Quag Keep

Quag Keep

Tor Books by Andre Norton

Quag Keep

Return to Quag Keep

(with Jean Rabe)

The Crystal Gryphon

Dare to Go A-Hunting

Flight in Yiktor

Forerunner

Forerunner: The Second Venture

Here Abide Monsters

Moon Called

Moon Mirror

The Prince Commands

Ralestone Luck

Stand and Deliver

Wheel of Stars

Wizards' Worlds

Wraiths of Time

Beast Master's Planet

(omnibus comprising

The Beast Master
and

Lord of Thunder
)

The Solar Queen

(omnibus comprising

Sargasso of Space
and

Plague Ship
)

The Gates to Witch World

(omnibus comprising

Witch World
,

Web of the Witch World
,

and
Year of the Unicorn
)

Lost Lands of Witch World

(omnibus comprising

Three Against the Witch World
,

Warlock of the Witch World
, and

Sorceress of the Witch World
)

Grandmasters' Choice

(Editor)

The Jelkyll Legacy

(with Robert Bloch)

Gryphon's Eyrie

(with A. C. Crispin)

Songsmith

(with A. C. Crispin)

Caroline

(with Enid Cushing)

Firehand

(with P. M. Griffin)

Redline the Stars

(with P. M. Griffin)

Sneeze on Sunday

(with Grace Allen Hogarth)

The Duke's Ballad

(with Lyn McConchie)

House of Shadows

(with Phyllis Miller)

Empire of the Eagle

(with Susan Shwartz)

Imperial Lady

(with Susan Shwartz)

BEAST MASTER

(with Lyn McConchie)

Beast Master's Ark

Beast Master's Circus

CAROLUS REX

(with Rosemary Edghill)

The Shadow of Albion

Leopard in Exile

THE HALFBLOOD CHRONICLES

(with Mercedes Lackey)

The Elvenbane

Elvenblood

Elvenborn

MAGIC IN ITHKAR

(Editor, with Robert Adams)

Magic in Ithkar 1

Magic in Ithkar 2

Magic in Ithkar 3

Magic in Ithkar 4

THE OAK, YEW, ASH,

AND ROWAN CYCLE

(with Sasha Miller)

To the King a Daughter

Knight or Knave

A Crown Disowned

THE SOLAR QUEEN

(with Sherwood Smith)

Derelict for Trade

A Mind for Trade

THE TIME TRADERS

(with Sherwood Smith)

Echoes in Time

Atlantis Endgame

THE WITCH WORLD
(Editor)

Four from the Witch World

Tales from the Witch World 1

Tales from the Witch World 2

Tales from the Witch World 3

WITCH WORLD: THE TURNING

I
Storms of Victory

(with P. M. Griffin)

II
Flight of Vengeance

(with P. M. Griffin &

Mary H. Schaub)

III
On the Wings of Magic

(with Patricia Mathews

& Sasha Miller)

ANDRE NORTON

 

 

This is a work of fiction. All the characters and events portrayed in this novel are either fictitious or are used fictitiously.

QUAG KEEP

Copyright © 1978 by The Estate of Andre Norton

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book, or portions thereof, in any form.

First published in the United States by Atheneum Books

A Tor Book
Published by Tom Doherty Associates, LLC
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010

www.tor.com

Tor
^®
is a registered trademark of Tom Doherty Associates, LLC.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Norton, Andre.
Quag keep / Andre Norton.
“A Tom Doherty Associates book.”
Summary: Seven strangers, each wearing a
similar bracelet, meet and become pawns in the
continuing struggle between the forces of good and evil.
ISBN-13 978-0-765-31302-7
ISBN-10 0-765-31302-2
1. Good and evil—Fiction. 2. Fantasy games—Fiction. 3. Fantasy.

PZ7.82 Qa 2003
[Fic] 22        2006040367

First Tor Trade Paperback Edition: May 2006

Printed in the United States of America

0   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1

The author wishes to express appreciation for the invaluable aid of E. Gary Gygax of TSR, expert player and creator of the war game,
DUNGEONS AND DRAGONS
, on which the background of
QUAG KEEP
is based. I wish also to acknowledge the kind assistance of Donald Wollheim, an authority and collector of fantasy miniatures, whose special interest was so valuable for my research.

1 Greyhawk

2 Wizard's Wiles

3 Geas Bound

4 Out of Greyhawk

5 Ring of Forgotten Power

6 Those Who Follow—

7 Ambush

8 Black Death Defied

9 Harp Magic

10 The Domain of Lichis

11 Lichis the Golden

12 The Sea of Dust

13 The Liche Ship

14 Rockna the Brazen

15 Singing Shadow

16 Into the Quagmire

17 Quag Heart

18 Roll the Dice

Quag Keep

1

ECKSTERN PRODUCED THE PACKAGE WITH AN EXAGGERATED FLOUR
ish and lifted the lid of the box to pluck out shredded packing with as much care as if he were about to display the crown jewels of some long-forgotten kingdom. His showmanship brought the others all closer. Eckstern liked such chances to focus attention, and tonight, as the referee chosen to set up the war game, his actions were backed with special authority.

He unwrapped a length of cotton and set out on the table, between the waiting game sheets, a two-inch figure, larger than any they habitually played with. It was, indeed, a treasure. A swordsman—complete with shield on which a nearly microscopic heraldic design blazed forth in brilliant enamel paints. The tiny face of the figure was sternly set above the rim of the shield, shadowed by a helmet with a small twist of spike rising from it. There was an indication of mail on the body which had been modeled as if the figure were advancing a step in grim determination. The sword in the hand was a length of glittering
metal, more like well-polished steel than lead which was the usual material for playing figures.

Martin stared at it in fascination. He had seen many expertly painted and well-positioned war-game figures but this—this gave him a queer feeling, as if it had not been turned out of a mold, but rather had been designed by a sculptor in the form of a man who once had lived.

“Where—where did you get that?” Harry Conden's slight hesitation of speech was more pronounced than usual.

“A beauty, isn't it?” Eckstern purred. “A new company—Q K Productions—and you wouldn't believe the price either. They sent a letter and a list—want to introduce their pieces to ‘well-known' players. After we won those two games at the last convention, I guess they had us near the top of their list . . .”

To Martin, Eckstern's explanation was only a meaningless babble. His hand had gone out without his conscious willing, to touch fingertip on that shield, make sure it did exist. It was true that the makers of playing pieces for the fantasy war games were starting to try to outdo each other in the production of unusual monsters, noble fighters, astute elves, powerful dwarves, and all the other characters a player might call for, identify with while playing, even keep on display like some fabulous antique chessmen between games. Martin had envied those able to equip themselves with the more ornate and detailed figures. But the best he had seen in displays could not compare to this. Within him came a sudden compulsion: he must have this one. It was beyond any doubt meant for him.

Eckstern was still talking as he unwrapped other figures, set them out, his elbow firmly planted meanwhile on the referee
notes for the coming game. But Martin's attention never wavered from the swordsman. This was his! He grasped it lovingly.

THERE WERE GOOD SMELLS AND STALE ONES FIGHTING FOR DOM
inance in a room lit only by baskets of fire wasps, one of which was close enough so that he could see every old stain on the table at which he sat. By his right hand stood a drinking horn mounted on a base of dull metal. His right hand . . .