Castle Czocha at night under a starry sky, with its round stone tower and a bridge leading to the gate

Q42 CASTLE QUEST

Client
Sherlocked, Q42
Date
2023
Roles
Experience Designer, Puzzle Designer

Turning a medieval castle into a massive three-day escape game

We designed a massive escape game for Q42, a Dutch tech and design agency, transforming the medieval Castle Czocha in Poland into an immersive three-day adventure.

The storyline revolved around recovering the company’s “Kernel”, a symbol of its soul, which had taken refuge in the magical castle after a villain’s failed attempt to steal it. Divided into five houses, Q42’s team completed more than 42 unique quests spread across the castle, from shooting down spy balloons to solving all kinds of challenges and puzzles.

The weekend culminated in a closing ceremony where the company’s spirit was restored, creating an unforgettable experience for everyone involved.

Teaser sent to the Q42 team weeks before the trip, challenging them to find the location

Five houses, 42 quests

During an onboarding ceremony the team was divided into five houses: House Lego, House Miyamoto, House GPT, House Bedrock and House Tabletop. Each completed quest earned a crystal orb for the house cylinder in the heart of the castle, where everyone could follow the race.

The quests were spread across towers, dungeons, taverns and secret passages: shooting down Dr. Stevil’s spy balloons with bow and arrow, diving into the river for mysterious objects, brewing dangerous potions, fishing orbs from the oubliette and playing Dungeons & Dragons in an actual dungeon. In honour of the company’s name, there were exactly 42.

A player in a red coat and cowboy hat aims a bow at coloured balloons in front of a stone bridgeA game master in a top hat leads a Dungeons & Dragons quest by candlelight in the castle atticFive tall glass cylinders with house crests, partly filled with crystal orbs, in front of a carved stone wallA hand holding a crystal orb with a part of the Q42 logo engraved inside

The return of the Kernel

The weekend ended with a closing ceremony in which the Kernel was safely returned to the hands of Q42, followed by a fire show and a night of dancing with players and guardians together.

Players in robes gather around an open wooden chest holding the Kernel during the closing ceremonyA fire performer spins a shower of sparks under a stone arch at night, watched by a crowd
Photos: Sherlocked, Mara Polak and Maurice Haak

Meet the team