Help Building a Holy Dungeon? [PF]

[Brauron]

In a session or two, the PCs in my current game are going to reach their current destination; a secluded monastic-fortress on an icy island in the far north, built over 500 years ago by the greatest champion of Pelor (I've ported the D&D gods I'm familiar with over to Pathfinder) to ever live. Somewhere inside this dungeon-crawl is something called "The Fire of Life," which the PCs have learned will give them an edge over the BBEG -- a lovestruck Marilith determined to spill enough blood to attract the romantic (or at least the carnal) attentions of Erythnul.

The party will all be level 9 by the time they reach this dungeon-crawl.

The problem, for me at least, is stocking this dungeon with challenges. As Pelor is a fairly peaceful god, I feel like the challenges should be more along the lines of puzzles and encounters that need to be thought through rather than hacked-and-slashed at. Things should be in place 1) to keep undesirable intruders out and 2) to make those questing to reach the Fire of Life prove their worthiness.

Obviously, the resting place of the Holy Grail from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade is a big inspiration. But if I use those challenges, it becomes too simple for the players, and simply a matter of "who remembers the movie."

So I'm looking for ideas for challenges. As the fortress/monastery has been essentially abandoned for the last half-millennium, any non-puzzle/trap guardians would probably have to be either Constructs or Good Outsiders summoned into the fortress as the PCs explore. Here's what I have so far:

Before they even reach the fortress/monastery itself, they have to cross a narrow bridge of carved ice bridging a deep chasm from which howling winds billow out, threatening to knock the PCs off the bridge and freeze them on the way down. Not a huge challenge, as most of the party will have access to some means of flight or be too stable (Dwarves) to be blown around. The main idea here is to keep the cowardly out.

A locked door that can only be opened by casting a spell with the Light descriptor on it; a riddle carved on the lintel above the door contains a clue.

A locked door, or else a door blocked by a guardian such as a Stone Golem, which can only be bypassed by reciting a verse from the Pelorian Book of Common Prayer (the party does have a Paladin of Pelor with them).

Any more suggestions?

[Piscine]

Hey, I have no suggestions but seeing as my party will hit level 9 in about three weeks, we also ported the gods AND Pelor plays a big role in the campaign (as an enemy, but still!), I'd like to steal this dungeon whenever it is finished.

[JellyPooga]

Something Healing related would probably be appropriate...you've already got a spell effect with the Light thing, so maybe something that requires a more mundane application of healing. Possibly a "typically evil" style of creature (orc, goblin, kobold, etc.) that is wounded (an ellaborate illusion, construct or summoned creature perhaps), that the PC's must show mercy to instead of murdering it and looting the body.

Other displays of "good" behaviour are also appropriate...'false' prisoners that must be freed (they're really shapechanged angels), a sacrifice that must be made (a favoured weapon or object perhaps...if you're nice, you'll give it back later or give an improved or superior item in its place) and suchlike.

Perhaps an encounter in which the PC's must not spill blood (they're given fair warning in advance, of course)...would certainly be a challenge for those that normally rely on more aggressive and lethal tactics to solve most problems.

It might help for you to "think in threes"...stories like the number three and planning a dungeon like this is no exception to the rule. The typical "three tests" are of the Mind, Body and Spirit (or Head, Heart and Soul, or however you want to label them). Don't make it too obvious what's being tested; have a combat encounter that's really the test of Spirit, in which the way to pass the test is to show humility by surrendering, for example. Assuming you want more than three encounters, group the tests in threes with a theme; one group to test their devotion to Pelor (stuff like the Light spell and scripture test you mentioned are perfect), one group of tests to prove their worthiness to wield the "Fire of Life" (these would be "power" tests, including the toughest fight) and a final group of tests to prove their "goodness" (like the humility, sacrifice and mercy tests I talk about above).

That's about all I can think of...hope it helps!

[Urpriest]

If this is an old Dungeon, maybe something more sinister has moved in? Doesn't have to be the primary challenge, but there could well be a few such beings around the place.

[Drothmal]

You can always have the soul of a hero/redeemed villain/follower of the dead hero be a more fight oriented challenge to "prove their worth"

AFter all, you don't let anyone walk out with the holy relic. If they turn out to be weaklings, the relic could be stolen by evil people

[Fearan]

Obligatory "Boring hat" reference (http://community.wizards.com/go/thread/view/75882/19558798/Pelor_the_Burning_Hate)
On a slightly more related note - consider Deathless (BoED) guardians. You know, like zombies, but good. Make them disguised as actual undead. That will test - if the party is blinded by the letter of Pelor's teachings (Arrrrgh, kill all zombiezzz!!!) or are they true followers of God of Life (Hmm, undead in Pelor's shrine? It can't be. Detect Evil. Not Evil? Oh, well, guess we're not killing them)

[Rainbownaga]

Just because everybody knows the movies doesn't mean they cannot be inspiration. There's also the (somewhat contrived) puzzles from the first Harry Potter book and movie, and the various action-adventure game puzzles.

The suggestion I would make is to make a series of puzzles but add a twist.

For example, the standard "step on the path that spells a word" which has been done a thousand times and doesn't really work in a world with flight and 10' poles.

Make the correct letters be magically trapped to deal 1 point of fire damage. A single character who completes the word without negating or healing the damage passes successfully. The trick is both discovering this and what the correct word is.

Since the goal is to judge the righteous from grave-robbers, using the "notebook of riddles" as hints for each puzzle actually makes sense, and reduces the chance that your players get utterly frustrated by the puzzles and take the adamantine pickaxe routine.