Did Bilbo cheat in the riddle contest? If this were a campaign

Half of Tolkien's characters would be that guy.

Hell, half of most authors' characters would be that guy.

Technically, Golem did know the answer to the riddle. It wasn't exactly difficult to simply think of what wasn't present.

>>49252510
It ain't cheating if the opponent's so dumb they think it's an actual question instead of mumbling

If anything, the blame lies on the GM for making it too easy

>>49252510
He burned a fate point to get out of the awful riddle challenge.

Bilbo would have won no matter what. It was the ring's will.

>>49252651
This.

Bilbo didn't pose the question as part of the riddle, he was just talking to himself. Gollum took it as a fair question, with provisos, and ran with it. Bilbo just went 'lolk'.

Gollum could of and should have called Bilbo on his bullshit, but he didn't.

>>49252510
Bilbo's & Golem's riddle contest is based on the riddle contest between Odin & Vafþrúðnir. Odin was in disguise and his last question is, what did Odin whisper into the ear of his son, Baldr, before he was burned on the funeral pyre. At this point, Vafþrúðnir recognizes his guest for who he really is. He responds that no one except his guest, Odin, would have such knowledge unless Baldr himself reveals the secret. Vafþrúðnir willingly submits to his fate and proclaims that Odin will always be wiser than the wisest.

>>49252510
Bilbo didn't cheat, but he did make an illegal move. However, once Gollum had responded to it, the gamestate had reached a point where Bilbo couldn't be penalized. Thus, the game continued. It's not like Gollum was going to honor their bargain even if he'd won fair and square.

>>49252510

>Takes no relevant skill points
>Plays a unique special snowflake race
>Rich family and personally respected
>Minimal reason to be involved in the plot
>Refuses to share loot with party members
>Goes behind the party's back to sabotage their plans
>Constantly complains the entire time.

>>49252510
>"Better hurry up, the creature's getting impatient--"
"Time! Time, for God's sake!"
"...Gollum begrudgingly accepts time as the answer."
"Wait, what the fuck? I was just trying to get more time to think!"
"...Just...just take the damn magical ring and get the fuck out before I have the creature just eat your guy."
"It's magic? Sweet! What's it do?"
"Uh, shit, I had the effects in my notes somewhere...screw it, it makes you invisible."
"I am so going to abuse this thing."

>>49252874

>It's not like Gollum was going to honor their bargain even if he'd won fair and square.

I think in the first two print editions of the book, Gollum actually did accept defeat and surrender The Ring.

However, Tolkien later realized that, given The Ring's significance, Gollum would have never allowed it to be taken even in a fair deal, so that section was rewritten to have Bilbo escape with The Ring.

>>49252510

As the book itself says, it doesn't matter if he cheated because Gollum accepted the riddle and tried to answer.

When he accepted it he was bound by the rules to answer.

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4KB, 122x125px

>>49252647
>Golem

>>49254231
Actually I can now imagine Bilbo being chased by a slow enemy that doesn't rest, doesn't eat, that won stop and that Bilbo, being a Hobbit with no knowledge in accient hebrew, has no way to stop.

GOLEM: MY PRECIOUS!

Bilbo: AHHH!