DM-Nastics 2.0 #001 - The Missing Piece

First, I think I did this wrong.
Second, because of the way I did this it doesn’t fit the format well and might be repetitive, hope it’s not too confusing.
also, sorry its long.
Third, This “puzzle” I am introducing as a quest, but would fit better (in my opinion) as a Hermits feature: discovery (the background) or a Yuan-ti pureblood PC’s beginning knowledge.

1. Which aesthetic are you targeting?

    2. Narrative: Game as drama

2. What are the elements of the puzzle?

    6 small Yuan-ti temples (step pyramids) hidden in the region, each topped by a large (unbreakable) snake head with different features.

    6 stone tablets with a short verse written in Abyssal

    When you read the correct verse, the snake head breaks into pieces and falls off of the alter. When you read the wrong verse you are targeted by defenses.

3. What clues do the players have to the solution?

a. In the puzzle itself?

    Yuan-ti priest has stone tablet with short verse (clue to head it must be spoken to as well as the actual spell to break it). No verse is in the temple it belongs to.

    1. Large stone snake head with Jet (black) eyes. Stone tablet in 4 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Rainbows and butterflies, but darkness lies behind your eyes.” If its incantation is read wrong darkness is cast over the whole pyramid.

    2. Large stone snake head with silver fangs. Stone tablet in 1 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Snake bites like spirit knives, tasting tasty treats.” If incantation is read wrong the snake head lashes out at the reader and tablet; + 10 to hit, 2d8 force damage, if hits tablet it is destroyed and unable to be mended.

    3. Large snake head with bronze scales. Stone tablet in 2 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Shiny scales cover me, I love to be Yuan-ti.”, also has a long recipe on the back. If incantation is read wrong stone snakes decorating base of alter are animated and attack, targeting reader and destroying the tablet if opportunity to.

    4. Large stone snake head with tiger’s eye eyes. Stone tablet in 5 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Standing here not knowing fear, you should for I can see you dear.” (Tiger’s eye promoting courage is probably not common knowledge, so this may be a tough one until they have all of the others) If incantation is read wrong the reader is affected by phantasmal killer.

    5. Large stone snake head with emerald tongue. Stone tablet in 6 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Telling truths or telling lies, whispers cause discordant cries.” If incantation is read wrong the reader is affected by dissonant whispers.

    6. Large gemstone snake head colored in striped pattern (brown jasper and pale blue-green zircon). Stone tablet in 3 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Between brown and green, the colors laugh and scream.” If incantation is read wrong every one in 30 foot radius of snake head is affected by hypnotic pattern.

b. In the environment?

    Temple locations (whether rumors, map, or randomly find)

c. In your world building?

    This depends on what you are trying to accomplish: Are you trying to introduce Yuan-ti into the world? Make Yuan-ti have a different culture (perhaps not enslave all others) if not being ruled over by tyrant? Maybe to open up as a playable race?

4. Why do the players care about the puzzle?

    People are disappearing, whole families gone without any trace of violence or a struggle, no bodies are found. These disappearances started in small villages or isolated homes, but are becoming more and more frequent while range also increases. A few informants are reporting of increased Yuan-ti activity and that the two are related. Soon spies or escaped slaves bring information that the Yuan-ti are taking people for slaves or sacrifice.

    This could be happening to the side of a story, or play a part in a larger story arc. It would work better if you tie it into someone’s background (hermit feature discovery, Yuan-ti race, PC’s home region).

5. What are some things that make the puzzle less of a slump for players with different expectations?

    Matching puzzle will not be difficult if all the pieces are obtained.

    Map: prevents random wandering and can encourage world exploration. They can work quickly making it their top priority, or go take their time only doing it when convenient.

    Dungeon is small scale step pyramid (multiple ways to approach, simple layout, and easy structure).

    Puzzle pieces defended by bad guys if PC’s want to fight (for the fighters) but the party may also use stealth to bypass enemies if they want it to be fast or don’t want to fight (rogue).

6. You do you.

QUEST:

A Yuan-ti Anathema (Asutalli) has increased Yuan-ti abductions and must be stopped. On your way to defeat it a Guardian Naga is found fatally wounded and offers some wisdom in return for your help. He reveals the Anathema has made itself invulnerable as it collects the materials and sacrifices needed to attain godhood (minor twist: the sacrifice is not their life but their free will, so unless they value freedom time constraints don’t apply).

There are 6 temples hidden in the region, each protects one of the 6 heads of the creature (and 1/6th of its HP) from any harm. The Naga can tell you where to find an outcast Yuan-ti who was formerly a priest (or if you would prefer a Yuan-ti pureblood spy or rival Yuan-ti abomination). The priest is a Yuan-ti Malison who served Asutalli Anathema before they ascended, they are found dead in an underground hermits cave, however a Journal is found written in (some language one of your PC’s reads that isn’t abyssal). The Journal tells about how Sissiva was expected to be a sacrifice for Asutalli to ascend to Anathema and so they ran away swearing to have their revenge one day, in the back it has a map of the region. On the map are 6 snake symbols that do not appear on other maps of the region.

PUZZLE:

Temples are step pyramids with stairs up sides (I am thinking like page 101 of volo’s guide, but much simpler) with 4 levels: 1- cultists (or pg. 102 volo’s for random agents and guards), 2- 2 Yuan-ti purebloods, 3- 1 Yuan-ti abomination or Malison (Lv 3 is lavishly and comfortably decorated and contains a stone slab with a verse on it which is also a spell (may be copied or carried)), 4- top alter with large snake head shrine. 

After 2 heads are destroyed guards double, after 4th is destroyed guards triple, after 5th the Anathema will be present at 6th with final priest and personal guard (final 1/6th hp will be untouchable until head is destroyed, then anathema remaining hp will be halved and it may try to flee). Each of the Anathema’s heads resembles a head from the alter.

Why were the tablets not destroyed, creating this weakness? They were supposed to be, but the Yuan-ti priests kept them hoping to someday acquire them all personally and use them as leverage against the Asutalli.

Optional treasure (these will need tuning):

1. Large stone snake head with Jet (black) eyes. Stone tablet in 4 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Rainbows and butterflies, but darkness lies behind your eyes.” Jet eyes absorb and hold 1 spell cast near them, after absorbing spell it glows and allows carrier to cast faerie fire on the creature which cast the spell as a bonus action, this may reset 1/day at midnight or when spell caster whose spell it absorbed has died. Reciting the incantation allows darkness to be cast as an action 1/day after head destroyed if tablet is intact and being carried (does not need to be equipped or attuned to, nor does it need material or somatic components, however verbalizing verse is necessary).

2. Large stone snake head with silver fangs. Stone tablet in 1 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Snake bites like spirit knives, tasting tasty treats.” Each fang may be used as a silver dagger +1. Reciting the incantation allows spirit weapon to the cast 1/day as an action after head destroyed if it is carried and intact.

3. Large stone snake head with bronze scales. Stone tablet in 2 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Shiny scales cover me, I love to be Yuan-ti.” If every scale (1,000 bronze pieces) is taken they may be fashioned into magical bronze scale mail (by a master smith or Yuan-ti smith) with no disadvantage on stealth checks and may turn into a snake 1/day (as Yuan-ti shapechanger ability), AC 13+ dex (max 3). Tablet has complex spell to turn into Yuan-ti pureblood, or one mutation higher if already Yuan-ti, only works once per person and change is permanent; may only be undone by wish spell (on the night of a crescent moon spill the blood of a hawk over a pool of snakes, consume 1 hawk egg, then bath in the pool until sunrise. A spirit will appear to you and ask 3 questions, answer 1 truthfully and 2 dishonestly).

4. Large stone snake head with tiger’s eye eyes. Stone tablet in 5 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Standing here not knowing fear, you should for I can see you dear.” Each tiger’s eye grants advantage against fear if carried. the tablet allows divination to be cast 1/day (the god you contact is a lesser Yuan-ti god and requires a sacrifice on the tablet while reciting incantation, live insects and plants are acceptable but higher life forms get better answers and more favor).

5. Large stone snake head with emerald tongue. Stone tablet in 6 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Telling truths or telling lies, whispers cause discordant cries.” If removed intact the emerald tongue(1,000 gp value) may be used as a focus object for casting spells if caster is attuned to it (this turns their tongue green and it becomes forked in the front (noticeable with perception vs charisma ability score), when attuned they have advantage on deception checks if tongue change is not noticed. Reciting the incantation allows dissonant whispers to be cast 1/day after head is destroyed if it is carried and intact.

6. Large gemstone snake head colored in striped pattern. Stone tablet in 3 on 3rd level. Stone tablet reads, “Between brown and green, the colors laugh and scream.” Jasper (1,000 gp value) and Zircon (1,000 gp value) magically fused together, when destroyed by the incantation it does not crack along fused lines so they are still mixed (value doubles if have some way to separate them). Reciting the incantation allows hypnotic pattern to be cast 1/day after head is destroyed if it is carried and intact.

1. Which aesthetic are you targeting?
2. What are the elements of the puzzle?
3. What clues do the players have to the solution?
a. In the puzzle itself?
b. In the environment?
c. In your world building?
4. Why do the players care about the puzzle?
5. What are some things that make the puzzle less of a slump for players with different expectations?