The death’s door puzzle is meant to be ’a rock and hard place’ kind of challenge. Very few parties would be willing to make the kinds of decisions to deal with a puzzle this dangerous if there is not a pressing need to escape something following them. This is also very useful to soften up a high level party before a dungeon to drain resources and lower the overall HP of the party.
intro/description:
The party continues down the hallway to find a stone doorway, slight opaque shadows swirl within, written along the edge in ancient Elvin. Beyond the door they can see the bodies of several (creatures you are using) dead on the other side.
Investigating the doorway:
- Ancient elvin writing is meant to be a part of challenge and will require someone to spend 2 rounds trying to decipher it. This takes time and that may not be readily available if the party is being chased.
- “In every ending, a beginning is concealed,
- Life’s departure, a new chapter revealed.
- From ashes and shadows, life’s phoenix shall rise,
- Death’s embrace, a rebirth in disguise.”
- Detecting magic will show strong necromancy.
- The bodies on the other side of the door are 100% dead and likely died a while ago.
Interacting with the doorway:
- Any player that touches the shadowy partition must succeed on a DC 16 dexterity save, on a success they will lose half their current HP and pull their arm back. Ona failure they are pulled to the other side of the doorway and brought to zero HP, next round they will begin to make death saving throws.
- If something dying (currently taking death saves) touches the shadowy partition it will be pulled through and brought to 1 HP, fully conscious.
- If an undead touches the shadowy partition it will turn to ash.
The solution:
Another spell that allows a player to hide that they are alive of 3rd level or higher.
Once a living creature has moved through the shadowy partition and falls to zero HP and ranged healing spell can be used to bring them back up.
A fallen party member can be pushed through the shadowy partition and brought back ro 1 HP
Feign death spell can be used to trick the door. This is the proper way
