Lamphsades, Parodies and Discussions
Comic Books
Vartan: (In a possessed trance) By the power of the Cup of Dragons! By the Pyramid of Days! Thou shalt find the power sought in the halls of Lady Rae's. A trove of Mystra's glory held by a flower's key. Go quickly, masters of the realms, before the wench can flee. (Comes out of his trance) Oooh? Why are you looking at me like that?
Omen: You were reciting prophetic poetry.
Minder: Bad prophetic poetry, at that.
Omen: You were reciting prophetic poetry.
Minder: Bad prophetic poetry, at that.
Forgotten Realms # 11
Film — Animated
Fates: In eighteen years, precisely, the planets will align ever so nicely...
Hades: Oy, verse.
Hades: Oy, verse.
One day, a talented lass or fellow,
A Special one with face of yellow,
Will make the Piece of Resistance found
From its hiding refuge underground.
With a noble army at the helm,
This Master Builder will thwart the Kragle and save the realm,
And be the greatest, most interesting, most important person of all times.
All this is true, because it rhymes.
A Special one with face of yellow,
Will make the Piece of Resistance found
From its hiding refuge underground.
With a noble army at the helm,
This Master Builder will thwart the Kragle and save the realm,
And be the greatest, most interesting, most important person of all times.
All this is true, because it rhymes.
—Vitruvius, The LEGO Movie
Film — Live-Action
Mr. Beaver: When Adam's flesh and Adam's bone/Sits at Cair Paravel in throne/The evil time will be over and done.
Susan: You know, that doesn't really rhyme...
Mr. Beaver: I know it don't, but you're kinda missin' the point!
Susan: You know, that doesn't really rhyme...
Mr. Beaver: I know it don't, but you're kinda missin' the point!
Literature
Mars: There! A prophecy. You can add it to your books, engrave it on your floor, whatever.
Octavian: This says, 'Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by June twenty-fourth or die.'
Mars: Yes. Is that not clear?
Octavian: Well, my lord... prophecies are usually unclear. They're wrapped in riddles. They rhyme, and...
Mars: [pulls out a grenade] Yes?
Octavian: The prophecy is clear! A quest!
Octavian: This says, 'Go to Alaska. Find Thanatos and free him. Come back by June twenty-fourth or die.'
Mars: Yes. Is that not clear?
Octavian: Well, my lord... prophecies are usually unclear. They're wrapped in riddles. They rhyme, and...
Mars: [pulls out a grenade] Yes?
Octavian: The prophecy is clear! A quest!
Tabletop Games
Cryptic rhymes are often difficult to come up with in the middle of the game. One trick is to create a rhyme ahead of time that can fit just about any question, such as "If X is the seed you sow, reap you will Y and know," where X is an action and Y is the result. Or "If into X fate doth thee send, thou wilt find Y in the end," where X is a place and Y is a result or consequence such as "danger" or "treasure".
—Dungeons & Dragons, 3rd Edition Dungeon Master's Guide
Video Games
I call upon thee, gods red and orange! Help me undo my spell with...oh god. Why did I say orange?! WHY?! WHY DID I SAY ORANGE?!
—Claptrap, Borderlands 2
Straight Examples
Anime & Manga
The eye that sees what's yet to come, its vision shall be fulfilled. Unless blinded by events predetermined, thus Light and Shadows both be killed.
Fan Works
Once three, now six, and two, and one
And so the world will be undone
A mare will bring us to our fate
Soon to unlock the crystal gate
After the encore of nightfall
After the mad king’s curtain call
The mare will bear our crown and name
Though with no rightful royal claim
The two, then six, but first the one
Her mark is the triskelion
A rarity, a crystal key, a sun-bereft ancient city
Will forge a bond to mend the three
And hasten forth eternity
And so the world will be undone
A mare will bring us to our fate
Soon to unlock the crystal gate
After the encore of nightfall
After the mad king’s curtain call
The mare will bear our crown and name
Though with no rightful royal claim
The two, then six, but first the one
Her mark is the triskelion
A rarity, a crystal key, a sun-bereft ancient city
Will forge a bond to mend the three
And hasten forth eternity
—The Flight of the Alicorn Chapter XXVI: Predictions and Prophecies
Film — Live-Action
When single shines the triple sun,
What was sundered and undone,
Shall be whole, the two made one,
By Gelfling hand, or else by none.
What was sundered and undone,
Shall be whole, the two made one,
By Gelfling hand, or else by none.
Literature
From humble village a [fighter/mage/rogue] awakes.
Then Evil destroys and [their] heart breaks.
[Their] childhood companion, [their] guiding light,
[They] set off to make the world right.
[They] shall find the forest's heart.
And steal the fire's guarded start.
[They] shall make the water cry
Then fall into unbroken sky
And fight the darkness deep inside
And turn away from brightness' pride.
Then find in time's endless halls
The echoes of their lost ones' calls.
To slay what once was so adored
So what was lost can be restored.
Then Evil destroys and [their] heart breaks.
[Their] childhood companion, [their] guiding light,
[They] set off to make the world right.
[They] shall find the forest's heart.
And steal the fire's guarded start.
[They] shall make the water cry
Then fall into unbroken sky
And fight the darkness deep inside
And turn away from brightness' pride.
Then find in time's endless halls
The echoes of their lost ones' calls.
To slay what once was so adored
So what was lost can be restored.
Video Games
With scales in hand, the Goddess shall arise
and righteously cast off Her cursed pall.
That She with wrathful wyrmking at Her side
might judge and thence bring balance unto all.
and righteously cast off Her cursed pall.
That She with wrathful wyrmking at Her side
might judge and thence bring balance unto all.
—Demiurge, Final Fantasy XIV
Comes a hero from the east
Frees the man from the beast
Brings the child out from the band
Drives the evil from the land.
Frees the man from the beast
Brings the child out from the band
Drives the evil from the land.
To find the treasure of yore
take the seven Crystal Stars to the Thousand-Year Door.
Hold the Magical Map aloft before
the entrance to the Thousand-Year Door.
Then the stars will light the way
that leads to the stones of yesterday.
take the seven Crystal Stars to the Thousand-Year Door.
Hold the Magical Map aloft before
the entrance to the Thousand-Year Door.
Then the stars will light the way
that leads to the stones of yesterday.
—Goombella, Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Western Animation
"And so I said with final breath: 150 years I'll return from death.
And if the gate's still closed to town, wealthy blood will stain the ground."
And if the gate's still closed to town, wealthy blood will stain the ground."
—The Ghost of Northwest Manor, Gravity Falls: "Northwest Mansion Mystery"
Awaiting the light of a full harvest moon; Rodigahn's foe will soon face his doom.
In the shadow of the palace we will not be deterred; the monarchy ends with Wallace the Third.
In the shadow of the palace we will not be deterred; the monarchy ends with Wallace the Third.
The Gem was born of evil's fire; the Gem shall be His portal.
He comes to claim, He comes to sire, the end of all things mortal.
He comes to claim, He comes to sire, the end of all things mortal.
One lies beneath Endor with silver to bind her;
One comes from the past and her foe will find her;
One dwells in the Canyon of Death, lonely-hearted;
Unite them, and Vashtar's power is thwarted!
One comes from the past and her foe will find her;
One dwells in the Canyon of Death, lonely-hearted;
Unite them, and Vashtar's power is thwarted!
—Spirit of the Prophecy Crystal, Thundarr the Barbarian: "Prophecy of Peril"
