Oil! Rises from the bottom - formed deep in the earth. Corrupted many - obviously yes. Caused civilizations and coups - of course.
And it's a huge environmental poison, which makes sense since it's a poison weird asking the riddle!
Works with anything produced by pressure in the earth, to be honest. Diamonds, gemstones, coal. Technically works for lots of things that are mined even if they're not formed underground.
Like ftl said, there can be numerous plausible answers. Oil is a great answer, but it's also a real-world answer and not necessarily a D&D answer (there's no widespread industry or economics tied to an oil trade in fantasy settings).
Even "power" (political) could be sensible enough.
Be very open to any reasonable enough answers; nothing kills momentum and table motivation than a riddle that stumps the players for more than a few minutes.
Oil! Rises from the bottom - formed deep in the earth. Corrupted many - obviously yes. Caused civilizations and coups - of course.
And it's a huge environmental poison, which makes sense since it's a poison weird asking the riddle!
Works with anything produced by pressure in the earth, to be honest. Diamonds, gemstones, coal. Technically works for lots of things that are mined even if they're not formed underground.
My answer was gold, but I like your answer better than mine
Like ftl said, there can be numerous plausible answers. Oil is a great answer, but it's also a real-world answer and not necessarily a D&D answer (there's no widespread industry or economics tied to an oil trade in fantasy settings).
Even "power" (political) could be sensible enough.
Be very open to any reasonable enough answers; nothing kills momentum and table motivation than a riddle that stumps the players for more than a few minutes.
The PCs will fight a poison weird if they take to long, so they aren’t slowing the game down if they’re really confused
I threw a poetry analysis riddle from a Sphinx guarding an entry last session; i just went from the players left to right for only one turn and luckily the 4th managed to answer it to avoid immediate combat;
they nevertheless endured 3 nearly fatal combat rounds for anoher reason (zone of truth), but were successful with a divine intervention. Good times.
So long as you are open to readonable answers i think that's the best way to go
My question is: what does this riddle add to the theme or plot of the narrative. Has the riddle been effectively styled in a way that it could only occur in the place where it is told - or is it so generically ordinary so as to have no significance other than a distraction from combat.
the former is cooler.
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Rule for drama. Roll for memories. If there isn't a meaningful failure condition, do not roll. Ever. (Perception checks, I'm .... clunk, roll, roll, roll, stop... 14, looking at you... maybe?)
I have to admit I was too slow to think of either oil or gold. If you want it to be easier, maybe there is a second stanza that you can pause before if someone already guesses?
(Also if you have a group of 4 or 5 people who think differently, they will probably have a much better chance of guessing than me alone.)
I have to admit I was too slow to think of either oil or gold. If you want it to be easier, maybe there is a second stanza that you can pause before if someone already guesses?
(Also if you have a group of 4 or 5 people who think differently, they will probably have a much better chance of guessing than me alone.)
I’m still hung up on why we’re personifying either gold or oil specifically as a man for this riddle. Is the Weird pointing them to a Mr Gold? Otherwise, riddles are usually worded more like “I rise from the bottom. Corrupt many who desire me. I cause both civilization and coup. What am I?”
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I wrote a riddle for my campaign I’m running, and I need someone else’s input. Here it goes...
”A Man rises from the bottom,
Corrupted many whom desire him.
Yet he causes both civilization and coup.”
—The Poison weird that knows riddles for some reason
Try to guess the answer to so I can see if I made it to easy.
Oil! Rises from the bottom - formed deep in the earth. Corrupted many - obviously yes. Caused civilizations and coups - of course.
And it's a huge environmental poison, which makes sense since it's a poison weird asking the riddle!
Works with anything produced by pressure in the earth, to be honest. Diamonds, gemstones, coal. Technically works for lots of things that are mined even if they're not formed underground.
Like ftl said, there can be numerous plausible answers. Oil is a great answer, but it's also a real-world answer and not necessarily a D&D answer (there's no widespread industry or economics tied to an oil trade in fantasy settings).
Even "power" (political) could be sensible enough.
Be very open to any reasonable enough answers; nothing kills momentum and table motivation than a riddle that stumps the players for more than a few minutes.
Boldly go
My answer was gold, but I like your answer better than mine
The PCs will fight a poison weird if they take to long, so they aren’t slowing the game down if they’re really confused
I threw a poetry analysis riddle from a Sphinx guarding an entry last session; i just went from the players left to right for only one turn and luckily the 4th managed to answer it to avoid immediate combat;
they nevertheless endured 3 nearly fatal combat rounds for anoher reason (zone of truth), but were successful with a divine intervention. Good times.
So long as you are open to readonable answers i think that's the best way to go
Boldly go
My question is: what does this riddle add to the theme or plot of the narrative. Has the riddle been effectively styled in a way that it could only occur in the place where it is told - or is it so generically ordinary so as to have no significance other than a distraction from combat.
the former is cooler.
Rule for drama. Roll for memories.
If there isn't a meaningful failure condition, do not roll. Ever. (Perception checks, I'm .... clunk, roll, roll, roll, stop... 14, looking at you... maybe?)
I have to admit I was too slow to think of either oil or gold. If you want it to be easier, maybe there is a second stanza that you can pause before if someone already guesses?
(Also if you have a group of 4 or 5 people who think differently, they will probably have a much better chance of guessing than me alone.)
How about...
”To have none of him is to have nothing,
But to have all of him is equally worthless”
Not sure how that helps? Having ALL the gold isn't worthless at all, it would make you the richest person in Faerun.
I’m still hung up on why we’re personifying either gold or oil specifically as a man for this riddle. Is the Weird pointing them to a Mr Gold? Otherwise, riddles are usually worded more like “I rise from the bottom. Corrupt many who desire me. I cause both civilization and coup. What am I?”