Jester's Tomb Text only

7/27/2019 Jester's Tomb Text only

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The Jester's TombBy

Dan Roy, aka Bogie

Dunham had been the king's jester for so many years that they became friends. The king eventually realized

that to be truly funny required a brilliant mind and he started to consider Dunham to be his best advisor.

Over many years the Jester became the Advisor, and when the king became ill, Dunham became his Steward.

When the king died, the Jester ruled the kingdom as Steward for several years until the king's grandsonreached maturity and could take his place as rightful ruler. Several years later, Dunham died in his sleep and

was laid to rest in a crypt he had designed himself. He knew that his tomb would be desecrated as he was

quite rich. Always the jester at heart, he built many tricks and puzzles to protect his final resting place, and

his treasure.

1: Entry Hall. As you pass through a hallway into the tomb, you can see that the walls are covered in

brilliant paintings. All are depictions of The Jester Steward in momentous events. On the floor is embossed

a depiction of a Jesters Sceptre.

Above the doorway are the words: Prepare yourselves, the Clueless will not succeed.

The large brass double doors are locked. There is no trap or magic, but the lock is 25% more difficult thannormal to pick.

Paintings:

Dunham as a teenager putting on a jester's costume. Under the painting is etched: To find the safe path

beneath your feet, Near icy landmark start to seek, Meander thence from cold to hot, Travelling always on

the diagonal.

Dunham, slightly older, performing for a large crowd in a village square. The pictures shows him holding up

a silver coin in his left hand as if he is going to make it disappear. In the background are two mountains

painted gold.

The Jester performing for the king in the royal court. A tapestry on the wall behind the jester in the painting

clearly says "Nine lives he has, not three".

Dunham performing for a group of nobles. This painting has 3 panels. In the first panel he is juggling 5

identical bottles, in the second he juggles 3 of the bottles, and in the final panel he holds but one bottle and is

pouring the water from it onto the padlock of a locked door. On the top is carved "All for one, and One for

all we can get away with.

A painting of the jester walking a tightrope over a pit of fire while juggling 3 daggers. The crowd is painted

with such detail that individual faces can be identified. Everyone is clapping except one woman. The painting

is labeled, "My greatest performance". Etched into the bottom of the frame is: "Ignore the door, jump into

the pit"

A tapestry showing Dunham wearing his jester's costume but standing behind the king while he sits on his

throne. In front of them is a group of foreign diplomats bowing. Woven into the tapestry are the words "The

King is a little to vain.


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Another tapestry shows the King and Dunham riding horses on a stag hunt. The King's horse is large and

magnificent, the jester's horse is nice but smaller. There is a brilliant rainbow arched over the group. The

rainbow touches down on a large oak tree in the distance. A small sign under the tapestry reads: "For the

last challenge there is naught to do, but take each step and follow through. The path you take brooks no

retreat, Until the open portal do you meet."

This painting shows Dunham surrounded by his family in a classic pose. Careful examination reveals the

letters, G K N T and Z mixed into objects in the painting.

There's a painting of Dunham once again standing behind the King on his throne, but now Dunham is in

regal court attire and he is whispering in the King's ear while the king looks at himself in a mirror. Carved

into all 4 sides of the frame are the words: "Go up, Go right, go down, go left, more easily said than done,

the real problem is can you all finish as one?

A large tapestry depicting the King's funeral followed by Dunham's coronation as Steward of the Kingdom.

In his left hand he holds a ceremonial staff, in the other an unusual key. Beside him stands a teenage youth

who looks a lot like the dead King. Widdershins is to the left and left is funnier than right

In this painting Dunham is seated at the head of a banquet table wearing the Crown of the Steward. On a

banner behind him are the words, "The more there is of it, The less you see. The answer grants you safety."

The last painting shows Denham placing the true crown on the head of a young man. Careful examination

will show that this is the teen from a prior picture probably 4 or 5 years later. On a banner in the painting it

says: "If you have to choose between good and evil always try to choose good, but if you have to choose

between what is right and what is funny, I usually choose funny"

DMs notes: To share the burden and fun of using the clues divide the clues up to all the players, except for

any players who say they are not paying attention to the paintings.

2: First Room. Fill the Bowl. In this room are two ceremonial tables. Both of them have blood spattered

on them. The eastern one has a bowl on it, the other has a ceremonial blade. Above the northern door it

says Fill bowl & light the candles to proceed The door is not locked, it simply wont open. It cannot be

opened by strength, there is no lock to pick, it is impervious to magic of less than Limited Wish level.

Filling the bowl with any liquid, then lighting all 8 candles will open the door. Any liquid will work, it does

not have to be blood despite the blood stains. If they do cut themselves, they will take damage, 1d3/pint and

lose a strength point for each pint. The bowl holds 2 quarts.

3: Main Hallway. Turn right or left, players choice. None of the other doors out of this hall are locked.

4: The Final Countdown. This long room has 2 things in it, an altar with a chest containing several

pouches of silver pieces on it, and a large lever. As soon as anyone approaches within 5 ft of the chest thedoor is replaced by a solid wall, The door is gone, the is no other way out.! They hear a loud voice start

counting down from 12, ( actually count out loud, it is scarier ). If the lever is pulled the countdown stops.

After a minute it starts again, one digit less each time. The trick is that when the count hits 0 the eastern

wall slides open.

5: Escape Room Small room with nothing in it, unless the DM wants to throw in some treasure or an

encounter.


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6: Fire and Ice Room A 40 x 45 room with a blue and red checkerboard patterned floor and large

collumns in the 4 corners. There is a door in both the north and south walls. The danger in this room are

the collored floor tiles. If you pass over a red tile you get hit by a blast of fire from above that will deal 3d6

flame damage, the blue tiles will blast a cone of cold up from the floor that does 3d6 freezing damage.

Flying or levitating above the tiles will still trigger them, running very fast across them will reduced the

damage by half if a DEX check succeeds. The safe way to cross is to figure out the clue on the first

painting. To find the safe path beneath your feet, Near icy landmark start to seek, Meander thence from

cold to hot, Traveling always on the diagonal. If a character examines the pillar in the southeast corner

they will find that it rotates revealing a large opening in the pillar. Inside are ladder rungs that go down.Below the floor is a small 5 x 5 room with 2 tunnels, one heading straight north and one towards the north

west. If they go north they will encounter a dead end. There is a round 3 platform with an arrow pointing

up. Due to a distance distortion illusion it will seem like they have traveled about 40 feet when in fact they

have only gone 15. When the platform is stood on it starts to rise towards the ceiling which opens up. The

player may think they are going up into the pillar but they are actually being left on the blue square 15 from

the pillar they entered. If the character takes the diagonal tunnel they will arrive at a set of ladder rungs

which will take them up into the north west pillar. It can be rotated to allow them to get out and head for

the north door.

7: Southern Round Room In this 30 round room there is a fountain with clear running water on the left

and a table with 3 bowls on the right. The bowls are labeled 5 dobs, 3 dobs, & 1 dob. The bowl labeled 1dob is fixed to the table and cannot be moved without damaging it, the words Only a pure one opens me

are engraved in the bowl . No one will know what unit of measurement a dob is because Dunham made it

up for this puzzle, in actuallity it is a bit less than a pint. The north door is magically locked. Above the door

a plaque reads: Solve the water puzzle to open the door The clue is hidden in the painting of Dunham

juggling: In the first panel he is juggling 5 identical bottles, in the second he juggles 3 of the bottles, and in

the final panel he holds but one bottle and is pouring the water from it onto the padlock of a locked door.

The most direct way of placing exactly 1 dob of water in the middle bowl is to fill the 3 dob bowl from the

fountain and pour it into the 5 dob bowl, then refill the 3 dob bowl and finish filling the five dob bowl which

will leave 1 dob in the #3 bowl. That can then be poured into the 1 dob bowl. If 1 dob is poured into the 1

dob bowl the northern door will open, if any other non-exact amount is poured in the bowl will reject the

water and a medium sized water elemental will surge out of the fountain and attack.

8: Hallway The door in the western end of the hall is magically locked and can be opened by turning the

lower set of handles in room 9.

9: Northern Round Room Another 30 round room. This one has 3 statues holding halbards and a post

with 2 sets of handles, one upper one lower. If the lower set of handles are turned to the left,

counterclockwise, the door in hallway 8 will open. If it is turned right, clockwise, the door to room 9 shuts

and locks. If the upper handles are turned to the left the statues (stone guardians or stone golems, DMs

choice ) will attack anyone in the room. If the upper handles are turned right then the door to the room

shuts and locks and the statues attack. The statue halbards cannot be removed in one piece from the statue,and they do 1d10+6 damage, but are not magical.

10: Mirrored Treasure Room On the southern end of this room is an empty treasure chest with the lid

open. On the northern end is a statue holding a large mirror. Anyone looking in the mirror will not see

themselves, but will instead see the treasure chest which is now full of treasures. As they watch, an old man

walks in, scoops out some of the treasure, smiles at those watching him and walks out of sight. He returns,

takes some more and leaves with it. It will take him 4 loads to empty the chest at which point he laughs at

the watchers and leaves. If the mirror is examined it can pivot in the hands holding it. If the mirror is faced

down all remaining treasure will pour out on the floor. If the old man is in the view of the mirror when it is


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pivoted he will fall out on the floor with the treasure. He will answer 1 specific question about this tomb

honestly and then vanish. He will only answer the first part of multi-part questions. A question like How

do we find the Jesters sarcophagus might be answered with Use the jesters scepter to find the tunnel

that leads to it.

11: Lever Room In this odd shaped room is an altar-like table with 4 levers. There are 2 doors, the one

you entered through and another door also in the north wall that is magically locked. The levers must all be

turned into the correct position, all at the same time, to open the door. The applicable clue from the painting

is: "Go up, Go right, go down, go left, more easily said than done, the real problem is can you all finish asone? The correct settings are the northwest lever has to point north, the northeast lever points east, the

southeast lever points south, and the southwest lever must point west, and they all have to be turned in

unison. Any time this is not done correctly one of the secret doors to A, B or C will open, releasing

whatever monster is in that room. Suggestions are A: 3 Skeleton Warriors, B: 3 Flesh Golems, C: 3

Invisible stalkers. Feel free to adjust the power of the monsters to the parties level.

12: Statue room At the north side of this room is a 3 step dais with a life size statue of Dunham. In his

right hand is a staff and his left hand is held out with the palm up. A deep voice says, Proper tribute is

due. Clever players will remember that one of the paintings shows Dunham holding a silver coin in his left

hand. If a silver coin is placed in the hand, it will close. When the hand opens the coin has been replaced by

a silver key. The key will unlock any door off of hallway 16. If any other object is placed in the hand aVrock Demon is summoned into the room. A new demon is summoned for each incorrect object.

13: Summoning Circle of Light This 20 x 30 room has a large arched door in the north wall with the

riddle The more there is of it, The less you see carved into the arch. On the floor is engraved a circle of

silver runes. The room is dark. When any light hits the runes they will start to glow with a blue radiance.

One round later it will summon a Will o Wisp that will attack anyone in the room. Every other round the

light is touching the runes another Wisp will be summoned. The answer to the riddle is Darkness. If all

lights are put out, the Wisps will vanish and none will return even if the lights are used again. While it is

dark glowing runes on the wall spellout The Jesters Scepter is a key ingredient

14: The Rainbow and the Oak In this room is a 7 x 7 grid of tiles. Most of them are tan but 7 of them

are brighter colors. On the border by the purple tile is a small but easily seen rainbow and on the border by

the red tile is an oak tree. This is a reference to the tapestry of Dunham and the King which shows a

rainbow leading to an oak tree. The riddle is on the same tapestry. Essentially, you must follow the rainbow

to the oak tree. When someone steps on the purple tile all the others will drop down about 16 inches. If the

person steps onto each of the colors of the rainbow in the correct order ( purple, dark blue, light blue, green,

yellow, orange, red ) then all remaining tiles will do the same leaving a winding rainbow staircase which will

end at a heavy stone door. If any incorrect tile is stepped on the floor locks where it is. There is one fancy

brown tile that will reset the floor allowing a second chance to get it right. Since the stone door opens

towards the stairs it cannot be opened unless the stairs are done perfectly. Inside the hidden chamber is a

chest with 4 small bags of coins. One each of copper, silver, gold and platinum. Under the bags is a 14 inchlong scepter with a jesters head on one end. The last 2 inches of the opposite end is carved in a triangular

shape.

15: Hallway with Fire Pit The fire in the pit only lights up when someone enters this hallway. It produces

a lot of heat and the hall will become an oven in about 10 rounds. There is a false clue on one of the

paintings that players may remember. Ignore the door, jump into the pit Anyone in the pit will take 4d6

damage per round. The players should not trust all the clues, Dunham is a jester and his tomb is here to

protect him. The door is locked but can be picked normally or opened with the key from room 12.


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16: Large Hallway The main features of this hallway are its 10 doors and a large archway. The doors are

all locked but can be picked normally or opened with the key from room 12. The arch does not detect as

trapped because it is safe for the first 2 people passing through it, but that turns on the magic. If detected

for at that time the arch will detect as a magic trap but not before. The 3rd person passing through the arch

will be teleported into the middle of the webbing in room 22 ( there is no save but magic resistance will

allow them to pass the arch, the trap will then affect the next person.) They are paralyzed and cannot move

or speak for 2 turns. Everything they were wearing or carrying is teleported to room 20, EVERYTHING.

17: Monster room The DM should place any monster he wants here. Keep in mind it should besomething that can just sit in a room for hundreds of years like a golem or undead. There is a pile of bones

in one corner. The DM can place a small magic item under the pile.

18: Empty Room Or is it? Dm can place another monster or trap here. Might be a good place for a pit

trap.

19: Vertigo Room The strange pattern in the floor is mesmerizing. Anyone passing through here must

make a save vs spell or be hypnotized. They are so fascinated by the pattern they will refuse to leave the

room. If forced to leave they will constantly try to return to the room until the spell is broken.

20: Your Treasure Room In this room are all the belongings of the person trapped in room 22. It also

contains the gear of another victim of the trap. If the party is hurting and short on healing, this is a chance

for the DM to let them find a couple healing potions.

21: First Web Room Two thirds of this room are filled with thick spider webs. Inside are numerous

undead spiders ranging in size from 6 inches to 3 ft diameter. They will attack with a vengeance flowing out

of the door from all sides.

22: Webbed Holding Room When the party opens the door to this room they will see a mass of webs just

like in room 21. They will also see a skeleton about 1 foot inside the web. What they wont see is their

fellow adventurer trapped in the middle of the web. Lets hope they dont set fire to it.

23: Impish Room The room is lit by 4 braziers, one in each corner of the room. They lit up when the door

was opened. There is a door on the opposite side of the room. Near the middle of the room along the north

wall is a gold table ( real or gold plated, DMs choice ). On the table sits a statue of an Imp. When the

party enters the imp ( yes, of course it is alive ) turns to them and says None shall pass lest ye make me

laugh If questioned, the imp says My master Dunham was the greatest jester in the land. He made me

laugh all the time. If you can do the same, you may pass freely, I am bored, entertain me. One of the

players must tell the DM a good joke for the party to proceed. If any adventurer attacks or tries to pass the

imp, it will turn into a Balor Demon ( Balrog ).

24: Flame On! The first thing seen on entering this room is a flaming brazier. Two hallways head westtowards roaring flames, the heat and sound are intense. If the brazier is extinguished, the flames go out.

The flames are a powerful illusion. If they are not disbelieved or cancelled in some way, anyone entering the

back of the room will feel like they are in a dragons breath attack. Inside the little alcove hidden by the

flames is a small jesters wand, similar to the one in room 14 but half the size and without the odd shaped

end.

25: The Jesters Tomb, Not! This round room looks like the Stewards final resting place. There are 2

treasure chests, two dragon statues, 2 braziers that light upon entering the room, and a sarcophagus on an

altar with glowing magical lights dancing over it. This is the decoy room. The chests contain silver and gold


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coins and a mixture of large gems. But there is a lot more silver than gold and the gems are real but flawed

and of low value. The dragons statues will turn into Bone Nagas and attack anyone that approaches the

sarcophagus. Inside the sarcophagus is a skeleton in rotted regal robes. The bones belonged to a prisoner

who died for his sins and is now serving his lord.

26: Here Kitty, Kitty Sitting on a treasure chest is a house cat. It will ignore anyone who just passes by

but it will defend the chest against anyone who tries to approach it. It is actually a Guardian Daemon. It is a

1 HD housecat with a nasty attitude. If killed it reappears on the chest as a 2 HD Bobcat, if that is killed it

reappears as a 3 HD cheetah, then a 4 HD Panther, a 5 HD Lion, then a 6 HD SaberTooth. If that is killed itreappears as the HouseCat, then bobcat and finally the 9th life is the Cheetah. When all 9 lives are killed it is

finally gone. The painting with "Nine lives he has, not three" refers to this monster. In the chest are several

potions and a couple minor magic items.

27: Guard Room 3 man-sized Iron golems that look like jesters will attack anyone who uses this hallway.

Because of their size they have half the stats of a full size golem. If the party holds up either the jesters

wand or scepter ( from room 24 or 14 ) the iron golems will stop attacking.

28: Vanity Room Another 30 round room that has 4 pillars running from floor to ceiling. Inspecting the

pillars will reveal that they rotate and that each one has a mirror built into it on the backside where it cannot

be seen. If all 4 pillars are rotated so they face the center of the room and someone stands in the centerpoint, a 6 diam post will rise up out of the floor to a hieght of 3. It has no markings on it but there are 3

holes in the top of the post. There is a round hole, a triangular hole and a circular hole. If the Jesters

scepter is inserted into the triangular hole and turned counterclockwise, the dais will descend 15 down to a

tunnel that leads northeast to a set of stairs. The stairs climb up into room 29 the Jesters Tomb.

But if anything else is inserted in the holes or if the scepter is turned clockwise, dozens of blades will drive

up from the floor into anyone standing on the platform.

The relevant clues here are Widdershins is to the left and left is funnier than right Widdershins is an

archaic term that means counterclockwise There are numerous other references to Left including "If you

have to choose between good and evil always try to choose good, but if you have to choose between what is

right and what is funny, I usually choose funny"

29: The Real Jesters Tomb There are no traps or tricks here, just the Jesters body laid to rest with his

treasures. If the DM needs one last encounter then Fire Elementals could rise up out of the braziers, or the

Jester could be a powerful undead creature.

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