We had the pleasure of trying out Forbidden Psalm, the Mörk Borg compatible agnostic RPG of which I write this review; thanks to Exalted Funeral for sending us a physical copy!
The manual was written by Kevin Rahman and published under the “Mörk Borg Third Party License“. Based entirely on the use of miniatures, this compact manual will only require a 60x60cm surface, miniatures, a dice set and a measuring tape to play. It’s also specified that, being an “agnostic” system, it is not necessary to have theMörk Borg basic manual. In fact, the work contains all the rules necessary to play directly, plus any conversion tables in case you want to use other compatible material.
Forbidden Psalm has its very own website, from which you can access all the purchase links for the basic manual and expansions. The paper format is available on Exalted Funeral at a cost of $25 for the softcover version, and $40 for the hardcover version.
Introduction to the Miniatures
To play Forbidden Psalm we will need at least 5 miniatures, corresponding to five player characters. We will assign a name, characteristics, a flaw, a talent and equipment to each of them. Furthermore, we will be able to choose a member of this gang and name them “Spellcaster”. Gold for equipping and recruiting party members is shared, and for good reason: Forbidden Psalm can also be played in twos, or even alone.
The Spellcaster will have access to two spells, while having an increased recruitment cost. Once the characters have been generated, the game board is set up. In my case I generated Arthur the Realist: talentless and unable to use any Omen. Below you will find a magnificent picture of him, printed and colored by phantasy.png.
All measurements are in Inches, but the conversion is very simple as we will often be using squares. Once the party is created, it will be up to the Game Master to prepare the miniatures of the enemies.
The creation of the party is very clear in the explanations, as well as undoubtedly quick and facilitated by the numerous tables in the manual. All the content of this chapter is completely new, except for some Omens that follow those of the Mörk Borg core manual. I found the whole process fun to do with friends, and it didn’t take more than half an hour with the miniatures ready.
Review of the Mechanics of Forbidden Psalm
Now that we have our minis, we just have to choose a scenario (among those ready in the manual, or inventing one), arrange the grid, arrange the creatures and decide who starts.
The initiative (like the other tests) is rolled with a simple d20. For almost all other rolls, the base difficulty is 12, just like in Mörk Borg.
The miniatures must be “activated”, and can move and perform an action. When they perform an action, the turn ends. Damage is decided by the equipped weapon, and movement depends on the character’s Agility. Before starting the fight, each party member can place an obstacle on the map. Then 1d6 is rolled, and if the sum of the result and the obstacles is less than 9, more pieces can be added.
The monster management rules have great impact: they have a tag, and they will tend to attack anything that differs from it. A skeleton, for example, would attack a goblin if it were closer than a party member. Creatures must also be able to see a target in order to attack it.
The combat rules are very simple: melee can only be done by adjacent creatures. Ranged attacks, on the other hand, have an explicit range in inches (or squares). As you can see, all the game mechanics are immediate and suitable for playing even without particular preparation.
Resources for the Game Master and Bonuses
Much of the manual is devoted to providing adventures and maps to the Game Master. We find 10 ready adventures, including schemes on how to arrange the creatures. Each of them is accompanied by a page with a description of the events and any obtainable treasure. All stories are connected to the same NPC: Vripix the Mad Wizard. He seeks out the Forbidden Psalm, a scripture said to repel darkness.
The manual is littered with useful tables, such as that of treasures. The pre-generated monsters are all very different from each other, accompanied by illustrations in full Mörk Borg style. One of them is by Johan Nohr (illustrator of Mörk Borg): the Collector of Corpses, featured on the cover. At the end of the manual there are “2D miniatures”, illustrations of the monsters framed and ready to be photocopied… or cut out, if you are an heartless monster.
What particularly entertained me was the bonus adventure, a real chariot race. The “longest table you can get your hands on” is required to play. I have to say that all the adventures included have original and interesting characteristics. For example, Sock Eater will let you play “Catch a Mole” with petty goblins! It is almost a sort of mini-game with special rules: we will have to collect and match as many socks as possible. Obviously there will be a time limit, so you need to be efficient!
Conclusion of the Review of Forbidden Psalm
Forbidden Psalm is a solid product, offering something niche and doing it well. The mix of skirmish and role-playing works great, also thanks to the author’s attention to detail.
I strongly recommend the purchase, but only if you intend to play with miniatures. The manual makes no sense at all if you intend to use the theater of the mind.
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We had the pleasure of tryingMörk Borg Cult: Heretic, an expansion for the popular OSR tabletop RPG Mörk Borg (and here you can find our review of the core rulebook).
The manual was written in part by the original author Pelle Nillson, and illustrated and paginated by Johan Nohr. Proofreading and editing was done by Walton Wood, Fiona Maeve Geist (MRC) and Jarrett Crader (MRC). For this, the work fits perfectly with Mörk Borg‘s theme and style, simply expanding its versatility and providing ideas for GMs. It is important to note that this is a collection of different contents, many of which are available for free on the official Mörk Borg website. This print is therefore intended to provide a compact and possibly physical version of that material.
The volume consists of 68 pages, all illustrated in a grotesque and spectacular way. The art is in fact designed by Nohr himself, author of the original manual by Mörk Borg. Consequently, the layout and the crazy style will also be the same. Therefor this makes this work a real collector’s item.
The main focus of the work is to expand the gameplayprovided by the basic manual, without distorting it particularly but providing statblocks, tables and interesting ideas. There are also numerous dungeons which make it a great tool for the GM looking for something quick to play.
Cults, Tables and Candles
As a good old school manual, Heretic is littered with wonderful tables with the most disparate uses.
The first allows us, for example, to create our own personal cult, offering narrative ideas to both players and GMs.
Immediately after we find one of the best ideas of the manual, exploitable thanks to the roll of a d66: the “Unheroic Feats“, talents acquired by characters without a class. These will definitely make it more fun to play a character with no starting powers, as they will offer a unique progression with powerful abilities and interesting bonuses. There is also a rule that allows you to obtain these talents through the natural progression of the character in the story: for example, a character strangely related to rats could obtain “Pied Piper”, thus gaining the ability to communicate with rodents.
We can’t talk about tables without mentioning my absolute favorite: “You are cursed“. 20 curses, 10 characters able to break them (perhaps), 10 prices to pay and 12 rituals to try to save your unfortunate character. Layout on a black background and artistically curated by Johan Nohr, this little masterpiece offers instant plot cues. Whether it was for an one-shot or to temporarily derail a campaign, I have used this very useful tool numerous times, and it has never let me down.
The Merchant, the Dust and the Darkness
Another important part of the manual is the shop of the “Merchant”, a mysterious figure who will sell powerful items in exchange for the souls of the characters.
The actual price will actually be one ability point (or one hit point). All the items are interesting and can easily make a character unique, whether in a safe way or not.
The items for sale will change based on where players find The Merchant, making him more dynamic and unpredictable.
Dungeon Crawling at Will
The rest of the volume contains many adventures suitable for ones-hot. These are richly decorated and have simple maps surrounded by notes and tips for the GM. The style is very reminiscent of the One Page Dungeons.
Personally, I found Graves Left Wanting particularly smooth and enjoyable; it is an adventure set in a gloomy abandoned cemetery, where bodies still need to find their way. Excellent both for starting a campaign and as an one-shot, this small module will accompany us from the mysterious resurrection of the player characters, up to their eventual escape from the Shadow King’s territory.
The adventure takes place all inside a boundless cemetery, surrounded by fog and darkness. It will be up to the players to decide the direction in which to move, exploring corrupt places such as the Vomatorium, the Roach Herder’s Lair and many others. However, the adventure takes to a specific place: the Undertaker’s Hut. Here the dead resurrected in a similar way to the characters live in a form of simple society, unable to escape after killing the owner of this place. It will be here that players will face the ultimate challenge of this adventure, the ÜBERTAKER. In keeping with the well-known difficulty of this game system, the creature will prove to be a formidable opponent, but also an extremely entertaining battle.
I must point out that most of the material in this chapter is available as a free download on the official Mörk Borg website. The layout and the art are, as always, the strong point of this roleplaying game and even here they do not disappoint at all. Despite the apparent chaos, all the content is easily usable.
The GM’s Screen and Extras
Two high-quality accessories were also sent to us along with the Heretic basic manual.
The first is a wonderful master screen. On one side there are incredibly thematic and inspired illustrations, on the other all the most important rules and tables. It is currently available on the Free League website at a price of € 18.55.
The second is The Hexed Gauntlet of Kagel-Secht, a singular mix between a comic and a dungeon in poster format (A2). Players will explore it one panel at a time, each representing an area of the spooky castle. Unfortunately, this accessory does not seem to be available at the moment.
Final Thoughs of the Review of Mörk BorgCult: Heretic
This collection of diverse content certainly offers numerous insights. The art style very similar to that of the core rulebook makes it basically a collector’s item, or even an art book. I recommend the purchase if interested in the printed version or in general collecting. Despite the great amount of material for the low price, almost everything is legally and free of charge in PDF form.
On a qualitative level, on the other hand, it is confirmed as excellent in terms of writing, flavor of the adventures and efficiency of the new game mechanics.
If you enjoyed this Heretic review, keep following us for more material dedicated to Mörk Borg!
Today we bring you our review of Zargoth’s Tome of Familiars, an expansion manual for D&D 5th Edition created by Arcana Games.
Born from the pen of Eugene Fasano, this supplement was has a very soecific purpose: to expand the mechanics of the Familiars in D&D 5th Edition. And it does it in an extremely varied and customizable way! The options presented easily adapt to different types of alignments, classes, settings and styles of play. This makes the product a very interesting tool; but let’s go and see the details!
The work is available on Drivethrurpg in two versions: PDF for $ 20 (about 20 euros) or hardcover at a price of 40 $ (about 40 euros). Considering that it consists of 98 pages, almost all illustrated (sometimes even with with full page art), the price is more than fair for what it offers.
Review of the Volume of Zargoth’s Tome of Familiars
I would like to start by talking about the subdivision of the manual into chapters; as obvious as it may seem, it is very intelligent and manages to make it easy to consult even during fights. The statblocks of the monsters are very easy to read (always in the typical format of the official fifth edition manuals), accompanied by descriptions and lore. The creatures are divided into 10 categories, for a total of 75 new summons!
We will now go through the mechanics.
The Feats and Familiars System
The general prerequisite for obtaining the feats that provide access to new familiars is very simple: being able to cast a spell. There are also smart ways to acquire the Find Familiar spell, which makes summoning these creatures possible for any character. In fact, it will be enough to possess Initiate to Magic to be able to immediately start summoning!
This mechanic is quite important, as several summons are designed and balanced to aid in melee combat.
Several feats can be learned more than once, such as the Symbiote ones; they will modify our character, allowing us to show off limbs and exoskeletons that are as disturbing as they are effective. For the magicians who love theatricality, it will be possible to invest in their own army of personal living magic darts: they will accompany the character by assuming different forms, and parametrically increasing damage and defense.
My favorites are definitely the Familiars dedicated to the school of Necromancy. In fact, they offer numerous support options, such as the Bone Hound’s ability to collect bones (and corpses) during travels. They are also endowed with excellent versatility in battle; a Vampiric Bat will be able to engage enemies in combat, heal their summoner and then flee without provoking Attacks of Opportunity.
In second place, I definitely put the Sylvan Fauna, extremely suitable for druids and characters linked to Feywild. All pets are accompanied by a beautiful illustration and a statblock. They are also indexed and easily searchable. Here are some examples, just to let you understand what I’m talking about:
Review of Zargoth’s Tome of Familiars: Alchemy, Magic Items and More
There is a whole paragraph dedicated to alchemy! It introduces a special feat and numerous consumable potions. After all, who has never wanted a pocket slime?
At the end of the manual we find some pages full of magical items. They are mostly upgrades for our summons, or for the Find Familiar spell. There are however some whips and some other goodies that will come in handy for the whole party. Then we find a unique race, spiritually linked to animals, and a small expansion to normal Familiars.
Ultime Considerazioni della Recensione di Zargoth’s Tome of Familiars
In conclusion I can say that this highly specific manual offers numerous customization options. In terms of balance they are all sufficiently playtested, even if some combinations could be a little over the top.
I highly recommend the purchase for players looking for a summoner experience in D&D 5e. I also believe it can also help the Dungeon Master adorn the game world; the familiars are in fact easily reusable as magical fauna.
If you liked this review, I recommend you to continue following us to discover other products like Zargoth’s Tome of Familiars!
Today we are pleased to present you the review ofThe Temple of the Kraken God, a disturbing adventure for MÖRK BORG.
Spilling the ink that makes up this obscure manual is Christian Eichhorn. The author’s extremely clear style fits perfectly with MÖRK BORG‘s simple and straightforward gameplay mechanics, as we have already seen in Galgenbeck Sacrifice. We take this opportunity to thank him very much for sending us a digital review copy!
This module, closely related to the official lore of the game, puts us in the shoes of a group of poor adventurers sent by King Sigiùm the Kind. Our task will be to explore a mysterious island spotted in the Endless Sea.
The adventure is available on DriveThruRPG at the competitive price of $15 (14,22€) for the pdf version and $20 (18,96€)for the softcover. This places it slightly below average in price for similar adventures, making it an interesting option for lovers of the fairly unique theme it deals with.
The handbook is clearly imbued with a certain Lovecraftian feeling. Furthermore, it has a subtlety that has pleasantly struck me: the work addresses the Kraken God with a single letter: F. Obviously using a gothic font that is as dramatic as possible.
Reviewing the Volume of The Temple of the Kraken God
The volume consists of 56 pages in a mix of black and white and extremely bright colors, now typical of the RPG MÖRK BORG. Constant shifting between realistic images and abstract drawings provides a unique and well thought-out style. Also, the chosen color palette is also particularly pleasing, which never deviates from the abysmal theme of the tome, even though it uses yellow and fuchsia.
There are also many details that will surely delight the most attentive players. Through some interactions, in fact, the adventure rewards players for having conversed with the crew through unique encounters. Of course, being MÖRK BORG, the prize is tremendous and permanent mental scars.
Gameplay Mechanics and Battles
The Temple of the Kraken Godoffers two new game mechanics easily applicable to a long-term campaign. The first is called “Corruption“, and it’s a slow descent into the mental abyss of the character, accompanied by Lovecraftian powers. Between one tentacle and another, however, the character could fry completely and pass over to the enemy’s side. The second mechanic is that of the “Fallen Stars“: dark omens (determined at random) that follow the players. They can be altered, but at a high price.
The fights, on the other hand, range from “doable and fun” to “character-grinders”. I therefore recommend that you clarify the situation at the party before you even start.
Tables, Artifacts and Conclusion of The Temple of the Kraken God
Random events within the dungeon are described via a d8 table. These can be used to fill any dead moments of exploration, or even just to indulge the players’ curiosity. The maps are developed not too far from the One-Page-Dungeon, offering an always clear reading despite the chaotic style of the work. The last pages are occupied by a series of dark magical artifacts, all different and well connected to the plot of the adventure.
At the end of the day(s), we are faced with a very solid adventure in all aspects, which I can highly recommend to lovers of the MÖRK BORG RPG. In fact, it embodies all its strengths and weaknesses.
And remember: no mortal can expect to conquer the God of Anemones, Ionic Salt and Pressure. They can only hope to whitstand.
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This handbook isan expansion module for D&D5e entirely dedicated to kobolds, and it sure has the charm of niche work. The authors’ love for these bizarre creatures transpires from the meticulous descriptions of their way of fighting, preparing ambushes and reacting to danger. The book is embellished with splendid illustrations by John Latta and Dean Spencer and overall thanks to the layout it guarantees an immersive reading even in the most technical passages.
Available digitally on DMs Guild for $2, it’s definitely a must buy for anyone who wants to play a kobold character, or for any Dungeon Master with the intent of making their low-level party suffer. The absolutely fair price encourages the purchase even if only for pure curiosity.
Reviewing the Volume and the Subraces of Born to be Kobold
The manual is composed of four chapters and is enriched with themed illustrations, including some stock images from Wizards of the Coast. This allows it to fill the pages with art without impacting the cost of the product.
The first chapter deals solely with the options for creating a kobold character, with two subraces as funny as they are powerful. Thanks to these rules (accompanied by paragraphs of lore) we will finally be able to show off our supposed draconic ancestry and even spread some magnificent wings! In terms of balance we’re heading towards an almost objective improvement of the base race, but without seriously unbalancing it.
Weird and Shiny Items!
The second chapter allows us instead to customize a kobold character through a d100 table. It contains “Trinkets”, little objects that our friend will have with himself. Some of these are unusual to the point of providing great background ideas or even a little adventure involving its bearer! The entire list of items is written with attention to detail.
There are even some comic notes that made me smile (like the magic glove, whose only power is to shine slightly and therefore look enchanted).
Tactics and Trap…ticks?
Thus we finally come to the chapter that most impressed me: the war tactics of the kobolds. It would have been easy to reduce everything to a couple of pages, but in our hands we find a sort of The Art of War in the kobold version. A nice introduction by lore explains how to best play our little friends during a fight. For example, we will use poisons and traps to fight strategically, without exposing ourselves to dangers unnecessarily.
Every trap presented in this chapter has been balanced through what is written in the Xanathar’s Guide to Everything. This ensures that we have clear descriptions of each hazard, as well as the correct way to neutralize it.
Statblocks and the “Victory Chart”
Finally, we arrive at a wonderful table, which is probably worth the price of the manual alone: “The Kobold’s Victory Table”. It offers us 12 effects to be applied, at the choice of the DM, from one to three times during the fights. Roll over to the table after an attack hits, and prepare for a sustained dose of chaos.
The manual concludes with the statblocks of five different kobold NPCs, all with a low Challenge Rating but fun and well-defined peculiarities. Some of them have particularly treacherous abilities, which could give even the most unwary high-level parties a hard time!
Conclusions of the Review of Born to be Kobold
The graphics, developed through Homebrewery, gives the feeling of being a product with its character while remaining in line with the style of the official D&D5e handbooks. Furthermore, the choice of having a large group of playtesters reflects on the game mechanics, which are well balanced and easily applicable to your campaign.
In conclusion, Born to be Kobold is a manual that is easy to understand and consult on the fly, written with passion and care. The d100 table, which can also be reused on other occasions, was appreciated.
If you enjoyed this Born to be Kobold review, stay tuned for more D&D5e supplements!
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