The Gordian Chain | Free 5e and PF2e Puzzle

Written by Claire Martin

This puzzle features knotted chain that seems impossible to untangle, but the solution is simpler than it appears.

If you're looking for other 5e and PF2e resources, check out our entire collection of Lair Magazine issues. This particular puzzle came from the April 2024 issue of Lair Magazine, Fables & Fantasy, where you can find even more to add to your campaign!

The Gordian Chain - 5e

Difficulty: medium

Five stone pillars stand in a circle, linked by a continuous chain. The chain is the color of obsidian, cold and solid, knotted into impossible twisting configurations around each column. A chest sits at the center of this pentagon, just out of reach.

Puzzle Features

A magical barrier surrounds these pillars, keeping everything outside the circle and away from the chest. The barrier will collapse once one undoes the knotted chain. The characters can manipulate the chain strands, causing the knots on the connected pillars to change shape.

The knots around each pillar differ in shape; in this order, clockwise: circle, triangle, butterfly, square, and star.

Please note that the images attached to this puzzle are best viewed in light mode.

If they tug on the chain between two columns, the connected knots on both ends will change shape, cycling through the shapes in this order: circle, square, triangle, star, and butterfly, then back to the circle. For example, beginning at the starting order, if they pull the chain linking the butterfly and the square twice, the new order will go like this: circle, triangle, square, star, and star.

Solution

There are two ways to solve this puzzle.

The first and easiest way is by slicing through the knots with a sharp object (such as a sword previously obtained from a stone). The chains are not, in fact, obsidian but dark glass, which the characters can easily shatter. If this solution seems unsatisfying, skip to the next one instead.

The second way is to bring all knots to show the same shape. Several combinations can achieve this, but the following is the quickest one from the starting position. Let’s call the link between the circle and triangle #1, the link between the triangle and butterfly #2, the link between the butterfly and square #3, and the link between the square and star #4 (no need to touch the fifth link between the star and the circle). Pull #4 once, #3 twice, #2 three times, and #1 four times. The knots will then show all butterflies.

Hint Checks

DC 10 Intelligence (History). The character has heard of this type of magical chain before. They are supposed to unlock when all knot shapes are matching.

DC 15 Intelligence (Investigation). Moving clockwise from link to link is the natural thing to do, but perhaps it would be better to circle counterclockwise instead.

DC 20 Intelligence (Nature). The chains are not as sturdy as they first appear. They seem to be glass instead of stone or metal.

Customizing the Puzzle

You can place this puzzle in a dungeon, castle, or keep, or set it as a challenge by a wise oracle. In the description, the chest is the reward inside the circle, but it could also be a jail cell for prisoners, or perhaps the characters are on the inside of the circle, searching to get out.

Lowering the Difficulty. Give the characters a “reset” button that returns all the knots to their original starting shapes.

The Gordian Chain - PF2e

Difficulty: medium

Five stone pillars stand in a circle, linked by a continuous chain. The chain is the color of obsidian, cold and solid, knotted into impossible twisting configurations around each column. A chest sits at the center of this pentagon, just out of reach.

Puzzle Features

A magical barrier surrounds these pillars, keeping everything outside the circle and away from the chest. The barrier will collapse once one undoes the knotted chain. The characters can manipulate the chain strands, causing the knots on the connected pillars to change shape.

The knots around each pillar differ in shape; in this order, clockwise: circle, triangle, butterfly, square, and star.

Please note that the images attached to this puzzle are best viewed in light mode.

If they tug on the chain between two columns, the connected knots on both ends will change shape, cycling through the shapes in this order: circle, square, triangle, star, and butterfly, then back to the circle. For example, beginning at the starting order, if they pull the chain linking the butterfly and the square twice, the new order will go like this: circle, triangle, square, star, and star.

Solution

There are two ways to solve this puzzle.

The first and easiest way is by slicing through the knots with a sharp object (such as a sword previously obtained from a stone). The chains are not, in fact, obsidian but dark glass, which the characters can easily shatter. If this solution seems unsatisfying, skip to the next one instead.

The second way is to bring all knots to show the same shape. Several combinations can achieve this, but the following is the quickest one from the starting position. Let’s call the link between the circle and triangle #1, the link between the triangle and butterfly #2, the link between the butterfly and square #3, and the link between the square and star #4 (no need to touch the fifth link between the star and the circle). Pull #4 once, #3 twice, #2 three times, and #1 four times. The knots will then show all butterflies.

Hint Checks

DC 10 Arcana. The character has heard of this type of magical chain before. They are supposed to unlock when all knot shapes are matching.

DC 15 Flat Check. Moving clockwise from link to link is the natural thing to do, but perhaps it would be better to circle counterclockwise instead.

DC 20 Labor Lore. The chains are not as sturdy as they first appear. They seem to be glass instead of stone or metal.

Customizing the Puzzle

You can place this puzzle in a dungeon, castle, or keep, or set it as a challenge by a wise oracle. In the description, the chest is the reward inside the circle, but it could also be a jail cell for prisoners, or perhaps the characters are on the inside of the circle, searching to get out.

Lowering the Difficulty. Give the characters a “reset” button that returns all the knots to their original starting shapes.

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