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Invisible Sun: Return of the Black Cube—Monte Cook Games Announces a Limited Reprint of the Acclaimed Tabletop RPG

ByDaniel Kling Lorentsen
A man in a suit, his face glowing like an enigmatic character from a tabletop RPG, speaks urgently on a vintage phone in his dimly lit office. Smoke rises from his tie as if conjured by invisible sun magic. The room features a green desk lamp, striped blinds, papers, and a clock on the wall.

Monte Cook Games has announced the relaunch of its groundbreaking tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG), Invisible Sun, in the form of a limited reprint. Originally released in 2018, the game’s core rules boxed set, known as the Black Cube, sold out almost immediately. A second printing in 2019 also quickly sold out. The upcoming crowdfunding campaign aims to bring this highly sought-after piece of TTRPG history back into the hands of gamers.

A Unique Setting and Gameplay

A mystical figure levitates with crossed legs in a desert landscape, illuminated by the Invisible Sun. With multiple limbs and a glowing circle on their chest beneath a moonlit sky, they balance several floating objects, as if orchestrating an unseen Tabletop RPG with the cosmos.

Invisible Sun offers a highly original setting and gameplay mechanics that have set new standards in the TTRPG industry. Known for its surrealist setting, complex mechanics, and astonishing beauty, the game has been highly praised by critics and gamers alike. Players are introduced to a multidimensional universe called the Actuality, where magic, reality, and secrets blend seamlessly. Adventures take players to Satyrine—the surreal city under the Indigo Sun—and into the realms of seven other suns, each with its own unique rules and denizens.

What’s in the Black Cube?

The Black Cube is an exhaustive boxed set containing:

  • Four hardcover books totaling over 600 pages.
  • Roughly 1,000 cards equivalent to about 200 pages of book content.
  • The Sooth Deck, a tarot-like deck that plays a crucial role in the game.
  • The Path of Suns game board, used with the Sooth Deck.
  • The Testament of Suns, a resin-cast figure to display the currently ascendant Sooth Card.
  • Character tomes for all four orders, plus apostates.
  • A variety of tokens for tracking game info.
  • Custom Invisible Sun dice.
  • Two cloth maps.
  • A GM’s notebook and a character grimoire pad.
  • Five pregenerated characters.
  • Numerous in-setting handouts and props.
  • A dedicated art book.
In a scene reminiscent of a tabletop RPG adventure, a person in steampunk attire navigates a dense, green jungle alongside a black panther. Detailed foliage casts dappled light and shadows around the pair as they traverse the forest carefully.

Intriguing Characters and Rich Storylines

Players, known as “vislae,” are wielders of magic in this unique universe. They explore various realms and seek out the secrets of reality. One example of the intricate storyline includes a character named Anestra, who, after a celestial phenomenon called a keyfall, finds a wicked key capable of unlocking anything. With this key, she discovers a library more ancient than that of Rhol, the Left-Handed God, and uncovers the secret name of a long-forgotten demon.

What’s Next?

An alien-looking teacher with blue skin and tattoos stands in a lecture hall, holding a jar with a preserved specimen. Various unusual creatures and humans are seated, observing. Books titled "Teratology" and "Invisible Sun" are on the desk, hinting at their tabletop RPG origins.

Monte Cook Games has announced that the crowdfunding campaign for the Invisible Sun: Return of the Black Cube will launch this autumn. The campaign promises to bring back the core game, along with other items that have been unavailable for some time, such as the Vislae Kit. Additional items for existing Invisible Sun fans may also be unveiled during the campaign.

Daniel Kling Lorentsen is the editor of Tabletop Gaming News, with a passion for tabletop games that began in the '90s. Starting with Dungeons & Dragons and Warhammer, his journey in the gaming industry has been diverse—from working at a prominent gaming store and illustrating RPG books and board games, to consulting hedge funds on RPG trends. Since 2005, Daniel has written extensively about games and managed several gaming websites, applying his deep industry knowledge to keep readers informed about the latest in tabletop gaming.