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For other uses of Titan, see Titan (disambiguation)

Titan is the name of the Fighting Fantasy world. It is where the majority of Steve Jackson and Ian Livingstone's Fighting Fantasy books are set, as well as providing the setting for the Sorcery! epic, most of the novels, and many of the other affiliated publications. It is treated in detail in Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World, a guide book written by Marc Gascoigne (though credited to Jackson and Livingstone) in 1986.

Titan as a Setting[]

  1. Titan World Map
Moon

Titan's moon.

Titan is located in a dimension called the Earthly Plane.[1] Titan orbits a yellow star, and is itself orbited by a moon.[2] It is believed that other planets may exist in Titan's star system; certainly there are tidings that some civilisations (such as the Ancient Civilisation of Stargazers or the Caarth) had located such other planets with their telescopes.[3][4] Titan's Earthly Plane is only one of several such dimensions which exist in a vast "Multiverse".[5] Some inhabitants of other worlds in this multiverse, such as Wayland in The Library in Limbo, and some of the inhabitants of Amarillia, know of Titan's existence.[5][6]

The world of Titan is made up of three main continents, other smaller land masses and the remainder being made up of various oceans and their tributory seas. The physical geography of the world is defined by these elements, each of which has its own distinct make-up.[7]

The main continents are:

Allansia[]

Main article: Allansia (continent)

Allansia is the largest of the three continents, and the most familiar to readers of the Fighting Fantasy series with 23 of the 59 books in the main series being set there, and a further 10 publications also based in this continent.

The continent reaches from the highest latitudes of Titan, down to sub-tropical regions. Although once part of a greater landmass, Irritaria, the continent now has no land connection to any other continent and thus has a vast uninterrupted coastline. The Sea of Pearls is the largest body of water indenting the continent, followed by the Gulf of Shamuz. There are also numerous islands off the continent's coast. In this broad sweep there is a vast array of environments from frozen wastes to hot deserts, temperate forest to tropical jungle. The continent can be divided into a number of great regions which include:

  • The Ice Wastes - an icy waste land with giant ranges of mountains that mark its southern extent, i.e. the Icefinger Mountains and the Freezeblood Mountains. These ranges shelter the north of the continent from the cold winds of the Frozen Plateau which stretch even further north.
  • Frostholm - is the name given to the harsh north-east corner of the continent, which is set apart geographically by its many mountains and fjords and the jagged coastline along Bjorngrim's Sea.
  • The Great Plains - made up of
  • The Teeming Plains - the extreme western to north-western area of the continent also called Allansia, which leant its name to the rest of the continent. In contrast to the desolate frozen north its is a land of fertile plain with unpredictable weather varying from humid summers to snow bound Winters. It is largely moorland interspersed with hills and forests and many rivers cross it, flowing into the Western Ocean.
  • The Flatlands - rolling plains that are a vast grassy wilderness dominating the centre of the continent which stretch all the way to the eastern coast on the Sea of Pearls. In the north-east corner of the Flatlands are temperate forests such as the Forest of the Night.
  • The Eastern Coast - a vastly irregular coastline indented regularly by bays and inlets varying greatly in size, and including the Sea of Pearls. The Shabak Peninsula is the more fertile region of this eastern area of the continent although it is beset by storms and gales sweeping in from the Ocean of Tempests. The tempestuous Bay of Storms and Bay of Kulak complete the eastern coastline along with the largest of Allansia's many islands (Kulak Island, Jitar and Solani) This coastline is geologically young, having been formed less than two thousand years ago by the splitting of Irritaria. Inland the great plains of Bronze and Bones complete the vast Eastern sweep across the centre of the continent from the Teeming Plains in the north-west, down through the Flatlands. The Plain of Bronze is all but a baking desert. The Plain of Bones is a huge desolate wind-swept land with little vegetation.
  • Swamplands of Silur Cha - arguably part of the great plains of central Allansia this land is marked out by thick jungles and swamplands.
  • Desert of Skulls - this completes the great central flat sweep of land across the continent and makes up most of the western coast as well. It is a searingly hot and dry expanse. To the South is a fertile sweep of land surrounding the northern coast of the Gulf of Shamuz ending to the West in the Arantis Peninsular.
  • Southlands - beyond the Mountains of Grief are the Southlands, whose climate is markedly different from the Great Plains to it north. This is region of the continent is marked by a consistently mountainous geology reminiscent of the fact that it was this area of the continent torn apart in the splitting of Irritaria. The outstanding feature of the region is the great inland sea called the Glimmering Sea.

Khul[]

Main article: Khul

Khul is situated in the Southern hemisphere of Titan separated from Allansia and the Old World by the Ocean of Tempests and the Ocean of Serpents respectively. There are great variations in topography within relatively small areas although some generalisations can be made:[8]

  • Central Plains - the centre of the continent from the southern coast, sweeping north along the eastern side of the Mountains of the Giants and even further north-east towards the Pikestaff Plains is a vast broad lowland.[9] At its southern end it is the Scythera Desert turning into the Wastes of Chaos in the centre of the continent.[10] These were a once rugged but fertile region of moorland and grassy plain but were blighted by the wild magic released in the Great War against Chaos. The north-eastern end of the vast central plains of Khul turn into the grassy plains of the Battlegrounds and thence the Pikestaff Plain.[11]
  • Inland Sea - deemed a geographical sub-region of the central plains of Khul, the Inland Sea sits in the south-east corner of these plains and is almost completely enclosed by land. It was formed by the sinking of the land after a great earthquake and is surrounded by rugged upland areas.
  • The North-Eastern Highlands - this area is dominated by the Pikestaff Plain which is largely an extension of the great central Khulian plain. The coastline is for the most part dominated by cliffs that are sheer and as they travel inland there is a significant strand around the whole coastline that it is rugged or rocky upland area. Only on its southern side where the north-east corner abuts the shores of the Gulf of Ariona does the coastline slowly fall.
  • The Ximoran Plains - a vast arc of mountains separates the centre of Khul from its fertile western plains. The chain is made up of two distinct ranges, the Mountains of the Giants and the Cloudhigh Mountains.[12] West of these mountains the land descends into another vast lowland area taking up most of the western seaboard. Swamplands exist in the northern area (notably the vast Scorpion Swamp). In the south-east of this western region the Southern Steppes meet the sea.
  • The Sub-Swordflow Region - in the south-west of Khul[13] are lands of rugged mountains, many plateaus, river valleys and basins that complicate an attempt to generalise the characteristics of this corner. The large islands off the the south-west of Khul are upland areas that were once joined to the mainland until rising sea levels cut them off.
  • The Mountainous South East - is geographically distinct from its adjoining lands being entirely cut off by the great mountainous barrier that is the Shios'ii Mountains that arc around it from its south-west to north-east corners. Within the basin that is formed to the South and East of the Shios'ii is a great fertile plain taken up by the land of Hachiman where mighty rivers flow from the highlands down to the Black Ocean.[14]

The Old World[]

Main article: Old World

The Old World is the remarkable continent lying far to the north-east of Khul, and separated from it by the great Ocean of Serpents. The Old World has two oceans lying between in and Allansia; the Ocean of Tempests on its eastern Side, and the Western Ocean (western from the point of view of Allansia) on the Old World's eastern side. The Old World is the smallest of the three continents, and has a more temperate climate than the others (it lacks features such as jungles and ice caps).[15]

The Old World is made of several regions:

  • Femphrey - On the western side of the Old World is the nation of Femphrey. "It is a flat, fertile country of grassy plains crossed by many rivers and sprinkled with small clumps of old woodland."[16] In Femphrey's east lie numerous hot springs, which yield crystals.[16]
  • Gallantaria - located north of Femphrey. Gallantaria is a land with a temperate climate and numerous woods and plains.[16] It is bordered at its south by the Witchtooth Line, an range of mountains whose dangers are infamous across the Old World.[17] To the north, a range of high mountains, the Cragrock Peaks, form another natural barrier.
  • The Northlands, north of the Cragrocks, are a wild, montane region known for inclement weather.[18]
  • Brice - to the east of Gallantaria sits the wide Border River, separating Gallantaria from its neighbour, Brice. Brice is a land of grassy expanses that is poor in natural resources.[16]
  • Mauristatia - sits near the geographic centre of the Old World. A land of immense rocky elevations and large pine woods, Mauristatia has poor soils that yield few crops; cold mist is the most common type of weather in this region.[19]
  • Ruddlestone - North-east of Mauristatia. This nation is bordered by the Dagga River and Brackish Bay on its west, and Nankunu Bay and the Banarask Hills on its east. Ruddlestone is a small area with moorland, heaths and patches of woodland predominating on its landscape.[16][20]
  • Kakhabad - an area that stretches out in a north-easterly direction. In its north-east are the imposing Zanzunu Peaks. In its centre lie the Forest of the Snatta, the arid plains of the Baklands, and the Vanti-Bak Wastes.[21] The Shamutanti Hills run across the country's southern edge, and form a natural border between Analand and Kakhabad.[22]
  • Analand - Located south of Kakhabad. In the northwest of Analand lies Chawberry Wood, a temperate forest rich in fruits. [23] The plains of Analand north of Lake Libra have fertile soils and are used for agriculture. [24] The Schoolfish River drifts out of Lake Libra towards the Bay of Gumm, dominated on both its sides by hills. The Schoolfish River is the boundary between Analand and Far Analand.[16] Far Analand is a region of flat savannas which have a hot climate, and Elephants live there. [25]
  • Lendleland - west of Analand and south of Femphrey and Mauristatia sits the country of Lendleland. It is the largest region of the Old World in terms of size, but also the poorest. Most of its land is sedgy flatlands with thin soil, suitably only for horse-breeding. The main river in the country, the Siltbed River, has dirty, undrinkable water, and leaves boats stuck in silt banks at low tide.[16] In the far south of Lendleland stand the Anvils of the Gods, a range of ice-capped peaks.[16]

Oceans and Islands[]

Titan has large oceans, and numerous islands dot these bodies of water. Some of the most notable include the Arrowhead Islands, a V-shaped archipelago of small "verdant islands" in the Black Ocean.[26] Further south are located the Isles of the Dawn, a remote group of large islands. [27][28] South of Allansia are located the volcanic Crucible Islands.[29] Far to the west of Khul, outside the flow of trade winds and ocean currents, lies the far-flung island of Mishna.[30] Strangest of all, rumours circulate that high above the Ocean of Tempests lies Pangaria, a group of islands that float in the very air.[31]


History[]

For a timeline of events, see Titan's Timeline

Culture[]

Most of Allansia and Khul's regions are ruled by small city-states. However, there are some "territorial states" ruling larger areas in both regions. These include the kingdom of Arantis in Allansia, and the Shogunate of Hachiman in Khul.[15] The Old World's regions are generally ruled by centralized governments, although Mauristatia is split into numerous small principalities and Kakhabad is largely lawless.[15][19][32]


Beliefs[]

Deities[]

Titan was created by a number of deities; for a gamebook series, Fighting Fantasy had a highly developed religious lore.

For more details, see List of Deities and Spirits

Languages[]

Books[]

Titan has been called "The Fighting Fantasy World" and although not all Fighting Fantasy publications are based in the world of Titan, the name is still well earned with 73 of the 89 publications that have a location being based there. This does not include the 13 issues of Warlock magazine all of which have to a greater or lesser degree an element of the world of Titan in them.

Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World[]

Main article: Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World

The eponymous Titan: The Fighting Fantasy World is of course explicitly set in, and is about, the world of Titan, and this would be the most voluminous published source of information about Titan. It came in two editions:

Canon Set in Titan[]

Main article: Titan Based Books and their locations

This is perhaps conveyed best by use of the following table. To find out in more detail which publications were set in Titan from any one of the different series shown, just click the link in the title row of the table:

Development of the World[]

The first seven books of the main Fighting Fantasy series were formally brought together in a map of Allansia published in Issue 1 of Warlock in April 1984, with the obvious exception of Starship Traveller. Before that point there had been some interlinking in the books with locations or characters from earlier books being mentioned in later books. For example, Sourbelly the Troll from the fifth book City of Thieves, is mentioned in Deathtrap Dungeon, and the location of the Deathtrap Dungeon, the city of Fang, is mentioned in Island of the Lizard King. The map itself had no Eastern or Southern boundaries defined, suggesting that Allansia would be developed further but this would not made explicit.

Meanwhile, the Sorcery! series had been set in the land of Kakhabad, a separate entity. As mentioned previously, Allansia and Kakhabad (not at this point part of the Old World) were united as being on either side of the Western Ocean in Out of the Pit, although the world of Titan had not been named.

Titan itself was not a realised entity until the publishing of Out of the Pit in September 1985. The introduction to the book mentions that the monsters populate the world of Titan. This appears to be the first time that Titan is referenced as the world of Fighting Fantasy. It also confirmed that Allansia and Kakhabad are separated by the ocean, and therefore there were at least two land masses. The existence of a third continent was not apparent at this point. The only previous link between Allansia and Kakhabad is found in the description of the zip spell in the Sorcery! series, which requires a Ring of Green Metal mined under Craggen Rock.

Scorpion Swamp, the eighth book and first one not to be written by the founders Ian Livingstone and Steve Jackson, did not appear to be set in the same world, but it did make mention of Baron Sukumvit from Deathtrap Dungeon. Book nine, Caverns of the Snow Witch was explicitly related to the The Forest of doom, being set before it and mentioning Stonebridge. As the series expanded, a number of the books explored science fiction elements and were explicitly not set in the same fantasy world, with seven of the next nine books set outside of Titan. However, the development of the Fighting Fantasy world continued.

On 24 April 1986 Sword of the Samurai was published and mentioned briefly in the background the world of Titan, and introduced us specifically to a third continent of Khul, naming the other two as Allansia and Kakhabad and very soon after in October 1986 Titan: The Fighting Fantasy World was published, bringing together the strands, placing Kakhabad in the wider continent of the Old World[33], making Allansia as we had previously known it but a small North-Western portion of the greater continent of Allansia, and expanding the continent of Khul. It also ensured that all books that could be brought into the "Titan" fold were.

Characteristics of the World of Titan from a Real Perspective[]

Most of the continents are generic medieval fantasy environments, though some areas or kingdoms have a flavour inspired by the real world; for example, the land of Hachiman in South-East Khul, featured in Sword of the Samurai, is clearly based on Feudal Japan. Most of the technology in Allansia and Khul is similar to that of Earth in the periods of Classical Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages. The Old World's technology is more advanced, and is similar to the Late Middle Ages; it includes Gunpowder Weapons and Windmills. The parallels between the major continents and the real world are considered obvious by some: Allansia, land of adventure, is America with Port Blacksand as Los Angeles. The Old World is Europe, with its many independent states with distinct identities and historic "War of the Four Kingdoms" (World War Two). Finally Khul, the "Dark Continent", reflects the Western view of Africa.

There are references to the Second World War in the mythology of Titan. The Vampire of Vault of the Vampire and sequel is "Count Reiner Heydrich", based on Reinhard Heydrich, deputy head of the SS.


Further Notes[]

THE ISLES OF THE DAWN

There are many rumours about the far-away places across the blue deserts of Titan. One such rumour concerns the Isles of the Dawn, which Paul Mason wrongly ascribes to the imagination of Steve Luxton. In fact, the inky fingured cartographer never left his garret on Clock Street and worked to the sketches and notes supplied by reliable adventurers, merchants, and other sources.

Seriously, my memory isn't clear on this, but adding to the map without instruction wasn't something I would have taken the liberty to do. The map of Atlantis before its destruction shows the Isles of the Dawn as exposed land which is connected to the continent of Khul. Marpesia and the Isles of Refuge are similar examples.

Steve Luxton, March 2011

See Also[]

External Links[]

References[]

  1. Dead of Night - para 323.
  2. The Fighting Fantasy 10th Anniversary Yearbook - p. 119
  3. Deathmoor - para 49, 267
  4. Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World pp. 86-9
  5. 5.0 5.1 Spectral Stalkers - para 103
  6. Legend of Zagor - p. 37
  7. Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World - p.??/??; Out of the Pit - p.??; Allansia - p.??; Blacksand! - p.??; The Fighting Fantasy 10th Anniversary Yearbook - p.??
  8. Legend of the Shadow Warriors - ???; Deathmoor - ???
  9. Masks of Mayhem - ???
  10. Master of Chaos - ???
  11. Phantoms of Fear - ???
  12. Beneath Nightmare Castle - ???; Portal of Evil - ???
  13. Chasms of Malice - ???; Daggers of Darkness - ???; Fangs of Fury - ???
  14. Sword of the Samurai - ???; Black Vein Prophecy - ???; The Crimson Tide - ???
  15. 15.0 15.1 15.2 Advanced Fighting Fantasy pgs.102-3.
  16. 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World - pp. 19-21
  17. Legend of the Shadow Warriors - para. 35
  18. Dead of Night - para 214.
  19. 19.0 19.1 Howl of the Werewolf - "Bad Moon Rising".
  20. Knights of Doom -"Background"
  21. Titan - The Fighting Fantasy World - p. 26.
  22. The Shamutanti Hills - para 183.
  23. The Shamutanti Hills - Map, pg. 22-3
  24. Revenge of the Vampire - 57
  25. "Elephant", Return to the Pit, Andrew Wright, pp. 66
  26. The Keep of the Lich-Lord - pp. 16-17
  27. Black Vein Prophecy - 202, 176, and 71
  28. The Crimson Tide - p.18
  29. The Gates of Death - pp. 11-12
  30. Creatures of Mishna - p. 4
  31. Crystal of Storms - "Background".
  32. The Shamutanti Hills -"The Legend of the Crown of Kings" ; Kharé - Cityport of Traps  ; The Seven Serpents  : The Crown of Kings
  33. Re: Kakhabad in the Old World - although the book has a detailed section on the Old World, it does refer to this continent by the name of Kakhabad in the blurb on the backcover.
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