Cryptic Prophesies

[Nifft]

Tonight I ate a fortune cookie, and what was inside? Absolutely ambiguous advice:

When you promise someone something, keep it.​

Am I supposed to keep the promise, or the something? In that spirit, let's hear more "magician's choice" prophetic utterances.

If you attack Athens, you will destroy a great empire.​

Check.

When you see a fork in the road, take it.​

Too obvious to use in a game, but good for a chuckle.

Shout thee "Grow", and thou wilt.​

Heh, heh, heh. (Original content.)

So what amusingly ambiguous riddles / prophecies / etc. have you used in your games?

Cheers, -- N

 

[Lord Xtheth]

Tonight I ate a fortune cookie, and what was inside? Absolutely ambiguous advice:

When you promise someone something, keep it.
​

I hate to be off topic, but you forgot the fortune cookie rule of adding "... In Bed" to the end of that.

 

[Psion]

The line from Krull...

A girl of ancient name shall become queen.
She shall choose a king,
and together they shall rule our world...
... and their son shall rule the galaxy.​

Which just happens to be true whether she marries the studly prince or the Cthulhoid beastie...

 

[TracerBullet42]

Well, if we're talking about fortune cookies...I have to share my fortune cookie story.

I was out to dinner with a big group of friends at an excellent Chinese restaurant in Northbrook. At the end of our meal, we all got fortune cookies. We decided that we would all read them out loud, just to share in a little bit of fun with each other. Someone pointed to me and said, "You start."

I opened my fortune cookie, read what was inside, and said, "I think everyone else should go first. Mine is really funny and will make everyone else's seem less interesting by comparison."

They told me to go ahead and just read it...so I did. In a bold voice I read aloud:

"Go ahead and be as sexy as you can."

I later had it laminated and am still carrying it in my wallet. It's the most hilarious fortune to ever come from a cookie, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Rechan]

Once I opened a fortune cookie and found the message "You will live in interesting times."

I got nervous, because I knew this was a Chinese curse.

 

[Dice4Hire]

http://www.wisdomportal.com/JS/RandomFortunes.html

if you have forgotten a cookie fortune

Mine today" Your wisdom has kept you far away from danger."

 

[Tarek]

"Everything will now come your way."

I like that, especially in mountainous regions.

Or "You will make a fortune with your friend"
... in an evil country that allows slavery.

For the top henchman (or any minion) of the Big Bad Evil
"Your talents will be recognized and suitably rewarded."

 

[Joshua Randall]

I once wrote a long prophecy that began with the phrase,

"Thrice three are the Words that were spoken..."

Now, the players intuited immediately that this could mean either (1) three words were spoken three times each, or (2) nine (3x3) words were spoken.

But just knowing that didn't necessarily help them... because they still had to decide which version was correct.

Spoiler

Answer: whichever version made for a cooler and more dramatic climax to the campaign -- this could be "players' interpretation was right" or "players' interpretation was wrong", depending upon my mood at the time!

 

[Nifft]

But just knowing that didn't necessarily help them... because they still had to decide which version was correct.

This is precisely the "magician's choice" I allude to in my post.

When used for good, it's a powerful tool! But I still need more examples. Feed me, people!

Thanks, -- N

 

[ExploderWizard]

One who questions training only trains himself to ask questions.

-The Phoenix