Cameo Appearances

Throughout the history of Fighting Fantasy, there has been a tradition of Cameo Appearances by individuals involved in the creation of Fighting Fantasy, in particular Ian Livingstone. In addition, there have been a number of in-jokes, particularly in illustrations, referencing Fighting Fantasy publications and other "real-world" things. A list of those identified thus far follows.

Cameo Appearances by Ian Livingstone

• Deathtrap Dungeon

The ragged prisoner and former Trial of Champions contestant, in the illustration accompanying (210).

• Caverns of the Snow Witch

One of the masks on the wall of "The Healer".

• Sorcery! 4 The Crown of Kings

Both Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson put in an appearance in an illustration in The Crown of Kings. Here the co-founders of Fighting Fantasy appear in picture-portraits on the wall of a merchant's room in Mampang Fortress.

• The Riddling Reaver

Both Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson put in an appearance in an illustration in The Riddling Reaver. In the dining-room of the Riddling Reaver the guests are former enemies preserved in large pickling jars. On closer inspection, two of the enemies seated on the left of the Riddling Reaver, two and three places down, are Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson respectively.

• Armies of Death

Obigee, the landlord of Helen's House in Zengis who is exceptionally proud of his sailing achievements, in the illustration accompanying (368) Obigee also appears in the Harem crew photo in (230).

• Return to Firetop Mountain

The Inquisitor who had attended the School of Evil Magic, the School of Demonic Sorcery, and studied under the necromancer Hellmoon before going into the service of Zagor and guarding the path to the inner sanctum of Firetop Mountain, in the illustration accompanying (262).

• Legend of Zagor

Three-Eyes Haag, a merchant from "far Cabaal", encountered in Castle Argent, in the illustration accompanying (194).

• Eye of the Dragon

Thomas Cornpepper, a merchant, in the illustration accompanying (329).

• Blood of the Zombies

A bust on display in a room of Goraya Castle, in the illustration accompanying (97).

• Allansia Bérgyilkosai

As Harold Cornpepper, a shopkeeper and likely relative of Thomas (?).

Ian Livingstone Cameos through the years

1984	1984	1985	1986	1988	1988	1992	1993	2005	2020
In Deathtrap Dungeon	In Caverns of the Snow Witch	In The Crown of Kings	In The Riddling Reaver	In Armies of Death	In Armies of Death	In Return to Firetop Mountain	In Legend of Zagor	In Eye of the Dragon	In Allansia Bérgyilkosai

Cameo Appearances by Steve Jackson

• Sorcery! 4 The Crown of Kings

See above

• The Riddling Reaver

See above

• The Tasks of Tantalon

In the map accompanying the hardback version of this book (published by Oxford University Press) the title of the map is surrounded by artistic decoration, the top of which features Tantalon, and within the decoration along the bottom of the title is a portrait of Steve Jackson.

• Secrets of Salamonis

As Jeskan Stovec, the Guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild in Salamonis, in the illustration accompanying (120).

Steve Jackson Cameos through the years

1984	1985	1986	2022
In The Tasks of Tantalon	In The Crown of Kings	In The Riddling Reaver

Jamie Thomson and the Maijem Nosoth

• "Maijem Nosoth" is an anagram of Jamie Thomson.

Luke Sharp and Alkis Fearslicer

There is a strong likelihood that Luke Sharp is almost certainly a pseudonym of Alkis Alkiviades. The reasons are manifold and made clear in the article on Luke Sharp. If this is the case, then the character Alkis Fearslicer, who appears in both Chasms of Malice and Daggers of Darkness is potentially a cameo appearance. Interestingly, in the one picture of Alkis Fearslicer in Daggers of Darkness, his back is facing towards you so you cannot see his face to confirm the cameo.

Note also that the name "Sikla" from Zamarra, as in Minak Sikla, is "Alkis" spelt backwards.

Other Cameos

• Starship Traveller features several characters whose names were based on Games Workshop people.
• The name Jaiphrai Ah'cha is a pun on the name of the controversial author and Conservative member of the House of Lords in the United Kingdom, Jeffrey Archer.
• Stormslayer
• Night of the Necromancer illustration cameo - see Night of the Necromancer Competition

References to "Real-World" Publications

• White Dwarf in City of Thieves
• Lortag the Elder's study
• The Mampang latrine
• Inquisitor's library

"Real-world" Objects Captured in Stylised Illustrations

• Armies of Death - Ian Livingstone's boat

In this book the hero meets Obigee, who is represented by Ian Livingstone in cameo (see above). Obigee talks at some length about his boat and the team that sail her in competition. Obigee points out a picture on the wall of the boat. In the "real-world", Games Workshop sponsored an Ultra 30 race team and it is likely that the picture on the wall is a stylised illustration of this boat. Later on in the adventure, Obigee produces a picture of the crew, again a stylised illustration of the real crew.

• Return to Firetop Mountain - the Ultra 30

At (238) there is a stylised illustration of the Ultra 30 boat that was sponsored by Games Workshop and won the "Daily Telegraph Ultra 30 Grand Prix UK Championship" in 1990 and 1991. Livingstone also dedicated the book to the crew that achieved this.