The fourth floor for the magical Tower of Erlathan, something that I'm just making up as I go I suppose. This floor has yet another puzzle on it that would need to be completed to move on to the next room. This puzzle doesn't have any tricks to it really, it is just a linguistics puzzle that requires the players to piece together the meanings of the words presented to them. As usual, puzzle explanation is at the bottom of the description.
As you step through the arch onto this floor, you're immediately hit by a gentle fragrance... perhaps lavender? You notice a statue directly in front of you and paintings to either side.
The perimeter of the room has paintings hanging on the vine-draped walls, carpeted pathing with chaise lounges, and gentle lighting from the hanging lanterns. The center has statues.
Three of the corners have couches, tables, and a cabinet; all of which have wine and glasses to serve it in.
The last corner has a desk with a full bookshelf on it and two chests to either side of it. To the right of the desk is two paintings leaning on the wall.
Upon inspecting parts of the room:
- If the players inspect the paintings, they'll notice there are ten of them, four of which have plaques beneath them. There are also two empty spots on the wall with plaques where paintings seem to go.
- If they inspect the statues they'll find a similar sight; six statues, three of which have plaques.
- If they check the chests, they'll find a bunch of loose plaques, presumable the ones missing from the art pieces are in here.
- If they drink the wine, its normal wine.
- If they check the books, they're all literature on art, but one might be a book on linguistics. Spending time reading it will give them advantage on insight or investigation checks to get clues on the plaques' writing.
- If they check the plaques, they'll notice that they don't understand the language used, but they perceive them as being written in whatever script their native language uses.
The Puzzle
This puzzle is a straightforward linguistics puzzle that just requires the players to use logic and figure out which words mean what.
- Everyone has probably figure out by now that the puzzle involves placing the plaques and art pieces in the correct spots.
- The players might do insight or investigation checks to figure out the following hints on grammar:
- "Nu" seems to be a prefix to indicate plurals, i.e. Nukilar is Bows while Kilar is bow.
- "al" seems to be a suffix indicating profession or wielding something, i.e. Kilaral is Archer while Kilar is bow.
- They might have noticed the second words of some plaques indicate race: Torei, Retei, and Nelei
List of Art Pieces and their plaques:
1 - Dwarven Archers - Nukilaral Nuretei
2 - Dwarven Hammerer - Kamanal Retei
3 - Dwarven Shieldbearer - Tarinal Retei
4 - Dwarven Swordsman - Taniratal Retei
5 - Elven Wizard - Shaniral Torei
6 - Elven Archer - Kilaral Torei
7 - Elven Swordsman - Nishanal Torei
8 - Human Wizard - Shaniral Nelei
9 - Elven Man and Human Man - Jimel Torei ken Jimel Nelei
10 - Men working a field - Nujimel Flava Reshei
11 - Swordsmen on a Cliff - Nunishanal mon Dresti
12 - Wizards on a Tower - Nushaniral mon Dranir
13 - Castle Tower - Dranir ken Gemil
14 - Blacksmith working a hammer - Bunte Flava Kamanitana
15 - Sword and Shield - Tanirat ken Tarin
16 - Three Bows - Nal Nukilar
17 - Forest - Faenir
18 - Elf entering a Forest - Tor son ni Faenir
HIGH QUALITY art of the room's layout here.
The crappy doodles I made to use as handouts for the player can be found here. There are 3 folders; one with the stuff on the walls, one with the loose plaques and paintings for the walls, and one with extra plaques that aren't needed but could be thrown in.
Also, I forgot the center had statues and just drew them like the rest of the painting. oops
