hear anything.

During the first minute of the timer, the mouth on the entrance door whispers the password, “rainstorm,” over and over to the listener. At the end of the first minute, the door goes quiet, and the wall between the listener and the illiterate rises. At the end of the second minute, the first wall closes again, and the second wall between the illiterate and the whisperer opens. At the end of the third minute, the timer resets itself and begins the whole process anew.

If one or more people step off of their plaques at any point during this three-minute loop, the timer will stop, the walls will recede into the ceiling, the room will reset to its starting position, and the password change.

Solution

Speaking the correct password into the exit door’s ear will solve the puzzle.

Hint Checks - 5e

Wisdom (Perception) DC 10. Based on the carvings on the metal doors, it seems clear that the entrance door is waiting to speak, and the exit door is waiting to listen.

Intelligence (Arcana) DC 15. These plaques are clearly magical and will cast an effect on whoever steps onto them.

Intelligence (Investigation) DC 20. There is more than one way to communicate the password. Miming is an option, but drawing could also be a possibility.

Hint Checks - PF2e

Perception DC 15. Based on the carvings on the metal doors, it seems clear that the entrance door is waiting to speak, and the exit door is waiting to listen.

Arcana (Expert) DC 20. These plaques are clearly magical and will cast an effect on whoever steps onto them.

Perception (Master) DC 30. There is more than one way to communicate the password. Miming is an option, but drawing could also be a possibility.

Customizing the Puzzle

This puzzle could be part of a set of challenges or stand on its own. Raise the stakes by imposing adverse consequences for uttering the incorrect password or taking too long. Have them compete against a rival team or the clock.

Raising the Difficulty. To make this puzzle more challenging, have the password be an entire phrase or sentence instead of a single word, such as “silence is golden” or “open sesame.”

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