I was delighted to see the recent video on YouTube of the Rivers of London – Beginner Scenario called “The Bookshop.” 2023 has been a fun year for me as I’ve explored this game with my players and run several scenarios. “The Bookshop” was our first one, too!
Rumour has it that Ben Aaronovitch worked in Waterstones in Covent Garden and he formed some of the ideas for the Rivers of London series while employed there. The fictional Stonewaters, the setting for the Rivers of London: The Roleplaying Game introductory scenario “The Bookshop,” bears an astonishing similarity to the real-life Waterstones. While on a trip to London in May 2023, I had made a specific diversion on a Saturday morning to Covent Garden to browse around this very shop. It was a bit odd to walk around in the space after having been immersed in the case file, but quite enjoyable.
It was quiet enough that I was able to snap a few photos. I had posted a couple pictures to the Facebook group for this game, but it’s way past time I made the higher resolution versions available to other hobbyists. And they’re free! For those of you who might run “The Bookshop,” I hope these visual aids will prove invaluable in adding to the atmosphere of your game.
In the download folder, you’ll find two subfolders, each with the same nine photos, one group with my copyright and another without. I have provided a version without copyright just because I think immersion in game play is a little nicer without some bloke’s stamp on all the photos. Please don’t distribute the photos, but instead refer those interested back to this site. I just like to track the downloads to see that the resource is useful to others.
You might also like other free Rivers of London: The Roleplaying Game resources that I provide on my website.
I am not affiliated with Chaosium except as a publisher of Call of Cthulhu adventures and maps as part of the Miskatonic Repository. If you would be so kind, please refer others to the online publishing venue for my adventures at DriveThruRPG.com.
