Bakto’s Terrifying Cuisine + Troika - Review and Session Recap

In the realm of tabletop adventures, there are rare moments when  system and setting align so well that the experience just goes beyond expectation. Such is the case with Troika! and Bakto's Terrifying Cuisine by Roll 4 Tarrasque. Our GM, Faisal, made a brilliant choice by opting for Troika! - not for its mechanics necessarily or rule set - but for its gonzo-style setting that just created a great blend of the wacky Master Chef scenario that Bakto's presented. 

Troika!'s strength is deffo in its weird character backgrounds, versatile skillsets, and OSR-style rules that seamlessly blend simplicity with depth - for those reasons, I feel it would have been great if this module was longer than a on-shot, so we could have really made use of some cool mechanics. Still, it's a system built for co-creation that invited both GMs and Players to weave a tapestry of storytelling together - and when paired with the content-rich cooking dungeon that is Bakto's Terrifying Cuisine, the result was a great blend of vibes and setting that elevated the experience. I will note, that Bakto’s is a literal two-page pamphlet that would seem short in content - but the little but unique prompts they provided were a great inspirational shotgun for GM + players to make it a content rich adventure and dungeon-crawl.

 Things to note:

• Bakto's Terrifying Cuisine is a system neutral module + Dungeon crawl.
• I've seen some people play it with LotFP, 5e, or other d20 systems.
• This breakdown and session recap is from the player's perspective.
• Once we were done, I rehashed the module with the GM, and gave the module pamphlet a quick review.

My Favorite Theme! (and maybe Bias? Heh)

So – I've got this undeniable thing for anything food and cooking themed. It's like a warm embrace from the past, reminiscing about the days playing Cooking Mama or hustling pizzas in Club Penguin's pizza parlor. From Ratatouille to Master Chef, and Animal Crossing to Monster Hunter. 

Even during my early D&D 5e days – when I stumbled upon the "Chef" feat, and guess what? I tried sneaking that into my game as much as possible. Not just for the mechanical bits, but to cook up a storm for my buddies in the name of roleplaying. Maybe I'll spill more stories about my chef characters someday. Who knows? (I also need to watch/read Delicious Dungeon, I've been holding myself back. I'm worried it will be my whole personality after I watch it)

In a nutshell, if it's got that magical, foodie touch, you bet I'm all in!

So when my friend, Faisal, recommended we play Bakto’s Terrifying Cuisine, I could not have said yes fast enough. And despite my inclination towards food themed games - I am an even harsher critique when it comes to the things I love and can be nit picky about. And I am happy to say I was super pleased with the adventure. 

Entering the Kitchen

....GONG!! Its cooking time!

The lead-in our GM used was where us players were having dinner in the local tavern, where a new and boastful new cook, Bakto, has taken over the kitchen after the old cook had mysteriously disappeared. 

After ordering some food, Bakto made his appearance and offered us a chance to learn to cook the best food in the world - by taking a cooking class in Bakto's kitchen... And that is how we were lured into a dungeon-style Master Chef extravaganza.  

Bakto has trapped us in his kitchen, we are forced to gather ingredients and whip up a meal that will convince him to free us. The dish had to be creative, presentable, and delicious to Bakto's tastes and preferences. 

One of the best things about this module is the timing and turn system - signaled by a gong. 

We had 20 turns of the gong to find enough food items to make our dish in the cooking area in the main room. So we got to it - and the dungeon mapping and exploring began. Where each movement to a room (forward or backwards) was a turn, a gong. Some rooms were further away and cost 2 gongs. So we had to be strategic and creatively come up with ways to navigate the kitchen dungeon - by using our senses or charm when we interacted the various and violent veggie civilizations that lived in the kitchen. 

Without giving away too much of the fun, we gathered a great amount ingredients! The methods of gathering them were sometimes traumatic, thanks to our other player's wacky tactics as a Rhino-man (I will never eat a tomato the same way again). 

At the end of all our turns, we returned to the kitchen arena where each member of the team was in charge of an element of the dish - we decided to make a fancy steak tartine! For this part we had a lot of fun describing in dramatic detail the ways we cooked, simmered, broiled, and emulsified our ingredients.  

In the end, we decided to both serve a dish Bakto will love, and also sneak in a poison that took him out for good. We couldn't let our chef reputations down, after all. 

Our ingredient list and final dish preparation! 

Final thoughts:

If you're thinking of trying out Bakto's for your next one-shot, I say go for it. It seems super low prep, yet still rich in content. Despite the small pamphlet it comes in, the short description of rooms, the adventure's design was a great facilitator for a dynamic experience where the outcome wasn't predetermined but emerged organically from our choices.

The adventure's timing and turn system, marked by the resonating gong, added an immersive layer of urgency that I just dont see as often as I’d like in other games and really was a fun test of our creativity, wit, etc.

With regards to the system, one notable aspect of Bakto's adventure is that it’s system-neutral, allowing GMs to adapt it to various rule sets. However, it's the inherent chaos of Troika!'s vibes and setting that added an extra layer of unpredictability to the culinary mayhem. I do wish it was a longer module so we could have made more use of some Troika!’s system.

Batko’s Terrifying Cuisine: https://roll4tarrasque.itch.io/baktos-terrifying-cuisine

Troika!: https://www.troikarpg.com/

Genesis 0 - Echo of Kalak and Cosmic Ether (magic system), Lore24 #004

Sammlung astronomisch-komputistischer und naturwissenschaftlicher Texte - BSB Clm 210, İbrahim Tiflisi in 1479

In the vast cosmos, the birth of the universe began with the celestial resonance called the "Echo of Kalak." This echo, like a cosmic symphony, is said to have been formed from the final roar of a man at the precipice of time, the end of all things. That resounding shout not only created an echo but also sparked the genesis of a new world, backwards in time.

This cosmic event intricately wove the universe into the fabric of fate, destiny, and the cyclical nature of time. It formed a circular loop where the end of one cosmic era seamlessly led to the beginning of another. The Echo of Kalak, showcasing the interconnectedness of all things, whispered the intricate destinies of those who would inhabit the realms, the planets, the stars, the universe. This celestial echo bound together every creature, every soul, from celestial beings to mortals and immortals, in an eternal dance of destiny.

The identity of the mysterious figure who shouted at the edge of time, become known as the Dhul Akar, although they have many names between the many peoples who inhabit these worlds. Their identity remains shrouded in mystery. No mystic, oracle, or soothsayer can predict who will take on the mantle of Dhul Akar. This unknown individual serves as a lasting reminder that the echoes of the end of times reverberate, potentially echoed by any living being, whether currently alive or yet to be born. In the near or very distant future. 

, Solar quadrant conserved in the archaeological site of Madinat az-Zahra.

The Echo's reverberations is the life-blood the universe. This cosmic sort of energy and vibration that hangs in the atmosphere, between particles of space and time, in undulating waves. It is through harnessing this energy that few within the world can yield its power, command it. Use it to create or destroy - or to align and commune with the waves of energy in a harmonious mediation. The Celestials, the first of the Echo's formations, shaped from a single breath in the stars, are the masters of the cosmic energy. Celestial entities like Al-Haamil, the Forger of Forms, Al-Aasima, the Celestial Enchanter, Shamsiya, the Star Shepard, and Al-Nazira, the Plane Weaver, have shaped and split worlds with their mastery of the cosmic ether. Many other celestials make up the cosmic tapestry of the universe.

Distillation -Al Kindi 9th century

The mortal and immortal denizens across the myriad realms of the universe can also find a profound connection with cosmic energies. Some devote their existence to the meticulous exploration of physics, alchemy, and astronomy, seeking to harness the resonances of the echo and the vast natural world. Some who bind themselves to the worship of the celestials may find themselves graced with the gentle caress of cosmic forces. Some, born of rare bloodlines, possess the unique ability to manipulate the natural or celestial elements, albeit not without consequences. From the venerable Sages of the Scroll and Lunar Tinkerers - to the skilled Starslingers of the Night and the Healers of Song, the very essence of the cosmos echoes for all attuned to its symphony. 

Aksara - Jinn Sanctuaries, Lore24 #003

 Scattered across Aksara are sanctuaries where Jinn commune and share knowledge as currency, ranging from serene gardens of perpetual twilight to towering crystalline structures that resonate with celestial energy. Each sanctuary aligns geographically with a particular natural area within Al-Mithal, the material world, whether it be a plot of land that pinnacles the desert winds, or a subterranean trench that commands the roaring seas, or a pressure filled pit of a flaming volcano. Areas of high energy, gravitational and cosmic energy, that waft through The Veil separating realms such as Aksara and Al-Mithal. 

These Jinn sanctuaries serve as ethereal nexuses, communing the mortal realm with shadowed mirror realm of Aksara. In the tranquil gardens, Jinn of the breeze weave gentle zephyrs through the air, sharing whispered secrets gathered from Al-Mithal. The towering crystalline structures, that shift across vast smokey landscapes and across wide silvery seas, pulsate in harmony and mirror their anchor to the material world. Pilgrims and seekers in Al-Mithal visit these areas of energy - sometimes knowing their precise location, sometimes guessing - seeking communion with the Jinn and tapping into the profound energies that emanate from the heart of Aksara's spiritual tapestry.

Aksara - Spirit Markets and Bazaars, Lore24 #002

Aksara hosts bustling markets where spirits, lesser deities, and entities from across the cosmos converge. Items from forgotten realms, echoes of mortal desires, and ethereal artefacts are traded under the black and grey glow of shadowed lanterns. Spectral merchants peddle enigmatic wares, shadow-wrought objects of uncanny familiarity, wispy cloaks and fabrics that wither and weave, and phantom delicacies that waft with familiar spices that never reach your tongue. 

Patrons from varied realms and planes converge at the bazaar, seeking out portals along the veil between realms to venture into Aksara’s plane. Some, drawn by whispers and darker intentions, navigate the monochromatic glow of the shadowed market to secret tunnels below, home to a Jinn syndicate of Black Magic dealers. These forbidden practitioners weave dark schemes, from offering cheap tricks and curses to hashing deals of more sinister outcomes, defying the very laws of the veil and the cosmos.

Session Recap: Player in Mork Borg, Goblin Grinder

I know the space out there is littered with reviews and session recaps of Mork Borg, but I wanted to document my session - regardless of whether anything below is useful info to anyone. 

Especially to share my session notes and art!!

- Player session recap, minimal spoilers
(will do more detailed recaps in the future, me thinks. But this ok for now)


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This was my 4th time playing in the doom-laden world of Mork Borg, my second time as a player. We were guided by the merciless hand of our GM, Faisal, (Deathcackles). Full credits to our GM, who orchestrated the experience with a relentless doom metal vibe, gruesome voices, and a penchant for pushing us to the brink.

I think of the first things I've learned with playing Morg Borg, and other similar OSR style games is that the success of any Mörk Borg session rests on the shoulders of a group willing to fully embrace the foul theme of the game, and for this latest one-shot of "Goblin Grinder", I was fortunate to be amidst such a group. 

The vile setting of "Goblin Grinder", the town of Galgenbeck, was really fun to mess around in. The journey to the end of Goblin Grinder, however, was not without its comedic and player-driven chaos.

Som bumps in the road: Some players, perhaps too eager to grasp the opportunity to go balls to the wall and burn everything to the ground, contemplated abrupt conclusions. Yet, employing OSR-style tactics, we navigated through the vile levels of the abandoned windmill, attempting to think our way through its final stages before we gave the OK to blow everything up... Yeah, we blew everything up in the end (bg3 style).

My character, a fanged deserter with a peculiar fondness for teethsies. Armed with a bag of teeth that I wielded as improvised weapons, along with anything else I could find and lose and then find again. Bolstered by a hearty 9 HP, I barreled into danger, literally, much to the disapproval of our GM. Even after depleting my omens, I sustained my journey, munching on anything I could find.

Cunning tactics involving bear traps and oil allowed us to outsmart the goblins within the windmill temporarily. However, one of our companions decided to take matters into their own hands, or rather, explosives. The windmill, along with its goblin inhabitants and bad guys, were kaboom-ed in a fiery oily mess, a player-driven rebellion against whatever path was probably laid before us. And Im not the type of player to put down others for their plans, I mean they were passionate about blowing up the windmill, so I said "why not".

After omens ran out for some players, and they have KO'd, our GM craftfully weaved them back into the game as forgotten NPCs and pets. That was a fun twist that was great to see in a one-shot. 

Lessons learned from this chaotic journey include the challenge of managing trigger-happy players bent on finding game-ending solutions. Despite our GM's efforts to weave obstacles, the explosive demise of the windmill was inevitable. The fragility of characters once omens run out raises questions about the feasibility of Mörk Borg for longer campaigns though. 

Safety tools and upfront expectation setting are crucial, making this game best suited for a circle of players who already know and trust each other. The experience is a symphony of chaos, a descent into the heart of darkness where players revel in the twisted artistry of Mörk Borg. 

Aksara - The Shadowed Mirror Realm and its City of Ephemeral Whispers, Lore24 #001

Aksara, the ethereal realm veiled in mystery and shadows, exists as a parallel to the mortal realm of Al-Mithalun. It is a plane of duality, where every grain of sand in Al-Mithalun casts a shadow in Aksara, and every whisper in the mortal world echoes through its ethereal expanse. Aksara is not a mere reflection; it is a realm pulsating with its own energies and spirits.

The landscape of Aksara is a surreal mosaic of shifting shadows and reflections. Endless dunes ripple like liquid obsidian, mirroring the contours of Al-Mithalun's deserts but twisted into otherworldly shapes. Skies bear hues unseen in the mortal realm, painted with the essence of dreams and the play of celestial energies.

City of Ephemeral Whispers:

At the heart of Aksara lies the City of Ephemeral Whispers. Its architecture is an intricate dance of shadow and light, existing simultaneously in myriad states of construction and ruin. Inhabitants of Aksara, particularly the Jinn and Spirits (the "Ruhin"), congregate here in courts of shadow, discussing the fate of Al-Mithalun and the influence they might exert.