Hey there!
While you’re out slaying dragons, I’ve been wrestling my own beast — the homepage update. I’ve been pouring a ridiculous number of hours into getting everything ready for the next big step: launching my Patreon.
There’s still a long road ahead — about 200 hours of tinkering, testing, and rewriting to go over the next months. Meaning while I have quite a few late-night behind me (actually probably more than just a few…), and the occasional “why did I start this quest?” moments, there are still many more to be come…
BUT!
This whole process reminds me a bit of leveling up: slow progress in the beginning but undeniable results hot in persuit. And that makes me incredibly excited! With every passing day I can see the progress, and I know it’ll be so worth it in the end. So, thank you for being here and sharing the journey — your support makes the long nights feel a little brighter.
With that, I technically went ahead on the news part, but hey! Now, let’s dive into this week’s creation, as it is a fun one! 🎲
Give Your Players a Mystery They’ll Obsess Over
Some magic items grant power. Others start adventures. This one? It is just a cube. A small, ordinary cube with no runes, no aura, and no clear origin, yet it is oddly… perfect?
The Paradox Cube
At first glance, the Paradox Cube looks mundane — a plain, palm-sized cube of unknown material. Its simple form is strongly mesmerizing for no reason. Once a character touches it, the cube binds itself to the group. It has the following traits:
If the cube is discarded, destroyed, or put into a container, such as a bag or pouch, it reappears close to the characters in plain view.
The detect magic and identify spells reveal nothing about it, displaying it as a mundane nonmagical object.
Characters are unnaturally drawn to it. This is a narrative effect, without any direct mechanic. The longer the cube stays with the character, the more their urge grows to adore and protect it, even to a distracting point.
The cube sometimes disappears and reappears at a later point (hours or days later). The cube reappears in a way to draw the characters’ attention to something beneficial or important to them, such as a secret door, an “accidental” meeting with a future important NPC, etc.
The cube has no clear purpose - and maybe it never will. It isn’t a weapon, spell focus, or treasure. It’s a question with no answer, yet it balances a tight-rope act of an unhealthy obsession and a helpful benefactor.
Drop it into a dungeon chest, slip it into a fallen enemy’s pocket, or let the players find it washed up on a riverbank. From there, the cube does the work for you. Incorporate in ways that keep players guessing, from being the key to an ancient door, it clearly has no connection to, to being an accepted token that allows entrance into a secret society without anyone knowing why. This way it keeps sparking theories, arguments, and endless curiosity.
The best part? Even you don’t need to decide what it truly is. Keep it a mystery forever, or reveal its secret when the timing feels right. Either way, your table will never forget the paradox cube.
Want more cool ideas? You can find some ideas here.
Homepage Rework: More content, more automation, more better!
And because I am an idiot who give you a link that expires, here is a permanent link to the new discord. But don’t be surpised it still very empty. 😂
This newsletter hopefully provides you with some creative ideas that bring joy and memorable sessions to your table.
If you have suggestion how to improve this newsletter or if you want have me add your stuff into the news section, you can send me a mail to [email protected]
Until next time :)
