Matthew Spencer (Order #10010925) - Miyako …D/The_Tarot_Deck_of_Many_Many_… · The Deck This collection of 78 tarot cards are usually made with the best materials, expertly crafted

Matthew Spencer (Order #10010925)

The Tarot Deck of Many, Many Things

A sourcebook for adventurous characters of all levels.

by KEVIN OHANNESSIAN

Cover adapted from a photo by Derek Gavey https://www.flickr.com/photos/derekgavey/5340569099/

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THE TAROT DECK OF MANY, MANY THINGS ! 1


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Table of Contents

Introduction page 3

The Deck page 4

The Cards The Major Arcana page 5

Minor Arcana: Wands page 11

Minor Arcana: Swords page 15

Minor Arcana: Cups page 19

Minor Arcana: Coins page 23

Tips for Play page 27

Scenarios page 28

Adventure page 29




Introduction

There are few magic items in Dungeons and Dragons that embody the game's potential for fantastic possibilities as the Deck of Many Things. A draw from the deck can completely change a character into a force to be feared or strike them with some terrible circumstance that takes months to overcome.

This guidebook expands the 22-card deck from the many editions of D&D into a full Tarot of 78 choices, both the major and minor arcana. And much like actual Tarot readings, whether the cards are drawn right side up or inverted can drastically alter the outcome.

As a player, when I drew from the original deck, I found myself facing my own grim reaper. As a Dungeon Master, I have seen a fighter instantly gain a level. I have also seen a cleric lose all of their items, including a Shield +5 they were fortunate to roll as loot from a giant lizard randomly encountered in the fields of Faerun.

The cards below are fairly balanced with a mix of positive results, negative results, or neutral results -- strange things that will change a character or their circumstances. Whatever draw from the deck a player gets, it will likely be memorable. And if they draw multiple cards, the interplay between them could be shockingly epic.

But a note of warning: draws from this Tarot deck can drastically change a campaign. It is recommended you use these cards only if you can truly embrace the idea that anything can happen in your game and you are ready to really shake things up. But that is the point to roleplaying -- to see where the most unreal situations take you. And with that, it is time to shuffle...




The Deck

This collection of 78 tarot cards are usually made with the best materials, expertly crafted vellum with finely painted figures or ivory with etched and stained images. The deck can be contained in a velvet pouch, a wooden box, or even a metallic case.

The Reader, the one giving the Tarot reading, will ask the player how many cards they want to draw while they shuffle. This may be a disembodied voice, if the deck was abandoned somewhere. If another player is the one to pick up the deck and give readings, they will be compelled to ask the question and shuffle.

The player then draws a card and flips it over. The Reader notes which card was drawn and if it is properly oriented or inverted, from the point of view of the one drawing. This is crucial because an inverted card has a different result than one drawn upright.

The effect occurs immediately, though a few have a delayed reaction. Other cards beyond the first must be drawn less than 1 hour after the last card they drew. If the player does not physically draw the card(s), they will fly to the player themselves and take effect.

When the effect of the card begins, the physical card will instantly disappears from existence, flawlessly teleporting back into the deck. Thus, a player could get the same card multiple times in a row.

The tarot deck is divided into the Major Arcana, featuring 22 named cards such as Justice or the Magician. The Minor Arcana are the remaining 56 cards, four suits not unlike a typical deck of the playing cards. The suits are Wands, Swords, Cups, and Coins, rather than the four suits in a deck of playing cards. The cards are numbered 2 to 10 and then there are face cards, including an Ace -- besides the King and Queen, there is a Page card and a Knight card instead of just a Jack. The suits are Wands, Swords, Cups, and Coins, rather than the four suits in a deck of playing cards.

So without further adieu, here are the 78 cards themselves. Good luck on your draw.




The Cards

The Major Arcana

O - THE FOOL The Reader says, "Here comes the fool." A jester appears and insults the player, saying they are a bigger fool than him. He laughs and points at the character. A sense of embarrassment overcomes the character. They lose 10,000 experience and draw once more, foolishly.

inverted The jester walks around and looks at player and says, "You are a fool." The PC goes into shock, thinking about their life, realizing the jester is right. They come out of the daze with insight on how they have been foolish in the past. They gain 10,000 experience.

I - THE MAGICIAN The Reader says, "A practitioner of magic approaches." A Wizard appears and gives assistance to the party in any way he can, but he will seek spells or magic items as payment. He looks like a stereotypical human wizard with a robe and a pointy hat. He is 12th level, with ability scores all 10 except for an Int of 16. and his tradition is Divination.

inverted The same wizard appears, attempts to help, but makes things worse. The entire time he insults the character for wasting his time.

II - THE HIGH PRIESTESS The Reader says, "Prepare for the aid of the priestess." A matronly woman appears, dressed in robes of holy authority. She asks whom the player wants restored. Everyone designated in 1 minute is healed completely, including all diseases and ailments.

inverted The same woman appears and asks the player, "Which infidel do you wish defeated?" The NPC named suddenly dies via divine intervention. If the character says they do not wish any deaths the priestess calls the character merciful and heals the group like the non-inverted card.

III - THE EMPRESS The Reader says, "All hail the empress." A raised platform is brought out by four servants and the well dressed ruler is revealed. She blows a kiss to the PC, saying she gives them her blessing. The character becomes pregnant. If the character is male, the baby grows inside a magic bubble inside their torso, and will need to be birthed via a C-section when the time comes.

inverted The empress gives a look of scorn and curses the PC, declaring, "Barren. Bare. You will die without children, without legacy, without love." The character is now sterile.




IV - THE EMPEROR The Reader says, "Long live the glorious emperor." An emperor on his throne sprouts up from the ground. He asks the player to draw near. He gives a speech on what it takes to rule. He then examines the character and pronounces them worthy. He bestows upon the player his Rod of Lordly Might (DMG p196). He asks the player to use it for the good of all. The first time the player uses the rod in a deliberately evil way it will stop being magical for one day. The second time it will lose all its magic permanently.

inverted The emperor examines the character and pronounces them unworthy. The PC is forced to kneel, paralyzed in that position. Then he presses the button and turns his Rod into a Battleaxe +3, and gets a single attempt to chop off their head (Instant Death rule applies, PHB p197). After the single attack is made, the emperor returns to the ground.

V - THE HIEROPHANT The Reader states, "Now comes a servant of the heavens." A wizened priest appears, stating he is a messenger of the gods. He asks the character if he has a patron god. If he does, the priest comments on the god’s great qualities and then touches the player on the forehead. The symbol of the god is forever branded there. Those who follow this god will give the PC respect, but enemies of said god will hate them. The DM should devise suitably drastic results in social situations. Players who answer they do not follow a god just get a pitiful glance from the priest.

inverted The same as above, though the priest punishes the faithless by putting a magical

mark on their forehead that says the word faithless in the tongue of the native language of whoever reads it. The mark will only disappear when the character finds faith.

VI - THE LOVERS The Reader hands the character a small token that hints at the identity of the love of their life and says, "This will lead you to true love." The PC will meet their soulmate sometime during the next week. The PC will have to face many obstacles to win their love. The DM should put the time in to make the soulmate a fully fleshed out NPC with stats, goals, etc.

inverted The same as above, except a tragedy will befall their soulmate. It could be illness. It could be murder. It could even by they go on a quest that changes them into a villain.

VII - THE CHARIOT The Reader cocks head as if listening and states, "Hark the rumble of the chariot." A black chariot being pulled by two Nightmares (MM p235) and driven by a Cambion (MM p36). It will run down the PC. They all will attack relentlessly for one minute, ten rounds, each day. This will reoccur until the PC is killed or they are. The chariot is intangible to everyone else, except for the PC.

inverted The same chariot appears and asks the character whom they would see vanquished. It will perform the same actions as above, but against whomever is named.




VIII - STRENGTH The Reader says, "You are reborn, with the Strength to succeed." The PC becomes a half-orc. All changes and modifiers occur, with an additional +1 to Strength above the usual modifiers. If already a half-orc, the receive an additional +2 to Strength.

inverted The Reader says, "You are drained of your strength." The character gets a -2 to Strength.

IX - THE HERMIT The Reader says, "Behold your future." The player is given a glimpse of themselves at old age. They are alone and crazy, a hermit in the wild. They are abandoned and they are fated to die alone. This leaves the character with a sense of dread for the future, losing whatever experience gained toward their next level.

inverted The same as above, except the old version of the character is giving advice to a room of students. A year of such classes flashes by in the PC's mind. They gain confidence in the future, receiving 50% Experience needed to gain their next level.

X - THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE The Reader states, "You are bound by the whims of luck." The character gains exceptional luck. The player rolls a die at the start of the day: an odd result means the character has -1 to all d20 rolls that day and even means +1 to all d20 rolls that day. Extremely good or bad things should also occur when the player rolls a critical failure

(1) or a critical success (20) on any d20 rolls. Have fun with this one!

inverted The same as above, except the wheel is tilted, and only a 1 on a 1d4 in the morning gives good luck.

XI - JUSTICE The Reader states, "Justice shall be served." A sense of foreboding weighs on the PC. The next important action the character completes will have consequences. If it is a good act, an unforeseen reward will result. If it is a negative act, than something like poetic justice will occur.

inverted The Reader states, "Justice will come to one who is close to you." Similar to above, but it will be on an NPC close to them, with the result somehow effecting the player (for better or for worse).




XII - THE HANGED MAN The Reader expresses sympathy for the PC, then they are swallowed by a large black gem, the size of a wall. The party can look into it and watch as a gallows instantly appears and the PC is hung. Time seems to speed up as they watch the body of the character be buried. It speeds quicker as days of horrible weather pass. Finally the player emerges as an undead who slowly approaches the gem and emerges from it. The gem turns to dust and blows away. The PC is now a kind of Ghoul (MM p148), their skin tight and slightly discolored, though not decaying. They have the poison immunity and the darkvision of a Ghoul, the bite of a Ghoul, but not the claws or the need to devour corpses.

inverted The same as above, but when the character is buried, they emerge not as undead, but reborn with a new regard for life. The character now has Damage Resistance to Necrotic energy.

XIII - DEATH The Reader solemnly states, "Now there is death." A grim reaper comes to kill the PC. It warns that anyone who helps the player will have their own reapers to face. It will If a character is slain, they are slain forever.

inverted The reaper comes and tells the character about the next great threat they will face and a bit of knowledge on how to avoid it.

Grim Reaper Medium undead, true neutral Armor Class 20 Hit Points: half the hit point maximum of player Speed: 60 ft., fly 60 ft. (hover)

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3)

Damage Immunities: necrotic, poison Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened,

paralyzed, petrified, poisoned Senses: darkvision 60 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive

Perception 13 Languages: all languages known to its summoner Challenge — (0 XP)

Incorporeal Movement. The reaper can move through other creatures and objects as if they were difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it ends its turn inside an object. Turning Immunity. The reaper is immune to features that turn undead. Action: Reaping Scythe. The reaper sweeps a scythe through a creature within 5 feet of it, dealing 7 (1d8 + 3) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.

XIV - TEMPERANCE The Reader says, "You are now tempered." The PC no longer needs food, water, sleep, or air. They just exist. One could consume these things, but they aren’t needed to survive.

inverted The Reader says, "You are ill-made." They now need double the food and water to live. They also get exhausted easily, with endurance checks being made at a -4 penalty.




XV - DEVIL The Reader states, “I smell sulphur. You’ve gained the enmity of the netherworld.” A devil attacks the player sometime during the next week. It won’t stop until it is killed or the player is. The devil is a Bone Devil if player is level 6 or less, an Erinyes if level 7 to 11, or a Pit Fiend if level 12 or more (MM p66 to 78).

inverted The Reader states, “I smell sulphur. Are you sure you aren’t of the netherworld?” The character gets little nubs on their head that grow into full horns after a week. It is not unlike a Tiefling (PHB p42) — they even get the Thaumaturgy cantrip (PHB p282) and Darkvision like one.

XVI - THE TOWER The Reader says, "You shall rise above all others." The PC grows in height. They grow to the maximum height + 10%. Their Strength and Constitution will be +1, but their Dexterity will be -2.

inverted The Reader says, "All shall rise above you." The character shrinks to minimum height - 10%. Their Strength and Constitution will be -1, but their Dexterity will be +2.

XVII - THE STAR The Reader says, "Starlight shall empower you," pointing to the white light surrounding the card. This light then bursts at the character. The player chooses an attribute. A branding of a star appears at an appropriate location: Strength, back of dominant hand; Dexterity, palm of dominant hand;

Constitution, over heart; Intelligence, side of head; Wisdom, forehead; Charisma, around one eye. Once per day, the PC can touch the brand and choose to activate it for one minute. The brand will glow for that minute, raising that ability score by 5 points.

inverted The same as above, except when the brand is activated, the PC also loses 1 point in each of the other 5 ability scores.

XVIII - THE MOON The Reader says, "The genie of the night shall grant your wishes." A moonstone (translucent and pearl-like) appears in air before them. It grants 1d4 Wishes to use (PHB p288), one a minute, measured in realtime. This is represented as a moonstone with the shape of the phases; full=4, gibbous=3, half=3, crescent=1, new=0. The moonstone changes shape as wishes are granted, the Reader stating the phase as it happens.

inverted The moonstone is full, but tinted dark red. The player makes one wish, which first seems beneficial, but will turn out to be rather disastrous for the player.




XIX - THE SUN The Readers says, "The light of the sun shall radiate upon you." From a large ball of light, an item from Magic Item Table F (DMG p146) emerges and floats to the PC. Then a burst of sunlight occurs as the ball fades, granting the player wondrous insight, which provides 50,000 experience.

inverted After receiving the item, the player will see the same ball of light, but the player is sucked in. They take 1d6 damage per level and are blinded permanently.

XX - JUDGMENT The Reader gives the character a grim look and exclaims, "Thou shall be judged." The character and the closest ten people (allies and enemies) will be transported to a marble court room. No one is able to lie, or speak out of turn. There, three judges will question the PC’s life, seeing if they were Good. The jury asks questions and then make a ruling. The judges then rule. If they acted Good in life, they are freed without consequence, if Neutral then they permanently loses a level, if Evil they are instantly slain.

inverted It is a corrupt court room, where being Evil is the preference.

XXI - THE WORLD The Reader states, "Prepare for a journey through the world." The world flashes by them, land and sea alike. With a sudden jolt, the character finds themselves in a random place in their world. The dungeon master may or may not choose for the other PCs to take the trip too.

inverted The Reader states, "Prepare for a journey to another world." A similar blurring of space around the character occurs, but they see outer space with planets and stars going by and when it stops the player is on another world altogether. The dungeon master may or may not choose for the other PCs to take the trip too.




MINOR ARCANA, WANDS

Ace of Wands – BALANCE The Reader says, "You are weighed in the balance, and found wanting." A flood of thoughts on morality overwhelm the PC. When the barrage dies down, the PC is not the same. Randomly change their alignment. If the player doesn’t follow the new alignment, they will receive a -1 to all d20 rolls.

inverted The same as above, except they are fanatical, compelled to criticize friends and family that act outside their new alignment. If the player doesn't do so, they get another -1 to d20 rolls.

Two of Wands – CHARLATAN The Reader says, "What a tangled web we weave." The character is now a pathological liar. At minimum, they must lie at least once per day, usually when the situation is critical, and usually for personal gain.

inverted The character now abhors lying, and they can cast the Zone of Truth spell once per day (PHB p289).

Three of Wands – DOOM The Reader says, "Welcome to life’s end." All becomes dark, then a play-like scene appears before them. They see themselves, witnessing their own death. After falling to the floor in hysterics, they find themselves back in the real world. Whenever they encounter a similar situation, they make a Wisdom save versus DC 12 or be Frightened (PHB p290).

inverted The same as above, except the Reader asks, "Whose end shall you witness?” The player answers and sees the death of another person, with the player now forewarned of a threat to that individual.

Four of Wands – THRONE The Reader says, "Somewhere you shall have a throne of your own. Where shall be your home?" The player answers, gaining a small keep at that location. With this gain comes the knowledge to maintain those who work there, as well as proficiency in Intimidation and Persuasion while in the keep.

inverted The same as above, except the keep becomes a magnet of trouble, always being attacked by wandering monsters or would be conquerors coming for the keep.

Five of Wands – DRAGON The Reader says, "May this new life bring hope to yours." The character receives a Pseudo Dragon (MM p254), of the character’s alignment, as a familiar. The normal rules for having a familiar apply (PHB p107, PHB p240, MM p254).

inverted The same as above, except the Pseudo Dragon is Chaotic Neutral. It will be harder to raise--but over time the alignment of the familiar will shift to that of character.




Six of Wands – ECHO The Reader says, "May a thing you behold be voiced and echoed throughout this place." After they say the name of an item they can see, the words echo continuously through the area, becoming louder, a shape of energy forming in the center. It culminates in a booming echo and the item popping into existence. The character is given a double of an item (not an artifact) in sight.

inverted The Reader says, "May a thing you behold be named, so it shall fade away like the echo of your voice." The echo crescendos once more, but this time the energy surrounds an object. The echo’s loud conclusion makes the item pop out of existence.

Seven of Wands – FAITH The Reader says, "Let a hollow receptacle be filled." The image of a deity of the character’s alignment appears in their mind. The PC becomes a believer of this deity. They roll 1d10 when they level up; on a result of 1 they must take a level of Cleric. Repeat until a level of Cleric is taken. If the character is already a believer in a god or a Cleric, the vision is of their deity. The PC is gifted with the ability to contact a proxy of their lord once per week, ala Commune (PHB p223).

inverted The same as above, except the character is instantly reshaped by their new belief, losing all levels in their given class and gaining levels as a Cleric. The player may make a one time decision to switch the numbers in Wisdom and another ability score.

Eight of Wands – DESIRE The Reader says, "Who do you want to see?" The player names a living character they have met in the past. That character is instantly teleported to the player's side. They remain for 1 minute, and then are teleported back. If the subject is killed or knocked out, they do not teleport back.

inverted The Reader asks, "Who do you want to be?" The player names another character they have met. The player is told what feats or skill proficiencies that character possesses. They then choose one to get for free. With that ability comes the muscle memory that character has for said ability.

Nine of Wands – FLESH The Reader points at the character and says, "A pound of flesh, no more no less." They feel a sickening drain. Reader adds, “Only blood will salve your body.” The character begins to decay, losing 1 Constitution point every week, unless they bathe in fresh blood that week, which gives 1 Constitution point back. This will persist for a lifetime, barring divine intervention or a Wish (PHB p288).

inverted The Reader points and says, "The body is a temple." The character feels a soothing wave of energy, making their flesh perfect; scars disappear and will not appear in the future. Any physical ailments are removed. The character gains proficiency in Constitution saves, or doubles the bonus if they already have that proficiency.




Ten of Wands – GREED The Reader says, "Greed fills your heart and blinds your eyes." Thoughts of greed overwhelms the character. Double your number of remaining draws, adding a minimum of one.

inverted The Reader says, "Greed fills your mind and sickens your soul." The character realizes the horror of greed and the next considerable magic item they receive will be refused or given away. They also refuse any remaining draws from the deck.

Page of Wands – IDIOT The Reader says, "Ignorance is bliss." The character suddenly feels lazy and lethargic. They slump over, their mind emptying. They lose 1d4 points of Intelligence, but they can choose to draw another card.

inverted The same as above, but they gain double the loss as a Wisdom bonus.

Knight of Wands – FEY The Reader says, "May glamour find you and bind you." Lights of all colors surround the character, filling him with a sense of wonder and delight. When these little lights cease the character finds they have become more fey. It is special for a half-elf because they become full-blooded, with appropriate ability score adjustments and abilities added (PHB p21), as well as Charisma +3. Elves gain Charisma +2 as they become closer to the ideal of Elvenkind. For everyone else they gain Charisma +1, as an elf-like grace is given.

inverted The Reader says, "May the darkness find you and bind you." The lights are of darker hues: blues, purples, and grays. They become Drow-ish: skin becomes grayer, hair become lighter, and eyes become much paler. Elves become more Drow-ish, with similar cosmetic changes, and an additional +1 to Charisma. Half-elves become a full-blooded Drow, with all the appropriate modifiers (PHB p24), as well as an additional +1 to Charisma on top of the other ability score adjustments.

Queen of Wands – KEY The Reader says, "Here is your key," and hands a large brass key to the character. It changes shape into a useful magic weapon. Roll on Magic Item Table G (DMG p147), with any result not being a weapon, staff, or wand being considered a Weapon +1. The actual form of the weapon, such as a long sword or short bow, is changed to a weapon of the player’s choice. The weapon has a Minor Property (DMG p143). The weapon will be instrumental in defeating an upcoming enemy, due to the enemy having a weakness to that particular weapon.

inverted The same as above, except the item is Cursed (DMG p138), causing the player to have a 50% chance to automatically fail a Saving throw. But only one save can be failed per day.




King of Wands – THE SEVEN The Reader says, "You are now enthralled by the seven." He raises his hands and with each finger names a sin. Everyday one sin takes hold of the character in a random order. This lasts seven days until each gets a turn. If the person survives, they gain a permanent +1 to all saves. The Sins are Greed (tries not to spend wealth, only stare at it), Lust (seeks out partners for sex), Gluttony (goes on a binge, eating and drinking), Pride (becomes arrogant and overconfident), Envy (covets what others have), Wrath (becomes easy to anger), Sloth (unwilling to act, -2 to rolls).

inverted The same as above, except The Reader names the virtues and it is these seven that control them. The Virtues are Justice (giving people just desserts), Fortitude (strength against impossible tasks), Prudence (approach obstacles cautiously), Wisdom (give advice to others), Temperance (be moderate and balanced), Courage (boldly fight despite fear), Charity (give unto others).




MINOR ARCANA, SWORDS

Ace of Swords – BLOOD The Reader says, "Blood is life." The PC goes into convulsions. Every time the character is hurt, their blood rages and they convulse (losing a round of action). They must make a Constitution save with a DC = to 8 + the damage dealt. If they fail, The PC’s blood begins to race in agony, receiving a -2 to all rolls, until they take a Short Rest. Only Wish (PHB p288) can remove the affliction.

inverted The same as above, except rather than going into convulsions, when hurt they are automatically invigorated. They receive a +4 Constitution bonus which lasts until the encounter is over.

Two of Swords – COMET Starlit darkness surrounds the area. The Reader points at a shooting star and says, "Your next enemy shall be as a comet that guides you toward the future." If the player defeats next hostile opponent with a challenge rating equal to or greater than the player's level, they gain enough experience to go up a level. The player, and the player only, can see a starlight aura around the enemy.

inverted The same as above, except the Reader says, "Your next enemy shall be the comet that guides you toward glory." If the player successfully defeats next hostile opponent with a challenge rating equal to or greater than the player's level, they will find an additional piece of loot from Magic Item Table I (DMG p149). The magic item has a

Quirk (DMG p143). The player, and them only, can see a starlight aura on the enemy.

Three of Swords – HELL The Reader says, "There is hell to pay." A chasm opens up, and a demon crawls out of it. They seek payment, something that will hurt the PC to give up -- a favorite weapon, all their gold, their love for their siblings. DM must decide what is valuable enough to the player that the demon is satisfied. If the devil does not get such a thing after negotiation, they will attack without mercy. The demon is a Shadow demon if player is level 5 or less, a Glabrezu if level 6 to 10, a Nalfeshnee if level 11 to 15, or a Balor if level 16 or more (MM p50 to 65).

inverted The same as above, but the demon laughs and says the PC’s terrible future impresses him. He gives the PC the weapon Black Razor (DMG p216) to bring that future.

Four of Swords – DONJON The Reader says, "You have lost your freedom." Shimmering walls of force envelop the character. It and the PC then fade from sight. They leave their items behind. The PC’s party must seek out the imprisoned comrade.

inverted The Reader says,"Bars shall not bind you." The PC (and their party) will be freed from their next instance of bondage -- it’s basically a get out of jail for free card.




Five of Swords – ROGUE The Reader says, "There is a rogue out for you." A close NPC gains a secret hatred toward the character. They will plot against the character, and will reveal their hatred at the culmination of their revenge.

inverted The same as above, except the NPC will work towards a good thing that will help the player.

Six of Swords – HERO The Reader says, "The world needs heroes." A trumpet sounds and the world dissolves and they find they are in a King’s Hall. They brought before the King and charged as a Knight on a Quest. The character and their party have been teleported to a storybook world. The PC becomes the center of a heroic quest. This quest is a cliche, with a princess held by an evil wizard or cruel knight.

inverted The same as above, except there will be an ironic twist that makes the PC the villain. Perhaps the princess appears captive, but is really undergoing some strange ritual before marriage. The PC will learn form her that she didn’t want to be rescued.

Seven of Swords – HUNT The Reader says, "You seek the thrill of the hunt." An urge for nature will hit the character: the need for fresh air and the smell of trees. They realize that the hunt calls them. The PC gains proficiency in Survival. They are compelled to hunt at least once a week, if possible.

inverted The same as above, except the player becomes obsessed, wanting to hunt everyday, eat only fresh meat they kill, learn abilities or spells to help with hunting.

Eight of Swords – VOID The Reader says, "You are void." Black energy surrounds the character as they flail about. Once they are completely covered, they stop flailing and the black energy rises off the body. It resembles a black balloon illuminated to gray because of the vibrant soul within. This soul balloon floats into the horizon. The PC’s soul is lost somewhere, their body falling into a coma. The party must reunite the soul with the body. A Wish (PHB p288) can reveal where soul is located.

inverted The black energy stays on the body, whisking it away, leaving a shadowy image of the character. They are ethereal and can’t touch the material plane or effect it with magic. The PC’s body is lost, and the soul must find it. A Wish can reveal where the body is located.




Nine of Swords – LIFE The Reader says, "Receive the gift of life." A little point of light appears and the character feels their hit points leaving them. Their health appear as points of light flying out of their body like fireflies, joining the first light, Soon, there is a concert of lights floating in the area. When the PC reaches zero HP, they are paralyzed. The symphony of lights begin to rapidly fly around in swarms. Then the lights violently fly back into the character’s body. The player is completely rejuvenated and healed. The character’s hit points become as if the player had rolled the maximum number of HP every level.

inverted The Reader says, "Now your life slips away." The point of light appears, as well as the lights flying out of the PC. When the lights go wild some of them burst and die. The lights return to the PC, who learns they have lost 2 HP per level from their total hit points.

Ten of Swords – PAIN The Reader says, "Behold the horrible face of pain." A scarred female face appears, floating in space--not a head, but a hairless visage of just the skin and muscles of the actual face. Blood drips from behind. It floats over to the character, staying quiet. Then it slowly curses the character, "Thou shall feel my agony." The PC is cursed into taking +2 damage from each melee attack against them, leaving horrendous scars. This can only be stopped with Remove Curse or similar magic.

inverted This same face appears and floats over to the PC. The face smiles and heals into a perfect beauty, including long black hair growing. This beautiful female blesses the player,

"Thou shall resist pain." Once per day, the player can bolster themselves for one minute, gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage.

Page of Swords – LEGEND The Reader says, “You are the stuff of legend." A book forms with the PC’s name on top. The first page starts with the words, 'Once upon a time there was a man…' (change race and gender to fit PC). They instantly now know the tale of a famous hero that has the same name as the PC. A past exploit of the PC mirrors this commonly known legend. The PC is seen as the reincarnation of this famous hero. The PC may receive positive attention and fame wherever they go.

inverted The same as above, but it puts the PC in a bad light. This makes the player infamous when they become known.

Knight of Swords – KNIGHT The Reader says, "You shall be served.” A fighter arrives on horseback. They say they shall serve until death. They are the same race and gender and alignment as PC. Their ability scores are 15,15,15,12,12,12; Level is half of PC, rounded down; HP total is level x 10. The warrior has plate mail and great sword (both +1 for levels 4 to 6, +2 for levels 7 and 8, +3 for levels 9 and 10).

inverted The same as above, except the NPC is merely a level 1 squire with all scores of 12.




Queen of Swords – PHOENIX The Reader says, "From the ashes, it is reborn." In the air a small flame appears. The phoenix emerges from it and shrieks. It then flies into the character, becoming a tattoo. The tattoo is ribbons of flame crisscrossing the person’s body, culminating with a huge fiery bird on the back. The tattoo grants Fire Resistance. When the character dies there is an explosion 1d6 rounds later (as they become engulfed by fire) equal to a Fire Ball spell (PHB p241) of 10d6 damage and DC 15 centered on the body. The character emerges from the explosion resurrected, with all ailments, equipment, and the tattoo, gone.

inverted When the phoenix appears, she attacks the character, in a rage. Stats are the same as a Giant Eagle (PHB p306, MM p325), but Ability scores are all +2, attacks have +2 to hit and +1d6 fire damage; Armor Class is +2 natural armor; Hit Points are +2d10; it has immunity to fire; and at death causes the above Fire Ball. The phoenix’s Challenge rating is 4.

King of Swords – DUEL The Reader says, "It is time to dance the duel." The PC and their party are whisked away. The PC who drew the card is inside an arena, the party in the stands. A man wrapped in bloody bandages is across from the PC. He challenges the PC to a duel using only weapons. (Magic spells automatically fail.) The Challenger gives him a choice: a duel until knock out, where if the PC wins, they can keep one blade; or a duel to the death, where if the PC wins, they keep all the blades. The PC is told that they must pick -- a duel is the only way the party can leave. The PC chooses. The Challenger grabs his blade(s) from a rack -- roll 1d8 and consult table.

After the duel, if he lives, the Challenger laments his survival. He explains that once he fought the Challenger and he killed them -- he gained all of his swords by becoming the next Challenger. If the player does kill the Challenger, they learn about this outcome the hard way, by being cursed to the same fate.

inverted The Challenger looks at PC and says they are unworthy, The party is teleported back. After the player gains two levels, they will be teleported to the arena to finally duel him.

The ChallengerMedium human, neutral Fighter, level 9 Armor Class 15 Hit Points: 100

STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (0) 10 (0) 10 (0)

Senses: passive Perception 10 Languages: common Challenge — (0 XP)

Dueling style (PHB p72). When wielding a sword in one hand, and no other weapons, the Challenger gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls.

One-handed assault. Two attacks with a base bonus of +7 and +5 damage, before weapon modifiers.

Two-handed assault. Two attacks with a base bonus of +7 and +3 damage, before weapon modifiers.

The Challenger’s Blades 1 - Sword of Dancing, rapier (DMG p161) and Dagger of Venom (DMG p161) 2 - Defender, long sword (DMG p164) 3 - Frost Brand, great sword (DMG p171) 4 - Nine Lives Stealer, scimitar (DMG p183) 5 - Scimitar of Speed (DMG p199) 6 - Sword of Life Stealing, short sword (DMG p206) 7 - Sword of Sharpness, long sword (DMG p206) 8 - Vorpal Sword, great sword (DMG p209).




MINOR ARCANA, CUPS

Ace of Cups – MEMORY The Reader says curiously, "Can you remember?" A glorious halo appears around the character’s head, writhing with tendrils of light. The character feels a rush as their minds expand. A magic-using character may recast a spell once per day. If a Sorcerer, they gain an extra casting of their highest spell level. If a Warlock, they gain an additional Invocation. If not a spell caster, they gain the ability to cast one spell of their choice once per day, as if they were a Sorcerer. The spell is of a spell level that a Sorcerer of their level would have access to, though the spell can be from any class's spell list. It should fit the character’s personality.

inverted The Reader says the words with morbidity. A magic-using PC loses enough memories to lose a level. If they aren’t such a character, they only lose 1d4 days of memory and half the experience toward their next level.

Two of Cups – NEMESIS The Reader says, "Everyone has a relentless rival, they just don't know it." Directly in front of the character the nemesis appears, layer after layer of flesh coming together. The nemesis has the same stats as the PC. They also look identical to the character, except their eyes are completely black and they have small antlers. The nemesis’s personality is a morbid and determined version of the character. It mocks the character, warning that they shall return. They will return to wreak havoc on the PC.

inverted The same as above, except after nemesis fights the character for the first time, it realizes that the PC deserves to live. It will leave, but one day it will return, to sacrifice itself to save the original character.

Three of Cups – FATES The Reader says, "The fates carefully examine the thread of life that is each of us." A boggy fog envelops a corner of the area. From this corner steps out the three fates, old hags who share one eye. One holds the thread coming from the mist, the second has the loose end of the thread stretched out, and the third holds the scissors (and has the eye). They ask in unison if the character wishes to undo an event that has occurred to them since the last new moon. When the character replies, they undo this one occurrence, cutting out a piece of thread and then knotting it back together. If the PC answers no, the second one holding the end of the thread takes the eye, examines the character, saying that she will just have to make sure a coming tragedy never happens at all. Then the fates drift back into the fog, which then dissipates.

inverted After appearing, the fates examine the character’s thread and state that they seek revenge against something the character did. They curse him, saying that a horrible fate awaits him, it could be in one day or one decade. They then leave. (The dungeon master can decide if this is just to frighten the PC, or if they will actually act on it.)




Four of Cups – NUMBERS The Reader says, "Laws and measurements form this universe; all one needs to know is the math." Strange symbols (Greek letters used in math and other symbols used from equations) swirl around the PC, changing them. The player rolls percentile, a result of 01 to 33 gives you the number 3, 34 to 66 gives you the number 4, 67 to 99 gives you the number 5, and 100 allows the PC to choose from the trio of numbers. Every base number divisible by the result of 3 or 4 or 5 gains a +1 bonus: ability scores and proficiency bonus gain +1. For hit points, they gain +1 per level. There is no bonus for level, or Hit Dice total or die type.

inverted The same as above, except every number divisible gets the amount as a minus.

Five of Cups – PARADISE The Reader states, "Somewhere there is a perfect paradise for us all." The area instantly changes into a paradise of the character’s desire. They also choose companions, up to a dozen people, that are willing to come. There is food, drink, and any non-magical and inexpensive objects they want. The Reader and Tarot Deck are there as well. Anyone can leave when they wish to. The party can stay as long as the character wills it, resting, healing, studying, seeing loved ones. Time does not pass in the real world.

inverted There is trouble in paradise. After a day, there is an attack from a formidable monster.

Six of Cups – PARAGON The Reader says, "People seek someone to look up to." Confidence fills the character, but also an aura of power. The character gains the Inspiring Leadership feat (PHB p167). In general, the PC is now impossible to forget.

inverted The Reader says, "People seek others, but you shall be unsought." The character is easily forgotten, a paragon of obscurity wrapped in an aura of obfuscation. Only those that have had extended contact with him, at least one week, can remember him. Against all others, the PC has Advantage on Stealth checks.

Seven of Cups – SMITH The Reader says, "The smith’s anvil shall ring." A blacksmith’s hut rises from the earth. The player watches as an old Dwarven smith and his Dwarven assistants go to work. Time seems to speed up in the hut until it is numbingly quick. Then it stops and the smith approaches. He hands the player a Spellguard Shield (DMG p201) that is Sentient (DMG p214). It has random qualities, but it’s Special Purpose is Bane, to defeat or kill Wizards.

inverted The same as above, except the Smith ask the player for a weapon or piece of armor. It gains an additional +1 enhancement, but it has a flaw and the player has to make a Dexterity saving throw to prevent it from breaking on a critical hit or fumble, DC 12.




Eight of Cups – PATHS The Reader says, "We all must choose our path in life. Perhaps you wish that you walked a different path?" The player may remake their character: changing class, alignment, ability scores, background, skills, feats, or powers. How drastic they can go is up to the DM. The character then gets memories of this new life. The character possesses both time-lines of memories, but the old one is hard to recall, requiring Wisdom checks with varying degrees of difficulty based on the obscurity of the memory or information. The PC’s party only knows the new version of the character. The DM should state that although the players remember the old version of the character, their characters should not.

inverted The same as above, except the change has unseen consequences. Perhaps they never met a love interest? Or their family was killed in a tragedy? Maybe certain NPCs are now enemies? The DM could also press for drastic changes to a PC’s personality and alignment.

Nine of Cups – PAX The Reader says, "Gain peace of body, gain peace of mind," and he gestures toward the character. The character is suddenly hit by agony and regret. When they recover from the shock, they find that they abhor violence. They can cast Calm Emotions (PHB p221) once per day and Sanctuary (PHB p272) twice per day. They can also choose to make any damage they deal — by weapon, ability, or spell — automatically knockout, rather than kill, opponents reduced to 0 hit points.

inverted The same as above, except the Reader states, "Gain peace of body, or give piece of your mind." Result is same, but whenever the character’s pacifism is criticized, they are compelled to attack the critic.

Ten of Cups – POX The Reader says, "A pox upon you," with a dismissive wave of a hand. A wave of heat and nausea flows through the PC. They convulse and throw up. Their condition quickly worsens. The character has become sick, losing 1d4 Constitution permanently.

inverted The Reader says the same words, though the illness they feel doesn’t effect them directly. For the next week they spread Sewer Plague (DMG p257) to anyone they touch. It is a more potent version that incubates in 1d4 hours.

Page of Cups – RUIN The Reader says, "This is your ruin." A character is given a vision where the wealth that isn’t on them is taken by officials. Then a stuffy official with a group of guards appears and takes whatever wealth is on him currently. The PC loses all wealth.

inverted The same as above, except after one month will gain wealth that is ten times what they lost. The officials will return, apologize for the mistake, and reward the character.




Knight of Cups – NEED The Reader says, "The need shall drive you." The image of a likable thing or enjoyable act appears in the PC’s mind. The character is now enthralled by it. They need this thing to go on with their life. If they don’t get it after a week, they make a Wisdom save DC 12 in the morning to prevent from irrationally pursuing the thing at all cost. If they pass, the next day it is a -1 check, the following day it is made at -2, and so on, until the addiction is met. (Until it starts over a week later.) During the period of pursuit, all d20 rolls are made at -2 due to distraction.

inverted The Reader says, "The need shall desert you." A calmness comes over the character and they gain an addiction for avoiding vice. The PC will not allow themselves any luxury, pleasure, or frivolity. If they do engage in something against this stoicism, they will get -2 to all d20 rolls for 24 hours.

Queen of Cups – ROULETTE The Reader says, "Life is just a game of roulette, as are you." The character’s body begins to rapidly change, continuously adjusting to different permutations of their ability scores. Finally it settles. Their ability scores are randomly reassigned.

inverted The same as above, except the change occurs once a month, with every new moon. The DM does not have to track it perfectly and can call for the change to happen to the PC whenever they deem it appropriate.

King of Cups – MAGI The Reader says, "Learn the magi’s answer." An old man bumbles in, kind of unfocused. He seems unkempt and sloppy. He then offers to answer any inquiry. He replies with an absurd attention to detail.

inverted The same as above, except after he begins to answer, he babbles without end about irrelevant details, then switches to life stories, which become silly anecdotes. If bothered enough he simply leaves. If the party diplomatically explains how the information may be important, he will finally answer the question they have.




MINOR ARCANA, COINS

Ace of Coins – GAMBLE The Reader says, "Are you willing to gamble it all?" A twisted doorway of black wood appears in a wall. The white door opens from the inside and a man wearing an expensive black suit steps out with a coin in his hand. He asks the PC if they want their ultimate desire. The risk is losing their soul, which will fuel the magic to provide the next gambler's desire. If the character agrees, he asks the player if they want heads or tails, then flips. If they call it, the PC gains their heart’s desire, or they are slain forever. Not even divine intervention can bring them back. The desire should be exceeding grand -- more than a Wish (p288), though the DM may still want to limit any numerical gains.

inverted The same as above, except if the player wins, the man in the suit will take the soul of a NPC beloved by or important to the PC, to fuel the magic that will get them everything they ever wanted.

Two of Coins – SAGE The Reader asks, "Do you seek sage advice?" A hole in the floor appears. Stairs lit by old candles end at an elaborate oak door. When the character goes to touch it they hear, "Come in, come in." When the door is opened they see a room, like a dusty study, where an old sage waits. She asks the character if they seek knowledge? If the character agrees they stay and the sage teaches the character, gaining 1d4 in Intelligence and Wisdom, but aging 5% of current age per point gained. The PC may age, but no time actually passes.

inverted The same as above, except after the strict sage teaches the character for a number of years equal to 5% of current age, the character realizes they are inadequate and can never truly grow mentally. They do not gain the bonuses and in fact may never gain bonuses to Intelligence or Wisdom, from going up levels, magical enhancement, or by any other means.

Three of Coins – SENSES The Reader says, "Open the doors of your perception." The PC suddenly feels acute pain in their head and falls unconscious. When they awake moments later they are changed. A character’s senses are heightened. Roll 1d6 to see which sense. 1=Sight, 2=Hearing, 3=Smell, 4=Taste, 5=Touch, 6=Danger. How are they changed? For Sight the gain is +2 to Insight. For Hearing, the gain is +2 to Perception checks. For Smell, the gain is a +2 to Survival. For Touch, the gain is +2 to one relevant skill that is randomly chosen. For Danger sense, the gain is +2 to initiative.

inverted The same as above, except the sense rolled up is diminished instead, and the bonus is a -2 penalty instead.




Four of Coins – SEX The Reader says, "How much does your sex shape you?" A red shell envelops the PC. They emerge biologically changed one minute later: The player rolls 1d10. If 1-6, opposite sex; 7-9, sexless; 10, become more comely, gaining Charisma +2 and the ability to use Charm Person (PHB p221) once per day.

inverted The same as above, except the character becomes sexless, but with the power to change into either male or female, at will, as a standard action, up to 3 times per day. In some situations, the DM can give the player Advantage on a Disguise check due to changing sex.

Five of Coins – SIEGE The Reader calmly says, "I believe you are besieged." There is silence, than a faint rumble which becomes a cacophony, as an army of 2d10 Fighters attack the player and everyone around him, friend or foe. The levels of these fighters are 40 levels in total, as evenly distributed as possible; two fighters of 20th level, three fighters of 14th, 13th, and 13th level, four fighters of 10th level, etc.

inverted These warriors instead praise the character and begin to revel wildly. After a week of partying, they may be persuaded to do a favor for the PC before their next siege.

Six of Coins – GEM The Reader remarks in awe, "How the light plays off the facets." One gem blinks into existence and falls onto the table, then the

rest of the gems, one after another. Each of the fifty are expertly cut, flawless, and with perfect clarity, worth 1000 gold pieces each. There are ten of each jewel: emerald, ruby, sapphire, topaz (yellow), and diamonds.

inverted The same as above, except one day later a gnome Mage (MM p347) will come to get his riches back. He will secretly attack them with pranks and illusions, to create an opportunity for him to steal the gems. He will avoid direct combat, until he is discovered or directly confronted by the players.

Seven of Coins – SOUL The Reader says, "Are you a survivor?" A purple Will o’ Wisp (MM p301) flies into the PC’s eyes. The player starts coughing up purple slime. Each round they lose 20% of their hit points, unless they make a Constitution save of DC 12 for that round. If they make two saves, the coughing stops. If their hit points reach 0, they go into a coma for 1 day. Either way, from then on the character is afflicted. The player must play their character as usual, but they will try to murder a party member in their sleep, the purple wisp hovering above the afflicted’s head. The wisp leaves the character’s body once all the other members of the party are murdered, or the Wisp is killed.

inverted The same as above, except the Wisp is benign. After the coughing and/or coma, it takes control to right some random wrong. After it does so, it flies out of the character. The PC gains a +2 bonus on saves against Enchantment-based magic or attacks.




Eight of Coins – TIME The Reader says, "Take time as thine own." A minute glass appears on the table. When the character grabs it, the Reader explains that the sands of this minute glass stops the sands of time. The character gains a minute-glass that stops time for a minute, ala Time Stop (PHB p281). The sand may be used one round at a time. The minute glass is highly elaborate with a flowing, almost liquid bone design. After the minute passes and the sand is used up, the item disappears.

inverted The same as above, except this minute glass ages the PC 2% of their maximum age every round used, for a total of 20%.

Nine of Coins – WORM The Reader says, "You are a lowly worm, eating of king and beggar alike." A hunger instantly comes over the character, and they know it is a hunger for rancid flesh. The character must eat from decaying carcasses to live. Charisma -1, due to the slight odor of decay that lingers about them.

inverted The Reader says, "You are no longer food for the worms." When the character dies, they will not decay. The result is that it is easier to bring them back to life -- Raise Dead (PHB p270) does not have a limit of 10 days; rather, it is now 10 years. Furthermore, whatever method of restoration, the -4 penalty to rolls that comes with returning to the living is automatically dropped to -2.

Ten of Coins – WHISPER The Reader silently looks around and then mutters, "Can you hear them, can you hear the whispers?" The character begins to hear murmurs. The PC becomes paranoid. They develop an irrational fear for crowds. The whispers emerge when groups of people are near by. Though mostly unintelligible, occasionally the words “kill”, “death”, “murder”, “maim” are heard. Wisdom save DC 12 or be stunned.

inverted The reader says the same phrase, but instead the PC is gifted with the ability to hear distant whispers as if directly spoken to them (they automatic succeed on Perception checks for whispering).

Page of Coins – MELODY The Reader says, "Listen to mind’s melody." It begins with a small melody played on a mandolin runs through the character’s head. This song then begins being played with the instrument of the PC’s choice. Then they notice a beautiful example of said instrument sitting in the corner. And the character now knows how to play this tune. They want to play this song. The PC gains Proficiency in the Perform skill in that music instrument.

inverted The same as above, except the Reader says, "You are a slave to mind’s melody." The PC becomes obsessed with music, to the point of wanting a minstrel’s life. Wisdom save DC 20 every sunset to fight the urge to stay in a tavern and play music all night.




Knight of Coins – WARD The Reader says, "You are now warded from harm." An armor made of energy flashes into existence around them with a clanging sound, then fades into invisibility. The character has a permanent Mage Armor spell (PHB p256) active on them. This Armor also grants proficiency in one save of the player's choice that they currently do not have proficiency with, choose when the card is drawn. Whenever the Mage Armor or that save is used, the armor momentarily re-appears with a metallic sound.

inverted The same as above, except the Reader adds, "but you must have self control." Whenever the player instigates a fight, there is only a 25% chance that the Armor will work.

Queen of Coins – TALONS The Reader says, "The talons strike you." A cacophony of bird shrieks are heard and a flock of crows made of dark energy appear and harry the character. When they finally fly away, the character learns that all of their magical items have disintegrated.

inverted The same as above, except in one day a golden owl will come give the player Wings of Flying (DMG p214).

King of Coins – HEAVEN The Reader says, "One of heaven’s hallowed shall hail you." A pillar of light from the sky rains down. When it ceases an emissary of the character’s deity remains. This being grants the character a random Blessing (DMG p 227). If the character has no deity, an emissary of the central deity of the character’s racial pantheon will appear.

inverted The emissary can tell if the PC lives by the deity’s ideals. If so, they gain the Blessing. If they don’t, they are cursed with the inability to sleep, until they redeem themselves.




Tips for Play

Here are a few tips for using the Tarot Deck in your game.

1. Get real I recommend you use an actual tarot deck with this item, and physically play out the actions of the Reader of the deck. Some dim lighting and suitably eerie music does not hurt either.

2. Change it up Tarot decks in the real world can vary. There may be a few names different in the Major Arcana, such as Universe instead of The World. The suits in the minor arcana may also differ; staves instead of wands or discs instead of coins. Regardless of the differences, it should be pretty easy to map the card to the standard deck used here.

3. Single out Since the changes can be overwhelming, you may want to skip having players name the number of cards they want and instead only let them draw a single card each.

4. Do the shuffle In terms of drawing, you should shuffle the cards in front of the players and have them tell you to stop shuffling when they are ready. Have them take the card and place it on the table face down. They should then quickly turn it over, in whatever method they wish. This way, there is no dispute if the card is inverted or not.

5. Go for it If a card is too drastic for your game, halve a number, make an effect temporary, or switch out a card for the inverted card. You can also modify any save DCs. But, rather than changing a card, you could rewrite the campaign to fit disruptive draws. Often this will result in a game that is more exciting.

6. Be true You many want to warn players as the DM, or via an NPC. Tell them that this could greatly help or hurt them, that it is not a move to be taken lightly. Add that if they would feel bad from an unlucky result or get jealous if another player drew better than they did, that maybe they should avoid the deck.

7. Next time Some cards guarantee that the party will have to go on a quest, like saving an imprisoned PC. But others can also mean adventure. The party could seek the blessing of a bishop to remove a curse, find a remote pool in the wild that cures afflictions, or be hunted by an assassin hired to kill the empowered party.

8. Pick your poison This deck can be used with other editions of Dungeons and Dragons. Switch out feats for other feats or bonuses, Proficiency bonuses to flat +2 bonuses, and saves for those in that edition. And items can be substituted.




Scenarios

There are many ways in which to add the Tarot Deck to your game. Here are six.

1. Reward for a good deed The players are traveling across the land and they hear a scream over the next hill/around the bend in a forest path/beyond a ridge of dunes in the desert. A traveling caravan or nomad tribe are being attacked by monsters. The players kill the monsters. As reward, the huge family shares a meal with them. At the end of the lunch or dinner, the eldest among them invites them into their wagon or tent for a tarot reading each.

2. A gambler pays a debt At a tavern or inn common room, the players begin playing cards or dice with a table filled with folk, including a skilled gambler. By the end of the night, the only players remaining is one of the PCs and this professional gambler. When he loses, he will offer the use of a magic item instead of the thousands of gold he owes them.

3. Investigating a town’s troubles The players arrive in a small village to find it decimated by a plague, or the mayor haunted by a ghostly chariot, or the inn ransacked by a legion of warriors. The party is dealing with the results of an unlucky draw from the deck. Eventually, they trace the calamity to a young man who drew the card, and from there, the traveling minstrel who owns the deck. This bard will offer them time with the Tarot deck if they do not reveal he is the source of the recent unpleasantness. Will the players court chaos and draw cards themselves?

4. A merchant's daily special While walking down a path in the wilderness, the party will meet a traveling merchant with a variety of simple magic items: potions, low-level wands, and the like. She will hint at a special deal. If she is pressed, she will admit that she has a wondrous, but dangerous artifact: a tarot deck that can rewrite reality. If they trade her a magic item she will share a card or two.

5. Doing a job for a collector A store’s proprietor will offer to hire the party to deliver a specialty item to a collector across town. Each player would get a discount at the shop and a bag of gold, half now and half from the collector. The PCs just need to get it to them safely. The party is given a beautifully crafted box the size of a large book. Maybe a thief will attempt to steal it during the transport. Maybe the players will get curious and pick the lock, and find the finely painted cards, a woman's disembodied voice telling them to choose carefully. Or perhaps, rather than gold, the collector will let each player pick a card as a reward for their good work.

6. On a dead adventurer The next time the party explores a ruin or a dungeon, they will come across a table with a half-skeletal body slumped over it. Clutched in one hand with be a velvet pouch. When a player touches the body or the pouch, with a creepy breeze, the body will become animated and ask in a harsh whisper if they wish to tempt fate by drawing from the deck.




Adventure

And here is an adventure that features the Tarot deck prominently.

1. The Cursed Dwarf Whilst traveling, a rain storm hits. The party takes refuge in the only building for miles, a farm. The farmer and his family will happily have them, for the promise of help setting the farm right after the storm passes.

One of the PCs will be awoken in the barn by the sound of a shriek. If they go investigate the dairy, they find a sickly thin Dwarven woman covering herself in the blood of a dead cow. Her name is Marin Brightshield.

She explains that she’s been cursed by an evil deck of Tarot cards. It killed her friend, a Dragonborn named Xark, and turned another mad, a Halfling warlock named Bolik Tarriwild. He used a Wish from the deck to end the magic of the deck. Then he ran away with six of the ornate cards.

The dwarf explains that if the party can get the cards back, Xark’s father Xuresh, a wizard of some repute — and who the players recognize — will restore the deck and then use it to end her curse. The wizard would surely reward them for their aid. If the party agrees, she will tell them that Bolik was on his way to a nearby city.

2. Finding the Warlock When they get to the city and the inn the Dwarf named, they find that the halfling has been kicked out for disturbing the peace.

A talk with the local constable will direct them to the local graveyard, where the warlock is yelling at some tombstones.

Bolik will be screaming about how the deck ruined his life: killing his friend Xark; changing Marin to forget that she and Bolik were in love. He had to destroy it.

He can be convinced — by force or by persuasion — to give up two cards: the Moon and the Eight of Cups. He admits a pair of thieves, the Raven Alley Boys, took the other cards when they robbed him the night before.

Poking around Raven Alley, they can get info from a beggar that the pair belong to the local thieves guild. The guild owns and operates a gambling hall called the Dice Pit.

3. Broken Partners Whether the party talk or fight their way into the member’s only Dice Pit, they will find a tense situation. One table of Liar’s Dice has two players accusing each other of cheating — the Raven Alley Boys. The party can see a pair of finely painted cards in the pot.

However it goes, the players will get an opportunity to buy, trade, or play for the cards from whomever wins the argument. The cards? Three of Wands and Five of Coins.

They can learn from the Boys that the other two cards have been sold off. One to a Sir Gerek of Ardur, a human, and the other to a merchant name Toblynn, a half-elf.




4. A Knight’s Luck Sir Gerek is in his small keep. He is a knight of middle years, but still wants to fight. He’s been collecting items of good luck to help insure that he doesn’t lose his edge in battle.

He will part with his card, the King of Swords, if the players can persuade his sister Sally to call off her marriage to an Elven barkeep named Lysanther.

Whether they persuade Sally or take her side and persuade Sir Gerek to drop his prejudice let the marriage continue forward, the players will get the card as thanks.

5. The Cult of Last Words Tracking the merchant down, leads them to an antique shop called Toblynn’s Terrific Treasures. When they confront the dapper half-elf, he will say the card isn’t for sale. If the players press him he will grab a glass jar of smokey glass and threaten to break the jar and unleash something terrible upon them.

If pressed further, he will unleash a Black Pudding (MM p241) and run. If they catch up and threaten his life or simply follow him, they will learn the card is now at a friend’s house. (If the players don’t press Toblynn, he can be followed there when the store closes.)

When the adventurers get to the house, they find four others inside. The group goes into the cellar, where they don black robes and begin a ritual around the final card, Death.

This Cult of Last Words chants about the glory of the grim reaper and the ultimate judgment of death. They beseech death to grant them long lives, prosperity, and power of their enemies.

If the party interrupts the ritual, the four members will fight back with weapons, spells, and scrolls. The group is made up of retired adventurers turned business owners. And they have a pet Hell Hound (MM p182) chained to the altar where the Death card rests. They will not give up the card unless they are all killed or knocked out.

6. The Chaos Undone The players return the cards to Marin at the farmhouse. They journey with her to a lonely wizard’s tower in the wilderness. Xuresh will let them in, treating Marin with sadness and the party with distaste.

Xuresh will take the complete Tarot deck and with a ritual, restore the magic to the cards. Once done, he will cast a spell and draw a card. He too draws the Moon, with a single wish, and uses it to remove the curse from Marin. He will show regret that he did not get another wish to restore Xark.

7. One Last Shuffle Xuresh sees the party as scoundrels abusing an opportunity, but he will keep to his word. He gives each player a bag of 50 platinum.

He then says he will be destroying the cursed Tarot deck the next day, but he would allow each of them a chance to draw from it.

Marin says that it has only ruined her life, but maybe the party will have better luck? Xuresh advises against it, but begins to shuffle the tarot cards anyway. And then he holds the deck out toward them, awaiting the player’s decision.




Acknowledgments

A special thanks to Andrew, Ashanti, Gary, and Mike who helped me with feedback, and thanks to all the other players who had to suffer this whimsical deck. The most gratitude goes to my wife Kay, who usually got it the worst.

About

Kevin Ohannessian has been roleplaying for decades and still misses the 20-hour sessions of his youth. He is a tech and game journalist, with his work reachable at KevinOhannessian.com. He can be contacted @khohannessian. He lives in Brooklyn, New York with his wife.




http://kevinohannessian.com

http://www.twitter.com/khohannessian

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