UESP Forums

Here we go:
I sit here, clad in Ebony.
My daughter hath been replaced by madness. And only jewelery can cure it.
Say, why does my hideout smell so weird?

Arethan Mandas

Correct. Your turn Atom.

Sure.

One of many, one of intelligence.
Magnificent wisdom, and guarded by one.
Mortar and pestle skill I change.

Should be easy. I hope it isn't too vague.

Ajira? Alchemy trainer,"guarded" by Masalinie Merian etc.

Nope.

Abelle Chriditte?

I can see your reasoning, but nope.

do you always get the fish right of seyda?

Uh... what?

This is the hardest riddle in UESP history!

It may be too vague. Need a hint?

Yes, if you may.

It isn't a person.

Well, if it's not a person, that just seems to leave books as I can't think of any other way to raise alchemy.
After looking some stuff up (sorry, not really in the spirit of trivia but there are hundreds of titles out there) I going to have a stab and say we're talking about the copy of 36 Lessons of Vivec Sermon 18 found in Kagrenac's Library.

One of many, one of intelligence.
There are many skill books out there and alchemy has intelligence as its atribute.
Magnificent wisdom, and guarded by one.
The 36 Lessons are magnificent (if very obscure) wisdom, although this could also refer to the contents of the library itself. I think that no matter what level you are, only Dagoth Tureynul is in the actual library part of the library (although to get to him you need to get past a few others) so he is the one doing the guarding.
Mortar and pestle skill I change.
Alchemy.

This could equally apply to Sermon 2 found in the Andas tomb, which seems to have a single skeleton outside, being the one guard - although that is of the tomb rather than the book itself.
You could probably get it to fit the other alchemy skill books as well, but I think the wisdom bit points to the Lessons more than anything else. The other copies of Sermons 2 & 18 both have a lot more people around, so would be guarded by more than one.
Quite a head scratching little puzzle. Since this was first posted I've looked around for the trainers and couldn't find anyone that seemed to fit. Never thought of the books. D'oh!

That was a pretty good guess, however it is not the one I was thinking of. I will give more clues:
It is part of a quest.

Got it - Ring of Sanguine Sublime Wisdom.

Forgot about the Sanguine items. I've only ever done the Morag Tong quests once ages ago, as it just doesn't appeal to me.
You come across the things from time to time, but they just slipped my mind.

Correct! Your turn, Karma30!

Just south-west of bovine nectar,
A damsel in distress and again, distressier.
She'll pack up and leave if she gets no relief,
Do what she wants,
And eat a hackle-lo leaf!

The first line might refer to the shrine "Ramimilk". Caldera is southwest of that, but I don't know of anything that fits the last three lines.

Well, you thought your last one was easy - I think this one is pretty basic, everything does make sense when you know the answer. I'll leave it a bit before hints.

Um... Hlormar Wine-Sot?

The person in question is female.
Small hint - she is the subject of two quests.

Drulene Falen? The Hackle lo gave it away for me.

Yep, it's her. You're up!