Ranger's Apprentice - The Siege of Macindaw Quiz

Answer: Mercenaries to help to storm the castle

Will's main problem in trying to get the castle back was lack of trained men. The existing garrison had largely been dispersed and could not easily be regathered. Relief from Castle Norgate was a possibility; however, Will's disguise as a jongleur gave him a credibility issue when compared with Keren.

He reached an agreement with the Skandians where they would fight for him in exchange for seventy gold royals from Orman as Lord of Macindaw. Xander, Orman's secretary and administrator, loudly objected to the amount of money involved whenever the subject came up.

Answer: Buttle and his men retreated

Buttle had been recruiting in the area for some time. His preference seemed to be for less scrupulous types where a criminal record would not be a hindrance. Horace and Buttle got off to a bad start as Horace prevented Buttle and his men approaching too close while they talked. Buttle claimed to be a knight and said that Horace's lack of 'respect' for him meant that he would not get employment at the castle.

In fact Buttle told him to leave Norgate Fief before nightfall or else. Buttle's threat left Horace unmoved and in the end Buttle chose to back down and leave.

Answer: By signalling with a light

Malcolm's men noticed Alyss had been moving a light in her window in a particular pattern. Will realised that she was using the Courier's signal code and they were able to start sending coded messages to each other. Will disguised his signals amongst Grimsdell Wood's mysterious nocturnal lights so that the castle sentries were not any the wiser.

Answer: With a small black pebble from Malcolm

One problem of sending coded messages was the risk of Keren being able to use his mesmerism on Alyss to get the messages for himself. To guard against this, Malcolm asked if Will could get a small pebble-sized stone he called 'Stellatite' (or Star stone) to Alyss. Will had a modified arrow in his quiver with a small cylindrical chamber built in to it for sending messages. With this Will was able to get the stone to Alyss with instructions on how to use it. Alyss was successfully able to fight the Keren's attempts at hypnosis without him realising it.

Answer: He was frightened into talking

Malcolm decided to play on Scotti superstitions combined with some play acting. He created an atmosphere of fear using Serthrek'nish, a particularly nasty Scotti demon. Malcolm set up a protective triangle to keep the demon out and then, when it looked like the demon was getting the upperhand, he offered up MacHaddish to pacify the demon.

When MacHaddish begged him not to, he agreed to give up Trobar instead in exchange for information. Such was the Scotti general's terror that he agreed.

Answer: Using Malcolm's 'sorcery' to distract the defenders

The ability to launch simultaneous attacks on different sides of the castle was the main reason Horace needed so many attackers. Normal procedure was to split the defenders with a probing attack on one or more walls and then follow up with the main attack on another wall where the defence had been thinned from responding to the first attack.

Will had already experienced the Night Warrior image and its effects on people so he arranged for Malcolm to put on a display at the south wall to draw the defenders there. In the meantime Will would launch a surprise attack on the west wall. Because Malcolm's sorcery relied on light projections, the attack had to be done at night and when there was no moonlight.

Answer: Marriage to him

Keren asked Alyss if she had thought what might come of her when the Scotti arrived. Alyss knew it was not Araluen practice to pay a ransom to have a courier released, although they would seek vengeance if harm came to a courier. Keren pointed out that the best the Scotti would offer was a life of slavery before he suggested that becoming his wife was her best alternative.

She rejected it out of hand.

Answer: Gundar Hardstriker's axe hit him in the back

Buttle saw Horace up on the west wall and decided to get revenge. He came up through a trap door behind Horace. Horace, who had put down his sword whilst tending a wound, sensed him and fended him off with his shield. Trobar joined the fray with a club but soon tired and was wounded. Horace, having recovered his sword, saved Trobar and then the outclassed Buttle gave up the fight, pleading for mercy.

When Horace went to tend Trobar's wounds, Buttle saw his chance to strike. Horace was saved by Gundar throwing his axe with Buttle then falling off the wall.

Answer: Alyss attacking with Keren's sword

When Keren burst into her room, Alyss dropped her 'star stone' and so became susceptible to Keren's mesmerism again. When Will appeared, Keren commanded her to kill Will with his sword. Will, of course, avoided harming her but eventually managed to break through to Alyss by professing his love for her.

Answer: He fell to his death

After Will broke the hypnotic trance, an uneven fight between Keren and Will started up with Keren having his sword and Will only armed with his saxe knife. Keren, skilled with the sword, eventually had Will in a corner with the sword at his throat. Casting around for a weapon, Alyss remembered the acid which she had been using on the window bars. She threw the acid into Keren's face and he fell through the weakened bars and the window to his death.