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Fighting Fantasy Gamebook
Outline
Location: Allansia, Titan
References: 400
Publication Details
Author(s): Graeme Davis

Illustrator(s): John Sibbick
Puffin
Figfan29
Cover illustrator: John Sibbick
First published: November 19 1987
Number 29
ISBN: ISBN 0-14-032378-3
Previous Book: Phantoms of Fear
Next Book: Chasms of Malice
Wizard (Series 1)
Wizard (Series 2)
Scholastic


For other uses of Midnight Rogue, see Midnight Rogue

Midnight Rogue is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Graeme Davis, illustrated by John Sibbick and originally published in 1987 by Puffin Books. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 29th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-032378-3). There are currently no announced plans to republish this book as part of the Scholastic series.

Creation[]

Had the working title Princes of Thieves till it was rejected by Ian Livingstone.[1]

Background[]

Danger lurks in every corner of Port Blacksand — infamous city of evil-doers!

YOU are an apprentice in the Thieves' Guild of Port Blacksand. Tonight is the testing time, the climax of your training. Your mission is to find and steal a priceless gem, the Eye of the Basilisk, and the special skills you have learned will be tested to the limit!

Many terrors lie in wait in the darkness of this evil city's backstreets and alleys. Will you be able to accomplish your dangerous task? You have until morning to prove yourself.

Two dice, a pencil and an eraser are all you need to set out on your mission. YOU decide which route to take, which creatures to fight and which dangers to risk.

Midnight Rogue - Back Cover ("Dragon" Edition)


Midnight Rogue is set in Port Blacksand from City of Thieves and casts the player as a somewhat unheroic character — an apprentice thief undergoing the test for Guild membership. The task is to steal a valuable gem, the "Eye of the Basilisk", from a merchant named Brass. The adventure involves burgling a variety of locations in the city to gain clues as its whereabouts: once found, the protections put in place to guard the gem turn out to be an even greater test.

Introduction[]

The book in general follows the original rules set down in The Warlock of Firetop Mountain (see Game System).

Unique Rules[]

  • The player can not carry more than six items at a time in their backpack, with the Provisions counting as one item.[2] Together with the Potion, Hand-lamp, Torch and Tinder-box this means that at the start the player has one space available.
  • The book allows the player a choice of three from various special skills taught by the Thieves' Guild: some of these may also be acquired later in the adventure by the collection of useful items. The choices are: Climb, Hide, Pick Lock, Pick Pocket, Secret Signs, Sneak, and Spot Hidden.[2]

Equipment List[3][]

  • Shortsword
  • Leather Jerkin and leggings
  • Backpack
  • Hand-lamp
  • Torch
  • Tinder-box
  • 5 Gold Pieces
  • 10 Provisions
  • Choice of one of three Potions (see Game System for generic fantasy setting choices)

Cover and Illustrations[]

Main article: Midnight Rogue (illustrations)

Covers[]

The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by John Sibbick.

Midnight Rogue Cover Variants
1987 1989 1990 1993
Figfan29 29 03 29 06
Dragon ver.I Dragon ver.II Dragon ver.III Dragon ver.IV
£1.951 £2.252 £3.503 £?

NOTES
  1. Price of 1st Impression
  2. Price of 3rd Impression
  3. Price of 6th Impression

Illustrations[]

The interior illustrations were by John Sibbick. There were 30 full page illustrations and 6 minor repeated illustrations (4 of which represent skills the player can choose from) scattered throughout the text. The paragraphs with a full page illustration were: 1, 13, 26, 45, 60, 74, 90, 104, 120, 134, 150, 156, 165, 178, 209, 219, 225, 238, 254, 261, 271, 280, 301, 316, 328, 344, 360, 375, 388 and 400.

The colour map on the inside front cover was by Steve Luxton.

Intertextual References[]

The story introduces various characters who appeared in later Fighting Fantasy books. The merchant Brass, the clairvoyant Madame Star and the Thieves' Guild leader Rannik all appear in the sample adventure from the Advanced Fighting Fantasy book Blacksand!, in which a player may take part as a character from Midnight Rogue.

Other Media[]

Main Characters[]

YOU: Hero of Midnight Rogue

Locations[]

Encounters[]

Further Notes[]

  • This was the first book in the series to have a cover depicting YOU.
  • Midnight Rogue features a number of "fake" entries intended to discourage cheating (260 & 275 for example). These entries could not be accessed by anyone playing through the book fairly, and chided the reader for cheating. A further reference (158) is also designed to discourage cheating, but is accessible from another reference. This attitude towards cheaters may explain the inconsistencies between the text and the book's misleading cover, since part of the gamebook revolves around establishing the location of the jewel. The "errors" evident on the cover are:
  • the Eye of the Basilisk is red on the cover but actually yellow in the book
  • the Gargoyles (only one of whom is alive) are guarding the Merchants' Guild, whereas the cover has them guarding the Eye of the Basilisk
  • the actual chamber with the Eye of the Basilisk is at the dungeon complex of Barrow Hill, not within Port Blacksand as depicted on the cover

Errors[]

  • Of the three locations you can visit from (1), one of them has to be visited first if the player is to successfully complete the game. No prior indication is given as to this, and there is no reason why. There is no option to go to this location from the other two locations.
  • There is no reason why you need all three clues to get to the Eye's resting place. Two of them are identical and the third is irrelevant to the location.
  • It is possible to gain the Climb skill by acquiring a rope and grapnel, but there are subsequent passages which describe you using other methods to Climb.
  • It is possible to be sent back to (1) to start over again, thus repeating many of the scenarios.
  • What exactly is the point of (161)?
  • Several items have no instructions as to whether they count as backpack items or not. This includes your hand-lamp, torch and tinderbox. 10 portions of Provisions take up the same space as 1.
  • There is no restriction on the number of weapons you can carry.
  • (24), (58), (99), (104), (124), (157), (273), (321), (338) and (377) ask if you have Pick Lock, but it is impossible to reach these references without it. Consequently, the "if you do not" references (245), (202), (118) and (29) are impossible to reach.
  • (45) and (215) incorrectly state that the white-clad young man comes from the first door on your right and returns there. When you investigate the doors, he and his room is actually behind the second door on the right.
  • (71) asks if you have 5 gold pieces, but it is impossible to reach this reference with that many.
  • (73) asks if you have three items, but it is possible to reach this reference without any of them.
  • (304) instructs you to turn to (353) if you kill the Giant Spider without losing a single round of combat, but it is quite possible to end up in at this paragraph after losing a round of combat, and there is no alternative paragraph to turn to if you win after having lost at least one round of combat.  Most likely the instructions should just say to turn to (353) if you win.
  • (349) asks if you have Spot Hidden, but it impossible to reach this reference if you do.
  • (208) says "go back" to (316), but it is possible to reach this reference without ever visiting (316).
  • (209) says "go back" to (386), but it is possible to reach this reference without ever visiting (386).
  • (235) says "go back" to (304), but it is possible to reach this reference without ever visiting (304).
  • The illustration at (261) is inappropriate if you reach it via (193).
  • The instructions for losing your weapon around (373), (184) and (249) are handled inconsistently. (373) tells you to subtract 3 from your Attack Strength if you have no weapon to fight with, and to turn to (249) if you fail a skill roll, while (184) omits the instructions regarding the Attack Strength but also directs you to (249) if you fail a skill roll. (249) meanwhile tells you to deduct 3 skill points for having no weapon (but only if you choose to fight at this point). As such, arriving at (249) from (373) potentially results in the text giving you two separate penalties, while arriving from (184) gives you only one or even none, despite the situations being identical. Most likely (249) shouldn't have had the penalty listed at all, and (184) should have had the same penalty listed as (373).
  • An infinite loop can be taken between (45) and (321), gaining infinite Luck.

Dedication[]

none

See Also[]

Reviews[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Fighting Fantazine Issue 7 - pg.17
  2. 2.0 2.1 Midnight Rogue - pg.15
  3. Midnight Rogue - pg.13-15
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