Don’t you love getting presents in the mail? Especially if it’s something you’ve waited a couple of years for? I complained. I wrote to the company. And finally, I followed instructions, and voila! my Kickstarter copy of Invisible Sun from Monte Cook Games arrived at my door. Woo hoo! I spent over $200 supporting that kickstarter project so I would get the good stuff. And last week it finally came.

This arrived, a big cardboard box weighing close to 30 pounds. I could hardly wait to open it up and see what it contained. I knew there would be a big black box inside.

This piece of paper on the outside of the black box gave me an idea of what to expect.

First look at the big black box, packed in a tough plastic bag.

I’m just going to switch to pictures now. There’s a lot of stuff coming, and I really can’t explain it all.

This is a very complicated box.

Two large drawers up above and a stack of books down below.

Big black envelope. Two weeks later, I still haven’t opened this.

Cosmic plan . . . Shades of the Cabala!

Mystic map. Different realms.

I glanced inside. I haven’t really read it yet. I’m almost afraid to.

One thing we know about paths to enlightenment: THEY NEVER RUN STRAIGHT.

 

I haven’t opened this.

I haven’t opened this either.

Book marks.

Objects! My favorite is the human-sized mystic hand. It is made of heavy plastic–almost feels like wood. This is sitting on top of my favorite bookcase right now. I have no idea what the cubes are needed for.

4 decks of cards labeled Objects of Power. I have not opened them.

Note that this is a left hand. Typically in occult lore, the left-hand path is associated with the demonology and dark, probably evil, spirits.

Props remain to be discovered also.

More props, more decks of cards–13 of them, surely no coincidence. Fancy poly-dice in the baggie at bottom right.

Map of the City of Satyrine.

We’ve seen this path before. This time it’s printed on cloth.

More realia–physical objects included in the game. I like the Sooth Deck. Sooth is another ancient word for truth. The images on it are dark and mysterious. It makes me think of tarot decks.

The most impressive prop in the whole huge box of stuff has to be the Hand. It now sits on top of all my most important game books.

I got a lot for my kickstarter pledge to Monte Cook Games. I am more than satisfied as a game collector with this product. Awesome is an adjective that scarcely does Invisible Sun justice. There are weeks of exploration left to me before I will feel capable of running this game for players. My game designer’s hat is off and held humbly in tribute to Monte Cook and his game designers and developers for this product. It leads me to believe that other Monte Cook games and projects are equally complex and interesting.

I may have bitten off more than I can swallow here. Wow!

Pray excuse the amateurish photography. I did it all myself with my cell phone.

End

P.S. If you own or have played Invisible Sun, please feel free to leave a comment.

–Ken St. Andre, July 7, 2018