I travelled long, and never far
From reminders of my great despair.
I could not leave them, deeply scarred
Works I devised, and left them there.

Is it Yavanna? Her greatest works were Telperion and Laurelin. Ungoliant poisoned them, but she left their dead masses upon the mound in reverence. She could never escape the memory of her greatest works destroyed no matter how far she travelled or how long she wept.

Afraid not. 'Travelling' is used in the straighforward sense. It's a fairly straightforward riddle actually (not especially cryptic).

Clues gwaihir clues!

Point of clarification: is it
I could not leave them,
Deeply scarred works I devised,
And left them there.

or
I could not leave them, deeply scarred;
Works I devised, and left them there

difference in grouping makes me think of different things.
Thanks!
Lyta

Clarifications and clues, right. Haven't dropped by here for a couple of days, my apologies (I posted in the Books on Friday, but you know how it is, I didn't have time for in here as well...)

'deeply scarred' refers to the subject of the riddle, Lyta. 'I could not leave them' refers to the 'reminders of my great despair', to take the clarifiaction a step further.

Hmmm, a clue now... ok since I thought this riddle would be easy and it obviously isn't (perhaps I should look at my questions from the answerer's point of view, I seem to make a habit of thinking this [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]), I will give you a fairly-helpful clue that still doesn't give it away: the 'great despair' that the subject is reminded of is something that was lost to the subject. I may as well also tell you that he was male. (This should be a significant assistance. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img])

I travelled long, and never far
From reminders of my great despair.
I could not leave them, deeply scarred
Works I devised, and left them there.

This would probably give it away, but can you tell us if it's someone from the Silmarillion?

Is it Beren? He lost his hand...that would make him deeply scarred, you can't walk away from not having a hand, and no matter where you go you are always reminded of it.

Just a rough guess but it fits and i am trying not to "think too cryptically."
( i know my reasoning isn't very comprehensive, but i am half asleep!)
Osse

[ July 27, 2003: Message edited by: Osse ]

NO it's not beren... is it Maedhros?

He also lost a hand... so he's deeply scarred, his great despair was that he
almost recovered a Silmaril... he left most of the works he devised... it all fits, is it Maedhros?

Osse

[ July 27, 2003: Message edited by: Osse ]

Oookay... This one is on the edge of my mind, just out of my reach. So I'm going to try to break it down, just so you wonderful people can tell me if I'm going about it the right way.

If we follow the punctuation, it reads like this:

I traveled long
And never far from reminders of my great despair
I could not leave them
Deeply scarred works I devised
And left them there.

Our (and we've been told male) subject is a traveler.

So he was incapable of leaving behind the things (or people, or whatever, but we know it's plural) that reminded him of his 'great despair'.

So we know that whatever his creations are, they were somehow screwed up.

This part I don't get. Is it that he left them there (as in he went somewhere else without them), or did he leave them there (as in he died and left them)? Sheesh. Now I've just confused myself. Tell me if my thoughts are working the right way!

Fea

[ July 28, 2003: Message edited by: Feanor of the Peredhil ]

well i doubt i am right but Ungoliant? she left many spiders behind and she died in the dessert because she kept travlling for food, and her spiders were dimishing and not liek normal spiders

Is it perchance Gandalf?

rather self explanitory

His great dispair being Sauron and reminders being everywhere, not in the least the Elven ring that he carried.

He was obligated to stay and help the free peoples of Middle Earth.

Duh.

Once again, self explanitory.

When he finished his 'job', Gandalf left M.E.

Fea

It must be Gandalf, finally something I (think) I know and I'm to late!!!!!! [img]smilies/frown.gif[/img]

It gives me immense satisfaction to say that all these answers are incorrect. :P Actually, you seem to have mentioned everyone that it isn't; I can't give it to anyone though, as I didn't in the first place.

Yes, Osse, it's from the Silmarillion.

Hmmm, people don't seem to be interpreting the thing properly... try and sort of chant the song, perhaps. What I mean by 'deeply scarred' is that the subject of the riddle is scarred, not the 'works' that he left behind.

As to the Gandalf guesses -- the 'great despair' doesn't fit this. The 'despair' of the subject of this riddle was a particularly damaging thing to him personally, although it was also to everyone.

Ok, keep on at it, I'm sure we're close. Sorry if it's rather a nasty one. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

I travelled long, and never far
From reminders of my great despair.
I could not leave them, deeply scarred
Works I devised, and left them there.

Nah i like em this way!
You can really sink your teeth into em, it just goes to prove that no-one thinks exactly alike!

[ July 29, 2003: Message edited by: Osse ]

It wans't Gandalf??? I'm shocked!!

[img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img]
*reads trough the Silm, cannot come up with the person*

Yeesh. I guess that counts me out of the running for this riddle, since I haven't finished the Silm (I keep having to return it before I can finish. I just finished reading Of Maeglin and I had to return it again!) I really thought I had it too... I even created another riddle. I guess it must wait... *sigh*. Cheers

Fea

Is it Ulmo? He traveled far, but water always was in some way connected to the work of the enemy. He also helped by giving certain heros quests to perform, and was a big fan of elf/human sympathizing.

[img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Nope, not Ulmo either. (In fact, water was of all things the least touched by Melkor, if I recall it correctly.)

Even if it wasn't, and water had been rather influenced by Melkor's power, still it would not have been Ulmo's 'despair'. Neither was Sauron in any way Gandalf's despair. The 'despair' of the man we are after actually caused him to despair, as it broke him.

Is is Hurin?

He was allowed to go free and wander Beleriand at will, but all shunned him because of his manner of leaving from Thangorodrim and the thoughts that he had succumbed to Morgoth, thus he despaired.

(he returned to find Turgon in Gondolin)
(in despair after his long captivity)
(He raised a gravestone for Morwen his wife outside Gondolin and left for Nargothrond to confront Mim the Petty Dwarf.)

Cheers,
Lyta

That is the right way to think. However, no, Hurin isn't what I am looking for (pretty good answer though).

Some advice: for the 'never far from reminders of my great despair one, try to think of someone who wondered accross scenes that all contained one common thing (these are the 'reminders')

I travelled long, and never far
From reminders of my great despair.
I could not leave them, deeply scarred
Works I devised, and left them there.


[ August 01, 2003: Message edited by: Gwaihir the Windlord ]

I am asuming that because Hurin was incorrect, Turin is too? The same justification goes behind it being him as for his father (Hurin).
The only line that does not fit is;
"From reminders of my great despair"
I can't think of anything that reminded him of his great despair, i might find something but i'd have to re-read the entire chapter; "Of Turin Turambur"

It isn't a good guess, but it fits roughly and i just wanted to make sure it wasn't him so i can cross another candidate of my list. (which is still too long!)

Osse

Your assumption is correct.

If you've got a list, by the way, you may as well just say all the names on it as soon as you can so we can get moving on...

Daeron?

No, but that's perhaps the closest yet in terms of a certain similarity. (Remember that you have to explain your answers....)

Hmmm... I'm going to have to stop doing this [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]. Someone answer this and I'll promise the next one will be easy.

For the (hopefully) final clue, X-Man is a Noldo.

I travelled long, and never far
From reminders of my great despair.
I could not leave them, deeply scarred
Works I devised, and left them there.

I think it's Maglor.

I travelled long, and never far
From reminders of my great despair.-reminders of the silmarils and the Oath of Feanor that he took.
I could not leave them, deeply scarred
Works I devised, and left them there.-He was deeply scarred, literally and figuratively, because he almost repented the Oath but didn't in the end, and when he recovered the Silmarils with Maedhros, they burned his hands. Not sure about the works, except that he had to leave his lands during the Dagor Bragollach, so that's something he left.

As for the similarities to Daeron, Maglor was also a musician and a wanderer.

[ August 13, 2003: Message edited by: Luthien_ Tinuviel ]

*exasperated laugh*.... you got it, but it wasn't a very good job was it? [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Nothing more than a guess... Well, it was Maglor, but I'd better explain the riddle a little better.

I travelled long, and never far
From reminders of my great despair.-- The Sea, into which he had cast his Silmaril. He wandered along the coast for many years in lament for the loss of the Silmaril into it.
I could not leave them, deeply scarred
Works I devised, and left them there. -- The 'works' were the songs that he sang in lament for the Silmaril, and since no-one heard them but the sea and the wind they were 'left there' and were not known by anyone else. Deeply scarred, of course, because of the Oath; bound to the Sea because of his misery about the Silmaril affair.

So, that's it. Had to explain just about the whole riddle for that guess, but I'm glad it's finally over. Your turn, Luthien.

Brave heart he said,
And none more than his own,
Who was rewarded in his crime,
And having risked all was given a new home.

It took me a while to come up with a good one. I don't know how hard that's going to be. And I know the meter's not perfect- I'm not that good at rhyming, but I think it's okay. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Beregond called Faramir "brave heart", and himself showed great bravery in leaving his post and defending his captain against Denethor's servants, though this was technically a "crime". I believe he ws later rewarded by Aragorn by being sent to Ithilien.

[ August 15, 2003: Message edited by: Turambar ]

Well that was quick... Yes, indeed it is Beregond. You may continue with a question of your own to stump and confuse us. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

The last of the first (three),
I became the first of the last.

[ August 27, 2003: Message edited by: Turambar ]

Gandalf? he recevied the elven ring last, then he was the first one to know where the one ring was

No.

One word in the clue is an Elvish pun (i.e. an English translation of an Elvish word that will help you).

Could it be Elwe/Thingol?

He was the leader of the first three companies of Quendi that followed the Valar into the west, and then became the first of the last Eldar in Middle Earth.

Elwë is correct -- last (named) of the elvish ambassadors, but "first" of the Teleri (elvish for last).

Your turn.

Thanks, Turambar! Hope this next one isn't all too difficult.

My new love lay on the grave of my old love
I cried out her name, not knowing what it was
A swinging pendulum could do no worse to my life.

Have at it!

Is it Turin Turambar?

Turin Turambar it is!

Sorry for the delay, I hope this isn't too easy or too terrible. Here you are:

Find me at the start
In excess of questioned time.
Or in the initial note
Of a current rhyme.

Many were the tears
Of grief that filled my eyes
Reminded by my aching heart
When love ended in lies
Everlasting as the rain that falls
Now from the clouded skies.

In the shadow of my loss
The echo of my cry
My shattered heart would stop.
Who am I?

Miriel?