Punk is Dead - Core Rulebook

Winner of the 2025 Ennies Judges Choice Award!

Punk is Dead is a TTRPG set in the Un-united Kingdom where the world is going to sh*t in a sack cart, and music is all you've got left. Just like those four brave bozos on the Titanic, you're gonna keep playing until your last amp falls into the abyss.

No songwriting talent required!

Presented in a seven-inch hardback format. The core rulebook, 90+ pages of lore, rules, monsters, rollable tables and a scenario to get you started.

The core rulebook Includes:

• High quality printed pages with artwork throughout.
• Seven musical roles to play (including three hip-hop heroes).
• All the rules you need to play.
• Lore of the Un-united Kingdom.
• Optional Music is Hope rules.
• A starter scenario: London Falling.
• Fully compatible with Mörk Borg.

From figurative and literal corporate vampires to the malevolent faeries, this broken land has become home to a host of nefarious beings who want front-row seats to the death of a world. Many will do all they can to hurry the main event along.

Amid this chaos, a small band of musicians are kicking back, travelling the realms in a rusty old tour van, using music and other skills to help the helpless and bring light to the dark.

THE BAND MANAGER: 

One player is the Band Manager (BM or GM if you like). The Band Manager arranges gigs loosely analogous to sessions and runs the game and any non-player characters (NPCs) the players meet. 

THE BAND MEMBERS: 

Other players are Band Members. As well as their general skills, each member has a unique talent related to their chosen role in the band. Predefined roles include Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Keys and Roadie.

During your adventures, players also compose songs (including music if instruments are available). You don't need to be able to play instruments to play Punk is Dead! Writing songs earns you Individual AND Band Creativity Points, which you can use to turn failure into creative success. There's also a bunch of rollable tables for inspiration. We have a gorgeous songwriting journal available in some pledges and as an add-on.

There's also a Spotify Playlist that we will constantly add to for inspiration.

Travelling around the Un-united Kingdom is an integral part of Punk is Dead. It allows you to earn money, spread your message and find people in need of help (you don't just make music, you also kick some actual ass). Gigs are also a great place to meet the locals and glean information from them.

There are mechanics for travelling in your rusty ol' gig van, plus upgrades to be bought if you can get your money back from the gig.

Sticky floors and watered-down beer await you; if you're lucky, the place will still have a roof. Inevitably, you'll have a local mystery to solve or some formidable enemy to deal with before you take to the stage.

When you play a gig, a combined skill check mechanic will tell you how it goes. That can mean anything from getting dragged into a fight in the mosh-pit to getting a record contract.

Even though Punk is Dead is a standalone game, it plays nicely with MÖRK BORG.

If you don't want to play in the Un-united Kingdom, or you want to bring creatures and features in from any MÖRK BORG compatible content, we've got you! Want scrolls in your game or the Calendar of Nechrubel, go for it. Why not have a Lich Mayor of Birmingham? Sounds legit.

The book is presented in a 7-inch hardcover format (just like 45RPM vinyl from the days of yore). It's printed by Standart, the same folks who produce Free League's stuff (including Mörk Börg). So expect some high quality. We are making a book that you definitely won't want to be hidden on your shelves.

Aside from that lovely darkness, there will be vibrant pinks and yellows, all using the same colour palette that appeared on the Sex Pistols' debut album, Never Mind The Bollocks. There are over 90 pages of rules and eclectic artwork using photos taken by the author, commissioned art and repurposed stock imagery in the spirit of zines. Inner pages are 90gsm silk to for durability and gorgeous colourful reproduction.

THE ART is an eclectic mix of work from the creator and other commissioned artists. NO AI will be used in the production of this book. The lead for original art is Vincenzo Ingenito, a tattoo artist from Italy who has worked with Tim on several other projects.

Cartography will be handled by Jog Brogzin.

Several other artists were hired and all artists have be credited in the front matter of the book.

Tim has produced the final layout, adding his pastiches and nods to punk using his own photography combined with art and imagery from a selection of licensed stock imagery.