Question

Description acceptable. After returning from this place, a character watches an object “wilt into gory icicles” in a passage that concludes “He who wields power over time and tide: He is the true Lord.” The “burning waters” surrounding this place inspired a later author’s description of “tricksy lights” in the Dead Marshes. A group traveling to this place encounters an old man’s severed head under a cliff. A man takes a hilt from this place after he beheads a corpse, whose blood melts a (*) sword “from the days of the giants.” A journey to this place (-5[1])is prompted (-5[1])by the murder of the wise councilor Aeschere. Upon receiving the sword Hrunting, a man swims down (-5[1])to this place to do battle with a creature (10[1])who terrorized Heorot (10[1])after the death of her son, a “descendant of Cain.” For 10 points, give this residence of a monster and his mother in Beowulf. (0[1])■END■ (10[1])

ANSWER: Grendel’s lair [or Grendel’s mother’s lair; accept cave in place of “lair”; accept synonyms such as hideout in place of “lair”; accept answers that describe where Grendel or Grendel’s mother lives] (The Dead Marshes are in Middle-earth, near Mordor. All direct quotes are from Seamus Heaney’s translation.)
<HG, British Literature>
= Average correct buzz position

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Buzzes

PlayerTeamOpponentBuzz PositionValue
Ben Russell JonesEdinburghImperial A95-5
Brendan BethlehemCambridge AImperial B97-5
Ben LaFondCambridge BOxford114-5
Michael KohnDurhamBristol12310
Michael MaysImperial AEdinburgh12610
Oliver HargraveOxfordCambridge B1500
Thomas HartWarwickBirmingham15110

Summary

2023 ARCADIA at ImperialImperialY560%0%60%133.33