Let's write some riddles!

[Diamond Cross]

The trembling of the earth at Motara
That they will be the authors of a great conflict
Everlasting captive times what lightning at the top
Stricken by fear they will lead him to his death in the night

 

[Diamond Cross]

I think I'm a gonna win this:

RANDOM RIDDLE GENERATOR

 

[Rune]

I'm going to post the answers here in spoiler blocks, because I don't know when I will be able to log back on...and I'd hate to torture my fellow ENWorlders for untold lengths of time before giving the answers.

It is against my religion to give away the answer to a riddle, but to those who guessed, "self" on that first one, you are correct. I thought the last two lines would really give it away for my players, but they were stumped all week. They kept coming up with synonyms, but not the actual word.

In general, for game purposes, I try not to make them too hard, because, in my experience, the really hard puzzles and riddles only lead to frustration. This time, I gave it to them as a cliff-hanger.

That said, I'm going to go play that game, right now, so more riddles later. Have fun!

 

[sjmiller]

As someone who performs as an enigmatologist and who writes quite a few riddles, I must say that I enjoy using them in games. Unfortunately for me most of the other players in my game are also enigmatologists. So, I do not get to use riddles as much as I would like in games. I do, however, like to read, solve, and comment on riddles.

Another I just made up:

Beat this hero, he just grows harder,
Whip him and he stands up tall.
Babies love him like no other.
But if he stays too long, he's abhored by all.

I like this one, but the last line does not scan with the rest of the rhyme. For me, that detracts from it a bit. Perhaps the last line could read:

But long here he's abhorred by all.

That keeps the line short, in the same sort of rhythmic language as the rest of the riddle, and still gives the same imagery you desire.

 

[kilamanjaro]

I just want to know the answer to this one: Ten nails, ten lies, ten pallbearers true, take a little, leave a little, yet it hangs askew.

 

[Aberzanzorax]

As someone who performs as an enigmatologist and who writes quite a few riddles, I must say that I enjoy using them in games. Unfortunately for me most of the other players in my game are also enigmatologists. So, I do not get to use riddles as much as I would like in games. I do, however, like to read, solve, and comment on riddles.



I like this one, but the last line does not scan with the rest of the rhyme. For me, that detracts from it a bit. Perhaps the last line could read:

But long here he's abhorred by all.

That keeps the line short, in the same sort of rhythmic language as the rest of the riddle, and still gives the same imagery you desire.

Agreed. Upon further reflection, that last line is pretty clunky.


I feel like your replacement is good, but would replace it with:
"But ere too long he's abhored by all."

 

[Merkuri]

I made this one up a little while ago. I think it's pretty easy.

A city of stone where no one lives
Yet many will visit each day.
You'll come many times to see old friends
And then you'll come once to stay.

And I heard this one a while ago:

What's better than god, worse than the devil?
Poor people have it, rich people want it,
And if you eat it, you die.
What is it?

 

[sjmiller]

And I heard this one a while ago:

What's better than god, worse than the devil?
Poor people have it, rich people want it,
And if you eat it, you die.
What is it?

What does Man love more then life?
Hate more then death or mortal strife?
That which the contented man desires,
The poor have, the rich require,
The miser spends, and the spendthrift saves,
And all men carry to their graves.

It is greater then the gods,
Worse then the Devil,
Dead people eat it all the time,
and if live people eat it, they die slowly.

I would give an answer, but nothing comes to mind.

 

[Richards]

Merkuri's first riddle: I'm going to go with: "A cemetery."

Merluri's second riddle: I'm going to go with: "Nothing."

Johnathan

 

[Rune]

This is a great idea for a thread!

Thank you.

I concur that riddles are seriously underused. I'd love to incorporate them more myself, but I'm just plain bad at making them up.

It's really not that hard. Think of something and then find ways to obfuscate it. Kind of like "I spy."