DuckTales-inspired RPG is a hellish vision of the classic cartoon, now with art from Mörk Borg creator
Duck Souls.
Mörk Borg’s creative and art-forward approach to RPG design has spawned a number of unique twists on its grime-crusted fantasy flavour, but none tug so hard on the nostalgia as Dukk Börg. This DuckTales-meets-Dark Souls module first released in 2021 has announced plans to create a print version in cooperation with big names.
Dicebreaker first covered Dukk Börg’s initial release a couple of years ago, noting the slightly silly but seriously impressive melding of Ockult Örtmästare Games and Stockholm Kartell’s super popular, old-school inspired tabletop RPG with a classic morning cartoon of the 1990s. It portrayed the Beagle Brothers as profane, endless hordes while also revelling in as many duck-related puns as you can fit on a page and walked a fine line between clever humour and eye-rolling elbow nudges.
Now, design duo Gem Room Games have brought Dukk Börg to Kickstarter in order to crowdfund an expanded book that will also feature artwork from Johan Nohr, the illustrator of Mörk Borg and Cy_Borg. The team’s core illustrator, Rob Hebert, has done a crack job mixing the whimsy of anthropomorphic cartoon ducks with an apathetic and doomed hellscape, but Nohr’s work has become synonymous with the Mörk Borg family of RPGs - clinching him will be a massive draw for many fans.
Filling out the module’s pages will be additional design, adventure, tables and resources from Apocalypse Keys designer Rae Nedjadi and Tony Vasinda, leader of the Plus One Exp network. The book will now include a map of the doomed city of Dukk Börg and the surrounding land of Calikota, featuring landmarks such as Skruj’s castle, Hookbill Henge and a shattered moon hanging limp in the sky. Since the 65-page book is compatible with Mörk Borg and meant to augment the RPG’s base rules, players can also find optional classes, treasures and artefacts, five new adversaries and an apocalypse-tracking psalm that fits the zany action and cartoon sensibilities of its source material.
“We’ve been getting requests to bring Dukk Börg to print for over two years now, and it’s thrilling to not just bring this chaotic darling to print, but to do so with a team of collaborators we’re delighted to work with,” said Gem Room Games’ Kali Lawrie. “When we started chatting about revisiting Dukk Börg we talked about a hypothetical dream team and it’s been so exciting to see it come together, bringing new voices and interpretations to the world we imagined.”
Nohr’s artwork will accompany an adventure into the heart of Skruj’s Citadel of Gold that the designers swear is absolutely chockablock with as many horrors as there are gold coins in Skruj’s massive vault. Nedjadi and Vasinda will create a tabletop tribute to Darkwing Ducks, complete with its own location, one new class and a bevy of treasures, artifacts and locations to fill out a night of nostalgic roleplay as, well…hardscrabble, feathered adventurers.
“We set out to create something unique for tabletop players: a complete and unique setting that married lighthearted pulp adventure and doom metal fantasy. From its legendary theme song to its endless rogues gallery, DuckTales has everything a sword and sorcery tale needs to face down its inevitable apocalypse,” write Gem Room Games’ Dan Phipps. “We wanted to make something that respected Mörk Borg, and bring something to the game that would feel like an extension of its setting.”
Dukk Börg’s Kickstarter campaign will run through September 26th and is hoping to fund a high-quality physical zine and accompanying digital PDF version. The team currently expects shipping on the book to begin in April 2024, and the digital files - including a base upgrade containing everything new for those who previously supported the first Kickstarter - should be ready around the same time.