The Riddle-Game

[bluthorn]

Perhaps it is music?

[elvyen]

Nice guess Jonwah, I'm with you

[Womdon]

You nailed it Jonwah, good job!

[Jonwah]

Thanks I've been working on a new riddle, but I don't think it's really any good..

Anyway, here you go:


Only one hath seen me whole,
Though all see a few of many faces,
I spoke to all I could,
And charged no toll,
But try as I might I changed no paces.

Although I strive to be pure,
I have oft been uproarious,
Like the wrath of waves on a shore,
But I was like music to the ears of the hideous.

I spoke often to the Quendi,
But lo! For they loved me heedless,
I embraced with open arms the Atani,
Alas, alas, for they would have seen,
If not for their clamour and mess.

Can you name me?

[Womdon]

Interesting riddle... may take some thought.

I've got a guess right now though, is it Eonwe?

EDIT: On second thought, I don't think Eonwe. I'd rather guess Arda itself.

[LOTRFan101]

I'll guess the Valar themselves then.

[Jonwah]

Negative on both guesses, although they are both good..

[LOTRFan101]

Ulmo? (Wildly guessing here).

[Jonwah]

Getting warmer, in a sense..

I'm trying to think of a hint, but I can't think of anything that doesn't give it away..

[Womdon]

Well, in thinking of things that talk to the Quendi and that they love heedless, I think of the sea.

Makes sense, I think, with "charging no toll", "embracing the Atani", "striving to be pure, but sometimes uproarious", and the Quendi line.

[elvyen]

Very cool riddle Jonwah, keep em coming

I have a little stretch of time now to ponder it, and I was thinking along the same lines as you Womdon. But then I thnk it doesnt seem probable that he would use the crashing waves comparison in a riddle about the sea, and I cant think how the sea is music to the hideous.

Well, right or wrong, i'll ponder it further hehe

[Jonwah]

Sorry guys, your very close but not quite there.. keep trying

[Silverlocket]

Maybe Mandos?

SL

[Womdon]

OK, I'm gonna take another shot at it:

Only one hath seen me whole,
Though all see a few of many faces,
I spoke to all I could,
And charged no toll,
But try as I might I changed no paces.

Although I strive to be pure,
I have oft been uproarious,
Like the wrath of waves on a shore,
But I was like music to the ears of the hideous.

I spoke often to the Quendi,
But lo! For they loved me heedless,
I embraced with open arms the Atani,
Alas, alas, for they would have seen,
If not for their clamour and mess.

Can you name me?

The first two lines imply something universal, or semi-universal that only one being fully understands.

The last stanza talks about speaking often to the Quendi, and embracing with open arms the Atani. The Valar definitely spoke quite often to the Quendi, but Valar isn't the answer. The Atani line makes me think of the Gift of Man, granted by Eru himself.

Well, considering the Valar were just pieces of Eru's mind, it could be said that Eru spoke often to the Quendi. And that seems to align with the lines that state "Although I strive to be pure, I have oft been uproarious". After all, Melkor certainly did his fair share of damage.

And it is true that only one has seen Eru whole, Eru himself. (itself?) I'll go ahead and guess Eru/Iluvatar.

[Big_H]

I'm just gonna throw this out there... Morgoth/Melkor?

[Jonwah]

Ah! Great guesses guys, your so close but not quite there!

Only Eru hath seen me whole,

Theres a hint.. also, although it's written from a first perspective, it doesn't have to be a person
Oh, I forgot, I was quite cheeky and wrote the answer in the riddle..

That's way too many hints though...

[Big_H]

Arda? (the world itself)

It's not mentioned in the riddle per-say, but... dunno.

Edit: Ah but that has been said by Womdom already... hmmm

[LOTRFan101]

The music that they sang at the beginning of the world?

[TheScyphozoa]

The music that they sang at the beginning of the world?

Are you implying that ugly people like old-fashioned music?

[Jonwah]

You got it, LOTRFan

The Music of the Ainur is it.. well done!

[LOTRFan101]

Cool! Riddle no. 3 I've gotten now. I like to solve them...

But I'm still not ready to make one myself. Keep them coming!

[Jonwah]

Nah uh! It's your turn, if I can turn out the riddles I have (I'm really not very good at this) without more than thirty minutes of trying, I'm sure you can think of something!

Just start with a subject, jot down lines that come to you, and then try to make them rhyme.. at least thats what I do at this stage, I'm sure the process needs some refining..

[LOTRFan101]

Silver and black
Defending against attack
Ever near the pale tower
Their vigiliance kept every hour
Tall Men
Though now and then
A Halfling joins their ranks
In-game, it is the class that tanks.

Yeah, that took me about 5 minutes, and yes, I know it's horrible, and yes, it's painfully obvious. But you asked, and you shall recieve.

It is lore-related and is a subject in the books, though I did mention LOTRO in the last line.

If this isn't solved by tomorrow morning, I'll be surprised.

[bluthorn]

Had you taken out the last line, it would have been more difficult .

A guardian.

But what shall my riddle be.....

"Two masters did we serve
and two are we as well
We served our masters without question
and turned against them without remorse
We lined the jaws of the Dark One
And witnessed the knell of doom that felled him."

Who are we

(I chose free verse...rhymes are more difficult to use >.<)

[LOTRFan101]

AHA! It actually got one wrong guess!

Guardian, while justified by the last line, is not the whole answer. Leaving out the (obvious) last line:

Silver and black
Defending against attack
Ever near the pale tower
Their vigiliance kept every hour
Tall Men
Though now and then
A Halfling joins their ranks

These lines hold the other half of the riddle. Try again--keep in mind that Guardian is indeed part of the correct reply.

And if I left out the last line--it wouldn't have rhymed!