The Seventh Decimate Trivia Quiz

Answer: Repeating rifles

Repeating rifles are the new thing. They may be the only thing available with which to kill the enemy sorcerers, who stand far back from the main combat. With the current technology nothing else has sufficient range. At this point in the story it is unknown if the bullets will actually kill the sorcerers.

Of the other options I have not found any reference to anti-magic missiles outside of my imagination, although anti-magic appears in fantasy fiction and anti-missile missiles exist in the real world. Anti-matter missiles are also found in science fiction literature. The ultimate joke refers to a Monty Python sketch, and the incredibly stupid Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal is from "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy".

Answer: Water

No indication is given of magical powers over water being a known decimate, known by the magisters of Amika and Bellenger that is.

A year after the actions of the prologue, Belleger loses all of its magical knowledge overnight. Distant memories from the oldest of the Bellegerian sorcerers indicate that a seventh decimate may exist which appears to have been cast against Belleger. The prince is sent out on a quest to seek the book of the same name containing knowledge of this "seventh decimate", hence the title of this story.

Answer: Line River

The Line River separates the two warring nations. The sorcerers, also called magists and theurgists, stand up on the ramparts overlooking the valley where all the battles have occurred. This puts the main battleground and troops within their range, but not the enemy sorcerers. As far as anyone knows or can remember, Amika and Belleger were once one realm, but no other nations are known to exist.

The Landsdrop is found in the "Thomas Covenant" novels by Stephen Donaldson, the Circumfence on Terry Pratchett's Discworld and the Third Reach of the Unknown is mentioned in the first volume of "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams.

Answer: East, into the trackless desert

The only trace or hint of the book, Hexin Morrow's 'Seventh Decimate', is in the frail memory of the very elderly Magister Altimar. When asked where the book can be found he responds tersely, "In a library of course."

His further response to the question of where the library can be found is a slowly spoken set of statements:
"I would say."
"In the east."
"Somewhere."
"In the east."

Answer: Library of the Last Repository

Starting with the wrong answers, the Miskatonic University Library is found in the works of HP Lovecraft. The Library of Trantor can be found in Isaac Asimov's Foundation series. Finally the Library of St. John the Beheaded come from the television series Doctor Who.

This brings us to the Last Repository, described as the last because those "who care for it cannot flee again. They are not warriors. They cannot defeat their enemies.".
For this reason the librarian is dissatisfied by the perpetual warfare between Belleger and Amika which leaves two weak states. He would much prefer strong kingdoms, to ensure a buffer zone between the library and hostile nations further afield.

Answer: Are you ready?

The first two times this happens the prince fails to answer the question, the third time he responds with "I am ready" amongst other phrases. It becomes apparent that the question is issued from the library, although which specific person is not clear.
To be exact, "are you ready?" is the wording the first time the prince hears the question. On subsequent occurrences, the question becomes "are you ready now?", with emphasis on the now.

Answer: The Cult of the Many

The prince is not familiar with the word 'monk', the nearest translation he is given by the translator is "give lives Gods". One of his comrades suggests two possible meanings from this. Either "they make gods live" or "they give their lives to gods". The monks are also to be found at the library, where they appear to perform the role of servants. Maybe they are servants of knowledge, the knowledge stored in the library's books.

Of the other options, the Knights Who Say Ni are from the film "Monty Python and the Holy Grail", while the Cult of the Dagon and the Church of Starry Wisdom are to be found in the writings of H P Lovecraft.

Answer: A Treatise on the Fabrication of Cannon Using Primitive Means

For reasons revealed subsequently in the story, the location of the "Seventh Decimate" on the shelves holds a book concerning cannons. Useful as this may be to Belleger, it is not what Prince Bifalt is seeking. He does note that the collection of books by Hexin Marrow includes the "Eighth Decimate" and the "Final Decimate", suggesting worse sorcery is possible.

Of the other options, "Demonylogie Malyfycorum of Henchanse thee Unsatyfactory" can be found in the works of Terry Pratchett (in "Equal Rites", if you really want to know), and "The Metaphysical Contradictions of the Universe" is to be found in the works of Ayn Rand.

Answer: Grandfather, six generations removed

When the prince is first introduced to the librarian, the librarian is identified as Magister Marrow. The prince then presumes that he might be Hexin Marrow, the author of the "Seventh Decimate". However, the librarian is a descendant, Sirjane Marrow.

Answer: Go to Amika as an emissary for peace

The librarian and his staff are the catalysts for much of what has happened to the prince. They are the ones who invoked the seventh decimate, and it has been invoked against both Amika and Belleger, contrary in both cases to Prince Bifalt's beliefs. Further, it is the guardians of the library who have been protecting the prince from certain death, manipulating him.