One of the advantages of a rules-heavier RPG with a lot of historical baggage is that you can create puzzles that test system mastery.

This puzzle is a modernized version of JacesAcolyte’s Encounter of the Week. It’s one of my favorites for 5E players that are proud of their game knowledge.

At worst, it gets players to actually read their PHB…

The Wizard’s Riddle

A wizard, unable to meet their friend in person, leaves behind a riddle that only another scholar of great magical intellect could solve. Completing the puzzle activates an arcane circle that could:

• Conjure a treasure chest.
• Open a portal (to where?).
• Cast a stored spell.
• Activate a butler automaton.

The Puzzle

"Messy shelves overflow with pouches, boxes, jars, and vials. An intricate 8-pointed star glows on the stone floor. Sitting in its center is a letter."

The Pouches, Boxes, Jars, and Vials

The shelves overflow with all manner of objects: gemstones, herbs, knicknacks, and more. A spellcaster recognizes them as spell components. Components used in the riddle solution are underlined:

• Pouches of small worthless gemstones: sapphires, rubies, diamonds, etc.
• A small, warped mirror and makeup kit.
• A bundle of incense.
• A crystal vial of holy water.
• A tin full of small worthless pearls.
• Several ornate feathers: owl, falcon, rooster, ostrich, swan, etc.
• Jars with labels: “Bat Guano”, “Pig Snouts”, “Rat Tails”, “Hen Hearts”, “Frog Legs”, etc.
• Vials of mercury, aqua regia, distilled water, etc.
• Jars of clay, sand, sulfur, iron shavings, jade pebbles, etc.
• Herbs and spices: ginger, salt, pepper, cinnamon, garlic, mandrake root, etc.
• Copper and silver wires, brass bells.
• Powdered metals: iron, gold, silver, lead, copper, etc.
• Junk: Walnut shells, cotton balls, bell, cork, etc.

The Octagram

The Letter

Dear Immerstal,

It’s a treat to give you a look at my research - Professor Wikkel spoke highly of you at the Royal College. As I am out of town, I leave the key to my laboratory in this letter. Pay close attention:

Activate the magic circle using the secret words in this letter, which you should find familiar. Identify each word's school and set its component in the correct place in the same order as they are written here. When this is done, the circle will be revivified. Don’t let this undertaking cause you fear; it is not as messy as stone shaping or as dangerous as a fireball. Finally, I hope my crypticism has instilled in you just the right amount of confusion!

Enjoy!
Fioretta dei Giardini

Anything besides the second paragraph can be changed.

The Solution

The correct spell components must be placed on the correct school of magic label in the following order:

Order	Spell	School	Component
1	Magic Circle	Abjuration	Holy Water or Powdered Silver/Iron or Salt
2	Find Familiar	Conjuration	Incense or Charcoal
3	Identify	Divination	Owl Feather or Pearl
4	Revivify	Necromancy	Diamond
5	Fear	Illusion	White Feather or Hen Heart
6	Stone Shape	Transmutation	Clay
7	Fireball	Evocation	Bat Guano or Sulfur
8	Confusion	Enchantment	Three Nut Shells

Some spell components changed slightly between 5E and 5.5E, this allows either.

Modifications

More Challenging:

To make the riddle more difficult, consider replacing the octagram’s plaintext schools of magic with the symbols for each school:

You could also remove the shelves/ingredients and require the players return with the exact right components for each spell, which means the following:

• The magic circle’s components must be worth 100+ GP.
• The find familiar’s components must be worth 10+ GP and must include both incense and charcoal.
• The identify’s pearl must be 100+ GP and must include both the pearl and owl feather.
• The revivify’s diamond must be 300+ GP.

If you want to send the party wizard hunting for spellbooks, require each spell to be cast as well.

Less Challenging:

To make the riddle easier, underline the secret words in the letter, count out the order, or say “spell”, “school of magic” and “spell component”:

First and second, activate the magic circle using the secret spells in this letter, which you should find familiar. Third, identify each spell's school of magic and set its spell component in the correct place in the same order as they are written here. Fourthly, when this is done, the circle will be revivified. Fifth, sixth, and seventh: don’t let this undertaking cause you fear -- it is not as messy as stone shaping or as dangerous as a fireball. Eighth and finally, I hope my crypticism has instilled in you just the right amount of confusion!