I don't actually remember Finrod having trouble with dragons, unless you don't count Dagor Bragollach, where he actually didn't come to direct contact with Glaurung, so I don't think this is the case.

Anyway, the caves part is right. I want two other things they had in common - one is very, very, very, very, very much obvious. The second one is not as much.

but they all travelled east, dwo from Valinor, the other from Lindon...why doesn't that count?

maybe...all Elves if you say it's so obvious

and all had dealings with Dwarves

Well, you are right about the eastward travel part... and yeah, they were Elves... you know, I found it a little bit leaky and didn't want it to be too obvious, so I tried to put all they had in common together... but what I was up to, the original idea and the most important to me, is the last one you have yet to guess. What do these three have in common, apart from that they are Elves, traveled from Lindon and lived in caves...

And P.S. Thranduil didn't have any "dealings" with Dwarves, unless you count capturing Thorin or bartering for Smaug's treasure... the elves made all the underground halls themselves.

ok, one thing I found is they all possesed necklaces from the Dwarves
Finrod was given the Nauglamir by the Dwarves, and it passed to Orodreth after he left, and Thranduil got a necklace of silver and pearls

Also, all 3 wore crowns to show their title

Thranduil wore [font=Verdana][size=-1]a crown of red leaves and berries in his golden hair, and in the spring his crown was made of woodland flowers

[/size][/font]When Finrod left Nargothrond with Beren to fulfill his oath Orodreth was given the silver crown of Nargothrond in stewardship

I knew the riddle was stupid when I posted it, but now I see it is even worse. We could rename this thread "Finding Out What Else These People Had In Common" :D

Still there is one, I think more obvious and more... let's say... natural, not break-neck thing about them. Something very simple, like that they all dwelt in caves.

that they were at one point rulers of Elves

btw, I don't know how many of the 3 I guessed and how many not

May this be a warning for all, do not change your original question just because you think it'd be better to do it other way. Okay, let's get this over with.

Finrod, Thranduil, Orodreth: They were all elves (or rulers of elves), that's the first one (most obvious). They all dwelt in caves, that's the second one. And they also all .... (insert the correct last answer).

The last thing is not specific for them alone, as much as the first two were not (there were many other rulers of elves, or many who dwelt in caves - dwarves, for example). This is why I originally put that caves thing in there as well. Because there were many who fulfiled the criteria for the last thing, but they were not elves or didn't live in caves, or both (or vice versa). So there are only these three elven kings in Middle-Earth, who dwelt in caves, and also (...)

had a bridge near their cave

Oh, it hasn't died yet?
 

Good, they have. But that goes together with the cave. But there is yet something, well, they all share naturally. It is not anything like they built themselves a cave, forged themselves a sword or received a ring from someone or whatever... (not that they did one of the last two)

naturally...perhaps that they had a liking for jewels?

Well, I think this was not specifically said about all of them...

Something really, really natural.

Well since Thingol meets the first 2 things as well, it should be something to differenciate them from Thingol, and the only thing that comes to mind is Melian's presence...

Could the 'natural' answer you are looking be that they all had blonde hair? This isn't surprising for Finrod and Orodreth since they were of the house of Finarfin, but when I looked it up on a hunch, I was surprised to find out that Trhanduil also had blonde hair.

:o Ah...

Yes, the hair was was the other thing I had in mind! Good job!

Okay, now TM answered the first part, but Shards answered the second one... hmm... would you consider it fair, if I pass the thread to Shards now, TM?

After all, knowing you I think you'll manage to answer the next posted question correctly and thus take over the thread in no time :)

Definitely, the caves and kings ones were easy, it was Shards that did the hard part.
I have to think harder next time...

Shards are you posting a new one or should I?

Sorry
 

Sorry TM. My life has been a whirl-wind lately, so I haven't been able to keep in touch with the Downs. Please go ahead. Someday you'll return the favor. I know that you're good for it.

Ok...What do Fingolfin and Finwe have in common?

F in the beginning? :D

Or, they were both Noldor? Or they both had three children (at least in the published version)?

Okay, something else struck me

- killed by Morgoth?

Well...you're right about that last one, however it's not what I had had in mind

Okay, I will think more, but possibly not now. I didn't even think (until the Morgoth idea) that I could come upon anything reasonable today. Okay, one more try:

They were both Lords of Tirion?

If not, then... tomorrow. Unless of course someone answers that meanwhile.

Nah, something else.
Actually the earlier try was closer.

Just for confirmation, I suppose it's not anything like "they faced Morgoth" or "they faced a Vala" or "they died by the hands of a Vala" or just some other variation of that statement?

No

Seems no one (and certainly not me) is able to come up with any answer, perhaps you could provide us with a hint, TM? At least a little one, if that's possible?

EDIT: Yay! 500th post! I am a Ghost Prince of Cardolan now! Beware! Boo-booo... uh, okay :smokin:

Well it has something to do with someone being killed by someone else

I was Prince before you :D

Oh yes, but it's a long time... can't I express my joy about it? It's a jubilee after all...

Killed, hm? Well, the only thing that now comes to my mind is that their first sons were killed by balrogs...

...which is the answer I was looking for ;)

Okay, here goes another
 

What do Náin, Isumbras III. and Éomund have in common?

Note: I haven't noticed that before, but TM, look up this page. It's really... interesting. A private page, I'd call it. Well, almost. Shards has no avvie, so his two posts are not that easy to spot.

One more question, which Nain is it?

Náin the "not-numbered".

Aha

Maybe that their sons lead their people in important battles
Dain II, son of Nain in the Battle of Dale
Eomer, son of Eomund in the Battle of the Pelennor Fields, and later at the Black Gate
Bandobras, son of Isumbras III in the Battle of Greenfields

Yes, yes, good way, though it is not exactly what I had in mind, could you be somewhat more concrete? There is something yet more concrete.

Ok, another idea
Each of them had a child that killed the leader of the opposing force in battle.
Eowyn, daughter of Eomund, killed (reduced to impotence) the Witch-king
Dain II, son of Nain, killed Azog
Bandobras, son of Isumbras III, killed Golfimbul

Not exactly. This is very close - though not exactly what I had in mind. The Eomund part is the hardest, probably, but the thing the persons have in common is very, very, very specific. Not just "they killed some leader" but something very concrete.

I've got it...maybe that they killed these leaders with one blow

Umm, no, no, if you want to hear it, Éowyn is not correct in the answer.

Well, I was going to say their sons became leaders of their people, even though the fathers didn't have this function, but Isumbras III doesn't fit the pattern
Maybe just that their sons became leaders of their people