Gree Puzzle Box

[Jonos]

A piece of 'treasure' from a scenario I am currently designing, The Tomb of Xian Yann.

GREE PUZZLE BOX

This box is made of an unknown alloy, and is used to entertain Gree children and help them to learn how to operate the Gree’s unique form of technology. It is a three tiered puzzle, requiring the operator to possess six tentacles like the Gree to have any hope of solving it. Force users may employ telekinesis to manipulate the box and thereby have a chance of unlocking it for the fabled reward within.

There is no pattern to the puzzle, as its strange ability to alter the previous moves and establish new patterns through a mysterious Gree memory alloy technology.

To solve the puzzle, the operator must do so in one attempt, or else have to start again from the beginning. The puzzle requires perception, dexterity, and telekinesis to solve. Six heroic rolls must be made in a row for each of the abilities. That is, six heroic perception rolls, followed by six heroic dexterity rolls, and followed by six heroic telekinesis rolls. These rolls do not have to be sequential, but no other action other than solving the puzzle may be attempted. Once any other action is performed, the box resets and the operator will have to start again.

Each roll requires one minute of time, and a character must make a moderate willpower roll after any failure. Failing the willpower roll results in the character becoming frustrated and giving up on the box, even if for a short time.

The promised reward is the mental and physical exercise of using one’s abilities. If the puzzle is solved, the character may spend character points to immediately improve dexterity, perception, willpower or alter. Each time the box is opened, the character may spend the points, if available. No training time is required, but only one advance can be made per solving of the puzzle. None of the skills or attributes may be improved beyond 7D in this fashion.

[Pel]

I really like the idea, but Heroic Dex and Perception rolls are a dealbreaker for most, much less six in a row. Unless of course this is the box you're referring to:








Given most species' attribute maximum of 4D, it's impossible without spending a Force Point (or six). Maybe substitute Sense for Perception and TK for Dex?
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Aha!

[Jonos]

I was wanting it to be incredible difficult to open, as Xian's personal journal excerpts relate:

The strange alien known as Krux gifted this puzzle box to me. Where it got the thing, I can only guess, as the Gree have not made a habit of letting their technology leave their tentacled grasp. Perhaps the beings share some commonality unknown to me as of yet. Our conversations never drifted far from the subject at hand. Perhaps on another meeting I’ll have the chance to learn more.

I have been unsuccessful in learning anything about the Gree trinket. Knowledge of Gree tech is scarce enough, and knowledge of their amusements even more so. I dare not trifle with the thing until I have learned all I can. I have never made a habit of being rash, and I do not plan to begin today.

Some news. I spoke again to the Illithid that calls itself Krux and it revealed past confrontations with the Gree and apparently these confrontations did not go well for the Hive. It did not elaborate, and I didn’t press the matter. Although the creatures do not profess an affinity with the Force – light or dark – I suspect that their mental powers stem from it. Their ability to delve into the mind makes me cautious, and I shield my thoughts with the Force. It is my armor.

After many months I have a lead on this mysterious puzzle box. I met a Sullustan trader who proclaimed expertise on Gree culture, indeed even claiming to have visited the system. It is rare, although not unknown for the Gree Council to agree to meet off worlders so I did not bother to determine the validity of his claims. If he lied to me, he would pay the usual price. I suspect he knew that. According to this Sullustan (known only as Aldov) these puzzle boxes were a form of Gree entertainment for their children. If you can manage to manipulate the many sides of the device it would open, and a reward would be presented. Sounds very similar to a holocron. Perhaps I will attempt it.

The frustration! This box requires more than simple ‘manipulation’ to operate. It must be pushed and pulled at the same time. Some sides seem to require other sides be manipulated simultaneously. I counted, and the puzzle box consists of over a hundred individual pieces on the exterior surface with no way to know if more lie in wait within. Vexing.

I suppose the Gree may find a sort of humor in this. I’ve come to the conclusion that the box resembles other Gree tech in that it is designed specifically for the Gree physiology. They have six tentacles, which would explain how a Gree child could operate this wicked contraption while I, a master of the dark side, cannot.

The Force is a powerful ally. I can manipulate the obverse surfaces with telekinesis, in lieu of extra appendages. I have managed to move a small number of the pieces, but any time an error is made and an impasse reached, it resets. It is a test of patience and perseverance.

The Gree are a devious species. I managed to unlock much of the outer puzzle, but the second tier has presented new challenges. More than one piece moves at a time now, forcing me to anticipate and plan my moves more carefully. Sometimes I feel as if this device is intelligent and working against me. A battle of wills against an entity I cannot sense or understand.

This device has consumed much of my spare time which, as fate would have it, is beginning to run thin. Plans are in motion, the Dark Council calls, and I must answer.

The council infuriates me. They call upon me for my wisdom and then criticize me for my methods. Calling my dedication into question in one breath but then citing my research as valid in another. They call for the destruction of a culture and the enslavement or eradication of its people with no thought to the end result. How foolish and short sighted to erase knowledge before it can be studied and chronicled. Am I the only Sith who believes lessons can be learned, even from lesser beings? How ironic that the persecution of our Jedi foes drove us away and now we turn our hands to the persecution of others. We must know that we know nothing to know the truth. Fools.

May the Gree die painful deaths. This box continues to frustrate me, even though I have solved the second tier, I find a third within. I can feel the prize just beyond my fingertips. What wonder could be locked within such a treacherous puzzle? I have spent too many hours upon this pursuit. It will have to wait until my mind is not bent to other tasks.

Odd. It has been many weeks since I last attempted to solve this puzzle, and now it seems to have changed. The manipulations that worked before are no longer valid. Have I unlearned, or has the box changed its game? I clearly underestimated the willpower it would take to beat this device. To hell with it. If I should ever find myself in more quiet days, I will return to the task, but those days are beyond my thoughts. Our glorious return comes soon and I have much to prepare.

It's not a sinister box like THAT one, oh no... maybe lowering the difficulties to very difficult would be better? I have been going back and forth about tk since that means only force users can open it. I had the thought that maybe a really swank and crafty non force type could do it. Hmmm...

[garhkal]

I like it. Perhaps in addition to being able to SPEND cp to improve those skills/attributes, it could grant a one time bonus for each 'tier' of it.
Say 3 bonus for solving Tier 1
5 for solving tier 2 and
7 for tier 3...
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Jonos]

[garhkal]

Yes. Successful completion of each tier of the box, awards CP in and of itself but those CP awarded can only get spent to improve one of those listed skills/attributes USED in solving the box.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[cheshire]

[Jonos]

I reduced them to very difficult rolls.
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[garhkal]

What about tiering it up. The outer tier 1 level, requires top end difficult to low-mid very difficult (18+1d6, for a 19-24 roll). The 2nd tier (mid) requires anywhere from 23 to 34 (21+2d6)..
The inner most (tier 3) requires heroics of 28+3d6 for a variable 31 to 46 difficulty.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!

[Pel]

What's your plan for revealing the puzzle box's history? Excerpts from Xian's journal or a "chance" encounter with an antiques dealer or historian who identifies the artifact as Gree?
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Aha!

[Jonos]

It's in his journal.

The scaling idea is pretty good, too.
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[garhkal]

Thanks.. Glad you liked the idea.
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Confucious sayeth, don't wash cat while drunk!