How sacred is the Riddle Game?

[zedturtle]

So one of my groups, semi-ambushed by Forest Goblins, has responded with a surprise Riddle attack, courtesy of the Dunlending. How do folks think the goblins will respond?

[Terisonen]

They were to stop and trying to solve the riddle, as far as heroes don't try to sneak out of the encounter. Il they fail to solve the riddle, they will attack of anger, but let the heroes have the advantage.

[Stormcrow]

Do you mean, if challenged to a riddle-game, you have to accept? No.

But if you accept a riddle-game, you have to play it through without cheating, and you have to accept the consequences.

If you do cheat, you are Really Bad, and not in a good way. Cheating at a riddle-game is probably about as bad as breaking a binding oath. (Consider what oaths did to the men of Dunharrow, who broke theirs, and the sons of Feanor, who didn't dare break theirs.)

[cuthalion]

Tricky! I feel like your question could be asked as, 'Who's further towards the shadow on the scale of morality, Gollum or Orcs?' (Given that Gollum has feelings about the sacredness of the riddle game, but ultimately decides to break its rules.)

That's gonna take some thinking about surely!

[cuthalion]

Do you mean, if challenged to a riddle-game, you have to accept? No.

But if you accept a riddle-game, you have to play it through without cheating, and you have to accept the consequences.)

Agreed--if they are mid-ambush or something and you haven't had them accept yet, that's the easy answer.

But I guess its tricky given the Dunlending's cultural blessing, or is it virtue?. Will be interested to see how you handle this zed.

[zedturtle]

It's a Virtue, if we're thinking of the same one. But she doesn't have that yet. Still, it's a perfectly cromulent response and they're not in combat yet (both the goblins and the heroes picked the same hiding spot and they stumbled into each other). We're going to make a tough Riddle test and the results from that are going to guide the story.

[cuthalion]

Hmm . . . then you've lost me? You're just assuming the common speech means they can parley?

Not sure I'd allow it, unless I'm missing something. Even the Grim of Aspect virtue has the line 'So long as you keep Elves and Dwarves in your company out of sight (or bound as “prisoners”) most Orcs, Bandits and other foul folk will not attack you without cause.' Implying, even a Dunlending WITH the virtue doesn't just have an open line.

But I don't doubt your knowledge of the canon--what am I missing?

[cuthalion]

Feeling like I'm not being that helpful, so, since you probably don't want to actually debate whether or not they WOULD engage in the riddle game, I'll have a go at an answer to your actual question--how would they respond?

Forest goblins and Dunlendings . . . so maybe a Goblin-man wouldn't be out of the question if you're in that region? Maybe one could step forward, seeing a chance to trick the companions? Maybe the more rounds of riddles go by, the more forest goblins turn up, silently filling the ranks? Until the players realize their mistake?

[zedturtle]

Right now only the Dunlending and a Woodwoman are visible. The Dunlending started with a riddle and the Woodwoman is waiting to see the result (but says she's readying her axe anyways).

It's just such an oddball response to the situation that I think the goblins wouldn't know how to react. In a few hours, I'll know more.

[T.S. Luikart]

The Riddle Game is sacrosanct - it's why Gollum burned.