Guild Charter
The five Wardstones that protect the Arcane Menagerie are failing. Your guild — the Circle of the Iron Mane — must complete five Trials of mastery to recover your Wardstone fragment.
"Strength is nothing without wisdom."
Guild Roster
Quest Route
| Trial | Location | Fantasy Name | Time |
|---|---|---|---|
| I. Observation | Big Cats | The Savanna Throne | 0:00–0:20 |
| II. Logic & Math | Primates | The Canopy Archives | 0:20–0:40 |
| III. Lore & Language | Reptile House | The Basilisk Crypts | 0:40–1:00 |
| IV. Cipher | Wolves, Foxes & Capybara | The Howling Sanctum | 1:00–1:20 |
| V. Collaboration | Grand Pavilion | The Grand Pavilion | 1:20–1:40 |
Trial I: The Lion's Vigil
The Lion King tests your powers of observation. Only those who truly see may pass.
ⓘ If a sign is missing or changed, write "Warden assist" — no points deducted.
Read the Big Cat signs. Write T (True) or F (False).
| # | Statement | T / F |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sango the Transvaal Lion was rescued from an illegal wildlife trafficker in South Africa and arrived as a wild-caught adult. | |
| 2 | Lions are the only truly social cat species, living in groups called "prides." | |
| 3 | Vera the Cougar was found as a kitten under an abandoned trailer in Washington state. | |
| 4 | Cougars are the 2nd heaviest cat in the world, outweighed only by tigers. | |
| 5 | Emilio the Bobcat was born in the wild but became imprinted when raised by a private individual. | |
| 6 | Bobcats crossed into North America via the Bering Land Bridge 1.8 million years ago. | |
| 7 | Sango and his brother Jelani arrived at Austin Zoo from Reid Park Zoo in Tucson, AZ. | |
| 8 | There is a White Tiger at the Austin Zoo. |
Binary conversion: T=1, F=0.
Hint: 128, 64, 32, 16, 8, 4, 2, 1 (left to right)
Match each cat to the correct fact. Write the letter.
A. Found as kitten under trailer in Wenatchee National Forest | B. Born in wild, imprinted by private individual | C. Came from Reid Park Zoo in Tucson with a sibling
- Sango (Lion):
- Vera (Cougar):
- Emilio (Bobcat):
- Bonus (2 pts): Vera was found near which town?
Answer each question with one word, then take the 1st letter of each answer to spell a word.
| Question | Answer | 1st Letter |
|---|---|---|
| Lion's scientific genus (Latin for "panther") | ||
| Sango came from ___ Park Zoo in Tucson. | ||
| Emilio became ___ when raised by a human. | ||
| Sango was born in which month? | ||
| The bobcat at Austin Zoo is named ___? |
Remember this word for your Wardstone password!
Trial II: The Canopy Calculator
The Lorekeeper Lemur guards the path with riddles of logic and number.
- Ruby the Capuchin was born November 1986. How old is she (years and months) as of April 25, 2026?
- The Patas Monkey runs ~34 mph. A cheetah runs ~70 mph. What percentage of cheetah speed can a Patas monkey reach? (Round to nearest whole number)
- Apples (Ring-tailed Lemur) was born Nov 1, 2023. Acai (White-fronted Lemur) was born April 2021. How many months older is Acai than Apples?
- If each marmoset weighs 0.75 lb and each capuchin weighs 8 lbs, how much would a troop of 30 capuchins and 12 marmosets weigh combined?
Five primates enter a new habitat one at a time. Rules: Lemur before Capuchin. Marmoset before Lemur. Patas Monkey before Marmoset. Colobus after Capuchin (any point).
- Write the only valid order for positions 1ā4:
- Could the Colobus ever be 3rd? Why or why not?
- Bonus: If a Gibbon must enter after Marmoset but before Capuchin, how many valid orderings exist now?
Answer each riddle. The first letter of each answer spells a secret word.
- "I am the fastest primate on Earth. My name sounds like I deliver packages. What species am I?"
1st letter:
- "I am a Ring-tailed Lemur confiscated from a private owner. My name is a fruit. Who am I?"
1st letter:
- "I share my name with a type of Italian coffee. Franciscan friars wore brown hoods like the fur on my head. What monkey am I?"
1st letter:
- "I am the smallest primate at this zoo — under one pound and barely six inches long. My name rhymes with 'cocoa.' Who am I?"
1st letter:
This word describes a group of wolves. Remember it for your Wardstone password!
Trial III: The Lorekeeper's Scales
The Basilisk demands proof that you are true scholars. Knowledge of language and history will serve you in these ancient crypts.
- The Gila Monster's scientific name Heloderma comes from Greek: helo (nail/stud) + derma (skin). What does this describe?
- The Tegu's species name merianae honors Maria Sibylla Merian. What was her specialty?
- The Bearded Dragon is called "bearded" because of what physical feature?
- The Burmese Python's name is Python bivittatus. Bi- = "two," vittatus = "banded/striped." Can you see why it might be called "two-banded"?
- The Gila Monster named Diablo was seized by which federal agency?
- Why was the Texas Tortoise (Pancake) special to Texas?
- The Leopard Gecko named Cheeto was surrendered because his owner was doing what?
- Rita the Brazilian Rainbow Boa gets her "rainbow" name from what optical phenomenon?
Choose any one reptile. Write its medieval bestiary entry: 3 real facts, everything else magnificently exaggerated. 50–100 words, every member contributes at least one sentence.
Trial IV: The Howling Cipher
The Alpha Wolf hides secrets in layers of code. Use your Arcane Codex to decode the messages.
- How many individual gray wolves are named on the sign?
This number is your Caesar Shift key!
- Use that number as your Caesar Shift key — shift each letter backward to decode:
KNSI YMJ XNQAJW KTC SFRJI YTGN
Shift key = 5 (number of wolves named). Wrap around ZāA if needed.
Use Cipher III (Prime Number Code): A=2, B=3, C=5, D=7, E=11...
Use Cipher I (Menagerie Alphabet). Each animal name = a letter.
- Word from Puzzle 3 (Trial I):
- Word from Puzzle 6 (Trial II):
- Animal name from decoded Caesar message (Puzzle 10):
Trial V: The Grand Collaboration
The final trial cannot be solved alone. Your guild must work as one mind.
4-line rhyming oath for the Circle of the Iron Mane. Must use at least 4 real Austin Zoo animal names. Bonus for iambic pentameter!
In 2–3 sentences: Why does a rescue zoo like Austin Zoo matter? What would happen to these animals without it?