Monday Musings #92 🤬
musings on Invisible Suns and a pacing rant
Good Monday, Gamer!
“There has to be an invisible sun!" — The Police, Fae Adventurers
I unearthed my Black Cube this weekend; I am getting another shot at an Invisible Sun game. I've got aspirations to run it and run it grande. But I'd like to see it on the table first. It's a big game, physically, mentally, and in mystery. The core mechanics aren't big, but they have a big usage range. Right now, I'm working up a Stalwart, Fearless Vance, who Embodies the War. A neat piece of IS —when you’ve completed character generation, you’ll have a mechanical descriptor of your character!
Invisible Sun is a surreal fantasy tabletop role-playing game by Monte Cook Games, where players become vislae—powerful magic-users returning to the mysterious city of Satyrine after exile in a shadow realm that mirrors our own. The game emphasizes deep character-driven narratives, exploring themes of magic, secrets, and personal transformation within a richly layered setting. Famously, it features the "Black Cube," an elaborate game box containing extensive materials like rulebooks, a six-fingered hand, and a unique Sooth Deck, all designed to enhance the immersive experience.
🎲 I Like BIG Games
I cannot lie; I love BIG games. It's not just long campaigns—though I love those too—but games that ask for something more from the table. The ones that are unapologetically ambitious. The ones with weird bones and sharp teeth. The ones that dare to be a little too much.
You know the type:
🧠 Invisible Sun with its surreal landscape and nested boxes of secrets.
🔥 Burning Wheel, where belief, instinct, and drive matter more than hit points.
⚔️ Burning Empires, which says: "Here’s a war, here’s your role in it—good luck."
🌈 Space Wurm vs Moonicorn, a pulpy cosmic opera of power and desire.
🧙 Ars Magica, with troupe play, seasonal downtime, and generational sagas.
👼🏼Noblis, you’re a literal god. No dice. Just miracles and myths.
These are BIG games.
Sometimes heavy on mechanics. Always heavy on bite.
They ask you to commit—not just in time, but in attention, buy-in, and trust.
And when they work? They don’t just sing. They resonate.
Big games aren’t always easy. They’re not for every group or every schedule. But if you’ve got the crew and the energy? The payoff is unreal.
What are your favorite BIG games? And which ones broke your brain—in a good way or a bad one?
ICYMI
♟️The Indie Game Reading Club does a solid piece on pacing, timers, and smoke and mirrors. I'm not a fan of most pacing mechanics; they often feel contrived and full of hollow vibes. A clock in Blades in the Dark represents when an alert has gone up, and you've been made. The Doom Pool in Cortex Prime has some nuance and can be used to pace a conflict or end one—but I'm incredibly biased. 💪🏾
Fill up this track, and you've done the deed?!😴 YMMV.
I've already said I like BIG games, and I cannot lie.
♟️ A recent chat had me looking for En Garde! hacks and what's still active, and it's still alive! The game immerses players in the swashbuckling world of 17th-century France, reminiscent of "The Three Musketeers." Players assume the roles of gentlemen duelists, navigating a society filled with duels, courtly intrigue, and military endeavors. Initially conceived as a fencing simulation, I got to En Garde! by way of PBM games decades ago… But can you imagine a NASCAR or John Wick hack?!
♟️ TooMuchContent: I don’t hype up my friend's blog enough. We’ve played several great games together—so if you're hungry about tabletop role-playing games, too much content is serving up in-depth analyses, practical resources, and collaborative projects. Highlights include a comprehensive reflection on a year of playing the Yellow King RPG, a custom vehicle control sheet for Twilight: 2000, and a father-son series delving into the Fantasy AGE Bestiary.
♟️ I played a solid 36 of these 50 RPG games! Where you at?
What are you prepping, playing, or planning about?
Catch ya next week!
