Zanbar Bone, feared as the Night Prince, is a highly powerful demonic lich, who serves as the main villain and final enemy of the Fighting Fantasy gamebook City of Thieves. He later resurrects as an even mightier Demon Prince in The Port of Peril, and must be destroyed once more, before he restarts his reign of terror.
Background[]
In the first book, Zanbar Bone is only presented as a Dark Lord exerting his influence all over the world of Titan, feared by everyone. His past is explained in Titan: The Fighting Fantasy World and Out of the Pit, two guidebooks to the Fighting Fantasy universe, though it is stated that only a few scholars know of it, most people only caring to know that he has existed for as long as anyone can remember. His background is summarized in The Port of Peril.
Zanbar Bone was born in the prosperous city of Fang in the continent of Allansia, from two merchants of the highest social class and secret leaders of a cult worshipping Myurr: one of the three superior Demon Princes of Titan, who anointed him. As such, he was born with eerie cat-like green eyes indicating an immense demonic power, which manifested with growing frequency in intense spates of violence.
As a teenager, his parents irked by his increasing influence over their sect sent him away to the world's best Magic School, in the Forest of Yore. There, his huge power, skill, focus, intelligence and thirst for knowledge strongly impressed his teachers, save from the Great Archmage Vermithrax Moonchaser, who kept a wary eye on him from afar.
Zanbar Bone was only rivalled by the three Star Pupils, who joined the school a few years after him and went to become three of the greatest and most famous mages of Titan: Arakor Nicodemus, Gereth Yaztromo and Pen Ty Kora the Healer. He hated them with a passion and developed a bitter rivalry with Nicodemus, who like him was the son of rich merchants from Fang and knew gloomy rumours about Bone's parents' no-longer-so-secret cult, of which he himself was unaware.
Over time, Bone's evil nature became increasingly blatant, frightening teachers and pupils alike. He often dwelled in darkness where he claimed to feel safe, and developed a strong interest in Elven Magic and especially Dark Elven Magic.
One fateful night, Nicodemus witnessed Zanbar Bone murdering an elven student girl called Ellanor, likely in some dark ritual. Bone attacked Nicodemus with red tentacles of demonic fire and quickly overpowered him. Nicodemus only owed his life to Vermithrax Moonchaser himself, who barged in alerted by the ruckus with other students and wood elves, and dispelled Bone's magic. Furious, Bone unleashed a tremendous onslaught of magical energy at the archmage who deflected it back, marking both the most impressive display of magic ever seen in the Forest of Yore and a turning point in the school's history.
Grievously wounded and reduced to a barely living skeleton, Zanbar Bone disappeared into the night, not to be seen for decades. It is said that he returned to Fang and murdered his parents, taking over their wealth and their cult, before willingly turning himself into a lich, becoming the Skeleton Demon he is known as. He rose into power to become the formidable Night Prince, whose awful reputation and influence spread all over the world of Titan.
At some point, he seized a wide domain in northern Allansia which he turned into a lifeless, accursed land for him to rule, before building his Dark Tower and surrounding himself with an unholy court. It is likely that Arakor Nicodemus kept opposing him without being able to fully take him down, given that the powerful mage is the only one who knows how to kill the Night Prince.
Knowing that Nicodemus, who first met Zanbar Bone when they were young, is a retired old man in City of Thieves, and considering that powerful mages can live over two centuries, it can be guessed that the Night Prince exerted his evil for many decades.
Appearance[]
Zanbar Bone in the illustration.
What Zanbar Bone looked like as a human was never described, aside from his creepy, green, glowing, cat-like eyes.
In City of Thieves, he is described as a skeleton with shinning green eyes, wearing a black robe and a golden crown. The illustrations depict him with many horns, spikes around his neck, claws, and cat-like eyes, a diadem instead of a crown, a green cape and whitish robe, and a scythe that makes him look similar to the Grim Reaper. Such details would later be included in every further depiction.
In The Port of Peril, Zanbar Bone is described as even more evil looking, with a larger skull, cloven hooves, and huge, black, bat-like wings. The illustration depicts him with two much longer straight horns, and wearing a black armour.
Nature[]
Zanbar Bone was once a human wizard, albeit one with the evil eye, who could be considered half-demon. He has become both a greater undead and a Skeleton Demon, described as nothing resembling a man and Evil personified. Worse, he has reached the rank of Demon Prince after resurrecting, now sporting decidedly demonic features.
He cannot be killed for good, always returning from the Demonic Planes of Existence, more evil and powerful than ever. Still, contrary to the demons whose essence regenerates over the centuries after being physically destroyed, he must be resurrected in rituals.
He resides in another Plane (likely the Demonic or Astral Planes) by daytime, and can only be faced after sunset. He is immune to all weapons and magic, as he can only be destroyed by breaking his evil power to make him vulnerable, before striking his weak point. Yet, it is stated that new methods must be found after each resurrection.
Powers and Abilities[]
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Zanbar Bone in the Fighting Fantasy Legends IOS adaptation.
As a young human, Zanbar Bone was already powerful enough to take on an archmage, and he likely grew mightier as a lich.
Despite being one of the rare Fighting Fantasy villains never fought directly, the extension Beyond the Pit sets his statistics at 14 in skill (power level, 2 points over the normal maximum) and 20 in stamina (life-points), on par with the Demon Princes. The IOS adaptation Fighting Fantasy Legends sets the significantly lower (albeit still formidable) 12 in skill and 17 in stamina. Still, while he clearly outclasses most villains, both are semi-canon at best.
Zanbar Bone is one of the mightiest masters of Dark Magic in Titan, expert in Necromancy and Demonology, who can curse objects, people or entire towns. He can create skeletons by throwing his teeth to the ground, raise an army of elite skeleton warriors, create powerful monsters, conjure unearthly forces, and summon demons.
He can shape-shift at will, and he apparently enjoys turning into a black cat, as one being "not what [the hero] thought it was" is found among his trap of illusions. He can also see and talk where he is not physically present (though whether he can do it anywhere or just inside his tower remains unknown), and cast powerful illusions.
His signature powers are his paralyzing hypnotic gaze and his life-draining touch that quickly kills people and turns them into his undead slaves. The Port of Peril states that he fights with demon fire and magical energy, similar to how he attacked Nicodemus and Vermithrax Moonchaser in his backstory.
In The Port of Peril, he returns mightier than ever. His magic can now affect the world while being dead and in another Plane, and he displays the powers to corrupt landscapes, to summon millions of venomous insects, to conjure storms and to direct lightning strikes.
Characteristics[]
Zanbar Bone created the frightful undead Spirit Stalkers, who serve as his messengers and enforcers, and the bloodthirsty Moondogs, who serve as his trackers and assassins. Moreover, he gained the fealty of Lord Varek Azzur, the loathsome governor of Port Blacksand himself. Everyone in Allansia (and likely in all of Titan) knows and fears him, and all who rose against him met a grisly end, probably now serving as his undeads lackeys.
Zanbar Bone rarely leaves his tower, which while still being dark and gloomy as befits such a Dark Lord is much more luxurious, decorated and overall well-kept than many other demonic hideouts; hinting that the Night Prince has very good taste and "lives" there like any wealthy human lord would.
He has no desire of conquest, but he does not need it as he already exerts his reign of terror beyond his domain. Little is known about his goals, though he seems content with spreading terror and taking what he needs. Him demanding a young townsgirl brought to his tower in City of Thieves implies that he does this often, exposing those who refuse to dire consequences. No one knows what he has in store for his captives, but given his determination to master every arcane of Dark Elven Magic, he probably sacrifices them in some foul experiment.
He is cruel, hateful, spiteful and demanding. He praises his foes but scoffs at the prospect of his downfall, taunting them and laughing derisively at their failed attempts. He appears collected and regal, issuing orders through intimidating gestures, and appears to value his servants, if only as assets. Still, he loathes opposition and holds vicious grudges. While he does remain poised and imposing, he has become much more wrathful and unhinged after his return, laughing maniacally, and flying in vicious rages when his foes hold their own.
He is very clever and shrewd, preparing ambushes, hiding relics that can thwart him under his watch, and removing his enemies as a threat before making his move. He also proves to be a skilled general who leads from the front lines, organising his armies in perfect formation and using loud noises as intimidation tactics.
Role in City of Thieves[]
The playable character is a famous adventurer wandering in the opulent city of Silverton, who finds the locals tense and wary and the doors and windows reinforced with iron bars. When they enter the inn for the night, Mayor Owen Carralif rushes in to speak with them, explaining that the dreaded Zanbar Bone has cursed the town.
One day, Spirit Stalkers came to town and told Carralif that Zanbar Bone wanted his daughter Mirelle brought to his tower, but he vehemently refused. In retaliation, Bone sends each night six fearsome Moondogs to Silverton to kill as many people as possible, causing dozens of casualties. The locals hide in their protected homes at night, but this is not enough. The situation has become so dire that some are considering sending Mirelle to the Night Prince.
Carralif hires the hero to find the Legendary Mage Arakor Nicodemus and ask for his help to destroy Zanbar Bone. The problem is that he is retired away from adventure in Port Blacksand, the infamous City of Thieves populated by scoundrel of the vilest kind. As the hero leaves the inn the next morning, they stumble upon a black cat, who might be a shape-shifted Zanbar Bone, given that he takes this form before the final battle.
The hero must enter the heavily guarded Port Blacksand to search for Nicodemus, who tells them how to kill the Night Prince on their own, as he is too old and weary for such a quest. They first need to make a silver arrow to pierce Bone's heart, then get a hag's hair, black pearls and lotus flowers to grind the compound that can kill him. They must also get a tattoo of a white unicorn on a yellow sun, to be protected against his hypnotic power.
The city is a maze full of cutthroat thieves, crafty crooks, violent pirates, corrupt guards and dangerous monsters. The hero can fight a witch in the sewers of the city, and cut a lock of her hair if they can overcome her spell, lest they get killed and cooked. The black pearls are found in a pirate ship in the port, and must be taken from a sleeping pirate without waking him up. The lotus flowers are found in the city's small public garden. The silver arrow can be made by the city's goldsmith, and the tattoo is the last element gathered.
At some point, the hero meets Fatnose and Sourbelly, two trolls from the militia, forcing them to flee the city no matter what. If they get captured by the trolls or failed to collect all they need before fleeing, the game is lost.
- The trolls are powerful foes, with 9 in skill and 10 in stamina, and with 10 in skill and 11 in stamina. If the hero flees after killing Sourbelly, they lose 1 in skill by throwing their shield at Fatnose so beware.
Now is the time to venture into the Night Prince's gloomy domain where dwell many of his loyal monsters. There, the hero receives a message from Nicodemus, stating that only two of the three ingredients are needed for the magic compound. They head to Zanbar Bone's gloomy Black Tower, full of mighty monsters and deadly traps.
- The tower is guarded by two powerful Moondogs, with 9 and 10 in skill and 10 and 9 in stamina respectively.
- Then, a dangerous Spirit Stalker butler is fought in the tower's hall. He can only be killed with a silver arrow to the heart and decays the hero's flesh with a mere touch, so he must be shot at once without wasting time.
Then, the hero can take one of the shields exposed. One of them has been cursed by Zanbar Bone and will harm them, while the other belonged to a hero killed by the Night Prince and increases their skill. They must by no means spend the night sleeping in the tower, lest they get killed by Zanbar Bone's servants, nor meeting the female vampire dwelling there without garlic, lest she turns them into her vampire thrall.
Zanbar Bone is found in the room with a black door on the fourth floor, and his voice is heard out of nowhere, taunting the hero as they come near. However, they can still explore further, and free a magic-wielding dwarf locked inside a glass orb on the tower's roof, who can heal them in prevision of the upcoming battle. Finally, the hero must destroy a mummy to obtain the Ring of the Golden Eye, mandatory to triumph.
The Final Battle[]
The hero needs the Ring of the Golden Eye to detect a trap of illusions, or Zanbar Bone ambushes them and turns them into his undead slave. Bone summons three skeleton warriors that must be destroyed, before being challenged at last. Fortunately, they pose little to no threat.
Defeating him involves winning dice rolls and guessing right. The hero must win a test of luck to shoot a silver arrow into his heart. Then they must choose one compound out of three to rub his eyes. A missed shot or a wrong choice leads to Bone paralyzing them with his gaze and draining their life-force, turning them into his undead slave.
Zanbar Bone disintegrates before the hero's eyes, who burns his tower to the ground, ridding Titan of his blight. They then return to Silverton in triumph, gaining a wondrous reward and celebrating for days.
Role in The Port of Peril[]
The playable character is a mercenary down their luck, giving a try to a dubious treasure hunt in the city of Chalice. The gamebook is quite easy and rather linear, being filled to the brim with cameos and references to other books of the series. There are loads of items to collect, but very few will prove useful so the hero must select wisely.
Searching for said treasure, the fabled magic Ring of Burning Snakes, the hero ventures in the Moonstone Hills towards the Skull Crag peak. After finding the treasure chest empty, they befriend the female ninja Hakasan Za who joins their quest and provides priceless help throughout. Hakasan reveals that the Ring of the Burning Snakes once belonged to the Legendary Mage Arakor Nicodemus and was taken by the failed treasure hunter Gurnard Jaggle. She then follows Jaggle's tracks to the dangerous Darkwood Forest.
On their way, the heroes witness a stone carver named Horace Wolf fall to his doom after trying to escape the grasp of a giant War Hawk. In his dying breath, Wolff reveals that the recently vanquished Zanbar Bone will soon rise again. Indeed, Lord Azzur is conspiring with the Spirit Stalkers to bring him back. They are holding Wolff's wife Luannah hostage, to force him to carve a cursed Keystone of black granite that can resurrect the Night Prince.
At Wolff's urging, the hero and Hakasan resolve to alert the Great Mages Gereth Yaztromo and Nicodemus. Indeed, the Night Prince's return would make him no less than a Demon Prince, free to seize a new, much larger domain, and resume his reign of terror even worse than before, threatening Allansia as a whole.
In Darkwood Forest, the heroes can find Gurnard Jaggle at last. Attacking him only prompts him to kill them with poisoned gas, so he must be given gold instead. He explains that the Ring of Burning Snakes was stolen by a Chaos Warrior named Klash, sent by Lord Azzur. The hero can also gain valuable items from the friendly dwarf Bignose and reach Yaztromo's tower at last, but Hakasan falls into a trap and gets wounded.
It appears that the Spirit Stalkers are channelling Zanbar Bone's arcane magic to slowly turn Yaztromo's tower black, for the Night Prince wants to turn it into his new Dark Tower. He will resurrect if the Keystone is placed atop the tower when it turns fully black. Yaztromo grants the hero a power boost and his white stallion Stormheart to track down Klash to Port Blacksand, while he is busy healing Hakasan and keeping Zanbar Bone's magic at bay.
In a call back to City of Thieves, the hero must enter the loathsome wretched hive to find Nicodemus. The city must by no means be entered by the main gates, or the guards will seize all the hero's belongings before jailing them to await execution. The hero must pay people from the village of Flax to ferry them there stealthily by boat, and buy a Merchant Pass to avoid getting captured by pirates and made a slave for the rest of their lives.
Once again, the hero must reach Nicodemus' house, but Klash has drugged his drinking water to capture him. The Chaos Warrior must be fought, to take the Ring of Burning Snakes and his magic gauntlets from his corpse.
- Klash is a powerful foe with 10 in skill and 11 in stamina, who fights with a huge zweihander sword. Fortunately, he lacks additional abilities that could have complicated the fight.
After Lord Azzur's coach exits the palace, the hero must steal a guard's armour to sneak in while avoiding the dangerous trolls Twoteeth and Stinkfoot, who only demand bribes and steal their belongings. When in the jail, they must kill a powerful troll guard with 11 in skill and 11 in stamina, and free Luannah Wolff and Nicodemus before their execution. They escape with all the convicts, and Nicodemus halts the guards with a Time Freezing spell.
The hero must steal a boat to flee back to Flax, where they leave Luannah to start anew, return the Ring of Burning Snakes (in fact a potent power amplifier) to Nicodemus, and depart on Yaztromo's steed.
Yaztromo's talkative pet raven Vermithrax comes to warn the hero that the Spirit Stalkers placed the Keystone and resurrected Zanbar Bone. The new Demon Prince is besieging Yaztromo's tower it with a thousand of skeleton warriors, and a mighty Lesser Demon named Quag-Shugguth, summoned from the Plane of Pain. The skeletons must be avoided, lest they overwhelm and kill the hero, who must reach the tower for the final showdown. Upon reaching it, Yaztromo can heal them.
The Final Battle[]
The army of skeletons and the Lesser Demon Quag-Shugguth. (illustration from the Brazilian edition)
The hero and their allies confront Zanbar Bone, carried on a throne by four skeletons. Hakasan Za clears a path through the horde and Yaztromo and Nicodemus back up the hero with magic.
A Dragonfly pendant protects the hero from the millions of flying insects that Bone summons, otherwise their venom cost 4 in stamina and 1 in skill, with the hero only owing their life to Yaztromo's Volcano Spell.
- Quag-Shugguth is the next enemy fought. The Lesser Demon is a very powerful foe with 12 in skill and 13 in stamina who attacks with its tentacles and fangs. If the hero bought the Venom Sword, they gain 3 skill points, but without it, its tentacles make it hard to reach and highly dangerous, costing 4 in skill for the fight.
Behold, the new Demon Prince! (illustration from the Brazilian edition)
Nicodemus must wield his Ring, or else nothing can prevent Bone's army to slaughter everyone, without him lifting a finger. Zanbar Bone shrugs off each of Nicodemus' powerful spells until his old enemy traps him in a Ring of White Fire: an extremely potent spell breaking his power and making him vulnerable for a short while.
The hero needs a flintlock and test their skill to shoot and shatter his skull. If they miss, they try a last, harder test. With a Demon Dagger, they must win a difficult dice roll, but get wounded by a skeleton, costing 2 in stamina and 1 in skill. Anything else ends in failure and death. If the hero lacks the proper items or miss all their shots, the skeletons overwhelm them and their allies, dooming Allansia.
Zanbar Bone's corpse falls at the hero's feet, dead again, dissolving to dust along with his skeletons, after Hakasan Za cuts the hand that his corpse was rising, before he could cast a deadly spell in a last-ditch attempt to slay the hero, and the party restores Yaztromo's tower. While Nicodemus worries that he might return once more, there is more than enough time to prepare for it. As of now, such awesome victory deserves celebrations. And celebrated it will be.
Trivia[]
- Razaak, another lich from a gamebook by Ian Livingstone uses Bone's power of illusions and life-drain. When revived, Bone uses in turn his power to summon insects.
- Zanbar Bone was designed by the artist Iain McCaig, who later designed Darth Maul, with a similar set of horns.
- Zanbar Bone's page on Titannica the Fighting Fantasy Wiki: http://fightingfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Zanbar_Bone.
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 Villains
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Dark Gods Demon Princes of Titan Allansia Khul Old World Others | ||