Inscription Puzzle

A three-part puzzle.

This puzzle assumes a real-world setting. In my game (LotFP), it was placed in the catacombs below a ruined German monastery built in the 11th or 12th century. Magic was assumed in its working, but a strictly mechanical version is certainly possible.

The first two parts are inscriptions, and were placed in different areas of the catacombs with their accompanying statues. The third part is a pair of inscriptions; the clue is inscribed in the floor and the puzzle is incised on the stones of the wall above the sealed tomb entrance of a local/unknown saint.

Depending on your game, PCs may need to make Language rolls (or use spells) to read the Latin inscriptions (translations are provided for the players' benefit). The sealed tomb door could be opened or bypassed with magic, so if your PCs have easy access to potent spells, this may not be the most appropriate challenge.


Part 1 (first clue)

A room with a life-sized statue in each of the corners. The statues represent Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which will be obvious to most devout Christians. But each statue is also identified by the inscription on its base:

MATTHÆVS
MARCVS
LVKAS
IOANNES

An inscription carved on a black marble plaque set in the middle of the floor reads:

SI QVIS DINVMERET
EVANGELISTAS IV
CLAVEM MAIOREM
INVENIAT.

(If someone should count out the four evangelists, he would find the greater key.)



Part 2 (second clue)

A room with a life-sized statue in each of the corners. The statues represent Moses, Lamech, Joshua, and Job. Moses will be obvious from his tablets, and Job from his sores, the other two will not be readily identifiable. But each statue is identified by the inscription on its base:

MOYSES
LAMECH
IOSVE
IOB

An inscription carved on a black marble plaque set in the middle of the floor reads:

SI QVIS DINVMERET
HOS PROPHETAS IV
CLAVEM MINOREM
INVENIAT.

(If someone should count out these four prophets, he would find the lesser key.)



Part 3 (third clue and sealed door)

The saint's tomb is behind a sealed door. The room before it is a large chapel, once visited by many pilgrims seeking the saint's healing powers. The chapel is filled with conventional symbols of devotion, allegorical statues, etc.

An inscription carved on a black marble plaque set in the middle of the floor reads:

SICVT ECCLESIA SYNAGOGAM VICIT
TOLLE E MAIORE MINOREM
VT CLAVEM VLTIMAM ATTINGAS.

(As the Church conquered the Synagogue, take away the lesser key from the greater, to find the final key.)

Church and Synagogue personified

There is a second inscription above the sealed door to the tomb, incised into the stones used to face the wall:

DEI GLORIA
HIC MAGNVS
HOMO ET EXCELSVS
VIXIT

Upon closer examination, the stones containing letters in the 2nd, 3rd, and last row of the inscription can be pushed in. Each 'button' contains from 1-3 letters.

The 'buttons' are:

HI
C M
AGN
VS
HO
MO
ET E
XC
ELS
VS
V
IX
IT

Pushing a button all the way in (about 2 fingers' breadth) causes it it stick in place. Write down which buttons you will press, and click on the appropriate link below.

Press one button

Press two buttons

Press three buttons

Press four buttons

Press five buttons

Press all buttons

Solution (if you're stumped, the PCs give up and consult an outside expert)