Because I am a fan of beautiful handouts in table top RPGs, I’ve ordered two boxes from the Mysterious Package Company, and although they can be considered both frivolous and expemsove. I do love them. In part because they are ridiculously fun to investigate but also because they contain all the bric-a-brac I honestly love to bits.

Newspaper clippings, photographs, letters and even statues and book excerpts.

The last one I ordered was an Egyptian mystery, a tomb excavation gone horribly wrong – as they tend to do – with all the accoutrements. The box always arrives with a letter from a contact, be it a solicitor, a well meaning colleague or a distant relative setting the stage and the mood for further discovery.

The box itself is wood with a packing of wood wool. The box is nailed shut and usually a pain to open without damaging the lid. It does set the tone, though.

Inside, papers, photos, little boxes and bags hide treasures that await discovery.

To be honest it is glorious and lovely and inspiring. And yes, frivolous and expensive as well. It’s like going through papers left behind by grandparents or great grandparents. It’s like finding love letters stashed away in an old tin. It’s a legacy that never existed.

I think the most satisfying part, for me, is to watch and learn. Be inspired by the joy of creating a brand new mystery. The latest box I ordered will probably feature in an adventure later on. Credits where credits are due, of course, but it’s too good a mystery to not build on it.