Riddles in the Downs

[The Might]

I immediately thought of Carrock, as the last mountain peak of the Misty Mountains in the East
It was also the last ford to the north, but there was another after him, the Old Ford
it knew the river (Anduin), but not the sea
Wicked hearts...wolves and orcs also used it
And the arms of stone might refer to Beorn who made the stairs on the Carrock
Hobbits (little folk) had dwelt in that area in ancient times (even before settling in the Shire)
you could see far away from there, including barren lands in just about any direction
it can't move, nor die...but three legs...hmm

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Well, until you know for sure, you can't be sure Maybe the legs are the most difficult thing to come upon, but you are still somehow on right track. I'm sure you'll be able to make it.

[The Might]

hmm...three legs

I'd say the Redhorn Pass...
Hobbits used it in ancient times to get to Eriador
it had three legs (the three Mountains of Moria)
and there was a river (Silverlode)
the rest is true as well
it is also the last pass to in the Misty Mountains, followed north by the High Pass

now I'm pretty sure I'm right

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by The Might

now I'm pretty sure I'm right

Tra-la-lah, no-no-no, wrong, wrong, wrong!
I can tell you that possibly it's better to leave the legs out until you check all the other things, the leg thing is something like the last ensuring point, something very specific. It is not essential for solving the riddle. But when you know the right answer, it's no problem to check if the "leg" part also makes sense, then you'll know for sure that you are right.

[Gil-Galad]

The statues of Isildur and Anarion on the Anduin coem to mind first




I'm the last, - Isildur and Anarion were both last sons of Elendil

though there's one yet after me. - refernece to Aragorn

I know the river - they stand on either side of Anduin

But I don't know about sea. - again, river

Wicked hearts and arms of stone I knew - they lasted during the turbulent years of gondor

as well as little folk in ancient time - hobbits tend to live among anduin

a wind from far and barren lands in view - brown lands on one side

With three legs; I can never move or die. - i remember reading how one of the statues was build into the side of a mountain, so they may have only carved one of their legs... i remember reading that, and they are statues.

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Good hypothesis, Gil-Galad, but that's not right.

If it were Isildur and Anárion - I'd say "we", not "I". I also think that "the one after me" meaning Aragorn would need, let's say, building Aragorn's statue in later times there. And yes, the hobbits lived near Anduin, but not near Argonath.

[The Might]

I didn't believe that at first, but it was as you said...I fount something to fit, and the legs fitted as well

The Bridge of Mitheithel

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Very, very, very, very good, TM!
I bow before you. Please continue the thread.

[The Might]

Thanks, though considering the last riddle it will be hard ot find one as good as that

Comely child, Periannath
Born beyond a time of wrath
Or yet perhaps a shining star
A pilgrim far from Eldamar

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

This is definitely quite... puzzling
Could it be Elanor???

I have to say that I'd like to ask you about the syntactic meaning of the word "Periannath", since it is plural, and if it concerns the "child" part, it should have been singular, "Perian"... Only other possibility which comes to my mind is that it is addressing.
Unless of course my answer is right

[The Might]

yes, you're right...though I had hoped it would take you longer to figure that out

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

And it took longer than I thought before I could make at least (I hope) somehow intelligent riddle. Since no one took the 10-day opportunity, know ye that I am back to present this:

Me and brother mine
by pure hearts we were born.
Strong and tall we are
though darkess took us both.

Bearer of fire he
while I bear twice our name
we stopped the men of fame
we're here to watch and see

Me and brother mine
so much close we are
but wall is between us
until the King's day comes.

Happy riddling!

[Elmo]

Tricky, tricky... is it Angrod brother of Aegnor? Or Boromir or Farimir

[Shards of Narsil]

I would say Isildur and Anarion

Total stab in the dark here as I am hopeless at riddles:

Fëanor & Fingolfin?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

So far, no answer right. But it's just the beginning, don't give up and keep trying...

[Elmo]

elrond and elros? huor and hurin?

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

I think better than blind "shots in the dark" (instead of riddles in the dark) is that if you have any hypothesis, you'd better verify it. I can assure you (as I am trying to do with all my riddles) that if you know the right answer, you'll have no problem to verify if the things in the riddle fit with it.

So, try again and if you want, you can share your ideas of what the parts of the riddle mean (or if you don't want to give a hint to others, you might keep it for yourself).

[Elmo]

i didn't want to embarass myself by showing everyone my reasoning i thought angrod and aegnor cause doesn't one of their names mean fell fire i thought boromir and farimir because they are tall men and fell into darkness tho farimir fell out of it elrond and elros cause a 'wall' separates themselves i.e. the fate of their races and hurin and huor cause they both fell into darkness huor died and hurin went sort of crazy and died as well

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Yes, I might add that I supposed this was the way your deduction went - and I might add that you chose a right course in the separate cases, but unfortunately, you have yet to find some answer which fits with all the parts of the riddle

This riddle is still far from solving - so everyone who happens to come by is welcome to try his skills

[Shards of Narsil]

How about Celegorm and Curufin?

I think they would both qualify to fit the first paragraph.

As for the second, Celegorm had a 'fiery' temper, and Curufin was named after Feanor, who's father name was also Curufin. They may have stopped the men of fame in their defence of Himlad which until the Dagor Bragollach they did very well.

Celegorm and Curufin were very close, in fact I have read that they were rarely if ever seen apart. As for the wall between us, I'm not sure how that exactly fits, but they both died at Menegroth in the attack on Doriath, so maybe there is a wall between them where they lie.

If this isn't it, maybe a small hint would help. For instance, are we looking at two sibling elves or men?

[Gil-Galad]

to me, i see Elrohir and Elladan... the darkness could refer to when their mother left them and they were sad... and they were ever present in the lives of man, mainly aragorn


but now that a read it, and reminding myself it is a riddle, Glorfindel comes to mind


Me and brother mine - both glorfindel could've been brothers
by pure hearts we were born. - as elves
Strong and tall we are - glorfindel has always been referred to as tall and strong
though darkess took us both. - glorfindel fighting blarog then fighting nazgul

Bearer of fire he
while I bear twice our name
we stopped the men of fame
we're here to watch and see - did not help the quest or men

Me and brother mine
so much close we are
but wall is between us
until the King's day comes.

can't really explain rest right now... but Glorfindel could be "time brothers"

[Shards of Narsil]

I'm not sure if Glorfindel fits the 'darkness took us both' part since the second Glorfindel wasn't taken at all, and was still doing quite well during the time of the War of the Ring wasn't he?

Any way, I think Legate needs to step in here and throw us a bone.

[Gil-Galad]

Originally Posted by Shards of Narsil

I'm not sure if Glorfindel fits the 'darkness took us both' part since the second Glorfindel wasn't taken at all, and was still doing quite well during the time of the War of the Ring wasn't he?

Any way, I think Legate needs to step in here and throw us a bone.

there are different explanations to "taken" my friend, it could be converted into the otherside like Maeglin, or it could be killed/imprisoned or even setback by the opposing force, it could even mean taken aback by surprise. maybe Glorfindel was surprised to see all nine of the nazgul chasing him

in conclusion, to really learn from teh downs, you must look outside th box

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Oh, very good, I didn't expect so much interest. So first, I have to inform you, that your answers, unfortunately, are not correct. But don't give up, I assure you that the riddle is not that hard.

Now, I was thinking about how should I give you a hint, but I don't want to give away much of it so that I don't rob you of the joy of coming to something yourselves
Personally I think it might help you to look at what structure my riddles have and what is the meaning of the words there - you might look at this one (answered later here by The Might) for comparison. I suggest you to try to think more of what meaning I give to different words, and how I use both metaphores and literal meanings in the riddles.

I don't know if it was of any help, but I don't want to give up much until you tell me you are really lost in it.

[Elmo]

I was thinking Arnor and Gondor because they were separated by a metaphorical wall until the great King came i.e. Aragorn its probably not right cause they did not watch and see...

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

You are right, it is wrong But I might say that you went further in one thing: for the first time you did not make one mistake which was in all the previous posts.

[Elmo]

So its not people.. hmm... i'll need to think about this one

[Gil-Galad]

Minas Tirith perhaps?

seeing how there was indeed two of them built with same name

i'll explain it further if it is right or if you are intrigued by my logic

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

It is not right, Gil-Galad, but I am interested I can imagine your explanations of most of the things, except: though darkess took us both (they were not both taken by darkness, I mean not both the same way), Bearer of fire he (which one and why?), while I bear twice our name (I am actually interested in how everyone takes this line in general), we stopped the men of fame (I am really confused here, at least in the case of the 3rd age MT), but wall is between us until the King's day comes (now this I'd like to see explained).

But as I said, it is wrong, so please others continue in guessing

[The Might]

I'd guess the Towers of Teeth

I am pretty sure I'm right. My answer is Carchost

Me and brother mine - Carchost and Narchost
by pure hearts we were born. - Built by Gondorians
Strong and tall we are - To keep anything from going into or out of Mordor
though darkess took us both. - they were taken by Sauron
Bearer of fire he - Narchost means Fire Fort
while I bear twice our name - Carchost means Fang Fort (carch = tooth, fang), and they were named Towers of Teeth
we stopped the men of fame - they stopped Frodo and Sam from going into Mordor, and the Host of the West
we're here to watch and see - they were used to keep an eye on that area

Me and brother mine - again
so much close we are - next to each other
but wall is between us - Black Gate
until the King's day comes. - when it was destroyed

good one btw !

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Well, I don't understand it, but when TM comes, every answer crumbles down like the Black Gate. Great!!! This is just unbelievable. Absolutely precise. Great work! You are to continue the thread!

[Gil-Galad]

since its not right, i will only anwser one of your questions Amon

for darkness took us both, first age Minas Tirith was of course conquered by Sauron, Third age Minas Tirith was more conquered by the mind, seeing how A) the dark cloud of mordor passed over minas tirith, and B) Denethor was gone mad due to this, so a darkness(evil) could've overcame denethor

the might and amon lanc are defiantely the new me and Rune... oh how i miss the good old days

[Legate of Amon Lanc]

Originally Posted by Gil-Galad

the might and amon lanc are defiantely the new me and Rune... oh how i miss the good old days

No one says the "youngsters" are here to kick you out... you... must... fight

[The Might]

well...ok, here is another one, though I must admit I am not that good at making riddles

We are friends of the Atani
And in forests we live
Our laughter is pure
But to Orcs deadly blows we give

[Elmo]

is it the druedain? they might be accounted for atani though or the dark elves?

[The Might]

I knew this was a bad riddle.
Yes, you're right, the Druedain it is.

[Elmo]

Here's one - I am much longed for but I am only a reflection
No fair folk can fail to be moved if they look at my direction

[The Might]

the Mirror of Galadriel?

[Elmo]

good guess but no sorry