A Riddle: Feedback Wanted

[Kafkonia]

Please tell me if you think this riddle is too easy/too hard/just right. The solution will follow in an sblock:

In the centre of the room you see two smooth granite cubes, each one a foot across. They are identical save that one has been split in two and one is intact. There is a solid-looking stone door in the far wall, and written above it is the following verse:

"If you can solve, by reason or guessing,
this riddle, then pass through the door with our blessing:
One of these stones you must cleave without breaking,
the second one you must remove without taking."

[SBLOCK]The two halves of the broken stone must be recombined ("to cleave" is an intransitive verb meaning "to adhere firmly", in addition to being the normal thing barbarians do) and the solid stone is in fact an illusion that must be disbelieved, thus "removing" it.[/SBLOCK]

Also, I was thinking of giving them alternate ways through the door (bashing it in, knock, what have you) and giving them some sort of temporary bonus as the "blessing" only if they solved the riddle correctly -- ie, they can pass through the door, but not with the "blessing" spoken of in the riddle.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I think you will be killed and eaten by your players if you give them a riddle that requires a deep knowledge of intransitive verbs.

 

[Crothian]

I think you will be killed and eaten by your players if you give them a riddle that requires a deep knowledge of intransitive verbs.

I agree. Unless you happen to be playing with a bunch of english majors.

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

I agree. Unless you happen to be playing with a bunch of english majors.

I was an English major and I'd be the first to stab him with a fork.

I like the physical imagery, but the solution not so much, sorry.

 

[Merkuri]

I agree with Dusty. That part's too hard. If you want to stick with it I would give the characters an automatic INT check (or an appropriate Kn skill, though I'm not sure what that would fall under) to notice the "cleave" trick. You should also note that the two pieces are lying apart next to each other, as opposed to a block that's just fractured, but still lying one piece on top of another (or touching).

I would also make the other block an image-only illusion so that anyone touching it will notice right away that it's not real.

 

[Ion]

I didn't get the riddle, but once I saw the answer, I remembered that "cleave" was used in that context in an episode of firefly...

SAFFRON: But you know! I'm to cleave to you.
MAL: To wabba hoo? You can't be here.
SAFFRON: Did Elder Gommen not tell you...
MAL: Tell me what? Who are you?
SAFFRON: Mr. Reynolds, sir... I am your wife.

While I don't know how much help the riddle itself might be, there are only so many things you can do with a broken stone, one of them has got to be "Lets try putting the halves together".

I think you could probably run it and see what happens.

 

[SiderisAnon]

How's Your Players' Sense of Humor?

Sadly, I guessed the whole sticking the pieces together in about 30 seconds. I've also had jobs where I dealt with large amounts of editing, so that probably makes me a slanted opinion. The "remove without taking" stumped me, unless the party had a source of acid or certain spells.

The real question is: Do your players really, really, really love riddles? If not, then you better hope they have a really good sense of humor. Most of the players I've gamed with over the years would be really annoyed with this puzzle, especially since the solution requires a knowledge of funky English.

The sad part is that most of my groups wouldn't have gotten the disbelieve part right, mostly because they'd have tried to disbelieve the existence of the room, the riddle, and basically the whole situation out of habit.

 

[AFGNCAAP]

Well, I like to use riddles, but using them sparingly. You also may want to give the players a dice-rollable "out"--just because the players may not be able to figure something out doesn't mean that the PCs would be incapable of doing so (kinda a reverse player-knowledge situation, if you will). An Int or Wis check, Bardic Knowledge check, or the like may be in order.

The use of "cleave" is a bit on the obscure side for most, I'd say. If you could find a synonym that can serve the same job (but maybe be a bit less obscure) I'd say go for it (though I really don't know how feasible that is).

As a possibility, if you want brainpower alone to solve a conundrum (instead of brainpower &/or a dice roll), then I'd suggest contemporizing the riddle, if possible. Have modern background knowledge/contexts/concepts in mind for the players solving the riddle.

Or, to be cruel, throw them a Rubik's Cube (or similar puzzle), start a sand timer/hourglass & say "Legitimately finish this before the sand runs out or all of your PCs are dead--and don't just peel off the stickers & reapply them."

Still haunted by the "OTTFFSSENT" riddle from the Red Basic Box set,

 

[Merkuri]

The sad part is that most of my groups wouldn't have gotten the disbelieve part right, mostly because they'd have tried to disbelieve the existence of the room, the riddle, and basically the whole situation out of habit.

Ah, existentialists, are they?

 

[Drawmack]

I do not think that is a fair riddle, but then again I do not know your players. I love riddels and I have found that when using them in game you almost have to tailor them to your players. One thing that is fun, is when you have two parters like this you can tailor parts to characters who don't really get along so that they'll have to work together.