Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks
Outline
Location:	Old World, Titan
References:	400
Publication Details
Author(s):	Jonathan Green
Illustrator(s):	Alan Langford
Puffin
Cover illustrator:	Alan Langford
First published:	February 24 1993
Number	53
ISBN:	ISBN 0-14-036427-7
Previous Book:	Night Dragon
Next Book:	Legend of Zagor
Wizard (Series 1)
Cover illustrator:	Martin McKenna
First published:	June 7 2007
Number	28
ISBN:	ISBN 1-84046-807-6
Previous Book:	Curse of the Mummy
Next Book:	Howl of the Werewolf
Wizard (Series 2)
N/A

Spellbreaker is a single-player role-playing gamebook, written by Jonathan Green, illustrated by Alan Langford and originally published in 1993 by Puffin Books. It was later republished by Wizard Books in 2007. It forms part of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy series. It is the 53rd in the series in the original Puffin series (ISBN 0-14-036427-7) and 28th in the Wizard "Series 1" (ISBN 1-84046-807-6).

Contents 1 Creation 2 Background 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

“

Unfortunately, [the second draft of Outlaws of Kaan] didn't get any better, so I had a break from writing and tried again with a proposal called Spellbreaker. After a year at uni my ability to effectively critically appraise my own work had improved no end and this new proposal was met with a much more positive response. One rewrite later Marc submitted it to Puffin ... Ian Livingstone having read it ... I made some more alterations to the plot synopsis for the editors ... and a couple of days into my summer holiday after my second year at uni I was commissioned to write Spellbreaker. As it worked out, bits and pieces from Outlaws of Kaan ended up in ... Spellbreaker.[1]

”

BackgroundEdit

“

The Beast is loose! Rassin Abbey has guarded its arcane treasures for centuries. But when their Black Grimoire is stolen, the land of Ruddlestone is plunged into a crisis of epic proportions. For the ancient book holds the key to the legendary Casket of Shadows - and the Evil imprisoned within it. Should it be opened, the Infernal Beast will be unleashed to wreak its terrible carnage across the Old World. On the night of Shekka’s Moon, scant days away, this will surely come to pass. Unless, that is, one brave hero can retrieve the Black Grimoire in the nick of time - a hero like YOU! FIGHTING FANTASY — THE WORLD'S MOST POPULAR ADVENTURE GAMEBOOK SERIES[2]

”

After inadvertently helping a villain to steal the Black Grimoire, the player must retrieve the book before time runs out.

IntroductionEdit

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

Unique RulesEdit

• The player keeps a faith score to track their resistance to demonic forces, and sometimes repel creatures of Evil. This score starts at 1.
• In one part of the book (162) the player must also keep track of an infection score to measure how infected they are by disease. If the total ever reaches 15 or more they must turn immediately to (13).
• The number of Gold Pieces the player starts with is determined by a 1d6 plus 4 roll.

Equipment ListEdit

• Sword
• Lantern
• Tinderbox
• Backpack
• 5 Provisions
• Gold Pieces

Cover and IllustrationsEdit

Main article: Spellbreaker (illustrations)

Covers

The original cover of the book was designed and illustrated by Alan Langford.

Spellbreaker through the years

1993	2007	2007
No Bronze-Foil	Wizard "Special Limited Edition"	Wizard
£3.991	£4.99	£4.99

1. Price of 1st~3rd Impressions

Illustrations

The interior illustrations were by Alan Langford.

Intertextual ReferencesEdit

Other MediaEdit

Main CharactersEdit

YOU: "The Spellbreaker"

• Abbot Dunstan
• Barnabas the Friar
• Brother Calamus
• Brother Trefor
• Coxcomb the Clown
• Cynric - The "Mad Beggar"
• Drogo - Dwarf
• Gerog
• Edgar
• Enthus
• Hemlock
• Hogweed
• Isa
• Karad
• Lady Attana
• Liam
• Lida
• Malva
• Meg - Landlady
• Mistress Crowfoot - Witch
• Nazek - Warlock
• Prior Alwyn
• Sam Boggart - Fen Folk
• Talpas the Burrower - Molekin
• "The Mask"
• Tira

LocationsEdit

• Addersfield
• Altar to Fulkra
• Analand
• Arkleton
• Aryll
• Aryn's Hill
• Blackmire
• Claybury
• Cloudcap Mountains
• Driteham
• Entertainer's Square
• Fenford
• Graman
• Grimiry River
• Gwythain's Barrow
• Hallow's Well
• Harabnab
• Hemlock & Hogweed - Apothecaries
• Ide
• Lake Libra
• Market Square
• Miremere Lake
• Mussuck
• Paddocks Wood
• Pilgrim's Gate
• Rassin Abbey
• River Sanct
• Ruddlestone
• Selwick
• Shekin
• Shrine of Achilla
• Shrine of Enthus
• South Gate
• Tallow
• The Baited Bear
• The Brass Farthing
• The Brindled Cat
• The Pilgrim's Rest
• The Ragged Clown
• West Gate
• Withered Wood

EncountersEdit

• Baited Bear
• Barrow Guard
• Bat
• Canker
• Black Cat
• Brimstone Demon
• Carrier Flies
• Crow's Foot
• Dancing Dead
• Demon Bat
• Demoniac
• Devilworm
• Dread Demon
• Fen Beast
• Fetch
• Giant Cockroach
• Giant Slug
• Goat-Headed Demon
• Grimalkins
• Hob
• Humans - Acolytes/Bedlam Hags/Blackguard/Brigand/Dwarf Rogue/Enchantress/Guard/Masked Brigand/Master Brigand/Militiamen/Outlaw Leader/Rogue Captain/Scarred Ruffian/Staff-Wielding Outlaw/Veteran Brigand/Warlock/Witch/Witch-Hunter/Wodewitch
• Kurakil
• Lurchers
• Marsh Assailant
• Mudclaws
• Nazek
• Ogre
• Piper
• Plague Rat
• Plague Zombies
• Raven
• Revenant
• Roots
• "The Mask"
• Toad
• Werewolf
• Wolfhound
• Wolves
• Wraith Rider

Further NotesEdit

• Names have deeper meanings, where with Talpas the Burrower "Talpa" is the Latin for a Mole. There's also Coxcomb the Clown where "Coxcomb" is the name for a jester's hat.^[1]
• The Wizard edition of Spellbreaker has been revised in order to make it more playable with some enemies having reduced skill scores.^[3]

ErrorsEdit

Three known errors were corrected for the Wizard Books edition:

• (83) should link to (300) instead of (132).
• With (173) the options available are to take over the haycart and charge the gate (77), or flee (355). An extra option should have been for the player to give themselves up (25).
• At (355) an extra option should have been available - the player being able to give themselves up to the militiamen (25).

Other potential problems:

• According to The Shrine of Hamaskis,^[4] in western Ruddlestone Sindla is known as Gredd. The map says that we're at the north-western part of Ruddlestone, so at (277) Abbot Dunstan should use that name instead of Cheelah, when saying farewell. This also questions whether it is appropriate at (91) to use the name "Scrolls of Cheelah". On the other hand, according to the Titannica page about Sindla, in all of Ruddlestone she is known as Gredd. Based on this, the Scrolls, which were tended in Shekin, in southern Ruddlestone, should also be called "Scrolls of Gredd".

DedicationEdit

To my parents

See AlsoEdit

• Fighting Fantasy
• Outlaws of Kaan
• Saga of the Stormchaser
• Sequel to Curse of the Mummy

Jonathan Green

Spellbreaker Knights of Doom Curse of the Mummy Bloodbones Howl of the Werewolf Stormslayer Night of the Necromancer

ReviewsEdit

• Spellbreaker at FF Reviews Archive

External LinksEdit

• Fighting Fantasy at Gamebooks.org
• Fighting Fantasy (Wizard Series) at Gamebooks.org
• Spellbreaker at Gamebooks.org
• Spellbreaker at the Internet Archive record of the old Fightingfantasy.com
• Spellbreaker at the official Fightingfantasygamebooks.com
• Spellbreaker at Wizard Books

ReferencesEdit

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Interview with Jonathan Green at the Internet Archive record of Advancedfightingfantasy.com
2. ↑ Spellbreaker - Back Cover ("Golden Dragon" Edition)
3. ↑ Changes to Spellbreaker at Gamebooks.org
4. ↑ The Shrine of Hamakis: The Supergods