Down Among the Dead is an expansion supplement for Pirate Borg, the dark pirate fantasy TTRPG based on Mörk Borg.

Disclaimer: We were provided with a free digital copy of this product.

We went over the system of Pirate Borg recently, taking a look at the Core Rulebook and what it contained. Down Among the Dead is an almost 150-page supplement, which is a great option if you liked that and want some more Pirate Borg. It contains 3 new classes, several roll tables/generators, and most notably 3 full adventures for you to run – with a lot more detail than the introductory sandbox that was in the Core Rulebook.

Mechanics

Let’s take a look at the new rules first. As I mentioned, we have three new classes: the Antiquarian, the Deep One, and the Unlocked Soul. The Antiquarian looks pretty fun – like a mix between archaeologist, mage, and graverobber. One of the “perks” lets you carry twice as much treasure and sell it for double the price as well – while others let you use relics, spells and prayers, or cast rituals more safely. It’s like an all-rounder class that appeals to your inner hoarder.

The Deep One is an alternate origin – you’re not human, but something that rises from the water. That could be from rivers and lakes, from the coasts, or from the unknowable depths where the sun has never reached. You can also be either a Warrior or a Shaman, though you might have some trouble fitting in with other pirates (or none at all – the world is a weird place).

Finally, the Unlocked Soul: Somehow, you managed to escape death, and the Locker (yes, that Locker). You have some powerful abilities, but you get -1 to all your stats – and you’re on borrowed time. Every time you roll a 1 on your d20, you roll a d100. On a 1, your soul is dragged back to the Netherworld – and every time you roll this d100, the number also increases by 1.

Besides the classes, there is also a roll table of 36 new general skills that you can learn regardless of your class; From being ambidextrous, to an Ash addict, having a pet companion, being an experienced gunsmith, and even having the ability to… summon a flock of gulls to do your bidding (if they feel like it). This is a pretty good addition to the game, and it lets players customise their characters beyond what their classes offer (if the dice are kind to them – remember that you roll for your skills/perks, you don’t get to pick them!).

Other than that, there are 7 roll tables for a wide variety of things: Generators for flags, coins, islands, and coral reefs, a set of small encounters, even a group of possible house rules that you might want to apply, and finally, a set of possible motivations for the characters. The reason I left it for last is that I want to note the lowest possible result of the roll, because I couldn’t help but laugh: What’s the motivation, you ask? “None. Kill me now. The world is terrible.” Try to keep this guy alive through the apocalypse.

Adventures

The first adventure is called Escape from the Locker. All the souls lost at sea end up there – can you escape this purgatory and return to the land of the living? Doubtful, but you’ll have your chance. The party finds themselves at the Locker, a series of islands surrounded by endless darkness and mist beneath a starless sky, after a shipwreck (or a TPK, or whichever other way you want – but they’re dead), and they have to find a way to escape. But the way out requires not just a vessel, but enough obols to pay Charon, the ferryman, and gathering everything is going to be a long and dangerous task. It’s an interesting adventure, but perhaps not suitable for “first contact”, let’s say; it changes some fundamental mechanics, and I think the players need to have played enough of “normal” Pirate Borg first to appreciate this one.

Venom in the Veins is the second adventure and is a more traditional dungeon crawl. The ghost of an ancient, malevolent druid guards a shrine full of treasures, but also dangers: snakes with deadly venom, undead serpentfolk hybrids, and, of course, other explorers/plunderers/thieves/pirates/scum.

Into the Maelstrom is the last adventure, mixing the pirate theme and cosmic horror with some gothic horror as well. The players need to assault the demonic warship known as the Maelstrom, and slay its vampyre crew and especially its captain, Albrecht the Tideborn. This can fit into a longer campaign, or even be one all by itself, as it can last several sessions; it’s also aimed at characters who have gained some experience and thus gained some extra skills. You’ll also need a standard 52-card deck, which you can use to play “Three-Eyed Parrot”, a gambling game, as well as track some progress throughout the adventure; you’ll use it for Albrecht’s prisoners, various items and treasures, as well as encounters and many other things in lieu of rolling dice.

Final Thoughts

If you liked the base Pirate Borg, Down Among the Dead is a great option; the extra skills are an excellent addition, and all 3 adventures are definitely worth it.

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