JUST CRUNCH GAMES LAUNCHES KICKSTARTER FOR CÖRK BØRD — A NORDIC NOIR RPG OF INVESTIGATION, COLLAPSE, AND CULT INFLUENCE

Manchester, UK — 28th July 2025 — CÖRK BØRD, a standalone investigative horror RPG inspired by Nordic Noir fiction and powered by the acclaimed MÖRK BORG ruleset, will hit Kickstarter in late August for a three-week crowdfunding. Designed by Paul Baldowski (creator of The Cthulhu Hack and The Dee Sanction), CÖRK BØRD trades blood-slick dungeons for grim crime scenes, lost youth, and emotional ruin beneath bleak Scandinavian skies.
Blending the narrative focus of Scandinavian crime drama with the atmospheric rot of MÖRK BORG, CÖRK BØRD puts players in the roles of broken investigators trying to solve horrific crimes before their own lives fall apart. Instead of treasure, characters uncover Clue Chains (structured leads that spiral toward cults), ritual sites, and the ever-present pull of the mysterious Yggrakult.
“MÖRK BORG gave us the end of the world. CÖRK BØRD asks what happens when that end arrives quietly, through missing children, unanswered questions, and the silence of institutions that no longer care,” says designer Paul Baldowski, whose previous works include award-nominated investigative horror RPGs.
The 60+ page full-colour book features:
- A complete, standalone RPG inspired by MÖRK BORG, playable without the core book
- A dark 1980s Scandinavian setting rooted in real-world events, cult influence, and personal collapse
- Six desperate character classes (or go classless and Get Better through bleak personal feats)
- Systems for Baggage, Breakdown, and structured clue-driven investigations
- Dozens of random tables, NPCs, phenomena, and events for building your own grim crime stories
Illustrated entirely by human artists and designed for fast prep and harrowing play, CÖRK BØRD is both a homage to MÖRK BORG and a genre-twisting evolution of its core sensibilities. There are no salamanders, no treasure hoards, no chosen ones. There is only you, the case, and the damage it does to everything you love.
The CÖRK BØRD Kickstarter is going live soon with pledge options for digital and hardcover editions. Sign up to be notified on launch.
ABOUT PAUL BALDOWSKI
Paul Baldowski is a freelance game designer and the founder of Just Crunch Games, known for Cthulhu Hack, The Dee Sanction, and Sanction. His work has appeared in acclaimed RPGs including Paranoia, Rivers of London, Symbaroum, Liminal, and Trophy. Paul writes short and sharp games that have occasionally been described as “terse.”
ABOUT JUST CRUNCH GAMES
Just Crunch Games publishes role-playing games with a focus on tight design, narrative flexibility, and rich atmosphere. Founded in 2016, Just Crunch is best known for Cthulhu Hack, The Dee Sanction, and other acclaimed indie RPG titles, and is partnered with All Rolled Up for publishing and fulfillment.
Press Contact:
Paul Baldowski
paul@justcrunch.com
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