Making a puzzle using these symbols

[Mordna]

Hi all!

I have been running a campaign for my friends for about a year, and as time passed I made more and more elaborate maps for them. In the begining it was just dunegon maps 3D-fyied, now it has progressed to realisitc miniature terrain for villages and stuff.

Soon they will enter the Mansion on the Hill and for this, I got myself a wargaming mdf Dungeon Kit and modified the hell out of it to suit my needs. It's great so far, but there is one piece that drives me nuts - because of it's potential. Included in the set there was a shelf with what seems like they were maybe meant to be books with differnt symbols engraved into them. I have way more realistic books in the "map" already, so I'm going to treat them as wooden blocks with symbols on them.

Now my problem is that it's such a cool little thing I want to use it as part of the adventure, make it a puzzle or something. I have and will continue to use puzzles in my game, as my players love it. (I know the ol' don't use puzzles cause it breaks immersion argument, it's not valid in this case.)

So just looking at the symbols, does anyone have a good idea for a puzzle? It doesn't need to be very grand. Just searching online I didn't find any math puzzles or anything that uses 6 random symbols to any interesting effect.

Here are the symbols:
https://i.imgur.com/02GSr8o.png

Oh and the theme of the setting is pretty much a Haunted Mansion, with mostly incorporeal undead lurking about and a powerful Lich's residence as the bossfight. I'm going for a gothic horror vibe, think Curse of Strahd. With some serious snooping/ mystery solving.

Thank you so much for reading!

[Pefgis]

It could be as simple as having the corresponding symbols be hidden throughout the house and you have to place the blocks in a slot near them, perhaps with false or near-identical symbols as false leads. Taking inspiration from something like an escape room, perhaps the symbols are part of a theme or schema that requires research or overcoming traps or a guardian to get the full picture and integrate into the whole they represent to complete the puzzle. For example, they could all represent different schools of magic, and need examples of that magic to trigger, they could represent parts of constellations, and need to be placed at corresponding parts of a planetarium, or room that shows a star map when the lights are off, or they could each represent a different room in the mansion, a different sin or virtue or deity, a different monster or animal that needs to be slain or collected, or a different status condition(paralyzed, petrified, restrained, frightened, charmed) or damage type like fire, acid etc.

[Mordna]

Thanks, many ideas here!


It could be as simple as having the corresponding symbols be hidden throughout the house and you have to place the blocks in a slot near them, perhaps with false or near-identical symbols as false leads.
This would be good, but I already have an overarching mystery that needs to be solved. I need a puzzle that is localized just in one room, maybe just for a smaller reward like loot or opening a secret compartment or information or something.

I'm including an overhead shot of the actual layout. The symbols in question are on wooden blocks in a shelf, in the room in the lower left corner, the entrance hall/waiting room.

https://i.imgur.com/SiA5oh9.jpg


For example, they could all represent different schools of magic, and need examples of that magic to trigger,
This is an excellent idea, the trouble is, there are 8 schools of magic in 5e and I'm a compulsive completionist. And I can't make more wooden blocks... :(


they could represent parts of constellations, and need to be placed at corresponding parts of a planetarium, or room that shows a star map when the lights are off, or they could each represent a different room in the mansion, a different sin or virtue or deity, a different monster or animal that needs to be slain or collected, or a different status condition(paralyzed, petrified, restrained, frightened, charmed) or damage type like fire, acid etc.
These are all good ideas, but the same probelm: the whole Mansion is already existing and the script has (mostly) been finished. I can't introduce something that changes everything this late in the game, like other kinds of monsters. And I already have something else that needs to be collected throughout the Mansion. And there are way more kinds of damage types and conditions then 6 and the symbols would not correspond at all. (I can't change the symbols).

I appreciate your ideas.
However, I was looking for a puzzle in the more concrete sense of the word. :)

[Pefgis]

No problem, I definitely didn't have any concrete ideas, just brainstorming and trying to see what would stick, and getting the ball rolling for others to contribute.

I will add that part of the puzzle, for example with the schools of magic (or damage types or anything really with more than six categories) could be figuring out which schools WEREN'T included. Having like, transmutation and enchantment missing, but not stating that up front, could very well be part of the puzzle. But I'm not really gonna fight for it much, as it was really just initial thoughts.

Hope you find something that works for you!

[Pex]

Symbols need to be properly placed, one on each wall, the ceiling, and floor. Find a method to signify the four directions, up, and down.

Note: I do not see any picture of your symbols for further help.

[Mordna]

Note: I do not see any picture of your symbols for further help.
Thanks for the head's up. I don't know why it disapeared... :(
Put it back now.

[Pefgis]

If interested in making the six numbers significant....there are six abilities in the game they could correspond to in someway. You could use Pex's suggestion of having symbols on the walls and floor and ceiling and have some tie in to some feature in the room, a Dias, painting, etc, and each one could require an ability check to actuate. For example, maybe the blocks are made of different materials:iron, ivory, teakwood etc and an iron wall fixture with the symbol corresponding to the block requires a strength save or high strength(athletic) check to pull down.

[Maelynn]

I also can't see the pictures. :<

As for suggestions:

- Inner Planes. That's the 4 elements, plus Chaos. The 6th could be Law (Mechanus?).
- the 5 chromatic dragons plus Tiamat.
- the 5 metallic dragons plus Bahamut.
- senses. The basic 5 (sight, hearing, taste, smell, touch) and the 6th could be ethereal.
- 6 important (noble) houses in your setting's history.
- 6 heroes of different races/classes.

[BeefGood]

Can’t see the symbols so will asssume there are six blocks, each having a symbol on one face. For this suggestion the nature of the symbols doesn’t matter.
A Braille cell has six dot positions which could be modeled by a tray with six compartments. Like half a egg carton. Block with symbol face up represents raised dot. Any other orientation of block represents unraised.
The goal is to place the blocks to be the Braille letter that is the BBEGs initial. Like “X” for Xanathar. If the adventurers do that then they get a reward.