Eyes on Final Fantasy Forums > Final Fantasy: The Quickening > Final Fantasy IX > Final Fantasy IX Riddles... Three!?

[Jiro]

I never got home It's cool, you guessed right so go for it Quin

[Quin]

Riddle. As usual, I've slipped into some kind of ye olde dreamspeech. But whatever, you love it. xD

You sleep in lands of darkened sky;
a home away from home.
You hide from fools and demons
in places which they roam.

Outside are those who use you,
those ignorant monsters and mice.
But we looked closer and we did see
one minute piece of Taoist vice.

I hope that it's not too vague. I don't think it is, but I would say that as I wrote the bloody thing.

[FFIX Choco Boy]

Mognet Central?

[Rantzien]

You sleep in lands of darkened sky;

I'm guessing this is the Treno area, unless it's too obvious. It could also refer to the southern part of the Forgotten Continent, or possibly some FMV where the sky goes dark, although "lands of" suggests it's a more permanent state.

"Sleep" could refer to actual sleeping, or having died and being buried or similar here. Alternatively just resting/waiting.

a home away from home.

Suggests they live here but only temporarily or such; it's not their "real" home.

You hide from fools and demons
in places which they roam.

This could mean pretty much anywhere I guess, but I'm thinking it might have a more specific meaning. Maybe Zorn and Thorn was here or something (they're both fools and demons, really).

Outside are those who use you,
those ignorant monsters and mice.

This is interesting. "Those who use you" says to me it is some sort of machine or similarly useful item. Ehh I'll elaborate more later.

But we looked closer and we did see one minute piece of Taoist vice.

I know the absolute basics of Taoism but I have no idea what a Taoist vice would be xD I have to research this later when I have more time.

Agh I don't really have time to elaborate but is it Quan? I doubt it but oh well it's a guess and all. /half-done post

[TurkSlayer]

I figure that whatever it is would be in Burmecia., what with the monsters, darken skies, and most obviously, "Mice". Unfortunately, I can't seem to think of anything hidden there. Too long since I've played. The only person I can think of is Stilitzkin.

[Quin]

Originally Posted by FFIX Choco Boy ^

Mognet Central?

'Fraid not.

Originally Posted by Rantzien ^

You sleep in lands of darkened sky;

I'm guessing this is the Treno area, unless it's too obvious. It could also refer to the southern part of the Forgotten Continent, or possibly some FMV where the sky goes dark, although "lands of" suggests it's a more permanent state.

"Sleep" could refer to actual sleeping, or having died and being buried or similar here. Alternatively just resting/waiting.

Not Treno or any FMVs. It is, indeed, a permanent state. "Sleep" refers more to the actual sleeping than any death or burial, but technically both could apply now that I think about it, though only it the most broad of senses. However, for simplicity's sake (and because it was the original idea), you can safely assume sleep refers to sleeping without jeopardising your chances of answering the riddle.

a home away from home.

Suggests they live here but only temporarily or such; it's not their "real" home.

It is assumed that the answer does not live where you find it, because it's location belongs to someone else. However, no "real" home for the answer is ever mentioned in the game.

You hide from fools and demons
in places which they roam.

This could mean pretty much anywhere I guess, but I'm thinking it might have a more specific meaning. Maybe Zorn and Thorn was here or something (they're both fools and demons, really).

You're half right. Fools and demons refer to two different things, one of which is Zorn and Thorn.

Outside are those who use you,
those ignorant monsters and mice.

This is interesting. "Those who use you" says to me it is some sort of machine or similarly useful item. Ehh I'll elaborate more later.

You are right in saying that there is an item in use. However, the item itself is merely a way of finding the answer, and "ignorant monsters and mice" is an important line.

But we looked closer and we did see one minute piece of Taoist vice.

I know the absolute basics of Taoism but I have no idea what a Taoist vice would be xD I have to research this later when I have more time.

If you completely ignored this line you would be able to find the answer with the rest of the riddle. This is more of a cryptic clue than the traditional riddle, mostly put in for my own enjoyment. And because I think it's quite clever.

Agh I don't really have time to elaborate but is it Quan? I doubt it but oh well it's a guess and all. /half-done post

Not Quan, no. Thanks for the reasoning though.

Originally Posted by TurkSlayer ^

I figure that whatever it is would be in Burmecia., what with the monsters, darken skies, and most obviously, "Mice". Unfortunately, I can't seem to think of anything hidden there. Too long since I've played. The only person I can think of is Stilitzkin.

Yes, it is in Burmecia.
No, it is not Stiltzkin.

My answers here were intentionally vague. As the riddle goes on however, I will give out more specific and clear clues to speed the thing along a little.

To sum up:

• Not Mognet Central.
• Not Quan.
• Not Stiltzkin.
• The area you should be concerned with is Burmecia.
• "Sleep" refers more to actual sleeping. However, it can refer to burial, though it would be stretching the definition somewhat.
• "Fools and demons" partially refers to Zorn and Thorn.
• An item is used, though the item itself is not the answer.
• The last two lines are cryptic clues, and are separate from the rest of the riddle. However, they can be used to figure out the answer.

[Rantzien]

Is it the key item, Protection Bell?

You sleep in lands of darkened sky;
a home away from home.

"Sleep" because it's hiding under a bed, in Burmecia.

You hide from fools and demons
in places which they roam.

Either Zorn or Thorn (fools) and Black Mages (demons) were in this room before, as you saw when they came out on the balconies (what were they doing in there, anyway? Why did they run back inside to escape? That place is a dead end xD)

Outside are those who use you,
those ignorant monsters and mice.

There are monsters and "mice" outside the house... Yeah, that's the best I can think of here.

But we looked closer and we did see
one minute piece of Taoist vice.

Possibly referring to the text on the bell:

"We seek the meaning of life because we are mortal."
=Philosopher Minu=

[Quin]

I'm gonna have to give it to you for that one. It's actually Philsopher Minu, not the Bell.

You sleep in lands of darkened sky; - Under a bed in Burmecia.
a home away from home. - If I remeber rightly, the room belongs to the King.
You hide from fools and demons - Hiding under a bed *giggle*. From fools (Zorn and Thorn) and demons (Black Mages).
in places which they roam. - Yeah, what Rantz said.

Outside are those who use you,
those ignorant monsters and mice. - The Protection Bell is used to continue through the door. As the black mages and Burmecians have managed it, we can assume they used a Protection Bell. Also, they are ignorant because I'm pretty sure they don't have Key Items lists.
But we looked closer and we did see
one minute piece of Taoist vice. Taoist virtue is Te. Vice is the lack of virtue (lack of Te). Take away the only Te in the sentence and you get Minu. And you "look closer" in the sense that the only way to find out about Minu is by checking your Key Items.

Hit it, Rantz!