Here’s a puzzle based around **Necromancy**, the school of magic dealing with life, death, and the manipulation of souls and undead. --- ### **The Crypt of the Forgotten** The party enters a **dark, eerie crypt** deep in the wizard's tower. Stone sarcophagi line the walls, and the room is dominated by a large **bone altar** in the center, surrounded by **four statues** representing different aspects of death: **Decay**, **Torment**, **Rest**, and **Oblivion**. Each statue holds an empty brazier, and skeletal remains litter the floor. A spectral figure hovers above the altar, silently watching the party, and on the altar lies a **book of the dead**, locked by a magical seal. An inscription around the altar reads: **"To gain passage through death’s embrace, One must balance life and death’s trace. Light the flames in death’s accord, Or face the wrath of the forgotten horde."** --- #### **Puzzle Description:** The crypt is guarded by an ancient necromantic ward that prevents the party from proceeding. To break the ward and unlock the **book of the dead**, the players must **light the braziers on the statues** in the correct order, using a combination of necromantic magic and strategic thinking. However, the wrong combination will awaken the dead, causing skeletons and other undead creatures to rise from the floor and attack the party. The party must figure out how to **invoke the balance between life and death** without triggering the wrath of the undead. --- #### **The Four Statues and Their Meanings:** 1. **Statue of Decay (Brown stone):** Symbolizes the slow rot of death and entropy. Represents the natural end of life through decay. 2. **Statue of Torment (Black stone):** Represents suffering in death, the souls that are trapped or tormented after they die. 3. **Statue of Rest (White stone):** Represents peaceful death and the release of the soul to rest. 4. **Statue of Oblivion (Gray stone):** Represents complete erasure—forgotten death, where the soul and memory vanish completely. --- #### **Solution:** The players need to **light the braziers** on the statues by channeling necromantic or life-based energy (depending on their approach), using spells, items, or rituals that correspond to each aspect of death. However, the challenge is not just to light them but to do so in a **specific order** that represents the journey of death, as hinted in the inscription. 1. **First Statue: Rest (White stone)** The first statue to be activated is **Rest**, symbolizing the peaceful passing of a soul. The party could use a spell like **Gentle Repose** or a peaceful necromantic ritual to light this brazier. 2. **Second Statue: Decay (Brown stone)** After rest, the body naturally decays. The players can channel spells like **Animate Dead** (as decay leads to skeletons) or **Inflict Wounds** to fuel this brazier. 3. **Third Statue: Torment (Black stone)** Torment follows decay, as not all souls pass peacefully. The brazier can be lit with spells like **Bestow Curse**, **Bane**, or **Ray of Sickness**, symbolizing the suffering of a soul that cannot rest. 4. **Fourth Statue: Oblivion (Gray stone)** Finally, Oblivion is the end of both body and soul—complete erasure. A spell like **Dispel Magic** (to symbolize the end of magic), **Toll the Dead**, or **Banishing Smite** could be used to activate this brazier. #### **Hints:** - The inscription suggests that the order of lighting represents the transition from peaceful death to decay, torment, and finally oblivion. - The players may need to use knowledge of necromantic spells or **Arcana checks** to understand the significance of each stage of death. - **Clues can be found** in nearby carvings or from interacting with the spectral figure, who might give cryptic advice about the journey of life to death. --- #### **Consequences for Failure:** Lighting the braziers in the **wrong order** or using incorrect magic will **awaken the dead** in the crypt: - **First Mistake:** Skeletons rise from the ground and attack the party. - **Second Mistake:** The statues of **Torment and Oblivion** animate as **Wraiths or Specters**, causing fear and dealing necrotic damage to the players. - **Final Mistake:** A **Lich-like undead** or a **powerful necromancer spirit** emerges from the altar itself, forcing the party into a deadly combat situation. --- #### **The Spectral Figure:** If the party succeeds in lighting the braziers in the correct order, the spectral figure moves toward the book and touches it. The **seal on the book dissolves**, revealing vital information or a key to the next part of the tower. However, there’s a **twist**: the spectral figure might ask the party to **release it from undeath**. The players must decide whether to use a spell like **Revivify**, **Turn Undead**, or even **Destroy Undead** to free the soul or leave it trapped in the crypt, influencing the outcome of future events. --- #### **Optional Twist:** Once the party unlocks the book and begins to leave, the **statue of Oblivion** might crack, releasing a final trial—a **Necrotic Hydra** or **Bone Golem** that tries to stop them from leaving. The party must use their newfound knowledge of necromantic magic to weaken or destroy this creature, perhaps by targeting its vulnerable soul or necrotic energy source. --- This puzzle tests the party’s understanding of the **Necromancy school** and its themes of **life, death, decay, and the afterlife**. It encourages players to think carefully about how they use necromantic magic, balancing destructive spells with peaceful or restorative abilities to maintain the balance between life and death.