Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks
Outline
Location:	Allansia, Titan
References:	400
Publication Details
Author(s):	Keith P. Phillips
Illustrator(s):	Pete Knifton
Puffin
Cover illustrator:	Les Edwards
First published:	May 28 1992
Number	49
ISBN:	ISBN 0-14-034947-2
Previous Book:	Moonrunner
Next Book:	Return to Firetop Mountain
Wizard (Series 1)
N/A
Wizard (Series 2)
N/A

Siege of Sardath is a single-player role-playing gamebook written by Keith P. Phillips, illustrated by Pete Knifton and originally published in 1992 by Puffin Books. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 49th in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-034947-2). There are currently no announced plans to republish this book as part of the Wizard series.

Contents 1 Creation 2 A Curious Messenger 3 Introduction 3.1 Unique Rules 3.2 Equipment List 4 Cover and Illustrations 5 Intertextual References 6 Other Media 7 Main Characters 8 Locations 9 Encounters 10 Further Notes 11 Errors 12 Dedication 13 See Also 14 Reviews 15 External Links 16 References

CreationEdit

A Curious MessengerEdit

“

Darkness falls on the Forest of Night! For centuries the balance of the Forest of Night has been preserved by mankind and nature alike. Now a dark enemy has appeared to threaten the uneasy peace. Terrible creatures stalk the forest and the ancient Elf paths are closed. No news has come from the distant city of Sardath for weeks. In the isolated town of Grimmund, on the very edge of the looming forest, the townsfolk can bear it no longer. Some brave adventurer - YOU! - must journey into the Forest of Night, and beyond, to find the source of the evil and the way to defeat it! Part story, part game, this is a book in which YOU are the hero! Two dice, a pencil and an eraser are all you need. YOU decide which routes to take, which dangers to risk and which foes to fight. Dare YOU face the perils you must overcome to free Sardath?[1]

”

The basis of the story is that the Forest of Night in north-eastern Allansia has been taken over by a dark enemy and has now become impassable. The town of Grimmund, which lies on the south-eastern edge of the forest, has been cut off from Sardath - a city which is built on stilts in the centre of Lake Sardmere. The Council select the player to venture into the Forest of Night to restore order although the adventure later leaves the boundaries of the forest.

IntroductionEdit

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

Unique RulesEdit

• Rules for ranged combat with bow and arrow.
• The quiver can hold a maximum of 6 arrows.
• Thanks to the player's knowledge of "Herb Lore" they can use "Bundles of Herbs" to restore lost stamina. Each bundle restores up to 4 stamina points. (These replace Provisions.)
• "Time" is kept a track of through a short calender covering a period of one Allansian week (day of the week). Where instructed the player ticks off a day of the week to show the passage of time.

Equipment ListEdit

• Sword
• Bow
• Quiver with 6 Arrows
• Leather Armour
• Backpack
• Grimmund Council Signet Ring
• 5 Bundles of Herbs
• 15 Gold Pieces

Cover and IllustrationsEdit

Main article: Siege of Sardath (illustrations)

Covers

The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by Les Edwards.

Siege of Sardath through the years

1992	1993
No. Spine Only	No Bronze-Foil
£3.991	£4.992

1. Price of 1st Impression
2. Price of 4th Impression

Illustrations

The interior illustrations were by Pete Knifton. There were 30 full page illustrations and 6 minor repeated illustrations scattered throughout the text. The paragraphs with a full page illustration were: 1, 19, 33, 42, 55, 67, 78, 93, 124, 135, 143, 168, 192, 205, 216, 233, 243, 252, 263, 278, 284, 293, 308, 318, 332, 341, 362, 373, 387 and 400.

The black and white interior map was by Leo Hartas.

Intertextual ReferencesEdit

Other MediaEdit

Main CharactersEdit

YOU: Hero of Siege of Sardath

• Archduke Awlenion - Dark Elf
• Arneggur Thugfist - Dwarf
• Baliel - Dark Elf Slaver
• Berend - Grimmund Council Member
• Bistort - Wood Elf
• Clasyar - Dark Elf
• Colrhyn
• Corianthus - Storm Giant
• Dernath - Dark Elf
• Duke Pilea - Dark Elf
• Fangnir - Merchant
• Grissa - Grimmund Council Leader
• Hellura - Dwarf
• Istu - Demon/12th Veiled Guardian
• Iulien
• Jonnan
• Khornu Wych - Ghost
• Liam Astromonicus - Astrologer
• Liethif - Dark Elf
• Lix Tetrax - Mirror Demon
• Lokimur - Dwarf
• Lord Chaugh - Dark Elf
• Morn Preeler
• Neya
• Pnea - 11th Veiled Guardian
• Roxsir - Dwarf
• Rurkk - Slykk
• Sorrel - Wood Elf
• Tharborn - Grimmund Council Member
• Thyra Migurn - Demi-God
• Toth - Grimmund Council Member
• Ydys Tinner
• Yerika - Grimmund Council Member

LocationsEdit

• Ash Cleeve
• Colrhyn's Track
• Corianthus' Castle
• Elf Path
• Fangthane
• Fangthane Road
• Forest of Night
• Freezeblood Mountains
• Freezeblood Wall
• Grimmund
• Grimmund Town Hall
• Grimway
• Gwinir's Bridge
• Harn Cloud
• Lake Sardmere
• River Sardath
• Sardath
• South Guard Mountains
• Storm Mountain
• Zengis
• Zengis Road

EncountersEdit

• Black Fliers
• Black Mammoth
• Chthonian Trapper
• Dark Elves - Elite/Noble/Regular/Young
• Ghost
• Giant Eagle
• Giant Spitting Spider
• Giant Stag Beetle
• Giant Wolf Spiders
• Mirror Demon
• Morn Preeler
• Mould Zombie
• Obligaths
• Pnea
• Slykk
• Strangle Weed
• Thyra Migurn
• Toa-Suo
• Vampyric Slime Mould
• Xanthic Horror

Further NotesEdit

ErrorsEdit

• In the first edition (355) has three options to pick from, (397), (267), and (64). This is an error with subsequent editions replacing the "sail up river" link of (397) with (171), a link which was unreachable in the first edition, and removing the link to (64).
• In the first edition (192) says you can flee from the Mould Zombie by running north-east. This should be north-west, since (15) takes you back to the main track.
• In the first edition (384) says you set off north-east up the trail. This should be north-west, or simply west if we also take the map into consideration.

DedicationEdit

none

See AlsoEdit

• Fighting Fantasy

ReviewsEdit

• Siege of Sardath at FF Reviews Archive

External LinksEdit

• Character Sheet
• Fighting Fantasy at Gamebooks.org
• Siege of Sardath at Gamebooks.org
• Siege of Sardath at the Internet Archive record of the old Fightingfantasy.com

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ Siege of Sardath - Back Cover ("Golden Dragon" Edition)