Contest Entry: The Chamber of Frost & Flame (by J. Blasso-Gieseke)
The third competitor presents a bizarre puzzle-dungeon, it feels like primal D&D - before the rules of the form were established. The author says to use it as a stand-alone cavern, or as part of a greater complex and it seems perfectly suited for it. It does not explain itself though there is an undeniable dream logic to the whole. You can definitely run this as a half-session adventure or side-trekk, and you should if its inexplicable nature does not turn you off!
Does it qualify?
What is my judgement?
As a DM, does it respect my time, intelligence, and taste?
Yes. While the explanations for the workings of the traps and features of the dungeon are slightly cumbersome, they are explained in several sentences, not several pages as I've encountered in certain written dungeons. The whole potential sequences of events are not spelled out but left up to the understanding of the dungeon master (and players!). As for taste, the first thing you encounter are two skeletal knights presenting themselves as "Flamerrion and Frostillion" looking for their swords Frostbrand and Flamebrand. These names are both delightful and stupid, that is to say, in good taste!
Does it offer a good challenge and proportional reward for the players?
Skeletal knights encountered in pairs are speed bumbs for the recommended level (3-5th) but a frost followed by a flame salamander is a serious threat, even with the disfavorable terrain. A pair of magic swords and a hidden treasure worth 10,000gp is more than worth the trouble, but as you see in the following sections there is trouble.
Does it offer shortcuts and treasure for the brave and clever player?
The clever solution here, other than not falling for the traps and deceits, is to lure the flame salamander to the frost salamander, resulting in a bloody fight leaving one weak and the other dead (there is a procedure for this spelled out saving the DM time on rolling it blow for blow, a point for respecting the DMs time!). It's also possible to trap the flame salamander temporarily by baiting it into a portcullis trap. Melting the frozen room of spouts lowers the water in the lake, revealing the hidden treasure cache but...
Does it punish the cowardly and stupid player with loss of life, resources, or opportunity?
... destroys both of the magic swords through a Rube Goldbergesque sequence. Since the players have likely spotted both swords before they have a chance to cause this event they have a good chance to set up an alternate plan to secure the swords. Finally, the skeletal knights in the first room asking the swords to be retrieved so their souls can move on will simply grab them and throw themselves and the swords into a bottomless well! Their deceitful nature is hinted at as the story they give the players on their first encounter has holes you can notice during the adventure, but the imperceptive or naive player will miss this. Delightful!
In conclusion
As a puzzle this one really hammers on the point of rewarding cleverness and punishing thoughtless action. In a way the hidden treasure is set up as a consolation prize to fucking up getting the swords. This place is definitely a mysterious underworld with its own rules, not a natural place, but the laws of nature are still required reading to beat the challenge. The only backstory present on the pages are lies told by the skeletal knights, so the dungeon master is free to make up whatever reason for its being, or to leave it unexplained, inexplicable. I can see myself using this, and I would place it as an appendix hanging onto another dungeon level that either needed some bizarre spice or verticality, or to extend a place themed around questing or the battle of elemental forces. My initial reaction to reading this was to see it as overly contrived, but working through the judgement criteria I've realized just how worthy this is not just to compete but also to use at your table.
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