Return to the Void

Current direction · design foundation

Build an independent world.

New characters start with their own motivations, relationships, histories and visual identities. They are not renamed Paragon heroes. Original writing and generic placeholders support the first prototype; future art, voices and other assets need documented provenance and permitted uses.

First playable milestone

One original hero, one modifier and one consequential authored choice. Replay must reproduce the selected scene and consequences; replaying a choice must not apply its consequences twice. A changed choice must change a later objective or ending condition.

Start with plain-language paths, text suit labels, readable contrast, large touch targets and optional reduced motion. These are prototype acceptance requirements, not completed accessibility checks.

Tactical language to test

Swords: precision and information, with timing and exposure costs. Staves: movement and burst, with commitment and recovery. Cups: protection and support, constrained by range and shared resources. Coins: preparation and reserves, with setup delay.

Balance comes from explicit rules, exploit checks and human playtesting. Optional upright/reversed approaches describe tradeoffs, not automatic good/evil or stronger/weaker states. Cardology adapters remain deferred; a playing-card pack is not automatically equivalent to a tarot deck.

This Codex entry indexes the proposal; it does not define game rules. Canonical Veiled Dominion, Duet, PIXIE’s reflection deck and unrelated bots retain their existing designs.

Verified October 8, 2026 · America/Chicago

What is complete?

Paragon-Reborn #17 is merged: original direction, branching-story design, rights boundary, roadmap and revised project-page copy. Engine #53 remains an open draft for a separate receiving experiment contract.

The PR records report repository validation and TypeScript checks passing. The engine records 24 passing and 24 failing exercise tests in unchanged code; its contribution gate remains unmet. These are recorded upstream results, not tests rerun by the Codex build.

This is a design foundation. A finished game, proven balance, full IP migration and complete legal clearance are not established. Merging documentation does not establish a deployed playable system.

Historical research only

The archived 78-card assignments.

These earlier Paragon assignments are an adaptation archive, not the new production roster or verified canon for every imagined scene. Do not import this archive into the new story generator. Its symbolic assignments do not determine gameplay strength or provide production rights.

Paragon character references are presented as design provenance. No merchandise approval or artist endorsement is represented.

Continue through the collection

Connected decks

Design proposal

PIXIE · The Reflection Deck

Observe. Understand. Choose.

PIXIE / Creative Experience Decks

SEALED DECK♠52 CARDSOdin

Rules & court documented

The Sealed Deck

Four suits. Four ways to hold power.

Veiled Dominion / Daddy’s Little Mortis