one-shot
Glasrø Island
Concept: “Go to the Island, bring back the dumb Prince, stay alive.”
Content: An island crawl with surreal features and denizens
Writing: Very concise
Art/design: A central, more visually subdued map supported by on-brand accoutrements
Usability: Layout is a bit crowded but navigable with due attention; small text can be tough to read; includes a handy map for the players
Glimpses of a Dying World
Concept: “Savage creatures lurk in the depths of forgotten crypts, incomprehensible relics lie waiting in the shadows of crumbling tombs, mystics argue incessantly trying to find a escape to the impending doom, and the powerful occupy themselves with vengeance.”
Content: A sprawling offering of all things Mörk Borg
Writing: Captures the tone and atmosphere of the Dying World through the descriptive text as well as the character of the mechanics
Art/design: Adapts the aesthetics and tactics of the core book with extensive use of modified public domain art
Usability: There’s something here for everyone
Goblin Grinder
Concept: “With such a large infestation of the little scoundrels, it’s becoming very difficult to figure out which one to snuff.”
Content: A quirky, darkly comedic scenario
Writing: Sets the tone and provides entertaining depth
Art/design: Black, white, and pink create a unique apocalyptic atmosphere
Usability: Laid out according to probable narrative flow
Content: A quirky, darkly comedic scenario
Writing: Sets the tone and provides entertaining depth
Art/design: Black, white, and pink create a unique apocalyptic atmosphere
Usability: Laid out according to probable narrative flow
Gone with the Gnomes
Concept: “Everyone loves gnomes. They sing and dance”
Content: Adorable gnomes. Celebration. Maypoles. Riddles. Hattery. A village in peril.
Writing: Full of childlike whimsy and bloodshed. A real fairytale.
Art/design: Admirably ambiguous yet gleefully grotesque illustrations in a riotous layout.
Usability: Start in the upper right and make your way around the center. Hydrate or die.
Content: Adorable gnomes. Celebration. Maypoles. Riddles. Hattery. A village in peril.
Writing: Full of childlike whimsy and bloodshed. A real fairytale.
Art/design: Admirably ambiguous yet gleefully grotesque illustrations in a riotous layout.
Usability: Start in the upper right and make your way around the center. Hydrate or die.
Grave Matters: Dig Deeper
“This booklet continues what its predecessor began, adding new monsters, foul objects, and a brand new adventure ready to be played.”
Graves Left Wanting
Concept: “The PCs find themselves buried alive in the vast, ever-changing cemetery of Graven-Tosk.”
Content: A macabre, nonlinear graveyard crawl
Writing: Relentlessly grim with splashes of gallows humor, especially at the end
Art/design: Monochrome with purple highlights set the atmosphere beautifully
Usability: Well-organized into sections that include relevant stat blocks
Gregor's Folly
“There would be agony and pain enough to draw the eyes of Nechrubel. Gregor would lead the faithful from perdition into the Shimmering Fields.”
Gremlin Horn
Concept: “Can you retrieve the Gremlin Horn from the Goblin's clutches before they send their red armies to slaughter the land in a wave of desolation?!”
Content: A dungeon filled with transforming gremlins, stat blocks, a nifty unique item, and a complementary gremlin-infected character class
Writing: Includes multi-sensory descriptions of locations with some vivid imagery (with particularly memorable interpretations of goblin-engineered audio equipment)
Art/design: Ground’s color and texture (and the illustrations) creates manuscript feel; original representations of gremlins adds character and liveliness to the central focus; use of red in particular unifies the text, images, and adventure concept
Usability: Color differentiates portions of text for easy reference and use
Content: A dungeon filled with transforming gremlins, stat blocks, a nifty unique item, and a complementary gremlin-infected character class
Writing: Includes multi-sensory descriptions of locations with some vivid imagery (with particularly memorable interpretations of goblin-engineered audio equipment)
Art/design: Ground’s color and texture (and the illustrations) creates manuscript feel; original representations of gremlins adds character and liveliness to the central focus; use of red in particular unifies the text, images, and adventure concept
Usability: Color differentiates portions of text for easy reference and use
Gölf Borg
Concept: “If the ball lands on any point of the hole tile, it goes in.”
Content: Gölf, but with more corpses, arcane catastrophes, and razor-tooth gophers.
Writing: Some basic instructions, some practical tables, and some impractical (but entertaining) ones.
Art/design: Hexes, golf balls, and grit.
Usability: Includes combat characteristics for golf clubs.
Content: Gölf, but with more corpses, arcane catastrophes, and razor-tooth gophers.
Writing: Some basic instructions, some practical tables, and some impractical (but entertaining) ones.
Art/design: Hexes, golf balls, and grit.
Usability: Includes combat characteristics for golf clubs.
Halls of Purgatory
Concept: “The PC(s) […] find themselves in a furniture and home accessories dungeon.”
Content: An endless nightmare of forced commerce
Writing: Concise with subtle humor; highly effective in both capacities
Art/design: Look at the map. Realize you’re in hell.
Usability: Escape is an option, but winning isn’t
Content: An endless nightmare of forced commerce
Writing: Concise with subtle humor; highly effective in both capacities
Art/design: Look at the map. Realize you’re in hell.
Usability: Escape is an option, but winning isn’t
Hammer of a Killing Crown
Concept: “It’s a simple agreement: You retrieve the artifact. Aalgut exacts his revenge … After that, the unbounded power of the Killing Crown is yours.”
Content: A dungeon crawl. Bufonic treasures. Murderous Crowns. Toadstools. Toads. Spells. Plague.
Writing: Strong and consistent theme and symbolism. Clear mechanics. Incorporates playing cards.
Art/design: Mörk Borg with toadstools (and toads).
Usability: Aesthetics complement the readability. A breeze to read and reference.
Content: A dungeon crawl. Bufonic treasures. Murderous Crowns. Toadstools. Toads. Spells. Plague.
Writing: Strong and consistent theme and symbolism. Clear mechanics. Incorporates playing cards.
Art/design: Mörk Borg with toadstools (and toads).
Usability: Aesthetics complement the readability. A breeze to read and reference.
Harvest of Horror
Concept: “Strange creatures have been spotted in a village near the lake, twisted mockeries of nature that move with eerie purpose.”
Content: April Fools meets “alchemy of flesh”.
Writing: Iconic horrors such as: “Rotcabbage”, “Tenebrous Carrot”, and “Goretater”.
Art/design: Uncanny Valley vegetable creations in tenebrous tri-fold pamphlet format.
Usability: Legible but may require “alchemy of print”
Content: April Fools meets “alchemy of flesh”.
Writing: Iconic horrors such as: “Rotcabbage”, “Tenebrous Carrot”, and “Goretater”.
Art/design: Uncanny Valley vegetable creations in tenebrous tri-fold pamphlet format.
Usability: Legible but may require “alchemy of print”
Hatchlings
Concept: “Unplanned parenthood”
Content: The lair of an overgrown skele-duck and her soon-to-be-hatchlings
Writing: Straightforward descriptions punctuated with humor
Art/design: Graphic design and illustration adds character but preserves easy usability
Usability: The PCs may get some new pets or a tasty meal
Content: The lair of an overgrown skele-duck and her soon-to-be-hatchlings
Writing: Straightforward descriptions punctuated with humor
Art/design: Graphic design and illustration adds character but preserves easy usability
Usability: The PCs may get some new pets or a tasty meal
Hatred
Concept:
“Burn them all vvitches and wizards
set fire to all that bring the miseries”
Content: An inquisition-powered torture-crawl.
Writing: Effective description makes a surprisingly painless experience to run.
Art/design: Sharp illustrations gird single-column descriptions of a bloody-minded cult.
Usability: Legible and easy to reference.
“Burn them all vvitches and wizards
set fire to all that bring the miseries”
Content: An inquisition-powered torture-crawl.
Writing: Effective description makes a surprisingly painless experience to run.
Art/design: Sharp illustrations gird single-column descriptions of a bloody-minded cult.
Usability: Legible and easy to reference.
Helm of Awe
Concept: “Enter as three and be free”
Content: A Norse myth puzzle crawl.
Writing: Encounters that heavily reference mythological events and figures.
Art/design: A map and protective ward.
Usability: More likely to confound the enemies of the Æsir.
Content: A Norse myth puzzle crawl.
Writing: Encounters that heavily reference mythological events and figures.
Art/design: A map and protective ward.
Usability: More likely to confound the enemies of the Æsir.
Heretical Fractal Bog
“A half-frozen bog of muddy black waters, razor-sharp vegetation, and mesmerizing optical illusions”
Holy Artifacts of the Sacred Tragedies
Concept: “The powers and locations of artifacts made from the remains of the Sacred Tragedies... that gives insight into the Order of Her Devoted Midwives sect”
Content: Three single-sheet pamphlet adventures, and one on a new sect of the One Trve Faith.
Writing: A plausibly disturbing take on Basilisk worship which ties the adventures together into a larger optional campaign.
Art/design: A consistent palette makes for a cohesive collection, while exploration of contrast differentiates each pamphlet.
Usability: Well designed for use as a physical prop at the table. Get them in print if you can.
Content: Three single-sheet pamphlet adventures, and one on a new sect of the One Trve Faith.
Writing: A plausibly disturbing take on Basilisk worship which ties the adventures together into a larger optional campaign.
Art/design: A consistent palette makes for a cohesive collection, while exploration of contrast differentiates each pamphlet.
Usability: Well designed for use as a physical prop at the table. Get them in print if you can.
House of the Hollow
Concept: “A mysterious moonlit manor – home to a retired adventurer in the midst of a terrible transformation”
Content: A horror-themed, investigative adventure
Writing: Highly focused on delivering important details and atmosphere with a minimum of words
Art/design: Clean, neat layouts optimized for easy use
Usability: The narrative surprise and subtlety may be lost on players who tend to rush in with swords drawn
In The Belly of the Beast
Concept: “Short weird adventure for Mork Borg, where the characters are swallowed by a giant sea serpent and have to find their way out.”
Content: A serpent-shaped, acid-rich, nautical funhouse.
Writing: A segmented, event-driven skeleton draped in bile and blood.
Art/design: A fantastical cross-sectioned serpent dominates a white-capped sea of black pixels.
Usability: A traditional white-on-black text layout fits on one page for easy reference.
Content: A serpent-shaped, acid-rich, nautical funhouse.
Writing: A segmented, event-driven skeleton draped in bile and blood.
Art/design: A fantastical cross-sectioned serpent dominates a white-capped sea of black pixels.
Usability: A traditional white-on-black text layout fits on one page for easy reference.
In the Hall of the Goblin King
Concept: “You were ambushed, and now you're running out of time. Just as you've discovered their layer, you can feel the curse taking hold!”
Content: A race against the goblin curse and an album of your choice
Writing: Neatly arranged in two columns (scenario rules and concise, efficient room descriptions)
Art/design: Color and typography choices facilitate quick reference
Usability: A modular dungeon; depending on rolls and album choice, could be quick and easy, long and excruciating, or fast and brutal
Content: A race against the goblin curse and an album of your choice
Writing: Neatly arranged in two columns (scenario rules and concise, efficient room descriptions)
Art/design: Color and typography choices facilitate quick reference
Usability: A modular dungeon; depending on rolls and album choice, could be quick and easy, long and excruciating, or fast and brutal
Invitation to a Dark Masquerade
Concept: “You are cordially invited to Volkenhard Manor in the city of Galgenbeck to attend the annual Masquerade. Masks and costumes required.
Speak of this to no one.”
Content: A meaty masquerade.
Writing: A sensuous adventure full of social engagement. No mystery here. Only light cannibalism.
Art/design: High contrast black and white trifold. With somber and weighty character illustrations.
Usability: References Mörktober by Exeunt Press.
Content: A meaty masquerade.
Writing: A sensuous adventure full of social engagement. No mystery here. Only light cannibalism.
Art/design: High contrast black and white trifold. With somber and weighty character illustrations.
Usability: References Mörktober by Exeunt Press.
Isbjörn
“A huge polar bear died in the forest. Brave villagers investigated and never returned. How did the bear get into the forest and where did the people disappear to? Climb into the deepest bowels of a giant bear and find out.”
Johan's Silver
Concept: “Glory, Glory! Their riches come rising!”
Content: A brief stint down King Fathmu’s Shaft.
Writing: A clever timer in a tide of boiling silver. A problem Fathmu probably shouldn’t learn about.
Art/design: Reads as a mining complex with reflux issues.
Usability: Think fast, or get smelt.
Content: A brief stint down King Fathmu’s Shaft.
Writing: A clever timer in a tide of boiling silver. A problem Fathmu probably shouldn’t learn about.
Art/design: Reads as a mining complex with reflux issues.
Usability: Think fast, or get smelt.
Keep of the Crow Witch
“In the Village of Welltig, built atop the ruined Easod Keep, lives the Crow Witch in her tall Aviary swirling with crows.”
Kennels of Karnage
Concept: “A short adventure about saving lost dogs”
Content: A 10-room dungeon with an additional class, a short solo prequel, variant Misery, and exclusive monster
Writing: Sharp and full of character
Art/design: Clearly, cleanly laid out with evocative illustrations
Usability: Includes death and abuse of animals, but nothing graphic or explicit
This entry was sponsored by Bookkeeper as part of the Ex Libris RPG crowdfunding campaign.
Content: A 10-room dungeon with an additional class, a short solo prequel, variant Misery, and exclusive monster
Writing: Sharp and full of character
Art/design: Clearly, cleanly laid out with evocative illustrations
Usability: Includes death and abuse of animals, but nothing graphic or explicit
This entry was sponsored by Bookkeeper as part of the Ex Libris RPG crowdfunding campaign.
Klöss
“One cold winter night he refused to open his door to a beggar, he is now doomed to forever be generous.”
Kult of the Ouroboros
Concept: “In the sacred sanctuary, Job patiently awaits, extending an offer of transcendence and deliverance from the ever-watchful gaze of oblivion.”
Content: A karmic snake kult crawl.
Writing: Full of moral quandaries your scvm will probably ignore, which might arguably be for the best. Transcendence is subjective.
Art/design: Delightfully detailed overhead map, and characterful NPC illustrations stylistically placed highlight a structured two-column adventure layout.
Usability: Minimalist minimap makes for easy room orientation reference during play.
Content: A karmic snake kult crawl.
Writing: Full of moral quandaries your scvm will probably ignore, which might arguably be for the best. Transcendence is subjective.
Art/design: Delightfully detailed overhead map, and characterful NPC illustrations stylistically placed highlight a structured two-column adventure layout.
Usability: Minimalist minimap makes for easy room orientation reference during play.
Kult Proroka Pnączy (The Cult of the Vine Prophet)
Concept: “Odkryj tajemnicę złowrogiego Kultu Proroka Pnączy i staw czoła jego groźnym wyznawcom w ekscytującym jednostronicowym module do Mörk Borga!”
Content: A overgrown, larva-infested, basement cult-crawl.
Writing: A convincing cult hideout. With agency, ecology, and ingenuity. Captured in a moment.
Art/design: Grimy and vine-choked isometric map captures a moment in time.
Usability: Stylish and organized. Polish & English language.
Content: A overgrown, larva-infested, basement cult-crawl.
Writing: A convincing cult hideout. With agency, ecology, and ingenuity. Captured in a moment.
Art/design: Grimy and vine-choked isometric map captures a moment in time.
Usability: Stylish and organized. Polish & English language.
Lair of the Lizard Cult
Concept: “Unearth what putrid secrets (and shiny baubles) lie in the dark, guarded by those whose skin has turned to scales and whose blood has cooled to ice.”
Content: There’s a lair with some lizard cultists in it. Also some trapped Schleswig marshals and a cursed blade.
Writing: Primarily descriptive and concise
Art/design: Main PDF is primarily written freehand, which gives a unique texture but may slow reading
Usability: Includes a plaintext version as well
Content: There’s a lair with some lizard cultists in it. Also some trapped Schleswig marshals and a cursed blade.
Writing: Primarily descriptive and concise
Art/design: Main PDF is primarily written freehand, which gives a unique texture but may slow reading
Usability: Includes a plaintext version as well
Lake of Oil
Concept: “Will you embrace the Fish?”
Content: A dungeon focused on a flaming fish, sacred fire, and the fellers that worship them
Writing: Fairly concise and focused more on actionable content, letting the map convey visual character and atmosphere
Art/design: Large, yellow room numbers against a greyscale (but nicely illustrated) map make navigation easy for GMs; descriptions are presented alongside or overlaying the relevant locations
Usability: Highly flammable
This entry was sponsored by Philip Meagher as part of the Ex Libris RPG crowdfunding campaign.
“Just a very simple and fun dungeon! Well laid out and easy to understand, my player had dark vision (playing a night witch) and refused the torch to look cool but was shocked when the Feller turned aggressive! There’s a lot of room for things to go sideways as well though my player suggested editing the riddle by removing the third line to make it a bit harder and to have a chance at all hell breaking loose. Overall an excellent dungeon!”
Content: A dungeon focused on a flaming fish, sacred fire, and the fellers that worship them
Writing: Fairly concise and focused more on actionable content, letting the map convey visual character and atmosphere
Art/design: Large, yellow room numbers against a greyscale (but nicely illustrated) map make navigation easy for GMs; descriptions are presented alongside or overlaying the relevant locations
Usability: Highly flammable
This entry was sponsored by Philip Meagher as part of the Ex Libris RPG crowdfunding campaign.
“Just a very simple and fun dungeon! Well laid out and easy to understand, my player had dark vision (playing a night witch) and refused the torch to look cool but was shocked when the Feller turned aggressive! There’s a lot of room for things to go sideways as well though my player suggested editing the riddle by removing the third line to make it a bit harder and to have a chance at all hell breaking loose. Overall an excellent dungeon!”
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
Lighthouse of Weeping Bluff
Concept: “Your ship is destined to splinter on the bluffs if the light isn’t relit, condemning you to live out your remaining days in this icy hell-hole.”
Content: A ticking-clock adventure that encompasses the journey to the lighthouse and the hornet-infested lighthouse itself
Writing: Clearly written and punctuated with visceral imagery and details
Art/design: Red and yellow elements direct attention without hindering usability; hornets crawling around the page are a fun, immersive touch
Usability: Well-organized text and clever use of color to coordinate it with the maps
Content: A ticking-clock adventure that encompasses the journey to the lighthouse and the hornet-infested lighthouse itself
Writing: Clearly written and punctuated with visceral imagery and details
Art/design: Red and yellow elements direct attention without hindering usability; hornets crawling around the page are a fun, immersive touch
Usability: Well-organized text and clever use of color to coordinate it with the maps
Manor Most Foul
Concept: “Greed, gore, romance? None of that matters as long as you can get to the hidden vault”
Content: A lovingly macabre manor crawl.
Writing: A tragic love story (of sorts), reenacting its terrible pursuit this night for your voyeuristic pleasure.
Art/design: Full of coarse texture and bright color, a feast for the eyes, with a surprising emphasis on the eyes.
Usability: I'm not joking about the eyes. I may have exaggerated the voyeuristic pleasure.
Content: A lovingly macabre manor crawl.
Writing: A tragic love story (of sorts), reenacting its terrible pursuit this night for your voyeuristic pleasure.
Art/design: Full of coarse texture and bright color, a feast for the eyes, with a surprising emphasis on the eyes.
Usability: I'm not joking about the eyes. I may have exaggerated the voyeuristic pleasure.
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
Mass Burial
Concept: “Bodies are gone missing, and none are the wiser.”
Content: A one-page dungeon in the key of grave-robbing
Writing: Nice attention to physical and sensory detail, especially smell
Art/design: Efficient layout ordinated on the dungeon map
Usability: Everything you need is right there on the page
Content: A one-page dungeon in the key of grave-robbing
Writing: Nice attention to physical and sensory detail, especially smell
Art/design: Efficient layout ordinated on the dungeon map
Usability: Everything you need is right there on the page
Mold Motte of the Shunned Monarch
“On a gods-forsaken hill in the middle of bumfuck nowhere, an old keep stands atop a mound.”
Monastery ov the Horned One
“King Fathmu's Chancellor Graf promised me 400 silver to create this scrawled map. Perhaps it was for naught... If you lay your hands on it, ask for more.”
Moritat of the Turbo Lover
Concept: “This adventure, on one hand, is a murder ballad in the tradition of german «Bänkelsang». It is also an album crawl set to the Judas Priest album «Turbo».”
Content: I think the concept pretty much sums it up, but there’s also a motorcycle fight
Writing: Includes a general overview, descriptions of characters and scenes, and instructions for traversing the adventure and conducting the motorcycle fight
Art/design: A traditional presentation that’s heavy on the text but does include some original illustrations
Usability: Linear and fairly simple to use; stat blocks for the motorcycle fight are particularly well organized in clear tables
Content: I think the concept pretty much sums it up, but there’s also a motorcycle fight
Writing: Includes a general overview, descriptions of characters and scenes, and instructions for traversing the adventure and conducting the motorcycle fight
Art/design: A traditional presentation that’s heavy on the text but does include some original illustrations
Usability: Linear and fairly simple to use; stat blocks for the motorcycle fight are particularly well organized in clear tables
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.
Murder Party at Dark Manor
Concept: “Players recive a mysterious invataion to a dinner party for a reveal of Master Cadwell's latest invention.”
Content: Dinner and a murder mystery with an interdimensional twist and an escalating fear mechanic
Writing: Primarily descriptive; incorporates relatively few formal components
Art/design: Designed for reading and prep before play rather than heavy in-game usage
Usability: Does not provide stats for NPCs
Content: Dinner and a murder mystery with an interdimensional twist and an escalating fear mechanic
Writing: Primarily descriptive; incorporates relatively few formal components
Art/design: Designed for reading and prep before play rather than heavy in-game usage
Usability: Does not provide stats for NPCs
Murder, Blues, and Her on My Mind
Concept: “A long forgotten Saint of Beauty, Love, and Dead Relations, is said to dwell amidst the ruins of her temple compound.”
Content: A 7-room dungeon with locations and encounters that build on characters’ choices and actions
Writing: Lots of it, but clear and to-the-point
Art/design: Conservative use of color; centralized map; some illustrations to create visual diversity and characterization
Usability: Location order is nonlinear but simple enough to navigate
Murky Bog
Concept: “This place was created by an ancient cult that locked something away behind the door (treasure? another dungeon?). This door can be opened in two different ways, but a mistake leads to death or worse”
Content: A 13-point adventure with 5 original monsters
Writing: Concise and accessible
Art/design: Laid out for maximum visibility of map without sacrificing easy reference to additional information
Usability: Includes a blank map for players and a suggested soundtrack
This entry was sponsored by the creator as part of the Ex Libris RPG crowdfunding campaign.
“Carnivorous plants! Human sacrifice! A rampaging undead mammoth to chase you around the bog! Some physical copies available.”
Content: A 13-point adventure with 5 original monsters
Writing: Concise and accessible
Art/design: Laid out for maximum visibility of map without sacrificing easy reference to additional information
Usability: Includes a blank map for players and a suggested soundtrack
This entry was sponsored by the creator as part of the Ex Libris RPG crowdfunding campaign.
“Carnivorous plants! Human sacrifice! A rampaging undead mammoth to chase you around the bog! Some physical copies available.”
Mycogoblins
Concept: “Goblins have been more aggressive than usual lately... these goblins have strange fungal growths... whoever gets to the bottom of this will be greatly rewarded...”
Content: A goblin swarming, fungus snorting, den crawl.
Writing: Deep absurdity delivered in gloriously understated frankness.
Art/design: Structured design, clear iconography, and magenta highlights stimulate and satisfy the reader.
Usability: Designed with goblins in mind.
Content: A goblin swarming, fungus snorting, den crawl.
Writing: Deep absurdity delivered in gloriously understated frankness.
Art/design: Structured design, clear iconography, and magenta highlights stimulate and satisfy the reader.
Usability: Designed with goblins in mind.
Mycosis
“The Meat Fungus keeps no treasure of its own—but the many adventurers who came before you left some behind…”
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 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
Mörky Waters
Concept: “In the depths of a seaside cave along the coast of Mûr dwells a horrific entity, a mess of eyes and teeth. A group of outlaws on the run hid in the cave where they encountered the beast and deemed it to be a god.”
Content: A straightforward, multiroom dungeon with human NPCs and an eldritch boss entity
Writing: Short introduction and advice for introducing and running the adventure; the rest is easily accessible gameable content
Art/design: Red and white on black with strategic distressing make this visually interesting and easy to read
Usability: Short paragraphs for NPCs, simple stat blocks; room characteristics are bulleted for easy skimming
Content: A straightforward, multiroom dungeon with human NPCs and an eldritch boss entity
Writing: Short introduction and advice for introducing and running the adventure; the rest is easily accessible gameable content
Art/design: Red and white on black with strategic distressing make this visually interesting and easy to read
Usability: Short paragraphs for NPCs, simple stat blocks; room characteristics are bulleted for easy skimming
No Country for Old St. Nick
“It is a dark time for Santa Claus, the world will end soon and there seems no point in trying to sugar plum coat it.”
On the Slaughterfront
Concept: “The basilisks demand blessings from Prügl … but she’s already been abducted by another cult.”
Content: A twisted, insect-themed dungeon
Writing: Highly descriptive with striking imagery and some clever rimshots
Art/design: Nice balance of color, text, and graphics that keeps it easily readable
Usability: Hollow and full of bugs, just like it should be
Content: A twisted, insect-themed dungeon
Writing: Highly descriptive with striking imagery and some clever rimshots
Art/design: Nice balance of color, text, and graphics that keeps it easily readable
Usability: Hollow and full of bugs, just like it should be
One Night at Castle Ghast
Concept: “...best be gone before the coming of the dawn, lest the castle disappear and drag them with it to the lands of the dead.”
Content: A once in a lifetime castle-crawl.
Writing: A traditional ghost story, an inexorable timer, and the highest stakes.
Art/design: Dark, textured, and occasionally effervescent images of spectral manifestations.
Usability: To prolong the inevitable.
Content: A once in a lifetime castle-crawl.
Writing: A traditional ghost story, an inexorable timer, and the highest stakes.
Art/design: Dark, textured, and occasionally effervescent images of spectral manifestations.
Usability: To prolong the inevitable.
Peas Offering
Concept: “In ancient times, villagers in fear of the Duck God built an altar deep underground, trying to placate it with gifts and sacrifices.”
Content: A subterranean, duck-themed hex crawl
Writing: Includes lore, stats for monsters, and details about the location
Art/design: Clearly laid out using color, typefaces, and bullet points for emphasis, differentiation, and easy navigation
Usability: Pages are in reverse order, but there’s only two of them, so it doesn’t hinder usability
Content: A subterranean, duck-themed hex crawl
Writing: Includes lore, stats for monsters, and details about the location
Art/design: Clearly laid out using color, typefaces, and bullet points for emphasis, differentiation, and easy navigation
Usability: Pages are in reverse order, but there’s only two of them, so it doesn’t hinder usability
Perfidious Protoplasma
Concept: “An expansion that gives the humble ooze its due”
Content: A roster of oozes with rules for the creature type, an ooze-symbiote character class, and an ooze-centered dungeon
Writing: Efficiently presents information in each section
Art/design: Subtle and relatively traditional but still effective in visually reinforcing the concept; dungeon features clean, efficient layouts and design for easy use by GMs
Usability: Class is more powerful and versatile than some other classes, but balanced by the monetary and/or inventory cost of feeding the ooze
Content: A roster of oozes with rules for the creature type, an ooze-symbiote character class, and an ooze-centered dungeon
Writing: Efficiently presents information in each section
Art/design: Subtle and relatively traditional but still effective in visually reinforcing the concept; dungeon features clean, efficient layouts and design for easy use by GMs
Usability: Class is more powerful and versatile than some other classes, but balanced by the monetary and/or inventory cost of feeding the ooze
Pork Borg
“A small village, which each night receives a vicious attack from an unknown entity”
Psalm IV:I
Concept: “A grimdark adventure module [that] gives the GM a plug-and-play way to explore the 4:1 misery”
Content: An adventure in religion, heresy, deceit, and revenge; incorporates opportunities for PCs to join multiple competing factions, and includes a mechanic for fear effects
Writing: Deftly conveys the scenario’s dynamics and delivers information in manageable portions with plenty of gory and macabre details
Art/design: Efficient layouts and design choices make information accessible while making room for loads of expressive, original illustrations
Usability: A more visually elaborate take on the Rotblack Sludge approach to facilitating quick comprehension and easy use
Content: An adventure in religion, heresy, deceit, and revenge; incorporates opportunities for PCs to join multiple competing factions, and includes a mechanic for fear effects
Writing: Deftly conveys the scenario’s dynamics and delivers information in manageable portions with plenty of gory and macabre details
Art/design: Efficient layouts and design choices make information accessible while making room for loads of expressive, original illustrations
Usability: A more visually elaborate take on the Rotblack Sludge approach to facilitating quick comprehension and easy use
Purgatory
Concept: “100 travel encounters, six new classes, skills to expand your characters, and three adventure locations”
Content: The encounters encompass a range of people, happenings, and other … things; classes bring some archetypes and novel concepts to the table; skills add additional depth and features to Getting Better; the two shorter adventures work as one-shots, and Purgatory provides a sprawling landscape for scum to explore
Writing: Not terribly text heavy with alternately descriptive and instructive prose
Art/design: Fairly straightforward layouts with a wide range of art; obligatory yellow and pink
Usability: PDF comes in HD and SD versions to accommodate user needs; also include some hex tiles for exploring Purgatory
Content: The encounters encompass a range of people, happenings, and other … things; classes bring some archetypes and novel concepts to the table; skills add additional depth and features to Getting Better; the two shorter adventures work as one-shots, and Purgatory provides a sprawling landscape for scum to explore
Writing: Not terribly text heavy with alternately descriptive and instructive prose
Art/design: Fairly straightforward layouts with a wide range of art; obligatory yellow and pink
Usability: PDF comes in HD and SD versions to accommodate user needs; also include some hex tiles for exploring Purgatory
Quest for the Murder Sword
Concept: “Kharkrazh the Dying finally fell, and around his withering bones cultists and cannibals dug […] in search of a blade most foul.”
Content: A system-neutral crawl through a corpse
Writing: Devoted to populating and characterizing the dungeon
Art/design: The larger map is very expressive
Usability: The secondary descriptive map makes navigation fast and efficient
Content: A system-neutral crawl through a corpse
Writing: Devoted to populating and characterizing the dungeon
Art/design: The larger map is very expressive
Usability: The secondary descriptive map makes navigation fast and efficient
*Published under CC BY 3.0; not technically Mörk Borg content, but related in theme, spirit, and authorship
Rattus Norvegicus
Concept: “The base of operation for the fearsome plague-bearing Rätfölk”
Content: A 9-room, ratfolk-infested dungeon with hooks, rumors, random encounters, loot, and shit torches
Writing: Straightforward and clear with well-placed alliterative flourishes and snark
Art/design: Primarily typographical but efficient and easily navigable
Usability: Linearly organized and includes separate GM and player maps
Ravaging Plague I: Rusted Iron, Words of Power
Concept: “Ravaging Plague aims to bring Mörk Borg and its extreme metal influences into further conversation.”
Content: Extreme metal-inspired offerings across the board
Writing: Laden with metal-inspired imagery and themes
Art/design: Brutalist text layouts balanced with organic, gritty graphics all presented in stark black & white
Usability: No table of contents or index, but layouts and different deployments of positive and negative space are good visual aids for navigation
Content: Extreme metal-inspired offerings across the board
Writing: Laden with metal-inspired imagery and themes
Art/design: Brutalist text layouts balanced with organic, gritty graphics all presented in stark black & white
Usability: No table of contents or index, but layouts and different deployments of positive and negative space are good visual aids for navigation
Rituals
“13 priests have been abducted while gathering components needed to perform a ritual that, if performed within the next two hours, may prevent the end of the world.”
Sacred Parasites
Concept: “These heretic ideas are collected below the frayed parasol of corrupt religion and cute parasites”
Content: 7 new creatures, a living dungeon, occult-bugs-as-resources rules, and tables for effects of parasitization
Writing: Creature entries feature descriptive passages, stat blocks, and adventure hooks; overall, creative and effective
Art/design: More traditional layouts with text balanced by facing-page illustrations; images are generally gritty (in the good way) and the rest of the graphic design follows suit
Usability: “Cute” is highly subjective, but definitely some interesting and creative creature concepts
Content: 7 new creatures, a living dungeon, occult-bugs-as-resources rules, and tables for effects of parasitization
Writing: Creature entries feature descriptive passages, stat blocks, and adventure hooks; overall, creative and effective
Art/design: More traditional layouts with text balanced by facing-page illustrations; images are generally gritty (in the good way) and the rest of the graphic design follows suit
Usability: “Cute” is highly subjective, but definitely some interesting and creative creature concepts
Scarlet Descent
Concept: “A submission to the Babalonian Jam!”
Content: A no-frills dungeon with plenty of character
Writing: Lean and efficient delivery of information and mechanical elements
Art/design: An isometric map clearly coordinated with well-delineated room descriptions
Usability: Open-ended so GMs can work it into their game however they see fit
Content: A no-frills dungeon with plenty of character
Writing: Lean and efficient delivery of information and mechanical elements
Art/design: An isometric map clearly coordinated with well-delineated room descriptions
Usability: Open-ended so GMs can work it into their game however they see fit
Scarlet Descent: Black Obelisk
Concept: A sequel to the Scarlet Descent dungeon
Content: 8 weird and macabre rooms with unique hazards and challenges
Writing: Vivid descriptions of scenery with a fourth-wall breach and hints at future entries in the series
Art/design: Each room’s points of interest are clearly delineated for easy reference during play; facing-page descriptions and map shows off the latter’s artistic inversion
Usability: Numbering correlate descriptions to map locations (ordered bottom up, right to left)
Content: 8 weird and macabre rooms with unique hazards and challenges
Writing: Vivid descriptions of scenery with a fourth-wall breach and hints at future entries in the series
Art/design: Each room’s points of interest are clearly delineated for easy reference during play; facing-page descriptions and map shows off the latter’s artistic inversion
Usability: Numbering correlate descriptions to map locations (ordered bottom up, right to left)
Schmatzer, Aufhocker und wo man sie findet
Concept: “Two monsters […] some scenario seeds you can roll up and a small dungeon”
Content: See concept
Writing: Monster entries provide sufficient context while the dungeon is clear and concise
Art/design: Monsters are well organized with appropriate illustrations; dungeon is primarily typographical, which guides reading, but includes a map and a creepy crayfish-baby
Usability: A bit of a variety pack; straightforward and easy to navigate
Content: See concept
Writing: Monster entries provide sufficient context while the dungeon is clear and concise
Art/design: Monsters are well organized with appropriate illustrations; dungeon is primarily typographical, which guides reading, but includes a map and a creepy crayfish-baby
Usability: A bit of a variety pack; straightforward and easy to navigate
Scriptures of the Endless Sea
Concept: “In the depths of the Endless Sea, you awaken... Your twisted journey lies ahead through the abyss, driven by the promise of true death, a release from torment.”
Content: An Endless Sea bottom-crawl.
Writing: A structured linear narrative with set-piece encounters and Endless Sea lore.
Art/design: Pale blue in the deep-sea dark. AI-distorted aquatic monstrosities, deep-sea voyagers, and two-headed deities abound.
Usability: Clean, organized, dense
Content: An Endless Sea bottom-crawl.
Writing: A structured linear narrative with set-piece encounters and Endless Sea lore.
Art/design: Pale blue in the deep-sea dark. AI-distorted aquatic monstrosities, deep-sea voyagers, and two-headed deities abound.
Usability: Clean, organized, dense
ShadowClink
Concept: “Escape the dungeon of the Shadow King!”
Content: An adventure for the Sölitary Defilement solo-play ruleset; includes scenario setup, encounters, NPCs, special rooms, and rules for backtracking
Writing: Well written and easy to read with evocative language that helps build the experience
Art/design: Designed and laid out for clarity and ease of use, but the colors and chain graphics provide some appropriate character
Usability: Requires Sölitary Defilement to play solo, but also makes a pretty good random dungeon generator for standard play as well
Content: An adventure for the Sölitary Defilement solo-play ruleset; includes scenario setup, encounters, NPCs, special rooms, and rules for backtracking
Writing: Well written and easy to read with evocative language that helps build the experience
Art/design: Designed and laid out for clarity and ease of use, but the colors and chain graphics provide some appropriate character
Usability: Requires Sölitary Defilement to play solo, but also makes a pretty good random dungeon generator for standard play as well
SlasHER
“You emerge from the fog to find the east end of the village deserted and in ruin. On the wind, you hear a faint voice calling, "I will kill them all." You turn to leave, but mist obscures the way. There is no exit.”
Slasher Zine / Jam Compilation
18 contributors
“Slasher Jam was a jam I ran over the course of October 2021 that got 20 entries. I have compiled those entries into 2 volumes. Volume 1 contains classes, items, and monsters. Volume 2 contains the adventures of Slasher Jam.” – Michael Mars, ed.
Slaughtered in the Snow
Concept: “SHE returned you to life and charged you with one task […] slay the usurper, the heresiarch Josilfa Migol of Galgenbeck.”
Content: A compelling battlefield crawl with an interesting twist on Mörk Borg lore
Writing: Solid imagery and ideas conveyed well
Art/design: Not super-elaborate, but fits the the setting’s snowy starkness
Usability: GMs will need to consult a few other titles, which are readily available
Content: A compelling battlefield crawl with an interesting twist on Mörk Borg lore
Writing: Solid imagery and ideas conveyed well
Art/design: Not super-elaborate, but fits the the setting’s snowy starkness
Usability: GMs will need to consult a few other titles, which are readily available
Slaughterhouse Citadel
Concept: “Inspired by Death's album Scream Bloody Gore”
Content: Includes 11 rooms, 10 tables for room clutter and wandering monsters (just in case the other hazards and inhabitants weren’t lethal enough)
Writing: Descriptions of rooms and inhabitants are filled with grim, gritty, multi-sensory imagery
Art/design: Features loads of original art; palette is dominated by red and muted yellow, creating a gory and noxious ambience
Usability: Incorporates high-level internal links in ToC and at the bottom of pages for fast navigation; random monster table includes page references for print-inclined GMs
Content: Includes 11 rooms, 10 tables for room clutter and wandering monsters (just in case the other hazards and inhabitants weren’t lethal enough)
Writing: Descriptions of rooms and inhabitants are filled with grim, gritty, multi-sensory imagery
Art/design: Features loads of original art; palette is dominated by red and muted yellow, creating a gory and noxious ambience
Usability: Incorporates high-level internal links in ToC and at the bottom of pages for fast navigation; random monster table includes page references for print-inclined GMs
Smoke Filled the Room
Concept: “Inspired by the album 'Smoke Filled The Room, We Slept' by Mellow Grave”
Content: An strange journey to escape inebriation and hallucination
Writing: Skillfully moves through increasingly disjunctive scenes, relying on tone to create continuity; final paragraph contrasts nicely with the preceding content
Art/design: Dense columns of text emulate a smokey interior with a symbolic empty space before the concluding point
Usability: Includes some mechanics but leaves lots of room for GMs to play
Content: An strange journey to escape inebriation and hallucination
Writing: Skillfully moves through increasingly disjunctive scenes, relying on tone to create continuity; final paragraph contrasts nicely with the preceding content
Art/design: Dense columns of text emulate a smokey interior with a symbolic empty space before the concluding point
Usability: Includes some mechanics but leaves lots of room for GMs to play
Snotsoil Mire
Concept: “The edge of the Bergen Chrypt is flooded. Into that slick swamp, the ducal twins of Schleswig fled.”
Content: A relatively lean but atmospheric hexcrawl
Writing: Concise but thorough with subtle character
Art/design: Cut-and-paste feel with intense color
Usability: Linear and easy to use; additional mechanics appended for easy reference
something wicked this way comes
Concept: “Since King Dunkan died and Macdeath sits on the throne of Kamdorr Castle as his successor, no one in the entire city has slept a wink.”
Content: Mörkbeth
Writing: Adapts Macbeth in broad strokes, adding in some additional occult elements and atmosphere
Art/design: Introductory sections are typographically differentiated; the adventure itself is presented in the clean, accessible style of Rotblack Sludge (with some blood smears and stains for extra character)
Usability: Perfect for groups seeking a gothic-horror castle crawl
Content: Mörkbeth
Writing: Adapts Macbeth in broad strokes, adding in some additional occult elements and atmosphere
Art/design: Introductory sections are typographically differentiated; the adventure itself is presented in the clean, accessible style of Rotblack Sludge (with some blood smears and stains for extra character)
Usability: Perfect for groups seeking a gothic-horror castle crawl
Soul Wrenched Shaman
Concept: “The streets of Schleswig are filled with empty husks … Fathmu IV has put a hefty bag of 200 silver to anyone who can put a stop to this.”
Content: Adventure hook and framework with a creative final boss
Writing: Sets the overall scenario and trajectory, and provides seeds for scenes along the journey
Art/design: Features a pretty bizarre illustration
Usability: Content is well-organized for linear use
Spore-spawn of the Rhizoworm
Concept: “Young adults living in and near the village have disappeared.”
Content: An adventure in fungal infection
Writing: Presents rules and flavor for a skin-crawling ecology
Art/design: Diverse but unified; useful in navigating the document during play
Usability: Some ambiguity in the fungal infection rules but intent becomes clear
Content: An adventure in fungal infection
Writing: Presents rules and flavor for a skin-crawling ecology
Art/design: Diverse but unified; useful in navigating the document during play
Usability: Some ambiguity in the fungal infection rules but intent becomes clear
Stinkmouth
Concept: “A descent into a pitiless stink pit. Designed for a TPK, but shenanigans can happen.”
Content: A truly foul and fun-filled delve into a pit of unpleasantness. There’s also a dog and some prizes.
Writing: Concise but conveys the intended tone very well
Art/design: Typographic choices and colors aid navigation, and other visual elements reinforce the motifs of stench, viscera, and excrescence
Usability: Don’t show your players the map. Let them fvck around and find out.
Content: A truly foul and fun-filled delve into a pit of unpleasantness. There’s also a dog and some prizes.
Writing: Concise but conveys the intended tone very well
Art/design: Typographic choices and colors aid navigation, and other visual elements reinforce the motifs of stench, viscera, and excrescence
Usability: Don’t show your players the map. Let them fvck around and find out.
Stone and Rock
Concept: “Searching for a lost treasure in a cave at the base of a mountain, wrong turns in a maze of tunnels only took you fumbling deeper into the earth.”
Content: An abstract dungeon bursting with content
Writing: Copious instructions for travel, tables for encounters, stat blocks for denizens, and some unique loot
Art/design: Background adds color and character, but mostly devoted to text
Usability: Much enhanced by arrows connecting relevant sections of text
Stull
Concept: “Rumors have begun to spread of what lies in its cemetery: one of the seven gates to Nech itself—portal to a god.”
Content: A bitterly satirical scenario centered on a deal with the devil
Writing: Concise but descriptive and punctuated with sardonic wit
Art/design: Well organized with visually differentiated sections and expressive illustrations
Usability: Gives GMs latitude to work setting and situation into campaigns and adventures as they need or see fit
Content: A bitterly satirical scenario centered on a deal with the devil
Writing: Concise but descriptive and punctuated with sardonic wit
Art/design: Well organized with visually differentiated sections and expressive illustrations
Usability: Gives GMs latitude to work setting and situation into campaigns and adventures as they need or see fit
Suffer the Children
Concept: “Something evil lurks in the corn... are the children the cause of the strange occurrances?, why are the adults hidding from them? and what is that smell?”
Content: A rural adventure with some traditional horror tropes
Writing: Leans on the writing to deliver the atmosphere as well as the content
Art/design: Monochrome, single-column layout with some inset illustrations
Usability: Information mainly presented in extended paragraphs ; may present some issues when trying to reference or review quickly during play
Content: A rural adventure with some traditional horror tropes
Writing: Leans on the writing to deliver the atmosphere as well as the content
Art/design: Monochrome, single-column layout with some inset illustrations
Usability: Information mainly presented in extended paragraphs ; may present some issues when trying to reference or review quickly during play
Sword of Hailstone
Concept: “As a lone barbarian wielding nothing but your trusty Zweihänder and a few morsels of salted fish, you traverse a dangerous tundra.”
Content: A primarily app-based adventure game built on Mörk Borg mechanics
Writing: Entirely descriptive; mechanics are handled by the app
Art/design: Pixelated depictions of Kergüs and its inhabitants
Usability: Physical copies and digital materials are available but not required to play
Content: A primarily app-based adventure game built on Mörk Borg mechanics
Writing: Entirely descriptive; mechanics are handled by the app
Art/design: Pixelated depictions of Kergüs and its inhabitants
Usability: Physical copies and digital materials are available but not required to play
Séquelle
Concept: “You were hired by a village to hunt a witch who kidnapped over a dozen children. […] They are all singing and holding hands, dancing in a circle in front of a cave.”
Content: A dark, plague-infested adventure with Pied Piper overtones
Writing: Text-heavy but accessible thanks to the conversational tone; includes graphic images of suffering
Art/design: Text overlaying a figurative and literal background image
Usability: Challenges players with moral conundrums and dilemmas of trust and justice
Content: A dark, plague-infested adventure with Pied Piper overtones
Writing: Text-heavy but accessible thanks to the conversational tone; includes graphic images of suffering
Art/design: Text overlaying a figurative and literal background image
Usability: Challenges players with moral conundrums and dilemmas of trust and justice
Tajemnice Eterycznej Twierdzy
Concept: “Widoczne w oddali ruiny twierdzy zakrzywiają otaczającą rzeczywistość. Światło wydaje się być wciągane wgłąb czarnych murów. Dlaczego tu przyszliście? To teraz bez znaczenia. Ważniejsze jest czy i jak stąd wyjdziecie.”
Content: A time-frozen, flesh-warping, light-sucking fortress crawl.
Writing: An entertaining mix of motivated factions in a situation that’s ready to spiral out of control. In short, a good night of Mörk Borg.
Art/design: Dark and menacing AI-generated figures haunt a simple map in a tri-fold layout.
Usability: Organized into clear sections, legible, Polish.
Content: A time-frozen, flesh-warping, light-sucking fortress crawl.
Writing: An entertaining mix of motivated factions in a situation that’s ready to spiral out of control. In short, a good night of Mörk Borg.
Art/design: Dark and menacing AI-generated figures haunt a simple map in a tri-fold layout.
Usability: Organized into clear sections, legible, Polish.
Tame Your Demons
Concept: “‘Come! Come! Sit with me. Let us bask in the glorious light of the Prescient Flame. Gaze into its depths. The Flame sees all. What do you see?’
—Seskel the Flamekeeper”
Content: A tallow-melting, candle-burning, demon-facing altar crawl.
Writing: An atmospheric and sensory experience suitable to horror and suspense.
Art/design: A single-column adventure with simple spot illustrations and a clear top-down dungeon map.
Usability: Organized and system neutral, with stats for Mörk Borg and 5e D&D.
Content: A tallow-melting, candle-burning, demon-facing altar crawl.
Writing: An atmospheric and sensory experience suitable to horror and suspense.
Art/design: A single-column adventure with simple spot illustrations and a clear top-down dungeon map.
Usability: Organized and system neutral, with stats for Mörk Borg and 5e D&D.
Tatterhood
Concept: “None of you know anything about fighting daimons, wyches, or restoring heads to princesses, but the whole world’s dying anyway and a job’s a job.”
Content: A strange, surreal fetch-quest with lots of bizarro elements and flavor
Writing: Well-written, laden with subtle humor and overt viscerality
Art/design: A more traditional OSR presentation, both textually and graphically
Usability: Includes a separate map and bestiary for quick reference
Content: A strange, surreal fetch-quest with lots of bizarro elements and flavor
Writing: Well-written, laden with subtle humor and overt viscerality
Art/design: A more traditional OSR presentation, both textually and graphically
Usability: Includes a separate map and bestiary for quick reference
Teind of Álfheim
Concept: “An experimental sonnet, adventure, and bestiary”
Content: A relatively brief but compelling, supernatural dungeon
Writing: Poetic text reinforces the dark, haunted theme and provides DM with inspiration as well as interpretive flexibility
Art/design: Some extremely rich colors with A LOT of creepy baby doll faces, even by Mörk Borg standards
Usability: Paginated by room for easy operation
Content: A relatively brief but compelling, supernatural dungeon
Writing: Poetic text reinforces the dark, haunted theme and provides DM with inspiration as well as interpretive flexibility
Art/design: Some extremely rich colors with A LOT of creepy baby doll faces, even by Mörk Borg standards
Usability: Paginated by room for easy operation
Temple of Trechery
Concept: “An LSD trip of an adventure for Mörk Borg”
Content: As above (so below).
Writing: A deeply rooted plot that’s sure to decay into a psychedelic trip, whether idylic or hellish is up to your scvm.
Art/design: A collection of print illustrations, and a few tastefully generated portraits which produce that strange hallucinatory feeling.
Usability: Well-organized and flexible. Available in German, with English translation in the works.
Content: As above (so below).
Writing: A deeply rooted plot that’s sure to decay into a psychedelic trip, whether idylic or hellish is up to your scvm.
Art/design: A collection of print illustrations, and a few tastefully generated portraits which produce that strange hallucinatory feeling.
Usability: Well-organized and flexible. Available in German, with English translation in the works.
The Ball
Concept: “In the crumbling, dilapidated manor house of a dead Schleswig noble, a horrific, expanding life-form has taken up residence.”
Content: Four rooms and tables of major and minor treasures
Writing: Concise but descriptive with occult imagery
Art/design: Graphics are more atmospheric than illustrative images
Usability: Discrete text blocks laid out for easy use
Content: Four rooms and tables of major and minor treasures
Writing: Concise but descriptive with occult imagery
Art/design: Graphics are more atmospheric than illustrative images
Usability: Discrete text blocks laid out for easy use
The Ballad of Sarta Rapida
Concept: “The world is dying. But then there came a voice.”
Content: Mobs of rabid fans, cutthroat sycophants, ex-lovers, and the voice of an angel, of sorts.
Writing: Yes, it’s about Taylor Swift.
Art/design: Outlined mobs, grainy photographs, alterations. Black, yellow, pink. Blackletter
Usability: Want fluff, hope you’re proficient in blackletter, work for it.
Content: Mobs of rabid fans, cutthroat sycophants, ex-lovers, and the voice of an angel, of sorts.
Writing: Yes, it’s about Taylor Swift.
Art/design: Outlined mobs, grainy photographs, alterations. Black, yellow, pink. Blackletter
Usability: Want fluff, hope you’re proficient in blackletter, work for it.
The Bastard of the Badlands
Concept: “Whoever claims the Bastard will have the power to rule over the land. Or to destroy it.”
Content: A frozen-wasteland-themed dungeon; also includes the badlands ranger character class
Writing: Nice descriptions but not as grimly humorous as Mörk Borg’s standard
Art/design: Also a departure from the standard, but does evoke a sense of place
Usability: Occasionally substitutes D20 terms like “check” and “AC”
Content: A frozen-wasteland-themed dungeon; also includes the badlands ranger character class
Writing: Nice descriptions but not as grimly humorous as Mörk Borg’s standard
Art/design: Also a departure from the standard, but does evoke a sense of place
Usability: Occasionally substitutes D20 terms like “check” and “AC”
The Beggar’s Shrine
Concept: “Local children are being abducted, and dragged to a long abandoned dungeon … carved into a gigantic, mysterious crystal skull.”
Content: A twisted (and twisting) dungeon full of blood, corpses
Writing: Vivid and visceral—sure to please GMs and players
Art/design: Nice map and conservative but still aesthetically pleasing design; text is visually dense but not excessively so
Usability: Stat blocks aren’t specifically labeled, which may slow reference during play
The Black Stallion Manor Massacre
“Once renowned stables where boys and girls from all over the country came to be trained in the delicate art of horse mastery. But those days are gone, and a shadow lurks in the vast tree-filled park.”
The Bone Fields of Northwyr
Concept: “A cursed and frostbitten sandbox”
Content: 5 distinct locations with unique characters and tables for random encounters and cursed artifacts
Writing: Very dark and somber; provides copious background for the setting and concise but effective characterization for its inhabitants
Art/design: Predominant use of powder blue creates an appropriate cold tone punctuated with warmer pink and yellow to aid navigation and provide contrasting character
Usability: Text heavy, but written to be memorable and designed for quick and easy reference during play
The Book of Vile Dungeons
“A collection of one-page, one-shot dungeons”
The Boreal Refuge
“This underground inn is usually a sight for sore eyes, a sanctuary for the frostbitten traveller. But something is clearly amiss...”
The Broken Sword of Vile Souls
Concept: “When Lorenz Hattendorf was murdered, one member of his party managed to escape. […] she knows where the man’s magic sword fell when he was torn limb from limb.”
Content: A seemingly unassuming tower crawl with a murderous climax (and some loot along the way)
Writing: Mostly devoted to background and description but includes stats for enemies and the titular sword (which is pretty brutal even while broken)
Art/design: Graphics add character and ambience, and the maps provide easy navigation for the GM
Usability: It’s a tower. There’s nowhere to go but up.
Content: A seemingly unassuming tower crawl with a murderous climax (and some loot along the way)
Writing: Mostly devoted to background and description but includes stats for enemies and the titular sword (which is pretty brutal even while broken)
Art/design: Graphics add character and ambience, and the maps provide easy navigation for the GM
Usability: It’s a tower. There’s nowhere to go but up.
The Burning Gash
Concept: “Imprisoned for a crime you most certainly committed, you need to escape. However, in your first hours in the Gash, you meet someone and need to either take them with you or take them out.”
Content: Cannibal prison massacre
Writing: Aside from the introductory paragraphs, short descriptions of locations and creatures, tables for times, and adventure hooks
Art/design: Mostly sticks to an uneven, fractured-looking two-column format with some illustrations and additional trade dress
Usability: Nonlinear and presumes creative problem solving
Content: Cannibal prison massacre
Writing: Aside from the introductory paragraphs, short descriptions of locations and creatures, tables for times, and adventure hooks
Art/design: Mostly sticks to an uneven, fractured-looking two-column format with some illustrations and additional trade dress
Usability: Nonlinear and presumes creative problem solving
The Church of Katharszisz
Concept: “The Church of Katharzsisz demand your assistance in returning the head of the Saint-Mother Magdus.”
Content: A coerced crawl through a corpse-haunted cathedral
Writing: Includes an elaborate introduction with plenty of atmospheric details throughout
Art/design: Graphic design consisting predominantly of earth tones with other muted hues reinforces the sensation of exploring a dim, murky cathedral
Usability: Well organized by page (intro, descriptions, map, monsters) for easy reference
Currently unavailable
Content: A coerced crawl through a corpse-haunted cathedral
Writing: Includes an elaborate introduction with plenty of atmospheric details throughout
Art/design: Graphic design consisting predominantly of earth tones with other muted hues reinforces the sensation of exploring a dim, murky cathedral
Usability: Well organized by page (intro, descriptions, map, monsters) for easy reference
Currently unavailable
The Church of the Forbidden Gate
Concept: “As long as THE GATE remains active, all death is meaningless to the faithful.”
Content: Fairly straightforward dungeon with heretical overtones
Writing: An accessible mix of exposition and stat blocks
Art/design: Reserved use of color provides emphasis, aids navigation
Usability: Supported by explicit visual connection of text and locations
Content: Fairly straightforward dungeon with heretical overtones
Writing: An accessible mix of exposition and stat blocks
Art/design: Reserved use of color provides emphasis, aids navigation
Usability: Supported by explicit visual connection of text and locations
The Cleaving in Buskstätt
Concept: “A darkly shimmering GROWTH has overtaken the town.”
Content: A pointcrawl amidst malicious overgrowth
Writing: Concise; mostly devoted to stats & mechanics
Art/design: Map and art are prominent without encroaching on the text
Usability: Small text emphasizes the visual elements but may be difficult to read
Content: A pointcrawl amidst malicious overgrowth
Writing: Concise; mostly devoted to stats & mechanics
Art/design: Map and art are prominent without encroaching on the text
Usability: Small text emphasizes the visual elements but may be difficult to read
The Cook at the Crossroads
Concept: “The Inn at the Crossroads … Nothing bad ever happened here. Or did it?”
Content: An insidious secret at an unassuming inn
Writing: Predominantly devoted to setting the scene for roleplaying
Art/design: Text-focused and more traditional than many other third-party publications
Usability: Linear; some redundancy eliminates page flipping
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