Castle Mammon

What's the ad for?

Castle Mammon telephone adventure
Year
1990

Spotted in

The Scoop

Okay, so what is this advertising? Well it's a role-playing game you play by the telephone! If that isn't an antiquated notion than I don't know what is. It was designed by Steven Jackson, a well known analog game designer who you might know through his popular Munchkin game. By analog I mean not video game. Jackson was approached by a company who ran an  astrology-by-telephone lines gig. The ones you dial up and press number 6 to get the Gemini horoscope. Anyway, Jackson designed the F.I.S.T system (Fantasy Interactive Scenarios by Telephone) and in his own words was able to buy a Spanish Villa with the royalties received. This is not surprising as the first minute is $1.50 with additional minutes clocking in at $0.75. So a ten minute game will run you $8.25 and leaving you with a piece of scrap paper covered in chicken scratches.

This is what you would have heard, whispered in a low voice, upon phoning the Castle Mammon adventure line...

"The number you have dialed is not of this earth. You have opened the gateway to an alternate reality. You are being connected to another world in another time, where you are another person. Welcome to the world of FIST! "

So I have to ask, did any of you ever phone these F.I.S.T. adventures lines as kids? And more importantly...did you have you parents permission?

Thanks to http://fightingfantasy.wikia.com for the information...