Fighting Fantasy Adventures - coming to Kickstarter soon!

Exciting news, adventurers! Fighting Fantasy Adventures, a new co-op card game, is coming to Kickstarter on 1st July 2023. 

Created by Martin Wallace of Wallace Designs and based on the iconic series of books by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, the game allows up to four players to experience the classic adventures in a completely new way. Despite being a card game, it has the feel of a roleplaying game but without the need for a Gamesmaster.

The first campaign will comprise five adventures, based on four beloved books - The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, The Forest of Doom, Deathtrap Dungeon, and Island of the Lizard King - with the promise of more to come.

Sir Ian Livingstone said, "It has been a pleasure to work with Martin on his Fighting Fantasy Adventures game. Martin is one of the most successful and respected games designers in the industry. His design ideas for Fighting Fantasy Adventures and his understanding of the Fighting Fantasy world make for a very exciting and innovative game."

Make sure you keep on eye open for updates on this blog with more details in the coming weeks.

Sir Ian Livingstone attending UK Games Expo 2023

The UK Games Expo 2023 kicks off two weeks from today, and Sir Ian will be in attendance on Friday 2nd June.

You will find him at Stand 2-T21 where you will be able to get your Fighting Fantasy gamebooks signed.

Not only that, but on Saturday 3rd June 2023, Olly Mc of The Storymaster's Tales will be guiding John "The Dark Room" Robertson through the infamous City of Thieves* in the adventure's 40th anniversary year.

Terror stalks the night as Zanbar Bone and his bloodthirsty Moon Dogs hold the own of Silvertown to ransom. John Robertson's mission will take him to Port Blacksand's dark, twisting streets, where thieves, vagabonds and creatures of the night lie in wait as he tries to find Nicodemus. Beyond Port Blacksand lies the stronghold of the Night Prince Zanbar Bone. 

Olly and John Robertson will be playing their way through City of Thieves on Saturday 3rd June at 5:00pm in the Hilton Pavilion.

Tickets for the event are available here, and half of the revenue from each sale will be added to the UKGE Charity donations.

To find out more and book your ticket, follow this link.

Russ Nicholson - The Passing of a Legend

We were very sorry to hear of the passing of Russ Nicholson last Wednesday, after a short illness, and know that many who read this will be feeling just as bereft as we are.

'Legend' is a word that is over-used these days, but it certainly applies when talking about the man who brought the first Fighting Fantasy gamebook to life. The Warlock of Firetop Mountain was the readers' introduction to the world of FF and it was Russ's illustrations as much as the text that drew children into the deadly dungeon that was the Warlock's lair.

Russ's work also set a high benchmark for others to follow. Oft imitated but never surpassed, when Russ took his pen for a walk across the page he conjured inriguing characters, hideous monsters, whole armies, and entire worlds from the nib. To see him work was like watching a wizard practising his craft; he waved his wand and visceral scenes of action and adventure were brought forth upon the page in ink.

Steve, Russ and Ian at Fighting Fantasy Fest 3 in 2019.

Ian Livingstone said, "I first had the pleasure to work with Russ during the early years of Games Workshop. His wonderfully atmospheric illustrations filled the pages of White Dwarf. I fondly remember working with him when he illustrated the cards in Workshop’s Warlock game published in 1980, and later Eye of the Dragon, the solo adventure which I wrote for Dicing with Dragons. Most famously, Russ illustrated the first edition of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain, his iconic pen and ink illustrations setting the standard for future Fighting Fantasy gamebooks. Russ was an amazing man with an incredible talent, and he left an incredible legacy. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him."

Steve Jackson added, "This is dreadful news. Russ was the founding father of the black and white art which became so important as one of the features of FF. Sadly, his adventure has ended here. Gone but not forgotten. Our condolences to the Nicholson family.”

Those of you who have read Secrets of Salamonis may have noticed a personal tribute to Russ by Steve. One of the lead characters in the book is named Ruznik Ulsson in his honour.

Our thoughts are with his family and friends at this difficult time, and all those who were inspired by his incredible work.

Zagor the Warlock, by Russ Nicholson.

YOU DECIDE! Shadow of the Giants

Those of you who have been following Ken Boyter's live readthrough of Secrets of Salamonis will know that last week he succumbed to one of the many fiendish traps Steve Jackson had built into the book, which means that this week he is embarking on Sir Ian Livingstone's 40th anniversary adventure, Shadow of the Giants!

When an ancient artefact is discovered inside Firetop Mountain, its evil magic unleashes terrifying Iron Giants upon the world. In a race against time, YOU must find the only person who knows how to defeat them. Where does he live? Will he help? Will YOU survive?

Proceedings kick-off today at 6:00pm GMT on Twitch, and you can have your say in chat as to how the adventure progresses. Click this link to find out more.

The Warlock Returns - Issue #9

For those of you who have been eagerly awaiting the release of Issue #9 of the Advanced Fighting Fantasy fanzine The Warlock Returns, it is now available to download from DriveThruRPG, courtesy of Arion Games.

This issue contains...

* Denizens of the Pit - More of Titan's spawn from the Pit! 

* Rules Summary and AFF Character Sheet 

* Sleeping on the Job - New sleep rules 

* Director advice articles with rumours and plot hooks 

* Adding Themed Monsters to AFF - Crafting New Monsters 

* Roll20 Macros for the Director - Creating NPCs and Skill Rolls 

* The Legend of Gareus comic and agony aunt page 

* Stellar Adventures: Into the Doors of Eryx - Part III 

... and more!

YOU are the YouTuber!

While you wait for the release of Jonathan Green's 40th anniversary edition of YOU ARE THE HERO - An Interactive History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, you can partake in an interactive YouTube history of FF, courtesy of Jordan Sorcery.

Watch the video below and all will become clear...

God Save the King!

It probably hasn't escaped your notice that tomorrow is the Coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla.

Royalty has long been a staple of fantasy stories, and that includes adventure gamebooks. So, today we thought we would count down some of Fighting Fantasy's baddest and best monarchs. But be warned, spoilers abound!

#5 - King Salamon LVII - The Gates of Death

The highly respected current ruler of Salamonis first appeared in Steve Jackson's Fighting Fantasy novel, The Trolltooth Wars, and then in Dungeoner, the first book in the Advanced Fighting Fantasy series.

However, when he was next encountered in Charlie Higson's The Gates of Death, he had become infected by a terrible demon plague and... wasn't quite himself.

#4 - King Gillibran - The Forest of Doom

King Gillibran Ironhelm III is the ruler of the Dwarves of Stonebridge. It is he who you are trying to aid by recovering his fabled warhammer in Sir Ian Livingstone's The Forest of Doom, so that he can continue to defend the town against the predations of the Hill Trolls that live to the east in the Moonstone Hills.

#3 - The Serpent Queen - City of Thieves

The Serpent Queen is under the protection of Lord Azzur and can be encountered in Sir Ian Livingstone's City of Thieves.

She is a woman with the head of a giant serpent, the result of terrible experiments performed by Caarth sorcerer-priests in the Desert of Skulls, and her bite is most definitely worse than her bark!

#2 - King Salamon LVII - Secrets of Salamonis

Having not appeared in a Fighting Fantasy gamebook until 2018, only four years later King Salamon returned in 2022, in Steve Jackson's Secrets of Salamonis. The reason for his second appearance on the list is because the previous listing was for his evil demonic self, while in Secrets of Salamonis he is as noble, wise and generous as you might have previously been led to believe.

#1 - The Lizard King - Island of the Lizard King

There is only one monarch whose name appears in the title of a Fighting Fantasy gamebook and that is the Lizard King of Fire Island. Armed with a lethal sword and protected by his pet Black Lion, he is a truly formidable foe. And you have to battle your way past his entire army before you can even face him in single combat!

Bubbling under: the Liche Queens of Trial of Champions and Night of the Necromancer, the Pharaoh Akharis the Accursed from Curse of the Mummy, and Queen Zyteea of the Usai tribe who appears in Bloodbones.

So, who is your favourite Fighting Fantasy monarch? Let us know in the comments below?