Greetings, vislae—

Thanks to your tireless efforts, we have drawn more than 1,846 vislae out of Shadow and into the Actuality. With this milestone, we surpass even the number of vislae who called forth the Black Cube in its first conjuration. As a result, we are bringing The Darkest Art into existence.

As we described when we announced this goal, The Darkest Art will be a hefty, high-quality hardcover. Its final form is not yet discerned, but it will be lavished with deluxe features, including perhaps foil stamping, an elegant dust jacket, interesting edge treatments, or other becoming decorata. 

It will contain art from Invisible Sun, its supplements, and The Darkest House (which isn’t an Invisible Sun product per se, but, given its genesis in Monte’s personal Invisible Sun campaign, has many similar themes).

It’s possible you’ll discover a few hidden elements in The Darkest Art. It will certainly give you a look at some aspects of Invisible Sun art that can’t be seen anywhere else. For example, you may get a detailed look at the entirety of the vislae party scene, a fragment of which opens each chapter in The Key, The Way, The Gate, and The Path (the four hardcovers contained in the Black Cube). Perhaps even multiple variations, since there is no single version of that amazing illustration.

You’ll also have a chance to closely examine some of Invisible Sun’s most detailed art, which is often replete with hidden elements not entirely obvious at their normal print scale. Some of these pieces reward the scrutiny this book will enable.

And you’ll see complete versions of the images created for the Sooth Deck, portions of which are not fully visible on the round cards.

Finally, let’s not forget the astonishing art from The Darkest House!

This is a substantive product that will be made to the highest standards. Were it to be available to the general public, it would carry a price tag of roughly $60. But to celebrate this milestone—and to thank you for helping reach it—we’re offering it to you for a special backer price of just $27. This is a limited add-on—only one per backer at this highly discounted price.

Wise vislae, there is little doubt that the summoning of The Wellspring, through this campaign, is an immeasurable boon to all our narratives. And as we have drawn additional vislae to our ritual throughout this campaign, the form taken by The Wellspring has evolved and improved, bringing even more resources to our aid.

We believe it has not quite reached its greatest potential, however. So let us continue that ritual, and conjure The Wellspring in its fullest form.

Here you see two Invisible Sun items: the slipcase that houses Book M (shown here with corebooks from the Black Cube) and the Vislae Kit. In both cases, the “box” is more than mere packaging—it is a sturdy, useful, and elegant container that serves not just the product that came within it, but also other Invisible Sun items, on your bookshelf and at the game table. These are practical and beneficial beyond their primary role as mere boxes.

We would like to package The Wellspring similarly. This envisioned box would contain the book and props, but be useful for much more. Perhaps you will organize all of your props within it—including those from the Black Cube and Prop Set 2 (if you obtain that add-on). It might be a convenient place to store your copy of The Guiding Hand, or general gaming supplies such as pencils and notebooks. Peering into the future, we cannot discern its exact final form, but its utility and elegance is without doubt.

But that’s not all. Note that the Vislae Kit shown above is used by an apostate. It’s been marked as such with a sticker that distinguishes it from the Vislae Kits belonging to other players. We’d like to add such a sticker sheet to The Wellspring, and perhaps some additional physical components that add similar utility as you delve into The Wellspring to launch a campaign—and support it as it grows.

This ritual requires the participation of 2177 vislae. It will be unlocked when we hit that many backers.

As has been true throughout this campaign, wise vislae, it is your outreach that helps others find their way out of Shadow. Continue this effort with renewed vigor—share a post on social media, or comment on EN World, reddit, or other gaming sites—and we will surely see The Wellspring reach its full potential!

Thank you so much for your support!
—The Monte Cook Games team