Top 5 Local Spots in the City of Mist TTRPG
It’s the middle of the travel season, folks, and there’s no hotter destination to check out than the City of Mist! We asked you for your favorite local spots within our City, whether they’re from the core books, Nights of Payne Town, Shadows & Showdowns, or any of the other districts and cases Son of Oak has released. And thanks to your responses, we’ve uncovered some unforgettable locations for your crew to explore.
So whether you’re looking for lore or inspiration for your home game, join us as we count down the top five Local Spots of City of Mist! Starting with:
#5. Tokugawa Blades
When recommending a travel spot, we normally wouldn’t point to the Industrial Zone as our first choice. As its name suggests, the Industrial Zone is full of warehouses and smog-belching factories, which doesn’t make for a great selfie background.
But there’s one tucked away shop that every crew should keep on their radar. Tokugawa Blades is a modest store that mostly sells expensive kitchen knives and cheap katanas you could also find at your local mall. But that stuff is for the tourists. In truth, if you can convince the clerk up front that you need a custom weapon for a noble purpose, you might be brought back to meet with Nico Tokugawa herself.
Tokugawa is the Rift of Masamune, Japan’s greatest swordsmith. With her powers, she is able to create the sharpest blades known to man, along with a variety of other weaponry. My personal favorite is the “10,000 Cold Nights” assault rifle, which can shoot through literally any armor and barrier.
Tokugawa Blades is great for any character with a weapon tied to their Mythos. If your Rift of King Arthur is looking for Excalibur, they might find it here! It’s also a great spot to add to any case, especially as a plot point. If the characters need a specific weapon to defeat a specific creature, odds are they can also find it here.
To see more of Tokugawa Blades, check out the City of Mist expansion Shadows & Showdowns.
#4. The Undertrash
Moving on from the Industrial Zone, we head to a place that’s even grittier and dirtier. But hey, you all voted for it!
The Undertrash is the underground world that resides in the City’s sewers and subway tunnels. It’s here the broken, wounded, ignored, and forgotten congregate to find a sense of community. If you aren’t careful, your character could end up here too! Maybe you lose your Routine Logos theme and find yourself homeless? Or maybe you need to lie low after a particularly nasty gig? No matter your reasons, if you have nowhere else to go, the Undertrash is always there.
But you won’t be alone in the depths. The Undertrash is currently ruled by the Marginals, led by their Cold Queen Yasmin. As the Rift of Erishkigal, Mesopotamian goddess of the underworld, the Cold Queen has united her small army of Marginals into a secure community. As long as you don’t challenge her throne or hurt her people, she’s willing to leave you alone.
But the Undertrash is as ancient as it is deep. There are countless rumors of hidden treasures, forgotten secrets, and even portals to other worlds within its tunnels. On top of that, it's rumored the Cold Queen has amassed a hoard of these forgotten treasures within her community. If you want your game to cross from modern fantasy to dark fantasy, the Undertrash is the place to be.
The Undertrash is written by Chris Gunning and you can purchase the expansion district at cityofmist.co.
#3. The Village
This local spot is only technically within the City limits, but for the purposes of this video it still counts! If you head southwest into the hills, past the mansions and Cross End, you’ll come across a quaint little hamlet known only as The Village.
In The Village, you’ll find stone cottages with decorative flower boxes, backyard gardens with homebrew moonshine, and the occasional goat or chicken left loose to wander. It’s a place that seems stuck in the past and made even more unsettling by the villagers who all seem to be in on a secret that you don’t know about. Truth be told, I’ve stopped by a few towns like this in my road trips across the United States, including one that had the world’s largest rocking chair!
But what makes The Village more than a pit stop are the woods that surround it. You can never quite see through the treeline, no matter the weather. Those who pay attention may catch runes carved into the trees or fetishes hanging from the branches. And if you listen, you might catch the villagers sharing tales of everything from wishing wells to jabberwockies that sit hidden within the forest.
Basically, The Village is a spooky place. If you want to take your game out of the busy city streets, then The Village is the perfect opportunity for an isolated horror adventure. You can learn more about The Village along with other spots just outside of town in the MC Toolkit.
#2. Mergen Bookmakers
We’re crossing the bridge and heading on over to the Old Quarter. If you follow the cobblestone streets through the winding alleyways and shadows of ancient buildings, you may find yourself at the door of an old-timey betting hall. But this isn’t a place to bet on sports or the ponies. At Mergen Bookmakers, patrons bet on the City itself.
It’s here you’ll find Rifts of the wisest legends gambling on an Avatar’s operation or the rise of a prominent Rift. Sit at any table and you may find yourself playing chess against Sherlock Holmes, or engaged in a game of riddles with the Sphynx. You can find out almost any information you need here! But that info can only be won in a game, and only if you’re willing to risk it all.
The proprietor of Mergen Bookmakers is a large, well-dressed man named Kahraman. This bookmaker is the Rift of Mergen, the Turkish god of wisdom and abundance with a penchant for archery. As long as you play by the rules, Kahraman is a pretty nice guy! But if you cause a scene–or worse, try to cheat–Kahraman will take you down with a single, straightened paper clip to the throat.
You can learn more about Mergen Bookmakers and perhaps play a game for the City’s soul in Shadows & Showdowns.
#1. Reaper’s Arcade
Just past Downtown on the edge of the City is the ever-popular Tourist Trap. Truth be told, there’s a lot of places here that could have ended up on this list. But there’s one spot in the Tourist Trap that will truly take your breath away.
Reaper’s is a three-story arcade with an 80’s heavy metal theme. The walls are black, the video games are retro, and the staff all look like a Slayer cover band. Unlike most of the other spots on this list, Reaper’s is also mostly normal. Most crews can come in and have a great time without things blowing up in their face.
It’s the manager of Reaper’s that you need to look out for. Tidus Grave is the Rift of the Grim Reaper and also a bit of a sociopath. If you come in after hours, you can challenge Tidus to any game of your choice. But Tidus only plays against those who bet their lives. If you win, you get a big payout. If you lose…well, Tidus murders you.
We wouldn’t recommend playing against Tidus on your first visit, if at all! But in my experience, players rarely back down from a challenge, and MC’s can use Reaper’s Arcade in their campaigns to bring in some truly high-stakes fun.
Learn more about Reaper’s in the Tourist Trap expansion district, written by James Intracoso.
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And there you have it, the best local spots of City of Mist! If you have a favorite hangout that wasn’t on this list, tell us about it in the comments, on social media, or on the City of Mist Discord. Until then, have fun!