The Black Book of Riddles

by MehtEkem

Summary:

Silence, my brother, the assassins say. What else do they say, and what might a visitor guess?

Notes:

The posing and puzzling of riddles is a convention of polite aristocratic Western society. Nobles and social aspirants collect books of riddles and study them, hoping thereby to increase the chances of their appearing sly and witty in conversation.

I offer no defense for the morbidity of this tome. It certainly seems unwise to write of the Dark Brotherhood, and yet, here we are.

(Please feel free to offer alternate interpretations in the comments and/or borrow these if you need to write a Black Door of your own. The more the merrier!)

Chapter 1

Notes:

Format: [riddles] dialogue spoilers

It is not a shackle.
It is not conscience.
It is not “your mother.”

What is the sternest guardian?

.rehtorb ym ,bmot ehT

---

It is not death.
It is not stubble.
It is not handpuppets.

What is the shadow of life?

.rehtorb ym ,feirG

---

It is not “it doesn't exist.”
It is not that ringing sound you get in your ears sometimes.
It is not Madness.

What is the laughter of the Void?

.rehtorb ym ,ytleurC

---

It is not cooling blood.
It is not to wear gloves inside your mittens.
It is not the core of an atronach.

What is the warmest secret?

.rehtorb ym ,yrautcnaS

---

It is not the tongue of an ungrateful child.
It is not shattered glass.
It is not a clever spy.

What is the sharpest of blades?

.rehtorb ym ,eoW

---

It is not childlike wonder.
It is not ingenuity.
It is not Restoration.

What is the magic of life?

.rehtorb ym ,noisullI

---

It is not “schlllick. Or thunk.”
It is not the ringing of sword on shield.
It is not a tortured scream.

What is the sound your blade makes?

.rehtorb ym ,gnihtoN

---

It is not Sithis.
It is not today.
It is not a blasphemous Graht-Oak carving.

What is a splinter of eternity?

.rehtorb ym ,deredruM

Chapter 2

Notes:

Format: riddles [dialogue] spoilers

“What is the sternest guardian?”

• A shackle.
• Conscience.
• Your mother.

---

“What is the shadow of life?”

• Death.
• Stubble.
• Handpuppets.

---

“What is the laughter of the Void?”

• It doesn't exist.
• That ringing sound you get in your ears sometimes.
• Madness.

---

“What is the warmest secret?”

• Cooling blood.
• To wear gloves inside your mittens.
• The core of an atronach.

---

“What is the sharpest of blades?”

• The tongue of an ungrateful child.
• Shattered glass.
• A clever spy.

---

“What is the magic of life?”

• Childlike wonder.
• Ingenuity.
• Restoration.

---

“What is the sound your blade makes?”

• Schlllick. Or thunk.
• The ringing of sword on shield.
• A tortured scream.

---

“What is a splinter of eternity?”

• Sithis.
• Today.
• A blasphemous Graht-Oak carving.

Chapter 3

Notes:

Format: riddles dialogue [spoilers]

“What is the sternest guardian?”

• The tomb, my brother.
• A shackle.
• Conscience.
• Your mother.

---

“What is the shadow of life?”

• Grief, my brother.
• Death.
• Stubble.
• Handpuppets.

---

“What is the laughter of the Void?”

• Cruelty, my brother.
• It doesn't exist.
• That ringing sound you get in your ears sometimes.
• Madness.

---

“What is the warmest secret?”

• Sanctuary, my brother.
• Cooling blood.
• To wear gloves inside your mittens.
• The core of an atronach.

---

“What is the sharpest of blades?”

• Woe, my brother.
• The tongue of an ungrateful child.
• Shattered glass.
• A clever spy.

---

“What is the magic of life?”

• Illusion, my brother.
• Childlike wonder.
• Ingenuity.
• Restoration.

---

“What is the sound your blade makes?”

• Nothing, my brother.
• Schlllick. Or thunk.
• The ringing of sword on shield.
• A tortured scream.

---

“What is a splinter of eternity?”

• Murdered, my brother.
• Sithis.
• Today.
• A blasphemous Graht-Oak carving.