The Vanishing City was the 15th book in the Super Endless Quest series, or Advanced Dungeons & Dragons Adventure Gamebooks as they were known by that point.
The reader controls Sir Theobold Redbeard, a veteran adventurer who, after many brave deeds, was named ruler of the city Lighthall. On the day of his jubilee, however, it disappears into thin air around him and his old adventuring companion Theona. Seems it's been spirited off as a side-effect of an Evil Sorcerer imprisoning a group of more scrupulous wizards on another plane. If the two of them can collect a set of coins with magical powers, they might be able to free these wizards and return his city to its proper place.
The Vanishing City provides examples of:
- Belligerent Sexual Tension: Between Redbeard and Theona, who since he last saw her has joined a clerical order, and has more than a few pointed things to say about him enjoying a few beers in his downtime. Despite them arguing the subject, Redbeard clearly thinks very highly of her, especially about that empty throne next to his...
- Experienced Protagonist: Redbeard starts the book already owning some magical items from past adventures, which the reader selects during character creation.
- Plot Coupon That Does Something: The various coins. The more valuable the metal each one's made of, the more potent its magic is (and the fewer charges it has).
- Summon Bigger Fish: When on the trail of the blue dragon whose hoard contains one of the coins, the duo can run into a giant mercenary hired to kill the dragon but was badly wounded in the process. If Redbeard is nice and gives him a Healing Potion, when they find they dragon the giant will just kill it without the player having to even reach for the dice.
