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What do you think the Riddle is?

Started by Mordacc, February 05, 2003, 05:52:21 PM

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Mordacc

What do you think the Riddle of Steel is?  I think it is that your mind and you are the most dangerous weapon and that Magic and weapons are only tools.  Your Opinion???
The Riddle of Steel is that you are the weapon.  Swords, Magic, these are only tools.  Your most powerful weapon is the one between your ears.  When you embrace this, you will be invincible.

Jim DelRosso

I think it has something to do with making scantily-clad women hurl themselves from balconies.
JD

Stephen

The Riddle's answer is different for everyone:

What is worth killing for?  What is worth dying for?  What is worth living for?

Everyone has different answers for those.
Even Gollum may yet have something to do. -- Gandalf

Brian Leybourne

Quote from: Jim DelRossoI think it has something to do with making scantily-clad women hurl themselves from balconies.

I dunno... if I was an all-powerful god-like James Earl Jones warlord type guy, I could think of better uses for those scantily-clad women.

And anyway.. Steel isn't strong, boy. Flesh is stronger. What is Steel, compared to the hand that wields it?

Brian.
Brian Leybourne
bleybourne@gmail.com

RPG Books: Of Beasts and Men, The Flower of Battle, The TROS Companion

Bob Richter

Quote from: MordaccWhat do you think the Riddle of Steel is?  I think it is that your mind and you are the most dangerous weapon and that Magic and weapons are only tools.  Your Opinion???

You don't KNOW what the Riddle of Steel is?


HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAAHAHAHAH!

:)
So ye wanna go earnin' yer keep with yer sword, and ye think that it can't be too hard...

Ron Edwards

Hi Mordacc,

I recommend taking a look back at all the pages in this forum, just skimming the titles, and reading the threads that pique your interest. A lot of us have put a lot of time into addressing the questions you're bringing to the forum, and I'd like to think that all that work wasn't just an ego-driven wave-front but rather an archive that newcomers will find fun and valuable.

Best,
Ron

Darth Tang

The answer to the Riddle of Steel: use a bow. From behind a wall. While they're asleep. The Riddle of Steel is to stay out of reach.

Fallen_Icarus

Ive decided that in the campain that I am running the answer to the riddle will be in three parts.  All of these parts are story driven and have no tie to actual game mechanics aside from the fact that PC's realizing the Answer will no doubt have it reflect in their SA's.

1) To be not afraid to die.
2) To be not afraid to kill.
3) To be not afraid to let live.
A mind less hindered by the parameters of perfection

John Resotko

I've just picked up the game, and while I liked the the section on religions where the Riddle is discussed, I think that in running a game, I will let the players decide the Question and the Answer to the Riddle.

Here's my thinking:  I've run dozens and dozens of varying game systems over too many years.  The best games, and some of my best plot ideas, came not from any craftily built, multi-session, grand buildup to Ragnarok-like finale storyline, but by tossing out a few obscure clues, then taking massive amounts of notes while my players dicuss, decypher, and get amazingly paranoid and anxious about what those clues COULD mean.  You'll get more ideas from listening to good players speculate, in character, about their current quest, the area politics, the motivations (and possible plots/conspiracies) of NPCs they've already met, etc, etc...  With good, imaginative players, scenarios can write themselves.  Sketch out the big moves, the macro plot, and let your players help fill in the details as you write the story together.  Searching for the Riddle, and having it mean something unique and personal as relates to each player's Spiritual goals, could be more satisfying for all parties involved.

Like that old joke in the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: what's the answer to the Ultimate Question of Life, the Universe, and Everything?  Well, it's 42!  You know The Answer, only to discover that the Question (and how well formed it is) is much more important.

So, to any budding Seneshals out there, I say, give your players a few obscure answers, and watch them decided what the Riddle is, and give them interesting places to seek for it.  Then, while they aren't looking, take really good notes, of course.....

On a related note, I'm always happy to steal from better writers than myself.  I frequently borrow the questions from the Babylon5 RPG and television series as motivation for players:

Who are you?
What do you want?
Who do you serve, and who do you trust?
Have you got anything worth living for?  WHY?

Enough said.... ready?  BEGIN. And of course, remember the goal in Book Eight is for everyone to have fun.

John Resotko

Jake Norwood

John-

Here here. I agree. The longer I run TROS the less I prepare, and the more I watch the players and feed off of them. It's more fun that way, and less time consuming. On the other hand, I don't get to enjoy all the map-making and big conspiracies of yore, but that's an okay trade-off.

Jake
"Civilized men are more discourteous than savages because they know they can be impolite without having their skulls split, as a general thing." -R.E. Howard The Tower of the Elephant
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