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This ascender can ascend no more
Once feared, now fearful
For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room
This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive
Am I to revert to the hole whence I came?
To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

What am I?

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  • $\begingroup$ It's probably time to give a hint as there are a large number of answers now.... $\endgroup$
    – Sid
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 16:08
  • $\begingroup$ Agreed. In fact, even better than giving a hint would be to add a few more lines to the riddle (not spoilertagged). If there are too many solutions which fit the riddle, even disregarding spoilered hints, then the question might end up being closed as too broad. $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 16:24
  • $\begingroup$ @randal'thor I've added "to the hole" - hopefully that'll help. $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 17:54
  • $\begingroup$ @rybo111. Is it literally a "hole" or metaphorically a "hole". And remember you don't have to answer if you don't want to. $\endgroup$
    – Hashbrowns
    Commented Nov 29, 2016 at 20:19
  • $\begingroup$ @Br0therBrigham Literally a hole $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 29, 2016 at 20:21

10 Answers 10

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Are you

a fish (specifically a predatory river-dwelling fish) trapped in ice?

This ascender can ascend no more

The fish used to ascend through the water, but is now stuck in the ice.

Once feared, now fearful

Formerly feared by its prey, now fearful of its own impending doom.

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

The ice forms a 'room' which is ruthlessly cold and has no roof, instead topped only by the open air.

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

Ice is exactly 'solid snow', and the fish cannot live there.

Am I to revert whence I came?
To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

The wettest of paths would be a river - the fish's usual habitat.

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  • $\begingroup$ Nice answer, but not the one I'm looking for. $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 22, 2016 at 14:05
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Are you lava?

This ascender can ascend no more

Rising through the earth's crust and having no where else to go

Once feared, now fearful

Scary when molten, but when cooled it is frozen

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

Perhaps something to do with ash

Am I to revert whence I came?

Once it cools it forms new earth

To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

Cooled lava flows look like they are still flowing, even when dry/frozen

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  • $\begingroup$ Like it, but it's not right $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 22, 2016 at 16:35
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It's a long shot, but maybe its a

cloud

This ascender can ascend no more

the cloud cant get any higher or it will freeze and turn into snow

Once feared,

as a storm cloud it was feared.

now fearful

I still don"t understand how this one fits in.

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

it cannot escape the atmosphere (which is roofless)

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

this is referring to how the cloud is changing into snow, which is a solid and heavy, and makes it impossible for it to "survive" as a cloud

Am I to revert whence I came? To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

it is going to turn to snow and return ("revert") back to the water cycle which is "the wettest of paths on the driest of days".

p.s.love the riddle so far

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  • $\begingroup$ Glad you like it - that's not the answer but another good guess $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 23, 2016 at 23:46
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I was kidding the first time

You're actually a...

Polar bear

This ascender can ascend no more

You live as far north as you can live

Once feared, now fearful

You used to be a dominant, thriving predator, but now your habitat's melting and your survival's threatened

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

You have nowhere left to go. You've gone as far north as you can go, into the ruthless Arctic. You're at the top of the world and it's disappearing under your feet.

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

The northernmost reaches of the Arctic are still frozen year round, but there's not much for you to live on there

Am I to revert whence I came?

Head back south

To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

It may not snow or rain much up there, but all the melting snow and ice (and often ocean underneath) make it very wet

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  • $\begingroup$ It's not the right answer, sorry $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 24, 2016 at 20:43
  • $\begingroup$ Part of me wishes your comments would help nudge us in the right direction $\endgroup$
    – user1566694
    Commented Nov 24, 2016 at 21:01
  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I don't know what the general consensus is on the right time to give a hint but I'll probably wait til it's 7 days old $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 24, 2016 at 21:05
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You are

an iceberg

This ascender can ascend no more

You ascended from the water but now you are at your peak and can ascend no more. It's not cold enough to grow bigger.

Once feared, now fearful

Boats fear you, but now that you drifted to warmer places and the climate starts to change, you fear for yourself.

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

It's a sunny day in the vast ocean. You can't spot a single cloud. The sun is literally killing you.

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

Even though it's getting warmer and you melt bit by bit, your internals are still solid! Unfortunately, there will come a day where they too will melt.

Am I to revert whence I came?

You're not so sure anymore that you will live forever as you thought when you were young. The waters you are now drifting in, could they have been big, proud icebergs just like you?

To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

You realize one day you will become part of the ocean. Where even on sunny days like this, it will always be wet.

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  • 1
    $\begingroup$ I feel sad now... :( $\endgroup$
    – miva2
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 15:58
  • $\begingroup$ Sad times :( It's not the right answer, sorry $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 16:03
  • $\begingroup$ fun fact about the last line - Antarctica is classified as a desert. I know it's not what OP meant, but you had me convinced! :) $\endgroup$
    – user812786
    Commented Dec 2, 2016 at 22:13
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I think answer is

Antarctica

This ascender can ascend no more

Polar ice caps have reached the limits

Once feared, now fearful

Ice caps on antarctica or even on north pole were last places on earth to be explored, but now its in danger due to global warming

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

This might be a referance to the ozone layer hole over Antarctica, whch is very danger to whatever life present there

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

Referance to geography and ecology of the continent! Ice sheets are 2 km thick!

Am I to revert whence I came? To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

If ice caps continue to melt, Antarctica will become a normal land again, which researcher beleive it was once.

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  • $\begingroup$ That's not the right answer, sorry. $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 22, 2016 at 16:00
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My guess

Mountain

This ascender can ascend no more

Mountains are the peaks of the world

Once feared, now fearful

Not sure, probably means that once the most dangerous things of the world, they are now conquered every year.

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

It is exposed to thunderstorms and high amount of precipitation

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

Mountains are covered by snow and have a harsh climate which does not support vegetation.

Am I to revert whence I came? To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

The snow melts and the water level rises and we are all doomed.

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  • $\begingroup$ Good, but not right! $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 24, 2016 at 6:47
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You are a...

Submarine

This ascender can ascend no more

You've reached the surface and cant climb any higher

Once feared, now fearful

You're freaking out because, what's this...

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

Something's blocking your ascent...

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

It's the glaciered surface of the Arctic Ocean

Am I to revert whence I came?

Dive back down and maybe go somewhere warmer

To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

The deep ocean doesn't get much wetter, but inside your steel tube/coffin it's relatively dry - maybe even in the sense that your air supply is drying up.

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1
  • $\begingroup$ Good guess but sadly not the right answer $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 24, 2016 at 20:25
1
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Are you a...

poisonous mushroom?

this ascender can ascend no more

you cannot grow from the ground

Once feared, now fearful

feared for being poisonous, fearful for your survival

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

because you cannot grow further

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

snow cannot support a mushroom

Am I to revert whence I came?

fungal spores, decomposed in the forest bed and washed away?

To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

streams and wet spots in the forest?

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2
  • $\begingroup$ What makes the riddle fit that particular solution though, rather than something more general like, say, a plant? $\endgroup$
    – Rand al'Thor
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 15:41
  • $\begingroup$ No, but another good guess $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Nov 25, 2016 at 15:52
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The answer is:

A spider in a bath

This ascender can ascend no more

Spiders climb up pipes and end up in baths. Then they can't climb up the bath.

Once feared, now fearful

Spiders are one of the most feared creatures. But one in a bath is stuck.

For I cannot overcome this roof-less, ruthless room

A bath. It is ruthless to the spider as whichever corner it attempts to climb it will fail.

This impossibly solid snow on which I can neither thrive nor survive

To a spider that has only been outdoors, the bath's texture would resemble snow.

Am I to revert to the hole whence I came?

There is one exit: the plug hole.

To the wettest of paths on the driest of days?

The pipe will be wet despite the dry weather.

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1
  • $\begingroup$ I think a few people downvoted this as it wasn't the poetic answer they were expecting, so I deleted it. Or maybe my riddle sucks. Either way, I'm undeleting it now, as a few downvotes beats not sharing the intended correct answer. $\endgroup$
    – rybo111
    Commented Feb 13, 2018 at 22:49

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