First some context. Players are in a vaguely mythical Chinese like setting. The players are on a quest to fulfill an ancient prophecy.
The players travel via boat across the Endless Sea following the Red Star. They reach their destination which is a skyscraper size tower, cylinder shaped and made out of smooth dark stone with no visible seams. It sticks straight out of the ocean. The only way in is a magical lock which matches a tattoo the magic user in the party has.
What the tower is: a containment facility for a very powerful entity, purpose built by some long ancient space faring/dimensional traveling forerunner race. Built perhaps millions of years ago before sentient life evolved on the players world.
Overtime the containment has decayed and the entity inside has used its abilities to influence the world around it. The ancient prophecy’s are it’s own making, as well as influencing life and making magic users until the right one with the right key is born and can unlock it from its final prison within the tower.
What I’m looking for: any ideas or published material you might know about regarding a dungeon that constantly moves and shifts, that is itself a puzzle.
Any ideas about a dungeon that is controlled by an A.I. like enity that manipulates the players down a path. How would you folk go about presenting this or an idea like this to the players?
Couple thoughts I’m having, using the matrix as inspiration and putting something in the reality of the dungeon that gives a hint that the world they see isn’t the truth.
Or just straight up saying outright in some way that this place is under control by some greater enity and go forth with that knowledge.
Love to hear anyone’s thoughts and ideas.