Hungry like the WOLF

WOLF (#22-26/31, #234-240/365) [OOTP IV]

The WOLF is a common canine carnivore, ubiquitous to all the continents of Titan as well as some offshore islands, including the Arrowhead Archipelago. Being highly diverse, previously considered species of wolf have included regular Wolves and Snow Wolves (also known as Frost Wolves or Northern Wolves) in Out of the Pit (p. 120), hybrids such as Wolf Dogs (Out of the Pit , pp. 38-39) and Wolfhounds (Out of the Pit , p. 120), and stranger varieties such as the Whipperwolf (see Beyond the Pit, p. 152), but, interestingly, not the Giant Aardwolf, which is actually a type of Hyena. While many types, including Red or Desert Wolves of arid areas, and the rare Striped Wolf of Skeln, can be considered identical in abilities to the common Wolf, other breeds, such as Black, Dire, Grey, Snout, and White Wolves are quite different and all of these latter kinds are further detailed below. Werewolves of course may take any form, depending on what creature initially infected them with the magical disease of Lycanthropy!

BLACK WOLF (#22/30, #234/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 8

STAMINA: 9

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Small Bite

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to Damage Roll

HABITAT: Woods, Hills, Mountains

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average

The dreaded BLACK WOLF of Mauristatia, in the central highlands of the Old World is a much-feared beast about which too little is known. Some say it is the bestial form of a particular type of Werewolf, others state that it is a lord among wolves as kings and queens lead people, and still more claim the Black Wolf is an entirely distinct lupine species. What is known is that the Black Wolf is a monstrous beast, twice the size of any other wolf, whose pelt is utterly black, apart from a long streak of grey running down its spine, with huge teeth and steel-sharp claws. Those poor unfortunates who face it will see their death reflected in its eyes, and with a guttural growl, the great wolf will pounce!

The Black Wolf will be accompanied by a pack of one to six regular wolves which follow its lead without question, and it is not averse to hunting down and attacking any interloper into its territory. Such a creature was reputed to be the animal form of the Mad Prince and known Werewolf, Garoul Wulfen of Lupravia, who preferred the company of wolves to men and would prowl the wooded borderlands of that cursed principality, striking fear into all who dwelt there or had the misfortune to be passing through.

DIRE WOLF (#23/30, #235/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 8

STAMINA: 8

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Small Bite

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to Damage Roll

HABITAT: Hills, Wilderness

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-6

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Low

Also known as the Giant Wolf, the DIRE WOLF is a primitive throwback to lupine ancestry, a monstrous creature with a brownish pelt and unblinking feral yellow eyes. Living in outland areas full of similar prehistoric fauna, the Dire Wolf exists in small packs of one to six creatures, hunting Black Elk and young Mammoths, while avoiding the attentions of Sabre-Tooth Tigers and Nandibears, communicating among its pack members with a series of snarling barks.

Their size and viciousness are much valued by others however, and Dire Wolf cubs are often captured and sold at premium prices for those prepared to raise and train these wild beasts. Orcs of the Old World and Hill Goblins of the Craggen Heights are known to use Dire Wolves as mounts, fielding units of Wolf-Rider cavalry whether attacking merchant caravans or deployed on the battlefield. Others treasure the Dire Wolf as a loyal companion, such as Count Varcolac, Wulfen Lord and Prince of Lupravia, who kept a pair of them as lupine bodyguards within his throne room to deal with all troublesome intruders! 

GREY WOLF (#24/30, #236/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA: 7

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Small Bite

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Woods, Mountains, Hills, Plains

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-6

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average-Low

Slightly larger than regular Wolves, the GREY WOLF is a terrifying pack-hunter found in the wilder borderlands of Titan, across cold regions all three continents, such as Darkwood Forest in Allansia (see Forest of Doom, p. 12). A lithe, grey-furred creature with red-golden eyes, it is also known as the Timber Wolf as it generally favours wooded areas, but has been known to hunt and track prey across the plains as well. If three or more Grey Wolves are encountered, one will be a pack-leader with SKILL 9 STAMINA 8, and +1 to the Damage Roll.

These canine carnivores are always ravenously hungry, and difficult to dissuade from attacking. Some travellers report success with brandishing flaming brands, for wolves in general are always afraid of naked flames. Others have survived by clambering up trees and waiting til the howling marauders depart disappointed and frustrated. Still, when the baying yowls start and the pack begins to hunt, the best defence is often a length of cold steel blade in one's hand, and one's back against a tree-trunk, dealing with the Grey Wolves as they attack in turn. If there is a pack-leader present, better to slaughter it first if possible, runs the conventional wisdom, and the rest of the foul curs will flee yelping into the wilderness! 

SNOUT-WOLF (#25/30, #237/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 4

STAMINA: 7

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Small Bite

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Plains, Hills, Wilderness

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average-Low

Just like the Snuff Hound is a breed of dog tasked with sniffing out escapees and fleeing prisoners, so too does the SNOUT-WOLF possess the ability to track the scent, not of people however, but gold! This is a wolf-like beast with a long snout, sharp fangs, and a ragged brownish pelt. Snout-Wolves are native to south-western Khul, where they are often bred or used by armies such as those of the warlord Ostragoth the Grim, and tasked with finding gold, whether stashes of coins or seams of base metal, for their owners to loot and exploit. In the wild they live in small groups out in the wilderness, preying on mammals such as rabbits and deer, as their olfactory powers are equally capable of detecting prey as well as gold. Curiously their flesh is also quite edible and Roast Snout-Wolf is a specialty in the strange Khulian kingdoms of Zamarra, Gorak and Kazan!

WHITE WOLF (#26/30, #240/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 8

STAMINA: 9

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Small Bite

ARMOUR: Light

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to Damage Roll

HABITAT: Woods, Hills, Mountains

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-2

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Neutral-Unfriendly

INTELLIGENCE: Average

Not to be confused with the Snow Wolf, the WHITE WOLF is a huge creature, almost as large as a pony, though rangy and agile, with a short white pelage and bright crystal-clear ice-blue eyes. Although a rare breed it is well known from the northern woods, hills and mountains of Allansia. Here 'Whitewolf' is a common surname or title, vis-a-vis Cares Whitewolf, the king of Carsepolis (whose name is still commemorated in Port Blacksand's 'Whitewolf Fortnight' festival), or the Archmage Erridansis Whitewolf, founder of the School of Magic in the Forest of Yore.

As can be likely surmised from the above, White Wolves are considered noble creatures of the northlands, and much venerated by druids and shamans of the Northmen and Barbarians who dwell in these parts. They disdain pack-life, hunting either solo or with a mate, but there is good in their soul and they are happy to be gifted meat, either dried jerky or fresh and bloody, in exchange for safe passage through their territory. Indeed, woe betide the fool who slaughters one of these honourable creatures out of hand for they will bring the curse of the northern druids down upon their wretched self!

Weird and strange plants from far, far away... (part three)

ALMOND (#16/30, #228/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a short tree with grey-green bark, serrated green leaves, fragrant white-pink flowers, and a green-thin-skinned fruit containing a brown nut-like seed.

Distribution: Plains, hills and forests in warmer regions of Titan.

 

Effects: The seed of the Almond is a delicious nut eaten across Titan, either raw, salted, added to food, ground in floor or pulped for a milk substitute. Eating a bag of almonds restores 2 STAMINA points. Interestingly, Almond milk, along with several ingredients which are currently unknown, is a component in the lethal brew known as Death's Kiss Poison.

Cost: City 2gp, Town 1gp, Village 5sp (per bag)

 

Availability: Common

 

BLACKWOOD (#17/30, #229/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a smaller tree with lustrous black wood, large green circular leaves and white flowers.

Distribution: Jungles and plains of Titan's warmer regions.

 

Effects: The timber of Blackwood is a valuable commodity, used in the manufacture of attractive musical instruments, ornaments, furniture, particularly tables, and other items of woodwork, such as doors and gates. Spirit Doors, used to repel Ghosts and other supernatural entities, are made of Blackwood bound with silver engraved with arcane esoteric symbols, while various enchanted staves are also made from carved Blackwood, such as the legendary Staff of Shelka, the Wand-Stave of the Hawk, and the Staff of Summoning. The thrones of Belgaroth the Usurper and the Battle-Khans of Lendleland were made from Blackwood, likewise the coffins of Count Reiner Heydrich the Vampire Lord, or the equally vampiric Countess Isolde of Maun.

Cost: City 10gp, Town 6gp, Village 4gp (per staff)

 

Availability: Common

CAMARILLION (#18/30, #230/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a small herb with yellow and white daisy-like flowers and green feathery leaves.

Distribution: Plains, hills and forests across temperate regions of Titan.

 

Effects: The dried Camarillion flower is used as an additive to Tea, to help one sleep. In addition Camarillion Oil, made from the flowers, is an important component of Ritual magic. Any Ritual magic performed with a brazier of heated Camarillion Oil gains a +1 bonus to the spellcasting test.

Cost: City 3gp, Town 2gp, Village 1gp (per flask of oil)

 

Availability: Common

ELM (#19/30, #231/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a tall tree with a thick trunk of grey-brown corrugated bark and large serrated deep green leaves, with occasional clumps of yellow-pink flowers.

Distribution: Forests across temperate regions of Titan.

 

Effects: The wood of the Elm is commonly used in construction and carpentry across Titan and is renowned for its strength and toughness. Any war-machines or dwellings constructed from Elm gain +1 to their BATTLE STAMINA.

Cost: City 6gp, Town 4gp, Village 2gp (per staff)

 

Availability: Common

 

Further Notes: The Battle of the Elms, in the Year of the Ox during the last Turn (263 AC), was a legendary engagement within Darkwood Forest between the Wood Elves aided by Yaztromo the Wizard, and the Dark Elves of Tiranduil Kelthas. 

 

ELVERGRASS (#20/30, #232/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a type of seagrass with long thin bright green ribbon-like leaves.

Distribution: Rivers, lakes and seashores of Titan.

 

Effects:  Dried Elvergrass is used for healing practices. A poultice of dried Elvergrass applied to a wound allows the healer to gain a +1 bonus to an attempt at healing that specific wound.

Cost: City 5gp, Town 6gp, Village 7gp (per pouch)

 

Availability: Rare

FOULROT SEAWEED (#21/30, #233/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This grows in great knotted masses of brownish-purple seaweed, that clog tidal areas and release bubbles of foul gas that float lazily to the surface releasing noxious vapours into the air.

Distribution: Seas and sea-shores of Titan.

 

Effects: The Foulrot Seaweed is usually found growing in coastal places with strong ties to Chaos - the Blood Islands for example, or the margins of the Isle of Despair. The acrid stench has considerable detrimental effect - any coastal holdings have their income halved, while anyone fighting in any area clogged with the stuff must wear Nose Plugs or suffer a -1 SKILL penalty to all actions while they are in the vicinity.

Cost: Not usually available for sale

 

Availability: Very Rare

Whirling DERVISHES!

DERVISH (#15/30, #227/365) [POT]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA : 8

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Scimitar

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Deserts, Wilderness, Plains

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1

TYPE: Humanoid

REACTION: Neutral-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: High

The DERVISH is a holy person from the Scythera Desert or other arid wilderness from central Khul. Similar to the mystic Sufi of the Desert of Skulls in Allansia, the Dervish may be found wandering alone or as the priest of a band of desert nomads. They will usually be armed with a Scimitar, wear thick robes that protect them from the sun, and have a full waterskin and a holy symbol of their chosen deity. In addition, roll on the table below for 1-3 items of additional gear:

Roll Extra Gear

1 Steed (Roll: 1-2 Camel, 3-4 Donkey, 5-6 Mule)

2 Dowsing Rod

3 Prayer Beads

4 Bag of Sand

5 Vial of Anti-Poison

6 Pet (Roll: 1-2 Desert Scorpion, 3-4 Asp, 5-6 Saltsucker)

The type of god worshipped by a Dervish can vary widely; roll on the below table to determine the demiurge to whom they pay respects:

Roll Chosen Deity

1 Krsh (as Death)

2 Hazdur (as Glantanka)

3 Assamarra

4 Rikat

5 The Basilisk

6 Hermit (see Priests Companion, pp. 35-37)

The average Dervish will have a Devotion score of 7 (MAGIC 5 plus Magic-Priestly special skill of 2). Most Dervishes will be neutral in demeanor, or even friendly towards followers of similar gods, but those who follow evil gods such as Krsh, Rikat or the Basilisk will be openly hostile. Indeed, such is the nefarious reputation of Krsh-worshipping Dervishes within the Twin Sun Desert that the local Lauper population have crafted magical Daggers of Dervish-Killing with which to deal with them! 

Elsewhere, some Dervishes are known to guard hjdden shrines in the rocky wastes of central Khul. The most famous of these is the legendary Lost Cave of the Dervishes, whose fiendish traps protect the Stone of Shanhara; Shanhara was a Dervish of ancient times who found a large and beautiful diamond with enchanted properties - the stone that now bears his name. Recently, an adventurer called Jakor One-Eye was rumoured to have found the location of the cave, but before he could lead an expedition back there to retrieve the Stone of Shanhara, Jakor perished in the wilderness outside the desert town of Alasiyan. Some say this knowledge died with him, others that he passed his secrets on to the Hermit of the Hills...

Make Room for More Runes!

Black Steel Rune Armband (#10/30, #222/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a pair of armbands made from black steel, inscribed with runes in the language of the Demons' Voice. Any Lesser Demon that is normally vulnerable to normal weapons, who wears these runic armbands, instead only can be wounded by silver, blessed or enchanted weapons. These effects are applicable to anyone who wears these armbands, but because of their demonic nature, wearing them is an evil act.

Unavailable to buy 

Carved Rune Stick (#11/30, #223/365) [EA:V2] (Trinket)

This is a long pointed stake carved with runes in the Dwarf or Northmen languages, painted in blue and yellow hoops. While it lacks any innate magic of its own, the stick can be used to slay vampires, once distracted by garlic or a crucifix, by driving it through the undead creature's chest, killing the Vampire instantly. Vampires in polar regions such as the Freezeblood Mountains, are surprisingly common, although generally only active in the darker winter months, perhaps as an undead remnant of the ancient civilization of the Ice Ghouls, and it is thought these Carved Rune Sticks are made to combat such horrors. Indeed, it is rumoured one was deployed recently by a lucky adventurer to slay the vampiric Snow Witch Shareella in her lair within the Crystal Caves of the Icefinger Mountains.

25 gp 

Dark Elf Rune Dagger (#12/30, #224/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a curved dagger made from black steel and inscribed with runes in the language of the Dark Elves. Once per day, this dagger will have the same effect as the Poison spell (see Advanced Fighting Fantasy, p. 78) for the duration of one combat. They are much sought after by assassins and the like on the surface world, but their use is generally considered to be an evil act.

Unavailable to buy 

Polished Runeshield (#13/30, #225/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a large heavy shield, etched with strange runes all around its edge, and polished so much one can see their reflection in the shield's surface. Using this magnificent shield in combat allows one to add one to their Armour Roll. In addition, the reflective surface of the shield acts as a mirror when facing dangerous creatures such as Basilisks, Gorgons, and Medusae.

Unavailable to buy  

Rune-Inscribed Wheel-Hub (#14/30, #226/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a bronze metal rondel that covers the wheel hubs of a war-chariot's wheels. It is inscribed with runes and glows with a pale luminescence. It automatically causes Fear, as per the spell (see Advanced Fighting Fantasy, p. 73), to all Elves. Any chariot bearing such items gains a +4 bonus to their attacks versus any Elf units in battle, and any unit defeated by chariots with Rune-Inscribed Wheel-Hubs is automatically routed. The secret of their manufacture has been lost to the mists of time but some were known to be used by the Skeleton Man warrior-priest of the evil god Glund, known as Syzuk the Devastator, in his military campaigns against the Wood Elves of Khul.

Unavailable to buy

Return to the Kennels of Doom!

(see also Chaos Hound, Canidor)  

MOON DOG (#7/30, #219/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 9

STAMINA: 10

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Large Bite

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: +1 to Damage Roll

HABITAT: Towns, Ruins, Anywhere master is

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1-3

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average

Once thought to be identical to the horrible Death Dog of southern Allansia and elsewhere, recent research from Ruddlestone has revealed that the hideous canine known as the MOON DOG is in fact a very different type of creature! Some say this is because the beast is tainted by Chaos, or that it exists half-within the Ethereal Realm, or even that it materializes on Titan when the lunar event of Moon Dogs appear in the sky, mysterious celestial bodies that flank the actual moon as dogs would follow their master. 

Regardless of reason, the Moon Dog, named for their habit of baying at the moon with shrill howls, is the most savage of all dogs. A huge beast, stronger than four men, its pelt is normally midnight-black but sometimes silvery-white in hue. The size of a fully grown Wolf, Moon Dogs are truly vicious creatures with razor sharp fangs better suited for a beast four times their size. Very cunning by nature, they can be sent to hunt and kill specific enemies, and are often equipped with spiked collars, and sent forth in battle to charge and attack horses and their riders.  

Each encountered Moon Dog may have mutations on the roll of a 6 on a 1D6 roll. Roll on the table below to determine what they are:

Roll Mutation Effect

1 Two Heads: +1 SKILL, +1 STAMINA, +1 Attack

2 Silvery Coat: Attacks count as magical weapons

3 Rabid: Wounded enemy must deduct an extra 2 STAMINA after the battle as they cut the poison from their wounds.

4 Shrill Howl: All enemies have -1 to SKILL unless have Ear Plugs or similar.

5 Tough Hide: Counts as Light Armour.

6 Two Mutations: Roll twice, ignoring further rolls of 6.

The Night Prince Zanbar Bone kept six Moon Dogs in the kennels at his Dark Tower, with which he would unleash against those that vexed him, such as the inhabitants of the nearby town of Silverton. The Order of the Black Shroud, undead Death-Knights from Bathoria, a chapter of whom have recently settled somewhat surprisingly at Valsinore Castle in western Ruddlestone, were known to keep Moon Dogs as guard hounds within the walls of their dread keep.

RAZAJACKAL (#8/30, #220/365) [OOTP IV]

SKILL: 7

STAMINA: 7

ATTACKS: 1

WEAPON: Large Bite

ARMOUR: None

DAMAGE MODIFIER: None

HABITAT: Deserts, Plains, Wilderness, Hills, Ruins

NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 2-7

TYPE: Animal

REACTION: Unfriendly-Hostile

INTELLIGENCE: Average

Out there in the wilderness, hunting in howling, snarling packs of two to seven slavering beasts, is the dreaded RAZAJACKAL! Like a Jackal but bigger, and similar to a desert wolf in appearance, the Razajackal has large canine teeth for savaging its prey, and communication among pack-members is via a series of howls, screams and snarls. Indeed, such are the skin-crawling sounds made by the creature, particularly when fighting, all who face it in combat must reduce their SKILL score by 1 for the duration of the battle (unless they have Ear Plugs, Goblin Ear Wax, or something similar). 

Razajackals typically prey on camels, antelope, gazelle, goats and sheep, but have been known to attack humans crossing the desert as well. They will flee however, if their numbers are reduced by half, retreating to their den, which is generally a series of burrows lined with the chewed bones of their victims. Razajackals are known from the Scythera Desert in Khul and the White Bone Desert in Amarillia, where the clear night air transmits the sounds of their howls far and wide as they hunt for fresh meat among the star-lit dunes!

Dealing with Dogs

Assuming a breeder or animal trader can be found that sells them, different types of dog can be purchased at the prices listed below. It is assumed the price includes basic training relevant to the dog type's proclivity; Sled Dogs will be able to draw a sled, Attack Dogs will be trained to attack, and so on. Training a dog by oneself is identical to the process for training horses and other steeds given in the Combat Companion (p. 44).

Dogs require food! The amount of food a dog needs every day is related to their SKILL score as follows (and is taken from the Adventure Creation System, p. 15):

SKILL Daily Provisions required

5 or less 1 Meal/Day

6-9 2 Meals/Day

10 or more 4 Meals/Day

Each Provision is equivalent to a typical human-sized provision. For every Provision required per day, dogs will also require a full waterskin of water.

Dogs that are not fed regularly suffer the same penalties to their STAMINA score as Heroes, and their ability to follow instructions has a -1 penalty per day of not being fed. In addition, if they or their owner rolls a Critical Fumble, the hungry dog will turn on its master or mistress and attack them instead!  

Dog Type Prices

Type City Cost Town Cost Village Cost 

Attack Dog 35gp 40gp 40gp

Bloodhound 25gp 30gp 32gp

Brician War-Hound 35gp 40gp 40gp

Death Dog 50gp 70gp 80gp

Dog 6gp 8gp 10gp

Elven Hound 45gp 60gp 70gp

Fang Hound 45gp 60gp 70gp

Great Hound 33gp 38gp 38gp

Guard Dog 10gp 8gp 8gp

Hunting Dog 15gp 20gp 20gp

Kalagarian Ridgeback 30gp 36gp 38gp

Mastiff 35gp 40gp 40gp

Moon Dog 50gp 70gp 80gp

Orc Hound 10gp 11gp 12gp

Retriever 8gp 10gp 12gp

Rottwild 20gp 22gp 24gp

Sheep Dog 8gp 10gp 12gp

Sled Dog 30gp 25gp 25gp

Snuff Hound 30gp 40gp 40gp

War Hound 35gp 40gp 40gp

Whippet 10gp 12gp 15gp

Wolf Dog 16gp 18gp 18gp

Wolfhound 20gp 25gp 25gp

Dog Armour

Similar to the barding worn by Warhorses and the like (e.g. see Return to the Pit, p. 10), it is also possible to equip dogs with armour to protect them in battle from injuries. Spiked Collars can be worn by any dog, but other types of armour may only be worn by the following breeds: Attack Dogs, Brician War-Hounds, Death Dogs, Elven Hounds, Fang Hounds, Great Hounds, Kalagarian Ridgebacks, Mastiffs, Rottwilds, Orc Hounds, War Dogs, Wolf-Dogs or Wolfhounds. It may also be worn by slightly more supernatural canines, including Hellhounds, Moon Dogs and the Xlaia, but not flying breeds, including Aakor, Canidor or Devil-Hounds.

Dog Armour Prices

Type City Cost Town Cost Village Cost 

Spiked Collar 5gp 7gp 9gp

Leather 8gp 9gp 16gp

Mail 12gp 18gp 30gp

Plate 16gp 22gp 46gp

Spike  30gp 35gp 50gp

Dog Armour Roll Tables 

Armour Type 1 2 3 4 5 6 7+

Spiked Collar* 0 0 0 0 0 +1 +1

Leather 0 0 0 1 1 1 2

Mail 0 0 1 1 2 2 3

Plate 0 1 2 2 3 3 4

Spiked** 1 1 2 2 3 3 4

* = If the Spiked Collar blocks or partially blocks a melee attack, the assailant suffers 1 STAMINA damage from the spikes on the collar. Spiked Collars can be worn in addition to all other Dog Armour types except Spiked Armour (in which they are included).

** = Spiked Armour causes 1 STAMINA point damage to any adversary that successfully hits the Dog that wears it.

Collar of the Immortal Nightmare (#9/30, #221/365) [EA:V2] (Enchanted Item)

This is a black leather colour studded with thick silver spikes. When worn by a large dog, such as a Mastiff or Rottwild, it provides protection as per a regular spiked collar. In addition, the hound that wears it is immune to damage from normal weapons; they will appear to suffer wounds, but once they reach 0 STAMINA, they will be reborn again with their full STAMINA intact! Only silver or magic weapons can harm a dog that wears the Collar of the Immortal Nightmare. One such creature was the black Mastiff 'Midnight' kept by the Salamonian tax-collector Odious Pinchpenny, and used to menace those that were tardy in paying revenue to the man regarded as the most detested person in Salamonis. 

Unavailable to buy

Each Peach Pear Plum

(Sad news)

BANDURIN FRUIT (#4/30, #216/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a small tree with oval-shaped dark green downy leaves, single pink flowers, and large pear-shaped fruits with thick yellow-green skin.

Distribution: Forests and hills in warmer regions of Titan.

 

Effects: The fruit of the Bandurin tree is edible with an intense aroma and tart flavour. They are nutritious if eaten singly; and restore 1-2 STAMINA points. Gorging on Bandurin Fruit however will cause stomach cramps resulting in the loss of 1-3 STAMINA points. To alleviate this, most Bandurin Fruits are harvested to make jams, preserves and liquor.

Cost: City 2gp, Town 3gp, Village 4gp (per fruit)

 

Availability: Uncommon

CARACALK SEED (#5/30, #217/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a type of palm-tree with long spiny pale green leaves, that produces large clusters of red date-like fruit.

Distribution: Deserts, plains and wilderness in the hottest regions of Titan.

 

Effects: Caracalk fruit is edible and preserves easily, and thus is used commonly as provisions by nomads and other desert travellers; a bag of Caracalk fruit is identical to one preserved ration of Provisions in effect. In addition, the fleshy remnants and seed of the fruit are fermented to make Caracalk-seed liquor, a potent alcoholic beverage, that can be drunk straight or added to other beverages such as coffee or tea for flavour. Anyone drinking a bottle of Caracalk-seed liquor straight, gains 4 STAMINA points and a +1 SKILL bonus to their next combat, after which they must Test their Luck or collapse into unconsciousness for 10-60 minutes. Those that remain conscious suffer a -2 penalty to all actions for the same time frame.

Cost: City 8gp, Town 10gp, Village 12gp (per bottle)

 

Availability: Common

GALDA FRUIT (#6/30, #218/365) [TTHA] 

Appearance: This is a small tree with a dense canopy of wide, serrated green leaves, large white flowers, and orange-yellow fruits that resemble small peaches.

Distribution: Plains, forests and hills in the warmer regions of Titan.

 

Effects: Galda Fruit is extremely nutritious, with a rich, sweet taste. Eating a bag of fresh Galda Fruit or a bottle of Galda Fruit preserves restores 1-3 STAMINA points.

Cost: City 3gp, Town 4gp, Village 5gp (per bag or bottle)

 

Availability: Common

REVIEW: Fighting Fantasy Adventures (Wallace Design, 2025) Box 0: The Orb of Lucis

  

SPOILER FREE REVIEW BUT READ THE WHOLE REVIEW!

 Fighting Fantasy Adventures (Wallace Designs, 2025)

 

Box 0: The Orb of Lucis

 

[Random intro: My brother-in-law saw me messing about with this deck of cards. His chosen vocation is online transvestite Hindu fortune-teller and he thought it was an innovative new tarot system. That’s how cool the cards look!]

 

Backed Tier Reward: Treasure Chest

 

Basics: Shipping was received early, probably due to Bangkok’s proximity to the presumed China production origin, packaging was excellent, very sturdy. Plastic corner protectors on the box, no damage whatsoever, mint condition.

 

The big box contains 8 smaller boxes, 1 for counters, markers and dice, 1 for Hero cards plus a signed card by Steve Jackson, Ian Livingstone and Martin Wallace, (my backer bonafide card is #3346), 6 for the various adventure boxes. There is a map printed on the inside of both upper and lower boxes (both of which make very sturdy dice rolling containers). There is also a 16-page rulebook and a hardback tactical board for combat and marching order.

 

This review concerns Box 0: The Orb of Lucis. This review will start in reverse with the ugly, the bad, the good, and my final thoughts, on this box only. Each box contains a set of Dungeon Cards, which form the map, and Encounter Cards, which form the meat of the adventure.

 

The Ugly

The elephant in the room is the AI-influenced art. To be honest, I was expecting it, having seen some early pre-release art that was obviously AI. I said nothing, hoping at the time others would, and maybe they did, because the obvious AI art has been disguised to some extent. The kicker when playing the game though, was encountering a monster card where one wing was growing out of the rear of the monster’s eyeball, while the monster’s other wing was sort-of on their back. The sort of lazy AI art we see because AI doesn’t actually know what it’s doing. Unfortunately, once you’ve seen that example, you can’t unsee it, and then you start seeing it everywhere. I could be wrong, and all it takes for proof are the original artists’ PSD files or equivalent. Unfortunately, while the artists are credited, who did what is not so clear, so I don’t know who is responsible for what art. As far as I can see, the AI art takes three major forms, most of which are creatures and monsters (note, some creatures’ art appears AI-free).

 

Firstly, such as wing-eyeball monster, there are creatures where AI generated the image, which was then processed – slightly – by a human, and the rest obscured with “Dungeon Smoke”, so all you see is the head and maybe a few limbs at best, or cropped out as a ‘porthole’ effect, again, with just the head. It’s actually a shame everything is so obscured with “Dungeon Smoke” because there are two monsters in particular, I would love to see the original AI images as they are well gnarly, insanely so even.

 

Secondly, there are humanoid monsters where an original AI configuration, recognizable by the bland expression and strange design choices, are traced over and masked by some first-class digital texture work. They need to get the artist who did the texture work to draw the actual pictures next time, the textures are that good. These cards are bearable, not too bad, clear and refreshingly free from “Dungeon Smoke”.

 

Finally, there is a repeated legless dragon motif where the belly scales become a weird rope pattern half-way down, which repeats until the tail. It wouldn’t be so bad if it were just that (I believe the technical term for such a creature is an Amphiptere), but the wings are attached to said rope-belly and not the back of the dragon, making the problem more acutely visible. Again, once you’ve seen it, you can’t unsee the rope-belly-wing. This is repeated on all boxes, and every card, encircling the encounter or dungeon number. Ironically, the head is based on the original black dragon ‘Titan’ from the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks, and in this form the dragon occurs on the tactical board, happily free of rope-belly or rope-belly-wings. The whole thing could be a weird design choice, but there’s also a monster card with a similar problem, the belly scales invert to become an armoured carapace before reverting to belly scales and finally, thankfully, being obscured by “Dungeon Smoke”.

 

[I could be wrong on all of this, all we need to see are artist PSD files, timelapse videos or equivalent.]

 

The maps inside the box look great, but there are mistakes, misspellings and mislabeling with place names. Briefly, these are as follows: it should be Zengis not Xenghis, Kay-Pong not Kai-Pong, Carnex not Carner, Skaar not Skaal, Kalong Marshes not Kalon, The Dragon Reaches not Dragon Reach, Blood Island not Blood Isle, and Snake Island not Snake Isle (thanks to Victor Cheng for the last one). This is not difficult to get right.

 

One card typo that leapt out was a creature being described as ‘hagged’. While I quite like the idea of the word ‘hagged’ as a possible contemporary expression to ‘fragged’, I think it should be haggard.

 

I realize none of these things affect gameplay in any way, but given how much money the campaign raised, and how good the product looks otherwise, they all combine to detract from one’s overall enjoyment of said product.

 

The Bad

My counters aren’t great as the counter material has interfered with the print quality. They are legible but weirdly distorted, reminiscent of bit-mapped images to some extent. Hard to tell if it’s a poor-quality print job or a low-resolution image file usage or both.

 

There’s not much lore in the initial quest. We don’t know who or what Lucis is, why they have an Orb worth stealing, and who or why there needs to be a guardian for the Orb. Nothing here ties it to Fighting Fantasy or the Allansia map, other than the fact your Heroes are measured by SKILL, STAMINA and LUCK.

 

Some of the Encounter Cards have this weird ambient background text on them, but it has no tangible effects. It makes for nice atmosphere, but you’re never told when you should read it.

 

I understand it’s a bonus introductory quest, but the ending to this quest is remarkably anticlimactic. It’s very satisfying to play, so it’s quite strange you get no tangible benefit for completing it.

 

Some of the creatures, despite, or possibly because they are/were AI inspired, are remarkably bland in name and absence of lore. They look wicked! I want to know who they are and what they’re doing in this god-forsaken dungeon.

 

There’s a lot of “Dungeon-Smoke” on the cards. This is not a game for playing dark dive bars or for those of poor eyesight. Some of the counters are tiny and fiddly. The dungeon sprawls, and not in a regular grid either. Prepare to spill beer or coffee or pizza or chips all over it.

 

It’s a total one-shot. Once you’ve solved the secret of the Orb of Lucis, that is it. I might dig it out when my daughter gets back from college or my wife finally consents to playing a fantasy board/card game instead of root canal surgery, but there is no replay value once you’ve rumbled the mysteries here.

 

The Good

Gameplay! It’s fun, fast, exciting, terrifying even! Stuff happens, and like the gamebooks, once something’s happened there’s no comebacks, no five finger bookmarks even. It’s balanced, intuitive even. Despite all my tedious bitching and moaning above about the aesthetics, I was having fun. I felt I was playing a board/card game version of a previously obscure, unreleased Fighting Fantasy gamebook. The general atmosphere of 80s dungeon bashing is alive and well.

 

The Heroes were all fun in this initial adventure. I played solo with all four, which is a bit book-keeper-ish, but nothing too extravagant. Their abilities are all cool and complement each other well. One even has a “Smoke Bomb” ability to match all that “Dungeon Smoke”. Marching order is important. Tactics are important, but not tedious. Monsters are scary. Resources have to be managed carefully, items are gratefully found and acquired. This is all good gameplay and certainly adds to the fun value. The central puzzle is very, very satisfying to solve. Rules are easy to understand, writing is generally clear although it could be slightly more descriptive.

 

The art that is not AI is excellent. This includes the map, of which I would happily buy a print if the names were corrected. The Hero Card illustrations are epic and atmospheric. The Dungeon Card room pictures are fantastic, particularly once you clear a room by flipping the card over, which shows the bloody mess of a slain monster carcass everywhere. You could make an entirely separate random dungeon-bash game with the dungeon cards drawn from a stack, a lone Hero, and the Encounter Cards randomized on a table. There’s some hidden art on the outside of the bottom box that looks insanely brilliant but is sadly “brownscaled” out. I’d like to know which artists drew what pictures, because there is some outstanding artistic talent on show here.

 

Final Thoughts

It’s a fun, exciting one-shot card-box dungeon adventure, marred by some sloppy AI art. I’m looking forward to playing Box 1: The Warlock of Firetop Mountain next week (have to pace these one-shots out) and see how it tackles recreating an actual published gamebook. I liked it so much I’ve started re-engineering THE ORB OF LUCIS as a short non-linear amateur Fighting Fantasy gamebook, which, once typed up, I will repost here for interested parties to play. Would I back it again? Only if they ditch the AI art, use 100% human art, and run the whole thing by a Fighting Fantasy fan who knows their Zengis from their Kay-Pong. Flawed but intriguing.