This 5-Pound Brass Discovery Sparked a Storm of Nostalgia
May 12, 2025
Source: Reddit
You guys know that moment when you find something and just know its special — although you might not know why? And that’s exactly what happened when someone stumbled upon a heavy brass object — about five pounds, with a swing-out rear handle and an enigmatic retracting ring. It felt solid, deliberate. Almost like a weapon. But what kind? Maybe a Riven brass artifact?
It wasn’t a tool, it wasn’t a piece of military equipment, it was Gehn’s dart gun from Riven, a reference that might bring a smile to your face if you spent your childhood playing CD-ROM adventures.
Wait—What’s Riven Again?
If you played Myst or its epic sequel Riven, you likely remember the mood far better than the storyline. The games were slow and weird, but absolutely immersive. Released in 1997, Riven threw players into an ancient, crumbling world rife with puzzles, danger and lore.
As the game’s main villain, Gehn was equal parts genius and total whack-job. And this brass dart gun? It was his weapon of choice — unique, steampunk-ish, and reminiscent of a Riven brass artifact, memorable to anyone who ran into it in gameplay.
Where on Earth Did You Find That?! ”
When a photo of this brass contraption showed up online, on Reddit’s r/whatisthisthing, gamers in the know went wild. One comment got it in one: “Holy crap, that’s Gehn’s dart gun from Riven! Where the hell did u find this?? ”
It wasn’t merely a narrow contest — it was the design. The swing-handle, the sculpted tip, the construction itself: all uncannily resembling the one Gehn carries in the game, truly a Riven brass artifact. And if you’ve played through Riven, you’ll even remember that, through certain conditions, you can see this same gun for yourself before Gehn has had a chance to pick it up.
How it played out in the world at large? That’s still a little mysterious. Perhaps it is an extremely rare promotional reproduction or a handmade fan artifact that passed from fan to fan through the decades. Either he, that’s an absolute gem for anyone who was born a D’ni world explorer.
More Than a Prop — A Time Capsule
There’s something weirdly emotional about holding a piece of your childhood—especially when that childhood hails from a world as haunting and lovely as Riven. That is because games then were not about velocity or stats. They were about mood. Discovery. Slowing down and savoring the scene while holding onto relics like a Riven brass artifact.
And that dart gun? It wasn’t only a weapon — it was part of that storytelling tapestry. It was part of what made Gehn seem real. Discovering it in the flesh sort of feels like the game is reaching out to us, across the years.
A Reiteration of Our Progress
Just for something like this to come bubbling back to the surface is more than cool — it’s comforting. Imagine it’s not just a weird brass thing but a Riven brass artifact. It’s a reminder of a time when mystery was more than graphics, when games left you something to think about, something to wonder. And when even a weird brass thing might provide an entryway to a world you’d never forget.
So if you should ever encounter something that appears as though it’s from a lost world, don’t be too hasty to ignore it. Only, it may be nothing more than a piece of story you thought you’d long ago forgotten — until it rose, unannounced, to seize you.