Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

alex

@alexcj.bsky.social

50 followers 290 following 46 posts

Aspiring amateur: lots of words (fiction, criticism, and “other”), dabbler in art and game design, web site haver https://thehinterlands.neocities.org/

thehinterlands.neocities.org

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 5d

A post, a post, my kingdom for a post!

Peace by Gene Wolfe: A Review+

thehinterlands.neocities.org

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 11h

Morktober Day 10: BEETLE

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER #Mörktober

Tomb of the Beetle God
A SITE FOR MÖRK BORG
What do you know of five thousand years? A time beyond human reckoning. The Holy Men will tell you even 5000 years ago, the Basilisks Were, first and last, born at the beginning, predictors of the end. But they were not there to see. A forgotten monolith deep in one of the many lost side passages of the Valley of the Unfortunate Undead tells a different story. There, paintings on burial chamber walls depict a history the holy would claim heretical. But at the very bottom of that forgotten tomb, a god lies dead but dreaming—and any that dare disturb him may find his dream restored.

This is a site to be placed in a pointcrawl or hexcrawl through MÖRK BORG’s Valley of the Unfortunate Undead, but it will work in any out of the way corner of the world. Alternatively it would make a good addition to a random table of sites to discover when lost.
Travelers pass through a winding valley of moaning winds and deep shadows. At the end they find themselves facing a dead end containing a cracked and weatherbeaten pyramid marked with strange symbols. Of these, the only pictographs that seem comprehensible are of a beetle next to what appears to be a throne. The pyramid door is shut, but any locks have long since rusted to nothing, and the doors fall at a touch.

Aso & Zaso: Mummified Baboon Priests of the Beetle God
HP (each): 10, Morale: -, No Armour
Touch: d4 + drain 1 toughness permanently
Special: Each has d4 random Sacred Scrolls inscribed on the inside of their wrappings. Can spend their turn casting a sacred scroll by unwrapping themselves slightly, lowering their max hp by 2. Clever players can loot the wrappings for useable scrolls.

1A—Ancient torches sit unlit at the four corners of a stairway down into the dark.
2A—The floor is strewn with scattered bones that appear almost human but the proportions are wrong. Upon close inspection they appear to move ever so slightly. There are stairs down.
2B—Room is filled with statues of bipedal human sized beetles. On the walls are great murals in full colour depicting a scene of beetles on thrones watching the construction of a massive stone structure in an unrecognizable city with bizarre architecture. The construction is done by human slaves, being overseen by giant baboons with whips.
3A—False burial chamber. No treasure, unadorned coffin with a human mummy inside.
3B—Regal looking stone hall with a high ceiling. Giant pots line the walls, and an ornate rug decorates the floor—it puffs up clouds of dust when stepped on but is otherwise holding up quite well given the age. At the end of the room stand two bandage wrapped baboon corpses (Aso & Zaso). As the players approach they animate and begin interrogating them in a long dead tongue. They attack (see stats on page 1)if the players attempt to enter the false burial chamber (3A) or discover the Secret Stairs hidden under the rug which lead to the true burial chamber (4A).
3C—a chamber filled with mummified sheep. They animate if touched, but they don’t do much.
3D—a chamber filled with dried grain and ancient wine casks.
4A—True Burial Chamber—filled with treasure* and an enormous coffin wrapped in the remains of chains that long ago rusted to non-functionality. If the coffin is opened, the Beetle God wakes and either kills the players or ends the world (gm discretion) or if that doesn’t fit your game maybe he just stirs and beetle themed portents begin emerging throughout the world. Either way he is unkillable. Or not—it’s your game!

1 4

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 1d

Morktober Day 9: THORN

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER #Mörktober

Scourge of the Faithful
A WEAPON FOR MÖRK BORG
This scourge is the prized weapon of those most pious of the true faith, worshippers of the two headed basilisks. They know that all that remains for the world is suffering, and so suffering itself is holy. The whip is embedded with thorns from the holy roses of the inner cathedral gardens, or so they say...many of them look more like the teeth of dogs, or rusty nails. The whip flails wildly in all directions, and a hit on an enemy guarantees harm to oneself, but this is the whip’s true beauty! The scouring of oneself will eventually be rewarded with holy blessings...if you can survive enough self-mutilation to earn them.
Thorn Whip, 2d4 + 1d4 to self, on a 20 roll for a Holy Scar
D6 Holy Scars
1. Brutal cuts along your back show your fortitude—gain 2 toughness
2. A slab of skin peels away, leaving only meat behind, red and raw. On the back of the slab of skin are holy words. Roll d10 for a random Sacred Scroll from the MÖRK BORG core book
3. A cut on the forehead heals into a holy sigil—gain an omen
4. Scars on the lower back are a mark of shame for some—for you they reflect a strange providence. Whenever you don’t have a donkey, you soon find one waiting for you.
5. A cut on the inside of your ear is slow to heal. Each day you find one silver coin within.
6. A cut along your tongue whispers the prophecies of Verhu.

1 4

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 2d

Morktober Day 8: WIZARD

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER #Mörktober

Morticious the Mad
A WIZARD FOR MÖRK BORG
Beware! That crazed ascetic of Bergenchrypt has roused from his long studies to wander the world once more! He seeks subjects on which to test his Unclean Sorcery! Be on guard among hermits, vagabonds, refugees, and all strange men, for any one of them could be the Archmage of Anarchy himself! His face is lost to history, but he is known to wear his beard long and his hat pointed, his robes blue and his wand oaken. You shall know him, in the end, by the coming of your doom.
Morticious, Sorcerous Researcher
HP: 20, Morale: 10, Magic Barrier: –d6
Stab with Wand: d4
Special: Has a bag full of Unclean Scrolls (see table below). Each round he will pull out a random scroll and use it. He will try to use it to his advantage in combat, but if there is not obvious application, he will use the scroll anyway because his primary desire is always to test his spells—he’s written the Unclean Scrolls himself. Could be convinced to barter a scroll in exchange for a player being a voluntary test subject.
D6 Unclean Scrolls of Morticious the Mad
1. Serpents Unleashed: One creature tests Presence DR14 or bursts, becoming a mass of snakes.
2. Pocket Void: A tiny black hole is generated at a point the caster designates within sight. Creatures in the vicinity test Strength DR14 or get pulled in (instant death). The black hole will disappear after it has consumed 1000kg of material. Until then it pulls in everything in the surroundings (including buildings, soil, etc).
3. Time Snap: One creature tests Toughness DR14 or is transported back in time one day. Any creature in the past that realizes they are a time traveler becomes berserk and tries to kill them—if the creature survives until the point when the spell was cast, the effects pass.
4. I See You: Players swap character sheets at random. No effect on NPC’s.
5. Exit Light: One creature tests Presence DR14 or has their worst fear become embodied as a monster. etc

1 1 4

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 2d

This rocks

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 2d

Morktober Day 7: SHARD

This is a day late because I got way too ambitious, but here it is.

It's tonally a bit out of line for MÖRK BORG, so it may not be for everyone, but I was really into the idea. Now to start on Day 8 so I can catch up!!

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER #Mörktober

The Floating Shard
A HEXCRAWL FOR MÖRK BORG
Far across the Endless Sea, there is a floating continent that is slowly splintering away into nothingness. One small shard of it has broken loose and floated over an unimaginable distance to end up in the sky north-west of Galgenbeck. All manner of hooks and ladders were tried, but the floating island remained out of reach. Finally Josilfa herself unleashed a dark power from a long lost scroll and created The Basilisk Gate linking Galgenbeck to the island, and called upon the armies of the inquisition to purify this unprophesied, and therefore heretical, land.

A piece of a different world
The sky shard is a piece of a world called Fol-Thar, a less grimdark fantasy world than MÖRK BORG, and therefore the random encounter tables below use monsters drawn from other sources (I don’t have the space to provide stats). Feel free to replace the monsters with your own or generate stats to your own tastes—since this is a more ambitious contribution to Morktober I couldn’t be as comprehensive as I’d have liked.
Roll for a random encounter when travelling between hexes, or follow your preferred Hex Crawl procedure.
D4 Encounters: Ring River
1. A Haunting: a lone ghost pines for his long lost love. Will flee if attacked.
2. Glum Mermaids: d4 mermaids are lamenting their fate. They met some inquisitors and are glum about the prospect of the splinter crashing into a land of rude people who smell terrible.
3. River Thing: a strange green man made of a colony of algae. Roll reaction—not necessarily violent, but bodies make good fertilizer
4. Spy vs Spy: d6 scouts from Bichipsmi spying on the inquisitors. Roll reaction but modify it based on the PC’s reputation with Bichipsmi and/or The Inquisitors.
D4 Encounters: Creeping Fen
1. Have you for dinner: a giant sentient venus person-trap plant—it can reach far with its “mouths” but is otherwise immobile—roll reaction
2. Anuran: A lone frog man playing the lyre.

ETC

Secrets of the Floating Shard
The shard broke off from mainland Fol-Thar because of the actions of a foolhardy nobleman named Foritio. A descendant of the ancient king who ruled from the Mystic Keep, he came in search of his inheritance. Deep in the basement he found an enormous Ruby. As a dabbler in magicks, he attempted to draw power from the Ruby, and upon doing so he discovered that it was in fact a Mystic Focus, one of a set of artifacts that help keep the land of Fol-Thar from crumbling. His tampering caused the area around the focus to splinter off, and in doing so awoke many long dormant magical protections of the castle and surrounding area.
Important for players will be the army of ghosts and wraiths guarding the Ring River, woken by the Ruby. Assuming players want to reach the keep, they can either gain passage through the spectral army by learning the password from the spirits in the Ancient Cemetery, avoid the ghosts entirely by finding the connection to the Castle Dungeons in the Underground Caverns, slip past in the confusion caused by the impending Inquisitor Invasion, or try some other tactic! I encourage GM’s to reward creative solutions to this obstacle.
Additionally, this Hex Crawl references two interconnected dungeons, a village, an army camp, and a decent number of NPC’s, none of which get much explanation. This idea got out of hand so to prevent further scope creep I’ve had to leave some elements to potential GMs. If you want to run this as is, I suggest borrowing a dungeon from another source, putting the Ruby at the bottom of one it, and then adding a second dungeon for the caverns and picking a point where they meet up. Additionally—random tables are your friend.
Important time tracking details:
3 days after the PC’s arrive on the shard, the inquisitors will have enough manpower to fight through the ghost army, invade the dungeon of the Mystic Keep, and destroy the Ruby. etc

More Secrets of the Floating Shard
The Village of Bichipsmi: E5
The main settlement on the splinter world. A diverse and self-sufficient community of hunters and gardeners, around 500 people. About half human, the rest are a mix of animal people and few individuals from the traditional fantasy milieu. They will be suspicious of outsiders but friendly to those who seem trustworthy. They are desperate for allies in the face of the armies of the inquisition, which they rightly see as an existential threat (greater than the threat of their floating island collapsing even!). The town council believes that the Ruby can be influenced to send the splinter world back to mainland Fol-Thar. They are attempting to secure passage to the bottom of the Mystic Keep’s Dungeon so the town historian can access the Ruby and attempt this, but numerous obstacles stand in their way (inquisitors, monsters in the caverns, monsters and traps in the Dungeon). They will ask the players to sabotage the Basilisk Gate by setting off an explosion in the caverns underneath the Gate’s hex , causing the whole hex to splinter away. If they succeed, they will give players the password.
Goblin Prison: E3
An abandoned watch tower has been turned into an improvised prison for Bichipsmi villagers who have manifested the goblin curse. The town council is holding out hope for a cure, which unfortunately does not exist. Town scholars are trying to determine how the curse is passed on, but they won’t figure it out in time. Players are only likely to discover the curse’s spread in Bichipsmi if they visit the prison, as it’s being covered up in town.
There are 2 goblins in the prison on the day the players arrive on the shard, 4 on the second, 8 on the third, and 16 on the fourth day, at which point a mass outbreak occurs.
The Falls: E7
Dozens of non-combatant ghosts silently gather, looking over the falls out into the world. It isn’t clear if they’re looking out onto the world of MÖRK BORG ETC

A hex map identifying key locations in a drifting shard of Fol-Thar.
Locations include The Crumbling Cliffs, The Creeping Fen, The Ring River, Invasion Muster Camp, The Mystic Keep, Ancient Cemetery, Caverns Entrance, Goblin Prison, The Village of Bichipsmi, and The Falls.

1 7

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 3d

It finally happened to me: I got too ambitious with my Morktober idea and I'm probably not going to be able to finish it today. I'll definitely finish it tomorrow though, I'm having too much fun with it to leave it on the cutting room floor.

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 4d

Morktober Day 6: HUSK

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER #Mörktober

Chrysalis of the Dream-Worm
SOME STUFF FOR MÖRK BORG
Dream-Worms are a rare species of caterpillar found exclusively in the heart of temperate rainforests. The cocoons they weave for their metamorphosis into their moth form are highly sought after for use in what is colloquially known as Chrysalis Tea, an expensive black market stimulant. The tea causes euphoria, hallucinations, and is reported to occasionally produce Prophetic Visions. Potential vision seekers should beware however, as Dream-Worm Groves are patrolled by swarms of Dream-Moths, which hunt interlopers. Victims of their mesmeric powers become living incubators for the next generation of Dream-Worms. For these reasons, Dream-Worm Cocoons go for a high price, and wholesalers are always eager for new potential suppliers to send into the forest in seek of fortune.
1 cocoon produces 1 serving of tea.
1 cocoon sells for 10s
1 serving of tea can be purchased from sellers of obscure stimulants for 20s
D6 Chrysalis Tea Dreams (rolled by GM in secret)
1. False Prophetic Vision: A great snake is devouring the world. Days are numbered. You see what must be done. You awake from your dream certain that a specific public figure (GM discretion) must be killed to prevent the end of the world.
2. Childhood Memories: You relive an intense childhood memory in vivid detail. Upon waking it takes some time to remember where, when, and who you are.
3. Betrayal!: You have an elaborate dream in which every member of the party and every single NPC you know has betrayed you. You tell yourself if was only a dream, but the feeling is hard to shake...
4. The Basilisk: Astral project into the presence of a Basilisk. You observe its secret dealings for a few minutes before it looks directly at you and you awake.
5. The Prisoner: Astral project into a pocket dimension where a demon is imprisoned. It offers knowledge and boons if you agree to perform the ritual to release it, which it can teach you.
6. True Prophetic Vision - etc

3 10

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 4d

Despite disneys history of copyright defence, dont trust them to be a bulwark against AI - see how record labels agreed to spotify deals that were on paper bad business because it became the “inevitable” vision of the future. If senior management likes AI they may cut a bad deal to go with the flow

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 5d

A post, a post, my kingdom for a post!

Peace by Gene Wolfe: A Review+

thehinterlands.neocities.org

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 5d

Morktober Day 5: STAIN

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER #Mörktober

Wall-Crawling Shade
A MONSTER FOR MÖRK BORG
The Unclean Sorcery of Morticious the Mad had many victims. The lucky ones died. Those less fortunate found themselves reborn as a Wall-Crawling Shade, a two-dimensional scuttling composite of soot and grime, a living stain. Shades emerge from the cracks of catacombs or the creeping damp and mold of grottos. They cling to the walls, ceilings, and floors of crypts and other halls dank and dark, hiding in shadows that they may strike unseen. They are perpetually cold, and the warmth and vitality of life fills them with jealousy and hunger. They can communicate through sign, but are not easily coerced into congress with those they would rather devour.
HP: 10, Morale 8, No Armour
Touch: d4 + special
Special: Ethereal and Insubstantial, DR14 to hit. Characters hit by its touch attack must test Toughness DR12 or become infected. As normal infection (replace rest benefits with d6 damage), but if the character dies while infected, they become a Shade.
D6 Cures for Infection:
1. Sacrifice 50s of valuables in a ritual dedicated to Morticious the Mad.
2. Drink the blood of a priest.
3. Sleep overnight in a buried coffin.
4. Treat the wound with saliva of a basilisk.
5. Make a vow renouncing a favorite earthly pleasure. Break the vow and the infection returns.
6. Convince the shade to apologize.

Captured - 100s
Dead (intact) - 50s
Unclean Soot (per quart) - 5s

1 6

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 6d

Morktober Day 4: HOWL

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER #Mörktober

Raised by Wolves
A CLASS FOR MÖRK BORG
Abandoned in the wilderness by impoverished or dead parents you were nursed by a she-wolf and raised as her own. Brought up red in tooth and claw you saw no difference between yourself and your fanged and furred siblings. Now, entering a world of supposed law and civilization you note the smell of blood on the breath of priests and lords is no less thick than on the breath of wolves. Hunt or be hunted.
Begins With 1d6x10s and d4 Omens.
HP: Toughness + d10
Introduced to the Human World (d6)
1. Captured by poachers
2. Abandoned by the pack, adopted by a carnival
3. Possessed by a ghost—the knowledge of language stayed after the spirit moved on
4. Found and taken in by the twin your parents didn’t abandon
5. Urban sprawl consumed the woods—your pack was left begging for scraps but you learned how to hunt in this new territory.
6. After killing and eating a hunter you gained their memories and knowledge.
Abilities
Your bestial experience and custom has limitations, roll 3d6-2 for Presence. You grew up hunting naked in the woods running on all fours, roll 3d6+1 for Toughness and Agility. Roll d6 on the weapon table and d2 on the armor table. You begin with one of the following traits earned as a member of the pack:
1. Bestial Presence
Humanoid enemies are discomforted by your animalistic bearing and must check morale each round.

2. Hunter’s Instinct
You know prey—you know how they move, how they think. DR of tests relating to tracking, interrogating, or stalking your prey is reduced by 4.

3. Pack Tactics
You’ve fought as one of many all your life. When you and an ally are both in melee range of an enemy, DR of your combat tests related to that enemy are reduced by 2
4. Iron Jaw
You know how to bite and not let go. When you succeed on a melee attack against an enemy you may make a follow-up bite attack against that enemy. DR10, d6 damage. 1-2 on a d6 the enemy gets a free attack
5. Packmate
ETC - sorry ran out of chrctrs

2 3 15

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 6d

Cozy hobbit themed dungeon synth band drops a death metal track about Gollum being tortured in Mordor - that rocks, shout out to Hole Dweller

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 7d

Morktober Day 3: DAGGERS

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 8d

Morktober Day 2: Maw

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER

Suomuhauki
A carved fish head sits alone in the wilderness, its gaping maw a shadowy doorway inviting the brave or foolish to venture within. A carved inscription at the fish’s head reads:
“Here be Suomuhauki, fish who devoured the world. From within his great gullet no soul may escape, and henceforth we are cursed to forever inhabit this world of torment and suffering. Enter and see.”
A player entering Suomuhauki’s maw is transported to a random location in the world. The GM may choose an appropriate location, or if unpredictability is desired, drop a die onto the world map and choose the hex, landmark, or other distinct location closest to the die’s final position.

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 8d

Yeah I’m basically done with Magic at this point. Ironically I don’t even hate through the omenpaths, I would rather play the legally distinct rebrand than have a spiderman on my magic cards - but the whole thing stinks and is only gonna get worse

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 9d

Morktober Day 1: Frog

trying this for the first time!

#morkborg #morktober #MÖRKTOBER

The God Frog
In the Western Kingdom now known as Wästland, the once mighty river has stagnated and spread over the woods and valleys creating a great swamp. Within, a community of the bog has taken to worshipping an enormous amphibian that has grown fat on a tribute of live human sacrifice. Though it was born a mere beast, the act of worship has inculcated in its flesh an occult power. PC’s seeking to fight the beast find its stats like a Wyvern, but it jumps rather than flies and it has a venom spiked tongue instead of tail. If however, the PC’s offer the God Frog a living human meal (or any larger animal), they will receive a boon.
D8 Boons of the God Frog
1. Warning Coloration—You sweat indigo and scarlet toxin. Creatures that touch you go blind.
2. Amphibious—Your fingers and toes lengthen and become webbed.
3. The Look—Your eyes bulge from your head—your field of vision grows.
4. Hunter—You gain a frog’s stretching tongue, complete with envenomed barb—you can make a tongue attack as The God Frog (as wyvern tail)
5. Ravenous Hunger—You heal d6 hp after consuming human flesh. After one full day of not consuming human flesh, you experience symptoms of starvation.
6. Pied Piper—You grow a pouch around your throat which can be inflated to produce a song with mesmeric powers.
7. Live Birth—Your blood squirms inside your veins. Your circulatory system is filled with frogspawn. If allowed to hatch, the PC dies.
8. The Metamorphosis—Something stirs within you. The bog calls your name. The metamorphosis has begun.
Members of the God Frog’s cult have a 1 in 4 chance of having a random boon. Priests each have 2d4 random boons.

Reposted by alex

Alex Blechman @alexblechman.bsky.social · 9d

NPC: To craft a Computer you need 8 Deer Antlers. There are Deer in the forest you can fight. I heard a rumor Deer are weak against Flamethrower

7 28 160

Reposted by alex

Johan Nohr @nohr.se · 10d

This was posted on the MÖRK BORG subreddit and it made me very happy. About how MB, some metal tapes and monopoly dice helped a guy get clean. Another commenter mentioned running JAIL BORG from memory. Things like this make me all warm inside.

7 70 280

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 11d

New blog post about reading blogs - find 8 blog recommendations within, and an invitation to recommend me blogs to follow

Blog Post

thehinterlands.neocities.org

Reposted by alex

Brandon Kennedy @bicycleidiot.bsky.social · 13d

RIP Kaleb Horton
kalebhorton.ghost.io/2025-so-far/

I also have advice. Everybody loves reading advice on the computer, so I'll share it: the best thing you can do right now is log off as hard as you can. Go outside, talk to people in real life where it's actually kind of rude to talk about the news, try to actually see the friends you usually just text message. Go for a long drive and turn the phone off while you do it. Get back into your hobbies or pick one and learn it for a while. Watch one of those studio movies that reviews called "wildly miscalculated" and you haven't seen since high school. Play an album you like but find embarrassing. Go to free community events even if they sound stupid. If you take the freeway, try the surface streets. Go to a bad diner and just order some bad coffee because even bad coffee is good coffee.
You can't help anybody when you're exhausted and keep posting one million college-educated rewordings of "I would love to be dead right now" on the computer. Walk away from the thing and try out some of those normal things you hear about and if you get bored that's wonderful because we're not supposed to get bored anymore. It turns out boredom is the Cadillac of feelings.

39 1.8K 4.9K

Reposted by alex

Gavadon @gavadon.bsky.social · 14d

I will take a million of "whatever the fuck is going on in the Stasis card art" over any Spiderman, Star Trek or Sephiroth in Magic the Gathering.

This shit used to be cool and weird!

Stasis MTG card. a fucking mime? and a coyote man on a seasaw with an easel in the middle. COME THE FUCK ON! Hang it in the Louvre!!!

2 20 110

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 15d

I would probably need to replay it first though because my memory is getting hazy

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 15d

Hades 2 coming out makes me want to write a blog post about how much i love Pyre

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 16d

Damn the guitar tone on that first Iron Maiden album is so sick - gets me every time

alex @alexcj.bsky.social · 21d

Made the mistake of reading comic books again - why is the joker ripped? Can you imagine him working out? Ridiculous