There is usually some kind of text on this page. I have no idea what to put.

- Oliver Rose

A Warm Welcome From The Titan Monthly

The Titan Monthly is a monthly magazine that brings you fighting related news and general goodness. It is made by the collaborative efforts of a large team of Pixies and

Gnomes. Yep, Pixies, Gnomes as well as me, Oliver Rose and my co author, Thomas Rose. We only had 2 weeks to make this magazine, so this is but a taster for what is to come in the future. Anyway, without further wait, let's continue.

This month in …

Fighting Fantasy Fest 2

With 20 weeks to go until the second Fighting Fantasy Fest, some guests have now confirmed their attendance*.

Guests Of Honour

Steve Jackson and will be attending this event, and will be talking about ​ ​ ​ the Fighting Fantasy series, which as of this year is celebrating it's 25th anniversary. Ian will also be signing his new book Port of Peril as well as the Freeway Fighter Comic.

Artists

Russ Nicholson - One of the artists that helped define the world of Titan through his ​ amazing artwork, Russ illustrated eight FF , including the famous Warlock Of ​ Firetop Mountain, which some fans believe was partly responsible for the series success. ​ He also illustrated all of the FF novels, the young FF Goldhawk series, and two of the three original AFF books. Recently he contributed extra illustrations to Tin Man Games' adaptation of The Warlock Of Firetop Mountain.

Alan Langford - The illustrator of six FF gamebooks, including the famous Island of the ​ Lizard King and infamously difficult Creature of Havoc, Fighting Fantasy Fest 2 will be Alan's first convention so be sure to make it an amazing one!

Tony Hough - the illustrator of four FF gamebooks, including Night Dragon and Bloodbones, ​ the mysterious “lost” book, Tony was also a guest at the first Fighting Fantasy Fest.

Jim Burns - the artist behind the covers of not one, but two different editions of Freeway ​ Fighter. Jim's classic cover has also been reused as a cover variant for the Freeway Fighter Comic, which was a smashing success.

Authors

Marc Gascoigne - The name is almost as familiar to fans of the FF ​ gamebooks as those of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone, Marc having worked on the original Out of the Pit and Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World source books. He also wrote Battleblade Warrior (FF31), co-created (with Pete Tamlyn) the Advanced Fighting Fantasy books Dungeoneer, Blacksand!, and Allansia, and wrote the FF novels Demonstealer and Shadowmaster - all whilst working as consultant editor on the Fighting Fantasy range.

Peter Darvill-Evans - author of three FF gamebooks, including Beneath Nightmare Castle and Spectral Stalkers, which are classic macabre horror novels, Peter was responsible for starting the Doctor Who New Adventures line of tie-in novels.

Jamie Thomson - co-author of three FF gamebooks, including Talisman of Death and Sword of the Samurai, Jamie was the winner of many awards.

Jonathan Green - author of seven FF gamebooks and YOU ARE THE HERO - A History of Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, Parts 1 and 2, which also were a smashing success.

And that's not all! More guests will be confirmed in due course.

* Please note, all guest attendances are subject to health or other work commitments.

Freeway Fighter #2

Issue #2 of Ian Livingstone's FREEWAY FIGHTER is now available for pre-order, from Forbidden Planet or your local comic store. But no matter how you order it, you're going to need these pre-order codes, which have been “borrowed” from the fighting fantasy website.

Freeway fighter in Judge Dread!

In one of the latest Judge Dread Megazines, which, in its regular 'New Comics' slot, has a

four-page feature on Ian ​ Livingstone's Freeway Fighter. ​ This is sure to bring even more attention to the new comic, which as a result will result in more people becoming aware of the Fighting Fantasy series of books, which cannot be a bad thing! Creators Ian Livingstone, Andi Ewington and Simon Coleby are all interviewed, so if you want to get the inside track on the most anticipated Fighting Fighting comic of all time, pop into your local newsagent or order your copy today! ​ ​

Freeway fighter #3 Covers

Today we have got some sneak previews of the covers for the 3rd part of Ian Livingstones freeway fighter comic series.and they are as awesome as you would expect - particularly because two of them focus on the villain of the story, who will be very familiar to fans of the original Freeway Fighter FF ​ .

Freeway fighter at forbidden planet

On Saturday 20th May, you can join an amazing Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks line-up at the Forbidden Planet Megastore in London, for the launch of Titan Comics’ Ian Livingstone's ​ Freeway Fighter: The Comic from 1:00-2:00pm! ​

In the comics series, an unknown virus has wiped out over 85% of the world’s human population. Former I-400 Driver Bella De La Rosa is one of the 15% – living every day as if it were her last. Now, eighteen months after the collapse of civilisation, faced with a new world order where violence and chaos rule the Freeway. She must hone her racing skills and survive any way she can!

Stepping away from the usual of line up of Goblins and fantasy whatnot, Freeway Fighter is a chance for all FF fans, old and new alike to enjoy this new adventure!

Freeway Fighter Reviews

This marvel has received much praise from the Fighting Fantasy and Comic Book fans. ​ ​ Below I have several reviews of this product, so sit back, relax and enjoy the reviews.

Review #1 - GeekSyndicate

Andi Ewington’s comic book adaptation of Ian Livingstone’s 1985 Freeway Fighter gamebook is an unrelentingly kinetic and compelling tale of post-apocalyptic vehicular savagery and survival that deserves its place among the canonical works of the ‘dystopian action’ genre. Powerfully rendered by the pencils and inks of Simon Coleby and further elevated by the exquisite colours of Len O’Grady, the Freeway Fighter comic astutely blends tropes of apocalypse and ‘survival horror’ while honouring the legacy of the original Mad Max film of 1979 and its “silent movie with sound” techniques.

Drugs, alcohol, sex, violence, long hair, and law-breaking: the muscle car culture of the late 1960s and 1970s mortified the Australian mainstream and was synonymous with ‘loose morals’ and criminality. To the conservative middle class especially, each souped-up Ford XY Falcon GTHO Phase III 351, Holden HG Monaro GTS 350 V8 or Chrysler VH Valiant Charger R/T was an unbridled, supercharged, nightmare juggernaut of social decline, akin to a “fuel-injected suicide machine.” When director George Miller married the already intimidating rev-head culture to punk menace and berserk motorbike gangs in his bleak dystopian vision of a not-too-distant future Australia teetering on the brink of collapse, Mad Max brought to cinema an ugly, lawless and violent ‘social apocalypse’ that polarised viewers and critics alike.

Actual apocalypse (on screen, at least) soon followed, as did two film sequels: Mad Max 2, also known as The Road Warrior (1981) and Mad Max: Beyond Thunderdome (1985). Whereas the many iconic originalities of Thunderdome were somewhat overshadowed by the more ‘Hollywood-ised’ and ‘family friendly’ production, The Road Warrior portrays balls-to-the-wall survival in the face of uncompromisingly barbaric and sexually ambiguous warbands whose thirst for blood, death and leather is only exceeded by their thirst for gasoline. Despite being published in the same year as Thunderdome’s cinematic release, Livingstone’s Freeway Fighter gamebook – with the adventurer’s (i.e. reader’s) mission to drive “the armed Dodge Interceptor” across “the wilderness to the far-distant oil refinery at San Anglo and bring vital supplies back to the peaceful town of New Hope” – thankfully draws upon the broad narrative elaborated in The Road Warrior.

Although the Mad Max films had by then established a devoted cult following, the Freeway Fighter gamebook remained a risky departure from the dependable sword-and-sorcery adventures that had propelled Fighting Fantasy to ‘publishing phenomenon’ status.

Gamebooks in the series that had strayed from the familiar settings of Allansia and Orb – particularly those set in outer space like and Space Assassin – were poorly received, at least by Fighting Fantasy’s sensational sales standards. However, building upon the enduring niche appeal of the roleplaying game (published in the USA by in 1980) and the Battlecars (published by in 1983) and buoyed by the release of Thunderdome, Freeway Fighter was well received and respected in its own right.

Three decades would pass before the Mad Max series would get its deserved re-boot in the form of 2015’s Mad Max: Fury Road. During that time various ‘car combat’ video games, gamebooks and would come and go – ranging from the RPG video game of 1985 to Games Workshop’s 1988 miniature-based wargame and the late Joe Dever’s Freeway Warrior gamebook quartet of 1988-89. Even so, none of these efforts were ‘standouts’ and the genre as a whole seemed tired and, by the mid-1990s, oddly irrelevant (‘oddly’ given the rampant feasibility of a peak oil induced societal collapse). That Ewington’s superbly muscular comic book adaptation of Freeway Fighter has ducked into the dust-choked slipstream of Fury Road would surely bring a smile of relief to the grim visage of Max Rockatansky himself.

The Freeway Fighter comic pits former racing car driver Bella De La Rosa against the unknown-virus-induced apocalypse and all that comes with it. The dominant aesthetics of the original Mad Max trilogy (i.e. the motorbike gangs of Mad Max, the post-punk / new wave ‘goodies-in-white-versus-baddies-in-black’ of The Road Warrior, and the punky-feral pseudo-exotica of Thunderdome) have been replaced with a prevailing look evidently drawn from the vicious, chrome-venerating dieselpunk of Fury Road. Grimy, menacing buggy contraptions with large calibre, turret-mounted automatic prowl the wasteland like metallic hyenas, but in the face of Bella’s ice cold driving skills they’re left with little choice but to plunge off embankments and surrender their fuel. With her nose ring, sleeve tattoos, booze slugging, and penchant for talking with her car, Bella is more Tank Girl than Furiosa.

While Main Force Patrol’s maddest driver did find himself, post-apocalypse, scrounging and scavenging and even eating dog food, there was an ever-present whiff of pending derring-do – after all, he wasn’t simply a man driven insane by the tragic deaths of his wife and toddler son (not to mention the collapse of civilisation), he was a hardened pre-apocalypse cop conditioned to the grim reality of arresting or otherwise eliminating ‘scags’, ‘scoot jockeys’ and ‘nomad trash’ (demographic groups representing a significant proportion of the post-apocalypse population). Whether the re-booted Freeway Fighter’s protagonist – essentially a civilian with high speed driving skills – will prevail against the amassed forces of the pursuing pack of villainous vehicles and their ill-intentioned occupants remains to be seen.

Rating: 4.5/5

Review #2 - HeroesDirect

We’ll just get out and say it. Freeway Fighter #1 is Mad Max meets Death Race, and we love it. Written by Andi Ewington, it’s a rip-roaring ride that provides a post-apocalyptic look at the future. It focuses on Bella De La Rosa, one of the few surviving members of humanity. We’re a sucker for a well written female character (there’s a growing number but not enough). She proves herself to be a tough and uncompromising badass, who holds her own against all odds. Ewington has written a brilliant character for us to root for, and it helps that she’s genuinely interesting.

She has something of a relationship with her car. Given that she’s alone (or is she?) she needs some kind of communication. Luckily, it’s not written as if she’s crazy, it actually comes across quite sweet really. Don’t get us wrong, it’s not all about Bella talking to her car, it’s also filled with high octane action that could definitely give Max Rockatansky a run for his money/petrol. The opening flashback segues into the current events of the issue masterfully. And it immediately sets the tone of what to expect from Freeway Fighter #1.

Overall, Freeway Fighter #1 is the start of a story that has potential to be absolutely fantastic – you just need to open the first page. It’s based on a Fighting Fantasy book from 1982 and it should certainly entertain with ease. The cliffhanger brilliantly grabs the audience to bring them back for the second issue. This fast paced comic deserves your attention, as the story immediately grips the reader and the art brings it all to life. It also helps carry the weight of some of Bella’s actions, as we realise it’s a dog-eat-dog world that she inhabits. If you’re looking for something away from the mainstream, pick up Freeway Fighter #1.

Rating: 9/10

Review #3 - ComicBastards

've been lucky enough to get my hands on a copy of Ian Livingstone's Freeway Fighter #1, which is out this May from Titan Comics. The series is being written by Andi Ewington (who's work I like to follow), drawn by Simon Coleby, colored by Len O’Grady and lettered by Jim Campbell.

Freeway Fighter is based upon a roleplaying game book of the same name from a series of RPG books created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingston called fighting fantasy... Going into this, I have absolutely no idea what to expect as I've never read/played any of the books from this series, I’m not a roleplayer and the whole thing is a little before my time… I can see from the Wikipedia entry that the Freeway Fighter book was originally released in 1985, whereas I was released in 1989, haha… Anyways, I like the creative team for the series and I’m going to give it a bash. If I hadn’t have been sent it, I’d still pick it up because the cover is pretty badass and is enough to make me curious about what’s inside... I’m going to stop babbling now and get into this. Here goes. Ian Livingstone’s Freeway Fighter #1.

When you get a book this far in advance, it’s probably best to keep as tight-lipped as possible, so I’m not going to be giving away any details. This is spoiler free but I will tell you, as you can tell from the cover, the book features a lot of cool vehicles. Immediately I can see

where the source material has its inspiration from and it’s all the more clear to me due to a recent reboot… but this is cool. I’m into it. I like the setting and I like the idea of it. There’s a lot of action in this and some great art from Coleby and O’Grady who are an awesome team. I’ve seen them work together before on the 2000 AD series Jaegir so I half expected the artwork to be great going into this anyway. It was great and I really enjoyed Simon Coleby drawing cars, and I’m not a car guy, haha.

I think the most awesome thing for me is to see Andi Ewington with his name on this series. I know he’s pretty passionate about the books and he really wanted to get this series off the ground. His fondness for Freeway Fighter shows in the writing of this issue. It’s got great pacing, loads of action and just the right amount of intrigue to make the readers want another dose of the story. Another thing with this comic, I think it’s made me a bit curious about what’s in the original game book more than anything. That’s a good thing for the franchise, surely. If more people get into the original book, the more likely we are to get a few more cool comics like this one.

So overall, it’s a solid first outing for Freeway Fighter and its creative team. I’m looking forward to seeing the story unfold in the upcoming issues. It’s a series I’ll definitely be keeping my eye on. High-fives for everyone involved

For comic fans reading this, if you like strong female leads, dystopian worlds and badass vehicles, Freeway Fighter is definitely a comic you’ll be wanting to pick up. Unfortunately, you’re going to have to wait until May 17th, you poor bastards… Even then, there’s a good chance your local comic shop will sell out of them before you get there. I’d get down there ASAP and pre-order it if I were you…

Rating: 5/5

Port Of Peril

Recently Ian Livingstone has announced that for Fighting Fantasys 35th anniversary he would be writing a new book; The Port of Peril. As soon as he announced the good news, people began to speculate on what the plot would be, and where it is set. Many people have agreed that it will most likely be set in Port Blacksand, the City of Thieves. However, recently Amazon updated the description of the book to read, “In this brand new addition to the Fighting ​ Fantasy series, you - the hero - must travel all over Allansia on a dangerous quest. What starts as a treasure hunt soon takes a darker turn, with the potential return of a terrifying old foe on the horizon…” Which has only spurred the speculation further on. Now it seems that only a small section of the book will take place in Blacksand, perhaps the boss fight, as is tradition in Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks, or maybe it is where the adventure begins… Anyway, online retailer ​ Amazon has not yet released an image of it, instead making it the generic “Yellow Dagger” Logo, which has also been revived in the last few years. Needless to say countless fans have pre-ordered it already for the low price of £6.99, and are awaiting that time later on in the year when they will receive their copy.

The Truth About Balthus Dire

Balthus Dire was the third in a line of Sorcerer-Warlords ruling over the Black Tower and the Kingdom of Craggen Rock. He lived his early years in the Black Tower, a remote citadel built in the Craggen Heights by his grandfather Gandor Dire. The Craggen Heights, a mountain range south of Salamonis, was a region that had long been infested with evil creatures, as an aftermath of the War of the Wizards. Many of these foul denizens of the inhospitable peaks found employment or refuge in the Tower. It was in this corrupting environment and under the influence of his evil father Craggen Dire, that Balthus began to manifest his malevolence. Having absorbed everything his father could instruct him about dark sorcery and the military arts, he tricked Craggen into enrolling him at Volgera Darkstorm's school of black magic at the age of fourteen.

At Volga Darkstorm's base in the Flatlands of Allansia Balthus Dire met Zagor and Zharradan Marr and the three of them excelled under Darkstorm's expert tuition. Such was their prowess that they became known as the "Demonic Three". However, along with Zagor and Marr, Dire's greed for knowledge fuelled his thirst for power and Darkstorm began to

fear the consequences of their ambition. Despising their tutor's attempt to exert a calming influence, they turned on him and slew him with a carefully disguised Rain of Knives spell.

Dire returned to the Black Tower to apply the skills that he had learned towards his ultimate goal, the dominion over Allansia. Even as his father tearfully embraced him in welcome, Balthus Dire stabbed him to death with a poisoned blade and the Craggen Heights were his. He subsequently married the dark sorceress Lady Lucretia, and for eight years Dire ruled his mountain and he increased the Black Tower's small guard into a notable army. He was a major protagonist in the Trolltooth Wars and posed a continuing threat to Salamonis. Dire eventually amassed an army of chaotic monsters in order to conquer the Vale of Willows. However, through a loyal spy King Salamon learned of this looming threat, and eventually a young apprentice to the Grand Wizard of Yore was sent to Craggen Rock to assassinate Dire before his plans could come into fruition. After overcoming many obstacles, the wizard penetrated Dire's inner sanctum and killed him.

Balthus Dire was known to have been a formidable opponent, not just as an accomplished sorcerer but also possessed of great strength and skills in swordplay. The exact extend of his sorcerous powers are unknown, but he is too formidable to be defeated in spell combat only and can easily incapacitate or kill an incautious opponent with his magic powers alone. Additionally, Dire routinely wore a magical Ring of Swordsmanship which increased his skill ​ ​ ​ by 2 points to 12.

However, Dire had a weakness shared with the undead and his forebears: sunlight is like a ​ ​ poison to the Dires. Exposure to direct sunlight will kill them almost immediately.

Surprisingly, Steve Jackson actually named his favourite character from the Fighting Fantasy ​ books as Balthus Dire. Steve also decided that his surname would be Dire after he randomly flicked through a dictionary and it fell open and the first word that caught his eye was “Dire”

A brief history of Gareth Yaztromo

Gareth Yaztromo is arguably the most famous wizard of Allansia due to his part in a number of the most well known sagas of that region from the third century AC. He is also known as one of the three Star Pupils of the Grand Wizard of Yore.

Gareth was born on the 2nd of Unlocking, the holy day of Hamaskis, god of learning and sorcery, probably in or around 214 AC, in the city of Salamonis and was the son of a priest from that city. His obvious potential for the magical arts led him to the door of the Grand Wizard of Yore, Vermithrax Moonchaser in around 228 AC. His contemporaries at that famed school of magic in the Forest of Yore were Arakor Nicodemus and Pen Ty Kora and together they became known as the Star Pupils, not only due to their prodigious talent but also due to the fact that all three of them never wavered from the path of humility unlike others introduced to the powerful world of magic.

Yaztromo rarely leaves the tower he loves, seated in his oak armchair.

Surrounded by his books, manuscripts and other ephemera as well as artefacts, animals and birds. His knowledge of the affairs of Old Allansia is undiminished however for he has eyes and ears in the shape of the fauna of the forest. In particular, his pet crow, Vermithrax, named after his mentor, carries messages to and from the Dwarfs and Elves of the region and he has much contact with Nicodemus, his old friend.

As an aside, Yaztromo sells magical items and trinkets, and with the money he gleans from this he satisfies his sweet tooth by indulging in sugared cakes, of which chocolate ones has been said to be his favourite flavor.

Yaztromo appeared in more Fighting Fantasy gamebooks than any other character (in fact, the series had very few recurring characters). He also appeared in the last two books of the Chadda Darkmane trilogy (namely Demonstealer and Shadowmaster), where he takes a more active role in events, and the Zagor Chronicles episode Skullcrag. He also has a cameo appearance in the introductory part of Legend of Zagor, although there he is is only called by his first name, Gareth.

Ian Livingstone named his favourite character from the Fighting Fantasy books as Yaztromo, his own creation who first appeared in The Forest of Doom. Yaztromo is sometimes given the title "Spellsinger”

MONSTER SPOTLIGHT: CLAWBEAST

2 Attacks SKILL: 9 STAMINA: 14 HABITAT: Hills, plains, Forests NUMBER ENCOUNTERED: 1 TYPE: Monster REACTION: Hostile INTELLIGENCE: Low

Some species have evolved, in isolation in the wild, into savage carnivorous killing machines. Lions and sharks are prime examples, less common are the Gretch of the southern deserts, and the CLAW-BEASTS of the north. Taller than a man by almost a head, they are brutish killers, covered in long shaggy clumps of thick hair, which gives them a mottled colouring somewhere between green, grey and brown. They have four arms, instead of two, and each ends in a vicious curving hook which they use like scythes when attacking. In the these predators are rarely found together, for their vast appetites and prodigious hunting can clear an area of all suitable food in a few weeks. As a result, Clawbeasts are perpetually on the move, searching for fresh hunting-grounds where they can feed for a short while before migrating onwards.

It is whispered that a few of these creatures are kept by an unknown nobleman in the southlands. The evil lord allows them to roam his treasure-vaults, tossing down to them just enough food each day to stop them eating one another, but not enough to satisfy their hunger. As a result, the Clawbeasts roam far and wide through their subterranean reaches, sniffing for food as they wander.

The Moonstone Hills The Moonstone Hills is a vast range of hills in north west Allansia, where it's southern pass borders the Trolltooth Pass. Deep in the heart of the Moonstone hills lived Sharleena the Seer, she was an immensely powerful mystic and demon hunter, until she met her demise when helping the Hero from Dead of Night find his parents and Myurr, when her summoned Dream Demon killed her and burnt her home.

Another prime example of when the aid of the Moonstone hills was invaluable to saving all of Allansia was when the Unnamed Hero from Baron Sukumvit’s infamous set out alongside his personal army to cleanse the world of Aggrax, the Shadow Demon. On his way to the final battle he came across a tribe of Hill Men in the Moonstone Hills, after beating their leader, Vine in single combat they agreed to follow him to the final battle against Aggrax.

Howl of the Werewolf Playthrough

To celebrate the first issue of this monthly newsletter I thought that I would provide a playthrough of possibly my favourite Fighting Fantasy out there - Howl of the Werewolf. I can tell you now, it feels so great to be firing up the photocopier to copy an adventure sheet, such a great feeling of nostalgia. OK, now onto the adventure!

Let me set the scene for you: You are on a nighttime walk when a Wolf pack, Led by a Black wolf ambushes you…

First of all: Character Creation: Using its custom character creation system my skill roll of three gives me a nice skill of nine, out of a possible ten. Next I roll for stamina and get ten, giving me a nice stamina of ten. Next I roll for luck, and a terrible roll of two gives me a luck score of eight. Finally I roll an eight for my gold, giving me a nice total of fourteen. I also have a sword, a backpack, a lantern and some leather armour.

The book starts with the Black wolf advancing on me, and being a seasoned adventurer I know to stand my ground. Immediately after that choice, it attacks me! On the first round I lash out and hit it, only for the rest of the wolf pack to advance on me and the last thing I remember is my vision fading to black… I wake up to see a forester called Ulrich who tells me that I severed its paw. However I watch as it becomes a human hand and realize it was a werewolf. Against Ulrich’s warning I examine it closer and find a signet ring. I then throw it in the fire and gain three change, making my new total three. Then I go the find my fake grandma, grandma Zekova. She then does some voodoo magic with my blood to intensify the effects of a potion that helps cure my lythracopy. Although I lose three stamina I also lose two change. Suddenly a pack of wolves starts attacking the house and I find myself in a cool defend the house minigame. I lost four stamina in the fight, and one luck point, although everyone survived.

I then ate a provision and told fake Grandma about the ring I found earlier. Apparently the werewolf that bit me was from the royal line of werewolves. As soon as me and Ulrich leave the house the black werewolf chomps Ulrich to death and I have to fight him again. Surprisingly I win without so much as a scratch, but when I go to help Ulrich I realise that he is not dead, but neither is he human… He is a savage Werebear and he is attacking me! During my fight with Ulrich I lost four stamina four stamina and a lifelong friendship, one can be healed by provisions and the other is the injury.

I then set off into the countryside where I come across a village, I decide to enter, with my gold purse drawn. There is an angry mob in the village that end up employing me to battle the ‘Howling’. Whilst we wait for night a guy tells me about the Shuck and how not to die of fright upon gazing at it. Then I dip my blade in some water I think is holy and head off to fight the ‘Howling’.

After a bit I am confronted by the ‘Howling’ and turns out the water I dipped my blade in was holy water, allowing me to fight it! It is a difficult fight and I take 6 six stamina points! After the fight I'm healed up and back on the road, this time heading north east into a forest. After a bit of walking I come across a mysterious pool that makes me want to jump in and drown. I never knew my guy was suicidal! Alas, my character fails a critical change test and jumps in the water. However it isn't over as if I pass a skill test I might just survive. After failing a very hard skill test I drown and get eaten alive, cheery! Well guys, I guess this concludes this play through. Hopefully next time we will get further.

All in all, this is my favorite FF of all time, and one of the most difficult too, Howl of the Werewolf is full of mystery, danger and personal progression. It's unique character creation system helps you have a fighting chance against the hordes of monsters you will inevitably fight. With lots of extra features to take care of, it is more intended for advanced players. Although I do not like how easy it is to kill the members of the Cadre Infernal it is a common feature of FF’s and one I'm willeto look past on this occasion.

Plot: 5/5 Difficulty: 5/5 Immersion: 4/5 Realism: 3/5 Overall: 4/5

The Manhunter An AFF2E Adventure

By Oil Rose

It is late at night and the heroes are listening to a series of tales told by an old man. After finishing the tale of the Child Snatcher, he takes a gulp of ale, then begins his next tale, the Manhunter… “The swamps are a dangerous place, as many swamps are, but this one is more dangerous than most for this is where the Manhunter lurks. He is often seen prowling the swamps, looking for the foolhardy adventurers who believe that they can slay him, but fall foul of one of his many traps. He lures them in by various means, sometimes with false treasure maps, but other times he may just spread the rumours about his wealth. Few who enter ever return, and those who do return are different people… But however, let's not let that Murderous Ogre worry us! We are safe here in the village… Or at least I think so… Ah! Just kidding, he would never risk coming out into the open like tha-” At that, the door of the tavern bursts open and a blonde haired adventurer clad in leather armour strides in announcing the following, “I will now go and slay the Manhunter, for I have found a map detailing the locations of the traps, so I can avenge those who he has slain!” And at that, he strides out of the door. At that the old man, sadly shaking his head says, “Another one of his many ways of luring unwary travellers to their doom. He will be dead before sunrise, for I know the dangers that lurk there, for many years ago I ventured into his domain, and almost lost my life. I would recommend not going into the swamps, but I feel like you will go regardless. So I will tell you something of importance. Never stray off the paths, for that is where the traps mostly lie. Do not leave a trail behind you, for he will use it as a means to track you, and most important of all, never, and I mean never take his treasure until he is ​ ​ dead, for with the increased burden you will never leave the swamps alive. However, one extra word of caution, remember that there are fouler things than the Manhunter living in the swamps…

If the heroes pass a con test of 17 the old man, who is known as Tyrus Stormwind, will join their party. His only condition will be that the heroes will do what he says. Apart from that he requires nothing. No fame, no treasure, no anything. Although he is old, he is not weak or feeble and can put up a good fight. Only read out text in italics if he is with the heroes, for that is his opinion on the matter.

Tyrus Stormwind Skill: 6 Staff / Shortsword Stamina: 12 Light Monster Luck: 9

Learned, Survivor (Swamp)

A note about the water: Every time the heroes enter the water, they must take a luck test or get caught in a rusted bear trap. The next round they will automatically get caught. The amount of active bear traps is in brackets next to the paragraph. It is very hard to escape from with assistance, and downright impossible by yourself. Without assistance, a single hero caught in one will die. The trap itself causes 2D3 stamina, and the hero will get a bacterial infection after the adventure, possibly causing the limb to have to be amputated.

1: as you approach the only safe entrance to the swamp you see an old wooden plank nailed to a tree, with the words “Beware of the Manhunter” scrawled in blood on it.

“Don’t let that bother you. Well, if you are coming then hurry up!” He says, walking ahead.

2: As you walk along the thin passage, you can feel the insects biting your skin. All players must roll 1D6, and if it is a 6, they take 1 stamina of damage.

“Oh Cmon, that doesn't hurt at all! It's not even worth breaking stride for!”

3: (0) You can see a body lying face down in the water. Even if the heroes use a stick to ​ ​ poke him to the shore, they see that one of its legs are stuck. The unlucky individual got

caught in a trap. If anybody enters the water they will find that all they are able to get off him is dagger.

“That guy probably got caught in a trap. I reckon that is the only one in the pool, so it's safe, but don’t hold me to what i just said.”

4: Since this is a location that is often visited, the Manhunter has put a concealed pit trap here. It will take an awareness test of 17 to spot, and then a jump test of 16 to cross, or they can just go around it by entering the water. The pit is 5m deep, and with crude, rusted metal spikes at the bottom, causing an extra 3D6 Stamina, which i know is a lot, but i like realism. They will also have a 1 in 3 chance to get a bacterial infection. At the bottom are 3 corpses, and in total they have:

1 Leather Haub. 2 Swortswords 1 Sword 1 Dagger 2 Backpacks 6 Arrows 1 Slingshot 16cp

“So the Manhunter is know to place traps all around so we must bewa-” (At this point somebody either spots the trap or the heroes fall in.) (if they find the trap): “Well, we were almost screwed!” (If anybody falls in): “Well, I think I should have followed my own advice!”

5: Lying face down, in the mud is a dead body with an obscenely large, barbed crossbow bolt sticking out of his back. He wears (Now ruined) leather armour and carries a sword. There is nothing else of value on him.

6: Slumped in the mud, dead, is a horrible beast. It has a large hole in one of its side as well as various deep slashed on its side. It is about 4m long, and looks very deadly.

“Is anybody else scared of finding a living one of these, or the thing that killed it, who is probably the Manhunter, who i am afraid of already so, yeah.”

7: Here stands an oversized, hollow tree stump. If anybody disturbs it via banging on it or making a loud noise etc. They will awaken the creature that lives inside. Only read the following if they awaken it.

You hear a rustling below, the sound of feet rapidly moving, then nothing at all until……… IT ATTACKS!! Quickly clambering out of it's hole, you see that it is a monstrosity, (if the players have seen one, dead or alive, tell them that it is one.) And it attacks! Feel free to show the players the picture from earlier, so they know what it looks like.

Skull Crawler Skill: 10 +2 Large Bite and Medium Claw (Tail) Stamina: 22 Medium Monster Armour Luck: 6 Attacks: 4 (2 with Jaws, 2 with Tail) It can attempt to make 2 strikes with its jaws, but if 1 hits it cannot make another attack.

The hole down to the lair is 20m. The climb test required per 5m is 16. The lair is simply a small cave with the remains of last victims, of which there are 6.

Scattered across the room the heroes can find:

3 Broken eggs with baby Skull Crawlers inside, that are dead. ​ ​ 2 Daggers 3 Short Swords 1 Chainmail Haub. 1 Greatsword 1 Spear 2 Small Shields 2 Backpacks 2 Lanterns, but 1 is broken 3 Sp 7 Cp 1 Small Diamond (Clearly a fake, worth about 3cp)

Apart from that, there is nothing else inside the room, unless the Director wishes otherwise.

“Kill it! And fast!” ​

8: (3) Up ahead you see a large pool of of water, in fact it is actually large enough to be ​ ​ called a lake! There are 2 small islands in the middle, which have diameters of about 10m, but are not circles. One there first island is a single lone tree, nothing special, but the heroes do not know that! On the second island however, is a corpse with a large gash in one of it's sides, and a diary sprawled on the ground beside him. It reads the following:

“It was folly to enter here, I cannot escape, I will not survive. I was lucky to get this far. He cannot be stopped. The Manhunter shall remain ruler of these swamps forever, killing the Skull Crawlers as they emerge. My only regret is that I got just 1 glimpse at the Manhunter, ​ and that was through some trees, and even then just for a moment. Oh wait, I do have one more regret, that even in my death, I have not felled the beast that has ended my life. It left me for the dead. I have a few more hours, and after that, I will leave this cruel, cruel world forever.”

“Hopefully we do not end up like him.”

9: At this intersection is a large wooden stake, with a skull of some kind hammered into the top. This is probably one of the Manhunter's past victims. When you get closer however, you see that it is in fact the skull of a Skull Crawler! There is nothing else here. ​ ​

“This is the work of the Manhunter.”

10: (4) You see a large lake, with fish bobbing around in the murky water. At further ​ ​ inspection, you see that all the fish a dead, and are just corpses. The water in this lake is poisoned, and will cause 1 Stamina point of damage if drunk. The pollution is caused by a

“Those Skull Beasts are almost as bad as the Manhunter. I hope they all die.” ​ ​ decaying Skull Crawler corpse in the bottom of the lake. This can only be discovered if ​ ​ somebody enter the water and takes a swim test of 16.

11: You suddenly glimpse something out of the corner of your eye. You turn around to see the Manhunter standing 20m away from you. You cannot see the details, as it is too dark. He truly is an ogre, and stands there for a few seconds before continuing on his way.

“The… Manhunter… He is real!”

12: (3) Up ahead you see a large lake, which vaguely resembles the letter “H”. There is a ​ ​ small island in the middle, which contains nothing but an old tree.

“Looks like there might be something on that island, but don't hold me to that.”

13: You see the still form of a Skull Crawler lying prone in the ground. If any of the heroes ​ ​ passes an awareness test of 18, they will notice that is is not dead, just lying prone to lure someone closer! If the heroes fail the awareness test, they will suffer a surprise attack, but likewise they get the same bonus if any of the hero's pass the test.

“Is it… Dead?”

14: You are pressed right up against the edge of the swamp, and you can now see land on the other side of the swamp, but just barely.

“That is where we hope to go very soon, the land that is, not the deepest part of the swamp from which there is no escape.”

15: (2) Up ahead you can see a large lake, almost circular in shape, however, it has no ​ ​ island in the middle which seems to be the norm in here. If the heroes attempt to search it, make some fake dice rolls and tell them that they find nothing every single time. If you are nice however, feel free to give them a Copper Piece of three for their troubles.

“That's weird, most lakes here have an island of some sort in them. Wierd…”

16: (Too Many To Survive) Yet again you are pressed up against the edge of the swamp. ​ ​ Only this time, you see something out there. It will take 4 turns to reach the object. Every turn requires a swim test of 16, and a luck test to avoid a trap. The object is a dead body, stripped of all loot. There is also another pond, with 1 trap in it and nothing else.

“Hey, there is something out there!”

17: (0) Here you see a large, empty lake, with fish swimming around in it. Anyone who ​ ​ passes an Animal Lore test of 15, or enters the water, will find out that they are in fact Piranhas! There are 7 of them. Remember outnumbering rules.

Piranha Skill: 4 Small Bite Stamina: 1 Dodge 6 Luck: 2

“Those fish seem a bit… FISHY!” But seriously, I want to get a Pike, and kill them all! Thank you, Thank you, I will be here all night! But seriously, something is up with these fish, or should I say down! Anyway, jokes aside, there is something wrong with the fish.”

18: This is where multiple small paths conjoin. If the heroes pass an Awareness test of 17, they will see that it looks like a trap is underneath a pile of leaves! It will then take a Trap Knowledge test of 16 to disable. The trap fire a massively oversized crossbow bolt (2x damage) with a barbed end (+2 Damage) and is rusty and coated in poison! (A little thing for after the adventure.) And after all that, you have a Crossbow bolt that deals double damage, as well as an extra 2, and will cause problems further down the line! It can only be avoided if undetected with a Dodge test of 18.

“This seems like a good place for the Manhunter to set a trap! Wait, since I just got through that last sentence without triggering it, I think we are saf-” (Trap activates) “$*%-#+%-#+!!!”

19: (3) Up ahead, you see a Skull Crawler slowly slink into the water, slowly moving ​ ​ ​ ​ forwards, towards the Manhunter’s House, when you see the Manhunter himself standing at the end of the pond, around 10m away from you. He fires a shot into the beast's chest, then reloads, before firing again. When the second shot strikes home, the beast collapses on the ground, dead. With that, the Manhunter turns and heads back into the swamp, towards his hut.

“Is anybody else having second thoughts about taking on the Manhunter? Nope, just me? Oh, then I guess we should continue on our way.”

20: You are in one of the far corners of the swamp, looking back, you see how far you have came, and much much is still unexplored…

“Wow, we have came so far, yet explored so little.”

21: (0) You see a large lake, with a very small island on it. On the island is a weird, purple ​ ​ plant. It seems to be growing in batches. It is in fact Swampglove, the herb which is used by ​ ​

the Manhunter on his Crossbow. It will reduce Initial Stamina by 1 every day until the cure if found. The cure is made from the sap of a living tree, mixed with the herb Ashlore, which ​ ​ has no other uses. Ashlore is orange in appearance. There are 15 batches of ​ ​ Swampglove, whereas only 3 of Ashlore. ​ ​ ​

“Looks like we found the Manhunters personal herb garden! Better take what we can so he can't use it against us.”

22: Here is a large lake, with no island. The water is very hot, and will deal 1D2 Stamina per turn. This is the Manhunters “Hot Tub”. His tough hide allows him to avoid harm while bathing.

“Ow! Hot hot hot! This must be the Manhunter’s Hot Tub!”

23: (0) This lake has things in it you wish to unsee. It is full of blood, guts, and gore of many ​ ​ kinds. It is where he disposes of his “waste”. Inside is a Filth Eater, which gorges on the ​ ​ waste.

Filth Eater Skill: 6 Large Claw Stamina: 16 Heavy Monster Luck: 2

“What is that!?!”

24: (5) Up ahead is a large lake with multiple Skull Crawler corpses in it. However, if ​ ​ ​ ​ someone enters, one of them will attack! It is a Zombie Skull Crawler! ​ ​

Zombie Skull Crawler Skill: 6 Large Bite and Medium Claw Stamina: 16 Light Monster Luck: 0 Attacks: 4 (2 with Jaws, 2 with Tail) It can attempt to make 2 strikes with its jaws, but if 1 hits it cannot make another attack.

There is nothing else here.

“Zombies, why does it have to be Zombies.”

25: Pressed up against the Eastern edge of the Swamp, you look out at the land in the distance and see somebody waving. You turn back to see the Manhunter walk around his hut and into the front entrance.

“I get more scared every single time I see him.”

Coming Next Issue: The Manhunter Part 2

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