Some code perhaps?

[Andy P]

Thanks for linking the solution. I've always been curious about this. Sure, it's the kind of puzzle that can be solved eventually (though treating vowels and consonants separately is just sadistic) but not something anyone's going to figure out while playing the quest... the only time it's actually going to be helpful. So it seems pointless having it at all. Especially with no solution given.

When I next run this quest, I'll change the code to something more obvious (even if it's as simple as treating vowels and consonants together), or maybe change it to a riddle or something.

[lucasdp]

I've got a new Wizard trying to catch up with some of the other heroes that already have a few quests under their belts, and I'm thinking about running this quest for him to get some gold (and possibly the Wand of Recall!).

Sure, it's the kind of puzzle that can be solved eventually (though treating vowels and consonants separately is just sadistic) but not something anyone's going to figure out while playing the quest... the only time it's actually going to be helpful. So it seems pointless having it at all. Especially with no solution given.

I agree with Andy here. Even seeing the answer now, I know that I would not have figured it out while playing and, though some of my friends may be smarter than me, I can't expect them to figure it out in the middle of gameplay either. I've come up with two options for how I may handle it...

Option 1 -- Leave the code/inscriptions out entirely
The only real purpose it serves, besides flavor, is to warn the player to take the obvious door at E (to find the wand) first, before the secret door (which leads to ). I don't think leaving it out would hurt, seeing as many have played the quest without figuring it out at all.

Option 2 -- Give the hero a piece of the puzzle
Perhaps, under the inscriptions in the stairway room, there could be crudely scrawled "translations." Sure, this would be the GM basically laying out the best path to take ("One" first, then "two," then "three"), but the hero may or may not choose to follow the suggestion. Or, Zargon could always mix up the numbers in this scenario.
Then the hero would still have to put together that U=O, I=E, V=T, etc., to get anything from the inscription at door E.

I like Option 2. I like keeping the flavor that the puzzle adds, but making it easier to solve. Additionally, if I can pat myself on the back, I think having the crudely drawn translations adds even more flavor, as though someone attempted this quest before and only made it so far...

[comets911]

seems pretty intricate. Too tough for the people who aren't super hardcore. But yea, leaving it out of the equation is probably a good course