Sorcery!
Encyclopedia
Sorcery! is a single-player four-part adventure gamebook series written by Steve Jackson and illustrated by John Blanche
. Originally published by Puffin Books
from 1983 to 1985, the titles form part of the Fighting Fantasy
series, despite not being part of the formal chronology. The series was republished by Wizard Books from 2002.
As the adventurer, the player also has the option of calling on a patron goddess once per adventure, who will provide an instant escape from a situation.
Each title also featured dice images at the bottom of each page, making it possible for the player to randomly "flick" through the pages for the equivalent of a dice roll. The Fighting Fantasy titles published by Wizard Books use the same device.
, on the continent known as The Old World. A powerful artifact
known as the Crown of Kings, which bestows magical powers of leadership upon its owner, has been stolen from the land of Analand by the cruel Archmage of Mampang Fortress. With the Crown, the Archmage will be able to gain leadership of the lawless and brutal region of Kakhabad and begin an invasion of surrounding kingdoms. The player takes on the role of the lone hero who has been dispatched to retrieve the Crown, thereby averting the invasion and saving Analand from terrible disgrace. What follows is an epic quest across the wilds of the Shamutanti Hills; through the maze-like city Khare; over the empty Baklands plains and encounters with the deadly Seven Serpents and a final hazardous journey to Mampang Fortress, where the adventurer finally confronts the Archmage.
and iPad
by Big Blue Bubble
.
John Blanche
John Blanche is a British fantasy and science fiction illustrator and modeler known for his work for Games Workshop's White Dwarf magazine, Warhammer Fantasy Battle, Warhammer Fantasy Roleplay and Warhammer 40,000 games and his role as art director for the company, including his work in the field...
. Originally published by Puffin Books
Puffin Books
Puffin Books is the children's imprint of British publishers Penguin Books. Since the 1960s it has been the largest publisher of children's books in the UK and much of the English-speaking world.-Early history:...
from 1983 to 1985, the titles form part of the Fighting Fantasy
Fighting Fantasy
Fighting Fantasy is a series of single-player fantasy roleplay gamebooks created by Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone. The first volumes in the series were published by Puffin in 1982, with the rights to the franchise eventually being purchased by Wizard Books in 2002...
series, despite not being part of the formal chronology. The series was republished by Wizard Books from 2002.
Publication history
The Sorcery! series was published from 1983 to 1985 as four individual titles, being The Shamutanti Hills; Khare: Cityport of Traps; The Seven Serpents and The Crown of Kings. The series was supported by the Sorcery! Spellbook, published in 1983 (eventually incorporated as an appendix into the four titles in later printings). Steve Jackson and John Blanche provided the writing and artwork on all titles. The series was republished by Wizard Books from 2002.Rules
The series has some additional features, such as allowing the player to choose between playing as a warrior or a slightly weaker sorcerer. As a sorcerer, the player has access to 48 spells, with each appearing as a three-letter word that has to be memorized (e.g. "ZAP"; "SIX" and "ZED"). Each spell costs STAMINA to cast, and it is also possible to choose the wrong option, as author Jackson has placed false three-letter spell words throughout each adventure.As the adventurer, the player also has the option of calling on a patron goddess once per adventure, who will provide an instant escape from a situation.
Each title also featured dice images at the bottom of each page, making it possible for the player to randomly "flick" through the pages for the equivalent of a dice roll. The Fighting Fantasy titles published by Wizard Books use the same device.
Plot
The story is set on the fictional Fighting Fantasy world of TitanTitan (world)
Titan is the fantasy world which serves as the setting for the majority of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy and Sorcery! gamebooks and novels. The title contains "backstory on...the villains and NPC's" found throughout the Fighting Fantasy series.-Summary:The fictional world of...
, on the continent known as The Old World. A powerful artifact
Magic item
A magic item is any object that has magical powers inherent in it. These may act on their own or be the tools of the person or being whose hands they fall into. Magic items are commonly found in both folklore and modern fantasy...
known as the Crown of Kings, which bestows magical powers of leadership upon its owner, has been stolen from the land of Analand by the cruel Archmage of Mampang Fortress. With the Crown, the Archmage will be able to gain leadership of the lawless and brutal region of Kakhabad and begin an invasion of surrounding kingdoms. The player takes on the role of the lone hero who has been dispatched to retrieve the Crown, thereby averting the invasion and saving Analand from terrible disgrace. What follows is an epic quest across the wilds of the Shamutanti Hills; through the maze-like city Khare; over the empty Baklands plains and encounters with the deadly Seven Serpents and a final hazardous journey to Mampang Fortress, where the adventurer finally confronts the Archmage.
In other media
From 2010, the series is being re-released in electronic form for the iPhoneIPhone
The iPhone is a line of Internet and multimedia-enabled smartphones marketed by Apple Inc. The first iPhone was unveiled by Steve Jobs, then CEO of Apple, on January 9, 2007, and released on June 29, 2007...
and iPad
IPad
The iPad is a line of tablet computers designed, developed and marketed by Apple Inc., primarily as a platform for audio-visual media including books, periodicals, movies, music, games, and web content. The iPad was introduced on January 27, 2010 by Apple's then-CEO Steve Jobs. Its size and...
by Big Blue Bubble
Big Blue Bubble
Big Blue Bubble is a Canadian video game developer for mobile phones, game consoles, and handheld game consoles.Founded in 2004 in London, Ontario, it started out by specializing in casual games and adapting film and television franchises such as 24 for handheld devices...
.
External links
- Fighting Fantasy Gamebooks - the official website
- Wizard Books Homepage - current publisher of the range