"The Black Company" by Glen Cook Quiz

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. The story in this novel is told from the perspective of one of the members of the Black Company. Which character is the storyteller?

Answer: Croaker

Croaker is, among other things, the Company Annalist! He is the person who keeps the written history of the Company brothers and the Company itself. Mercy, Tom-Tom and the Lieutenant are other members of the Company.

2. Throughout the book, the Black Company enjoys the services of minor wizards, who use illusions and sleight of hand as much as they do "real magic" to help their brothers. Which of the following wizards was a member of the Black Company?

Answer: Goblin

Goblin is one of several hedge wizards in the Company. He loves to engage in magical pranks with his companion, One-Eye. They compensate for not being strong wizards by being very sneaky! Soulcatcher is the sorcerer who engages the Black Company into service after they abandon their commission in Beryl. Howler and Shapeshifter are colleagues of Soulcatcher. All three are very strong wizards.

3. The Black Company is a military company of mercenaries, which means that it has a leader. What is the title of the leader of the Black Company?

Answer: The Captain

The head of the Black Company is referred to by his title, "The Captain". We never know him by any other name! Most of the Company use an alias, as most of them were running from something or someone when they joined!

4. The Black Company travels across the Sea of Torments to serve an empire on the northern continent. Who is the leader of this empire?

Answer: The Lady

The northern empire is ruled by The Lady. While the Black Company did sign on with Soulcatcher in Beryl, they did not realize that Soulcatcher was acting as the Lady's legate/ambassador. The Dominator used to rule the empire in the north, but the Lady usurped the empire for herself. The Syndic was the city lord of Beryl, where the Black Company was first employed in the book.

5. The northern empire contains a cadre of ten villainous sorcerers, known as "The Ten Who Were Taken", who also serve as high-ranking generals. Which one was not among the "Ten Who Were Taken"?

Answer: Raker

Raker was a rebel wizard in a group known as the "Circle of Eighteen". They resisted the empire very actively before the Black Company's arrival. The rest of the Ten were known as: Soulcatcher(who obtained the services of the Company for the empire), The Limper, Stormbringer, Bonegnasher, Nightcrawler, The Howler and Shapeshifter.

6. Which wizard of the Black Company is killed early in the story, at Beryl?

Answer: Tom-Tom

Tom-Tom is One-Eye's actual brother. He is killed by Shapeshifter, who was masquerading as a forvalaka, a kind of were-leopard, that was on the loose at the time of Tom-Tom's death. Goblin feuds with One-Eye throughout the book, to the delight of their Company brethren. Silent never speaks in the book.

7. Raven was the first recruit to join the Black Company after it entered the service of the northern empire. In what town did he meet them?

Answer: Opal

Raven met the Company in Opal. He was a minor noble who had been attacked and left for dead by his unfaithful wife and her lovers, who then stole his money and lands. He joined the Company shortly after they left Opal, but not before killing his wife and most of the men he thought responsible for the attempted murder.

8. The Black Company spend most of their time in the book fighting against rebels in the service of the northern empire. The rebels are led by powerful sorcerers known as the Circle of Eighteen. Which member of the Circle is first enslaved to the service of the empire?

Answer: Whisper

Parcel commits suicide at Ade to avoid capture by Shapeshifter. Harden is killed near the Stair of Tear through the combined efforts of Croaker, Raven, Soulcatcher, Stormbringer, The Hanged Man and Shapeshifter. His brother-in-law, Raker, is killed by Croaker and Raven in Roses.

It is his cousin, Whisper, who is "Taken", or enslaved by the Lady after she is captured conspiring with the Limper!

9. As the successes of the Black Company weaken the Rebel, The Circle of Eighteen seeks replacement wizards. Which married pair of wizards is captured by Croaker and other Company brethren while on their honeymoon?

Answer: Feather and Journey

They had just gotten promoted to the Circle! Feather and Journey are the unfortunate couple that is captured and subsequently "Taken" and enslaved by the Lady! Moth and Linger are two of the Circle killed just before Feather and Journey's Taking. Sidle is grievously injured and Trinket is defeated by Whisper much earlier in the story. Whiskers and Roper are two of the Circle killed in the siege of the Tower at Charm.

10. Which one of the "Ten Who Were Taken" is revealed to be the sister of the Lady?

Answer: Soulcatcher

Soulcatcher is the sister, which comes as a surprise to Croaker, who thought that their former patron was a man! Stormbringer is one of the original Ten, but is not related to the Lady. Whisper was born centuries after the Lady and the Ten Who Were Taken were buried alive, so she is no relation. Feather is younger than Whisper, which means she is not either!

Source: Author elmurid

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor agony before going online.
Any errors found in FunTrivia content are routinely corrected through our feedback system.

This is an easy quiz for people who have read Glen Cook's gritty fantasy novel about mercenaries in a swords and sorcery fantasy world. Enjoy!

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