ANCIENT HISTORY

Walking through the dusty corridor, you come upon an old wizard in a rocking chair.

“Not so fast you youngsters!”

He pulls out a wand and summons a magical cobweb that blocks your path.

"You kids have no respect for history! I have an idea… Tell me the story of our old Queen in just four words and I will let you pass. It better be chronological!”

You notice four faded paintings on the walls. Each is labeled with a single word.

• Sorrow - A portrait of the Queen on her deathbed. Dusky blue light fills the painting with sadness.

• Throne - A moonlit portrait of a thin King sitting on a throne. A smirk is spread across his face.

• Mutton - A painting of the Queen laughing at a jester. Musicians play while a thin chef serves mutton. The sunset shines through a window, giving the painting a lovely orange glow.

• Horseback A landscape painting of a lush green meadow. The Queen rides her horse across the dewy grass.

What words will you say to the old wizard?

Solution:

The correct order is Horseback, Mutton, Sorrow, Throne

The key to solving this puzzle is in the location of the sun.

Morning dew. Sunset. Dusky. Moonlit.

Say the words in order and the old wizard will let you pass. He may tell you a story from long ago,

“Many years ago, we had a lovely Queen. She rode across the land and loved all her people. One evening, her chef poisoned her supper. The Queen fell very ill and had no heirs, so she passed the Kingdom to the chef she trusted. That man became King and brought in a terrible rein! But that’s all ancient history…”

Notes for the Dungeon Master:

If your players are struggling, repeat the painting descriptions with some emphasis on the clue words.

The paintings may all be marked with the same day.

Music suggestion: something ancient and mysterious.