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???

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

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.

Jim DelRosso wrote: I think it has something to do with making scantily-clad women hurl themselves from balconies.

Mordacc wrote: 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???

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

The answer is in my sig:

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.

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

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