FIGHTING FANTASY™ NOVELS: THE TROLLTOOTH WARS

"It started with an ambush. When Balthus Dire's bloodlusting Hill Goblins mount their raid of the Strong-arm caravan, little do they realize what dramatic consequences their actions will have. For that caravan carries Cunnelwort, a mystical herb from Eastern Allansia, destined for none other than the evil sorcerer, Zharradan Marr! War - between two forces well-matched for evil - is soon to ensue..

As the war escalates, the Kingdom of Salamonis comes under threat, and a champion of the court, Chadda Darkmane, is summoned to undertake a perilous mission. Somehow, he must turn the war to the advantage of Salamonis. Somehow, he must prevent the bloodshed and chaos of a victorious army's invasion on the Vale of Willow. Will Darkmane succeed in his quest? And will Balthus Dire's chaotic's or Zharradan Marr's Undead prove victorious? The answer is here, in The Trolltooth Wars, the first Fighting Fantasy novel."

Author - Steve Jackson
Map Illustrator - Leo Hartas
Cover Illustrator - Chris Achilleos
Interior Illustrator - Russ Nicholson
Setting - Allansia
Date - 1989

The Trolltooth Wars is the first Fighting Fantasy™ novel by Steve Jackson, set in the popular setting of Allansia introduced in Warlock of Firetop Mountain. The novel introduces us to Chadda Darkmane, a heroic knight from Salamonis and chronicles a war between two of Steve's most prominent villains introduced in the Gamebooks 'Citadel of Chaos' and 'Creature of Havoc', i.e. the evil sorcerer Balthus Dire and necromancer Zharradan Marr. As well as these two familiar villains a whole host of familiar locations and characters from Fighting Fantasy™ such as Firetop Mountain, the Vale of Willow, Oldoran Zagor, Yaztromo and Verminthrax the crow make an appearance along with many of those encountered in the two Gamebooks.

Set before the events of the Gamebooks, the book begins with an ambush on a caravan passing through the Trolltooth Pass. The caravan belonging to Zharradan Marr carries a shipment of the rare herb cunnelwort (renowned for its magical properties) and is ambushed by a Goblin chieftain and his tribe who owe their allegiance to Balthus Dire. Dire succeeds in acquiring the rare herb unaware of its prodigious owner but is not happy when he discovers the ambush didn't go according to plan (a lone survivor escapes allowing Zharradan to discover the Cunnelwort has been stolen by his old rival Dire). Thus a war ensues that threatens the peace in the region.

With Salamonis situated directly between the two warring factions, Chadda Darkmane is given the task of attempting to turn the war to Salamonis's advantage and the adventure begins..

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