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A bunch of people in a few different threads are talking about the OSR role-playing game Mörk Borg, a game written by Pelle Nilsson, published by Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell, and distributed in the US by Free League Press.
The game is a rules-light RPG in the Old School Renaissance (OSR) tradition, but is not a D&D retro-clone. It is a class-and-level based system that uses a d20/roll-over-target pass/fail resolution mechanic. The entire rules of the game are summarized on a one-page document.
One note about the system is that all rolls are player-facing: The GM never rolls dice at all! (With the possible exception of rolling on random tables.)
The core rulebook is slim 96-page 8.5" x 6" hardcover, with a screaming yellow-and-black color scheme. It's a stunningly beautiful artifact: The PDF does NOT do it justice. It's as much an art book as a game manual. The aesthetic is Nordic death metal.
The book includes all the rules you need to play, plus a 15-page intro dungeon, "Rotblack Sludge, or The Accursed Den of the Cannibal Warlock".
And, yes, that title pretty much gets at the aesthetic.
I highly recommend checking out this gem of a game.
Critics also agree: This game won 2020 ENnie Awards for "Product of the Year" (Gold), "Best Writing" (Gold), "Best Layout & Design" (Gold), and "Best Game" (Silver).
(Oh, and "mörk borg" is Swedish for "dark fort".)
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So far, I've run the intro adventure as a one-shot twice. I've run two different groups each through a three-game series of the point-crawl adventure "The Death Ziggurat," one using the core rules, and once as an adaptation for the RPG Trophy Gold.
I also used the Mörk Borg core rules separated from its death-metal aesthetic to run a six-game series through the DCC adventure The Doom That Came to Christmas Town.
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Hm. Interesting rules light concepts, good art too.
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Sounds like the perfect system for a party of metal rock band members.
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The amount of online free material for tgis game is astounding!
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Finally got ahold of a copy, after months of waiting, and I like it. It was actually pretty easy to read and pick up the system, flamboyant design notwithstanding, and I get what they're about when they describe it as a doom metal roleplaying game (in the same way that Warhammer Fantasy Roleplaying is a NWOBHM RPG, maybe?). I read it on the train back home while listening to Candlemass at the same time, which seemed fitting, even though I'm not all that keen on that band.
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Friends, your dreams have come true, and someone has released a fishing themed supplement for Mörk Borg.
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This December, I'm running a wholesome Christmas-themed light hack of Mörk Borg that I'm calling "Mörk Yûl."
This is to run the Goodman Games adventure The Doom That Came to Christmas Town, originally written for Dungeon Crawl Classics.
The idea of this game is to play as characters within a 1970s-era made-for-TV holiday special. In this game the Heart of Christmas is fading and Santa's three champions Rudolph, Yukon Cornelius, and Hermie the Dentomancer are missing. The PCs must rescue the missing champions, restore the Heart, and save Christmas!
The pre-generated PCs include...
Fireball the Magic Reindeer (from the 1964 Rankin-Bass TV special, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer)
The Winter Wizard (from the 1970 Rankin-Bass TV special, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town)
S.D. Kluger (also from the 1970 Rankin-Bass TV special, Santa Claus Is Comin' to Town)
Leon the Snowman (from the 2003 film Elf, whose design was based on Sam the Snowman from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer)
Cindy-Lou Who (from the 1966 Chuck Jones TV special How the Grinch Stole Christmas!)
Jovie Sparkletoes (Original character, very loosely based on Boss Elf from Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and Jovie from Elf)
Mrs. Claus (from basically every Rankin-Bass Christmas TV special.)
This game is using the Mörk Borg core rules, pretty much as-is.
My hacks are: replacing "scrolls" with character-specific magical effects, replacing the "spell fumble" table with one that's written for G-rated comedy, and making fights such that characters get knocked out at 0 hp (with cartoon effects like eyes rotating in circles or birds flying around their heads.)
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I've never felt any desire to check out Mork Borg, but the kickstarter for Cy-Borg got me. Here's hoping I like it.
Now there be a Free, PWYW version of Mork Borg that's being offered right now. :)
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A spiked flail to the face!
They had me at that line