This is Randolph, a young man,
He lives alone in the tower of sand.
Where is it? Where's it?
In a terrible place I won't say again,
A place where no man can stand!
The roses die with the blood in their veins,
The women cry, all the time!
Time cries, but for how long?
The earth calls the names of the dead!
The dead screams, but no one hears!
Imagine my friend, such a place to stand!
Randolph likes!
He always goes by,
But no one can ever have him in sight!
Some say he is already dead!
Others say he's only a friend!
Others say he's only a child,
Whose family was taken by an evil fiend!
Since then he was never seen again,
After the day he build the castle of sand!
But I ask you, so listen my friend,
Where does Randolph's castle stand?
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$\begingroup$ This riddle might benefit from an edit to give it some poetical structure (e.g. lines, verses), unless this stream-of-consciousness style is somehow part of the puzzle. $\endgroup$– Rand al'ThorJan 7, 2017 at 22:22
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$\begingroup$ Any hints you can give? $\endgroup$– MelkorJan 18, 2017 at 17:14
2 Answers
My guess is Randolph lives in
Bear Lodge Butte/Devils Tower
lives alone in the tower of sand
It resembles a sand tower
A place where no man can stand!
The roses die with the blood in their veins,
The women cry, all the time!
Time cries, but for how long?
This fits the description of hell, hence the Devil part
He always goes by,
But no one can ever have him in sight!
Some say he is already dead!
Native American legends surrounding the formation, tell the story of plenty of kids being killed only for a couple of them to escape and lead the bear to the tower. They tricked it into thinking they climbed the tower only to kill it moments. Randolph could be one of the dead kids.
Others say he's only a friend!
Others say he's only a child
According to another version, some native kids run away from the bears asking the Freat Spirit for help. He aids them by making the ground rise up to form this tower. Randolph could be the helpful god.
Others say he's only a child,
Whose family was taken by an evil fiend!
This could also refer to the Devils Tower in Gibraltar. An ancient watchtower where a Neaderthal child's skull has been found. However this doesn't explain the fiend...
Since then he was never seen again,
Coming back to Native American folklore, in a variation of the above legends, the children (thus Randolph) were turned into stars (even though Randolph could technically still be seen, he wouldn't hold the same form)
I couldn't connect the name Randolph with anything relevant, as it isn't an anagram of any english word, nor could I find any evidence of it appearing in mythology or ancient history.The only notable thing I could find, is the fact that it is composed of two elements: rim and wolf ,but I believe it is completely irrelevant to my solution.
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$\begingroup$ Your answer is indeed unique, but there is something else you must see, you must go to the realm where everything has been, there you will find the rest of the key, to unlock perhaps, mankind greatest fear, kaddath is where you will find the last piece of the key, it, may sound absurd, but make sure to return. $\endgroup$– Iry-HorJan 14, 2017 at 21:23
Iry-Hor's comment on Ria's answer seems to be hinting that Randolph may be
Randolph Carter, protagonist of some of the fictional works of H P Lovecraft.
However,
I'm not very familiar with these works and, looking them up, the details don't really seem to fit the riddle well enough. Kadath (in "The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath") is described as a "cold waste where no man treads", which might kinda match "a place where no man can stand" ... except that Carter goes there and doesn't seem to have particular difficulty standing. Carter disappears mysteriously (in, I think, "The Silver Key"), which might kinda match "Some say he is already dead" ... but this is all awfully impressionistic.
If this is the Randolph we are looking for, then
depending on just what it's referring to his "castle" is (1) in Kadath (but that castle is made of onyx, he doesn't live there, and he didn't build it), or (2) in Boston, whither he returns at the end of TDQOUK (but I don't see anything made of sand there), or perhaps (3) in the "Dreamlands" -- maybe "sand" is a hint at dreaming, what with the tradition of the Sandman and all that; I'm not sure whether it's used that way in Lovecraft, though I know he has deserts here and there.
None of this really makes enough sense for me to believe it can be the intended answer. But the tone of it is appropriate to the riddle, and Iry-Hor's comment seems to be pointing in this general direction. Perhaps
there's some other Lovecraftian story I'm unaware of -- most of them would fall into that category -- that fits everything?
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$\begingroup$ I thank you deeply, for speaking so sincerely, the boy is a hint, to the place you had to be, there lies a KEY, but is not complete, find the rest in the previous answer, look through the words, i ask you. There is one place left for you to go, if you're willing, almost all of my previous riddles lead there as well, specially the riddle of the deceiver. With this next hint i think you will find the answer, there you will find the door, to use the key you already have. Go to The Holy Mountain. Obs: there are many, and they all function greatly, but look for Alejandro Jodorowsky's work. $\endgroup$– Iry-HorFeb 3, 2017 at 14:00
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$\begingroup$ @Iry-Hor Just to be clear, these are actually puzzles rather than serious attempts to lead your readers on some sort of esoteric spiritual journey, right? $\endgroup$– Gareth McCaughan ♦Feb 3, 2017 at 14:57
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$\begingroup$ Yes, they are only PUZZLES, Jodorowsky's work may be a bit agressive, but if you pass the "shock show" and see what the movie truly says, you will understand. If you find it too "hard" to watch, you can look for Finnegans wake, by James Joyce, they can both be used to solve this riddle. $\endgroup$– Iry-HorFeb 3, 2017 at 15:38