400

From Titannica

400 is traditionally the objective for the reader of a Fighting Fantasy gamebook, the paragraph containing the conclusion of the adventure.

Contents 1 Background 2 Non-Standard Length Books 3 Successful Conclusion is Not the Final Paragraph 4 Multiple Successful Conclusions 5 300 6 Mini-FF 7 The Role-Playing Game Books 8 Other Non-Fighting Fantasy Series 9 References

[edit] Background

According to the 25th Anniversary Edition of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain the fact that The Warlock of Firetop Mountain had 400 references was a complete fluke. The original manuscript for the book apparently had 399 paragraph references when it was completed and so Steve Jackson wrote an extra reference (being an extra false reference to the sum total of the key's to Zagor's chest). This then set the standard.^[1]

[edit] Non-Standard Length Books

Some adventures however have had more or less than the standard 400 paragraphs:

• Starship Traveller (353)
• The Shamutanti Hills (456)
• Kharé — Cityport of Traps (511)
• The Seven Serpents (498)
• The Crown of Kings (800)
• Freeway Fighter (380)
• Appointment with F.E.A.R. (440)
• Clash of the Princes - The Warlock's Way (500)
• Clash of the Princes - The Warrior's Way (500)
• Creature of Havoc (460)
• Eye of the Dragon (407)
• Howl of the Werewolf (515)
• Night of the Necromancer (450)

[edit] Successful Conclusion is Not the Final Paragraph

Some have not had the last paragraph in the book as the final one and instead as a standard paragraph, the conclusion to the adventure buried elsewhere in the book:

• Scorpion Swamp
• Demons of the Deep
• Robot Commando
• Black Vein Prophecy
• The Crimson Tide
• Moonrunner
• Deathmoor
• Eye of the Dragon

[edit] Multiple Successful Conclusions

• Scorpion Swamp (3)
• The Rings of Kether (2)
• Appointment with F.E.A.R. (4)
• Robot Commando (2)
• Phantoms of Fear (2)
• Dead of Night (2)

[edit] 300

In 1996 when the Fighting Fantasy range was in some decline Puffin considered having new books reduced to only 300 paragraphs and older titles edited down to match.^[2]

[edit] Mini-FF

There have also been a number of shorter adventures (both solo and multi-player), many from the pages of Warlock.

[edit] The Role-Playing Game Books

• Fighting Fantasy - The Introductory Role-Playing Game features two short multi-player adventures:

• The Wishing Well (18)
• Shaggradd's Hives of Peril (39)

• The Riddling Reaver (62)

[edit] Other Non-Fighting Fantasy Series

• The books in the Cretan Chronicles series run to:

• Bloodfeud of Altheus (620)
• At the Court of King Minos (540)
• Return of the Wanderer (600)

• Maelstrom features a short 160 paragraph solo adventure entitled A Solo Adventure.
• The Starlight Adventures series run to:

• Star Rider (350)
• The Riddle of the Runway (300)
• Island of Secrets (350)
• Danger on the Air (300)
• Ice Dancer (XXX)
• Trance (350)

[edit] References

1. ↑ 25th Anniversary Edition of The Warlock of Firetop Mountain - ???
2. ↑ Letter from Jonathan Green at AMYLASE