Poems from the Sand Dunes

By Khanate Hester †. A book of poems found in the The Pyramid by a a long dead skeleton. It contains clues to all of the puzzles found within the dungeon. The original text can be found here

A Court of Betrayal

The king departs to clash and fight,  
While his queen sleeps deep in secret night.  
A man of cloth does break his vow,  
In chambers where the king should bow.

The knight, prepared for dawn’s first light,  
In the temple kneels to seek his might.  
A mother’s hand consoles his pain,  
As outside, treachery builds its gain.

In kitchens dark, a maid does brew,  
A deadly gift for queen’s undo.  
Her love for king, long kept at bay,  
Now seeks to end the queen’s cruel sway.

The Path of Shadows

Five stones lie where shadows creep,  
Beneath the earth where secrets sleep.  
A hand must rise, a foot must fall,  
To break the silence of the hall.

The first of steps is light as air,  
But heavy hearts must walk with care.  
A circle spun from night’s own thread,  
Leads onward where no words are said.

Second comes a crimson star,  
Not close to home, but never far.  
Its beams will guide the faint of heart,  
Though no one knows quite where to start.

Third, the whisper of a flame,  
It flickers, never quite the same.  
Walk not too fast, nor linger slow,  
For only shadows seem to know.

Fourth, a stone of ancient blue,  
It hides the way, but not from you.  
To see the truth, one must believe,  
And trust in that which you perceive.

Fifth and last, a mirror bright,  
Reflects the soul and dims the light.  
But mirrors lie, so heed them not,  
For what you seek cannot be sought.

The Queen's Veil

In silken halls where secrets gleam,  
The queen walks softly through a dream.  
Her veil of gold, her crown of night,  
Conceals the path to hidden light.

First she speaks with lips of rose,  
Of doors unmarked and paths she knows.  
But words are winds, they twist and turn,  
And leave behind what none discern.

Second, silver threads she weaves,  
In patterns none could e’er perceive.  
A whispered name, a fleeting glance,  
The answer lost within her dance.

Third, her steps on marble cold,  
Echo stories never told.  
The throne she keeps, the key she holds,  
But none may find what time unfolds.

Fourth, her eyes reflect the sky,  
Where moonlight lingers, shadows die.  
But do not trust the queen’s own gaze,  
For what she sees, the mist betrays.

Fifth, she bows and takes her leave,  
A hidden truth you can’t retrieve.  
For in her court, all paths are sealed,  
And only silence is revealed.

The King's Greed

The king sought power, wealth untold,  
He sent his men to lands grown cold.  
They brought him riches, five in all,  
Yet for the people, none would fall.

First came harvest from the field,  
He took the bread, their lips unsealed.  
The people starved, their stomachs bare,  
For king’s full belly, none to spare.

Second flowed the rivers pure,  
He claimed the water, none secure.  
The wells ran dry, the land was cracked,  
The people's thirst, their hope attacked.

Third the forests strong and high,  
The king chopped trees to touch the sky.  
He built great walls, his palace tall,  
While homes of wood began to fall.

Fourth came gold from distant land,  
He clutched it tightly in his hand.  
The people begged with ragged clothes,  
But only riches grew his throes.

Fifth a mAidan, fair and bright,  
He took her heart and locked it tight.  
For love he claimed, though none he gave,  
Her spirit bound, the people’s slave.

The people's wrath grew with the tide,  
They broke his walls, their hearts denied.  
The king lay dead, his riches dust,  
For greed had shattered all his trust.

A Golden Throne

Beneath the crown of stars above,  
In a chamber cold and dark,  
A golden throne sits high and proud,  
Yet hides no vital mark.

Four secrets guard this gilded seat,  
But none will lead you near.  
For those who seek its hidden truth,  
Will find their path unclear.

A beast once watched, with feathers bright,  
Its wings spread wide in flight.  
It left a mark upon this throne,  
But vanished in the night.

A serpent slithers ‘neath the gold,  
Its eyes like jewels aglow.  
It whispers secrets in the dark, 
Yet nothing does it show.

A tree once grew beside the throne,  
Its branches reached the sky.  
But every leaf that told the tale,  
Was plucked before it died.

A goblet once was placed here too,  
With wine of ruby red.  
But who did drink, and who did serve,  
Now nothing more is said.

Four tales are bound to this one place,  
Yet none will break the stone.  
For those who seek what lies beneath,  
Will find but gold and bone.

Golden Walls

Within a hall of glittering light,  
Where shadows dance and gleam,  
Stand golden walls, so bright and tall,  
Like treasures from a dream.

Their surfaces shine with royal grace,  
Their splendor bold and grand,  
But those who dare to scrape the sheen,  
Will find them built on sand.

A thousand hands did craft these walls,  
With jewels and gilded flame,  
Yet every brick and stone they laid,  
Hides naught but empty shame.

They say within these walls of gold,  
A secret lies concealed,  
But all who seek its gleaming prize,  
Find only lies revealed.

For though they glow with sunlight’s fire,  
And glimmer in the dark,  
The walls are built of pyrite stone,  
A fool’s gold to embark.

Four Lights

In shadows cast where colors gleam,  
Four crystals guard a hidden dream.  
To light the well and pierce the night,  
You must align their beams just right.

First the crimson flame must turn,  
To face the verdant glow it yearns.  
For red must meet with green’s cool grace,  
To start the journey to this place.

Second, the emerald's light shall bend,  
To seek the azure at its end.  
When green and blue together blend,  
A path of gold they shall extend.

Third, the sapphire beam must veer,  
To where the violet waits in fear.  
Let blue and purple intertwine,  
To form a hue of purest shine.

Last, the amethyst shall see,  
The colors joined in unity.  
With purple light, the well it fills,  
Unlocking secrets 'neath the stills.

Now hear the rhyme, remember well, 
The order clear, the path they tell.  
For crimson, emerald, sapphire, too,  
And violet’s light will guide you through.

When all are aimed and none are lost,  
Their power shines at any cost.  
The final beam into the well,  
Will break the dark and lift the spell.

The Reflection

Before you stands a door of glass,  
Reflecting all who seek to pass.  
It holds no lock, nor key, nor chain,  
Yet none can cross its silvery plane.

Those who push with strength and might,  
Will find it firm, both day and night.  
And those who seek with magic’s lore,  
Will still be trapped before this door.

For in this glass, your face is shown,  
Your mirrored self, your twin unknown.  
To open wide this gate so clear,  
A simple truth must you hold dear.

No spell or sword will see you through,  
But humble words of purest hue.  
Speak not of “I,” but something more,  
And pass you shall through this fair door.

A phrase so small, yet strong and true,  
To show respect in all you do.  
Just three words hold the hidden key,  
Say them, friend, and you’ll be free.

Protectors

Guardians of the tomb, restless in their plight,
To awaken the dead, you must stand and fight.
But heed this warning, oh brave of heart,
The answer lies not in blades that part.
Strike only those who raise their arms,
And be mindful of the false charms.
For not all bones wish to rise and roam,
Some seek peace and wish for home.

Animals of Home

In a desert where the sun blazes bright,
A hidden door awaits your sight.
Four creatures dwell in the shifting sands,
Their shadows dance at your commands.

First comes the Lizard, quick and sly,
A master of warmth beneath the sky.
Its body twists with a flick of the hand,
To cast a shadow, delicate and grand.

Next, the Coyote, clever and keen,
With howls that echo, both sharp and serene.
Raise your arms to mimic its grace,
Let its spirit take form in this place.

Third, the Tortoise, wise and slow,
In shadows deep, it learns to grow.
Craft its shell with care and skill,
Let patience guide your movements still.

Last is the Scorpion, fierce and bold,
With a stinger poised, its story told.
Draw its shape in the flickering light,
A dance of danger that sparks the night.

Four creatures guide you through the sand,

Each holds a clue, each takes a stand.

To open the door and pass right through,

Make their shadows dance, it’s up to you.