TOPIC: Deciphering the Relic Fragment Riddle

Can't express how much I wish I'd been at Origins with you all!
So instead I'll have to jump in on the bandwagon of excitement a little late, to join you in wild speculation and eager anticipation for Relic Fragment fun at GenCon

Let's start a new thread which is just about deciphering the Relic Fragment Riddle, so folks' awesome ideas don't get lost in a thread filled with other speculations (loot drop ratios, fragment naming conventions, etc.)

Here's the Riddle as posted on TokenDb :


In days of yore, quite long before
The humans came to plunder more
A relic forged from goods of trade
By ancient hands the thing was made

Alas, for now, the method’s gone
To craft this fine phenomenon
‘Twas fractured by a hand of bronze
And now it’s just some polygons

When days are long and three stars bright
The Dark Knight comes with special sight
For bringing forth the pieces all
To eldest place before the fall

So gather now your goods abound
And bring them where the start be found
A myst’ry now that was foretold
With time, that knowledge shall unfold

Here's my crack at things..

In days of yore, quite long before
The humans came to plunder more

Could be referring to the time before Treasure Enhancing tokens?
Or before the Charm of Avarice?
Or just a nice rhyming way to introduce the riddle?

A relic forged from goods of trade --> Pretty clear reference to Crafting
Also makes me pretty sure we're dealing with an actual Relic here.
Meaning, not an older "Cauldron" stamped crafting recipe, or a recipe made with just completion tokens (even though I'd kinda like a Ring of Heroism reprint : )

By ancient hands the thing was made --> Feels like it's referring to a Relic which has been made in the past.
But it could also be a vague reference to some TD backstory. Like the way Artifacts were "made by the ancients"
Or.... it could be a very real reference to someone who is old making things. Possibly an older TD player, or a relative of the TD crew? (Some of Jeff's family helped make the original props for TD)

Alas, for now, the method’s gone
To craft this fine phenomenon

Referring to an expired Relic recipe?
Or something out of circulation like Arcane Recipes?
(I really hope it's not anArcane recipe, 'cuz that could get very out of hand)

‘Twas fractured by a hand of bronze
And now it’s just some polygons

Dice are polygons. But probably referring to the polygon shapes of the Fragments themselves.
The "Hand of Bronze" part interests me, though... have we had any TD monsters made of Bronze? Is bronze an important thing in Legend? I know of a statue with feet of bronze which fell, but hands of bronze not so much.
Or it could just be there for the Rhyme scheme.

When days are long and three stars bright

Pretty sure we're on the right track with this meaning "In the Summer"
But "3 stars bright"? ... has anyone checked the star charts coinciding with upcoming events?
Or is it stars on a map?
Or reference to Orion's Belt (which is Winter, not Summer)?
Reference to 3 star transmurtes? (But that's not a Relic then)
Reference to a 3-star hotel?
Or will these be revealed during the Con... Maybe there's a Prop which has 3 stars on it, and one lights up each day?

The Dark Knight comes with special sight

Since we've already had constellation references, is this a reference to the new moon & meteor shower?
Or does it mean Jeff found himself an *awesome* black knight's costume at a haunt show, and wants an excuse to wear it at the Con?

Does "Sight" mean an eyeslot token? Or referencing UV special effects? Or a holographic puzzle to solve at GenCon?

For bringing forth the pieces all
To eldest place before the fall

Seems pretty straight forward to mean bringing the Relic recipe fragments together...
And I agree with others who say "To Eldest place before the Fall" sounds like a reference to GenCon as the first location for TD, and being held late Summer, just before Fall.

So gather now your goods abound
Yeah, I feel like it's referencing Trade Good here, since they were also referenced earlier in the poem.
Pretty sure this will be a special Transmute. I hope it's not to mean that there's only one time&place to make this (because that'd such for volunteers who have assigned shifts, and for people who have event conflicts)

And bring them where the start be found

Sign in desks? Start of the adventure? Or some clue within the dungeon which will be revealed later?

A myst’ry now that was foretold

Has this already been foretold?
Is it related to the yearly MetaPuzzle?
Speaking of which - Did anyone see an East Clue this year? I was up early to look, but didn't see one.
All I have is the Christmas Clue...
Which may or may not be related to this at all.

With time, that knowledge shall unfold
This is reassuring, because it feels to me like there will be more clues yet ... we're not gonna be stuck with only what we have right now.

So, keep our eyes open I guess??

Thanks for all your speculation, folks.
....And Druegar, I hope you've got lots of Popcorn

Tons!
I've got so much popcorn, I may not be able to fly south for the winter.

"three bright stars could reference the summer triangle" I previously said in the other thread.
earthsky.org/?p=156768

But it could reference just about anything.

3 bright stars could be people. Could be a location.


I do think there are more clues to be revealed, but feel we are still missing at least 1 clue out there somewhere.

‘Twas fractured by a hand of bronze

Could be a reference to Jamy Lanister who had a bronze colored hand or Thanos and the snappening. In a less literally colored sense it could refer to Vecna, Torm or any number other hand themed d&d characters. But I like the idea of it being something from TD history a lot more.

jedibcg wrote: I...feel we are still missing at least 1 clue out there somewhere.

Druegar wrote:

jedibcg wrote: I...feel we are still missing at least 1 clue out there somewhere.

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Well we got a nod. Let's see if this works. Is it in either the Physical QTR sent to players, the tokendb, the www.truedungeon.com/transmuted page or your 'hidden' forum post?

I think your 'hidden' forum post actually points to a clue but isn't a clue isn't self. I don't have the QTR on me. I have poured over the transmuted page and the tokendb. So likely I am missing something.....or I am looking in the wrong damn places.

Could 3 stars bright mean the 3rd night?
The hand of bronze could be talking about a different relic

A few years ago a stone hand came out of the wall and took my red herring. So maybe a bronze hand will be the Person we look for

Any chance the number of relic pieces a clue itself? The ring of heroism needed 6 completion tokens....

I think three stars bright means we're going to need to shine three of those hangy neck light things on to something.

jedibcg wrote:

Druegar wrote:

jedibcg wrote: I...feel we are still missing at least 1 clue out there somewhere.

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Well we got a nod. Let's see if this works. Is it in either the Physical QTR sent to players, the tokendb, the www.truedungeon.com/transmuted page or your 'hidden' forum post?

I think your 'hidden' forum post actually points to a clue but isn't a clue isn't self. I don't have the QTR on me. I have poured over the transmuted page and the tokendb. So likely I am missing something.....or I am looking in the wrong damn places.

Wasn't there a completion token listed with blanks that didn't add up in the QTR?

it was a transmute. Druegar said it was a mistake, but he didn’t say why it was a mistake. Mistake because he wasn’t supposed to reveal that or mistake that there isn’t one.