D&D General Testing some riddles

[EzekielRaiden]

Actually, that's nearly better than my actual answer!

Spoiler: Answer

"A river" and potentially, if a named river has played a role in the game narrative, that specific river.

Also reiterating my ninja edit, I might suggest 'balmy' over languid. Languid is a kind or degree of motion, rather than a temperature.

Well, the idea with "languid" is that the sun lingers a long time in the sky on summer days...

Spoiler: Because why not

which is when icicles can't form (or if you somehow had one, it would quickly melt and disappear). Felt something like "balmy" (which I did consider!) would be too much of a giveaway for the cold.

 

[clearstream]

Well, the idea with "languid" is that the sun lingers a long time in the sky on summer days...
[spoiler="Because why not]which is when icicles can't form (or if you somehow had one, it would quickly melt and disappear). Felt something like "balmy" (which I did consider!) would be too much of a giveaway for the cold.[/spoiler]

That's a good point. I feel like a really good riddle has pieces that 'lock in' the answer, strongly confirming the best fit. Leaving other responses clearly weaker. Secondarily, it is satisfying if the riddle can be kind of surprising or contrary in a way.

Of the OPs, I'd most argue for revising the first. The second seems solid - not too easy or hard. The third seems too easy, if the popular answer is right. That said, it isn't wrong to have an easy answer first.

What I find most dissatisfying is when a riddle has elements that argue against the answer. One might sort of see how an answer fit, but it doesn't feel locked-in... it just feels like an arbitrary choice from among possible matches.

 

[Quickleaf]

So will you spoil your actual answers? I think that other's answers to the second one are better than mine. The third seems to have consensus. I dislike the most popular answer to the first because the wording seems (to me at least) to rule it out e.g. you might well find me in a dish. Hence I prefer my answer to the first. But what was yours?!

Absolutely! Thanks everyone for taking the time to post your answers.

1st Riddle
I may come from an insect or from a fish, but you’ll not find me in a dish.
I may come with a sting or bite, and I may come at day or night.
But those who know me best, are sure to pass this lethal test.

Spoiler

The answer I was aiming for is "venom", which is specifically an injected poison coming from a creature like a spider or a blowfish. @prabe got it right. This is distinguished from an ingested poison. That's why I wrote "you'll not find me in a dish" @EzekielRaiden. The intent of the riddle is to lull players into false confidence by answering incorrectly: poison. When it's actually more specific than that.

Daytime critters like bees can sting, and so can nighttime critters like centipedes.

The best way to treat a snake bite - or any poisonous bite/sting - is to clearly identify what bit or stung you, and then get specifically targeted antivenom (antitoxin in 5e parlance).

Definitely open to suggestions to make it more clear.

2nd Riddle
Hated serpent flicking tongues, growing with each breath I take.
When I inhale with roaring lungs, I leave all things darker in my wake.

Spoiler

Like most of you guessed, my intended answer is "fire." I did want an easier one here to build back up the players' confidence/engagement after the somewhat harder first riddle. Also, unrelated to the riddle, but viper trees are vulnerable to fire – which if the PCs don't figure out on their own, this riddle can be a hint.

Now that I reread it with @clearstream 's answer of "storm" in mind, that kinda fits too. "Hated serpent flicking tongues" could be lightning, "growing with each breath" could be fueled by winds, "roaring lungs" could be crash of hard rain or thunder, "darker" could be cloud cover. Hmm. I'd totally accept that as an answer to that riddle.

3rd Riddle
I conceal friend and foe alike. I am a child of the rain.
A white serpent rising upon the land. Strike me and I feel no pain.
I gather at the meeting of cold dawn and warm embrace.
You may look upon me, but you’ll find no face.

Spoiler

My intended answer for the last one is "mist" or "fog", like most of you guessed.

Really great feedback that it took you a couple minutes @aco175 , whereas @TaranTheWanderer you got it after reading the first line. And then you guys were vice versa when it came to the first riddle. That feels like I'm close to the right difficulty level.

EDIT: Put my answers in spoilers!

 

[el-remmen]

Spoiler: My guesses (before seeing anyone else's)

#1: Poison
#2: Fire
#3: Fog or Mist

I think they are great riddles, tho!

 

[Iry]

Absolutely! Thanks everyone for taking the time to post your answers.

1st Riddle
I may come from an insect or from a fish, but you’ll not find me in a dish.
I may come with a sting or bite, and I may come at day or night.
But those who know me best, are sure to pass this lethal test.

The answer I was aiming for is "venom", which is specifically an injected poison coming from a creature like a spider or a blowfish. @prabe got it right. This is distinguished from an ingested poison. That's why I wrote "you'll not find me in a dish" @EzekielRaiden.

The distinction between poison and venom is not something many players will remember (though some will). More importantly, it's probably not terminology that would be frequently used in a fantasy setting (mostly just academics or medics).

Side note: Someone above posted Hook as the answer. That was really impressive.

 

[Rabulias]

Spoiler

The answer I was aiming for is "venom", which is specifically an injected poison coming from a creature like a spider or a blowfish. @prabe got it right. This is distinguished from an ingested poison. That's why I wrote "you'll not find me in a dish" @EzekielRaiden. The intent of the riddle is to lull players into false confidence by answering incorrectly: poison. When it's actually more specific than that.

Spoiler

An ill-prepared meal of blowfish could include the venom in a dish.