PLAY

The book itself is visually stunning, with a focus on impactful graphic design. The setting is rich in atmosphere, but light on detailed lore, leaving much to the imagination of the players and GM.

The rules are simple and player-facing, with mechanics for combat, character advancement, and dealing with the impending doom of the world.

The highlight of the book is a well-designed dungeon adventure called "Black Sludge," featuring non-linear exploration, mini-factions, and evocative imagery.

While the layout of the book can be confusing at times, its overall production quality is top-notch. Mörk Borg may not be for everyone, but its unique aesthetic and gameplay experience make it a standout in the OSR genre.

Ben from Questing Beast gives, as always, an amazing review of Mörk Borg in the video below.

Curious but uncertain?

You can find some freebies on the Mörk Borg website including a text-only bare bones edition and a single-page reference guide. Try before you buy.

READ

“Etharis is a bleak world, stricken by thematic (and literal) darkness. The vampiric Crimson Court of Soma rule a kingdom shrouded in permanent night, supernatural mists cover the swamp city of Morencia, and the nordic Valikan Clans spend half their year in a frozen land without the sun.”

The book provides extensive lore, maps, and adventure modules, along with new monsters, mechanics, and character options. The setting is characterized by darkness, plague, and supernatural forces, offering a fusion of Warhammer Fantasy and Curse of Strahd vibes. The book's nuanced tone allows for gritty adventures while still offering hope and meaningful victories for players.

“Getting into the mechanics of Grim Hollow, the book starts by offering players new character options. These include feats, spells, curses, and advanced weapons (gunpowder included).” The GM's guide offers advice on weaving dark fantasy elements into campaigns, with variant rules for a grittier experience.

The book concludes with three adventure modules, generously illustrated with colour maps and NPC art. Despite not being an official D&D product, Grim Hollow is professional, polished, and lavishly illustrated, making it a worthy addition to any tabletop RPG collection.

“If it’s any indication of how much I liked it, I’m already planning an Etharis mini campaign over the summer. Taken as a whole, I would give this book a full five stars and crown Grim Hollow the definitive dark fantasy setting for D&D 5e.”

SHOP

Wrap yourself in grimdark with this simple yet striking Mörk Borg "d66" t-shirt.

Nothing says grimdark more than these skull dice from Dice Legend. Btw, these guys often have incredible sales and sometimes freebies!!!

If you missed Issue 001, which includes the Swyvers QuickStark for $1 USD, the Eldritch Lorecast Episode 129, the Alexandrian’s tips on tracking NPCS, and Zee Baschew’s concept of "Quantum inventory”, you can read it here.

See you next week, where we take a nostalgic trip back to the roots of old school roleplaying games.