The Enigma Room
The 'Enigma room' interactive games have always had a niche part in Rokugani gaming culture. The Enigma Rooms first emerged several centuries ago as a creation of Kitsuki Akio and his daughter Kitsuki Tae. They were created at first as a teaching tool for young Kitsuki to develop problem-solving skills. However, their interactive novelty caused their popularity in the Emerald Empire to take off, and they were soon made into elaborate affairs, often dressed in an immersive theme. They currently remain popular with Scorpion for their theatrical aspects.
"Escape from the Tomb of Iuchiban" is the newest local offering on the World of Dreams, made possible through the sponsorship of the board game cafe Scheme & Games, and the New Shosuro Academy lending their production prowess. The room has moved through the districts of World of Dreams, running for a few days at a time before relocating to another district. This allows for a time-limited opportunity, and a gloss of mystique as the experience pops up in new places without much warning. It's no surprise that the newest enigma room found itself quickly booked by many local samurai but thankfully, there are open spots for a few lucky participants.
The enigma room's interpretation of the Tomb of Iuchiban is a convincing one with walls covered in a stone facade. An eerie green mist permeates the floor of the chilly chamber, while the only sources of light are the lit torches lined up along the walls, each burning with an unnatural green fire. A haunting hymn plays continuously in the background as players find themselves in a main chamber dominated by an impressively large metal casket in the centre of the room. The casket’s metal is warped, the jade atop it appearing charcoal black. Anyone close to the casket can hear faint signs of rumbling as the occupant begins to stir awake from their slumber...
Magic: Magic is allowed, within reason.
Time Units
The players take the role of foolhardy explorers who venture into the forgotten Tomb of Iuchiban but find their adventure going awry when old traps are tripped, locking them inside. To make matters worse, they've found themselves in the inner sanctum of the tomb where Iuchiban himself is imprisoned! Sensing the poor souls nearby, he stirs from his slumber of death. The players will have to escape the tomb before he awakes or face a fate worse than death!
Each group will get a total of 18 Time Units to use as they attempt to escape the ‘Tomb’. Each character action consumes a Time Unit from the pool. The Characters can use one Time Unit per round, where a round consists of all characters taking an action/using a Time Unit. Characters do not need to act in the same order each round, but once someone has taken an action, they cannot take another until all the other characters have done so. This essentially provides around 4-5 rounds for a group of four and 6 rounds for a group of three. Each character’s turn can be used to either attempt a puzzle or assist in one.
Providing Assistance and Looking for Clues (universal actions)
Instead of attempting a puzzle, any character may use their Time Unit action on their turn to provide assistance or look for further clues. This will provide the next player making a skill roll with a phantom skill point. This can provide a skill rank to an unskilled character, add a phantom rank on top of existing skill ranks or other phantom skill ranks (such as those provided by advantages like Sage). Dice will explode on these checks, as they would with any skilled roll.
The Gate (Final goal)
The Tomb of Iuchiban was constructed with a great feat of Kaiu engineering to ensure that nothing ever enters or escapes the inner sanctum, which is the only way in and out. The front gates can supposedly withstand an attack from a siege battalion, which makes pushing through with brute force out of the question. However, the mechanism can be fiddled with to coax the gate to open. It would take years to figure out the correct combination of the switches and knobs by trial and error. Luckily, the inner sanctum of the tomb is connected to a few rooms that might provide some clues to opening this impenetrable gate. If the players are to have any chance to escape, it will be found solving these puzzles and curiosities.
Mechanics: To escape the enigma room and end the event, a member of the group will have to make a skill check using either Sleight of Hand/Agility or Commerce (Mathematics)/Intelligence against TN 120. This TN can be reduced through solving the puzzles found below, but can only be reduced to a minimum of TN 25. Each puzzle can only apply its reduction once. This Check requires the use of one Time Unit.
1. The Crank Puzzle (puzzle)
A dizzying number of cranks and pulleys are connected to a network of chains tied to the gate. While the contraption itself won't open the gate, it will at least ensure that the age-old mechanism will be cooperative once the combination is found. While this can potentially be accomplished with sheer brute force, the workload can be divided among separate team members working in tandem.
Mechanics: To solve this puzzle, the players will need to make either an Athletics/Strength or Engineering/Intelligence skill check against a total TN of 40, but this TN may be spread among multiple rolls and among multiple people. Each person can choose the skill they want to use without regard to any other checks that have been made. Raises have no effect. If a roll fails on the way to the total TN of 40, progress is lost, and players will need to start over. Players may abandon the attempt at any time. Each roll requires the use of a Time Unit.
Solving this puzzle reduces the Difficulty of unlocking the Gate by 20.
2. The Incantation Puzzle (puzzle)
The Kuni, in cooperation with the Kuroiban and the Asako Inquisitors, have crafted an inscription etched into the walls of the tomb to ward off malignant spirits. Unfortunately, the powerful presence of Iuchiban and centuries of time have worn away at the once-powerful magics; the scripture has faded, and black ooze seems to seep from each character. Those standing at the sanctum can even hear the whispers of kansen around them, enticing them with the promise of power at the cost of their souls. It seems that rebuilding the inscription might ward off these spirits and provide a clue on how to open the gate.
Mechanics: To solve this puzzle, the players will need to make either a Spellcraft/Intelligence or Calligraphy(Cipher)/Intelligence skill check against a difficulty of TN 15. Normal limits on the number of raises that can be called are waived for this roll. Once 4 successful raises have been made, over any number of rolls by any number of rollers, the puzzle is solved. Each check requires the use of one Time Unit.
Solving this puzzle reduces the Difficulty of unlocking the Gate by 20.
3. The Shogi Puzzle (puzzle)
The master architect of the tomb, Kaiu Gineza, was known for his love of shogi; this is represented in a curious alcove containing a shoji board on a low table. There are several pieces strewn about on the board in a haphazard fashion and the players will notice that there are several game pieces missing. Elsewhere in the tomb is a painting that depicts an epic battle with two generals and their armies facing off against each other, that might hold clues to solving the gameboard battle puzzle. It seems that arranging the pieces to recreate the painted battle may reveal some clue toward escaping this tomb.
Mechanics: Players attempting this puzzle may make either an Investigation/Perception or Battle(Skirmish)/Perception skill against a cumulative difficulty of TN 40. Once a total sum of 40 is reached, across any number of rolls, rounds, or players, the puzzle is solved. Each Check requires the use of one Time Unit.
Solving this puzzle reduces the Difficulty of unlocking the Gate by 20.
4. The Mirror Puzzle (puzzle)
Due to some strange geothermic anomaly or the warping presence of the taint, one of the sides of the walls has completely melted into a glass-like surface, displaying alien and distorted shapes. Upon inspection, it can be noticed that the shapes seem to move on their own, forming a strange sort of dance or interpretative moments. Whatever strange presence is doing this, it seems to invite the players to join in its motions. Perhaps a clue could be found here through its peculiar request.
Mechanics: To solve this puzzle, the players will need to make either a Forgery/Agility or Acting/Awareness skill check against a contested roll which uses the same dice pool, complete with all personal bonuses. Any sort of assistance/clue searching provided by other players (as noted in Providing Assistance and Looking for Clues above) does not contribute to the opposing dice pool. Once the contested roll is won, the puzzle is solved. Each Check requires a Time Unit (no Time Unit will be spent for the opposing roll).
Solving this puzzle reduces the Difficulty of unlocking the Gate by 15.
5. The Portrait Puzzle (puzzle)
Along the walls of the tomb, there are several paintings of samurai. Their features are barely discernible, some almost invisible with age. However, a keen eye might notice that each of the paintings is of an important person who made the construction of the tomb possible, including engineers, shugenja, and daimyo. There is a peculiar button found below each of them that seemingly does nothing when touched. However, if pressed in the right combination, the paintings will illuminate. It seems there is a pattern to be found here, whether their birth year, their fashion choice, or potentially even the amount of children they had.
Mechanics: Players attempting this puzzle may make either a skill check using either Games: Sadane/Awareness or Lore: History/Intelligence against a difficulty of TN 40. Each subsequent skill check made on this puzzle, by any player, reduces the TN by 5 as players are able to figure the puzzle out through a process of elimination. If a successful check is achieved, the puzzle is solved. Each Check requires the use of a Time Unit.
Solving this puzzle reduces the Difficulty of unlocking the Gate by 20.
6. The Fighting Puzzle (puzzle)
In one part of the room, there is an eerie blood-red glow emanating from the walls. If any attention is paid to it, the wall will shift in color before revealing a portal to an infernal plane from which a massive clawed hand emerges and threatens to force its way into the tomb. The special effects feel realistic and are made possible with a combination of Scorpion engineering and illusion. Regardless, this will present the players with the daunting challenge of fighting off the apparent oni and hopefully closing the portal for good. Perhaps the rebalance of the planes will shed some light on their potential escape.
Mechanics: Players attempting this puzzle are provided with holographic katana that effectively do base damage of 3k2 on the ‘oni’. Despite the illusory nature of both weapons and foe, and lack of initiative, this is treated as a combat and school techniques will apply. The opponent has an ATN of 15, is nonhuman, and considered to have zero honour. Each Attack requires the use of a Time Unit. For techniques and mechanics that activate based on the first round of combat, only the first Time Unit used for this portion of the event is considered the first round of combat. Once a total of 50 damage is dealt to the oni, by the sum of one or more tries, the puzzle is solved.
Solving this puzzle reduces the Difficulty of unlocking the Gate by 15.
Escaping the Tomb
Again, the players will only have a total of 18 Time Units to escape from the tomb. If they are unable to escape from the gate after the 18th Time Unit is used, they are trapped in the tomb and face the wrath of Iuchiban, ending the game. Naturally, they will be let out by the game attendants so that other groups may have a turn.
Those who've managed to escape by the 18th Time Unit or earlier will gain one of the following rewards for their brave efforts!
- 11 Time Units or Less: The group has done what is considered to be a flawless run in the enigma room. This is only possible with a very well-coordinated group and some luck on their side. Regardless of the reason, everyone in the group receives 0.3 Glory for their outstanding effort.
- 15 Time Units or Less: The group managed to escape the Tomb of Iuchiban with some time to spare, more than enough time to close the tomb to ensure Iuchiban remains inside...for now. Everyone in the group receives +0.2 Glory for their impressive effort.
- 18 Time Units of Less: The group escapes before their souls are devoured by Iuchiban. Despite the fact that Iuchiban might have escaped with them, it was no small feat to break out of the tomb. Everyone in the group receives +0.1 Glory for their effort.
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