>>2293214For a more concrete example, I had the idea of using cryptic riddles posted on the outside of each dungeon that you'd need to get interpreted. One reads:
Stand at the temple
In the armor made of Earth
The rain will guide you
The solution actually being to find the source of the village's hot springs, covering yourself in mud from around the spring, letting it dry on your body, then standing in front of the dungeon and waiting for it to rain (leaving you naked). If you're respected enough, somebody will instead offer to make a mud-cast of your body and use that to 'trick' the shrine.
Since the temple is near the hot springs, you're suggested to try asking the owner of the bath house first. He says he doesn't know himself, but will tell you who does, and direct you to a hermit who lives in the mountains. If you're respected enough in the town, some people may tell you where he lives, otherwise most people will just say that he visits the hot springs a few times a week.
The hot springs schedule is: Men only on Monday and Wednesday, Women only on Tuesday and Thursday, Mixed bathing on Friday and Saturday. (No swimsuits allowed on weekdays.)
So now the player has to choose between visiting him as soon as possible (the owner can be convinced to allow an exception to the "Men only" rule for you) or waiting until mixed bathing to speak with him (Again, are you shameless enough to go nude on Friday, or will you rent a swimsuit and go on Saturday?). Remember that there's a time-limit and your rival is constantly inching closer to the solution herself.
When you finally speak with him, he says he won't reveal the secret to a stranger and invites you to his house in the mountains. His house happens to be near the source of the town's hot water and he explains that the sauna in town is dying because of the lack of water flow (This is why it's only half-open most days). If you help him save it, he'll tell you how to enter the shrine.
