Temple Riddle

[ComaVision]

My group (or what remains of it after a giant tree fell and some bad Reflex saves were rolled) came across a ruined temple of Tiamat last night. My character worships Tiamat so I prayed to her immediately for guidance and got this passage:


Woe unto he who dares to enter,
Bearing not the gift of gifts
Red by all from river within,
Lay it bare upon the center

We tried to figure it out for about a half hour until we decided to call the game for the night. The circular room is carved entirely out of onyx, and the center of the room has rings in the ground (each in the other). There are pillars around the wall of the room, except where the entry passage is and where the big obsidian door is. Draconic statues adorn the top of them. The top of the room is domed. The door itself has Tiamat's crest (the 5 dragon heads) on it. Coloured lights flit around and illuminate the room.

I found a circular amulet with 5 holes in it searching the pillars. When I go in to the center of the room, whatever I'm holding the amulet with tingles. If I wear it around my neck, my whole body tingles but either way it's only briefly. When I cut myself and bled in the center of the room, the lights condensed into the 5 colours of dragons, the black one reacts more than the others (I'm a Dragonwrought Kobold with black dragon lineage). The other, non-Draconic party members get lesser reactions from doing the same things as me.

Things I've tried so far:
Bleeding in the center
Putting my blood on the door
Putting my blood on the amulet
Having the rest of my party willingly bleed on to the floor
Touching the amulet to the floor
Putting 5 coloured gems in the amulet (onyx, sapphire, diamond, ruby, emerald) - no reaction
Putting gold/gems in the center
Breathing fire at the ground in the center


Any creative thinkers in the playground? I'm really stumped, and the other party members haven't been helpful so far. We could probably just break through the door but I don't want to desecrate a temple of my own god. I'm also unable to harm or otherwise betray my party members (if anyone thinks sacrifice) due to a magically binding contract.

[bjoern]

To me, "gift of gifts" means the ultimate gift. What is the ultimate gift someone can give? Their life? Sacrifice ?

Sacrifice yourself? Kinda tough to test that one though.

[ComaVision]

To me, "gift of gifts" means the ultimate gift. What is the ultimate gift someone can give? Their life? Sacrifice ?

Sacrifice yourself? Kinda tough to test that one though.

It has definitely crossed my mind but I have no opportunity to be brought back to life if I'm wrong. The other group members are a Disciple of Dispater and a Jester, and we're a long ways from civilization.

[Hamste]

The blood from the 5 different chromatic dragons maybe? Covering the Amulet with blood of all 5 dragon (assuming that is the gift of gifts) and then placing it in the center?

[Red Fel]

Have you considered finding a way to store the blood of five Chromatic dragons in the holes in the necklace?

It seems to me that the "gift of gifts" and "red . . . from river within" probably refers to blood. "Lay it bare upon the center" probably means placing the blood in the middle of the room. The amulet reacts to the center, so it's probably part of it, and it has three holes, which you should probably fill with something.

Since it reacts to blood - particularly your Black Dragon blood - it probably needs the blood of all five types. Since it reacts to the amulet, the blood probably needs to be stored in the amulet.

Get the blood, stick it in the amulet, walk over the center, bam.

Fetch quest, go!

EDIT: And Swordsage'd.

[bjoern]

Well, try to do something IC to figure out what Tiamat considers the ultimate gift.
Knowledge checks, gather information

[ComaVision]

The blood from the 5 different chromatic dragons maybe? Covering the Amulet with blood of all 5 dragon (assuming that is the gift of gifts) and then placing it in the center?
Also a good idea but we've never seen nor heard of dragons in the campaign so far. The DM is also well aware that my character will not go around killing chromatic dragons (and, even evil, it seems odd that Tiamat that would want me to kill or injure her followers?).

Well, try to do something IC to figure out what Tiamat considers the ultimate gift.
Knowledge checks, gather information
Yeah, I really wish I had put ranks in to Knowledge: Religion. As far as I'm aware, there aren't really any intelligent beings around to try gathering information from. Maybe if I can just manage to scrounge up a little extra experience I can put some ranks in... (about 475 xp from leveling)

I appreciate the suggestions guys.

[bjoern]

Also a good idea but we've never seen nor heard of dragons in the campaign so far. The DM is also well aware that my character will not go around killing chromatic dragons (and, even evil, it seems odd that Tiamat that would want me to kill or injure her followers?).

Yeah, I really wish I had put ranks in to Knowledge: Religion. As far as I'm aware, there aren't really any intelligent beings around to try gathering information from. Maybe if I can just manage to scrounge up a little extra experience I can put some ranks in... (about 475 xp from leveling)

I appreciate the suggestions guys.

If your Dm wants you to figure it out, if you do IC stuff to find out hell get the hint that you need a clue and he will have opportunities yo give them to you

[Red Fel]

Also a good idea but we've never seen nor heard of dragons in the campaign so far. The DM is also well aware that my character will not go around killing chromatic dragons (and, even evil, it seems odd that Tiamat that would want me to kill or injure her followers?).

Who said kill or injure? The riddle says gift. As in, willingly given.

And who said it had to be specifically a True Dragon? The bloodline of one should suffice. Your character's blood did, right? Just find draconic creatures that have the bloodline of each of the colors, and you should be set.

Alternatively, if this is a major plot point, take the DM aside and shake him awhile for only giving the party a single clue (http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule) as to how to proceed.

[Hamste]

What about dragon disciples, dragon-blood sub-type sorcerers, dragon devotee, other dragonwought kobolds, half-dragons or one of the others ways to have dragon blood?

[BowStreetRunner]

The way I read it, if you don't make a blood sacrifice from everyone who enters, something bad will happen. Doesn't say anything particularly good will happen if you do make the appropriate sacrifice, just that nothing bad will happen.

[bjoern]

The way I read it, if you don't make a blood sacrifice from everyone who enters, something bad will happen. Doesn't say anything particularly good will happen if you do make the appropriate sacrifice, just that nothing bad will happen.

Good point. Maybe the fact you're not instagibbed is the answer

[ComaVision]

Who said kill or injure? The riddle says gift. As in, willingly given.

And who said it had to be specifically a True Dragon? The bloodline of one should suffice. Your character's blood did, right? Just find draconic creatures that have the bloodline of each of the colors, and you should be set.
Hm.. That would be interesting, it could be something as simple as the surrounding wildlife having draconic bloodlines.

Alternatively, if this is a major plot point, take the DM aside and shake him awhile for only giving the party a single clue (http://thealexandrian.net/wordpress/1118/roleplaying-games/three-clue-rule) as to how to proceed.
Cool article, I'm tempted to just message that to my DM with no explanation lol

The way I read it, if you don't make a blood sacrifice from everyone who enters, something bad will happen. Doesn't say anything particularly good will happen if you do make the appropriate sacrifice, just that nothing bad will happen.
Man, that would be disappointing.

[Telonius]

Have you tried applying fire?

Yeah, I know, that's my answer to everything, but it might be the solution to the riddle. For a dragon, especially a Red one, fire comes from within. (A "river," maybe?) EDIT: And it would make sense that a temple to Tiamat would be best opened by a dragon. It might require dragon-fire specifically.

[CallMeJefe]

The way I read it, if you don't make a blood sacrifice from everyone who enters, something bad will happen. Doesn't say anything particularly good will happen if you do make the appropriate sacrifice, just that nothing bad will happen.

Technically, it doesn't say that.

"Woe unto he who dares to enter,
Bearing not the gift of gifts"

That doesn't guarantee that woe won't be unto he who does enter bearing the gift of gifts.

[ComaVision]

Have you tried applying fire?

Yeah, I know, that's my answer to everything, but it might be the solution to the riddle. For a dragon, especially a Red one, fire comes from within. (A "river," maybe?) EDIT: And it would make sense that a temple to Tiamat would be best opened by a dragon. It might require dragon-fire specifically.

Yes, I'm a Dragonfire Adept. I forgot to include that to the list of things I have tried (good thinking though).

[Nibbens]

Red by all from river within

... That sounds like a heart to me.

[ComaVision]

... That sounds like a heart to me.

But I'm so rather attached to my heart :(

I think next session is going to consist of trying to find some suitable sacrifices.