Dungeons & Dragons 5e - Puzzle
THE CUBIC CONUNDRUM
Within a pocket dimension resides the Cubic Conundrum,
a three-dimensional maze designed to confuse and entrap
any unfortunate soul who finds themselves inside.
The space requires precision navigation and planning on
top of the ability to cling on when scaling down the sheer
sides of the structure, or for those unfortunate times when
the cube moves on an axis and orientates, taking up to the
left, and down to the right.
The party emerge in a 30x30ft space on what is currently
the top of the cube, passages out revealing a labyrinthine
network of corridors and deep falls which must be
traversed to reach the exit.
The walls are of a smooth, light coloured stone which is
cold and slightly damp to the touch, the floor very much
the same. Every surface seems to glow very slightly,
generating enough light for the party to see.
Above them, the party see that they are suspended in total
darkness, every angle outside the cube revealing nothing
but a cold, black void.
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The space outside the cube is totally empty, and really is an
unending area where a creature might simply drift forever.
There is air out there, meaning that if a creature were to
escape the boundary of the Cubic Conundrum they would
be able to breathe and survive, but in that space there is no
gravity nor force to stop them. Such a creature would
simply drift away never to return.
The outer shell of the the Cubic Conundrum is surrounded
by an invisible wall of force which prevents anything inside
from being suck out, or from escaping and merely
attempting to fly their way around its surfaces.
The wall of force surrounds the entire cube and completely
resists any physical attempt to penetrate it, and no spell can
be targeted through it.
If a player is able to work out a way outside then getting
back in is impossible/ Should they float away from the cube
however, upon reaching 200ft away the character
momentarily loses consciousness and they awakes back
inside the cub, at the starting position.
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THE CUBIC CONUNDRUM by Stephen Bull
 Each space within the maze is a
10ft cube, counting its height as
well as its length and width. The
final square at the edge of the side
should be taken as a floorless
10ftx10ft space where the cube
turns (the black spaces showing
the absolute outer walls).

X
The entrance to the Cubic The goal at the end of the maze,
Conundrum, on what starts out as this space sits in the middle of a
the top of the structure. chamber on what is initially the
Being a dimensional space, this is bottom of the Cubic Conundrum,
best represented as a portal from and in a chamber very much like
another place which deposits the the entrance portal.
player characters here, and then
closes shortly afterwards, leaving The nature of this space could be a
the party stranded. prize to be taken, perhaps in a
chest or a cell, or a waiting
Passages to the north, south, east monster which needs to be
and west (as they reckon the defeated. Regardless, once the
directions, without any visible task of navigating the maze and
guide to actual compass bearings) reaching this point is done, this is
lead out into the Cubic where a portal like the one used to
Conundrum, giving the party no get here should open, and give the
choice but to pick a route and party a way to escape and either
move forwards. rest, or continue their journey to
elsewhere.

THE CUBIC CONUNDRUM by Stephen Bull

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 DEVELOPERS NOTE:
The easiest way to actually manage running this maze is
to print this page, cut out the provided maze and to build
it as a 3d map to keep in front of you.
This way you as DM can always keep track of where your
players are, the orientation of the cube, and which sides
should be taken as easy to travel on and which require
climbing.
It is also suggested that you give your players some
squared paper and something to write with so that they
can draw a map of the maze as they explore it. This will
help them to keep a track of where they are, and add to
their challenge in navigating the space.
There are two ways the cube can operate, as a static object,
or in motion.
FIRST VARIATION: The Static Cube
The cube in the first variation remains completely static at
all times, meaning that when characters reach the edge and
find themselves on the sides, they must climb up and down
the rocky walls and floor.
The rock being slightly damp and slippery, this is no
simple matter. Straight forward jumps and descents of less
than 20ft are easy enough, but climbing and dropping
greater distances should be taken with a DC15 Athletics or
Acrobatics check, or DC18 for much larger gaps at the
DM’s discretion.
The bottom of the cube presents an additional challenge,
as the party will find themselves walking on the surface of
the Wall of Force.
The map provided on the previous page gives the
bottom level (where the cube is static) as a top-down
view, looking at the cube from the outside.
As the party walk over the Wall of Force having
reached the bottom, it should be remembered that this
map is effectively looking through the floor onto the
ceiling.
To help with this, map below is the inverted version,
showing the floor plan of the bottom surface as though
looking down from the top of the cube.
It should also be noted that the maps of the sides will
be vertical, rather than horizontal, and will represent a
side-on view for the players rather than top down,
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SECOND VARIATION: Cube In Motion
The second variation has the cube in a motion, meaning
that it can twist and turn, always having a new top, sides
and bottom.
This movement should not be constant, but triggered by
certain factors contained within the maze itself. Options
include:
² A timer – put in place a set timer, either in the real
world or based on player actions. At the conclusion of
the timer, rotate the cube.
² A specific character held item, or when traps are
triggered. When activated, the cube rotates in a
random pattern.
² A monster within the cubic maze. To add additional
danger, the maze is haunted by an ethereal form which
can pass through its walls (but not the Wall of Force at
the outer edge or the floor into the cube’s core). The
creature is tied to the cube and defends it. It can be
defeated, however each and every time the creature is
hit with an attack, the cube responds by rotating.
Possible creatures could include:
Party Level
† 1x Ghost (CR 4, MM147)
3
Hard encounter, 1100exp
† 2x Phase Spider (CR 3, MM334)
5
Medium encounter, 1400exp
† 1x Spirit Naga (CR 8, MM234)
7
Medium encounter, 3900exp
† 1x Deva (CR 10, MM16)
9
Medium encounter, 5900exp
† 1x Djinni (CR 11, MM144)
11
Medium encounter, 7200exp
† 1x Purple Worm (CR 15, MM255)
13
Medium encounter, 13000exp
In all cases, the creatures defending the cube have the
additional danger of being able to become Ethereal
when they move, meaning they can pass through walls,
objects and other creatures.
This means that can also move through the floor and
main body of the Cubic Conundrum, but can not move
outside of it. They, like other creatures, can not move
through the wall of force surrounding the cube.
However the cube is triggered, rotations should be
random.
Starting from the current top surface, roll 1d4 to
randomly determine one of the current sides.
The roll 1d2 (or flip a coin) to randomly determine if the
chosen side shifts to become the new top or bottom of the
cub. Not that there is always a bottom, with gravity
acting below it as if it were suspended above the normal,
physical world.
THE CUBIC CONUNDRUM by Stephen Bull