What Rhymes With…?
A trap no poet could resist
“Finally here…” Lugoth breathed, gazing around in admiration at the luxurious chamber before him. It was an impressive sight. The pillars and ceiling were covered in exquisite carvings, inlaid with gemstones. The walls were draped with huge tapestries, generously embroidered with gold and silver.
Only a few adventurers had ever made it to the top floor of the Tower of Enigma. Compared to the rest of the Ancient Towers that were scattered across the continent, it wasn’t especially dangerous — the monsters were weak, and there were only a few deadly traps. The trouble was the riddles. The place was full of riddles, written in verse, that had to be solved in order to progress up the tower. They changed every time someone came through, so it was useless to try and compile a list of the solutions. And many of them were difficult enough to make the average adventurer throw their hands up in despair.
But Lugoth wasn’t the average adventurer. He had become a tower climber in order to earn a living, but at heart, he was a poet. A wordsmith. An artist. Teasing apart the tower’s verses had been child’s play for someone with his intellect and understanding of language. And now he’d made it to the top! Let’s see those illiterate dunces back at the Guild try to make fun of him for writing poetry once they learned he’d cleared a tower single-handedly!
He eagerly read the tower’s final verse, which was engraved on the far wall of the chamber.
Along a steep and winding path
Beset by beasts' and guardians' wrath
Through night and day, fatigue and pain
Past cunning trap and verse arcane
Oh hero bold, you’ve journeyed long
Shown wisdom deep and courage strong
Each riddle solved and monster slain
To glory seek and treasure gain
So now to choose your heart’s desire
And end your quest with…
The rest of the line was missing.
“Victory’s fire!” Lugoth gave a nod of satisfaction. That was an excellent rhyme. He was proud of himself.
But when ten-foot flames started spewing from the floor, it occurred to him that perhaps he should have thought about his choice of words a little longer….
