Overview
Mörk Borg is a doom metal apocalyptic fantasy tabletop roleplaying game, published by Free League Publishing in 2020. It was created by Pelle Nilsson and Johan Nohr. The game is famous for its aggressive, award winning graphic design and incredibly bleak tone. Players navigate a dying world destined to end, playing as miserable scoundrels, heretics, and broken souls simply trying to survive their final days.
The system it is heavily inspired by is
Old School Renaissance (2000s)
Description
In Mörk Borg, you do not play heroes. You play tomb robbers and outcasts exploring a grim, rotting world under a black sun. The setting is actively counting down to the apocalypse as prophesied by the two headed basilisk. Gameplay is highly lethal, fast paced, and completely unfair. It prioritizes atmosphere, quick rulings, and embracing the inevitable doom of your character.
System Overview & Key Features
Player Facing d20 Rolls
The core mechanic is incredibly simple. Players roll a 20 sided die (d20) and add a stat modifier to beat a Target Number, which is usually 12. Players roll for all attacks and all defense. The Game Master never touches the dice during combat.
The Calendar of Nechrubel
The world is literally ending. Each morning, the Game Master rolls a die to determine if a Misery occurs. When the seventh Misery is rolled, the world burns and the game is permanently over. The players cannot stop this.
Omens
Characters have a small pool of Omens each day. These are points that can be spent to reroll a failed test, maximize damage dealt, reduce damage taken, or neutralize a critical hit. In a highly lethal game, Omens are the only thing keeping a character alive.
Unpredictable Magic
Magic is cast by reading ancient Unclean or Sacred scrolls. Any class can attempt to read a scroll, but doing so requires a Presence test. Failing this test results in a terrifying Arcane Catastrophe, causing massive damage or permanent mutations.
Zero HP and Broken Bodies
When a character reaches zero Hit Points, they are Broken. The player must roll on a brutal table to determine their fate. They might simply be knocked unconscious, lose a limb, or die instantly and gruesomely.
Additional links
Log in to view MÖRK BORG RPG Trailer
Log in to view - Official Mörk Borg website
Log in to view - Official Free League Publishing website