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Riddle I don't have a clever answer for


Urlord

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Hello all,

 

In last weekend's game session, the players were given a riddle to solve by a mischievous spirit just before the game session ended. I came up with it off the top of my head (or pulled it out of my a$$) and I don't have a clever answer to it. I'm looking for your help.

The riddle is:

 

What do you give that can't be given?

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Time.

 

You can spend it, use it, waste it-- after a fashion, you "give" it by spending it with or doing for someone else.

 

But when you're done, even though you've given it, they don't have it.  It can't be caught, stopped, or regained.

 

I actually _like_ "heart" as the answer, but since it's taken

 

Ah, never mind.  I see someone else offered "time" as well.

 

Fine.

 

I'll just "second!" time, then. :D

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Here's a thought:

 

They're right.

 

Or they're wrong.

 

I mean, I don't know what the riddle is the key to, but if it's important for them to get the answer right, and they've clearly mulled it over, etc, and the answer isn't some throw-away joke, then it's the right answer.

 

Conversely, they're "right enough" to warrant a hint or a second clue.

 

If it unlocks nothing, or if you've changed your mind about the timing of the event, then they're completely wrong and "I'll come back and see you when you've grown up a bit! Harumph!"

 

Just a thought, mind you.

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How about this:

 

 

They give a few answers, and the spirit replies-- well, let's lightly script it:

 

 

Player 1: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 2: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 3: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 1: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 4: answer

 

Spirit (becoming agitated): No.

 

Player 3: answer

 

Spirit: No. No-No-No-NO! Look, I've _tried_ all those! You people are no help at all! [leaves in a huff]

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How about this:

 

 

They give a few answers, and the spirit replies-- well, let's lightly script it:

 

 

Player 1: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 2: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 3: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 1: answer

 

Spirit: No.

 

Player 4: answer

 

Spirit (becoming agitated): No.

 

Player 3: answer

 

Spirit: No. No-No-No-NO! Look, I've _tried_ all those! You people are no help at all! [leaves in a huff]

:lol: I love it!

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Hello all,

 

In last weekend's game session, the players were given a riddle to solve by a mischievous spirit just before the game session ended. I came up with it off the top of my head (or pulled it out of my a$$) and I don't have a clever answer to it. I'm looking for your help.

The riddle is:

 

What do you give that can't be given?

"No answer"...?

 

"What do you give that can't be given?" "I give you No answer, freely" "But you gave me Nothing!" "Yes I did"

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What the answer is isn't important.

Does the GM want the players to give the correct answer? If yes, than whichever of these they come up with is the correct one, Ta-Daa!! And the story goes on. If the story is about what happens after the characters get the answer wrong, than no matter what brilliant piece of Philosophy they come up with is wrong.

A good GM, like a good magician doing a card trick always give the audience the illusion of choice while keeping control of the situation without letting them see it.

Besides if the spirit is truly mischievous, he'll probably have an answer that makes no sense at all anyway.

Remember Lewis Carroll asked " How is a Raven like a writing desk?" and never did supply an answer. People are still turning their brains to taffy trying to come up with an answer for that one.

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Remember Lewis Carroll asked " How is a Raven like a writing desk?" and never did supply an answer. People are still turning their brains to taffy trying to come up with an answer for that one.

 

Both have quills.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Neither has a palindromedary, usually

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Where we you a hundred and fifty one years ago?!

 

:D

 

You wouldn't believe me if I told you.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

The palindromedary says Lucius Alexander was selling a writing desk to this mathematician who already HAD a writing desk but claimed he needed a different one for writing nonsense than for writing mathematics and wanted it to be "more like a raven".......

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Both have quills.

 

Lucius Alexander

 

Neither has a palindromedary, usually

 

Both also have legs, but Carroll never put the answer he wanted in the book, which goes to my original point about not letting the player's search for an answer bog down the game in progress.

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