Andre Norton Forum

WorldFAQ: Andre Norton's Witch World

----------------------------------------------------------------- 1]. Quick Reference

The Witch World is a science fantasy world set on a planet in an unknown star system, possibly in another universe. It is reached from Earth by means of "gates", extra-dimensional pathways that take travellers to unknown destinations. The gates were created by "Adepts", spellcasters of incredible knowledge and power who sometimes became so removed from their own world (the Witch World) that a few are worshipped like gods. Primary sources include Andre Norton's novels about the Witch World. She collaborated on some, and also has put together some collaborative collections. See bibliography for details. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 2]. Description

The Witch World has two primary continents. The "eastern" continent contains the ancient country of Escore, from which fled the Witches of Estcarp who settled on the western coastland and raised great mountains between their new land and Escore. North of Estcarp rose the nation of Alizon, founded by warlike men who use great wardogs to pursue their enemies. South of Estcarp lies Karsten, an independent duchy which was for long friendly with Estcarp and its people, the Old Race. Further south lay the land of Salzarat, original homeland of the Falconers. In a bay west of Estcarp lays the isle of Gorm, also friendly with Estcarp from its early years.

The "western" continent contains the ancient realm of Arvon, founded and ruled by the Old Race. Arvon lay in the northern part of the land and in ancient days it extended far across the continent. Along the eastern coast lay small dales once populated by the Old Race. Quayth was the northernmost and the only land, apparently, to survive the withdrawal of the Old Race into Arvon. Men from another world passed through a gate to settle in the Dales, founding the nation of High Halleck, peaceful and civilized but divided into many lordships.

The Adepts of the Old Race early in the Witch World's history became so enamoured of their power that they often lost touch with their humanity. Some created gates that opened into strange worlds and these Adepts withdrew into those worlds, forgetting the world that gave birth to them. Others opened gates to explore, but for unknown reasons failed to return to their estates. Other Adepts experimented on their own people, or creatures living near them, and they created new intelligent, often evil races of creatures which served them in the wars that arose.

Most of the remaining Adepts seem to have destroyed each other in the ancient wars which rocked the Witch World. After Arvon's people found a measure of peace they were too few to continue to inhabit all the places they had once built, and they left behind many ruins for the Dalesmen of High Halleck to ponder and sometimes avoid. Escore's war became so desperate that many families of the Old Race withdrew into their homesteads and destroyed themselves out of despair. But a few hardy and adventurous folk accepted the leadership of a sisterhood of Witches who led them west over some low-lying mountains, and the Witches raised these mountains higher, putting a block on their people's minds so that they never again could think of the east and what lay there.

The remnants of Escore's peoples continued their ancient wars but the conflicts slowly died as most of the great powers perished. Those which remained of the Adepts either became dormant, perhaps dwelling in other worlds with only tenuous thoughts for the Witch World, or trapped in horrifying spells, or withdrew to small regions of Escore. Some of the altered creatures established refuges, a few still serving the Light and good, but many serving Darkness.

Some of the Adepts of the Witch World became known on both continents. Of this class was Gunnora, who protected women and families and seems to have been associated with fertility. She was originally from Arvon. Another of the great Adepts was named Volt. He seems to have been friendly to men of other races, and perhaps helped establish Karsten and Gorm sometime after Estcarp was founded. Some of the Adepts were evil, ruling their own provinces until overthrown. Jonkara was one of these. She ruled Salzarat far to the south of Estcarp through its women until a man named Langward imprisoned her and freed a few of his people. These survivors of Salzarat fled to become the Falconers, woman-hating mercenaries who mated with their women in a cold and superficial manner only for the sake of continuing their race.

A "young" adept named Hilarion created and opened a gate to another world which was racked by wars waged among a technologically advanced race. He was captured and kept there as a source of power by a man named Zandur. Hilarion had lived in a fortress overlooking the western coast of Escore. Loskeetha was another Adept of Escore who withdrew to a small land where she protected the Moss-wives, perhaps creatures of her breeding, perhaps the race which gave birth to her.

The seafaring Sulcar were divided into tribes and clans. The most advanced and civilized group settled in Sulcarkeep, a fortress on the peninsula between Estcarp and Karsten. The Sulcar were raiders and traders, but those of Sulcarkeep formed an alliance with Estcarp. They also formed an alliance with the Falconers, the survivors of Salzarat, and helped them establish their Eyrie in the mountains between Estcarp and Karsten.

After perhaps a thousand years a new war was unleashed on the Witch World. The Kolder, a technologically advanced race, lost a war in their own world and they opened a gate into the Witch World. They settled on an island which probably lay close to High Halleck. From there they made contact with Alizon and formed an alliance with the Hounds. Alizon attacked Estcarp and High Halleck using the technology supplied to them by the Kolder. The Kolder established a city, Yle, southwest of Sulcarkeep on the peninsula between Estcarp and Alizon, and from there seized the island of Gorm.

Into this world came Simon Tregarth. He took service in Estcarp with the Witches, and marrying one of them became a great leader of the men of Estcarp. The children of Simon and Jaelithe Tregarth were triplets, two sons and a daughter: Kyllan, Kemoc, and Kaththea. Kyllan became a great warrior, Kemoc a great warlock, and Kaththea a great witch. But they fled from Estcarp because the Witches hated Kyllan and Kemoc and tried to make Kaththea one of them. Entering Escore they awoke the old struggles for power.

In the wars which followed the barriers between Estcarp and ancient Escore were broken, and some remnants of the Old Race fled Karsten and Estcarp back into Escore. Kyllan and Kemoc settled in the Valley of Green Silences, one of the last refuges of Light, but Kaththea discovered Hilarion's gate and freed him, returning with him to his fortress by the sea.

High Halleck was nearly destroyed but finally four southern lords united the surviving Dalesmen in a desperate war that saw some success as the Kolder, pressed by Estcarp and ultimately defeated by Simon and Jaelithe Tregarth, could no longer support Alizon's forces. Then the Dalesmen recruited a band of mercenaries from the Waste, exiles from Arvon, called the Were-riders. The Hounds of Alizon were driven into the sea and High Halleck's people started to rebuild their land.

The Were-Riders returned to Arvon with brides from High Halleck, the price of their service. They set into motion new events which would lead to more struggles between Light and Dark, but which would ultimately settle some of the old differences.

A legacy of the war with the Kolder was a war between Karsten and Estcarp in which the Witches raised the mountains between the two lands, destroying an army from Karsten but killing many of their own numbers. The Witches lost control of Estcarp even as they ended the war. The Falconers were forced to find a new home, along with many Sulcar, whose home in Sulcarkeep was also destroyed in the wars.

Eventually, a special stone to which all the gate magic was tied, was taken from Witch World and the gate magic went wild. The Witches of Estcarp, Hilarion, and the few remaining adepts of Light (or people who were nearly such stature) sought out and closed all the gates.

It's difficult to judge time in the Witch World. Years are named rather than numbered, and without a master listing of all the year names, it's impossible to precisely determine when certain events occur. Most of the stories are said to occur within a 50-year timespan. There is a particularly poor continuity in the later books, especially the collaborations, with respect to the timeline. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 3]. Printed Sources Bibliography

The final collection of books is called SECRETS OF THE WITCH WORLD. The first volume was KEY OF THE KEPLIAN. The second volume was THE MAGESTONE. The final Witch World book is THE WARDING OF WITCH WORLD. There is one Witch World book, THE WERE-WRAITH, of which only 175 copies were ever printed (so far as I know). I don't have one. You can find out more about it by checking out the Andre Norton Message Board (see below) or Theresa Mercaldo's web site (see below).

Well, it's now been announced that a new Witch World book is forthcoming. It's supposed to be a sequel to KEY TO THE KEPLIAN.

THE EASTERN CONTINENT: --------------------- (Estcarp, Escore, Alizon, Karsten, Gorm, Salzarat, Sulcarkeep, Yle, the Eyrie I)

[paperbacks] WITCH WORLD, Ace, 1963. The seminal novel. Introduces Simon Tregarth.

WEB OF THE WITCH WORLD, Ace, 1964, ISBN 0-441-87875-X. Simon and Jaelithe are now married but don't yet have children.

THREE AGAINST THE WITCH WORLD, Ace, 1965, ISBN 0-441-80805-0. Kyllan, Kemoc, and Kaththea (grown children of Simon and Jaelithe) flee east out of Estcarp into Escore.

WARLOCK OF THE WITCH WORLD, Ace, 1967, ISBN 441-87321-125. Kemoc rescues Kaththea from Dinzil, a would-be Adept who has stirred up ancient forces of darkness.

SORCERESS OF THE WITCH WORLD, Ace, 1968, ISBN 0-441-77554-3. Kaththea discovers and rescues Hilarion, and is reunited with Simon and Jaelithe, who have been missing for many years.

TREY OF SWORDS, Ace, 1977, ISBN 0-441-82355-6. Three stories set in Estcarp/Karsten/Escore.

'WARE HAWK, Atheneum, 1983, ISBN 0-689-50287-7. Tirtha returns and joins forces with a Falconer.

SONGSMITH, with A.C. Crispin, Tor, 1992, ISBN 812-51107-7. Reprises characters from all over. This story occurs on both continents.

THE KEY OF THE KEPLIAN, with Lyn McConchie, Aspect, 1995, ISBN 0-446-60440-5. Set in Escore. Volume I of SECRETS OF THE WITCH WORLD.

THE MAGESTONE, with Mary H. Schaub, Aspect, 1996, ISBN 0-446-60222-1. Volume II of SECRETS OF THE WITCH WORLD.

[hardbacks] THE GATE OF THE CAT, Ace, 1987, ISBN 0-441-27376-9. Reprises some characters from TREY OF SWORDS.

SONGSMITH, with A.C. Crispin, Tor, ISBN 0-312-85123-5. Reprises characters from all over. This story occurs on both continents.

THE WARDING OF WITCH WORLD, WarnerBooks, ISBN 0-446-51991-X. Also reprises characters from all over. Volume III of SECRETS OF THE WITCH WORLD. Last book in the series.

THE WESTERN CONTINENT: --------------------- (Arvon, the Waste, Quayth, High Halleck/the Dales, the Eyrie II)

[paperbacks] YEAR OF THE UNICORN, Ace, 1965, 441-94252-095. Introduces Gillan, an orphan of Estcarp trapped in High Halleck. Introduces the Were-riders.

SPELL OF THE WITCH WORLD, Daw, 1972 451-UY1179-125. Introduces Elyn and Elys, twin and son and daughter of Truan and Almondia, refugees from Estcarp who settled in High Halleck. Elys meets Jervon. This book actually contains three stories. The other two are "Dream Smith" and "Amber out of Quayth".

THE CRYSTAL GRYPHON, Daw, 1972, ISBN 451-UY1187-125. Introduces Kerovan and Joisan. He is a lord's son of High Halleck who has a touch of the Old Ones in him. She is a lord's daughter who dale is overrun by Alizon.

THE JARGOON PARD, Fawcett, 1974, ISBN 449-02911-150. Introduces Kethan, son of Gillan and Herrel the Were-rider -- only he's been switched at birth.

ZARSTHOR'S BANE, Ace, 1978, ISBN 0-441-95490-1. [Illustrated Novel] Introduces Tirtha, a Daleswoman wandering in the Waste.

HORN CROWN, Daw, 1981, ISBN 0-87997-635-7. The story of how the men of High Halleck settled the land (but it begins right after they cross through the gate).

[hardbacks] GRYPHON IN GLORY, Atheneum, 1981, ISBN 0-689-50195-1. Kerovan and Joisan in Arvon.

GRYPHON'S EYRIE, with A.C. Crispin, Tor, 1984, ISBN 0-312-93285-5. Kerovan and Joisan meet Elys and Jervon.

SHORT STORY COLLECTIONS: ----------------------- [paperbacks] HIGH SORCERY, Ace, 1970, ISBN 441-33702-095. Contains these short stories: "Wizard's World", "Through the Needle's Eye", "By A Hair", "Ully The Piper", and "Toys of Tamisan". THE BOOK OF ANDRE NORTON, Daw, 1974, ISBN UY1198-125. Contains these short stories and essays: "The Toads of Grimmerdale", "London Brdge", "On Writing Fantasy", "Mousetrap", "All Cats Are Grey", "The Long Night Of Waiting", "The Gifts of Asti", "Long Live Lord Kor!", "Andre Norton: Loss of Faith", "Norton Bibliography". LORE OF THE WITCH WORLD, Daw, 1980, ISBN 0-88677-012-2. Contains these short stories: "Spider Silk", "Sand Sister", "Falcon Blood", "Legacy From Sorn Fen", "Sword of Unbelief", "The Toads of Grimmerdale", and "Changeling". TALES OF THE WITCH WORLD, Tor 1987, ISBN 812-54757-8.

WITCH WORLD: THE TURNING: ------------------------ [paperbacks] Book 1, STORMS OF VICTORY, with P.M. Griffin, Tor, 1991, ISBN 812-51109-3. Book 3, ON WINGS OF MAGIC, with Patricia Shaw Mathews & Sasha Miller, Tor, 1994,ISBN 812-50828-9.

[hardback] Book 2, FLIGHT OF VENGEANCE, with P.M. Griffin & Mary Schaub, Tor, 1992, ISBN 0-312-85014-X.

SECRETS OF THE WITCH WORLD: -------------------------- [paperbacks] THE KEY OF THE KEPLIAN, with Lyn McConchie, Aspect, 1995, ISBN 0-446-60440-5. THE MAGESTONE, with Mary H. Schaub, Aspect, 1996, ISBN 0-446-60222-1.

[hardback] THE WARDING OF WITCH WORLD, WarnerBooks, ISBN 0-446-51991-X.

[Contains one or more maps] --------------------------- WEB OF THE WITCH WORLD (Estcarp) TALES OF THE WITCH WORLD (Estcarp-Escore, High Halleck-Arvon) STORMS OF VICTORY (Estcarp-Escore, High Halleck-Arvon) FLIGHT OF VENGEANCE (Estcarp-Escore, High Halleck-Arvon) ON WINGS OF MAGIC (Estcarp-Escore, High Halleck-Arvon) SONGSMITH (Estcarp-Escore, High Halleck-Arvon) THE KEY OF THE KEPLIAN (Estcarp-Escore) THE MAGESTONE (Estcarp-Escore) THE WARDING OF WITCH WORLD (Estcarp-Escore)

[Contains one or more illustrations] ----------------------------------- HIGH SORCERY SPELL OF THE WITCH WORLD THE CRYSTAL GRYPHON THE BOOK OF ANDRE NORTON THE JARGOON PARD ZARSTHOR'S BANE (many illustrations) LORE OF THE WITCH WORLD HORN CROWN GRYPHON'S EYRIE (several illustrations) THE WARDING OF WITCH WORLD (actually, only genealogical tables)

[The approximate chronological order] Does not include the short story collections.

HORN CROWN WEB OF THE WITCH WORLD SPELL OF THE WITCH WORLD YEAR OF THE UNICORN THREE AGAINST THE WITCH WORLD WARLOCK OF THE WITCH WORLD SORCERESS OF THE WITCH WORLD THE WERE-WRAITH THE CRYSTAL GRYPHON GRYPHON IN GLORY GRYPHON'S EYRIE ZARSTHOR'S BANE 'WARE HAWK TREY OF SWORDS THE JARGOON PARD THE GATE OF THE CAT STORMS OF VICTORY FLIGHT OF VENGEANCE ON WINGS OF MAGIC SONGSMITH KEY OF THE KEPLIAN THE MAGE STONE THE WARDING OF WITCH WORLD ----------------------------------------------------------------- 4]. Visual Sources Bibliography

No known adaptations. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 5]. Related Materials Bibliography

Ben and Sasha Miller wrote a GURPS gaming reference for the Witch World, but I've lost my copy of it and it's no longer in print. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 6]. Online References

A) News Groups

None. But Andre Norton's works can be discussed in rec.arts.sf.written and alt.fan.created-worlds.

B) Mailing/Discussion Lists

None.

C) Web sites

I mention Witch World on my own web site: http://www.xenite.org/homepage.htm.

The Witch World Page is my own personal memorial to Andre Norton's work. The URL is http://www.xenite.org/witchwor.htm.

Theresa Mercaldo has a Witch World page at: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Acropolis/6985

Aethling's Grove: Site Devoted To Andre Norton http://www.polbox.com/a/aethel/ Has both an English-language and Polish-language version.

D) Online services

I've set up an Andre Norton Mesasge Board at http://www.xenite.org/boards/anorton/an_board.htm. Discussion of any of Andre's works is welcome there.

E) IRC

None.

F) Comprehensive lists of resources

None. ----------------------------------------------------------------- 7]. Maintainer Information

FAQ owner: Michael Martinez Last Updated: August 13, 1997

Other information was contributed by:

Jean Lamb Theresa Mercaldo Maciej Zaleski --------------------------End of WorldFAQ------------------------