Chopping Block - Part One

I may have mentioned before that The Warlock of Fire Mountain AFF adventure compiles almost every version of that infamous dungeon over the years into what (I hope) is the most comprehensive and detailed edition yet. There were, however, two sources that I didn't include. One of them is the Nintendo DS game that was released some years ago. This version of Zagor's dungeon was so radically different from what had been previously established that it was too difficult to reconcile.

The adventurer in this game is actually from the Old World; he travels from Gummport to Stonebridge with the express purpose of plundering Firetop Mountain of its riches. In Stonebridge the adventurer stocks up on supplies and meets some of the town's unfortunately named inhabitants...

Thelonius Manintown: A Dwarf gold prospector who just arrived in Stonebridge. He claims that the Dwarfs in these parts live in the past, and that some of them hate the new ruler bitterly, and that none of them do any mining anymore. When the keep at Firetop fell, many of his kinsmen left Stonebridge and joined his clan. Others stayed in the mountain and from time to time let their kinsmen know that they still live. Thelonius is ashamed of them and believes they have lost the true way of Dwarfhood, which is mining (and nearly all he can think about!). When he eventually makes it to Firetop he sets up camp in the Rat Caves.

Weaselnose:  A Dwarf peddler who was born in Firetop before the Warlock came, and still travels back there a lot because his father still lives inside. His father, a former High Priest and Warleader of the good Dwarfs inside Firetop, considers Weaselnose a failure and a disgrace.

Oaffer Goodnessake: A Dwarf who claims to have searched every corner of Firetop and found no evidence of the Warlock or his fabulous treasure.

Wilkins: A bald, well-muscled human who sells fine weaponry and mans the Stonebridge barracks. He alone holds the copper key to the main gate (which is rumoured to explode in the enemy's hands). He won't let anyone outside the town gates unless he believes them capable of surviving in the wild.

Gloria: A human female who stays inside Stonebridge for fear of the Warlock.

Waxenwicks: A sly-looking human male who blames Wilkins for preventing trade and artisans to the town. He claims to be a blacksmith, leathersmith, goldsmith, candlemaker, cobbler, carpenter, tailor and, above all, a trapper. He has crafted hundreds of candles for use by Giles the Librarian.

Tweedle: A female Dwarf who runs the Tweedle Triplets Trading Post in Stonebridge. She and her two sisters (who man posts inside Firetop Mountain) have a monopoly on fresh goods in the region. They literally killed the competition.

Caleb: A mysterious human monk who runs the church in Stonebridge. He believes what befell Firetop to be a punishment from the gods. He took over running the temple after so many Dwarfs fled the town.

Next time I'll detail some of the inhabitants of Firetop Mountain itself.