Introduction For those who are interested in other Viking-themed modules, I highly You may be asking yourself, “What recommend Iskloft and Journey to exactly am I supposed to do with this Ragnarök, both of which are available on Atlas?” DM Guild. They are very different from each other, but they are both clearly labors For starters, this Atlas is intended to be of love by their respective authors, and used in any D&D or Pathfinder game with a worth every cent to purchase. Finally, Norse/Viking theme, or any scenario taking Roll20.net and the Dungeon Painter Studio place in cold, northern regions. program (which is available on Steam) both have many resources for making maps in This Atlas seeks to breathe life into a game snowy areas. by providing photographs of real places in Iceland (known as “Garðarshólmi” during the Viking Age). Thus, for example, if the party is travelling across a great glacier, creeping through a frozen ice cave, or resting by a beautiful waterfall, don’t just tell them about it – show them! The Atlas also includes several versions of a map of Iceland that can be used to display the region overall, and each location’s place on the map. Further, the Atlas provides a short description of each location, drawing from Icelandic history and lore, though some liberties are taken. Finally, the Atlas provides a few battle maps. A total of 72 JPG files for all of the images are included with this Atlas.

This Atlas is not intended to function like a traditional one-shot or campaign. Although a few monsters, characters and scenarios are described, a DM using this Atlas will still have to prepare a game with plot, objectives, NPCs, monsters, treasure, etc. The information provided here is intended to spark ideas and fill-in gaps for such a game. There are a few places where treasure is suggested, but the amount is left to the DM’s discretion based on the party level and needs of the game. Likewise, for the monsters described in the Atlas, a DM may want to scale-up or -down the monster statsSample to suit the party level. file

Index of Pictures 45. Þingvellir D 46. Þórufoss (“Thórufoss”) 1. Iceland standard 47. Vatnajökull A 2. Iceland black & white 48. Vatnajökull B 3. Iceland sepia 49. Vatnajökull C 4. Akureyri 50. Vatnsfjörður A 5. Askja A 51. Vatnsfjörður B 6. Askja B 52. Vatnsfjörður C 7. Askja C 53. Vestmannaeyjar A 8. Aurora A (not place-specific) 54. Vestmannaeyjar B 9. Aurora B (not place-specific) 55. Vestmannaeyjar C 10. Grjótagjá Cave A 11. Grjótagjá Cave B Index of Battle Maps 12. Grjótagjá Cave C 13. Hekla A 56. Akureyri: non-winter, building roofs 14. Hekla B hidden 15. Helgafell Mountain A 57. Akureyri: non-winter, building roofs 16. Helgafell Mountain B shown 17. Höfn A 58. Akureyri: winter, building roofs 18. Höfn B hidden 19. Höfn C 59. Akureyri: winter, building roofs 20. Hofsjökull A shown 21. Hofsjökull B 60. Höfn: non-winter, building roofs 22. Húsavick hidden 23. Ice Cave A (not place specific) 61. Höfn: non-winter, building roofs 24. Ice Cave B (not place specific) shown 25. Ice Cave C (not place specific) 62. Höfn: winter, building roofs hidden 26. Kirkjufell A 63. Höfn: winter, building roofs shown 27. Kirkjufell B 64. Wilderness with frozen river (not 28. Kirkjufell C place-specific) 29. Langjökull A 65. Longhouse: non-winter, building roofs 30. Langjökull B hidden (not place-specific) 31. Reyðarfjall 66. Longhouse: non-winter, building roofs 32. Reykjavík shown (not place-specific) 33. Reynisdrangar A 67. Longhouse: winter, building roofs 34. Reynisdrangar B hidden (not place-specific) 35. Skálaholt 68. Longhouse: winter, building roofs 36. Skógafoss shown (not place-specific) 37. Snæfellsjökull 69. Stöng: non-winter, building roofs 38. Stokkness A hidden 39. Stokkness B 70. Stöng: non-winter, building roofs 40. Stöng (“Þjóðveldisbærinn Stöng”) A shown 41. Stöng B 71. Stöng: winter, building roofs hidden 42. Þingvellir (“Thingvellir”) A 72. Stöng: winter, building roofs shown 43. Þingvellir B 73. Thiassi’s Hall in Vatnajökull Sample44. Þingvellir C file

Places Helgafell near the Northwest, then the majority of the population would be located Region Maps of Iceland West of that line. The second most populous area is the Northern coast, The Atlas includes three region maps of starting with Húsavík and moving Iceland (or “Garðarshólmi”). They are Westwards along the coast. The so-called identical except for style—one in color, “Western Quarter,” where Vatnsfjörður s another in black and white, the last in sepia located, has approximately forty tone. Pick the one that suits you best. settlements and farmsteads scattered along the coastline. The Eastern coast, where Höfn and Reyðarfjall are located, has much fewer settlements compared to other areas. There is a random smattering of settlements along other parts of the coastline, and settlements generally become fewer and far between the more inland one goes.

No roads are shown on the map, though it should be assumed that most areas in the Western regions are accessible by road or trail. Many portions of the Eastern and Northern Quarters are only accessible by sea, though there would be small trails and roads between nearby settlements in those regions. Finally, there is a road that starts from Húsavík in the North, passes near Grjótagjá just to the South, then bends in a Southwest direction passing between Hofsjökull and Vatnajökull, and ending near Þingvellir. However, the road is impassible in the winter, and frequented by bandits during the warmer seasons.

The map only depicts certain locations and does not reflect the large number of settlements that would be scattered throughout Iceland.

Generally, the density of settlements in Iceland was much greater in the Western half. If you were to draw a line on the map fromSample Skógafoss in the South directly to file

Akureyri Battle maps for Akureyri are provided in winter/non-winter formats, and with Akureyri (meaning “sandbank field”) is a building roofs shown or hidden. small settlement founded by “Helgi the Slim.” Helgi found the spot for Akureyri using the old way: with his longship moored off the North coast, he threw two wooden pillars overboard, and then waited to see where the pillars landed. As fate (or ocean physics) would have it, the pillars landed in a sheltered, fertile area surrounded by mountains. Despite the cold, the rich soil and protection from wind furnishes excellent growing conditions in the area, complimented by an outstanding natural harbor for shipping.

The sheltered conditions around Akureyri also make winters less severe in comparison to nearby areas, though snow can lie in the nearby mountain peaks year- round. Akureyri is famous for the thick fog that rolls in from the sea and gets trapped by the nearby mountains, particularly during the winter season.

During the Spring, Summer, and Fall seasons, Akureyri is a bustling settlement with many opportunities for trade. However, most traders leave Akureyri during the winter, leaving behind Helgi (who lives in the largest house), the blacksmith Njal, and a few nearby farmers who live there year-round. As a result, about half of the small homes in Akureyri are abandoned in Winter, and visitors’ experiences will differ widely depending on the time of year they visit. During the warmer seasons, travelers will most likely be able to find whatever typical provisions and equipment they may be seeking; less so in the winter, however.

Sample file

Askja Grjótagjá

Askja (meaning “box” or “caldera”) is an Grjótagjá is a small lava cave with a thermal active, multiple-caldera volcanic system in a spring inside. Its icy, jagged rocks, total remote part of Iceland. Lakes fill each of the darkness and reputation for trolls major calderas. Due to extreme weather deters most common folk from venturing conditions, the region is only accessible for inside. a few months of the year. The area near Grjótagjá is also known for The area around Askja is unpredictable and bandits, who often set up temporary dangerous, especially on the eastern side. encampments during the milder seasons. Lava flows destroyed early settlements and The bandits sometimes form alliances with ashfall has been heavy enough at times to area trolls to capture passing travelers— poison crops and kill livestock. The area is combining the bandits’ cunning strategy prone to landslides. with the trolls’ brute force. These truces tend to be fragile and short-lived, because Some say Ragnarök will begin with a the more loot obtained by these raids, the massive eruption at Askja. Others say that more likely greed forms a rift between the somewhere, in some hidden crevasse yet to bandits and the trolls. Wise merchants and be found, Askja hides a gateway to other peaceable travelers avoid the area, Muspelheim, where the fire giant Surtr unless protected by reliable guards. stands guard until Ragnarök comes. Perhaps both are true. One particularly powerful and wicked troll who lives in or near Grjótagjá is named Dunker. He is smarter and stronger than the average troll and wields two great axes fashioned from tree stumps and rusty metal, one in each hand.

Sample file

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