Citadel of Chaos

 

Background - 

Well after an unexpected success last time its on to the second gamebook, The Citadel of Chaos.  Released in 1983 this one was written only by Steve Jackson.  Already the formula is changed with Steve adding a new stat to roll up, Magic!  You're a wizard Harry!  I like how already this early in they are refining and improving.  Warlock was the prototype and they could have easily repeated the same formula but instead Steve has gone all in and implemented a magic system, very brave!  I have played Citadel a few times but no where near as much as I played Warlock.

Covers - 

Right what the hell is this?  Lets look at the positives first, it has a citadel and its certainly chaotic.  I am not sure the strange monkey type creature is the one I would have picked as the poster boy for the book.  I would have loved to know what the brief was to the artist.  "Hi yes don't worry about any of the content of the book, me and Ian were watching David Attenborough and some of those monkeys look quite scary, can we get a big chaos monkey?  Yes?  Perfect!"  To be fair that run up to the citadel means people have to go single fie which would be a nightmare for invading armies so that's good.  Not a clue how they got any material to build the citadel up there or any furniture?  Maybe magic.

 

I was curious about the rest of the troops and I have zoomed in as much as I can.

Not sure about any of the guys at the back and I think that is the Rhino Man guard but who is the white naked guy!  He has certainly be working out but seems to be very similar to a ken doll.

This is the cover I have.  Again I think the dragon and author name makes it look much better.  I was not a fan of the green zig zag they used to have.  Anyway a huge improvement of the previous cover.  Although I have to admit I am not 100% sure on the cover monster.  Is it the living whirlwind women or is it the Ganjees?  The citadel in the background looks really menacing and has that old school Warhammer art feel to it.  And looks big enough for a 400 section adventure!  Plus the Rhino-man looks really good.

The Wizard cover goes for the Hydra.  I do like it but why do they not have any eyes?   I think the rubble in front of it though takes a bit of focus from the title monster.  The shield version is just the same picture just framed a lot smaller.

The Scholastic cover again goes for a more cartoonish approach.  These are defiantly the Ganjees but I feel they have been toned down a bit.  I prefer the interior illustration in my book.   Although I do like the picture with the glowing eyes in the background.

And its time for my favorite, the US cover!  Someone told the artist there is a hydra and they have gone, ah so its Greek mythology, I know that!  So throw in Medusa, who is not it the book.  A Greek Perseus type hero who most certainly does not look like a wizard.  Well at least they hydra is in it.... oh wait it looks like giant worms that are going to gum you to death.  

And who does this hand belong to?!

Premise - 

The lawful goodfolk of the Vale of Willow have lived for some eight years in awe and fear of the demi-sorcerer Balthus Dire.  In awe - since his power is truly awesome - and in fear ever since word leaked from his domain that his ambitious plans of conquest were to commence with the Vale itself.  

So word comes from a spy that Balthus has recruited an army of Chaotics and will attack the Vale within the week.  Good King Salamon sends words out for help and it reaches the Grand Wizard of Yore.  Guess who his star pupil is?  That's right me!  Crappy Potter.  It says he has been a difficult master and I leave immediately to help.  Which means the Grand Wizard is a cankerous old bastard.  The King basically briefs me by saying there is one true path through the citadel, no information on what that path is though. 

So I leave the Vale of Willow on the long hike to the Black Tower.  At the foot of the hill of Craggen Rock, you can see its outline against the dark sky....

Already the build up is much better and more epic in scope and we are getting more names of places and people which fleshes out the world.  BUT I do have some issues -

The King and these people have been worried for eight years.  EIGHT YEARS!  Yet they had no plan on what to do.  Not a clue, and its only by luck a week before a possible invasion I turn up.  This is how I imagine the conversation went -

Me - "Good King I, the star pupil of wizard of yore, have answered your summons."

King - "Ah Crappy Potter, word has reached me of your ability, welcome to the Vale of Willow."

Me - "It is my honor to be here my king.  Pray tell what role you require of me in the coming conflict?"

King - "Well we would like you to go to the Black Tower yourself and use magic to assassinate Balthus Dire."

Me -" ....Ok.  I assume your forces will deploy in the area to draw out the Chaotic army?"

King - "Nope, we will be staying here."

Me - "So you want me to go in by myself against Balthus and his entire force?"

King - "Yep"

Me - "If you do not mind my asking good king, but what was your plan before I arrived mere minutes ago?"

King - "Time is short, we should discuss the plan.  Our spies have found that there is one route through the citadel that will take you straight to Dire." 

Me - "Great, tell me more about this route."

King -  "Sorry that's all we have.  I must go now and erm, visit my cousin on the other side of the continent, good luck my young friend."

Me - mutter - "Should have stayed in Yore."

Playthrough -

You start with a sword, leather armor and a lantern.  But worst of all the haversack is gone!  I am told I have a backpack instead.  With the feeling of dread that I no longer have my lucky haversack I roll up stats for Crappy Potter.

Skill - 11

Stamina - 18

Luck - 8

Magic - 10

Another high skill roll but everything else is pretty bad.  In fact my roll of 5 for skill on 1d6 was better than the 4 I rolled for magic on 2d6!  Ironically for a star wizard pupil I am actually better with a sword and not that great with the spells.  Makes me question the training I got from the so called grand wizard.

Anyway better pick my spells very carefully.  I go for - 

2 x Stamina (no provisions to eat and my stamina is not great)

1 x Luck (Turns out you use luck a lot, I used to ignore it as a kid)

1 x Shielding

2 x Levitation

1 x Illusion

1 x ESP

1 x Fool's Gold

1 x Strength 

I was hoping to take one of each but alas my roll was that bad.  So I left out creature copy, skill and weakness as I am confident with my high skill if it comes to combat.  I seem to remember using levitation before so I have taken two of them just in case.

So I start my journey to the citadel and already i rest within sight of it and I feel a prickling of fear, which embarrasses me.  What actually embarrasses me is the lack of plan about how I get in.  It seems my in game character is also trying to come up with ideas but before I settle on a plan I arrive at the gate.

Well it is different

I know what you are thinking, yes it is a small door for a citadel.  Balthus Dire is clearly a bit of a mad scientist, although I feel a actual ape and dog would be better guards.  Anyway my whole plan revolves around me being a traveling tradesman.  I did not know what my trade would be, maybe a plumber as they are always in demand.  They wanted a cut of my earnings so i had the option of using a fools gold spell.  Hmm I am skill 11 and first opponents in the book, ill save my spell thanks.  And despite the low skill they had I lost the first round, which worried me!  Luckily it was the only hit they got, the gatekeeper came running out to see what had happened and I sneaked past and locked him out.  

Now the adventure continued but I feel sorry for the gatekeeper.  How bad must his day have been knowing he had one job and was now somehow locked out of the very gate he was meant to be watching.  If I was him I would have just left, you are getting sacked anyway.  So in the courtyard and I get some options and I decide to pretend I am meant to be there and head over to a group of creatures at a bonfire.

A dwarf talking to goblins!? This really is chaotic

I am told the Dwarf has green skin, so that is very unique and strange.  Anyway I keep up my brazen façade and don't ask to join them and just sit down.  Bad guys don't have manners, and I am trying to fit in after all.  I demand to know how to get inside and amazingly they tell me the password is scimitar.  I push on and demand to know what's in the bottle and this is what pushes them over the edge.  They attack me but they are easily dispatched.   Its worth it as the bottle contains a potion of magic which basically allows me to cast two free spells.  I also loot a copper key and a jar of ointment from the corpses.  

I then see a couple of arguing men who are fighting over the price of a dagger.  They ask how much I think its worth and I pick the middle option, they seem to agree and I get asked if I want to buy it.  I use a fools gold spell and it works (while drinking my potion) and I have a nice shiny dagger.

So far so good but as I make my way across the courtyard a whirlwind lady appears.  I try to ignore her and she keeps knocking me over like a school bully.  I pass a luck test and after going "Look who is that over there"  she falls for it and I leg it in the opposite direction.

I get to the tower door and knock on the door.

Do you know the password?

I do know the password my good friend as I am a Chaotic and absolutely meant to be here, its Scimitar.  He grunts and lets me in, phase one complete.

As I wander in I see a bell which says ring for the butler.  As I am trying to sneak through here I decided that will be a terrible idea so I open the door instead.  And procced to set off some kind of alarm system.  One failed luck test and the guards are on me.

Wheelies, roll out!

They start throwing knives at me so i use my shielding spell to block them (whilst finishing my magic potion).  Once I get them into hand to hand combat its all over them.

After alerting the entire citadel to my presence I sneak into the next room where something is sleeping.  But of course I wake them up (no idea how they had slept through the alarm I set off).  Turns out I have woken a Gark.  I am told a Gark is half goblin and half giant.  How in hell did that union take place and erm which way around?  The text tells me he is stupid so I use a fools gold spell to bribe him.  Not only did he see through it but he realised that if I was offering a bribe i should not be there.  "Not as stupid as you thought", well I can only put that down to the terrible teachings of the wizard of yore.  Right a fight it is I thought, nope wrong, he cuffed me over my head and knocked me out.  It would not be a fighting fantasy without me being knocked out, and its only book two!

So I wake up in jail, where the jailer is a two headed lizard called a Calacorm -

Sure the way out will be getting them to fight each other

So he gives me some bread and broth, which I scoff down and gain +2 stamina.  I get some spell options but I have used up all my fools gold so I have ESP or illusion.  I go for ESP to persuade him to let me out.  Turns out all Calacorm's daydream about are food (snakes), girl Calacorms and torture.  Nothing I could use to my advantage so I fire off an illusion spell.  Its not looking good as I only conjure a mouse.  But would you know it, this is the Calacorm's biggest fear.  Terrified he throws me the keys so I can get rid of the mouse, which I do but only after I have scarpered away.  I'm free!

I get the option of trying to smash down the next door, which I choose to do expecting a skill test like Warlock.  But I am told that I just smash it down.  Oh no, its the Leprechaun.  I remember doing this when I was young and I hated him, he just tries to fake you out all the time.  Well not this time!

Never, EVER, trust a Leprechaun.

Something comes flying towards me as he sleeps and I can use a shielding spell.  Nope.  A tomato hits me in the face so no harm done.  Except I hate tomatoes, loathe them.   If this had been real life my adventure would have been over here and now as I crumble to the floor screaming.  Not my character though, he is fine and can either shake his hand or draw my sword.  No messing, sword is out but unfortunately it droops limp.  O'Sheamus speaks in a very stereotypical irish accent and he presents me with three doors.  I go for the copper one since I found a copper key earlier.  I am soon blinded and ravaged by an unseen beast.  I try and hit it with my sword but I don't hit anything.  Its very descriptive about how I find the blood is running down my leg and i am given multiple chances to use spells.  Not happening I know this is an illusion.  It then finally says death is imminent and gives me one last chance to use a spell.  I don't and pass out (again).  When I awake its back with O'Sheamus who is ending himself laughing.  Apparently my character is so relived and finds the laugh so infections he ends up in hysterics as well.  In real life, I still want to kill this guy.  This encounter caused me a lot of grief when I first played, so much I remember it 25 years later.  If I didn't I would have wasted a load of spells on this guy.  He does say I am a good sport though and gives me a magic sword (+1 attack total, this is perfect and how you can give bonus without increasing skill score) and a silver mirror.  I try the copper door again.

This time I appear in the wine cellar.  And I am not alone.

Hello, good sir, I am here for the wine tour.

I am offered a choice of white, red or rose.  I go for a nice rose.  After swirling it around in my mouth and spitting it out the fine gentleman asks why I came here.  I try to say I am a wine connoisseur of northern Allansia and writing a book of my touring experience.  Turns out it was not wine though but truth serum and I tell him I am hear to assassinate Balthus Dire so of course it ends up in a fight.  Luckily I did not tell him about my skill 11 or he would have ran.  I am offered to sample the other wine but I decide against it but I do take a bottle in case its needed.  If not I will re-gift it at Christmas, probably to the King or the Grand Wizard.  

In the next room is a big stone golem creature guarding three treasure chests.  Talking gets me nowhere so I make a move for the treasure.  Of course he starts to move towards me.  I tease going for them again and the book keeps giving me options to run for the door.  I decide to take it, I knew the Leprechaun was a fake out so I doubt we would have two in close succession.  

The door takes me into a grand dining hall.  I get to look at the pictures which shows Balthus Dire, I lose stamina for the sense of dread but also gain luck as I now know what he looks like.  I had no idea that my character did not have a clue what his target looked like!  I could have walked past him in the hall!  Anyway I get a choice of going up two staircases and I choose poorly and the stairs disappear.  I still have a couple of levitation spells left so I use one to float up instead.  

Up the stairs I find a locked door that needs a copper key.  So of course I go in.

Oh what an interesting fleece you have there

Now with a Hydra on the cover I am going to assume I will need this fleece!  She seems to get very angry quite quickly so I get the chance to offer a gift.  I do not have a hairbrush or a erm spider man in a jar.

Nope never picked this up, would have made a great gift

So I pull out the silver mirror I have and offer it to her but she is not impressed.  She takes it really badly and her eyes turn to flame as she tries to incinerate me.  I cast a much needed shielding spell only be told it does not work against magic attacks and her attack burns into my eyes and I collapse on to the floor dead as if I had been hit by a tomato, cursing the king and the wizard with my dying breath.

Notable Moments - 

So as I did not make it through the Citadel of Chaos I have had a look through at other paths and options to see what I missed.  The Black Tower feels like a real place.  I even missed a gambling den which looked good fun.  There is a library that is full of books with loads of information, from enemies to Dire and the history of the citadel.  It really is fleshed out.  His wife killed me but you can also find their children as well.  From the parts I managed to find the wine cellar and the dungeon were particular good fun.  However I did miss the iconic creatures from this book.  The Ganjees.

Stuff of nightmares

You cant fight these guys and they kill magic as well so you have to use items to get past them.  But you don't know that at the time so getting the right choice would take a few attempts.  Not being able to fight your way out negates the people that use maximum stats.  They might not look that scary these days but my word not fun for kids.  

Right in the Ganjees

I also missed the Hydra who comes straight off the heels of the Ganjees encounter.

Balthus got the same plasterer from Warlock

Who keeps a bloody Hydra in a spare room in the tower.  Must be a nightmare cleaning that room.  He does look more snake than dragon though.  But the actual battle is pretty good, again with multiple paths to take.  But it really helps to get that fleece.

Artwork - 

Russ Nicholson is back for this one and again its a mixed bag for me.  As I mention above the Hydra is poor and the amazing plasterer is back which makes the background look bland.  However the Ganjees are fantastic.  One major issue i have from this book is a lot of the art that features in the courtyard - 

The brick background just upsets me.  The writing makes it very atmospheric but that does not make it onto the page.  It also takes away from the subject of the art.  The inside walls of the citadel of chaos should be...well...chaotic.  Reminds of a ZX Spectrum game.

But there is some really good stuff in here as well.  All the ones in my playthrough I really liked.  As soon as the background is dark it becomes a lot more atmospheric and looks great.  I really like the wine cellar for example and also these ones I never made it to - 

If i had rung the bell instead of setting of the alarm, I would have met this guy

The Kitchen looks fantastic, although I would not be keen to partake in any food

And the Gark who clipped me around the head to send me to jail

All in all getting better.  The courtyard stuff is disappointing and some of the interior rooms are too bland but some really, really good ones here as well.  The Ganjees probably being my favorite followed by the wine cellar.  A lot of these monsters are quite unique so difficult job to draw them but they have come out well.  

The Big Bad - 

The Balthus Dire fight really is quite something.  It is epic with so many different options which makes it feel like a proper boss fight.  Although it does appear he turns himself into a gorgon so i must apologise for my early snarky comments about the US cover.  Really though Steve Jackson does a fantastic job here, there is so much spells to choose from all leading down different paths with new choices.  Some work, a lot don't.  You can even move about the room.  Just don't get distracted by anything or he will stab you.  If you do get to the stage of a fight its Skill 12 and high stamina.  But remember Harry you are a wizard so you should be using magic.

Might want to sack his hairdresser though

All in all though you want to get to the curtains.  If you can pull them down well its all over for him as he cant handle sunlight.  Which makes his decision to base himself at the top of the tower rather than any of the rooms in the basement a bit of a dumb move.  All in all an epic fight though and will be hard pushed to beat that and its only book 2.

Menagerie - 

Where to start here?  After they threw all the standard fantasy troupes at Warlock, Steve Jackson let his imagination run here.  Citadel is full of unique monsters, some i have only ever seen here.  From as soon as you arrive at the citadel and face ape-dog and dog-ape you are in for some unique encounters.  Yes there are orcs and goblins and even a Hydra but what about the Calacorm, a two headed lizard that is afraid of mice?  The Gark, a crazy combination of Goblin and Giant!  The Wheelies are another unique foe.  Scouts, Rhino-Man, Spider-Man and of course the iconic Ganjees.  A lot of the enemies you cant even fight, you have to out think them or you will be trapped in jail or killed.  I really like what Steve Jackson put together here and it really does feel like an army of chaotics.  

Entertaining Deaths - 

A couple of good contenders here.  I particular like trying to hid behind the curtains in the battle with Balthus Dire.  If you think he just walks up and stabs you that still would be entertaining but no, instead he brings the curtains to life and they strangle you.  Also if you hide under the table he puts up invisible walls around it trapping you there and bringing an end to your adventure.  In the encounter with the Ganjees you also can forget you are in a tower and fall over the side of the balcony and crash to your death below.  Unless you have a levitation spell, which does not work and you end up dead at the bottom of the tower anyway.  I have a favorite though but i don't see it as a failure and i will discuss in my conclusions.

Pete's Corner -

Do not let Spiderman out of his jar!

Pete in his element

Final Thoughts - 

I feel Citadel improves a lot on the framework established in Warlock.  As much as I made fun of the story its a big step up on the bare story of the previous book.  The Citadel itself feels like a real place and everything makes sense (as much as a chaotic tower can) in that it has a kitchen, pantry, guards quarters, a courtyard and a library.  It feels like a real place.  

Adding magic is a great feature as well, especially since you get multiple options and its not a get out of jail free card, if you do not use the correct spell it will not work (as I found out with my death).  The adventure does feel a lot shorter than Warlock though.  I thought this was as I did not spend so log in that bloody maze but looking deeper at it, it is because each encounter is a lot more in depth with more options.  Not just the magic options but choices in general.  This adds a lot to each encounter and improves the roleplay aspect of the book.  Add to that the monsters are pretty unique as well with interesting descriptions.

No doubt one of the best things though is that when it says you can make it through with even the worst rolls for stats, you really can.  There is a path that can get you through it if you pick the right spells.  This must be one of the only books where that was true.  But it does not mean its easy and will require multiple plays to find this route.

Nowhere is this more apparent than the final fight with Balthus Dire.  It is long with many different options on how to play it.  It feels epic and its very impressive to fit it into a 400 paragraph book.  During this battle though you can flip to Balthus Dire side, this appears to be a failure but in feel this is the best result for you in the book.  Join the guy that has bothered to plan, rather than bail the stupid king out.  

Where I feel it falls down a bit is the art in some of the courtyard areas, and some internal ones as well, it can take you out of the experience.  Oh and the F*!"@g Leprechaun.  Another failure is the winning paragraph.  After such an epic battle its very brief.  You use the curtain to set fire to his plan and are asked if you have a Levitation spell to float out the window otherwise its another adventure to escape but that's a different story.  Feels a bit empty to me.  And why didn't you just use levitation to fly up to the tower window?  You would then open the curtains to get in and inadvertently kill Dire.  Maybe that was what the King meant.

Anyway here is what I would have done -

Me - Arrives at the gates.  "Hello good fellows, I would like to speak to Balthus Dire, I have information on the King plan".

Dog-Ape - Ah ok, please come this way.

Get taken to the great hall, Balthus Dire arrives with half the army.

Balthus - "I grant you this audience as I am told you have some valuable information, it better had been good or I will throw you in our dungeon."

Me - "I understand lord.  The foolish King Salamon has hired me to assassinate you to stop your invasion of the Vale"

Balthus and crew - "Mwhahahahaha"

Balthus - "So how much has the King offered you?"

Me - "Well nothing now you mention it."

Balthus - "I see, so tell me what other information do you have of the Kings plans?"

Me - "That's it, he has no other plans."

This clearly upsets Balthus Dire who gets up from his seat and starts pacing, his voice getting louder.

Balthus - "WHAT!?  Eight long years I have been planning this attack and you expect me to believe the Kings only plan was to send you by yourself to kill me?  How did you even expect to get in?"

Me - "Well I was thinking of posing as a herbalist or tradesman or maybe just levitating up the tower.  But anyway I just want to be on the winning side."

Balthus - "You can at least tell me the position of his armies and when he intends to march!" 

Me - "My lord, he has no plans to march, in fact he does not even appear to have an army."

Balthus - "Do you take me for a fool!  You dare come here and expect me to believe this!?"

Me - "Yes, both the King and the Grand Wizard of Yore are idiots."

Balthus - "Lies!  Wife, take care of this fool."

Sorceress - "With Pleasure"  Her eyes turn to fire.

Me - "Wait its the truth!  Arghhh"  Raises Shielding spell and get incinerated anyway. 

Score - 7 out of 10