The Citadel of Chaos: Opening

     Onwards and outwards. The next gamebook in the Fighting Fantasy series is Citadel of Chaos, this time a solo feature of Steve Jackson (no, not that one). He did put his face and signature on the back of the book.

Steve Jackson (yes, this one)

     I'm playing from scans again, and I apologize in advance if these scans may be worse than the last batch. This book was scanned in landscape, so each page of the PDF is two pages of the book. As a result I have to enlarge the text, and enlarged text isn't always great.

This is what I'm dealing with.

     While we're on the back, you might notice how the blurb just called me foolhardy. Thanks. It also mentions "where to use your special knowledge of the magic arts". Oh, yes. I'm not just some burly adventurer this time. No, I'm a skilled magician as well!

     Why don't we put that aside for now, and run through the history. The Citadel of Chaos came out in 1983, just a year after The Warlock of Firetop Mountain. Under Puffin there were a surprising number of cover variations, but only two real illustrations. The first:

The Citadel of Chaos is guarded by a ferocious muppet.

     Yeah... no. This one just does nothing for me. Decent castle, decent sky with creepy flying... moths? Bats? But, the dominant image is a comically furry creature who I just want to give a biscuit. There is a long line of menacing monsters behind him, but one shove and they all go down like dominoes.

A rare capture of a specter in the throes of dull surprise.

     This is better. Background is more fully realized and interesting. Buildings do not scream "Citadel of Chaos" but I do like the look of them. Swirling green ghost thing is great... except for that face. Wide open mouth, but the eyes are just dead. Heh.

     I have no ida what the little guy in red armor is supposed to be. Odd proportions and face comes out like a horse or rat or something. There also appear to be two goblins huddled up to a... stone with a goblin's head? I really don't know, but I am intrigued.

     Dragon Publishing kept the second cover through their printings. In 2002 Wizard publishing released their first reprint, nine years after Dragon had released their last copy. 

It roars in surround sound.

     Zeus's beard! This one's cool. Okay, admittedly, a single hydra in a ruinous dungeon room doesn't exactly scream "Citadel of Chaos", but that's a really cool hydra! I do think the necks might be a little thin and the heads a little big, but I love the frills and fangs, and how they're spread in all directions. This is exciting, no matter how overly specific.

     Then, in 2009, they ruined it.

What if we crop out most of the cool picture?

     I still have no idea why they thought this style of cover was a good idea.

     Scholastic had the best art last time, so let's take a look at their 2017 cover.

Conrad Veidt? Why are you haunting me?

     ... I mean... are ghost clowns going to be super important in this book?

     I suppose there isn't actually any indication of clown-ness. They just look very Joker-esque to me. I guess the faces are kid creepy, and I like the glowing-eyed portrait. Feels awfully intimate and close for a grand adventure. More appropriate to a short horror story.

     Well, maybe the 2018 version will save it.

Y-y-you're dead, folks!

    Wow.

     I actually don't mind the strong purple look. Especially on a hardcover it could be quite nice. Maybe with an simple Citadel image in the middle. But, no, they just cropped the smiling ghost into it. It's so bizarre.

     Still, I love that little skull in Steve Jackson's (no, not that one) "O".

     Eh, none of these covers really grab me. The hydra's cool, but it doesn't promise anything big or forbidding enough, just a flash of action.

     Maybe the inside image will inspire me.

Russ Nicholson, don't you ever change, you beautiful diamond!

     I'm not that surprised to see another hydra. I'm just surprised it's the one from Mighty Max.

"Who dares reference usss?"

     Seriously, though, the sight of a two-headed lizard man in elaborately decorated pteurges carrying a prisoner food in one hand, and the keys in the other, is exactly the charming blend of good detail and questionable anatomy I am here for. The fact that it's viewed through bars, thus actually placing the viewpoint as that of the proverbial "YOU" in the story is just icing on the cake.

     Take a good look at the creature's right arm, too. It appears to have an extra joint midway through the upper arm. Or else is sorely broken. I bet it hurts.

     One thing the early covers promise is a multitude of different monsters. This strange beast leaves me suspecting the strangeness of the creatures may be a draw of The Citadel of Chaos.

     I am cheating, by the way. This time the image isn't on the first page. No, it's actually on the third. Right after a list of the titles in the series. But, before that list...

Ah, yes, Balthus Dire, fiancé of Morgause Grim, and half-brother of Tobias Scary.

     Okay, Balthus Dire is just a great name. It's the kind of name you say from the back of the throat with a deep rasp and pure unbridled, un-self-conscious evil tones. It's the sort of name that makes you evil. This newborn baby was fresh and pink and innocent, and his mother declared, "I shall call you Balthus. Balthus Dire," and before his eyebrows grew to thick and downward arcs, and a goatee sprang upon his chin. 

     I'm glad I'm being told that Balthus Dire is going to actually attack. I really felt like going up against the Warlock was more of a case of the 'hero' just being a thief.

The Shadow knows!

     Okay, so the character is a wizard in training. But a good one. The star pupil, or teacher's pet, or what have you. That's something to hang a character on.

     Pity the Grand Wizard of Yore only has one student to send, though.

Remember, killing in self-defense is always justified!

Did... did Steve Jackson write this horn tooting?

Check out how cool his business is!

     Well, I now know what I'm in for, and who wrote it. I guess.

     So far, this seems a lot like the last one. Dungeon to crawl through, villainous sorcerer to kill. Big differences are that we have a better reason to slay him than 'Treasure' and we have an actual context to who we are. "Star pupil of the Grand Wizard of Yore" may not be much, but it's something.

     Game is mostly the same for character creation. Big new addition is Magic. I'll explain in a moment, but let's just roll up a character.

Skill: 12

Stamina: 14

Luck: 8

Magic: 9

     Oh lawfulness, this character's going to be a treat. The star pupil of tbe greatest know Wizard, and he has almost the lowest Luck, almost the lowest Magic, and the lowest Stamina possible... but the best skill in a fight anyone has ever seen.

    Okay, let me think about this one...