Forbidden Psalm

What is Forbidden Psalm

Forbidden Psalm is a skirmish game by Will RD, set in the world of MÖRK BORG. It’s published under the MÖRK BORG Third Party License, so it’s an independent game, not an official one from the MÖRK BORG team.

You run a warband of five models through a world that’s ending. The story follows Vriprix the Mad Wizard and his hunt for the Psalm, and the campaign walks your warband through it scenario by scenario. You can play it solo, co-op, or against other players, and all three are in the core book, not a separate expansion.

The current version is the End Times Edition, the definitive one. It combines the original core book with the In the Footsteps of the Mad Wizard expansion and adds new art, new lore, and random tables for building your own minis. Everything in it also works in the MÖRK BORG RPG.

It’s 28mm and miniature agnostic. Any five grim little figures will do, and the random tables practically ask you to kitbash.

How it plays

Alternating activations. Players take turns activating one model at a time. Each model moves, then takes one action.
d20 tests. Everything is a d20 roll, usually against 12 or more. Models have four stats (Agility, Presence, Strength, and Toughness) plus HP, and each one rolls a random Flaw and Feat.
Scrolls. Spellcasters start with two random scrolls, one Clean and one Unclean, and cast with a Presence test. Failed magic builds up Tragedies, which get rolled on a Calamity Table.
Omens. Each player gets six Omens, which are one-off benefits you spend when you need them.
Fighting back. A defender in melee can strike back, with penalties.
The campaign. Warbands start with 50 gold, earn XP, and take on new recruits. A model that fails its death save rolls on the injury table, and the effects on its stats are permanent. You can replace the dead before the next scenario.

Games are short. The table is 2 × 2 ft, and a game runs about 40 minutes, almost always six rounds.

How to start

Get the End Times Edition. The PDF on itch.io is £12 or more. The hardcover is $50 from the US store, and there’s a UK store too.
Grab the free warband sheets. The all-games warband sheets are free.
Find five minis. Anything 28mm and grim works. Roll on the tables and build to match.
Play it solo first if you like. The solo rules are in the core book.