The Archivist's cipher
This page serves as the introduction and explanation page for the festival's second quest. This is an Intelligence Quest.
The Announcement - Quest Guidelines - Quest Rewards - How it Works
If you need to visit the Seregonian Academy RPR for a refresher, click here!
Introduction
The Archivist’s Cipher Intelligence Quest will see characters portaled to a special venue where they will traverse a series of chambers in order to gain enhancement runes which will be used in the upcoming Seraphic Forge Weaponry Quest.
Each chamber is its own puzzle, testing characters and allowing for development / deeper understanding when explored;
However, this quest is entirely based on player/character input and will be completed alone.
Only one chamber must be completed to earn the Intelligence stat point. Every subsequent chamber comes with rewards in the form of enhancement runes and development spins. Thus, what you put in, you get out of this quest.
Special Note
This Quest will take place in a location provided by Son’Rashiid.
The Portal will affect time and space equally, so taking part in the Quest with a character does not negate their ability to be
present (RP) during other festival activities. There is no danger of continuity breaking in that respect.
The Announcement
Two weeks after the conclusion of the Alchemist's Harvest Quest, inhabitants of Castle Draconis would find several large scrolls displayed on the walls of the mountain-palace in various public locations. Each held the same message:
Attention, Citizens of Draconen Prime!
The Second Quest of the Draconia Anástasis Festival is upon us.
The Archivist’s Cipher will test your intelligence and fortitude, offering reward in the form of Seraphic Runes.
These runes will be applicable in the coming Weaponry Quest, which will give all Quest-Takers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to work with skilled alchemists, mages, and blacksmiths to craft their ideal weapon using ancient celestial methodology.
All those who wish to enter the Archivist’s Cipher, make your way to the Chthonic Vaults’ lowest level.
Simply follow the torches until you come to the portal room that has been established.
A Son’Rashiidian will offer assistance from there.
Be advised, this Quest can only be completed on ones own.
We wish you luck!
Quest Guidelines
This quest MUST be completed solo.
One character / player per quest attempt.
You may attempt the quest with any/all characters, but only ONE may be in the chambers at a time—and all will follow different paths.
Characters may choose to abandon the quest at any point once they enter the chamber.
Once a character chooses to LEAVE the quest chamber, THEY CANNOT ENTER AGAIN.
The Quest Venue is made up of 13 Total Chambers.
The first chamber entered will be the same for all characters. It is the only chamber where I am looking for a very specific trigger, but figuring out what that trigger is will ultimately be up to characters. If they don't happen to do so after the room's initial prompt, I will initiate a dice-roll / clues as guidance.
To win the Quest Reward of
1 Intelligence Stat Point and 1 Enhancement Rune (Weaponry Quest Boost)
Characters must clear the FIRST room.
Any rooms unlocked / cleared after this first room will earn extra enhancement runes and character development spins based on time / effort given.
With the exception of the first room, all subsequent rooms have been formatted in fully subjective ways meant to
develop and deepen understanding of characters.
I will NOT be actively posting for rooms.
I am only facilitating movement between them if conditions are met, those entering or concluding their journey, and tracking rewards.
As you enter a room, you will be given
(with exception of the assesment Room)
A brief description of your surroundings
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Expectation
-
Obstacles
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Exit Condition
How your character perceives the room and follows through with the task is entirely up to you—it should be different and from each character's perspective.
Characters must satisfy the exit condition within a post of 500 words minimum in order to succeed and trigger the door to be unlocked.
Upon Unlocking the Room
The lesson characters should be taking away / the reason the room exists will be given, and the next steps will be prompted.
The Enhancement Wheel
Will be spun as you unlock rooms, to see what enhancement was won in the cleared room.
The Chamber Wheel
Will be spun as you unlock rooms to randomize the path order. This is a prompted event.
Quest Rewards
Rewards are dependent on the completion of quests.
Quest Completion Reward
+1 Intelligence Stat Point
+ 1 Enhancement in The Seraphic Forge Weaponry Quest
Development rewards are in effect during this Quest. While the above rewards are given to all who complete the assessment chamber and FIRST room, extra enhancements and spins can be won from the remaining optional twelve rooms.
How It works
Step One
Characters post into #the-portal-room. This will be a brief arrival and speaking to a Son'Roshiidian on duty stating intent to join the Quest.
If there is a line or others 'waiting' for confirmation, they are welcome to interact with others there at the same time as themselves.
A Son'Rashiidian will make sure they understand the rules, are informed that they can leave at any time,
and then will usher them into the Assessment Chamber.
Step Two
A private channel will be created for your character within the quest category in Discord.
In this channel, you will be given the basic description of the Assessment Chamber for your character to react to.
The Assessment room does not require 500 words like other chambers. Instead, react first to the environment in whatever way feels natural.
Step Three
As long as your character physically moves within, investigates, or verbalizes while in the Assessment Chamber in their reaction post, the room will offer a prompt. This prompt will ask a simple question posed to the character.
There is no single correct answer, however, your character's response must be genuine, and they must prove that they align with it in some way to fulfill the quest requirements. If they do not meet the goal within the next post, I will instigate dice roll mechanics,
and provide additional clues to guide them to success.
Step Four
Once your character has satisfied the Assessment Chamber, they will receive the initial quest rewards, and be given a choice.
They can choose to continue on through additional chambers in an effort to earn more rewards, or they may leave and complete the quest.
If they leave, they may not enter again.
It is up to each character and player to decide how long they want to stay in the chambers, and where they wish to forfeit.
In this way, this quest is as much a puzzle for players with multiple characters as it for the characters themselves, because you have to decide who takes priority, which order to put them through, and who you will have time for.
If a character chooses to continue: The next room will be unlocked.
If they wish to leave, they can state it here. If they wish to continue, they can react to the room's further prompts by opening the door illuminated for them.
Step Five
Some chambers will not be well suited to certain characters. Some may prove the downfall of certain personalities or types.
The first unlocked room you receive beyond the Assessment Chamber will be guaranteed passable by the character taking the quest.
Here, you will be given the basic information for the room. Brief description of the surroundings, expectation, probable obstacles,
and the exit condition that must be met to succeed.
These rooms are subjective. The information given is the common denominator that will not change between quest-takers.
Everything beyond or unstated in that information can be manipulated based on perception. For that reason, it has been left purposefully vague. These spaces can be whatever they need to be to develop your characters as you wish, you simply have to use the exposition block as a platform.
Each room will be distinctly different based on player and character. Since they are taking place in separate dimensions as well, you are free to build to your heart's content without any fear of messing with overarching lore.
Responses must be a minimum of 500 word posts in order to satisfy the room and trigger the next one.
Step six
I will confirm once it is done and prompt to the next steps each time.
Rinse and repeat. Complete as many rooms as you wish, then leave the Quest Venue.
Wheels will be spun in the #wheel-channel to avoid cluttering up the other channels.
Beyond those and chatter taking place in the main spaces, no one will see what others are doing in their quest venues
until the end of the Quest when they move to archives.