Quis
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Quis refers to a dice game learned by Kelric on the planet Coba, in the Saga of the Skolian Empire books by Catherine Asaro.
This dice strategy game can be played with a physical set of dice that are made from hand-crafted jewels; or it can be played mentally. It originates on a planet called Coba, a former colony of the Ruby empire that became isolated during the empire's collapses and remains so even during the time of the novels. All members of Coban society learn to play Quis, but only a few excel at it.
The Quis dice can be used for a variety of purposes, including as a game, to tell stories, to exchange information, and even to gamble. But it's most important use is its influence on politics, as the dice are used to compete politically, and also can convey politically important information.
There are competing city-states that have isolated top Quis players, who study the art of playing Quis as their fulltime occupation.
