Chaosium is Making a Rivers of London Tabletop Roleplaying Game

Chaosium is developing a brand new tabletop roleplaying set in the world of the Rivers of London book series. It should feel right at home as well since the company has had great success with their Call of Cthulhu series. Both focus on mystery, dark magic, and the occult.

Rivers of London follows the adventures of Peter Grant a constable stationed in London. Along the way, he becomes a magician’s apprentice and uses his power to solve crimes in an urban fantasy setting.

The book series released in 2011 with the Rivers of London in the UK, while in the United States it was called Midnight Riot.

At #Dragonmeet announcing our new roleplaying game which is based on the RIVERS OF LONDON series, with the creator himself @Ben_Aaronovitch. The news got a great reaction from a packed seminar room.https://t.co/goKGkDCf7k#riversoflondon #rpg #chaosium pic.twitter.com/iFfXRwphuV

— Chaosium (@Chaosium_Inc) November 30, 2019

Today, there are now more than half a dozen books, several novellas, and a comic book series as well. Simon Pegg and Nick Frost even acquired the rights back in May 2019 to turn Rivers of London into a television series.

Rivers of London was written by Ben Aaronovitch who is no stranger to fantasy or science fiction for that matter. Aaronovitch is also known for his work on writing both audio and television scripts for the BBC’s Doctor Who.

The tabletop roleplaying game will use components from both Call of Cthulhu and the Pendragon series while using a unique ruleset as well.

Lynne Hardy, associate line editor for Call of Cthulhu and Rivers project lead, says, “I started reading Peter Grant’s adventures a few years ago and knew right away that the Folly would make a marvelous setting for an investigatory fantasy game. Ben was intrigued about the potential for a Rivers of London RPG when I broached the idea at a book signing late last year. After a meeting in London in April, we entered negotiations to secure the license.”

Have announced a Rivers of London RPG with @Chaosium_Inc which is going into development for release in a year or so.

— Ben Aaronovitch (@Ben_Aaronovitch) November 30, 2019

Aaronovtich said he has been playing roleplaying games since the 70s and got his start where many others did as well.

“I’ve been an RPG player since the original D&D so I’m terribly excited and honoured to have Rivers of London turned into a proper roleplaying game and especially because it’s with Chaosium, who produced Pendragon and Call of Cthulhu and such brilliant adaptations as Elric!” adds Aaronovitch.

Rivers of London is set to release sometime in 2020.