Delving into the Dark Fort: A Visit to MORK BORG

UPDATE: We're playing again Tuesday, March 24 @ 7:30 Eastern. Let me know if you want in.

A few weeks ago, I bought the much discussed Mork Borg. I read it cover to cover and enjoyed drinking in all of its grotty art.

There's lots of reviews online with a variety of viewpoints. I watched Adam Koebel's First Look and I feel like he does a good job of showing what the game is all about. That is to say, over-the-top, ultra-stylized graphically grotesque. Everything in the book reinforces the feeling.

I've seen criticisms of the book pointing out the "inefficiency" of it's layout. I totally disagree.

The book is very efficient with it's words. If all the formatting was stripped away and the book was converted into a text file, it could be printed on a couple sheets of paper. In fact, they have a one page rules reference that has almost everything you need to run it.

Instead of filling the pages with words, the creators filled the pages with evocative art and creative layouts. They prioritize the transmission of tone and attitude, and since they've been careful and concise they have lots of space.

The book is great. If it appeals to you at all, get it.

Last night, I played it for the first time. With everyone in the NYC area locked-down and flattening the curve, I hosted an online game and ran Rotblack Sludge, the short adventure included with the game. Play report below, spoiler filled.

Rotblack Sludge is a solid adventure. Unlike the rest of the book, the layout of the adventure prioritized convenience at the table. Every page included a mini-map of the whole level highlighting the rooms that were being described. Bullet point descriptions. Important features bolded. Clear descriptions of all exits with concise descriptions of what can be heard or seen. Really easy to run.

Subtracting out the usual technical difficulties it took about 3 - 3.5hrs to complete, with the players exploring all but two of the 15 rooms.

We had four players, all using random characters from the game's online generator. We had two character deaths but using the generator, they were quickly replaced. Mork Borg is lethal.

The adventure began with our reluctant heroes being forced down the stairs of the Accursed Den, a subterranean warren, where the King's seer had scryed out his missing heir. Returning without the heir would result in immediate execution at the hands of assembled guards.

And so two Heretics, a Gutterborn Scum, and a Wretched Royalty clambered down into the slimy passageways. At first things went well enough.

• An old man in druidic garb ignored them and a squad of angry guards allowed them to retreat without combat.
• Things took a turn when the Scum tried to steal a painting and activated a trap. The floor opened up and the whole gang was dumped into a pit, landing in a battered pile. 
• The pit was intersected by a tunnel that led them into a gem encrusted room bordering a sinister (and titular) pond of Rotblack Sludge. From the sludge, a massive carnivorous worm burst forth (fortunately with a terrible initiative roll) and the party fled out of the room. 

• The noise of their movement attracted attention and the previously encountered guards charged into the room, infuriated that their commands to leave had been ignored. 
• In the combat that ensued, the Royal's capering jester was hacked apart before the party fled back into the gem room. The worm was waiting and gobbled up one of the Heretics.
• The adventurers managed to turn the tide and killed several guards and mangled the last two until they surrendered. The guards were stripped and sent out of the Den, where they were no doubt pin-cushioned with arrows by the King's men.

• Further exploration led the party to the Den's cannibal warlock proprietor. 
• In his slaughterhouse/forge they battled valiantly. 
• The Royal was splattered by a red-hot flail. The prognosis looked grim.
• Then a lucky lob of toxic sludge splattered the anthrophage's face and destroyed his eyes. The party fled leaving the blinded villain to stumble wildly. Did he end up floundering into the furnace? Stumbling into the sludge? Hard to say, but they never saw him again.
• Victorious, the "heroes" pressed on, finding the Kings awful child in a secret room concealed by a sinister statue. 
• Huzzah!

It was a really fun night. The game ran fairly smoothly, considering that none of us had played it before and only a couple players had a chance to look at the rules before we started. The one page reference sheet kept everyone on track and the well layed-out adventure made it easy for me to run. 

I haven't played a ton online but the lightweight rules worked really well. Definitely, easier to administer than a crunchier system like late-edition D&D.

All told we had a fantastic time. Mork Borg (at least for us) has definitely lived up to the hype.