Monsters/NPCs
Street Spider
Concept: “Fat swollen spider the size of a dog.”
Content: A fat swollen spider the size of a dog. Also poisonous.
Writing: Provides a paragraph-long scenario/hooks with stat block and infection conditions
Art/design: Psychedelic tarantula invasion
Usability: Unusual stat arrangement but not obstructive
Stretch Gnolls
Concept: “They take a fairly familiar creature and add a bit of Junji Ito flair.”
Content: Stretch gnolls. See how they grow!
Writing: Satirically understated.
Art/design: Yellow and black Stretch gnolls at rest. Decidedly san serif font.
Usability: Ensure your scvm will never sleep soundly again.
Content: Stretch gnolls. See how they grow!
Writing: Satirically understated.
Art/design: Yellow and black Stretch gnolls at rest. Decidedly san serif font.
Usability: Ensure your scvm will never sleep soundly again.
Survival
Concept: “Entries to the maze can be found in several houses of the village and of course in the cemetery.”
Content: A village hideaway, and its buried occupants.
Writing: Implies as much as it says about the sad history of this place.
Art/design: A tunnel entrance buried under the boxed text.
Usability: Stats for villagers when needed.
Content: A village hideaway, and its buried occupants.
Writing: Implies as much as it says about the sad history of this place.
Art/design: A tunnel entrance buried under the boxed text.
Usability: Stats for villagers when needed.
Svensk Köck
Concept: “The Svensk Köck is a murderous creature known to haunt the vilest kitchens of Graven-Tosk.”
Content: A Borgified parody of the Swedish Chef
Writing: Standard stat block with a paragraph detailing this … thing … and its specialty dish, The Black Feast
Art/design: Visually conveys Mörk Borg’s mix of humor and grimdark
Usability: Straightforward for GMs, potentially lethal for hungry PCs
SVMP
7 contributors
Concept: “These wetlands of acidic sludge and SVMPs of sickening secretion will, no doubt, fester upon your mortal coil - even your soul will not go untainted.”
Content: A wetlands setting complete with monsters, gods, scvm, and treasure.
Writing: As dark and rotten as DEADSKIN. With black humor creeping into its horror.
Art/design: A variety of filthy illustrations, in both style and substance. Bold headings contrast generally restrained body text. Adds neon green to the palette.
Usability: Table of contents, categorized index, and navigable spreads. With an emphasis on clarity in the scenario and classes section.
Content: A wetlands setting complete with monsters, gods, scvm, and treasure.
Writing: As dark and rotten as DEADSKIN. With black humor creeping into its horror.
Art/design: A variety of filthy illustrations, in both style and substance. Bold headings contrast generally restrained body text. Adds neon green to the palette.
Usability: Table of contents, categorized index, and navigable spreads. With an emphasis on clarity in the scenario and classes section.
Swamp Wizard
Concept: “Exiled men turned to the mires. They found rotten powers there, eternally binding them to the heart of the bog.”
Content: An unforgiving and implacable wetland magic user
Writing: Mostly devoted to its absolutely brutal special abilities
Art/design: Scratchy lines in various greys create an appropriate horror-in-the-woods atmosphere; text and images create horizonal balance in a very vertical layout
Usability: PCs should have their wills in order before facing even one of these
Content: An unforgiving and implacable wetland magic user
Writing: Mostly devoted to its absolutely brutal special abilities
Art/design: Scratchy lines in various greys create an appropriate horror-in-the-woods atmosphere; text and images create horizonal balance in a very vertical layout
Usability: PCs should have their wills in order before facing even one of these
Südglan Leadmaster
Concept: “When Südglans sank, the world lost a marvelous artifice for handling water and waste, known only as the guarded art of the Leadmasters.”
Content: A feature-laden class inspired by a certain 1993 work of cinematic art; also includes monsters inspired by a certain 1983 piece of videogame history
Writing: Presents a useful class while still keeping its inspiration visible
Art/design: Incorporates iconic graphic elements to emphasize its source material
Usability: “This is an unfinished class, but it is a playable one.”
Content: A feature-laden class inspired by a certain 1993 work of cinematic art; also includes monsters inspired by a certain 1983 piece of videogame history
Writing: Presents a useful class while still keeping its inspiration visible
Art/design: Incorporates iconic graphic elements to emphasize its source material
Usability: “This is an unfinished class, but it is a playable one.”
Südglans
Concept: “The southern empire of Südglans sank into the sea, but that was not the final chapter for its capital.”
Content: An aquatic point crawl across a disturbingly inhabited sunken city.
Writing: Stylistic, clear, and evocative. Provides a strong framework for running each location.
Art/design: Distressed black and white. Strong and consistent hierarchy. Two column structure.
Usability: Easily Printable. Consistent cues for sensory descriptions, mechanics and stats.
Content: An aquatic point crawl across a disturbingly inhabited sunken city.
Writing: Stylistic, clear, and evocative. Provides a strong framework for running each location.
Art/design: Distressed black and white. Strong and consistent hierarchy. Two column structure.
Usability: Easily Printable. Consistent cues for sensory descriptions, mechanics and stats.
T.H.I.N.G.
Concept: “Who needs misery when you have charm, decorum and an opposable thumb?”
Content: “A HANDsome gentleman”
Writing: Noble yet tragically doomed digits, finger-snapping farce.
Art/design: Strong color, established hierarchy, a disembodied hand.
Usability: Clean layout and strong contrast aid the legibility of smaller text.
Content: “A HANDsome gentleman”
Writing: Noble yet tragically doomed digits, finger-snapping farce.
Art/design: Strong color, established hierarchy, a disembodied hand.
Usability: Clean layout and strong contrast aid the legibility of smaller text.
Taldus' Tavern
Concept: “As Foretold, Here Ye Finds All Content Related to Mork Borg”
Content: A webpage of collected Classes, Monsters, and Gear for Mörk Borg.
Writing: Suggestive dark fantasy incorporating a horror element. Descriptive classes, and concise monsters and gear.
Art/design: A heavily shaded comic style, with a splattered monochrome palette in each entry. A cohesive visual style amongst entries.
Usability: An organized and hyperlinked webpage provides smooth navigation. Images optimized for digital viewing.
Content: A webpage of collected Classes, Monsters, and Gear for Mörk Borg.
Writing: Suggestive dark fantasy incorporating a horror element. Descriptive classes, and concise monsters and gear.
Art/design: A heavily shaded comic style, with a splattered monochrome palette in each entry. A cohesive visual style amongst entries.
Usability: An organized and hyperlinked webpage provides smooth navigation. Images optimized for digital viewing.
Tales and Poetry of Sarkash
Concept: “The forests of Sarkash are nourished by the dead and feed upon the weak. The inhabitants of this land used 'folksy' tales and poems for centuries to teach each other how to survive this brutal land.”
Content: Rules to get lost by, monsters to be caught by, and places to be haunted by. With diseases, flora, fauna, artifacts, tables, fables, and poety to distract you from the darkness.
Writing: Folktales, poetry, and marginalia shed light on the dark canopy of Sarkash.
Art/design: Muted warm palette to hide from the illustrated terrors it contains inside.
Usability: A organized and legible guidebook for any who wander Sarkash.
Content: Rules to get lost by, monsters to be caught by, and places to be haunted by. With diseases, flora, fauna, artifacts, tables, fables, and poety to distract you from the darkness.
Writing: Folktales, poetry, and marginalia shed light on the dark canopy of Sarkash.
Art/design: Muted warm palette to hide from the illustrated terrors it contains inside.
Usability: A organized and legible guidebook for any who wander Sarkash.
Tantrabobus of the Southern Wells
Concept: “These creatures take up residence in wells throughout the dying land.”
Content: Includes stats, random well generator, real-world lore, and tactics for fighting one
Writing: Delivers the necessary information but stays scant to spotlight the art
Art/design: Features plenty of visceral, gritty depictions
Usability: Content is spread cross several pages but well organized for easy use
Content: Includes stats, random well generator, real-world lore, and tactics for fighting one
Writing: Delivers the necessary information but stays scant to spotlight the art
Art/design: Features plenty of visceral, gritty depictions
Usability: Content is spread cross several pages but well organized for easy use
Tar Spirit
Concept: “Tar Spirits seem to find dark amusement in the futile efforts of those they ensnare”
Content: A rather persistent dance partner.
Writing: That delicate balance of whimsy and clinging horror familiar to Sarkash natives.
Art/design: Adorable little lumps, a happily dancing marionette, and a menacing pink flame.
Usability: Quick to reference, fulfilling to read.
Content: A rather persistent dance partner.
Writing: That delicate balance of whimsy and clinging horror familiar to Sarkash natives.
Art/design: Adorable little lumps, a happily dancing marionette, and a menacing pink flame.
Usability: Quick to reference, fulfilling to read.
Tar'Pir
Concept: “The tar greets you warmly”
Content: A Tar’Pir merchant. With boons to give.
Writing: A delightful mixture of childlike whimsy and terror. A naive horror.
Art/design: Delightfully drippy. Delicious contrast between light and dark.
Usability: Available at any tar pit near you, both illustrated and plaintext.
Content: A Tar’Pir merchant. With boons to give.
Writing: A delightful mixture of childlike whimsy and terror. A naive horror.
Art/design: Delightfully drippy. Delicious contrast between light and dark.
Usability: Available at any tar pit near you, both illustrated and plaintext.
Targ-Dungel Bogmonster
Concept: A collaborative monster-creation effort
Content: An undead, slimy, scythe-limbed swamp dweller
Writing: Mostly mechanical but still conveys character
Art/design: Exactly what you want your death-metal swamp monster to look like
Usability: In Twitter format
Content: An undead, slimy, scythe-limbed swamp dweller
Writing: Mostly mechanical but still conveys character
Art/design: Exactly what you want your death-metal swamp monster to look like
Usability: In Twitter format
Tellurian Entity Druj
Concept: “The result of aeons of unrotting, Druj, the defaced god of the crust. Do your sacrifices and be blessed. But be diligent on your devotion, or it will consume you.”
Content: A parasitic glob that imparts special abilities in exchange for fresh meat
Writing: Lore, rules for gaining and maintaining the glob, and a d8 table of imparted abilities
Art/design: Trippy, psychedelic colors and patterns with easily readable blocks of text
Usability: Not water soluble
Content: A parasitic glob that imparts special abilities in exchange for fresh meat
Writing: Lore, rules for gaining and maintaining the glob, and a d8 table of imparted abilities
Art/design: Trippy, psychedelic colors and patterns with easily readable blocks of text
Usability: Not water soluble
Temple of the Kraken God
Concept: “‘Steer a ship into the unknown, carry our hopes to alien shores, and restore our destiny.’”
Content: An adventure filled with maritime weirdness and cosmic horror; includes a corruption rule
Writing: Sharp and esoteric in descriptive text but clear and efficient when addressing mechanics
Art/design: A variety of layouts and visual styles ranging from brooding to vibrant
Usability: Isolated island setting makes this a good option for anyone seeking a survival-horror adventure
Content: An adventure filled with maritime weirdness and cosmic horror; includes a corruption rule
Writing: Sharp and esoteric in descriptive text but clear and efficient when addressing mechanics
Art/design: A variety of layouts and visual styles ranging from brooding to vibrant
Usability: Isolated island setting makes this a good option for anyone seeking a survival-horror adventure
Temporal Stalker
Concept: “Doodle to kill time”
Content: A demon, it wants to kill time.
Writing: I wouldn’t kiss my mother with that mouth.
Art/design: Expectedly toothy. Surprisingly horny.
Usability: Ready to silently manifest at your table.
Content: A demon, it wants to kill time.
Writing: I wouldn’t kiss my mother with that mouth.
Art/design: Expectedly toothy. Surprisingly horny.
Usability: Ready to silently manifest at your table.
Tenacious Helmets
Concept: “A monster based on unfinished business, misplaced trust and faulty armour”
Content: A trap/monster/item targeting unwary and acquisitive adventurers
Writing: Includes background, behavior, effects, and a stat block (of course)
Art/design: The illustrations will make you want one despite the adverse effects
Usability: Multivalent but ergonomic in any capacity
Content: A trap/monster/item targeting unwary and acquisitive adventurers
Writing: Includes background, behavior, effects, and a stat block (of course)
Art/design: The illustrations will make you want one despite the adverse effects
Usability: Multivalent but ergonomic in any capacity
Tergol
Concept: “One of the deepest and darkest mysteries in MÖRK BORG, the identity of Tergol.”
Content: An overview of the character and ways to depict and incorporate “him” into your game; no mechanical content
Writing: Embraces the characters amorphousness and offers lots of suggestions without definitively pinning down identity, agenda, or other character traits
Art/design: Designed for easy reading; color and art choices provide a distinctly Mörky flavor
Usability: More of a pre-session resource rather than something to be used at the table
Content: An overview of the character and ways to depict and incorporate “him” into your game; no mechanical content
Writing: Embraces the characters amorphousness and offers lots of suggestions without definitively pinning down identity, agenda, or other character traits
Art/design: Designed for easy reading; color and art choices provide a distinctly Mörky flavor
Usability: More of a pre-session resource rather than something to be used at the table
The Abominable Bone Pit of Alteraxx
Concept: “The Abominable Bone Pit … appears throughout the lands seemingly at random but with singular purpose – to swell the ever-growing pile of material needed to fuel its unending tide of cursed creations.”
Content: A monster generator with tables for legs, heads, powers, attacks, and tactics
Writing: Adds style and personality to the mechanics
Art/design: Appropriately frames the text against a trippy red-and-black ground
Usability: Uses an assortment of dice, which you probably already have
Content: A monster generator with tables for legs, heads, powers, attacks, and tactics
Writing: Adds style and personality to the mechanics
Art/design: Appropriately frames the text against a trippy red-and-black ground
Usability: Uses an assortment of dice, which you probably already have
The Antechoir's Anchorites
Concept: “The Anchorites are heretic beings who live in a mythic dimension... Their unholy goal is to find the meaning and boundaries of pleasure and pain.”
Content: Four iconic explorers of the boundaries of pleasure and pain.
Writing: Mechanics tempt your scvm into risky propositions in search of assistance or new experiences.
Art/design: Four sensuous depictions of the Anchorites with ample—blocks of text.
Usability: Not excessively torturous.
Content: Four iconic explorers of the boundaries of pleasure and pain.
Writing: Mechanics tempt your scvm into risky propositions in search of assistance or new experiences.
Art/design: Four sensuous depictions of the Anchorites with ample—blocks of text.
Usability: Not excessively torturous.
The Ash Peddler
Concept: “A harbinger of fire & purveyor of potions”
Content: An ostensibly benign NPC peddling 8 fire-themed concoctions
Writing: Brimming with conflagratory character
Art/design: An intuitive layout with Mörk Borg colors and typographical flourishes
Usability: Some more elaborate rules but nothing particularly cumbersome
Content: An ostensibly benign NPC peddling 8 fire-themed concoctions
Writing: Brimming with conflagratory character
Art/design: An intuitive layout with Mörk Borg colors and typographical flourishes
Usability: Some more elaborate rules but nothing particularly cumbersome
The Beast of Bremen
Concept: “A tangled mass of darkness and flesh—a cock on a cat on a cur on an ass—united by stitches and witches.”
Content: A strange, tenebrous monster based on a 12th-century German folktale
Writing: Descriptive text is playful and clever; mechanics are clear and concise
Art/design: Silhouette illustrates the concept while contrasting nicely with pink and yellow
Usability: Requires a few rolls each turn—but what GM doesn’t love playing with dice?
Content: A strange, tenebrous monster based on a 12th-century German folktale
Writing: Descriptive text is playful and clever; mechanics are clear and concise
Art/design: Silhouette illustrates the concept while contrasting nicely with pink and yellow
Usability: Requires a few rolls each turn—but what GM doesn’t love playing with dice?
The Benevolent Ignoramus
Concept: “A titan decided to steal a powerful artifact to try and save the Dying World. Sadly for the Dying World this titan was not particularly bright or agile.”
Content: An ironic take on the mythic fire-bearing savior archetype; also includes stats for ancillary antagonists
Writing: Well written and filled to the brim with dry wit
Art/design: Intended for easy reading with color to add visual emphasis and focus
Usability: Designed for a longer-running plot arc rather than a one-shot encounter
Content: An ironic take on the mythic fire-bearing savior archetype; also includes stats for ancillary antagonists
Writing: Well written and filled to the brim with dry wit
Art/design: Intended for easy reading with color to add visual emphasis and focus
Usability: Designed for a longer-running plot arc rather than a one-shot encounter
The Birdmen of Mount King
Concept: “Their king obsessed with making his mountains touch the very skies, he invented a new species of creature, obsessed with construction and architecture.”
Content: A race of labyrinth-building bird-people
Writing: Includes a description of their history and purpose alongside stats
Art/design: Appropriately creepy depictions of the subject and their lair
Usability: Easy to use, and its monster-summoning Special makes for difficult, escalating encounters
Content: A race of labyrinth-building bird-people
Writing: Includes a description of their history and purpose alongside stats
Art/design: Appropriately creepy depictions of the subject and their lair
Usability: Easy to use, and its monster-summoning Special makes for difficult, escalating encounters
The Bishop
Concept: “Devotee of Yesu an de facto leader of the other inquisitors on the island.” For use with The Island of the Dying Gods in 30 Days of MÖRK BORG
Content: A crazed sectarian zealot of an NPC
Writing: A good balance of exposition and in-game mechanics
Art/design: Color and subject evoke an appropriately decaying, apocalyptic tone
Usability: Unkillable jerkface with a big hat
Content: A crazed sectarian zealot of an NPC
Writing: A good balance of exposition and in-game mechanics
Art/design: Color and subject evoke an appropriately decaying, apocalyptic tone
Usability: Unkillable jerkface with a big hat
The Black Volga
Concept: “MÖRK BORGified Polish urban legend about the fearsome vehicle driven by former regime’s secret service, satanists or the Satan himself”
Content: An ominous vehicle and a malicious occupant
Writing: Folds the mechanics into the lore
Art/design: More traditional text blocks superimposed over background images
Usability: GMs will benefit from taking a few minutes to familiarize themselves with this before using it at the table
Content: An ominous vehicle and a malicious occupant
Writing: Folds the mechanics into the lore
Art/design: More traditional text blocks superimposed over background images
Usability: GMs will benefit from taking a few minutes to familiarize themselves with this before using it at the table
The Bleeding Knight
Concept: “The Bleeding Knight has lost his eyes to a cruel sword stroke in battle. He seeks replacements …”
Content: A heavily armed and armored opponent (but at least he doesn’t have a zweihänder)
Writing: Simple stat block with a dash of flavor
Art/design: Hits the high points of knighthood without being overwhelming
Usability: A simple way to give your players a big combat challenge
The Blobulous Ooze (that came from the stars)
Concept:
“Fire paints the dark sky with a thin line.
A star just fell.
Something crawls out of it.
Ravenous.
Pertinacious.
Pink.”
Content: A blob.
Writing: Chewy enough to switch from hilarious to horrifying in an instant.
Art/design: Human pulping. Hand drawn in chalk. Text in inviting shades of pink.
Usability: Growth is measured in dice categories.
Content: A blob.
Writing: Chewy enough to switch from hilarious to horrifying in an instant.
Art/design: Human pulping. Hand drawn in chalk. Text in inviting shades of pink.
Usability: Growth is measured in dice categories.
The Boneless Hag
Concept: “When the horrid hag of the wood has no bones to pick with, do you need to run? YES. YES YOU DO.”
Content: A pair of monsters and a clever mechanic for buying and banking rolls
Writing: A concise hook with mechanics that are expressive as they are functional
Art/design: “Art+Layout done by Pablo Dapena- without which this piece wouldn’t be nearly as metal.”
Usability: Well organized; some elaborate Specials, but perfectly manageable
The Book of Sanguine Onomancy
Concept: “true-naming blood magic!”
Content: The history of true-naming and blood magic. With a class, magic system, additional rituals, relics, a follower, and npc onomancers.
Writing: A secret history of the art of true naming and a complete collection of the bloody rituals for power-hungry onomancers.
Art/design: An expanded collection of darkly crimson prints, illustrations, carvings, and bloodstains.
Usability: Designed for use by both scvm and game master.
Content: The history of true-naming and blood magic. With a class, magic system, additional rituals, relics, a follower, and npc onomancers.
Writing: A secret history of the art of true naming and a complete collection of the bloody rituals for power-hungry onomancers.
Art/design: An expanded collection of darkly crimson prints, illustrations, carvings, and bloodstains.
Usability: Designed for use by both scvm and game master.
The Bridges of Múr and the Endless Sea Reference Cards
Concept: “an optional supplement to The Bridges of Múr and the Endless Sea Campaign book.”
Content: 128 tarot sized campaign reference cards. Giant monster minigame rules.
Writing: Full of engaging extras including quotes and humorous traits or uses.
Art/design: High contrast illustration focus a stylish and clear card layout.
Usability: Consistent layout aids in easy reference. Print and play construction instructions included.
Content: 128 tarot sized campaign reference cards. Giant monster minigame rules.
Writing: Full of engaging extras including quotes and humorous traits or uses.
Art/design: High contrast illustration focus a stylish and clear card layout.
Usability: Consistent layout aids in easy reference. Print and play construction instructions included.
The Bunnyman
Concept: “Have you fvckers got my eggs?”
Content: A crazed, skin-suit wearing axe murderer
Writing: All mechanics, with a table of curses for whoever kills hem
Art/design: Putrid, visceral graphics in line with the concept
Usability: Escalating attack damage will require a bit more attention from GMs; small script may be challenging to read in print
Content: A crazed, skin-suit wearing axe murderer
Writing: All mechanics, with a table of curses for whoever kills hem
Art/design: Putrid, visceral graphics in line with the concept
Usability: Escalating attack damage will require a bit more attention from GMs; small script may be challenging to read in print
The Burning King
Concept: “Viciously sizzling with primal rage, clad in curdled blood.”
Content: A bestial adversary with savage, apocalyptic flavor
Writing: Establishes the character but leaves room for GM interpretation and tweaking
Art/design: Layout balances text with image while creating a sense of dynamism; color draws attention to jaws and claws, emphasizing the monster’s lethality
Usability: High stats and immunity to magic make this a challenge even for hardened scvm
Content: A bestial adversary with savage, apocalyptic flavor
Writing: Establishes the character but leaves room for GM interpretation and tweaking
Art/design: Layout balances text with image while creating a sense of dynamism; color draws attention to jaws and claws, emphasizing the monster’s lethality
Usability: High stats and immunity to magic make this a challenge even for hardened scvm
The Butcher of Wästland
Concept: “Death is coming, the darkness that will swallow the dawn.”
Content: A spiked meteor hammer to the face
Writing: Descriptive text establishes the tone, and the special ability description provides a concrete image of combat
Art/design: Illustration is gritty and impressionistic but very expressive within a fairly limited palette
Usability: High HP, medium armor, and the potential to do lots of damage make this a challenging opponent
Content: A spiked meteor hammer to the face
Writing: Descriptive text establishes the tone, and the special ability description provides a concrete image of combat
Art/design: Illustration is gritty and impressionistic but very expressive within a fairly limited palette
Usability: High HP, medium armor, and the potential to do lots of damage make this a challenging opponent
The Choir of the Dead Gods
Concept: “The eyes were burned out. The ears and nose were cut off. Hands bound for eternal prayer. But singing, yes, they can still sing. Can you hear it?”
Content: The Galgenbeck Boys Choir performs the New Mörk Borg Hymnal
Writing: Mostly stats and Special with some flavor text
Art/design: Original art with an on-brand design
Usability: A particularly malicious earworm
Content: The Galgenbeck Boys Choir performs the New Mörk Borg Hymnal
Writing: Mostly stats and Special with some flavor text
Art/design: Original art with an on-brand design
Usability: A particularly malicious earworm
The Church of the Blob
Concept: “A Horrible scenario in witch you are force by slimes to either give one of your limbs or become a slime yourself!”
Content: The father of all slime patches upon the endless sea.
Writing: Full of substance, especially when that substance is body horror, or slime.
Art/design: An array of slimy little stinkers that look adorable until you remember they took your right arm.
Usability: When you need to mix up your party (into a fine slurry)
Content: The father of all slime patches upon the endless sea.
Writing: Full of substance, especially when that substance is body horror, or slime.
Art/design: An array of slimy little stinkers that look adorable until you remember they took your right arm.
Usability: When you need to mix up your party (into a fine slurry)
The Cockatrice Breeding Room
Concept: “A dungeon room full of deadly chicken”
Content: A small adventure site with 7 unique cockatrices
Writing: Quick, clear descriptions punctuated by wry humor
Art/design: A bounty of cockatrices. Seriously, they’re everywhere
Usability: Intended as a single room in the Miserable Dungeon, but can be used as a stand-alone locale
Content: A small adventure site with 7 unique cockatrices
Writing: Quick, clear descriptions punctuated by wry humor
Art/design: A bounty of cockatrices. Seriously, they’re everywhere
Usability: Intended as a single room in the Miserable Dungeon, but can be used as a stand-alone locale
The Creature From Blackwater Lake
Concept: “The ritual called forth a violent, monstrous hunter... The monster stalks the caverns, leaving only to drag more victims below the water, to sate its ravenous appetite for drowned flesh.”
Content: A lakeside village creature feature.
Writing: History and plot that easily be engaged or bypassed based on player interests and needs.
Art/design: Cover illustration and dungeon map lend imagination to a clean plain text document format.
Usability: Easy to search or reference pdf text.
Content: A lakeside village creature feature.
Writing: History and plot that easily be engaged or bypassed based on player interests and needs.
Art/design: Cover illustration and dungeon map lend imagination to a clean plain text document format.
Usability: Easy to search or reference pdf text.
The Deep
Concept: “They are numerous, they are hungry, and they want to take back their rightful kingdom.”
Content: A marine monster that’s also lethal on dry land
Writing: Straightforward stat block and a description that leaves room for GM interpretation
Art/design: Efficient text layout and some colorful, psychedelic art that works well with the text
Usability: Includes a French-language version
Content: A marine monster that’s also lethal on dry land
Writing: Straightforward stat block and a description that leaves room for GM interpretation
Art/design: Efficient text layout and some colorful, psychedelic art that works well with the text
Usability: Includes a French-language version
The Deluge
Concept: “No longer is the sea just an impassive viewer of the Dying World's slow demise; it is coming up to hasten the end.”
Content: A flood of aquatic content.
Writing: A collection of flotsam and jetsam. Sometimes humorous, often abysmal.
Art/design: A minimalist layout with woodblock prints alongside modern renditions of fish-folk.
Usability: Fluid but with the occasional bit of detritus. Available in storm-tossed gray or eye-numbing yellow.
Content: A flood of aquatic content.
Writing: A collection of flotsam and jetsam. Sometimes humorous, often abysmal.
Art/design: A minimalist layout with woodblock prints alongside modern renditions of fish-folk.
Usability: Fluid but with the occasional bit of detritus. Available in storm-tossed gray or eye-numbing yellow.
The Desperate Farmhand (and Other Rural Jolities)
Concept: “Brings some roughly farm-related things to your bleak adventures in the Dying World”
Content: A class, 6 monsters, an almost-monster, and new hirelings
Writing: Clear and with a predominantly humorous
Art/design: Text is arranged and styled for readability against the illustrations
Usability: All good choices for breaking the tension of a dying world
Content: A class, 6 monsters, an almost-monster, and new hirelings
Writing: Clear and with a predominantly humorous
Art/design: Text is arranged and styled for readability against the illustrations
Usability: All good choices for breaking the tension of a dying world
The Devil-Bargained Canoe
Concept: “A party cruise gone awry.”
Content: A literal boatload of cursed souls pursued by infernal spirits; the canoe itself is pretty nifty
Writing: Furnishes background and a setup to lure PCs into a chase/fight
Art/design: Colors create a haunted, supernatural feel; text conveniently splits backstory from in-game concerns
Usability: GM may have to use some subterfuge, but otherwise pretty straightforward
Content: A literal boatload of cursed souls pursued by infernal spirits; the canoe itself is pretty nifty
Writing: Furnishes background and a setup to lure PCs into a chase/fight
Art/design: Colors create a haunted, supernatural feel; text conveniently splits backstory from in-game concerns
Usability: GM may have to use some subterfuge, but otherwise pretty straightforward
The Dragon Ships
Concept: “From the barren wastelands to the towers of Grift, all have come to quake at the sight of the Dragon Ships.”
Content: Melodramatic dragon ship marauders, a raid scenario generator, and a fury-filled class.
Writing: Presented with gonzo enthusiasm and punctuated brutality.
Art/design: Runes, round shields, and longships invade blocks of organized (and occasionally highlighted) plaintext.
Usability: Legible, organized, and accessible.
Content: Melodramatic dragon ship marauders, a raid scenario generator, and a fury-filled class.
Writing: Presented with gonzo enthusiasm and punctuated brutality.
Art/design: Runes, round shields, and longships invade blocks of organized (and occasionally highlighted) plaintext.
Usability: Legible, organized, and accessible.
The Dyer Lich
Concept: “One hand frozen to the rock face, the other raised in defiance of her own death, Moll Dyer was blessed by Nechrubel with the undying spark of anti-life.”
Content: A persecuted witch bent on vengeance
Writing: Includes a prose-poetic description in addition to stats for lich and her rock
Art/design: Layout creates a strong visual flow, and the colors reinforce the integral sensatiosn of heat and cold
Usability: Not only very useable but also very compelling
Content: A persecuted witch bent on vengeance
Writing: Includes a prose-poetic description in addition to stats for lich and her rock
Art/design: Layout creates a strong visual flow, and the colors reinforce the integral sensatiosn of heat and cold
Usability: Not only very useable but also very compelling
The Endless Demon Deck
Concept: “The demons of The Vile Court are escaping the black oubliette in which they have been forgotten. In the process they are chewed, mangled, and remade.”
Content: 36 tarot-size cards containing monster heads, trunks, and legs
Writing: Each card contains stats and abilities (and the occasional pet)
Art/design: Monster components are diverse but coherent when aligned; mostly greyscale figures against vivid yellow grounds with occasional highlights or shocks of color
Usability: Requires additional resources in The Masticator Gate for full functionality
Content: 36 tarot-size cards containing monster heads, trunks, and legs
Writing: Each card contains stats and abilities (and the occasional pet)
Art/design: Monster components are diverse but coherent when aligned; mostly greyscale figures against vivid yellow grounds with occasional highlights or shocks of color
Usability: Requires additional resources in The Masticator Gate for full functionality
The Enigmatic Oracle
Concept: “‘The Enigmatic Oracle lurks, shrouded in darkness. Its vile whispers beckon those desperate enough to seek its guidance, offering twisted quests in exchange for cursed power.’”
Content: A series of d6 tasks, in return, a damned relic.
Writing: A dangerously powerful artifact, framed by a dark oracle, and the cursed acts one must perform to obtain it.
Art/design: Crisp black illustrations with wispy pink highlights.
Usability: A striking and clear one-page encounter.
Content: A series of d6 tasks, in return, a damned relic.
Writing: A dangerously powerful artifact, framed by a dark oracle, and the cursed acts one must perform to obtain it.
Art/design: Crisp black illustrations with wispy pink highlights.
Usability: A striking and clear one-page encounter.
The Ever-Burning Prophet
Concept: “Their zeal for SHE is matched only by the raging inferno which engulfs them.”
Content: An unusual enemy with no attacks, but dangerous in combat nonetheless
Writing: Largely devoted to description and lore
Art/design: A relatively conservative layout with Borgy colors and typographical choices
Usability: Includes a table of heretical ravings to add some verbal character to encounters
Content: An unusual enemy with no attacks, but dangerous in combat nonetheless
Writing: Largely devoted to description and lore
Art/design: A relatively conservative layout with Borgy colors and typographical choices
Usability: Includes a table of heretical ravings to add some verbal character to encounters
The Eye Mages
Concept: “The mages glance to a paradise that was never made for the mortals of this world, so they have to adapt for it.”
Content: Lore and stats for eye mages and the bizarre wares they peddle
Writing: Overtones of alien and body horror
Art/design: Tons of twisted eyeball-based and beholder-inspired artwork
Usability: For PCs, potentially beneficial friends and potentially dangerous enemies
Content: Lore and stats for eye mages and the bizarre wares they peddle
Writing: Overtones of alien and body horror
Art/design: Tons of twisted eyeball-based and beholder-inspired artwork
Usability: For PCs, potentially beneficial friends and potentially dangerous enemies
The False Mother
Concept: “The False Mother will carry it’s clutch like a mother would carry her infant child”
Content: A different sort of mother.
Writing: Another horrifically unique spider life cycle.
Art/design: Well-organized table layout.
Usability: Brephophobia is the fear of infants. In case you need it.
Content: A different sort of mother.
Writing: Another horrifically unique spider life cycle.
Art/design: Well-organized table layout.
Usability: Brephophobia is the fear of infants. In case you need it.
The Fetus Thief
Concept: “A tiny, demure demon with a glowing green skeleton, it is fond of collecting the souls (and bodies) of the recently born.”
Content: A skeletal demon who uses fetuses as flails. (No, I’m not kidding.)
Writing: A stat block with a few paragraphs detailing lore
Art/design: Readable typefaces and colors that help the central figure stand out on the page
Usability: GM discretion advised
Content: A skeletal demon who uses fetuses as flails. (No, I’m not kidding.)
Writing: A stat block with a few paragraphs detailing lore
Art/design: Readable typefaces and colors that help the central figure stand out on the page
Usability: GM discretion advised
The Fire and the Horde
Concept: “Rules to grill a character and transform a monster into the horde.”
Content: Catching and extinguishing fire; creating collective stat blocks for groups of various sizes led by exceptional specimens
Writing: Concise delivery of mechanics in both cases
Art/design: Laid out and designed for easy reference and use with a background that supports both halves of the concept
Usability: Fire rules are simple to use in the moment; creating a horde is best done in prep rather than at the table
The Fireman
Concept: “As fires spread from the west,a figure is seen on the precipice of the flame. Nobody knows what he hides under his helmet.”
Content: A straightforward but challenging foe
Writing: Concise description and equally concise stat block
Art/design: Design efficiently splits layout into lore and mechanics for easy use
Usability: Straightforward and simple
Content: A straightforward but challenging foe
Writing: Concise description and equally concise stat block
Art/design: Design efficiently splits layout into lore and mechanics for easy use
Usability: Straightforward and simple
The Flaming Death
Concept: “Corruption burns in the hearts of men like black fire, even after death.”
Content: A fierce, flaming, heavily armed and armored skeleton
Writing: Primarily devoted to efficient delivery of stats and mechanics
Art/design: Text is laid out and stylized for easy readability and use; leverages pink, yellow, and black to an extremely Mörky effect
Usability: Challenging but probably not a TPK
The Flaming Mongols of Pyro Khan
Concept: “A cataclysmic event after the Misery 4:3.”
Content: Lore and stats for the riders along with options for campaigns and hex crawls
Writing: Menacingly apocalyptic tone with a solid rimshot
Art/design: Uses the rule of threes to good comedic effect
Usability: Includes a helpful map for reference
Content: Lore and stats for the riders along with options for campaigns and hex crawls
Writing: Menacingly apocalyptic tone with a solid rimshot
Art/design: Uses the rule of threes to good comedic effect
Usability: Includes a helpful map for reference
The Flesh Monger
Concept: “‘Our morbid collection offers an opportunity for those brave enough—or desperate enough—to modify their own fragile existence.’”
Content: " Replacement body parts. 3x NPCs. A list of items and tools. A ‘Chance of Infection’ table. A mini post-TPK rebirth.”
Writing: A glorious abomination. Made up of funny, morbid, and delightfully strange parts.
Art/design: Grotesquely detailed illustrations, a splattering of display text, and a richly textured trifold.
Usability: Inverted text avoids casual player spoilers. Print-friendly or violent bright cover editions are available.
Content: " Replacement body parts. 3x NPCs. A list of items and tools. A ‘Chance of Infection’ table. A mini post-TPK rebirth.”
Writing: A glorious abomination. Made up of funny, morbid, and delightfully strange parts.
Art/design: Grotesquely detailed illustrations, a splattering of display text, and a richly textured trifold.
Usability: Inverted text avoids casual player spoilers. Print-friendly or violent bright cover editions are available.
The Fälgander
Concept: “Lurking at the edge of your perception, a primal hatred made manifest.”
Content: Worse than your standard-issue goose, this one has a paralyzing stare
Writing: Truly expresses the sentient malice in the heart of every goose
Art/design: Portrait and cool colors emphasize the fowl-beast’s the soulless frigidity
Usability: Geese are jerks
Content: Worse than your standard-issue goose, this one has a paralyzing stare
Writing: Truly expresses the sentient malice in the heart of every goose
Art/design: Portrait and cool colors emphasize the fowl-beast’s the soulless frigidity
Usability: Geese are jerks
The Galgenbeck Lawyers
Concept: “A pen is mightier than the sword and they have both.”
Content: Young Johan, Old Man Pelle, and their scroll of brutally restrictive special abilities
Writing: Very readable and usable, but good luck—you’ll be laughing too hard
Art/design: Too many witty design choices to list, and I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprises anyway
Usability: Definitely game breaking and potentially self-negating
Content: Young Johan, Old Man Pelle, and their scroll of brutally restrictive special abilities
Writing: Very readable and usable, but good luck—you’ll be laughing too hard
Art/design: Too many witty design choices to list, and I wouldn’t want to spoil the surprises anyway
Usability: Definitely game breaking and potentially self-negating
The Golden Razor Syndicate
“Anonymous ‘assassins’ privileged to be of noble birth they wrongly believe their selfish arrogant founder is the one true king”
The Golem Priest of acid lake
Concept: “A monstrous golem to put in a dungeons or a cathedrals, very inspired by the dnd ability of acid regeneration”
Content: It’s a clay golem that’s regenerated by acid.
Writing: Straightforward stats; descriptive text provides lore, motive, and other details
Art/design: Pure black and white creates a sense of depth and darkness while showing off the details in the illustration
Usability: Acid bad—unless you’re a golem priest
Content: It’s a clay golem that’s regenerated by acid.
Writing: Straightforward stats; descriptive text provides lore, motive, and other details
Art/design: Pure black and white creates a sense of depth and darkness while showing off the details in the illustration
Usability: Acid bad—unless you’re a golem priest
The Green Knight
Concept: “The titular knight of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight in the dying world”
Content: A suitable grimdark adaptation that retains the legend’s dynamic and spirit
Writing: Concise and clear without sacrificing character
Art/design: Primarily textual with conventional typography; medieval graphics against a Borgy background on the cover is an appropriate visual representation of the concept
Usability: Straightforward and provides a compelling long-term, impending threat
Content: A suitable grimdark adaptation that retains the legend’s dynamic and spirit
Writing: Concise and clear without sacrificing character
Art/design: Primarily textual with conventional typography; medieval graphics against a Borgy background on the cover is an appropriate visual representation of the concept
Usability: Straightforward and provides a compelling long-term, impending threat
The Grisly Fare
Concept: “Exquisite Carnivorous Delights.”
Content: A butcher, some game, tools of the trade, and the product.
Writing: A believable meat market grift, made for the city of Grift.
Art/design: Exotic creatures in various stages of segmentation. Housed in a tri-fold butcher's shop.
Usability: Available in print-friendly or extra meaty yellow.
Content: A butcher, some game, tools of the trade, and the product.
Writing: A believable meat market grift, made for the city of Grift.
Art/design: Exotic creatures in various stages of segmentation. Housed in a tri-fold butcher's shop.
Usability: Available in print-friendly or extra meaty yellow.
The Guts Nun
Concept: “A pallid demonic spirit that wanders the Dying World in search of sinners who portray themselves as holy people in order to disembowel them. She likes to play with her food.”
Content: A pretty imposing sister of the cloth
Writing: Standard stat block with a paragraph on background and motivation
Art/design: A “rectified readymade” in the satirical tradition of Duchamp
Usability: You wouldn’t hit a nun, would you? Not when she paralyzes you every round.
Content: A pretty imposing sister of the cloth
Writing: Standard stat block with a paragraph on background and motivation
Art/design: A “rectified readymade” in the satirical tradition of Duchamp
Usability: You wouldn’t hit a nun, would you? Not when she paralyzes you every round.
The Handrantula
Concept: “A crawling goliath, its wild cousins stalk prey on their five digits.”
Content: A handsy follower featuring wriggling, undulating, and command grab.
Writing: Satire of a popular quest for the ancient bangle. Adds an innovative tactile element to its mechanics.
Art/design: Shocking pink prints overlayed with white text. Evokes the initial shock of a wild handrantula ambush.
Usability: Intense overlay encourages the eye to wander in surprise. Manual dexterity required to take full advantage of this follower.
Content: A handsy follower featuring wriggling, undulating, and command grab.
Writing: Satire of a popular quest for the ancient bangle. Adds an innovative tactile element to its mechanics.
Art/design: Shocking pink prints overlayed with white text. Evokes the initial shock of a wild handrantula ambush.
Usability: Intense overlay encourages the eye to wander in surprise. Manual dexterity required to take full advantage of this follower.
The Holocaust Baby
Concept: “Born in the center of the worst conflagrations in the West, its touch incinerates the righteous and the innocent.”
Content: What appears to be a sentient, enraged explosion
Writing: A quick sketch of lore and a standard stat block
Art/design: The collage definitely communicates the concept
Usability: Straightforward to use, and can provide a recurring enemy for bomb-inclined parties
Content: What appears to be a sentient, enraged explosion
Writing: A quick sketch of lore and a standard stat block
Art/design: The collage definitely communicates the concept
Usability: Straightforward to use, and can provide a recurring enemy for bomb-inclined parties
The Hull House Devil Baby
Concept: “You’ve heard that everyone abandoned the house except for the baby. Or was it because of the baby?”
Content: A floating, telekinetic devil baby replete with horns and hooves
Writing: Provides concrete mechanics but leaves the lore and details ambiguous
Art/design: Easy-to-navigate layout, colors add emphasis and facilitate quick reference, and damn if that isn’t one seriously evil devil-baby head
Usability: Lots of room for GMs to adapt situation to their needs
Content: A floating, telekinetic devil baby replete with horns and hooves
Writing: Provides concrete mechanics but leaves the lore and details ambiguous
Art/design: Easy-to-navigate layout, colors add emphasis and facilitate quick reference, and damn if that isn’t one seriously evil devil-baby head
Usability: Lots of room for GMs to adapt situation to their needs
The Ignited
Concept: “The Ignited are a secret society of nobles, clerics of secret knowledge and mad wizards who […] want to reach godhood by infusing their bodies with magical energy.”
Content: Profiles, means, motives, and magics of an apocalypse cult
Writing: Straightforward descriptions and mechanics
Art/design: Mörk Borg defies standard design conventions, and this defies Mörk Borg design conventions. Meta-punk.
Usability: Straightforward lists and descriptions
The Invisible Man
Concept: “he has been left invisible, alone, and insane.”
Content: An unusually obscure death threat.
Writing: A timeline of escalating events, beginning and ending with a punctual threat.
Art/design: A soft pale silhouette unobtrusively framed in gray text.
Usability: Gray text may hinder reading in certain lighting.
Content: An unusually obscure death threat.
Writing: A timeline of escalating events, beginning and ending with a punctual threat.
Art/design: A soft pale silhouette unobtrusively framed in gray text.
Usability: Gray text may hinder reading in certain lighting.
The King of Sweet Death
Concept: “Grizzly skeletons fluidly dance ballet while spinning their scythes and hacking away chunks of themselves.”
Content: A violent tornado of scythes and meat
Writing: Provides lore and a vivid description of the creature in action; special attack and defense rules are concise but clear
Art/design: Single column of text lets the figure and apocalyptic scenery dominate the page
Usability: Wildcard!
Content: A violent tornado of scythes and meat
Writing: Provides lore and a vivid description of the creature in action; special attack and defense rules are concise but clear
Art/design: Single column of text lets the figure and apocalyptic scenery dominate the page
Usability: Wildcard!
The King Under the Mountain
Concept: “A one way descent into facing the divine destruction that sleeps deep in the planet.”
Content: A massive subterranean monster that can kill PCs directly or indirectly after it is defeated
Writing: Conveys the sense of eldritch, ineffable horror that surrounds this being
Art/design: The semi-obscured subject of the illustration supports the concept’s nature, and use of color helps to add emphasis and visually organize information
Usability: GMs will need to track dead things encountered prior to the battle
Content: A massive subterranean monster that can kill PCs directly or indirectly after it is defeated
Writing: Conveys the sense of eldritch, ineffable horror that surrounds this being
Art/design: The semi-obscured subject of the illustration supports the concept’s nature, and use of color helps to add emphasis and visually organize information
Usability: GMs will need to track dead things encountered prior to the battle
The Living Flame
Concept: “Some incinerated by it see their skin, organs and bones fall away – all except for the skull.”
Content: Tables for generating ignis fatuus NPCs
Writing: No stats, but lore and tables for defining characters
Art/design: Intuitively laid out for easy use
Usability: Much more creatively oriented rather than formal
Content: Tables for generating ignis fatuus NPCs
Writing: No stats, but lore and tables for defining characters
Art/design: Intuitively laid out for easy use
Usability: Much more creatively oriented rather than formal
The Lost Endless Sea Sailors
Concept: “Hexed bounty hunters slowly turning amphibious”
Content: A trio of semi-aquatic abominations
Writing: Provides background, stats, and some particularly punishing special abilities
Art/design: Prominently features freaky, visceral portraits of each character
Usability: Implied to be pretty tasty
Content: A trio of semi-aquatic abominations
Writing: Provides background, stats, and some particularly punishing special abilities
Art/design: Prominently features freaky, visceral portraits of each character
Usability: Implied to be pretty tasty
The Mad Haberdasher
Concept: “He will excitedly attach himself to the group, providing spiritual guidance and herbal expertise as a pretence to spread his heretical, pacifistic gospel.”
Content: A supporting NPC who will probably do more harm than good in the long run
Writing: Tone and diction establish a character at odds with the off-kilter images associated with the haberdasher
Art/design: Jaunty hats contrast with the dead-eyed depiction of the haberdasher, visually emphasizing his cheery but deranged character
Usability: Mechanically straightforward and a fun way for GMs to mess with their parties
Content: A supporting NPC who will probably do more harm than good in the long run
Writing: Tone and diction establish a character at odds with the off-kilter images associated with the haberdasher
Art/design: Jaunty hats contrast with the dead-eyed depiction of the haberdasher, visually emphasizing his cheery but deranged character
Usability: Mechanically straightforward and a fun way for GMs to mess with their parties
The Magic Table, the Golden Donkey, and the Club in the Sack
Concept: “A loose sequel to ‘The Magic Table, the Golden Donkey, and the Club in the Sack’”
Content: A versatile encounter carrying potential benefit or detriment to PCs
Writing: Includes some poetic lore, stats, and table for random outcomes
Art/design: Appropriately Mörky art and layout
Usability: Easy to insert and deploy in an ongoing adventure or campaign
Content: A versatile encounter carrying potential benefit or detriment to PCs
Writing: Includes some poetic lore, stats, and table for random outcomes
Art/design: Appropriately Mörky art and layout
Usability: Easy to insert and deploy in an ongoing adventure or campaign
The Mangalok
Concept: “A close Filipino cousin to the penanggalan viscera-sucker of Indonesia”
Content: A covert vampiric monstrosity that goes heavy on the body horror
Writing: Provides fairly detailed descriptions of general, hunting, and combat behavior
Art/design: An efficient layout with some atmospheric images
Usability: Killing it will likely present a challenge to players unfamiliar with the folklore
Content: A covert vampiric monstrosity that goes heavy on the body horror
Writing: Provides fairly detailed descriptions of general, hunting, and combat behavior
Art/design: An efficient layout with some atmospheric images
Usability: Killing it will likely present a challenge to players unfamiliar with the folklore
The Master Puppeteer
Concept: “There are tales of a mad, giant skeleton... endlessly amused by their toy.”
Content: A corpse puppeteer.
Writing: A campfire tale of supernatural horror (humor?).
Art/design: Laughing bones and rotting meat in a field of pink forest.
Usability: Character description, sans rules.
Content: A corpse puppeteer.
Writing: A campfire tale of supernatural horror (humor?).
Art/design: Laughing bones and rotting meat in a field of pink forest.
Usability: Character description, sans rules.
The Masticator Gate
Concept: “The Vile Court were imprisoned in a black oubliette where they were forgotten. … Through the Masticator Gate, the survivors are now vomited back into the world from which they were banished. Remade and vengeful.”
Content: A three-part campaign, a new class for unlucky PCs, and a lot of monsters
Writing: Lots of description and discussion of the overall situation and locations; more specific locations’ text is broken down into quickly navigable paragraphs and points
Art/design: Tends toward an efficient 2-column layout but breaks from the norm to facilitate usability and accommodate the grim, gritty artwork
Usability: Designed for a fresh game with 0 Miseries; requires The Endless Demon Deck
Content: A three-part campaign, a new class for unlucky PCs, and a lot of monsters
Writing: Lots of description and discussion of the overall situation and locations; more specific locations’ text is broken down into quickly navigable paragraphs and points
Art/design: Tends toward an efficient 2-column layout but breaks from the norm to facilitate usability and accommodate the grim, gritty artwork
Usability: Designed for a fresh game with 0 Miseries; requires The Endless Demon Deck
The Merchant
Concept: “Eternally he wanders the dying world, bearing a grudge that too will never die.”
Content: An undead NPC hawking curios on the road to wherever
Writing: Provides background on the character and descriptions of his wares
Art/design: Expressive in a creepily sentimental sort of way
Usability: Items are arranged by geographic location for quick navigation
Content: An undead NPC hawking curios on the road to wherever
Writing: Provides background on the character and descriptions of his wares
Art/design: Expressive in a creepily sentimental sort of way
Usability: Items are arranged by geographic location for quick navigation
The Monster
Concept: “Stitched together from the corpses of the many Hope did not save, The Monster is shunned for existing.”
Content: An adaptation of Frankenstein’s monster
Writing: The Shelley quote elegantly adds depth and character that can’t be conveyed through stats and special abilities
Art/design: Text color contrasts well against its ground; the illustration reinforces the concept’s pathos
Usability: A mechanically and cognitively challenging antagonist
Content: An adaptation of Frankenstein’s monster
Writing: The Shelley quote elegantly adds depth and character that can’t be conveyed through stats and special abilities
Art/design: Text color contrasts well against its ground; the illustration reinforces the concept’s pathos
Usability: A mechanically and cognitively challenging antagonist
The monster approaches...
Concept: “AN UNENDING TIDE OF MONSTERS AND MISCREATIONS.”
Content: A digital adaptation of the monster generator from MBC: Feretory
Writing: Pelle’s gloriously weird sensibility in full effect
Art/design: Presented clearly and cleanly without sacrificing visual character; features a rather unpleasant egg
Usability: “Now, make a million monsters.”
Content: A digital adaptation of the monster generator from MBC: Feretory
Writing: Pelle’s gloriously weird sensibility in full effect
Art/design: Presented clearly and cleanly without sacrificing visual character; features a rather unpleasant egg
Usability: “Now, make a million monsters.”
The Mothman
Concept: “A nocturnal wanderer of the shattered world, a vile thing, seeking to snuff out any light that may be remaining.”
Content: A malicious take on the mothman of Point Pleasant
Writing: Clear stat block with concise bits of flavor text
Art/design: Layout & aesthetic capture the dynamic of moths flitting around a flame
Usability: The functional mechanics are split on the page and not well differentiated from the descriptive text, but it’s a small concession to the overall excellence of the visual design
Content: A malicious take on the mothman of Point Pleasant
Writing: Clear stat block with concise bits of flavor text
Art/design: Layout & aesthetic capture the dynamic of moths flitting around a flame
Usability: The functional mechanics are split on the page and not well differentiated from the descriptive text, but it’s a small concession to the overall excellence of the visual design
The Occult Ossuary
28 contributors
Owen McGauley
Johan Nohr
Djuun
Chalkdown
Rugose Kohn
Dom Cohen
Pablo Dapena
Michael Mars
Matthew Neff
Max Verbludenko
Brian Yaksha
Federico Pagliardini
machinic
Greyson Yandt
Kevin B.
Adam U.
Martin Gehrke
Bracken MacLeod
Jesse Davenport
The Eldritch Tomb
Maceo the Escher
James M.
Christopher Betancourt
Tupac Zuleta
Naomi Rådmark
Vagabundörk
I. McClung
Jared Barnes
Concept: “27 pieces exhumed from the depths of lavish graves, themed around skeletons, bones and skulls.”
Content: “Classes, items, companions, monsters and encounters created by sacrilegious mind.”
Writing: A variety of styles, all appropriate to their content
Art/design: Worth downloading just to check out the range of art and layouts
Usability: Complexity varies by entry but consistently easy to use
Content: “Classes, items, companions, monsters and encounters created by sacrilegious mind.”
Writing: A variety of styles, all appropriate to their content
Art/design: Worth downloading just to check out the range of art and layouts
Usability: Complexity varies by entry but consistently easy to use
The Ogre
Concept: “The fear made manifest of all the cruelty a man might do while society watches”
Content: A Mörk-Borgy take (with a fatal twist) on a classic monster
Writing: Poetic and very evocative
Art/design: Illustration nicely conveys a sense of heaviness and oppressiveness
Usability: GMs should take care to remember the consequences of PCs’ actions after the confrontation
Content: A Mörk-Borgy take (with a fatal twist) on a classic monster
Writing: Poetic and very evocative
Art/design: Illustration nicely conveys a sense of heaviness and oppressiveness
Usability: GMs should take care to remember the consequences of PCs’ actions after the confrontation
The Orb Ponderer
“Someone had to do it.”
THE PALE CURSE OF YAKEDO CASTLE
Concept: “‘I will bring him death. I will avenge every soul he took and end this curse, even if I lose my own life in that god-forsaken place, the White Demon's lair’
the Dark Fort”
Content: An ashen death-cursed castle crawl.
Writing: Consistent theming lends a sense of verisimilitude to Yakedo Castle and its curse.
Art/design: Strong design aligns with classic illustrations in a simultaneously vibrant and grave visual style.
Usability: Easy-to-reference spreads aid in dungeon navigation.
Content: An ashen death-cursed castle crawl.
Writing: Consistent theming lends a sense of verisimilitude to Yakedo Castle and its curse.
Art/design: Strong design aligns with classic illustrations in a simultaneously vibrant and grave visual style.
Usability: Easy-to-reference spreads aid in dungeon navigation.
The Phoenix King
Concept: “And forth he comes from beyond the Endless Sea an usurper clad in fiery robes.”
Content: A mighty foe leading an army of minions (with the ability to create more of them and itself)
Writing: A good balance of stats and mechanics with stylized, inspiring descriptions
Art/design: An intentionally hectic and well laid-out mix of expressive illustrations and typography
Usability: A challenge for PCs but not for GMs
Content: A mighty foe leading an army of minions (with the ability to create more of them and itself)
Writing: A good balance of stats and mechanics with stylized, inspiring descriptions
Art/design: An intentionally hectic and well laid-out mix of expressive illustrations and typography
Usability: A challenge for PCs but not for GMs
The Pope Lick Monster
Concept: “Trolls in MÖRK BORG are too big to live under bridges, opening a perfect habitat for the Pope Lick Monster.”
Content: A unfortunate half-human half-goat
Writing: Includes a simple stat block and some backstory for the beast
Art/design: Use of color helps differentiate key bits of information from surrounding text
Usability: The lore introduces some interesting options for GMs and players
Content: A unfortunate half-human half-goat
Writing: Includes a simple stat block and some backstory for the beast
Art/design: Use of color helps differentiate key bits of information from surrounding text
Usability: The lore introduces some interesting options for GMs and players
The Procession of Saint Thrýla
Concept: “She points towards her closest missing piece and there the parade goes. Somber, slow but ceaseless.”
Content: Backstory and stats for the Saint, her acolytes, and the relics they seek
Writing: Wonderfully macabre
Art/design: Excellent graphics and good use of monochrome punctuated by more subtle Mörk Borg colors
Usability: Table of relic location provides nice hooks for ongoing adventures
Content: Backstory and stats for the Saint, her acolytes, and the relics they seek
Writing: Wonderfully macabre
Art/design: Excellent graphics and good use of monochrome punctuated by more subtle Mörk Borg colors
Usability: Table of relic location provides nice hooks for ongoing adventures
The Rat Saint
Concept: “Priests that fall (or get thrown) down the Galgenbeck sewers quckly find a new fervorous congregation.”
Content: A patron saint of rats.
Writing: The mechanics for desperately crushing a burgeoning horde of rats feel novel and evocative.
Art/design: An absolutely filthy and emaciated priest plays literal host to his congregation.
Usability: Rats as area-of-effect damage.MNice!
Content: A patron saint of rats.
Writing: The mechanics for desperately crushing a burgeoning horde of rats feel novel and evocative.
Art/design: An absolutely filthy and emaciated priest plays literal host to his congregation.
Usability: Rats as area-of-effect damage.
The Reused
Concept: “It rocket jumps. It rocket shoots. You rocket die.”
Content: A rocket jumping, rocket blasting, skull grasping monster.
Writing: Punchy and filled with the gallows humor of a doomed space marine.
Art/design: Orange and yellow that rocket into your skull. Explosive titles scatter clean text.
Usability: Flavorful read, easy reference.
Content: A rocket jumping, rocket blasting, skull grasping monster.
Writing: Punchy and filled with the gallows humor of a doomed space marine.
Art/design: Orange and yellow that rocket into your skull. Explosive titles scatter clean text.
Usability: Flavorful read, easy reference.
The Risen One
Concept: “This rendition of Jesus is a healer and a preacher, but absolves sin through the eating of brains.”
Content: Jesus risen again, as a zombie.
Writing: Depicts Jesus in all his mercy, and his hunger to absolve scvm of their brains sins.
Art/design: Satirical Illustrations and bunny ears. Playful subversion of both the easter and Mörk Borg palette.
Usability: Make sure to roll on the reaction table at –3 to see if the risen one was recently sated.
Content: Jesus risen again, as a zombie.
Writing: Depicts Jesus in all his mercy, and his hunger to absolve scvm of their brains sins.
Art/design: Satirical Illustrations and bunny ears. Playful subversion of both the easter and Mörk Borg palette.
Usability: Make sure to roll on the reaction table at –3 to see if the risen one was recently sated.
The Servant Girl Annihilator
Concept: “Murderous and conniving, the Servant Girl Annihilator preys upon the weak.”
Content: A covert, nocturnal axe-wielding demi-monster
Writing: Deftly describes appearance and behavior with touches of humor
Art/design: Color serves to hierarchize and emphasize text segments while integrating them and the illustration into the gestalt
Usability: Straightforward mechanics that may prove challenging for unprepared (and even prepared) PCs
Content: A covert, nocturnal axe-wielding demi-monster
Writing: Deftly describes appearance and behavior with touches of humor
Art/design: Color serves to hierarchize and emphasize text segments while integrating them and the illustration into the gestalt
Usability: Straightforward mechanics that may prove challenging for unprepared (and even prepared) PCs
The Singing Tree
Concept: “The hypnotic singing will lure creatures in close so the tree can ensnare them with its roots and drag them under.”
Content: A malicious tree grown from corpses; includes stats, effects of eating fruit, and a background narrative
Writing: Well written on all accounts, particularly the in-character anecdote
Art/design: Colors and images provide atmosphere and character
Usability: Don’t forget the fruit’s secret side-effect
Content: A malicious tree grown from corpses; includes stats, effects of eating fruit, and a background narrative
Writing: Well written on all accounts, particularly the in-character anecdote
Art/design: Colors and images provide atmosphere and character
Usability: Don’t forget the fruit’s secret side-effect
The Smiling Mountain Annals
Concept: “A collection of weapons, armor, items, creatures, traps, and powers all compatible with Mörk Borg.”
Content: A mörktober compilation
Writing: A compilation of humorous (and truly miserable) artifacts and situations across the dying world.
Art/design: Gritty chalk illustrations with hints of red. All on a slate grey backdrop with crisp white text.
Usability: Available fully Illustrated or Plaintext.
Content: A mörktober compilation
Writing: A compilation of humorous (and truly miserable) artifacts and situations across the dying world.
Art/design: Gritty chalk illustrations with hints of red. All on a slate grey backdrop with crisp white text.
Usability: Available fully Illustrated or Plaintext.
The Solstice Chasteners
“Fanatical and bloodthirsty, the Solstice Chasteners roam the land around the time of the winter solstice, punishing heretics and infidels.”
The Spirit of Chryptmass
“An event that celebrates what matters most in the Dying Land: betrayal, theft, and the End”
THE SWORDSMAN
Concept: “Another undead...with a twist.”
Content: An un-living pincushion.
Writing: Short, simple, and full of points.
Art/design: Oily black and yellow illustration of the punctured dead.
Usability: Color coded for easy reference.
Content: An un-living pincushion.
Writing: Short, simple, and full of points.
Art/design: Oily black and yellow illustration of the punctured dead.
Usability: Color coded for easy reference.
The Tarasque
Concept: “The scourge of Nerluc, devourer of man & beast”
Content: A monster inspired by medieval Occitan tales
Writing: Predominantly devoted to mechanics with some extra flavor mixed in
Art/design: The opposite of printer-friendly
Usability: Sideways text is dumb but sometimes necessary (or at least easy)
Content: A monster inspired by medieval Occitan tales
Writing: Predominantly devoted to mechanics with some extra flavor mixed in
Art/design: The opposite of printer-friendly
Usability: Sideways text is dumb but sometimes necessary (or at least easy)
The Tenacious Tupilaq
Concept: “Mismatched effigies made out of animal and human parts given life by shamans of Kergüs, heretics, who seek revenge against the ones who wronged them.”
Content: A highly variable monster type
Writing: Includes a general description of origin and motives along with 4 tables for generation head, legs, arms, and torso types
Art/design: Achieves expressive visual character without sacrificing efficiency
Usability: More rolling than your average monster, but not prohibitive
Content: A highly variable monster type
Writing: Includes a general description of origin and motives along with 4 tables for generation head, legs, arms, and torso types
Art/design: Achieves expressive visual character without sacrificing efficiency
Usability: More rolling than your average monster, but not prohibitive
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