Riddles of the Traveler

[Kol Korran]

Tomer, Guy, Ariel and Alon- please keep out!
If you're reading my campaign, be warned- SPOILERS!

my campaign takes place in Eberron, but it doesn't matter much. this isn't that setting specific. My PCs might find magic items of an NPC they'vemet a few times, doubtfully either an ally or foe, they are not sure. in truth, the Traveler (who was supposed to reflect certain aspect of an Eberron god of the same name- a god of trickery, deceit, and marvelous artifice) is a female changeling artificer of great skill, who had many small projects. she took her vocation as a combination of art and science.

however, some of her creations made her quite mad, to the point of losing herself. added to that- the main villain (to which group she belonged) found out that she tried to help the PCs, and punished her i... a creative way, making her a sad, tragic insane remnant of what she once have been.

the backgounrd may or may not affect the riddles: the Traveler made access to two items of hers- a portable hole where she kept an emergency lab (extra dimensional transportable space), and in it also a custom Rod of Wonder (called Rod of the Mournland) which is basically a very wide utterly random creating affect.

each item is protected by a riddle. (identify and similar spells can't pierce the riddle or reveal it's answer) 3 important things about the riddles:
- the party doesn't NEED to solve these riddles. the items are a sort of bonus. so they can be tricky.
- the party may have quite a few tries to guess the items once they get them, so hard to guess, non obvious or implied answers are best. the riddle best be vague.
- if possible, it should reflect on the traveler and her story.

i've made two basic riddles, but would love to hear your suggestions as well.

Portable hole riddle
The one place you can hide
answer:
Nowhere. this is to reflect on the Traveler's miserable state of mind and loss of hope.

Rod of the Mournland:
the element that makes all creation, great and small, worthwhile.
Answer:
Randomness/ chance/ unpredictability. (or anything on that line). this gives a bit more spiritual aspect to her artifice, as well as linking well to the object itself.

so... thoughts on the riddles? any other riddles? :smalltongue:

[QuidEst]

Hmm… I don't care much for your answers. The answer to a riddle should be deterministic. Once you explain the reasoning, there shouldn't be any other answers (apart from synonyms or other things that would also count). Otherwise, it's "Guess what the DM is thinking!", which gets old quickly. As a player, if I can come up with a better answer that the riddle allows, I'm going to be annoyed at the reveal.

My favorite riddle is one I came up with (a bit of a variation on an old one). The idea is that even a sphinx would answer wrong, so I like to use it for that sort of situation.

Nothing more and nothing less/Than what you're about to guess.
Wrong. If you guess incorrectly, that is guessing wrong. If you guess the literal word "wrong". A common answer is "the answer", but if it were the correct answer and you guessed something else, you would not have guessed the answer, so it can't be correct answer. You're welcome to connect it to her how you wish if you use it.

For the rod, I don't have anything on hand… I have a tolerable option, though.
You see me when men cast bones and when they bridge paper. If you see me, you may take me, but if you know me, it is not me.
Chance. Dice were made of bones, and cards are bridged. You can take a chance if you see a chance, but if you know what will chance, it is fate.
Eh, not great, but at least it doesn't leave any alternatives that I can think of. Just the first part alone would allow "money", "gambling", or "men". XP

[Anderlith]

I have a goodish riddle but I don't know if it can tie into your objects.
"I am will reach the lofty heights, & the lowest lows, I am in ear & in your throat, yet I fuel fire & will burn hotter than wood or coal" Answer: Pitch

[QuidEst]

Heh… I guessed "air". The low thing was a bit of a stretch… mostly just filling in a hole you dig.

[Anderlith]

Heh… I guessed "air". The low thing was a bit of a stretch… mostly just filling in a hole you dig.

It needs some work & some rhyming. Probably some (a lot) rewording.

[Kol Korran]

Hmm… I don't care much for your answers. The answer to a riddle should be deterministic. Once you explain the reasoning, there shouldn't be any other answers (apart from synonyms or other things that would also count). Otherwise, it's "Guess what the DM is thinking!", which gets old quickly. As a player, if I can come up with a better answer that the riddle allows, I'm going to be annoyed at the reveal.

hhmmmm... the idea was to try and think as the Traveler would, from their "relationship" with her. the idea is that the riddles would mean something to the traveler, that others won't probably get. what good is a protective riddle if people can figure it out? (unless you want them to)

but i understand what you're saying. it might be too frustrating, and not a good gaming experience. i don't think the deterministic way would work in this case, but i'll think of what you've said...


Nothing more and nothing less/Than what you're about to guess.
Wrong. If you guess incorrectly, that is guessing wrong. If you guess the literal word "wrong". A common answer is "the answer", but if it were the correct answer and you guessed something else, you would not have guessed the answer, so it can't be correct answer. You're welcome to connect it to her how you wish if you use it.

:smallamused: i knew that riddle as "what word is always spelled wrong?" this might be a good riddle.

For the rod, I don't have anything on hand… I have a tolerable option, though.

You see me when men cast bones and when they bridge paper. If you see me, you may take me, but if you know me, it is not me.
Chance. Dice were made of bones, and cards are bridged. You can take a chance if you see a chance, but if you know what will chance, it is fate.
Eh, not great, but at least it doesn't leave any alternatives that I can think of. Just the first part alone would allow "money", "gambling", or "men". XP[/QUOTE]

nice riddle, but we play in the Hebrew language (from Israel), and some of these may a tad too obscure for my players (though perhaps i'm underestimating, i'll go with the safe assumption)

thanks a lot QuidEst!


Originally by Anderlith
I have a goodish riddle but I don't know if it can tie into your objects.
"I am will reach the lofty heights, & the lowest lows, I am in ear & in your throat, yet I fuel fire & will burn hotter than wood or coal"

nice riddle (i also guessed air) but it just doesn't suit the Traveler i think. thank you anyway! :smalltongue:

anyone else?

[Anderlith]

I can only go forward & never back, I can heal all wounds but I will unknowingly cause your death. What am I? Time
It's a bit philosophical, comparing the Traveler to time, she can't look back either & while she maybe able to help, she can't save them from fate.

[QuidEst]

nice riddle, but we play in the Hebrew language (from Israel), and some of these may a tad too obscure for my players (though perhaps i'm underestimating, i'll go with the safe assumption)

thanks a lot QuidEst!

Yeah, I can see that not working very well in another language. XP

Let's see if I can't get something that works a little better without double meanings. (The second part should do even if the first part doesn't.)

I am good or I am bad, but I am never neither. Those who have me are often wealthy, those who depend on me are always poor. What am I?
Luck.

[Kol Korran]

@ Anderlith: unfortunately, i think most of my players read the Hobbit, so "time" might be on their mind.

@ QuidEst: that's a good riddle. i might change it slightly (the wealthy part to fortunate, poor to miserable or something of that sort) but it's good. thank you! :smallamused:

[QuidEst]

@ QuidEst: that's a good riddle. i might change it slightly (the wealthy part to fortunate, poor to miserable or something of that sort) but it's good. thank you! :smallamused:

Glad to lend a hand!