Riddles in the Downs

[Urwen]

Glaurung?

[Pervinca Took]

Huey, how do you put your text in that box? It makes it impossible for us to quote/paste it, but I can't see why you would want to prevent us.

[Urwen]

I can paste it.


I am Gold.
I take what I want, looking ever higher:
From the centre
To the east
Even to the west.
In the end I claim my desire, and am forgotten.
I am Gold.

I am Bejewelled.
I stride the decks, secure in my pride.
I claim blood
For my blood;
In blood I fall.
In the end my heirs are lesser and greater than I.
I am Bejewelled.

I am Wolf.
I claim a hand; I claim a throne.
I am denied,
I return,
I rule the winter long.
In the end I fall, avenging son slain by avenging son.
I am Wolf.



See?

[Pervinca Took]

Very helpful.

Or would be, if you said how.

[Urwen]

Well, you select the text, right click, click copy in the menu, then go to the reply window, right click and click paste.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

Huey, how do you put your text in that box? It makes it impossible for us to quote/paste it, but I can't see why you would want to prevent us.

I think it's just a quote box without any name on the quote.

Checking my theory now.

I am turned off by the word "decks", cause it seems to imply a ship, and all my potential answers were never involved with seafaring. Might help someone else though.

[Urwen]

I think that one of the answers is indeed Phary, but he's 'Gold' rather than Bejewelled.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I think it's just a quote box without any name on the quote.

Ah, yes, it is. I've been using it to set the riddle visually apart - didn't realise it was causing problems. Italics only from now on, I promise!

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

I am turned off by the word "decks", cause it seems to imply a ship, and all my potential answers were never involved with seafaring. Might help someone else though.

There is a definite seafaring connection for Bejewelled.

Originally Posted by Urwen

I think that one of the answers is indeed Phary, but he's 'Gold' rather than Bejewelled.

Correct! Gold is Ar-Pharazon the Golden. Expanding a little on why might help point towards the overall answer (and so, of course, I won't).

(Glaurung is none of the answers, for the record.)

hS

[Urwen]

Okay, so Bejewelled is probably Isildur, who escaped Numenor, and later took the Ring from Sauron. And the wolf is Sauron himself, who took that form in order to slay Huan.


Which means that the answer to the riddle is Numenor.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

Okay, so Bejewelled is probably Isildur, who escaped Numenor, and later took the Ring from Sauron. And the wolf is Sauron himself, who took that form in order to slay Huan.

Which means that the answer to the riddle is Numenor.

No and no, I'm afraid. Bejewelled and Wolf have the same connection to their characters as Gold does to Pharazon.

(Except in Bejewelled's case it's not quite that simple, because... ah, that'd be telling.)

hS

[Urwen]

Turin for Wolf?

[Huinesoron]

Not Turin either.

hS

[Urwen]

Draugluin?

[Huinesoron]

Not Draugluin.

'Avenging son' is literal in both instances - no metaphor allowed.

In fact, I think the only non-literal language in the entire riddle might be the use of 'centre' to describe Numenor. Might have missed some borderline cases though.

hS

[Urwen]

And that fits Turin better than anyone else.


Oh wait, I see.....It's not Turin, it's someone killed by Turin.

[Huinesoron]

It's nothing to do with Turin, I'm afraid. At least an Age off, if not more.

hS

[Urwen]

But there are no people nicknamed Wolf in Second or Third or Fourth age.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Urwen

But there are no people nicknamed Wolf in Second or Third or Fourth age.

I'm afraid you are wrong about that.

Well, not nicknamed. But I doubt they nicknamed Pharazon 'Gold' either (though the idea of Team Elendil using it as a codename for him amuses me now).

hS

[Urwen]

The closest I can get is Narmacil, from Narmo.

[Galadriel55]

Are you looking for Wulf, who attacked Rohan during the time of Helm Hammerhand? He had ambitions of marrying Helm's daughter and apparently had some connection to the royal line. Of course he was denied, returned with an army and stayed the winter. Both Helm's sons were killed in that war, though I'm not sure how that relates to avenging.

[Urwen]

If Galadriel55 is correct, then I think the riddle answer is 'Usurper'. In which case, the Bejewelled is Castamir, further corroborated that his name ends with elvish word for 'jewel'.

[Huinesoron]

Originally Posted by Galadriel55

Are you looking for Wulf, who attacked Rohan during the time of Helm Hammerhand? He had ambitions of marrying Helm's daughter and apparently had some connection to the royal line. Of course he was denied, returned with an army and stayed the winter. Both Helm's sons were killed in that war, though I'm not sure how that relates to avenging.

Correct. Helm actually had Wulf's father killed, 4 years prior to his invasion. And, yes, slight mistake: Wulf was assassinated by an avenging nephew (on a stealth mission, no less). But he was still a Son of Rohan, I guess?

Originally Posted by Urwen

If Galadriel55 is correct, then I think the riddle answer is 'Usurper'. In which case, the Bejewelled is Castamir, further corroborated that his name ends with elvish word for 'jewel'.

Spot on! Castamir was Captain of Ships, hence the 'deck' thing. His name is a bit of a pain, since 'casta' isn't an attested element (the wikis suggest 'cassa', helm), but yes, that was the Bejewelled element.

The first Usurper I found didn't actually make it into the riddle: Herucalmo, husband of Tar-Vanimelde, who siezed the sceptre in his own right and reigned as Tar-Anducal for 20 years.

Well done all round, and over to Urwen!

hS

[Urwen]

I am descended from the Blessed
From Greycloak, and from Silverfoot
From Lover of the Sea and from Seafoam
I descended from all of them and more

One of my ancestors was lusted after
By their close kin
And though I didn't want it
I was forced into the same kind of sin

I tried to escape fate caused by another
Our sins I have tried to repent
But it was all in vain
And to the bottom of the sea I was sent

[Nerwen]

Tar-Míriel?

[Urwen]

Originally Posted by Nerwen

Tar-Míriel?

Yes.

[Nerwen]

Urwen, I'm going to be on the road all of today and a lot of tomorrow, so if you have one ready, feel free to go instead of me.

[Urwen]

Here is a shorter one


Nine versus nine
A long road ahead
This road is mine
One which I must tread

[Galadriel55]

Sounds like the Fellowship and the Nazgul, with Frodo speaking.

[Urwen]

Yes. Should we continue, or wait for Nerwen?

[Pervinca Took]

I'm pretty sure Nerwen would say continue ... Galadriel has just guessed one, so it's her go.

[Galadriel55]

Ere elf sang or hammer rang,
Ere iron was found or tree was hewn,
When young was mountain under moon,
I was still whole, I dwelt alone.

Ere tree was hewn, they needed me.
A great force did tug at me,
But strong was my connection,
My land I would not leave.
From that day I was broken.

They came again to my domain,
And tree was hewed, and jewels were found,
And then no more they needed me
To leave the land, where I was stuck.
But I gave them protection,
I gave them a start.
I shall stay until I die,
They will all depart.


Have fun with it!

[Urwen]

Tom Bombadil?

[Galadriel55]

Not him.

[Urwen]

Rumil?

[Galadriel55]

Not him either.

[Urwen]

Eriol?

[Pervinca Took]

Am sure it's wrong, but I will try:

The Flame Imperishable.

[Galadriel55]

Not him either. Your answers so far follow a certain pattern. You could try exhausting the list, or... you could try thinking in a different direction.

Edit: crossed with Pervinca. This is in reference to Eriol.

[Galadriel55]

Originally Posted by Pervinca Took

Am sure it's wrong, but I will try:

The Flame Imperishable.

Sorry, cross-posted. I like this answer, but unfortunately it's not correct.

[Urwen]

Iluvatar?