Riddles in the Downs

[Urwen]

The Tale of Aldarion and Erendis comes to mind there......

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Urwen

So it's someone who said they'd wait until someone else returns, but did not?

Yes, but there's more to it. (And it's not "someone"- note use of "they").

And no, not Erendis.

[Urwen]

Fingolfin, who rushed to his duel with Morgoth and his death?

But who did 'they' replace him with?

Or Amlach, who was replaced by his Melkorian doppelganger?

[Nerwen]

Neither of those.

Re-posting as we're on a new page:

Forth I went to meet despair-
They said they'd wait 'til back I came.
Yet here's another in my place-
We're not the same,
But no-one cares.

[Urwen]

Listing all those who went forth to meet despair?

First age gives us these:

Feanor
Maedhros
Beren & Finrod & their posse
Luthien
Fingolfin
Aredhel
Huan
Hurin
Huor
Gwindor
Morwen
Nienor
Mablung
Beleg

Second age has none, third age gives us Eowyn, Merry, Pippin and Frodo.

But none of them matches the riddle in its entirety.

Maybe it's the King and Stewards. They said that they will only hold their positions until the King returns, but then they gave up on that as time progressed.

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Maybe it's the King and Stewards. They said that they will only hold their positions until the King returns, but then they gave up on that as time progressed.

Almost there. "They" are the Stewards... but who exactly am "I", and who is "another in my place"?

[Urwen]

Earnur, who rode out to meet the Witch-King, and never returned.

[Nerwen]

Yup!

But if "I" am Eärnur and "they" are the Stewards, "another" is...?

[Urwen]

Mardil

(Or Aragorn)

[Nerwen]

Aragorn it is... the whole being from the point of view of a hypothetical ghost of Eärnur.

Over to you!

[Urwen]

Ere the Light came, we were there
Long ago our reign had started
These lands we ruled together
And we believed that our designs couldn't be thwarted

Two children we called our own
One of our body, the other in our mind
And though both of them fell down
Only one shall continue our line

Here did we dwell
Till greed overtook me
While this is farewell
I pray that we shall meet once more

[Urwen]

If you refuse to play because w/me further because of what happened yesterday, know that I am sorry.

[Urwen]

Another bump

[Nerwen]

Originally Posted by Urwen

If you refuse to play because w/me further because of what happened yesterday, know that I am sorry.

Well, it's really not me you need to apologise to, is it? Anyway, I'm not refusing to play with you, I've just been busy.

[Nerwen]

My guess is that the speaker is Thingol, addressing Melian:

Ere the Light came, we were there
Long ago our reign had started
These lands we ruled together
And we believed that our designs couldn't be thwarted -They ruled their realm in Middle-earth before the rising of the Sun and Moon.

Two children we called our own
One of our body, the other in our mind
And though both of them fell down
Only one shall continue our line -The child of the body is Lúthien. The other might be Túrin, whom they fostered.

Here did we dwell
Till greed overtook me
While this is farewell
I pray that we shall meet once more -Thingol's obsession with his Silmaril led to his murder by the Dwarves of Nogrod.

[Urwen]

I know, that's why I did it in public.

And correct.

[Nerwen]

Sorry for the hiatus. Here's the new one:

Sailing past the place of doom
Underneath the sickle moon
A captain and a crew of ten
Long kept in the speech of men.

Alas, the kitchen grew too hot-
Still, we've got this lovely yacht!
You take the mast, I'll take the prow-
Who'll say that we hate water now?

[Urwen]

Beruthiel and her ten cats (nine black & one white) . It is probably the cat on the prow speaking to the one at the mast. Beruthiel is 'the captain', of course. Place of doom is Umbar. And it's common knowledge that the cats hate water, though not all the time.

I have no idea about the sickle moon, though.

[Nerwen]

Correct!

For the bit that was puzzling you: "The ship was last seen flying past Umbar, under a sickle moon."

And I'm aware not all cats hate water- mine loves rain, actually, but then she's rather odd, even for a cat.

Over to you.

[Urwen]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Correct!

For the bit that was puzzling you: "The ship was last seen flying past Umbar, under a sickle moon."

And I'm aware not all cats hate water- mine loves rain, actually, but then she's rather odd, even for a cat.

Over to you.

Ah, TG only says that it went flying past Umbar, and says nothing about the sickle moon.

[Urwen]

What you saw wasn't me
Though it was me you had hoped to see
He had deceived thee
And now, you'll join me

[Galadriel55]

Eilinel talking to Gorlim? He was promised his wife and saw her ghost, was thus tricked by Sauron to betray his comrades and joined his wife in death.

[Urwen]

Yes.

[Galadriel55]

This one was inspired by a couple of Pitchie's old riddles. Please forgive the small element of plagiarism.



Sister, dark sister,
Born in the North.
I don't wound but bring sorrow,
You kill but bring mirth.

Sister, dear sister,
Born in the South.
You signal: start battle!
I put battle out.

Sister, dark sister,
Fly swiftly away!
You go towards foe,
I to friends ride away.

Sister, dear sister,
In scarlet adorned.
You're mightier than the pen,
I'm mightier than the sword.

Please give a reasoning for your answers and try to explain as many elements as you can. Happy riddling!

[Nerwen]

Hmmn. I think one of the elements- the sister "born in the south" might be Gondor's signal-beacons. The other... hmmn... maybe the banner Arwen made for Aragorn? Explanation to follow.

Edit... no, wait- it's the Black Arrow and the Red Arrow, isn't it?

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Edit... no, wait- it's the Black Arrow and the Red Arrow, isn't it?

Yes it is! Can you explain?

[Nerwen]

Sister, dark sister,
Born in the North. -Black, made by the Dwarves of Erebor.
I don't wound but bring sorrow, -The Red Arrow is "a token of war".
You kill but bring mirth. -The Black Arrow killed Smaug. Yay!

Sister, dear sister,
Born in the South. -In Gondor.
You signal: start battle!. -See: "token of war".
I put battle out. -See: killed Smaug. (Though this led to further conflict).

Sister, dark sister,
Fly swiftly away!
You go towards foe, -Towards the Dragon.
I to friends ride away. -To Rohan.

Sister, dear sister,
In scarlet adorned. -With the tip painted red.
You're mightier than the pen -A powerful and instantly comprehensible "message".
I'm mightier than the sword. -Arrow > sword vs. flying enemy.

[Galadriel55]

Absolutely! Spot on!

Over to you now.

*gallivants off to the Smaug-killing party. Yay!*

[Urwen]

Lord, the last to look at me
What do you see?
Do you see me as your love's killer
Even though I set her free?

Lord, don't blame me
For what has happened here
Know that I've spared her further pain
And that you might meet her again

[Urwen]

No takers?

[Urwen]

[Huinesoron]

Oh, is it Glaurung to Turin? I was thinking 'a weapon', which took me onto Gurthang, which took me to that moment.

hS

[Urwen]

You got the right tale, though the speaker isn't a living thing. Or rather, it's a place 'speaking' to a person.

[Urwen]

Would you like an easier riddle?

[Pervinca Took]

Maybe a hint instead?

[Urwen]

Like I said, it's a place speaking to a person, and it's in CoH. Take a look at how the person is addressed.

[Pervinca Took]

It would be Turin looking at the place where Nienor leapt to her death - Cabed-an-aras or however it's spelled, wouldn't it?

[Urwen]

Cabed-En-Aras is indeed the speaker, so I'll give it to you. However, Lord is not Turin, but Brandir, Lord of Brethil, who was the last person to gaze upon it before its name was changed, and who was in love with Niniel.

[Pervinca Took]

Thank you.

Have just made this one:

I was there to give a message
I could help to make some more
In Cockney slang it would be cruel
But here, unknown is Cockney lore.

[Urwen]

In Cockney, Cruel is Lawd Above.