07.13j: Standing Stones

The goings on of courts
Wyvern
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07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by Wyvern »

Cassandra's riddle contest is starting, the sphinx perched regally* atop one of the menhirs that circle this particular floating island. There are a few orcs and people from other courts with invites, although one goblin did get kicked out for having an inappropriate riddle.

Alys arrives from the parcheesi games (and by way of the refreshments tables), a plate in one hand heaped with cold cuts and bits of bread and cheese. She pauses at the outer ring of runed monoliths, listening, but apparently not inclined to participate**.

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* Also (seemingly) precariously. Cats.
** Or, rather, not inclined to participate beyond the single riddle encoded in her garments.
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Joshua
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by Joshua »

Cassandra will ask the group,

"There is a story that a man and not a man
Saw and did not see a bird and not a bird
Perched on a branch and not a branch
And hit him and did not hit him with a rock and not a rock.
How is this possible?"

And there will be pondering*.
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*: You can probably find the answer online... I'd recommend not cause I'm not that good at these OOC... Although if you have a desire to play, we can make it a test of psyche.
Wyvern
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by Wyvern »

Alys has no particular interest in playing in the riddle contest - she's here to listen, and observe, and perhaps take note of any particularly quick-witted participants that might be worth talking to later.

Oh, and she's also here to eat what she brought with her from the refreshments table; though she's trying (and largely succeeding) not to show it, she's still injured from her part in Rogbar's rescue earlier that day, and healing via shapeshifting is hungry work.
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Joshua
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by Joshua »

NPCs interact among themselves*....
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*: Seriously, I'm not coming up with multiple guesses and riddles if there's no PCs there to watch or care. Alys, I know you're a PC but yeah, do you want there to be interesting people? You notice some. We can make them up when they become relevant.
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ShadowOfPreservation
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by ShadowOfPreservation »

Lyra and Rasanam make their way over after an intense game of Go. Having missed the initial riddle, she asks for it to be repeated before considering it for some time. "That's a bit strange. For the man to be a man but not a man I can think of a few things...a woman in disguise dressed up and pretending to be a man perhaps? Or a eunuch? For the rest I'd say he was looking at a reflection of the bird, thus seeing the bird and branch but not seeing the actual bird and branch. He throws a rock to his the bird but while it strikes the bird in the image, the mirror shatters and the actual bird flies away. Am I close?"
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by Rasanam »

Rasanam follows along with Lyra; for the moment he's quiet, but a glance at his sketchbook would show a quick drawing of a man, a bird, and a tree, a calm pond or river reflecting the scene above, and a stone in mid-skip across the waters. The bird looks unimpressed.
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by ShadowOfPreservation »

After a few moments, she takes notice of Alys' dress and stares for a moment before smiling. Pitching her voice low, she says to Alys:
"Able to die but not alive?
Unable to drink, but in eating thrive?
Dancing but without voice to sing?
It seems to me that fire's the thing.
I really hope that's right otherwise I just made a huge fool of myself."
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by Wyvern »

Alys nods and smiles and replies in a similar low tone. "The riddle I brought is simple; the complexity is in reading it - or even noticing its presence. I expect that anyone capable of that should have no trouble working out the answer."

After a moment she adds, her voice still pitched not to carry, "I would have addressed Cassandra's riddle with 'a man and his shadow'*, but a reflection should work just as well. One answer among many."

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* OOC credit for this answer goes to Draylen.
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ShadowOfPreservation
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by ShadowOfPreservation »

Lyra smiles and gives Alys a nod. "I'm not sure I would have noticed had my mind not been on riddles already. And I like your guess better than mine actually. It certainly makes more sense than my elaborate mirror scenario. The shadow of the rock may appear to connect with the bird while the actual throw misses the target. I'd always thought of riddles as having a single proper answer but perhaps not all are like that, whether intentionally or not."
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Re: 07.13j: Standing Stones

Post by Draylen »

The bear wandered over from the musicians after a time. He looked a little morose, but shook it off, glancing at Alys' apparel with a small blink. He made a beeline over, a thoughtful expression on his face, saying as he approached:

“What man controls and beasts may fear
The whisper warms, the roar will sear
Lightly laughing in its cage
But step inside and it shall rage
Beloved friend or fearsome devil
Treat with caution, life prevails.”

He shakes his head a little, a faint smile on his lips, and stretches, glancing at the sphinx. "So, what's the current riddle?" he asked Alys.
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