The Archivium

The books are waiting. So is something else… By day, you are a student, attending lectures, exploring campus traditions, and navigating the peculiar social rituals of university life. By night, you are something more: A Custodian of the Archive , sworn to maintain a secret collection of living knowledge. Books that rearrange themselves, relics that whisper, and rules (so many rules) that must never be broken. The Society tells you the Archive must be protected. That some truths are too dangerous to know. But you can’t shake the feeling that something inside is watching you… learning from you… and waiting. What will you uncover before the Archive changes you? A Solo Journaling RPG of Cozy Horror & Dark Academia Craft your University & Society Build your own ivy-clad campus or modern fortress of academia, then uncover the secret society pulling the strings. Your Choices Shape the Mystery The Archivium houses four lurking horrors, each aligned with a subgenre of horror. Your Foundational Charter determines which one dominates, changing the flavour of your entire playthrough. Custodial Duties by Night Catalog forbidden tomes, classify relics, and hold the Archive together one shift at a time—before it consumes you. Build the Archive as You Play Every book and artifact you shelve is one you invent. By the end, you’ll have created your own Dewey Decimal of the uncanny and unknowable. Orientation Week Expanded (New!) The starting section of the game now comes with an expanded guide and commentary, weaving in all five Codices so you can set up your Archivium with every option at hand. Archivium Flowchart (New!) A one-page cheat sheet to keep your shifts running smoothly—perfect if you need a refresher or get stuck. 16 Possible Endings From surviving as a scarred academic, to becoming one with the Archive, to ushering in the end of all things. Accessible Tools Play with just a standard deck of cards, a six-sided die, and your journal of choice. What You’ll Receive The Archivium Base Game PDF (226 pages, fully bookmarked and hyperlinked) Orientation Week Expanded – free companion guide linking Codices into the core game Archivium Flowchart – a visual rules reference for smooth play The Archivium is Complete For the past year, The Archivium has grown through five Codices—modular expansions that added quests, mechanics, and flavour. With the release of Codex 05, the expansion arc is now complete. The base game plus Codices together form a finished library of content , offering hundreds of hours of replayability. The Codices Each Codex is optional, plug-and-play, and designed to layer onto the base game: Codex 01: Love & Loathing Expanded NPC creation, relationship-building systems, and downtime activities. Perfect for fleshing out roommates, rivals, and friends. Codex 02: Love Beyond the Veil (bundled with Codex 01) A standalone haunted post office mystery that can be triggered during any Cataloguing task. Compact, atmospheric, and perfect for a one-shot diversion. Codex 03: The Academic Register A massive expansion adding degree programs, electives, and extracurriculars for every type of campus. The definitive “academic life” add-on. Codex 04: Idle Hands & Interludes Extra downtime prompts, seasonal campus traditions, cafeteria specials, and weekend events. Makes your university feel lived-in. Codex 05: The Hidden Curriculum Introduces Fields of Study and magical mentors. Deepens Society play with Influence milestones, new rituals, and consequences for pushing too far. The Complete Collection Over 600 pages across six volumes (Base Game + 5 Codices) Replayable cozy horror with dozens of paths and mysteries Available individually or as a discounted bundle