Andy Lingua
Before we begin this Mörk Souls review, we’d like to thank Undead Army for sending us a copy of the manual. This is a supplement compatible with the Mörk Borg roleplaying game.
If after reading this review you want to buy the manual, you can find it in digital version only (and in English) on Itch.io and DriveThruRPG for the price of $7.90 (about 6.70 euros, currently).
The Concept: a Tabletop Soulslike
Those Who suffer a
violent death shall roam
the streets of the
forgotten land
Till One and Just One
will claim the ashen
crown of the Grim King
and rule amongst the
fallen till the very end
The idea behind this manual is to take the lore of Mörk Borg, add an element, and create an experience reminiscent of soulslike games. By this term, I refer to the video game genre in which the protagonists die and are reborn to become increasingly stronger, ultimately defeating powerful bosses. Examples include Dark Souls and Demon’s Souls, which the authors praised, along with other inspirational works.
The premise is simple. A character who dies in the world of Mörk Borg arrives here, in the Grim Citadel. In this place, unfortunately, not even death offers lasting peace.
Mörk Souls Protagonists Review
Authors Eric and Matteo recommend avoiding classes or omens, and forming groups of no more than three characters. The gameplay experience must be ruthless and lethal to best embody the tone of the book.
Since Mörk Souls is compatible with Mörk Borg, you can use the latter’s traditional character creation methods (which I discussed in my review).
This approach also allows you to give a new purpose to characters who died in previous sessions of the same roleplaying game. I really appreciated this aspect; after all, the return of a former “hero” always has a certain effect.
However, there are also some unique elements that come into play when the characters arrive at the Grim Citadel. A unique currency (Ash Coins) allows them to purchase advantages that (perhaps) might help them survive a few more battles. And if that’s not enough, they’ll still have the chance to respawn a few times, accumulating tokens called Derangements. These are merely a counter, letting the storyteller to chose possible mechanical implications.
Finally, I also appreciated the structure of the character sheet. Very similar to the Mörk Borg one, it respects its aesthetic while adding the unique elements of this supplement.
The Places of Torment
The manual contains a good number of random tables, one of which is used to define the locations you encounter. Rolling 2d10 delineates one of them, and each area should have at least three of them. There are three categories, each increasingly terrifying and potentially merciless.
The inevitable bosses provide the right amount of fear for the desperate souls who face this journey. Here too, we find handy tables to help the narrator create ever-new and fearsome ones. The feeling is that of having a great preparatory phase, definitely not boring to play, leading up to the climax of tension. These combats are ruthless and raw, but lethality fuels the growing adrenaline. Furthermore, it’s important to keep in mind that this world is ruled by a sovereign and, as such, they don’t appreciate those who acquire too much power.
If that weren’t enough, the protagonists might encounter Invaders during their exploration. These are lost souls who wander the world and can cross paths with the characters to trigger special encounters. In practice, however, they represent a great opportunity for extra loot. I really appreciated that, although they can be easily created, a good number of them are available ready for use at the end of the book. And let’s be honest: seeing a savage woman wielding a huge cleaver always gives a soulslike fan a special thrill.
As always with this kind of supplement, language and its characterization are key elements, and here they’ve been expertly handled. Each term is perfectly evocative, giving substance to the gameplay.
Conclusion of the Mörk Souls Review
Also the manual’s aesthetic is perfectly themed with the atmosphere envisioned by the authors. Each of the 28 pages is rich in details and dark, macabre decorations, enhancing a manual in keeping with Mörk Borg style. The dark background is marked by white illustrations and writing, with red accents. The font is also very appropriate, but its “gothic” style makes it slightly less legible than a classic manual. But art can’t be controlled, and a few words are enough to demonstrate how it feels to be crushed by a giant goat-skull demon.
I conclude this review by noting with pleasure how Mörk Souls manages to evoke a very distinctive yet difficult-to-replicate tone: that of a soulslike. It’s not just about exaggerated aesthetics and senselessly lethal challenges, but also about a dark and engaging atmosphere.
Mörk Borg is extremely modular by nature, but not all of the additions are useful and bring real improvements to the gaming experience. This manual, however, does its job very well, and I would recommend it to anyone looking to make the game even darker.
