"The Decoy Duck" | |
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Author | Harry Turtledove |
First Appearance | After the King: Stories in Honor of J.R.R. Tolkien |
Collected | Counting Up, Counting Down |
Series | Videssos Series |
Genre(s) | Fantasy |
Publication date | 1992 |
Followed by | Bridge of the Separator (chronological) |
"The Decoy Duck" is a story by Harry Turtledove, originally published in 1992 in After the King: Stories in Honor of J.R.R. Tolkien, edited by Martin H. Greenberg. It was reprinted in Counting Up, Counting Down in 2002. It is the first story (in terms of chronological setting) in the Videssos Series, taking place 900 years before The Misplaced Legion. In addition to JRR Tolkien, Turtledove also credits Poul Anderson as an influence.
It is the story of Skatval the Brisk and Kveldulf. Skatval is the chieftain of a band of Halogai who must deal with a band of priests of Phos from the Empire of Videssos. What makes these missionaries different from earlier ones, and more dangerous to Skatval's way of thinking, is the inclusion of Kveldulf, an Haloga who worships Phos.
The story tells of Videssian historical events previously referenced briefly in The Legion of Videssos and Krispos the Emperor.
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