Gundren Rockseeker’s Map Riddle – The Lost Mine of Phandelver

Hi all, I recently finished running The Lost Mine of Phandelver for my new group and had rewritten a lot of it. I had always thought that it was slightly more interesting if there was a trick or puzzle to Gundren's Map, so I had it include a riddle leading to the true location and offered some cryptic hints about what might be found in the mine. Here is the riddle, and I have attached a player version of the map for you all to use as you see fit 🙂 I included locations from Dragon of Icespire Peak in game which are referenced here. The first two stanza refer to the geographic location (if you draw lines on the map then they should intersect on the location of the mine). The last two stanza offer hints about what might be found within the cave itself. They managed to rescue Gundren and I had a scene in the Stonehill Inn where he was discussing the map and riddle with the players and gave them a small reward for each line of the riddle they correctly decoded (although he didn't know what a lot of the second half might refer to). If you guys like it I can post a full solution, there are hints in each line, and I don't think it gives too much away to spoil it for the players, but just enough of a hint if they are clever. Let me know if you like it anyway 😀

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1k6mSZ3chHCu1GYBVAJb2s1Pjf2iZVqzt/view?usp=sharing

'twixt Netheril's Owl, and Iniarv's towerThe Silent Keeper guards these halls.In cold swords vales rests its powerNow no-one heeds the caverns calls.

A Wyverns flight o'er spire of ice,a dawnward ride from Talos' beacon.A gnomes day Northward would suffice,idle repose your fortunes weaken.

The dead await where battle raged,still treasures lie now long submerged.A smelter quiet, cold with age,burning death, intruders scourge.

Dragon's breast, Lathander's wrath,Keepers eyes may judge your greed.A silver word may ease your path,Court valour, virtue, and heroic deed.

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Edit: Solution to the riddle

'twixt Netheril's Owl, and Iniarv's tower – a line drawn between Old Owl Well, and roughly the Mere of Dead Men (Iniarv was a litch that created the Mere and has a tower nearby)

The Silent Keeper guards these halls – Dumathoin is also known as The Silent Keeper

In cold swords vales rests its power – In the foothills/vales of the Sword Mountains

Now no-one heeds the caverns calls – It is abandoned, also reference to the Wave Echo

A Wyverns flight o'er spire of ice – The cave lies on a line drawn between Wyvern Tor and Icespire Peak

a dawnward ride from Talos' beacon – Talos' Beacon is a location featured in DOIP and is due West of the cave, so Dawnward is East

A gnomes day Northward would suffice – Gnomengarde is another location from DOIP, and is South of the cave, about as far as a Gnome might travel in a day.

idle repose your fortunes weaken – This was a way of encouraging the party not to waste time.

The dead await where battle raged – references the battle in the cave when it fell, and hints at the undead there

still treasures lie now long submerged – hints at the wand of magic missile in the pool area

A smelter quiet, cold with age, burning death, intruders scourge. – The Flameskull guards the old smelter

Dragon's breast, Lathander's wrath – the two magic items remaining in the forge

Keepers eyes may judge your greed – The trapped statue of Dumathoin, if you take its jewelled eye the trap triggers

A silver word may ease your path – be polite to Mormesk!

Court valour, virtue, and heroic deed – general encouragement to be heroes.