A challenge to all. Can you decipher this message? :-)

[Kaelynna]

I wanna see if anyone can decipher this and solve my epic puzzle. I plan on using this in my upcoming epic module.

Enjoy!
- Kaelynna Thelanthra.


An old and wizened man addresses the patrons of the World Serpent Inn, spinning his tale of forbidden lore. You, as well as the other patrons, listen on in utter bewilderment. It appears this man may have had a little too much to drink or has completely lost his mind…but you and everyone else listen on nonetheless.

“Ahem. First, from the present world I advise getting a good night’s sleep so that you can remember where to find the fleet proposal. Without the fleet proposal, you cannot enjoy the soaring freedom and locate the freedom theatre yeah. Be careful though, the stammered earth pet may lead you to the real farm, so proceed with caution! I wouldn’t advise traveling to the real farm. A place known as the ornately fitted ice is where you truly want to journey.

According to the natured gnomes and the minstrels poem that reside at the ornately fitted ice, you must find the lion’s scepter. To find this, you must travel through a portal located somewhere in the ornately fitted ice. Once you pass through this portal, you must then bypass the foiled hellcat. Remember what the natured gnomes and the minstrels poem told you so the flesh knight leonine and his army won’t vanquish you.

The lion’s scepter is hidden deep underneath the foiled hellcat. Once you locate the lion’s scepter, do what the natured gnomes and the minstrels poem told you to do. Have faith! The flesh knight leonine cannot stop you, for you have been chosen!

If you do everything correctly, you will then find your way back to the ornately fitted ice, and your epic quest will then be complete!”


The old and wizened man then clears his throat and sings the following lyrics. You and the other patrons simply shake your heads while pondering the nonsensical rantings of this mad man.

Oh how I love the
let me count the ways
9 to be exact!
For after every the…
2 becomes 2
2 becomes 3
2 becomes 3
2 becomes 3
3 becomes 4
3 becomes 2
2 becomes 2
2 becomes 2
3 becomes 3.

Oh how I love the
let me count the ways
9 to be exact!
For after every the…
2 becomes 2
2 becomes 1
3 becomes 3
2 becomes 2
3 becomes 3
2 becomes 3
2 becomes 2
2 becomes 1
3 becomes 4.

Oh how I love the
let me count the ways
6 to be exact!
For after every the…
2 becomes 2
2 becomes 3
2 becomes 2
2 becomes 2
2 becomes 1
3 becomes 4.

Oh how I love the
let me count the ways
1 to be exact!
For after every the…
3 becomes 3.

And that is the end of my love for the.

The old and wizened man bows before his audience and then departs the common room.

 

[Apok]

I find it interesting that, for every instance of the word "the" that appears in the speech it is followed by a word that makes very little sense.

I've only counted 25 instances of the word "the" in the poem, yet the little "number becomes number" rant lists 26 juxtapositions. Of course, it's early & I haven't had any coffee yet.

My guess is that it's some kind of cipher in which the nonsense words are hiding the real meaning and that "Ode to the" is the key to making sense of it. I'll see what I can do with it once I get some bean-juice in me.

Edit; typos, the death of me...

 

[rounser]

I plan on using this in my upcoming epic module.

Epic level, eh?
*casts Wish*
I wish that I know the answer to the riddle I just heard.

 

[Magius del Cotto]

Hm... Likely, the "song" is directions to the "fleet proposal", which, unless I miss my guess, leads to a floating city of some sort, or is a scroll of fly, allowing access to said city. There, an earth elemental (the "stammered earth pet") waits to guide you, but you should be wary, for it's as likely to lead you astray as it is to take you where you want to go. Instead, you should follow the directions in the second verse of the song, which will lead you to an ice palace, where you'll find some gnomes, and a poem of some sort (probably another riddle), which will tell you how to get to the "Lion's Scepter". Follow the third verse to find the portal, then heed what the gnomes and the poem told you to find the scepter and unlock it's power, possibly to stop an invasion of some sort. Follow the directions in the final verse of the song to return to the palace of ice, and end the quest.
The song directions are, I think, left for distance (until a landmark), and right for direction, so "2 becomes 3" could mean something like "2 miles south", or somthing similar.
So, am I almost exact, or so far off I'd need a miracle to find out where the path is and a wish to get back on it?

 

[Kaelynna]

Ahhhhh, you are very close

Originally posted by Apok
I find it interesting that, for every instance of the word "the" that appears in the speech it is followed by a word that makes very little sense.

I've only counted 25 instances of the word "the" in the poem, yet the little "number becomes number" rant lists 26 juxtapositions. Of course, it's early & I haven't had any coffee yet.

There are only 25 instances of the word the. You are on the right track. I'll give a hint, the numbers mean the following: '2 becomes 2 means" that 2 words turn into two different words. *coughs anagram coughs*

My guess is that it's some kind of cipher in which the nonsense words are hiding the real meaning and that "Ode to the" is the key to making sense of it. I'll see what I can do with it once I get some bean-juice in me.

You are correct

 

[RyanL]

Present World = World Serpent Inn. 2 words becomes three words. Anagrams somehow come into play here.

 

[Kaelynna]

This is great!

You are wayyyyyyyy off, but I love it! I'm going to have an npc at some point recite everything you just said as her conclusion! This is delicious!

Thanks! hehehe.

- Kae.

 

[Kaelynna]

Present World = World Serpent Inn. 2 words becomes three words. Anagrams somehow come into play here.

You got it! I actually messed up though and edited the original text. 2 becomes 2. Present World = World Serpent. But otherwise, you hit it dead on.

The other words are the following:
Present World = World Serpent
Fleet Proposal = Portal of Sleep
Soaring Freedom = Region of Dreams
Freedom Theatre Yeah = Eye of the Dreamheart
Stammered Earth Pet = Dreamheart Tempest
Real Farm = Far Realm
Ornately Fitted Ice = Citadel of Eternity
Natured Gnomes = Dungeon Master
Minstrels poem = Implementors
Lion’s Scepter = Serpent’s coil
Foiled Hellcat = Citadel of Hell
Flesh Knight Leonine = King of the Nine Hells

 

[RyanL]

Hey, you gave away the answer! I could have wasted at least another hour figuring it out, but now I have to do some actual work.

-Ryan

 

[Kaelynna]

hehehe

Hey, you gave away the answer! I could have wasted at least another hour figuring it out, but now I have to do some actual work.

-Ryan

hehehe, I just wanted to see if my puzzle was 'solveable'. It appears that it is. It will take time of course to decipher the anagrams, but I think I'm comfortable with the difficulty of it.