D’art… would be the only one capable of healing himself.

"So this is your answer? That D'art heals himself? While this is a correct statement, it is not the answer to the riddle. Let me rephrase the riddle in a way which might clarify things to your mind, youngling:

There is a healer on an island, who heals those and only those stallions who do not heal themselves. Who heals the healer?"

Myrddin flicked his tail as he looked on, as it were, knowingly. He knew that life would eventually bring Zikar-Sin to him, for it was put in motion at the dawn of the beginning; each and every action from then until now, spoke of this moment. For had the FrostKing never encountered Myrddin that day in the Threshold, had his herd never been lost to the terror, had he gone left, rather than right when he was but a youngling himself, this day would have never come to pass. But of course, everything was already fixed; they were merely seeing how it played out. What would you have of me the youngling inquired.

"You too shall have to answer a series of riddles, young Zikar-Sin. Here is your first, you have three days to find an answer.

Imagine that each member of the Edge has been captured (all 20), and is being held in various locations throughout the Basin. They are unable to communicate with each other in any way, and are kept out of each's line of sight. Every day, Psyche comes and chooses one of them randomly, and brings them to a clearing. In this clearing, there is a stone, which is black on one side, and white on the other. Each Edge member that Psyche brings, has the option of either turning the stone over, or leaving it as they found it, or they can claim that all 20 members of the herd have been to the stone. If a member makes this assertion and it is true, they are all freed. If they make this statement and it is false, they will all die.

Before they are separated, they are given a moment to make a plan. What plan could the Edger's implement, to ensure that someone can truly make the statement?"

[OOC: For this riddle, please note the answer is not specific to Helovia.]

Myrddin shook his aging head with amusement. He remembered his fumbling attempts when he was but a whelp, considering this very riddle.

No Chernobyl, Kou, nor any other nurse is the answer. You were closer with your inclination.

[OOC: Hint. It has nothing to do with Helovia, I only made it Helovia-specific so you couldn't google the answer :O ]

Myrddin watched patiently as his young student immediately began to ponder the riddle. What he found to be especially curious was that they almost seemed reluctant to ask him questions, as if he would think less of them each time they clarified his challenge. Did they think he expected them to simply know the answer? While surely his riddles were prima facia answerable without extra aid, they were his students for a reason.

"The Lady Psyche may choose any prisoner she likes. So yes, she could take the same Edge Member twice in a row."

[OOC: Hint, all the other things Sin considered are irrelevant; the time of day, that they have food, the type of stone, etc.]

"Do not mistake the wording, young one. D'art heals those and only those stallions who do not heal themselves. I can say no more without giving away the answer. But do not over think your intuitions."

[OOC: Hint: Only D'art is capable of healing anyone...Honestly, I guarantee you're over thinking the answer, because you think it can't be what you're thinking.]

In moments such as this, Myrddin missed his sight the most. In the stillness that followed Sin's answer, Myr wished he could look upon his face. He reminded himself that in order to see again, he needed to get out more, to fulfill the quest of the Goddess. But even with the new eyes he was promised, would he be able to see emotion? Would it appear to him as an ebb or flow in ones life-force? That was a riddle he was very much looking forward to puzzling through.

Nevertheless, his great head nodded with approval. "Well done m'boy." He said, his voice bright with amusement. "Of course, one shouldn't be too certain; what if one of the prisoner's was a spy?" He shook his head to indicate that this was not a follow up to the riddle, merely something to be pondered, should he wish to. "You have 2 more riddles to answer before you shall be considered a Scholar of the Basin. Do you wish to continue?"

The aged stag listened with patience as Chernobyl sought to uncover his riddle. Perhaps this was too cruel, for her first test. After all, she was only a scholar, and any member of the basin could attain that rank. Perhaps he had been too presumptuous in assuming that simply because she had joined the visionary stream, that she already had the necessary foundations. Wearily, he shook his head, annoyed that he had already set up one of his students to fail. Teach her. he reminded himself, affording himself the same patience that he did with his students. Sighing, he placed his blind gaze onto her.

"You have thought yourself into a corner, Chernobyl, and I would be doing you no service if I let you stay there. You have had the answer all along, but could not see it. Let me explain:

Riddle: There is a doctor who heals all and only those stallions who do not heal themselves.
Premise one: d'Art is a doctor.
Premise two: If d'Art does not heal himself, then by the confines of the riddle, the doctor must heal him. However, d'Art is the doctor. Thus, as you said Chernobyl, d'Art would heal himself. So...
Premise three: If d'Art does heal himself, then by the confines of the riddle, the doctor must not. However, d'Art is the doctor, so he could not.

Thus the answer, my child, is that there is no answer. The riddle is a paradox. I meant this only to illuminate the need that we have to force a solution from mutually exclusive options. If you are to be a true visionary and philosopher, you must learn to follow the logic to where it leads, and not create an answer where there isn't one."

He chuckled slightly. He did enjoy this riddle, though perhaps it was too early, too tricky. Still, she would either learn something from it, or she would not. Time would tell.

"Are you ready to proceed, Chernobyl?"

[OOC: This paradox is called the "Barber Paradox"; feel free to google it if you aren't completely annoyed with it by now. :3 ]

Myrddin thoughtfully pondered his two scholars. In which direction should his teachings go? A crafty smile appeared on his whiskery muzzle, as he recalled one of his first philosophy lessons, when he was but a youngling himself. He recalled feeling so confident in his answers, that he fancied showing off a bit in front of the others, only to realize with growing dismay, how badly off track he was. It was memories such as those that kept him patient with his students. It was all too easy to chastise and become frustrated with answers that to his mind now, were short-sighted and argumentative. However, there was a time that even he had given such answers, as much as he liked to believe he hadn't. For some, the love of knowledge came easily and quickly, for others, it was an enchantment that they had to work to understand; but for all, there was something to learn.

Flicking his tail, he nodded his head slowly as his mind pieced together their next lesson plan. "Your next lesson shall be no riddle, and shall have three parts. For your first task, I would like each of you to name three things of which you are absolutely certain." He paused, waiting for their answers. In his youth, he had named 3 quite quickly, so he didn't expect Chernobyl or Sin to take very long. Although after his last riddle with Chernobyl, he feared that she would constantly believe he was tricking her. He wasn't so concerned though, as regardless of the answers they provided at the beginning of this lesson, it was how they answered later, that truly mattered.


[OOC: No worries, Linds! I'm not sure if the 250 word count minimum applies in this thread...I'll find out.]