Lone Wolf: Flight from the Dark (My Son Plays!)

Art from the American Edition
(Found at this website. Fair use.)

Well, it took a couple of years, but my son has starting playing the Lone Wolf series of gamebooks!

He was patient at the beginning, was a little put off when his first Lone Wolf foray died after being attacked by the invading forces of the Darklords of Helgedad, but was thrilled when his second attempt (a) resulted in a character that had high Combat Skill and Endurance; (b) had a better selection of Kai Disciplines; (c) had a very successful ending and transition to the next gamebook!

He's a bit less cautious than I am when I make choices in this game, possibly due to his desire to flex his combat skills and endurance. Or perhaps because he has his own way of viewing the world and solving problems.

His mind was blown when he realized he could carry over the character sheet to the next book! Given his background in video games, he wants the equivalent of  'save points', which I told him was okay. After all, in these solo games, you're only cheating yourself if you cheat.

I am also hoping to get him interested in doing his own art of the world of Magnamund, starting first with Lone Wolf and his gear, and then maybe also the creatures and characters of the stories.

At the End of January 2020

January sure went by quick. And 2020 was certainly eventful for the Philippines (Taal Volcano eruption, fear of the coronavirus from Wuhan spreading).

In my gaming world, I've tried to put together something for my son that helps with his reading (hopefully) by bringing him into the world of gamebooks. Thanks to Project Aon, if he catches the Lone Wolf bug, he can play all of them on line.

He's definitely got the collector bug from me (he collects a lot of Geronimo Stilton books), and he has a tendency to go really in-depth in terms of knowledge for things he's fascinated with as a fan. Perhaps this can be a start. I remember these gamebooks as being a bit more forgiving than the Fighting Fantasy gamebooks.

At the same time, I'm wondering if his interest in science might make an SF-oriented game be more appropriate. Perhaps the RPG for The Expanse? Or one of the Powered-by-the-Apocalypse ones for a more narrative approach?

On the Radar: Joe Dever's Lone Wolf

There is a game available on Steam, Google Play, and the iOS app store that takes the classic Lone Wolf gamebook experience and upgrades it for the digital age! It's called Joe Dever's Lone Wolf, and the free 1st chapter I've tried on my iPad is awesome!

There's that great thrill of 'creating' your own iteration of Lone Wolf -- primary stats, Kai disciplines, weapons, simplified and enhanced on the tablet. It still has that storybook feel -- right up until the moment you encounter combat, or have to use an ability, or have to pick a lock.

So, yeah, you don't select a random number these days. There's some skill involved -- but hey, you can upgrade gear and stuff too. And the combat engine is fun to go through. Your Kai abilities also help you out more in combat now (I like doing the Darth Vader on nearby objects on my opponents using Mind Over Matter), especially one ability which seems better than Healing in combat.

Lockpicking is a pain, though. Getting the hang of it.

Solo Play: Memories of Game Books -- Part I

When someone mentions solo play -- not RPG play where there's a GM and one player, but an RPG played by one player and some module or book only -- I immediately think of three things: the Warlock of Firetop Mountain, Lone Wolf, and some old D&D modules by TSR.

But I must admit that the first one that comes to mind is the Warlock of Firetop Mountain by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone -- the version before it become #1 in the Fantasy Fighting Gamebook series.

Just remove the "25th
Anniversary Edition" tag
and this is pretty much the
cover of the book that my
late grandmother bought
for me many, many years ago

I think the reason that this really worked for me and hooked me is the cover. It was very different from nearly all the covers beside it, and when I looked closer, it said somewhere on the cover or in the book or on the back cover: "Part story, part game, this is a book in which YOU become the hero!"

Because I'd been unable, at that point in my young life, to actually play D&D with anyone other than my sister (and I didn't quite get the rules either), this was a fascinating opportunity for me.

I remember that the combination of the simple rules, the occasional illustrations, and the encouragement to map the place really helped reinforce that feel of playing in a dungeon game by myself. Puzzles, traps, and strange monsters and room were all part of the wonder.

The fact that I died quite a lot before finishing also helped with the re-play value.

I clearly remember getting my classmates hooked on this same series of books back in high school, and we all compared maps and strategies until people started solving them on their own -- and they all returned to Apple computer games.

When more gamebooks in this series started to appear, I was overjoyed and picked them up right away. Though a bit disappointed that I didn't get to bring my gear and character over from the prior books, I was happy to remain in that space for a time.

Until Lone Wolf and the Magnamund-set series came about, but that's another story.

Lone Wolf: FFTD Chronicles 03 - The Long Road to the Capital

Looks like I earned the Crystal Star clasp shown here
on the cover. Sadly, all those creatures in the background
are still hunting me.

Warnings and Implications

The young wizard is named Banedon, who thanks me and shares news about the Magician's Guild of Toran to the north. A traitor betrayed them as well, and Banedon -- along with two companions who were separated from him during an ambush -- tried to send warnings to the Kai.

When informed about the fate of the Kai Lords, Banedon gives me the Crystal Star pendant around his neck as a sign of friendship and alliance before leaving me to my mission.

I could have used another person on my mission, but his news lends credence to the theory that the attack on the Kai is part of a larger, well-planned and coordinated invasion of my homeland.

There's a strong likelihood that more scouting patrols are dogging my heels and that large forces are traveling down well-known routes to invade the capital -- I don't have much time, but I can't expect to use public roads and expect to remain unseen. Discretion will have to dominate my strategies to reach the capital now.

Banedon and I bid farewell to each other.

It is not long after we part that some Giaks (perhaps some of those we attacked) ambush me from a nearby bush.

To Escape an Ambush

I flee, with Giaks hot on my trail. Faced with a choice of breaking cover or shifting direction and staying in the trees, I take the latter and soon lose the Mountain Giaks in the thickening forest.

Soon enough, I'm faced with a nasty obstacle: a long stretch of a thorny briar known as gallowbrush or "Sleeptooth". If it scratches the skin, it can make the victim very sleepy -- certainly something I don't want.

Since I didn't pick up the Kai discipline of Tracking during my time at the monestary, I can only return to the track I was on, or push on through the "Sleeptooth" laden forest.

Not much of a choice, but I can't risk falling asleep now. It's back to the track for Lone Wolf (me).

Lone Wolf: FFTD Chronicles 02 - Go Northeast, Young Wolf!

Lone Wolf [ CS 15, Endurance 24+4 ]

I decide to take the northeast route! It is a bit out of the way, but if I can find a horse or a cart and use it to travel by road rather than by arduous wilderland routes, I can get to the capital faster. Plus it has the advantage of better camouflage opportunities while still close to the Kai monestary.

My path allows me to sight both flying Kraan and their Giak riders, and allows me to hide from them as well before continuing.

Update: The War Party and the Mage

Zounds! I've encountered a war party of 20 to 25 Giaks all fighting a lone magician (who's about my age).

If only I could team up with him; if only he weren't already facing down a huge number of Giaks; if only I could throw lightning bolts like him!

As I watch, a small group charges him, while a lone Giak flanks him, climbs a pillar and hopes to launch a surprise assault on the lone mage.

I should do something!


I could throw something at the Giak, but I'm not too keen on risking my life and this mage's life on a single throw. And I can't just leave -- though the call of cowardice masked by duty is strong -- Kai and Magician together might be enough to scare away or even kill the Giak war party.

Shouting a warning may district them, but may prove less a challenge to their morale than a new combatant entering the fray!

I decide to attack just as the ambushing Giak attacks. If I kill or knock him unconscious impressively enough, it might rout the remaining Giaks.

Of course, that would mean combat so early in the adventure and I have miles to go.

No matter! Have at thee, foul Giak!

Update: Kai vs. Giak fight!

So! The ambusher is now the ambushee! And that gives me a bonus of +4 CS for the duration of the fight...

Lone Wolf [ CS 15+4, Endurance 24+4 ] vs. Giak [CS 9, Endurance 9]

The combat ration of my Combat Skill less the Giak's Combat Skill is 19-9=10! A world of difference between my martial prowess and his.

My first roll is an 8. Checking the combat results table, he takes 18 Endurance damage, and I take none. His Endurance is only 9, and he is deader than dead.

Victory is mine! Only 24 to go -- fantastic.

Let's see what the rest of them have to offer!

Update: Cowards & Comrades!

Not much apparently. The Giaks begin to run away, while the leader of the group tries to keep face.

"Ogot! Ogot!" he says just before managing to hurl a fairly long threat at me and my (hopefully) new compatriot.

The last thing we see of them transpires as follows:

Shaking his mailed fist at you, the black-clad Giak screams, ‘RANEG ROGAG OK—ORGADAKA OKAK ROGAG GAJ!’ before leaving. Surveying the scene of battle, you count over fifteen Giak dead lying among the broken pillars of Raumas.

Maybe I should have learned how to be a wizard instead. Even assuming one of those fifteen was my own kill -- this wizard massacred more than half their number! No wonder they ran!

OOC: this is to be Lone Wolf's first encounter in the books with the foul tongue of the Giaks. It's not actually translated in the book, but through the magic of future sourcebooks and the interweb, we now know what this Giak officer said.


Ogot means retreat; the longer sentence delivered with mailed fist shaking is translated as: "I will return--you humans will die!"

Okay, time to talk to the mage.

Lone Wolf: FFTD Chronicles 01 - It Begins

Okay, so I rolled up my character:

Lone Wolf [ CS 15, Endurance 24 ] is setting off on the adventure Flight from the Dark!

My selection for Kai Disciplines:

• Healing -- for that all important +1 Endurance every numbered section
• Sixth Sense -- just because
• Mind Shield -- I don't like being Mind Blasted
• Animal Kinship -- talking to the animals can help in intelligence gathering
• Camouflage -- sometimes a hero needs to hide.

Let's see where my decisions and dice rolls take me on this solo adventure.

Update -- more character creation

Let's take a gander at equipment. We have

• an axe -- good weapon
• a backpack with 1 Meal
• some gold crowns (3 only, but I wasn't probably the most wealthy student)
• a Map of Somerlund

and I also find in the ruins

• a chainmail waistcoat (+4 to Endurance) -- lucky! Need that.

Update -- the adventure truly begins

This is the cover of the first Lone
Wolf book I ever owned!

Well, I'm at the proper start of the adventure. My mission is clear: make it to the capital and warn the King about the fall of the Kai Lords.

Faced with two possible paths to travel, I'm given an option to use one of the disciplines I selected -- Sixth Sense! I use it and learn that both paths will bring me into contact with enemy patrols.

I can either go south through the undergrowth, or travel northeast (which has heavier foliage). Time to refer to the map. If I go south, I'll have to find a way to cross the river; if I go northeast, I'll probably get to the road, perhaps find some transport, and cross the river easier at the bridge -- but I'll technically be going away from my goal for a while.

So... south or northeast?

Lone Wolf board game?

In my early gaming career, I didn't get to play or GM much. And so I relied on the Fighting Fantasy books and the Lone Wolf series of Gamebooks!

I'm carefully archiving the copies available at Project Aon, for laptop play. However, I did read from the blog that there's a Lone Wolf board game in the works.

Here's a quick look at the figurines:

Gary Chalk (original illustrator of the books) is involved in the game creation, and I think that dude with the winged helmet is meant to be Prince Pelathar -- charging to meet his fate against the lizard-like Gourgaz.