Gereth Yaztromo

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Gereth Yaztromo is a fictional wizard from the Fighting Fantasy gamebook series by Steve Jackson (UK) and Ian Livingstone. He was one of the three pupils (including Arakor Nicodemus and Pen Ty Kora) of Vermithrax Moonchaser, the Grand Wizard of Yore. He lives in the world of Titan, in the Darkwood Forest, in a tower built by the Dwarves of Stonebridge. He is perhaps the most famous of the three wizards and is very influential in Allansia.

Yaztromo appeared in more gamebooks than any other character (in fact, the series had very few recurring characters). He also appeared in the last 2 books of the Chadda Darkmane trilogy, which included: The Trolltooth Wars, Demonstealer and Shadowmaster. In Demonstealer a thief upon the back of giant bat breaks into the wizard's tower and steals an ancient scroll that can change the fate of Allansia. Chadda Darkmane, a soldier of Salamonis, comes to the wizard's aid and sets out on a quest to reclaim the scroll. The last book Shadowmaster sees Yaztromo, Chadda, a cowardly thief named Weasel and a female elf named Starr set out to confront the shapechanger Cawlis. Their enemy seeks to resurrect the long-dead sorcerer Axiom with a powerful artifact called the Bloodstone.

Yaztromois noted for his short temper, his warm-and-kind-grandfatherly personality, as well as his endearing love for chocolate-cakes (which he spends a lion's-share of his income from selling magic/al items on).

[edit] Roles in the fighting fantasy books

Yaztromo appears in many fighting fantasy books and often plays a pivotal role in them. In many books, such as Forest of Doom he is present at the start to provide potions, magical spells (such as in Temple of Terror) and other useful items that the player can purchase to help him on his quest. In some books, he is more important to the adventure like in Return to Firetop Mountain (in which the picture above features), where he provided the crucial information to destroying the reincarnated Zagor. In a few books, Yaztromo plays a major role for example in Crypt of The Sorcerer he is important throughout the book, beginning the adventure and helping to end it.