Rob and I are starting a new Urban Shadows 1-on-1 campaign this spring. People have asked me about what these solo campaigns are like; the core book discusses solo play and provides supporting rules, but it doesn’t seem like a lot of people have tried it. These recaps will showcase what a session looks like and the pace the story rolls out at. I’ll point out interesting details and hiccups we encountered along the way.
This campaign is set again in Reykjavik, the largest city in Iceland. It’s a relatively small city on a global scale, with a population of about 121,000. The Icelandic capital is full of supernatural players, tossed together on an isolated island nation sitting on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, making it an figurative powder keg. Don’t ask the Landvættir what caused the Skaftáreldar and the Móðuharðindin. They don’t like talking about it.
Session Recaps
Session 1 – April 2 2018: The Field Guide to Icelandic Fae and Mysteries
Session 2 – April 8 2018: The Manticore and The Dragon
Session 3 – April 16 2018: The Papar’s Bible
Session 4 – April 22th 2018: The Immortal of Hallgrímskirkja
Session 5 – May 13 2018: The Road to Seyðisfjörður
Character Sheet: Curtis Scanlon (as of April 2 2018)
Curtis Scanlon is currently on his third Urban Shadows campaign and has been in play since 2016. An almost complete recap of the 2016 Boston campaign can be found here, but I don’t have a recap for the 2016 Reykjavik campaign. Curtis is fairly advanced for a US character or at least has dodged corrupting out for now. This character might look a bit different than a beginning character.
Playbook: The Scholar (originally The Oracle)
Faction: Morality-Power
Stats: Blood: 0 | Heart: 0 | Mind: 2 | Spirit: 3
Factions: Mortality: 0 | Night: 1 | Power: 2 | Wild: -1
Scholar Moves: Unassuming Bag, Appraisal, Expert Negotiator, Arcane Detective, Wielding the Arcane.
Scholar Corruption Moves: Interested Parties.
Arcane Network: Online Messaging Boards, Secret Drops, Secluded Safehouses
Private Collection: Prize possession is a stone dagger carved from cursed marble found on Blomstrandhalvøya in Svalbard. It was stolen from Malik Huntstone, (a Wizard turned Reverent, minor villain in this urban fantasy universe) who designed the dagger to transfer the marble’s curse onto unwitting victims.
Oracle Moves: Foretellings, Double Life, Conduit, Skim the Surface, At Any Cost.
Dragon Moves: Fire Born (Curtis is a Broodmate to Merov King, Boston’s local Dragon. His original association was Killer, although the updates now make that association Betrayer).
Non-Player Character Index
Session 1 & 2
Alexander the Great: Very dead. Sigrun owns his body and casket, now kept securely in her compound.
Ardis: Wild. A goblin who works closely with Valberg.
Bergrisi: Wild. The Giant, Landvættir of the South. Considers himself to have a close understanding of the Power and Mortal factions, due to his knowledge of sorcery and human-like form. Currently the Landvættir ruling over Reykjavik.
Brigitta: Power. A member of the Arcane Network. She has a very refined collection of magical artifacts that Curtis deeply respects. A member of Vidgus’s flock with strong ties to Iceland’s pagan community.
Caesar: Wild. Fae leader back in Boston. In general, not a good person.
Dreki: Wild. The Dragon, Landvættir of the East. Still hasn’t appeared on-screen yet, due to their territory being so remote.
Einar Huldr: Mortality. An aware private investigator and a member of Curtis’s inner circle. Recently released the book The Field Guide to Icelandic Fae and Mysteries. No, Huldr is not his actual last name.
Erick: Night. A member of the Arcane Network and Sigrun’s wolf pack. Sigrun’s right-hand man. Considers Curtis to be an investment.
Eyþóra: Mortality. Formerly a fae, she has moved to Reykjavik after a messy breakup with her ex, Sola, and is looking to find a space for herself.
Fjola: Night. A member of Sigrun’s wolf pack and Curtis’s inner circle. In addition to her werewolf talents, she’s also a trained oracle.
Gammur: Wild. The Vulture, Landvættir of the North. Somewhat removed from Reykjavik politics. She’s been passing messages to Curtis about Valberg. Her relationship status with Curtis: “It’s complicated”.
Geir: Wild. A goblin who works closely with Valberg.
Griðungur: Wild. The Bull, Landvættir of the West. Previously ruled over Reykjavik until he withdrew several months ago, allowing Bergrisi to take his place. Hasn’t really been involved in local matters since.
Madam Moorelove: Mortality. A member of the Arcane Network. A broker located on the east coast in Seyðisfjörður. Thinks that Curtis is trying to drive her out of business.
Merov King: Wild. A dragon located in Boston, cosmically tied to Curtis. Can no longer stay in Iceland for extended periods of time, due to an agreement with Sigrun.
Olympias of Epirus: Night. A powerful ghost trapped in a relic.
The Ravens: Wild. Gammur’s guards and soldiers. Generally good natured and but have strange views about how the world works.
Robin Winthorpe: Mortality. Hunter living in Toronto who’s also part of this whole dragon mess.
Sigrun Ingólfrdóttir: Night. Leader of the local Wolf Pack. Distantly related to Ingólfr Arnarson. Her position in Reykjavik’s supernatural community has been under attack recently by Valberg, apparently. Goblins at the very least.
Sola: Wild. Leader of a fae rebellion that questions the wisdom and the leadership of the Landvættir. An elven craftwoman who designed Curtis’s bag.
Þór: Wild. Formerly one of Griðungur’s servants. Now sworn to Sola.
Tyr: Mortality. An aware looking to make a quick buck.
The Norns: Power. Three spirits that dwell in Gammur’s lands. They guide and aid Oracles in getting stronger visions of Iceland’s fate. If one Oracle asks the Norns a question about a potential future, most Oracles in Iceland will gain insight as a result.
Vigdis Hallgrímsdóttir: Power. A hallowed who leads a small pagan community who are preparing for Ragnarok. Runs a popular restaurant in the supernatural community, Gömulueiðir.
Valberg Stefánsson: Mortality. Formerly a member of the Arcane Network, Valberg left the capital after Bergrisi repeatedly tried to assassinate him. Rumoured to live now in a goblin-created stronghold in the side of a volcano with a stockpile of arcane relics.
Yosef Martichoras: Power. Old world sorcerer, totally a manticore. Hired by Moorelove to investigate Curtis.
