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City of My Nightmares from Free League is a four-adventure RPG campaign set in the Vaesen universe. Vaesen, the Swedish term for a supernatural creature, interweaves 19th-century history and folklore across northern and eastern Europe. The game presents it as a time of cities swelling with immigrants from the farmlands and abroad, previously isolated communities connected by rail and steamboat, and social turmoil around questioning class distinctions and customs of old.
Beyond the human drama, players take on characters with second sight who can see vaesen like gnomes, mermaids, and lindworms, while caught up in mysteries the mundane world cannot understand. While the previous Vaesen books served as inspirations for individual adventures, City of My Nightmares goes further to lead gamers along an arc with ever-deepening secrets.
Gothic Setting
Many Vaesen adventures take place in distant regions where modern ideas collide with ancient order, but City of My Nightmares plays out in the literal capital, Stockholm. Parts of the city are ancient, reaching back centuries before the 1800s, such as the National Archives. Other parts are brand-new, such as the modernizing police force replacing the old watch and the steam-powered Fire Mill where workers protest for new ideals of socialism.
The City of My Nightmares book gives a thorough discussion of the setting, presenting historical research including actual maps from the time. Rather than distracting from the realistic aspects, the inclusion of vaesen presents an even deeper level of intrigue.
City of My Nightmares harks back to materials from both the original Vaesen corebook and the Mythic Carpathia expansion. Players who have crossed paths with these creatures before might recognize clues early on, although the true dangers often come from humans harboring shocking surprises.
Distinct Adventure
Each of the four mysteries in City of My Nightmares stands out differently from the others. In “Scent of a Killer,” characters arrive in Stockholm at the request of industrial magnate August Lysander to help solve a series of brutal murders with no seeming connection. “Song to the Moon” then has the characters arrive at Lysander’s summer cottage for what should be a relaxing party, until drowned bodies begin washing ashore.
“The Haunted Library” takes the players deep under the National Archives into a labyrinth with connections to botanist Carl Linneaus, already a famed figure in Vaesen lore. Finally, “City of My Nightmares” brings revelations that threaten to destroy whole swaths of the city in a deal with a devil.
Game masters running the game should study the notes extensively to familiarize themselves with the stories in order to feed clues seamlessly while not giving too much away, drawing the players in so they feel the horrors of their discoveries.
Rich Mystery
As players sleuth their way through the adventures, the strong production value of City of My Nightmares adds to the experience. The book comes with an extensive appendix of handouts including letters, portraits, advertisements, maps, and symbols as well as a mock newspaper of the time packed with hints at the turmoil hidden just beneath the surface.
Free League also suggests practical effects, such as playing by lantern-light when characters find themselves in the dark. Ultimately, however, it is the deep drama of the mysteries themselves that will astound players and keep them coming back for even more vaesen adventure.
