Monsters/NPCs
Knowledge is Power
Concept: “The great library of Galgenbeck is ruled by mole-like characters... It only makes sense that they would feed on bookwörms.”
Content: Worms that travel through books, figuratively.
Writing: A monster that encourages literacy. Laudable.
Art/design: I couldn’t spot the bookwörm in the backdrop.
Usability: Design that makes it easy to search for bookwörms.
Content: Worms that travel through books, figuratively.
Writing: A monster that encourages literacy. Laudable.
Art/design: I couldn’t spot the bookwörm in the backdrop.
Usability: Design that makes it easy to search for bookwörms.
Krampus
Concept: “The Christmas rumors are true. The Krampus does exist.”
Content: Stats and a hook for the race of kidnapping, meat-hungry krampi
Writing: A balance of mechanics and descriptive text
Art/design: Fits lots of text onto the page alongside some nice art
Usability: Straightforward but certain aspects may be off-putting to some players
Content: Stats and a hook for the race of kidnapping, meat-hungry krampi
Writing: A balance of mechanics and descriptive text
Art/design: Fits lots of text onto the page alongside some nice art
Usability: Straightforward but certain aspects may be off-putting to some players
Kristian: Paladin
Concept: “A self-righteous, arrogant, murder hobo looking to cleanse the world and slay all who fall short of his unattainable ideals”
Content: A paladin on a quest / power trip
Writing: Folds characterization in the procedural description for running the NPC
Art/design: Stats, instructional text, and reward values arrayed around the central illustration
Usability: Straightforward for GMs, likely enraging for the players
Content: A paladin on a quest / power trip
Writing: Folds characterization in the procedural description for running the NPC
Art/design: Stats, instructional text, and reward values arrayed around the central illustration
Usability: Straightforward for GMs, likely enraging for the players
Kött
Concept: “The Great and final war that still rages between the vampire lords and hell itself... Hated by all. You are slaves to the abyss or escaped deserters searching for a life and purpose, if these can be found in this dying world.”
Content: A trench fighting, organ grafting, hell of a war. A complete setting and ruleset, you just need to survive it.
Writing: Bleak, bombastic, and apocalyptic. Bursting with the kind of body horror which blurs the line between man and machine.
Art/design: The tortured linework of characters invoke a hellish atmosphere in just a few spare illustrations.
Usability: Self-contained and accessible plaintext. Available in Swedish and English.
Content: A trench fighting, organ grafting, hell of a war. A complete setting and ruleset, you just need to survive it.
Writing: Bleak, bombastic, and apocalyptic. Bursting with the kind of body horror which blurs the line between man and machine.
Art/design: The tortured linework of characters invoke a hellish atmosphere in just a few spare illustrations.
Usability: Self-contained and accessible plaintext. Available in Swedish and English.
Lambert Wörm
Concept: “A devious and completely unfair beast to feast on greedy (or merely unlucky) characters.”
Content: A resilient, implacable monster that will almost certainly incur at least one fatality
Writing: Well composed and dryly witty
Art/design: Also well composed with effective design and layout choices
Usability: Highly lethal
Content: A resilient, implacable monster that will almost certainly incur at least one fatality
Writing: Well composed and dryly witty
Art/design: Also well composed with effective design and layout choices
Usability: Highly lethal
Las caras de Bélmez
Concept: “The faces of Bélmez function as a hostile encounter with random characteristics.”
Content: d8 faces appear on walls and do d20 awful things to PCs
Writing: Includes descriptions of behavior and adapting the faces to different materials
Art/design: The background is staring at you
Usability: Has more special abilities than most encounters, but all are fairly simple and manageable
Content: d8 faces appear on walls and do d20 awful things to PCs
Writing: Includes descriptions of behavior and adapting the faces to different materials
Art/design: The background is staring at you
Usability: Has more special abilities than most encounters, but all are fairly simple and manageable
Last War: Bacon.Cabin.Magic
Concept: “hush-hush”
Content: Special Mission. Bacon.Cabin.Magic, mercenaries, secret weapons, bunker comforts, things to do with flares.
Writing: The absurdity of war, and of secrets valued above human life, decontextualized.
Art/design: Edited photographs and near-watercolor renditions of the trenches in a unifying palette.
Usability: Designed for Forbidden Psalm: The Last War.
Content: Special Mission. Bacon.Cabin.Magic, mercenaries, secret weapons, bunker comforts, things to do with flares.
Writing: The absurdity of war, and of secrets valued above human life, decontextualized.
Art/design: Edited photographs and near-watercolor renditions of the trenches in a unifying palette.
Usability: Designed for Forbidden Psalm: The Last War.
Last War: High.Devil.Iron.Horse.
Concept: “New content for scavengers of the endless trenches of Forbidden Psalm: The Last War”
Content: Manuscripts, weapon mods, bayonets (and how to use them), four commanding mercenaries, and one hell of a train.
Writing: Concise, orderly, and at times bizarre. Like the bureaucratic anarchy of war.
Art/design: Thomas the Tank Engine never looked so mean.
Usability: Requires Forbidden Psalm: The Last War
Content: Manuscripts, weapon mods, bayonets (and how to use them), four commanding mercenaries, and one hell of a train.
Writing: Concise, orderly, and at times bizarre. Like the bureaucratic anarchy of war.
Art/design: Thomas the Tank Engine never looked so mean.
Usability: Requires Forbidden Psalm: The Last War
Lavandeiras & Biosbardos
Concept: “An encounter with the ghostly midnight washerwomen” & “A quest to hunt some (maybe not so real) animals”
Content: Nocturnal spirits who entice you to do your own laundry, for weal or woe; a ruse of an adventure with multiple potential climaxes
Writing: Includes descriptive text sets the scene and mechanics to determine the outcome; very concise but with adequate, compelling imagery and appeal
Art/design: Efficient design choices delineate segments and make for easy use and reference; primarily textual with a fun text-based map
Usability: A two-in-one bargain
Content: Nocturnal spirits who entice you to do your own laundry, for weal or woe; a ruse of an adventure with multiple potential climaxes
Writing: Includes descriptive text sets the scene and mechanics to determine the outcome; very concise but with adequate, compelling imagery and appeal
Art/design: Efficient design choices delineate segments and make for easy use and reference; primarily textual with a fun text-based map
Usability: A two-in-one bargain
Lead Damsel
Concept: “A torture instrument, a derelict of shame, a piece of a broken past...”
Content: Lesser-known cousin of the Maiden of Iron. A haunted relic of past tortures.
Writing: A simple, and cursed, contraption.
Art/design: A happy maiden reveals sharp teeth and painful rules text.
Usability: Designed for Forbidden Psalm, usable in Mörk Borg.
Content: Lesser-known cousin of the Maiden of Iron. A haunted relic of past tortures.
Writing: A simple, and cursed, contraption.
Art/design: A happy maiden reveals sharp teeth and painful rules text.
Usability: Designed for Forbidden Psalm, usable in Mörk Borg.
Legion
Concept: “a cursed undead shepherd kept alive by the powers of his 5 sheep”
Content: An extremely dedicated shepherd.
Writing: Provides context and history for a singular kind of undead.
Art/design: A legion of sheep behind boxed text.
Usability: Go for the sheep.
Content: An extremely dedicated shepherd.
Writing: Provides context and history for a singular kind of undead.
Art/design: A legion of sheep behind boxed text.
Usability: Go for the sheep.
Leka
“These ugly gluttons are … all too zealous to barter for fatty rich salted foods in exchange for the soupy yellow substance that they naturally produce in the strange fleshy bowl that makes up the top of their head.”
Lempo
Concept: “Once known as a playful spirit of love, bringing together the smitten and the starcrossed. Now feared as breaker of hearts, the fire that burns those impetuous enough to play with it.”
Content: A scorned thief of hearts and paramours
Writing: Proffers lore, stats, adventure hook, and loot in the form of broken hearts
Art/design: Primarily textual but uses typefaces to differentiate the different sections
Usability: Straightforward design makes this simple to use
Content: A scorned thief of hearts and paramours
Writing: Proffers lore, stats, adventure hook, and loot in the form of broken hearts
Art/design: Primarily textual but uses typefaces to differentiate the different sections
Usability: Straightforward design makes this simple to use
Leprechaun
Concept: “The fool that steals from the leprechaun is cursed to be haunted by immortal wrath.”
Content: An undying, unrelenting adaptation
Writing: A straightforward stat block with matching descriptive text
Art/design: An especially Mörk Borgy illustration with effective use of color
Usability: Ability to return from death make this a good recurring antagonist
Content: An undying, unrelenting adaptation
Writing: A straightforward stat block with matching descriptive text
Art/design: An especially Mörk Borgy illustration with effective use of color
Usability: Ability to return from death make this a good recurring antagonist
let them eat BUGS
Concept:
“‘Well if they’re so bloody fucking hungry… LET THEM EAT BUGS!’
• Marie-Claire Delcroix, Allians noble (deceased)”
Content: 5,800 possible bugs, and what happens when you eat them.
Writing: Entire mechanics for catching and eating bugs. With a veritable hive of crunchy, protein-rich tables.
Art/design: Juicy grubs and grinning goblins splatter this neon green sensory experience.
Usability: Organized, legible, but intentionally antagonistic.
• Marie-Claire Delcroix, Allians noble (deceased)”
Content: 5,800 possible bugs, and what happens when you eat them.
Writing: Entire mechanics for catching and eating bugs. With a veritable hive of crunchy, protein-rich tables.
Art/design: Juicy grubs and grinning goblins splatter this neon green sensory experience.
Usability: Organized, legible, but intentionally antagonistic.
Lich Stone Plodder
“The violent squirming remains are minced by the common folk and shoved into heavy stone tombs … infect the very stone and dirt with this unholy energy.”
Likho
Concept: “‘Likho-one-eyed’ appears in the form of a one-eyed skinny ogress.”
Content: A beefy combat monster that feeds on negative emotions or flesh—whichever’s handy
Writing: A concise stat block and a full description of behavior, including non-mechanical features and effects
Art/design: Graphic and stats presented on a single page with additional lore and information on subsequent pages
Usability: GMs will need to implement mechanics for special abilities as they see fit; blackletter text may slow reading a bit
Content: A beefy combat monster that feeds on negative emotions or flesh—whichever’s handy
Writing: A concise stat block and a full description of behavior, including non-mechanical features and effects
Art/design: Graphic and stats presented on a single page with additional lore and information on subsequent pages
Usability: GMs will need to implement mechanics for special abilities as they see fit; blackletter text may slow reading a bit
Lilith's Biblia Blasphemia
Concept: “Inspired by Nurse With Wound's album Soliloquy for Lilith”
Content: “Six otherworldly abominable creatures to kill and maim your player's characters”
Writing: Stat blocks and copious descriptive text for entries
Art/design: Features full-page illustrations for each
Usability: Special abilities are a bit more elaborate than Mörk Borg’s baseline
Content: “Six otherworldly abominable creatures to kill and maim your player's characters”
Writing: Stat blocks and copious descriptive text for entries
Art/design: Features full-page illustrations for each
Usability: Special abilities are a bit more elaborate than Mörk Borg’s baseline
Lil’ Scamp
“Tiny catchable creatures for MÖRK BORG”
Livaras
Concept: “Ethereal giants who stalk their prey in the dark alleys of Galgenbeck.”
Content: A sneaky, life-draining monster
Writing: Delivers somewhat complex mechanics in a straightforward way
Art/design: Illustration’s cooler colors establish a haunting mood and contrast with the sharp yellow text
Usability: Cumulative damage dice will require minimal bookkeeping
Content: A sneaky, life-draining monster
Writing: Delivers somewhat complex mechanics in a straightforward way
Art/design: Illustration’s cooler colors establish a haunting mood and contrast with the sharp yellow text
Usability: Cumulative damage dice will require minimal bookkeeping
Long Nights
Concept: “A skeletal creature, a prophet and philosopher, dwells upon a mountain of flesh. His touch grants power, escape, and ecstasy; but he is stingy.”
Content: A nocturnal collection of one desert, four monsters, and ten artifacts.
Writing: Deliciously ambiguous. Full of tantalizing details to expand upon at your table.
Art/design: A saturated full-color layout as textured as the dunes and spacious as a desert night.
Usability: Gorgeous and dark. Guaranteed to kill inkjet printers.
Content: A nocturnal collection of one desert, four monsters, and ten artifacts.
Writing: Deliciously ambiguous. Full of tantalizing details to expand upon at your table.
Art/design: A saturated full-color layout as textured as the dunes and spacious as a desert night.
Usability: Gorgeous and dark. Guaranteed to kill inkjet printers.
Lord of the Flies
Concept: “The lord of flies appears whenever the smell of death is too strong for any human to endure, when rivers of blood flow and soak the earth.”
Content: A giant, gross fly commanding a bunch of regular-size, gross flies
Writing: Concise but effective in the flavor text and mechanics
Art/design: A strange but oddly endearing illustration
Usability: High HP + ability to bypass armor and ignore manipulation = potentially lethal
Content: A giant, gross fly commanding a bunch of regular-size, gross flies
Writing: Concise but effective in the flavor text and mechanics
Art/design: A strange but oddly endearing illustration
Usability: High HP + ability to bypass armor and ignore manipulation = potentially lethal
Lore Eye Hellbender
“These strange sad amphibians are born possessed by devilishly intelligent demonic spirits.”
Lurching Knot
Concept: “Born from the wicked intent of the murderous fur trees of Sarkash, the Lurching Knot lumbers forth to crush the bones of those that dare mar or burn its mothers’ flesh.”
Content: An appropriately mörky ent
Writing: A hefty behemoth with multiple attacks, each with a unique special
Art/design: Monochrome with stats and lore arranged around the image
Usability: The image is relatively low resolution and a bit difficult to read
Content: An appropriately mörky ent
Writing: A hefty behemoth with multiple attacks, each with a unique special
Art/design: Monochrome with stats and lore arranged around the image
Usability: The image is relatively low resolution and a bit difficult to read
Malleus Mörkicarum
Concept: “Foul witchcraft abounds in these dying lands.”
Content: Witches and devils the inquisition warned you about, and the fanatics they didn’t. Curses abound for an unfortunate scvm.
Writing: Some clever wordplay and mechanics liven familiar inquisitorial tropes.
Art/design: Illustrated trappings of diabolism and inquisition sprinkle the text.
Usability: Interaction of text and background symbols may hinder the reader.
Content: Witches and devils the inquisition warned you about, and the fanatics they didn’t. Curses abound for an unfortunate scvm.
Writing: Some clever wordplay and mechanics liven familiar inquisitorial tropes.
Art/design: Illustrated trappings of diabolism and inquisition sprinkle the text.
Usability: Interaction of text and background symbols may hinder the reader.
Mallum de Monstrum #2
Concept: “I love creating monsters and having them used in peoples campaigns to delight and terrify.”
Content: Twenty-three undead monsters.
Writing: Lairs, abilities, and loot supplement base stats in prose.
Art/design: Decomposing corpse portraits provided by Midjourney AI.
Usability: Simple condensed stat blocks. Easy to reference.
Content: Twenty-three undead monsters.
Writing: Lairs, abilities, and loot supplement base stats in prose.
Art/design: Decomposing corpse portraits provided by Midjourney AI.
Usability: Simple condensed stat blocks. Easy to reference.
Malum de Monstrum vol. 3
Concept: “bringing to life creatures specifically themed around the element of ‘Fire’.”
Content: Five blazing brutes.
Writing: A variety of thematic creature abilities designed to turn up the heat.
Art/design: From ashen to white hot, a mixture of hand-drawn and ai generated creature illustrations highlight a two-column layout.
Usability: For when your scvm fail to light the campfire.
Content: Five blazing brutes.
Writing: A variety of thematic creature abilities designed to turn up the heat.
Art/design: From ashen to white hot, a mixture of hand-drawn and ai generated creature illustrations highlight a two-column layout.
Usability: For when your scvm fail to light the campfire.
Malum de Monstrum Zine #001
Concept: “Once-mighty creatures of the prehistoric past now roam the lands as nightmarish monsters, driven by hunger, infection, and dark magic.”
Content: Seven blasphemous blasts from the past.
Writing: A complete ecology, from lairing habits to hunting techniques. With mechanics to math.
Art/design: Minimalist, high-contrast dinosaurs thunder through a sturdy two-column layout.
Usability: Also available in printer-friendly plaintext.
Content: Seven blasphemous blasts from the past.
Writing: A complete ecology, from lairing habits to hunting techniques. With mechanics to math.
Art/design: Minimalist, high-contrast dinosaurs thunder through a sturdy two-column layout.
Usability: Also available in printer-friendly plaintext.
Man And Beast
Concept: “THERE IS NO TIME FOR PRETENSES OF CIVILITY.”
Content: A collection of creatures and features that blur the boundary of man and beast.
Writing: Sapient mechanics for visceral beings.
Art/design: Fangs and teeth. Text occasionally unclots into the color of blood.
Usability: Available in print-friendly or lightly blooded.
Content: A collection of creatures and features that blur the boundary of man and beast.
Writing: Sapient mechanics for visceral beings.
Art/design: Fangs and teeth. Text occasionally unclots into the color of blood.
Usability: Available in print-friendly or lightly blooded.
Man is the Warmest Place to Hide
Concept: “Something hungry lurks in the dungeon, it has one goal...”
Content: One Shifting Dungeon. The worst game of tag ever. You do not want to become IT.
Writing: A trap-filled sandbox for your scvm to get paranoid in.
Art/design: Simple illustrated maps and public domain images.
Usability: Currently still an ashcan.
Content: One Shifting Dungeon. The worst game of tag ever. You do not want to become IT.
Writing: A trap-filled sandbox for your scvm to get paranoid in.
Art/design: Simple illustrated maps and public domain images.
Usability: Currently still an ashcan.
Manbat
Concept: “Dwelling in abandoned buildings and under bridges, these vile creatures ambush, torture, and desanguinate their captives…”
Content: It’s like Batman but Borgier
Writing: Stats and special mechanics plus a d8 list of carried items
Art/design: Loot on the top, stats on the bottom, lore and bats in the middle; pink on yellow highlights the title and emphasizes important mechanical elements
Usability: An appropriate, lycanthropic take on vampires in the Dying World
Content: It’s like Batman but Borgier
Writing: Stats and special mechanics plus a d8 list of carried items
Art/design: Loot on the top, stats on the bottom, lore and bats in the middle; pink on yellow highlights the title and emphasizes important mechanical elements
Usability: An appropriate, lycanthropic take on vampires in the Dying World
Mandagor
Concept: “Black or nebulous forms, they gaze upon mortals with piercing red eyes filled with mischief and wickedness.”
Content: An multiform creature and potential companion to generous scvm
Writing: Provides copious lore pertaining to behavior and ecology alongside stat blocks for various forms
Art/design: Predominantly textual, leveraging color to differentiate certain blocks; includes some cleverly placed depictions
Usability: Contains a fair number of behavioral details for GMs to keep track of
Content: An multiform creature and potential companion to generous scvm
Writing: Provides copious lore pertaining to behavior and ecology alongside stat blocks for various forms
Art/design: Predominantly textual, leveraging color to differentiate certain blocks; includes some cleverly placed depictions
Usability: Contains a fair number of behavioral details for GMs to keep track of
March of the Lord of Fire
Concept: “The Lord of Fire marches from the Valley of the Unfortunate Undead”
Content: A fire-themed conqueror who raises and commands an undead army against the kingdoms of the Dying Land
Writing: Primarily mechanical, but the mechanics themselves provide tons of character and inspiration
Art/design: The background image reinforces the overall theme and tone without interfering with readability
Usability: Highly suitable for a grueling martial challenge
Margoth
Concept: “Submission for Babalonian Jam!”
Content: A corruption-based monster
Writing: Quick, concise stat block
Art/design: Illustration’s reticulations reinforce the Special’s effects
Usability: May cause abrupt character death through damage or transformation
Content: A corruption-based monster
Writing: Quick, concise stat block
Art/design: Illustration’s reticulations reinforce the Special’s effects
Usability: May cause abrupt character death through damage or transformation
Marrow Bees & Osteapiarists
Concept: “The Marrow Bees’ honey is tasty and valuable…. if you can get to it. If they don’t bore into your bones and you escape the Osteopiarists.”
Content: Parasitic bees, their (in)toxic(ating) honey, and their keepers
Writing: A fair split of flavor and mechanics, both well conceived and written
Art/design: Subtle but effective representations of colonized humans
Usability: Honey mechanics are split, but not detrimental on a 1-page document
Content: Parasitic bees, their (in)toxic(ating) honey, and their keepers
Writing: A fair split of flavor and mechanics, both well conceived and written
Art/design: Subtle but effective representations of colonized humans
Usability: Honey mechanics are split, but not detrimental on a 1-page document
Martolea, Tuesday’s Demon
Concept: “Tuesday’s Demon rambles into desolate villages from its den high in the mountains only after a grisly tragedy has occurred on a Tuesday.”
Content: A bizarre, subversive, brutal beast and a simmering, horror-themed investigation spanning a few days in a seemingly quiet town
Writing: Includes a standard stat block as well as additional attributes and an overview of the monster’s MO; the adventure balances subtle tension and intrigue with moments of overt violence and gore
Art/design: Graphic design aids in navigating the adventure; illustrations add lots of creepy visual character
Usability: Includes a town map and an appendix of character sketches for quick reference
Content: A bizarre, subversive, brutal beast and a simmering, horror-themed investigation spanning a few days in a seemingly quiet town
Writing: Includes a standard stat block as well as additional attributes and an overview of the monster’s MO; the adventure balances subtle tension and intrigue with moments of overt violence and gore
Art/design: Graphic design aids in navigating the adventure; illustrations add lots of creepy visual character
Usability: Includes a town map and an appendix of character sketches for quick reference
Martyred Apostate
Concept: “An unholy manifestation, an enslaved soul of idolatry, even in death they pray for salvation.”
Content: “A homemade new pet/relic/mercenary”
Writing: A willing sacrifice in the name of any who can enthrall them.
Art/design: Colored prints, miniatures, and text integrated in a collective sacrifice.
Usability: Less hostile than it looks.
Content: “A homemade new pet/relic/mercenary”
Writing: A willing sacrifice in the name of any who can enthrall them.
Art/design: Colored prints, miniatures, and text integrated in a collective sacrifice.
Usability: Less hostile than it looks.
Maust
Concept: “… forever hiding in the dark, more rodent than a man.”
Content: A demi-human hireling
Writing: Includes some flavor text as well as stats, traits, specialties, and values
Art/design: Nicely balanced layout with art suggestive of sentiment and violence
Usability: Designed as an additional outcast like those described in the core book
Content: A demi-human hireling
Writing: Includes some flavor text as well as stats, traits, specialties, and values
Art/design: Nicely balanced layout with art suggestive of sentiment and violence
Usability: Designed as an additional outcast like those described in the core book
Mbói Tu’i
Concept: “Second son of Kerana and Tau. It patrols the swamps and wetlands, protecting amphibians and waterdwellers.”
Content: A middleweight monster fit for amphibious adventures
Writing: Efficient stats and a dash of flavor text (with more on the product page)
Art/design: Color choices and arrangement make text easily readable without obscuring the gritty, Borgy illustration
Usability: Includes an ongoing fear effect; take note, GMs
Content: A middleweight monster fit for amphibious adventures
Writing: Efficient stats and a dash of flavor text (with more on the product page)
Art/design: Color choices and arrangement make text easily readable without obscuring the gritty, Borgy illustration
Usability: Includes an ongoing fear effect; take note, GMs
Meat Puppeteer
Concept: “All the world’s a stage, and you’re an unwilling actor.”
Content: A master-monster with underlings and some lethal twists
Writing: Instructions for puppeteer, puppets, and PC targets
Art/design: Nice use of silhouettes and some effective typographical maneuvers
Usability: A little more complex than some adversaries, but not overwhelmingly so
Membrane of Sarkantha & Sarcopha-ghost
Concept: “Two devilish hazards every death-defying dungeon delver must learn to avoid.”
Content: A living(ish) doorway trap and a melancholic spirit
Writing: Adds dimension and depth to concepts
Art/design: Illustrations express the monsters’ ephemerality
Usability: It’s hard to screw up a Mörk Borg stat block
Content: A living(ish) doorway trap and a melancholic spirit
Writing: Adds dimension and depth to concepts
Art/design: Illustrations express the monsters’ ephemerality
Usability: It’s hard to screw up a Mörk Borg stat block
MEMENTO
Concept: “And the dead need somewhere to go.”
Content: A valley rife with unlife: dead basilisk barons, corpse culture, and several new starting points for your next journey to the afterlife.
Writing: A morbid meditation of funerary rites and the afterlife. An existential misery.
Art/design: A headstone of chiseled plain text with grave offerings of mangled and restitched illustrations.
Usability: A navigable guidebook to the Valley of Unfortunate Undead.
Content: A valley rife with unlife: dead basilisk barons, corpse culture, and several new starting points for your next journey to the afterlife.
Writing: A morbid meditation of funerary rites and the afterlife. An existential misery.
Art/design: A headstone of chiseled plain text with grave offerings of mangled and restitched illustrations.
Usability: A navigable guidebook to the Valley of Unfortunate Undead.
Mendacious Lycanthrope
Concept: “Awakening in the gray dawn, you feel the shift once again. They say it's the moon that does it, but you know the truth, though you'd never admit it.”
Content: A scvm lying about a serious skin condition.
Content: A scvm lying about a serious skin condition.
Writing: Full blooded in theme. With mechanics and prose reinforcing natural tension.
Art/design: Loud and violent. Bursting out of the page whether you’re ready or not.
Usability: A powerful yet high risk class. Monster stats are an invitation to turn on the party.
Art/design: Loud and violent. Bursting out of the page whether you’re ready or not.
Usability: A powerful yet high risk class. Monster stats are an invitation to turn on the party.
Mesmerism
Concept: “People flock to his stall everyday and buy all his wares, and yet nothing seems to be happening... Why do they keep coming back then?”
Content: A different sort of alchemist, running a different sort of shop.
Writing: A engaging take on the snake-oil salesman. With an included hook to intrigue your scvm.
Art/design: A dingy street alchemist's lab draped in boxed text.
Usability: His wares could be worth quite a lot to the right buyers.
Content: A different sort of alchemist, running a different sort of shop.
Writing: A engaging take on the snake-oil salesman. With an included hook to intrigue your scvm.
Art/design: A dingy street alchemist's lab draped in boxed text.
Usability: His wares could be worth quite a lot to the right buyers.
Mhâ'Nhârd's Hatchlings
Concept: “An ancient laboratory. 7 stone eggs. 1 empty. The liquid of life may breach their prison and death shall come to the one making the donation.”
Content: A dungeon room with a secret best left undiscovered
Writing: Provides detailed lore and a monster stat block with a table for attacks
Art/design: Provides a map and a pretty gnarly illustration
Usability: Just add blood
Content: A dungeon room with a secret best left undiscovered
Writing: Provides detailed lore and a monster stat block with a table for attacks
Art/design: Provides a map and a pretty gnarly illustration
Usability: Just add blood
Mimicks
Concept: “You know what mimics are, you all know.”
Content: The life-cycle of the Mimick, in stages.
Writing: Descriptions (and stat blocks) of distressingly increasing scope and scale.
Art/design: Lightly distressed text with cheery pink illustrations to encourage you to let your guard down.
Usability: Print-friendly. If found in the wild, it’s probably a tiny mimick.
Content: The life-cycle of the Mimick, in stages.
Writing: Descriptions (and stat blocks) of distressingly increasing scope and scale.
Art/design: Lightly distressed text with cheery pink illustrations to encourage you to let your guard down.
Usability: Print-friendly. If found in the wild, it’s probably a tiny mimick.
Mind-Jester of Oak Road
“A Trickster of Sleep and the Sandman's assassin who tortures their victims with a cackling grim and a pair of brain-rending claws!”
Mirror of Despair
Concept: “You are your own worst enemy.”
Content: A mirror trap.
Writing: Mechanics establish disturbing doppelganger scenarios.
Art/design: An elegantly efficient mirror hung over wallpapered rules text.
Usability: Helpful visual emphasis on rules based on likelihood of use.
Content: A mirror trap.
Writing: Mechanics establish disturbing doppelganger scenarios.
Art/design: An elegantly efficient mirror hung over wallpapered rules text.
Usability: Helpful visual emphasis on rules based on likelihood of use.
Misadvent Calendar
Concept: “Tearing away each door daily reveals a new foe, complete with lore and stats”
Content: Counting down to the end (of Christmas). With creatures.
Writing: Playful in the way a cat entertains itself with a mouse.
Art/design: A one-man game jam (so far).
Usability: Updating every day until Christmas 2022.
Content: Counting down to the end (of Christmas). With creatures.
Writing: Playful in the way a cat entertains itself with a mouse.
Art/design: A one-man game jam (so far).
Usability: Updating every day until Christmas 2022.
Monolith 1: Harvest
8 contributors
Concept: “A quarterly publication that focuses its cyclopean gaze on a single system with every issue”
Content: “A journey through dilapidated townsteads, rejuvenated fields and terrifying dungeons, with all the horrors you meet along the way”
Writing: The pedagogy of planting and population planning, and a forgotten temple to begotten basilisks, all aggressively annotated.
Art/design: Darkly grotesque cultists, disturbed floral prints, cultured public domain illustrations, and colorful marginalia highlight the body text.
Usability: Organized, aside from a few intentionally frustrating almanac charts. But I’m sure you can manage those with a little old-fashioned spit and polish.
Content: “A journey through dilapidated townsteads, rejuvenated fields and terrifying dungeons, with all the horrors you meet along the way”
Writing: The pedagogy of planting and population planning, and a forgotten temple to begotten basilisks, all aggressively annotated.
Art/design: Darkly grotesque cultists, disturbed floral prints, cultured public domain illustrations, and colorful marginalia highlight the body text.
Usability: Organized, aside from a few intentionally frustrating almanac charts. But I’m sure you can manage those with a little old-fashioned spit and polish.
Monsters Based on The Binding of Isaac
Concept: “Six unholy monsters from the wonderful roguelike video game”
Content: Fundamentally messed up and right at home in Mörk Borg
Writing: Provides inspiring descriptions and dynamics
Art/design: The videogame’s graphics adapted to Mörk Borg’s aesthetic
Usability: Six clearly delineated stat blocks
Monsters!
Concept: “A collection of the MOST DISGUSTING and terribly vile MONSTERS!”
Content: Twenty of them, to be a little more specific.
Writing: Horrendously hilarious creations from tormented traditions. Malformed for the morbidly curious.
Art/design: Sharp points and serrated edges brutalize the darkly patterned forms of this miserable tome, contrasted occasionally by excruciatingly clinical white.
Usability: Richly stylized only where they know you’ll work for it. Legible everywhere it counts.
Content: Twenty of them, to be a little more specific.
Writing: Horrendously hilarious creations from tormented traditions. Malformed for the morbidly curious.
Art/design: Sharp points and serrated edges brutalize the darkly patterned forms of this miserable tome, contrasted occasionally by excruciatingly clinical white.
Usability: Richly stylized only where they know you’ll work for it. Legible everywhere it counts.
More Monstrous Members
“Elves, Ratmen, and Ogres”
More Mork Mëchs
“An expansion that builds on Roland Boshnack's Mech Borg”
Mork Corp
Concept: “Because if you can't beat them, you might as well get a soul sucking job and try not to cry.”
Content: “A CORPORATE HANDBOOK OF A GAME. Rules light. Art.... still kinda light.”
Writing: A uproarious collection of corporate jargon, jaded satire, and nihilism. Hell.
Art/design: A kaleidoscope of collage-style digital illustrations, edited photography, and text. A yellow and pink veneer over corporate gray.
Usability: Nightmarish, but inspirational.
Content: “A CORPORATE HANDBOOK OF A GAME. Rules light. Art.... still kinda light.”
Writing: A uproarious collection of corporate jargon, jaded satire, and nihilism. Hell.
Art/design: A kaleidoscope of collage-style digital illustrations, edited photography, and text. A yellow and pink veneer over corporate gray.
Usability: Nightmarish, but inspirational.
Mork Menagerie
Concept: “Each creature has been converted to capture the first edition feel with some darker flavor mixed in.”
Content: " a compendium of classic creatures converted for use in Mörk Borg.” with bonus treasures, tables, and magic.
Writing: A traditional fantasy lineup with an appropriate mix of dark humor and setting specific details.
Art/design: Text-heavy but visually rich. A balanced compromise between forms
Usability: A well-maintained exhibit.
Content: " a compendium of classic creatures converted for use in Mörk Borg.” with bonus treasures, tables, and magic.
Writing: A traditional fantasy lineup with an appropriate mix of dark humor and setting specific details.
Art/design: Text-heavy but visually rich. A balanced compromise between forms
Usability: A well-maintained exhibit.
Mork Tract
“10 new weapons with interesting properties...mostly historical[,] A loot table! Town/Settlement generator[,] Quest hooks! And a monster generator!”
Morkkabeans 1.1
9 contributors
Concept: “A new religion has arisen in the desert. Worshiping the Unnamable God of Names, blaspheming against SHE and HE, promising the revolt. Galgenbeck has sent its inquisitors. The half-giant Nephilim walk the earth. If you join them, almost certain death awaits.”
Content: An escalating tower crawl of nameless gods and religious conflict. Complete with three new classes, gear, artifacts, angels, Nephilim, and mythical creatures.
Writing: An absolutely metal reinterpretation of Jewish history and folklore.
Art/design: A spectacle of artistic styles as varied as the tower of tongues.
Usability: Visual styles delineate sections. VTT resources available.
Content: An escalating tower crawl of nameless gods and religious conflict. Complete with three new classes, gear, artifacts, angels, Nephilim, and mythical creatures.
Writing: An absolutely metal reinterpretation of Jewish history and folklore.
Art/design: A spectacle of artistic styles as varied as the tower of tongues.
Usability: Visual styles delineate sections. VTT resources available.
Motståndare
Concept: “Everything you need to summon some foes to slay your enemies and really tie the room together.”
Content: A modular monster-maker
Writing: Includes an extremely entertaining warning label; otherwise, the instructions are intentionally minimal; individual components add stats and special abilities
Art/design: Arranged as an iconographic instruction manual; modular illustrations are very organic and expressive
Usability: “Some assembly required”
Content: A modular monster-maker
Writing: Includes an extremely entertaining warning label; otherwise, the instructions are intentionally minimal; individual components add stats and special abilities
Art/design: Arranged as an iconographic instruction manual; modular illustrations are very organic and expressive
Usability: “Some assembly required”
Mud Future
Concept: “A science-fiction hellscape for MÖRK BORG, where the desperate folk try to survive as capitalism slowly destroys the world”
Content: Includes alternate Miseries, gear, enemies, and rules for Powers
Writing: Tone is appropriately bitter with a subtle undertone of humor
Art/design: Aesthetics are a luxury alien to your cyber-scvm
Usability: Content is organized into neat, self-contained categories
Content: Includes alternate Miseries, gear, enemies, and rules for Powers
Writing: Tone is appropriately bitter with a subtle undertone of humor
Art/design: Aesthetics are a luxury alien to your cyber-scvm
Usability: Content is organized into neat, self-contained categories
Multiplying Falli
Concept: “steföne bootyman! >>—<3—>”
Content: A wild falli, and it is multiplying.
Writing: Erectile Dysfunction
Art/design: Photograph. Colorful ink on dot paper, printed legal text, and two tone bat imagery over wedge marker on dot paper. Layered elements provide visual texture with shadows. Ink splatter hints at some sort of creative climax.
Usability: Almost a functional monster. Requires GMruling on to google what a Fallus of Caecilia is.
Content: A wild falli, and it is multiplying.
Writing: Erectile Dysfunction
Art/design: Photograph. Colorful ink on dot paper, printed legal text, and two tone bat imagery over wedge marker on dot paper. Layered elements provide visual texture with shadows. Ink splatter hints at some sort of creative climax.
Usability: Almost a functional monster. Requires GM
Murkwürst is burning
Concept: “Harsh and bleak, the mining village of Murkwürst is located in a valley of the Wästland... the unfortunate villagers barely survive, barricaded in their unburned house[s].”
Content: A burning village vtt hexcrawl.
Writing: A series of events tables, npcs, and location descriptions to drive the action.
Art/design: Engaging maps and gritty illustrations.
Usability: Integrated with FoundryVTT, references Alles Wird Brennen & Gregor’s Folly.
Content: A burning village vtt hexcrawl.
Writing: A series of events tables, npcs, and location descriptions to drive the action.
Art/design: Engaging maps and gritty illustrations.
Usability: Integrated with FoundryVTT, references Alles Wird Brennen & Gregor’s Folly.
Mustekala Velho
“On their home world, the octopi is unmatched and unchallenged. … This particular octopus arrived here weeks ago and seized control of a small army of skeletons.”
Backer reward for Trio of Twisted Decks
Backer reward for Trio of Twisted Decks
Mutant Drifter
Concept: “Warped in body and mind by the attentions of dark gods”
Content: Has tentacle-arm, will travel
Writing: A straightforward stat block and some background and motivation for the NP
Art/design: Clearly delineated text sections and some visceral line art
Usability: Simple mechanics with some options for GMs to play with
Mutt Errant
Concept: “Bound by an everlasting curse to collect all of the written knowledge, this damned dog of a man will ask for a tribute of three books or scrolls.”
Content: A dog-knight with a passion for print—plus a beefy suit of armor, sword, and special
Writing: A concise stat block and a pair of paragraphs detailing character and behavior
Art/design: A proficient, clean layout with some really impressive art
Usability: Mutt Errant may just chew on the books and scrolls instead of reading them, but either way, he’s coming back for more
Content: A dog-knight with a passion for print—plus a beefy suit of armor, sword, and special
Writing: A concise stat block and a pair of paragraphs detailing character and behavior
Art/design: A proficient, clean layout with some really impressive art
Usability: Mutt Errant may just chew on the books and scrolls instead of reading them, but either way, he’s coming back for more
Mygga, Flying Head
Concept: “Bloodsuckers known for silently feeding on sleeping people”
Content: A versatile monster/pet
Writing: Plenty of inspiration for GMs
Art/design: Practical but still expressive
Usability: Mechanics embedded in flavor text, but not difficult to locate quickly
Myling, shadow child
Concept: “These spirits hunger for a life lost, love stolen.”
Content: A persistent undead pest
Writing: Efficiently conveys special mechanics and hooks
Art/design: Relatively lean but adds some character
Usability: Small but relatively tough to kill
Content: A persistent undead pest
Writing: Efficiently conveys special mechanics and hooks
Art/design: Relatively lean but adds some character
Usability: Small but relatively tough to kill
MÖRK "BOB"
Concept: “Who else in this wretched world is gonna cut you a little Slack when you need it?”
Content: A traveling businessman. Here for business.
Writing: Humorously materialistic. Delightfully shady.
Art/design: Exactly how I feel every time I enter a car dealership.
Usability: Open for business.
Content: A traveling businessman. Here for business.
Writing: Humorously materialistic. Delightfully shady.
Art/design: Exactly how I feel every time I enter a car dealership.
Usability: Open for business.
Mëch Borg
“Think Vision of Escaflowne meets BattleTech, but fucked up.”
Mörk Ages
“A supplement designed to give a loose basis to set your game within the realms of the dark ages”
Mörk Bird
Concept: “Inevitably when its prey looks up to the sky it pounces”
Content: The shadow of a bird.
Writing: Some serious OSR ambush predator energy.
Art/design: Well-organized table layout.
Usability: Don’t look up.
Content: The shadow of a bird.
Writing: Some serious OSR ambush predator energy.
Art/design: Well-organized table layout.
Usability: Don’t look up.
Mörk Borg Cult: Feretory
15 contributors
Concept: “A collection of tables, monsters, items, classes, rules and ideas”
Content: Includes a random monster generator, rules for distance travel and subsistence, The Death Ziggurat and Goblin Grinder adventures, rosters of mundane and profane gear, the Grey Galth Inn setting, a gambling minigame, the Black Salt environmental hazard, new character classes (Cursed Skinwalker, Pale One, Dead God’s Prophet, Forlorn Philosopher), and new Powers
Writing: Mörk Borg imagery and tone in wide a variety of styles
Art/design: Matches content to myriad layout and design strategies
Usability: The mechanical and expository elegance you expect from Mörk Borg; the monster generator particularly uses dice in a clever way
Content: Includes a random monster generator, rules for distance travel and subsistence, The Death Ziggurat and Goblin Grinder adventures, rosters of mundane and profane gear, the Grey Galth Inn setting, a gambling minigame, the Black Salt environmental hazard, new character classes (Cursed Skinwalker, Pale One, Dead God’s Prophet, Forlorn Philosopher), and new Powers
Writing: Mörk Borg imagery and tone in wide a variety of styles
Art/design: Matches content to myriad layout and design strategies
Usability: The mechanical and expository elegance you expect from Mörk Borg; the monster generator particularly uses dice in a clever way
Mörk Borg Cult: Heretic
9 contributors
Concept: “A zine full of MÖRK BORG stuff. Most of it is created by our wonderful community and will be (or already is) made available for free download on morkborg.com, but there is also exclusive official material.”
Content: Generators for cults and curses, feats, 2 classes, black-powder weapons, 2 long adventures, a pair of 1-page dungeons, and a quartet of monsters/NPCs
Writing: Varies by author but consistently emphasizes images and concepts that are grim, creepy, and/or outright weird
Art/design: Every entry’s layout, graphic design, and coloration are distinct, creating a lot of visual diversity and easy navigability; sweet foil printing on the cover and first page; fold-out covers just to cram as much content into this zine as possible
Usability: The only obstacle is deciding what to read first.
Content: Generators for cults and curses, feats, 2 classes, black-powder weapons, 2 long adventures, a pair of 1-page dungeons, and a quartet of monsters/NPCs
Writing: Varies by author but consistently emphasizes images and concepts that are grim, creepy, and/or outright weird
Art/design: Every entry’s layout, graphic design, and coloration are distinct, creating a lot of visual diversity and easy navigability; sweet foil printing on the cover and first page; fold-out covers just to cram as much content into this zine as possible
Usability: The only obstacle is deciding what to read first.
Mörk Borg Miniatures
6 contributors
Concept: “We agreed to make this happen, and things were quickly descending into madness.”
Content: “19 MINIATURES + a pile of crap”
Writing: Probably needed to occur to make such delicious sculpts happen.
Art/Design: Deviously Dynamic. Disturbingly detailed.
Usability: Soak in dish-soap overnight. Scrub. Remove any flash. Use instant glue. Misery.
Content: “19 MINIATURES + a pile of crap”
Writing: Probably needed to occur to make such delicious sculpts happen.
Art/Design: Deviously Dynamic. Disturbingly detailed.
Usability: Soak in dish-soap overnight. Scrub. Remove any flash. Use instant glue. Misery.
Mörk Bug
Concept: “Elaborates on the roles of insects in underground gambling in the setting”
Content: Stats for bugs, gear for catching bugs, rules for selling bugs, an entothropic character class, and a sprawling bug-fighting-arena-slash-gambling-parlor
Writing: Clear and readable with Kelly’s characteristic wit
Art/design: Designed and laid out for readability with some buggy, Borgy flair
Usability: Laid out and designed for easy reading and reference
Content: Stats for bugs, gear for catching bugs, rules for selling bugs, an entothropic character class, and a sprawling bug-fighting-arena-slash-gambling-parlor
Writing: Clear and readable with Kelly’s characteristic wit
Art/design: Designed and laid out for readability with some buggy, Borgy flair
Usability: Laid out and designed for easy reading and reference
Mörk Böurgeöisie
Concept: “Thank the discourse for this little gem.”
Content: An entitled mob for Mörk Borg.
Writing: “Shit. They really want to talk. The fucking GM is going to start doing accents.”
Art/design: Flippantly casual layout above illustrations of obnoxious finery.
Usability: Talk to them. Or don’t. You decide.
Content: An entitled mob for Mörk Borg.
Writing: “Shit. They really want to talk. The fucking GM is going to start doing accents.”
Art/design: Flippantly casual layout above illustrations of obnoxious finery.
Usability: Talk to them. Or don’t. You decide.
Mörk Georg
Concept: “The ‘average person plays 3 sessions of Mörk Borg a year’ factoid actually is just statistical error. The average person plays 0 sessions of Mörk Borg per year. Mörk Georg, who lives in cave & plays over 10,000 sessions each day, is an outlier and should not have been counted.”
Content: I’m tagged in this one and I don’t like it.
Writing: Deliciously meta. Punish creative scvm with their own third party content.
Art/design: Depicted in his natural habitat enjoying freshly regurgitated content.
Usability: Bring the pain with your own custom Mörk Georg mini.
Content: I’m tagged in this one and I don’t like it.
Writing: Deliciously meta. Punish creative scvm with their own third party content.
Art/design: Depicted in his natural habitat enjoying freshly regurgitated content.
Usability: Bring the pain with your own custom Mörk Georg mini.
Mörk Manual
Concept: “Mörk Borg mayhem in a grunge fantasy world”
Content: oDnD classes, creatures, and setting, with an extra helping of misery.
Writing: The Dark Lord’s invasion of darkly absurdist humor into an early fantasy setting.
Art/design: Playful collage of vintage prints emphasize their subjects, strong white-bordered text aid clarity and adds to the aesthetic.
Usability: Self-contained rules, navigable index and table of contents, reference material. Solidly utilitarian.
Content: oDnD classes, creatures, and setting, with an extra helping of misery.
Writing: The Dark Lord’s invasion of darkly absurdist humor into an early fantasy setting.
Art/design: Playful collage of vintage prints emphasize their subjects, strong white-bordered text aid clarity and adds to the aesthetic.
Usability: Self-contained rules, navigable index and table of contents, reference material. Solidly utilitarian.
Mörk Själ
Concept: “Mörk SJäl is a system for tabletop roleplaying inspired by the gameplay and atmosphere of the Soulsborne franchise”
Content: A Soulsborne Mörk Borg hack.
Writing: A gentle guided rules-light approach to harsh tactical gameplay.
Art/design: AI-generated dark fantasy art elements in a clear transparent layout.
Usability: Playtest Edition.
Content: A Soulsborne Mörk Borg hack.
Writing: A gentle guided rules-light approach to harsh tactical gameplay.
Art/design: AI-generated dark fantasy art elements in a clear transparent layout.
Usability: Playtest Edition.
Mörk-drasil
“The old gods are dead, and people are fighting for the right to survive in a world ruled by monsters.”
Mörkal Komborg
Concept: “‘Welcome to the longest-running deathmatch in the known universe.’”
Content: A Mortal Kombat vs Mörk Borg crossover deathmatch.
Writing: Over-the-top brutality disemboweled with self-aware satire.
Art/design: A SICK vintage fighting game manual in black and white.
Usability: Referenceable RPG fighting game manual with solo mini-game insert.
Content: A Mortal Kombat vs Mörk Borg crossover deathmatch.
Writing: Over-the-top brutality disemboweled with self-aware satire.
Art/design: A SICK vintage fighting game manual in black and white.
Usability: Referenceable RPG fighting game manual with solo mini-game insert.
Mörking About
“A fan-made zine of sexual misadventure”
Mörky Mycology
Concept: “A world in decline is a veritable paradise for fungi of all kind.”
Content: Fungi, environs filled with fungi, fungus-based class and items, and some mushroom monsters
Writing: Efficient but with enough detail to spur interest and imagination
Art/design: Relatively sparse but still under development
Usability: Very efficient layout for a lot of content
Content: Fungi, environs filled with fungi, fungus-based class and items, and some mushroom monsters
Writing: Efficient but with enough detail to spur interest and imagination
Art/design: Relatively sparse but still under development
Usability: Very efficient layout for a lot of content
Mörkédex: Bile Yellow
Concept: “You’ll have to forgive me, but I’ve forgotten, what was your name again? I’m Professor Locust, but most people call me the Mörkémon professor.”
Content: That’s right, it’s that crossover. With d66 Mörkémon, two classes, eight “dungeons” and the city of Caput Mortem.
Writing: A childhood franchise with all the puns and references you’ve come to enjoy, made lovingly miserable.
Art/design: A flexible, consistent, and intuitive design that guides the reader through the world of Mörkémon.
Usability: A second edition of Professor Locust’s Mörkédex.
Content: That’s right, it’s that crossover. With d66 Mörkémon, two classes, eight “dungeons” and the city of Caput Mortem.
Writing: A childhood franchise with all the puns and references you’ve come to enjoy, made lovingly miserable.
Art/design: A flexible, consistent, and intuitive design that guides the reader through the world of Mörkémon.
Usability: A second edition of Professor Locust’s Mörkédex.
Nameless Pilgrim
Concept: “Explorers in the further regions of experience. Demons to some, angels to others.”
Content: A name-themed monster/person who steals letters instead of dealing damage
Writing: The descriptive text handles its nontraditional content well and maintains a strong tone
Art/design: Flat ground and simple typography bring out the illustration’s contours and details
Usability: Especially lethal against PCs with short names
Content: A name-themed monster/person who steals letters instead of dealing damage
Writing: The descriptive text handles its nontraditional content well and maintains a strong tone
Art/design: Flat ground and simple typography bring out the illustration’s contours and details
Usability: Especially lethal against PCs with short names
Nanny Angel
Concept: “deranged angel of a dead god”
Content: Probably the best nanny in the Dying Lands. Truly.
Writing: Well-intentioned angelic action. I’m not sure what those parents are so upset about.
Art/design: Monstrously beatific cherubs and Nanny Angel dominate an ordered spread.
Usability: Parents, Be careful what you wish for.
Content: Probably the best nanny in the Dying Lands. Truly.
Writing: Well-intentioned angelic action. I’m not sure what those parents are so upset about.
Art/design: Monstrously beatific cherubs and Nanny Angel dominate an ordered spread.
Usability: Parents, Be careful what you wish for.
Nativity in Black
Concept: “an outright blasphemous twist on the familiar nativity story; the perfect read for children before bed”
Content: A cast of very murderable characters in an antichrist nativity tale building to a new prophesized End.
Writing: Biblical tone bent to a dark purpose.
Art/design: A rich tapestry of twisted and distorted imagery. Full of texture and anti-life.
Usability: Stylistic choices delineate narrative and rules text. Layout designed to be viewed in spreads.
Content: A cast of very murderable characters in an antichrist nativity tale building to a new prophesized End.
Writing: Biblical tone bent to a dark purpose.
Art/design: A rich tapestry of twisted and distorted imagery. Full of texture and anti-life.
Usability: Stylistic choices delineate narrative and rules text. Layout designed to be viewed in spreads.
Nechrubel’s Chimera
Concept: “A monster from the Valley of the Unfortunate Undead”
Content: A classic monster with a creative twist inspired by the illustration
Writing: A paragraph of basilisk-related lore and a stat block with a pretty nasty special ability
Art/design: Text segments are delineated by color; a warm palette keeps an apocalyptic feel, and the illustration provides loads of character
Usability: Use it
Content: A classic monster with a creative twist inspired by the illustration
Writing: A paragraph of basilisk-related lore and a stat block with a pretty nasty special ability
Art/design: Text segments are delineated by color; a warm palette keeps an apocalyptic feel, and the illustration provides loads of character
Usability: Use it
Necrotic Children of SHE
Concept: “The necrotic children crawl out of the filthy uterus of SHE, wandering the dark places of the Bergen Chrypt.”
Content: An undead creeper carrying a fairly high chance of infection
Writing: Word-light but concept-heavy lore
Art/design: Straightforward presentation of text with some Mörky flair and an illustration to match the lore
Usability: Straightforward and readable
Nemean Lion
Concept: “What is the value of riches and fame? Is it a scar? A mortal wound? Your life? In pursuit of the mythic beast of Nemea, you might pay all three.”
Content: The legendary lion of classical myth
Writing: A super-lean stat block
Art/design: Makes good use of space and contrast within and around the illustration
Usability: No armor but still resistant to damage; remember to pack your flail
Content: The legendary lion of classical myth
Writing: A super-lean stat block
Art/design: Makes good use of space and contrast within and around the illustration
Usability: No armor but still resistant to damage; remember to pack your flail
Nemori Elemental
Concept: “The large spider like wood spirits toll those what journey through forested areas.”
Content: An aberrant elemental who enjoys shiny things and flattery
Writing: A straightforward stat block with an extended special; flavor text provides lore and behavior
Art/design: Image’s triangular mass splits the mechanics from the lore; image includes partial nudity
Usability: Monster conceives offspring by attacking PCs; not for all players
Content: An aberrant elemental who enjoys shiny things and flattery
Writing: A straightforward stat block with an extended special; flavor text provides lore and behavior
Art/design: Image’s triangular mass splits the mechanics from the lore; image includes partial nudity
Usability: Monster conceives offspring by attacking PCs; not for all players
Neon Nightmares
Concept: “Chromatic smatterings grow stronger and brighter and blindingly vibrant even after the sun passes.
This is when the Neon Nightmares swarm.”
Content: Your typical swarm of kaleidoscopic phantasmagoria.
Writing: Concise rules text. Glyphs form associations, unify design, and save space.
Art/design: A visually striking (and thematically appropriate) mixture of neon creatures, desaturated victims and heavy line weights.
Usability: May require the invention of entirely new colors.
This is when the Neon Nightmares swarm.”
Content: Your typical swarm of kaleidoscopic phantasmagoria.
Writing: Concise rules text. Glyphs form associations, unify design, and save space.
Art/design: A visually striking (and thematically appropriate) mixture of neon creatures, desaturated victims and heavy line weights.
Usability: May require the invention of entirely new colors.
Nightguest Bird
Concept: “This horse sized cadaver-like bird moves soundlessly, sneaking into bed chambers at night to inject the sleeping with paralyzing venom”
Content: A bird, who paralyzes, and always wins initiative.
Writing: Yet more proof that nice names usually denote horrible creatures.
Art/design: Screenshot and discord text.
Usability: Probably inspired by someone's Elden Ring nightmares.
Content: A bird, who paralyzes, and always wins initiative.
Writing: Yet more proof that nice names usually denote horrible creatures.
Art/design: Screenshot and discord text.
Usability: Probably inspired by someone's Elden Ring nightmares.
Niklaus
Concept: “As snow falls on the city, the people whisper of a murderer who has recently taken to the streets.”
Content: A murderous pseudo-Santa possessed by an alien entity known only as the Christmas Spirit
Writing: Twists St. Nick to fit right into the Dying World
Art/design: Exactly what you’d expect of a Mörk Borg murderhobo Santa
Usability: More elaborate than some monsters but not overly complex
Content: A murderous pseudo-Santa possessed by an alien entity known only as the Christmas Spirit
Writing: Twists St. Nick to fit right into the Dying World
Art/design: Exactly what you’d expect of a Mörk Borg murderhobo Santa
Usability: More elaborate than some monsters but not overly complex
Nine Giant Frogs Zine
Concept: “a small zine of OSR TTRPG monsters, classes and house rules”
Content: A bestiary of pagan spirits, a Mörk Borg tactical gun combat hack, a statuesque dwarf class.
Writing: The fantasy elements are reminiscent of traditional folklore. The skirmish game component is mechanically more robust than Mörk Borg, but still fairly streamlined.
Content: A bestiary of pagan spirits, a Mörk Borg tactical gun combat hack, a statuesque dwarf class.
Writing: The fantasy elements are reminiscent of traditional folklore. The skirmish game component is mechanically more robust than Mörk Borg, but still fairly streamlined.
Art/design: Hand inked, pixel, and public domain art. A simple and uncluttered layout.
Usability: The dwarf class is written more for generic OSR games, and may require some slight conversion.
Usability: The dwarf class is written more for generic OSR games, and may require some slight conversion.
Nine Terrible Beasts for the Dying World
Concept: "All of the nine monsters within may either be used as the focal point of a monster hunting session, as addition to an existing dungeon or as an encounter on the road or during a journey through the wilds or the country side.”
Content: Nine varieties of beast. With included scenarios and hooks.
Writing: Fully formed. With notes on ecology, habits, and common superstitions. Includes detailed and specific encounters of every variety.
Art/design: A text-heavy two-column layout on stained parchment with fierce black and white illustrations of each creature.
Usability: A legible, navigable, traditional layout.
Content: Nine varieties of beast. With included scenarios and hooks.
Writing: Fully formed. With notes on ecology, habits, and common superstitions. Includes detailed and specific encounters of every variety.
Art/design: A text-heavy two-column layout on stained parchment with fierce black and white illustrations of each creature.
Usability: A legible, navigable, traditional layout.
Noblesse Tyrannise
Concept: “The corroding nobility hide away from the coming end... quieting the fear in their hearts with extravagant opulence. And who is left to deal with it?”
Content: Seven settings of gross decadence, fifteen self-indulgent monsters, and one seditious serving-scvm.
Writing: A functional mechanization of the worst sort of rumors about nobility.
Art/design: Elegantly stylized and lightly accented text.
Usability: Immaculately organized.
Content: Seven settings of gross decadence, fifteen self-indulgent monsters, and one seditious serving-scvm.
Writing: A functional mechanization of the worst sort of rumors about nobility.
Art/design: Elegantly stylized and lightly accented text.
Usability: Immaculately organized.
Nobunaga's Black Castle - Rules
9 contributors
Concept: “「信長の黒い城」は、織田信長が本能寺で死なず、本当の第六天魔王になった闇の戦国時代を舞台にした、戦国ドゥーム・メタル・ファンタジーTRPGである。(‘Nobunaga's Black Castle’ is a Sengoku doom metal fantasy TRPG set in the dark Warring States period when Nobunaga Oda did not die in Honnoji and became the true Demon King of the Sixth Heaven.)”
Content: Mörk Borg set in an alternate doomed Warring States period. With rules, classes, monsters, and three scenarios.
Writing: Congruent elements establish a cursed alternative history.
Art/design: A bold and bloody tapestry.
Usability: Strong visual style and a comprehensive index make a suitable reference. GM screen available.
Content: Mörk Borg set in an alternate doomed Warring States period. With rules, classes, monsters, and three scenarios.
Writing: Congruent elements establish a cursed alternative history.
Art/design: A bold and bloody tapestry.
Usability: Strong visual style and a comprehensive index make a suitable reference. GM screen available.
Noosebound Colubrine
“Their scales like rope, their tails like a hangman’s noose”
Now That’s What I Call Mörk Borg
Concept: “Inspired by the 1983 U.K. release Now That's What I Call Music or Now 1.”
Content: A card set that expands core Mörk Borg components (bad habits, scrolls, hirelings, etc.) … but based on pop music
Writing: Appropriately concise (since it has to fit on a card alongside the art) but still characterful
Art/design: Predominantly yellow and pink on black in a unique adaptation of Nohr’s style
Usability: Project is incomplete
Content: A card set that expands core Mörk Borg components (bad habits, scrolls, hirelings, etc.) … but based on pop music
Writing: Appropriately concise (since it has to fit on a card alongside the art) but still characterful
Art/design: Predominantly yellow and pink on black in a unique adaptation of Nohr’s style
Usability: Project is incomplete
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