Guild Charter
For centuries, the Austin Zoo has hidden a secret. Behind its fences and beneath its paths lies the Arcane Menagerie — an ancient sanctuary where scholar-mages rescue magical creatures from those who would exploit them. Every animal here was saved. Every one has a story.
But the five Wardstones that protect the sanctuary are failing. Your guild — the Order of the Emerald Fang — must complete five Trials of mastery to recover your Wardstone fragment.
"The serpent sees what others overlook."
Guild Roster
Quest Route
Complete each trial at the listed location. You have 100 minutes.
| Trial | Location | Fantasy Name | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Observation | Reptile House | The Basilisk Crypts | 0:00–0:20 |
| II. Logic & Math | Big Cats | The Savanna Throne | 0:20–0:40 |
| III. Lore & Language | Primates | The Canopy Archives | 0:40–1:00 |
| IV. Cipher | Bears & Mammals | The Hibernation Vault | 1:00–1:20 |
| V. Collaboration | Grand Pavilion | The Grand Pavilion | 1:20–1:40 |
Trial I: The Eye of the Basilisk
The ancient Basilisk tests your powers of observation. Only those who truly see may pass. Find answers by reading the animal signs.
ⓘ If a sign is missing or changed, write "Warden assist" in that space — no points deducted.
Answer each question by examining the Reptile House signs. Write T (True) or F (False).
| # | Statement | T / F |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Albino Burmese Python named Voodoo has a conservation status of "Vulnerable" (VU). | |
| 2 | Chocolate Chip the Bearded Dragon originates from the tropical rainforests of Central Africa. | |
| 3 | The Emerald Tree Boa named Amada is nocturnal (active at night). | |
| 4 | Cheeto the Leopard Gecko was surrendered because his owner was moving to attend college. | |
| 5 | The Argentine Black and White Tegu named Lucifer, like all reptiles, cannot regulate its own body temperature. | |
| 6 | Pancake the Texas Tortoise is the only native tortoise species in Texas. | |
| 7 | The Gila Monster named Diablo was voluntarily surrendered by its previous owner. | |
| 8 | Rita the Brazilian Rainbow Boa gets her "rainbow" name from iridescent scales that reflect light like a prism. |
Binary conversion: T=1, F=0. Your 8-digit number:
Hint: Binary places (left to right): 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1. Add each place where you wrote 1.
Match each reptile to the reason it was rescued. Use the information signs!
- Voodoo (Burmese Python):
- Cheeto (Leopard Gecko):
- Diablo (Gila Monster):
- Pancake (Texas Tortoise):
- Spike (Three-Toed Box Turtle):
- Corduroy (Red-Tailed Boa):
Find the Latin (scientific) names on the signs. Write the first letter of each genus name to spell a word.
| Animal | Scientific Name | 1st Letter |
|---|---|---|
| Jungle Carpet Python | Morelia spilota cheynei | M |
| Green Iguana | Iguana iguana | |
| Texas Tortoise | Gopherus berlandieri | |
| Gila Monster | Heloderma suspectum | |
| Three-Toed Box Turtle | Terrapene carolina |
A serpent's greatest power — what the Emerald Fang values above all else. Remember this word for your Wardstone!
Trial II: The Sphinx's Challenge
The Sphinx of the Savanna guards the path with riddles of logic and number. Prove your mathematical mastery to pass.
Visit the lion, tiger, cougar, and bobcat signs. Gather the data, then answer.
- Sango the Transvaal Lion was born on December 23, 2013. How many days old is Sango as of party day (April 25, 2026)?
Hint: Calculate years × 365, then add days for remaining months. Don't forget leap years!
- Vera the Cougar is the 4th heaviest cat. If a male cougar weighs ~150 lbs, lion 420 lbs, tiger 500 lbs, jaguar 210 lbs, what is the mean (average) weight?
- The bobcat sign says bobcats crossed into North America 1.8 million years ago. Write in scientific notation:
- Sango's brother Jelani was euthanized December 27, 2025 after a battle with renal disease. How many years, months, and days did Jelani live?
Feeding rules: Tiger must eat before Lion. Cougar before Bobcat. Lion before Cougar. 10-min feedings with 5-min breaks, first at 9:00 AM.
- Only valid feeding order:
- What time does the bobcat finish eating?
- Bonus: If a 5th cat (jaguar) must eat after tiger but before bobcat, how many valid orders exist?
Answer each riddle. The first letter of each answer spells a secret word.
- "My ancestors crossed into North America 1.8 million years ago via an ancient land bridge connecting Asia to Alaska. What is this bridge called?"
1st letter:
- "Emilio the Bobcat was raised from infancy by a private individual and bonded so deeply with humans he can never return to the wild. What one-word process is this called?"
1st letter:
- "I am the largest wild cat in the world. My stripes are as unique as fingerprints. What species am I?"
1st letter:
- "He is the Bobcat of the Savanna Throne — raised by human hands until the wild forgot his face. What is his name?"
1st letter:
A serpent's most fearsome weapon. Remember this for your Wardstone!
Trial III: The Lorekeeper's Test
The Lorekeeper Lemur demands proof that you are true scholars. Knowledge of language, history, and the natural world will serve you here.
- The word "lemur" comes from the Latin lemures. The Romans used this word to mean:
Think about what lemurs look like at night with their huge reflective eyes...
- The Colobus monkey's name comes from Greek kolobos meaning "cut short." Why?
- The Ring-tailed Lemur's scientific name is Lemur catta. The species name "catta" is Latin for what common animal?
- The Capuchin monkey shares its name with an order of Catholic friars. What physical feature resembles the friars' brown hooded robes?
- Apples the Ring-tailed Lemur was confiscated by which organization?
- Why was there a "surplus" of male lemurs at Acai's previous home, Metro Richmond Zoo?
- On what date did Koko the Common Marmoset arrive at Austin Zoo?
- Can a Patas monkey outrun a house cat (30 mph)? Circle one:
Patas speed:
Choose any one primate you can see. Write its entry as a medieval bestiary scholar would — never seen this creature, describing it from wild travelers' tales. Include 3 real facts from the sign, exaggerate everything else magnificently. Aim for 50–100 words as a group.
Every member contributes at least one sentence!
Trial IV: The Cryptographer's Labyrinth
The Cryptographer Bear hides her secrets in layers of code. Use your Arcane Codex (cipher reference) to decode the messages.
- How many individual bears are named on the Black Bear sign?
This number is your Caesar Shift key!
- Use that number as your Caesar Shift key — shift each letter backward by that amount to decode:
WKH ZDUGVWRQH UHVWV ZKHUH ZDWHU PHHWV HDUWK
Shift key = number of bears named on sign. If shifting backward passes A, wrap around to Z. Use Cipher II on your Codex.
Use Cipher III (Prime Number Code) from your Arcane Codex to decode:
A=2, B=3, C=5, D=7, E=11, F=13... (nth letter = nth prime)
Use Cipher I (Menagerie Alphabet) from your Arcane Codex. Each animal name = a letter (A=Armadillo, B=Bear, etc.).
Combine your discoveries to assemble the Wardstone password:
- The genus word you spelled in Puzzle 3 (Trial I):
- The riddle word you spelled in Puzzle 6 (Trial II):
- The location from the decoded Caesar message (Puzzle 10): "where meets "
Guard this password! If you SKIPped an earlier puzzle, ask your Zone Warden — you still get to speak your full password.
Trial V: The Grand Collaboration
The final trial cannot be solved alone. Your guild must work as one mind. These challenges have no single right answer — scored on brilliance and originality.
Invent a new species for the Menagerie to rescue. Must include: scientific name (Latin/Greek roots), common name, habitat, diet, one unique adaptation, and a rescue backstory.
Drawing: one person draws the body, pass to next for limbs, next for coloring/details!
Write a 4-line rhyming oath for the Order of the Emerald Fang. Must use at least 4 real Austin Zoo animal names. Bonus for iambic pentameter!
Iambic pentameter = 10 syllables per line: da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM
In 2–3 sentences: Why does a rescue zoo like Austin Zoo matter? What would happen to these animals without it?
Write your most interesting, surprising, or amusing discovery from today's quest. The best field note across all guilds earns 10 bonus points!