The Courtesy of the Three Rings

Along a glittering riverbank in the Feywild, a crescent of white stones frames a shallow basin that seems to drink moonlight instead of water. Reed-chimes sway though there is no wind, and every step near the bank makes the mud answer with a soft, delighted sigh. Three rings in the basin turn with a slick, musical click, and whenever one is set correctly the reeds brighten and a faint path of silver ripples across the shallows; when set wrong, the water flashes green and the nearby willows titter like onlookers at a private joke.

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Puzzle EntryRing alignment and tribute riddleLevel6Moderate

The Courtesy of the Three Rings

6LevelModerateDifficultyRing alignment and tribute riddleType

LevelLevel 6

DifficultyModerate

TypeRing alignment and tribute riddle

Components4 parts

Time LimitNo hard timer. After 10 minutes of table time or three failed attempts, the basin becomes more sarcastic and begins reshuffling the stepping stones, prompting a new approach rather than a dead end.

Primary DCDC 24

Quick Reference

Type

Ring alignment and tribute riddle

Difficulty

Moderate

Level

Time Limit

No hard timer. After 10 minutes of table time or three failed attempts, the basin becomes more sarcastic and begins reshuffling the stepping stones, prompting a new approach rather than a dead end.

Primary DC

DC 24

Checks

Nature or OccultismDC 22 Nature or Occultism, Recall Knowledge
Recognize that the basin is a fey etiquette lock and that gifts must be offered in a meaningful seasonal order, not forced into place.
PerceptionDC 23 Perception
Notice the worn grooves, pollen traces, and tiny scuffs that reveal which ring and offering slot has been used most often.
Society or DiplomacyDC 24 Society or Diplomacy
Infer the courtly pattern in the verse and identify the courtesy phrase that quiets the mechanism long enough to adjust it safely.
ThieveryDC 22 Thievery
Bypass the ring lock or hold a ring in position while another character sets the next component.

Overview

Discovery

The puzzle is discovered when the party reaches the bank crossing and finds the only dry route blocked by a ringed basin and a verse carved into the stones. Anyone inspecting the scene can immediately tell the mechanism is reactive and safe to experiment with, though mistakes produce prankish feedback rather than danger.

Puzzle Handout

what the players see

Carved Verse on the River Stones

Three reeds bow, and three rings turn. First comes the green that wakes the root. Next comes the silver that teaches the bank. Last comes the purple hush that keeps the promise.

Name me with a kindly mouth, feed me with what is small but true, and the water will remember your feet.

Ring Labels Visible on the Basin

Rising Bud
Falling Rain
Closing Dusk

Tribute Niche Objects

Fox feather
Foxglove blossom
Coin-shaped shell

Glyph Chart

Glyph	Meaning	Category
Rising Bud	Spring, beginning, growth	Phase
Falling Rain	Rain, change, passage	Weather
Closing Dusk	Dusk, ending, rest	Time

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Glyph

Meaning