Glantrian Tarots

Written by Emanuele Betti

Glantrian Tarots

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION...... 2 Why not just tarots?...... 2 Tarots of Belcadiz...... 2 The Forbidden Wedding...... 2

OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS...... 3 Fortune Telling...... 3 Playing Card Games...... 3 Description of the Arcanes...... 3

FORTUNE TELLING...... 19 Three Milestones...... 19 Four Houses...... 20 Arch of Life...... 21 Fortune Star...... 22 Other Methods...... 23

The image on the cover of this handbook has been Follow ing Up...... 23 taken from internet. The image is owned by its drawer. If the Adapting predictions...... 23 use of that image violates any form of copyright, the author of this book is available to change it anytime. CARD GAMES...... 24 Tow er of Stars...... 24

Harvest Season...... 26 Dungeons & Dragons and the connected trademarks are a property of Wizards of the Coast. In this book, they are Treasure Hunt...... 27 used only for a decorative reason. This book is not and is Tarot Song...... 28 never to be considered an official supplement for the game. Build the Bridge...... 28 Reproduction rights are property of the author, Emanuele True Love...... 29 Betti. Arcana Spire...... 31

AROTS AND AGIC The rules in this handbook are based on D&D rules as T M ...... 33 described in the original handbooks in Basic, Expert, Divine Influence...... 33 Companion, Master and Immortal sets, in the official Magical Tarots...... 33 Gazzetteer expansions, in some non-official books Tarot Spells...... 34 published in Italy by Master : fantasy publishing company and on the work of Marco Dalmonte, with a special mention on his Codex Immortalis.

To play with this book iyou must have the original Basic, Expert, Companion and Master set rules for Dungeons & Dragons.

1 INTRODUCTION

In the real w orld, tarots have been gypsies in the w orld, use the Glatrian important. During the long years of their around for thousands of years. Their version of the tarots, because they exodus in the caves first, and on the creation dates back to ancient egypt, have a Glantrian background. This land later on, the tarots guided and and since their origins, they have been helped the Glantrian Tarots to become influenced the decisions of the used both to predict the future and to the most w idely spread version of these clanmasters, until they managed to play cards. It is then quite surprising cards around. make their w ay back to the Valley of the that in most of the role-games the tarots The second reason is in the magical Three Rivers. Here, during the fourty- are often disregarded as something nature of the tarots. Clerics may have years w ar, their use spread among the minor and relegated to the folklore of their divinatory arts supported by the flaem and the thyatians, and later on it the gypsies. This approach is most Immortals, but magic-users w on't. became very poular among most of the probably due to the complexity of the That's w hy they need other w ays to other populations that moved to the art of tarot-reading and interpretation, approach to fortune-telling. In Glantri, lands of Glantri. and also the fact that some tarots w ould w here the only religion are the Shrines be bizarre in a fantasy w orld. The use of Rad, it makes more sense that the THE FORBIDDEN WEDDING of the same tarots w e have w ould be people put their faith in fortune-telling. Fernando Moreno, a young elf of bizarre as w ell, due to the magical Moreover, to develop these tarots I Belcadiz w ho had become the Lord of nature of fantasy w orlds, and the presumed that the elven clan of Skullhorn Pass, w as very fond of the presence of monsters and creatures Belcadiz w as the original inventor, Tarots. He studied them for years and that don't exist in the real w orld. therefore it is just normal that they w as a good fortune-teller. For these reasons, I decided to developed to their modern version in When he decided to marry the develop some tarots, based on my Glantri. Ethengarian w oman that he loved, he limited kow ledge of the real ones, and saw in the tarots a long lineage of on the races and cultures of Mystara. In TAROTS OF BELCADIZ descendants for the tw o of them, and a this book, there is the description, card The invention of the tarots is happy and long life together, but also by card, of the meaning of the cards for supposed to come from the Belcadiz some shadow s on their happiness. The fortune-telling, but also of some card family of the Flamingo clan, back in the Council w as openly against the games that can be played using these era of ancient Evergrun. A legend says marriage, because they feared that the special tarots. that it w as a fortune-teller of this family w oman w as a spy of Ethengar. This book is mainly aimed tow ards that alerted the follow ers of the path of Therefore, w hen Fernando kept his DMs w ho w ant to add tarot-reading in the Forest w hen the rebel elves resolution to marry her, he lost his title their games. How ever, if you are a attacked the Tree that Ordana gave to and he and his w ife w ere forced to player and you w ant your character to the elves. It w as also thanks to the leave Glantri. be a cartomancer, nothing prevents fortune-tellers of Belcadiz, w ho used They moved south, reaching the you, if the DM allow s, from reading this their tarots, that the Flamingo, lands of Traldara, w here they met some book and use it in the games. Genalleth and Kumara clan w ere able Traldaran gypsies w ho accepted them to follow Ilsundal. Finally, it w as a in their group. Fernando and his w ife WHY NOT JUST TAROTS? fortune-teller of the Belcadiz family w ho took the uses and the haits of the The first question you may raise is: saw in the future prosperity and pow er gypsies, and taught them their magic w hy don't you just call them tarots, and if they kept pursuing the search of and the art of tarot-reading. Due to the instead you call them Glantrian tarots? Ilsundal, thus breaking their ties w ith many useful things that the gypsies There are mainly tw o reasons for this the Flamingo clan. learned from him, w hen Fernando died choice. The first one is that, similarly to Initially, the tarots w ere only used for prematurely fighting a monster, the the real w orld, the countries in the w orld fortune-telling, but w hen the elves gypsies decided to take his name and of Mystara may have different versions settled in the forests in the Valley of the became the Moreni, w hich w as of the tarots, based on their cultures. Three Rivers, their use dropped, and subsequently deformed in Mornei, For example, in Ylaruam the cards of the elves started developing games w hich is the name w ith w hich they are "Princess" and "Prince" w ould be w ith them. know n now . "Princess" and "Sultan". "Magic" w ould During the time of their imprisonment The Mornei took the art of fortune- be substituted by "Faith", and "Grace" among the frost giants, the elves ket telling through the Glantrian tarots by "Redemption". In my idea of the using the tarots to relieve their spirits, around the w orld, and it's just thanks to w orld of Mystara, the Mornei gypsies, playing games, but the use for fortune- them that now these cards are spread w hich are one of the greatest groups of telling became more and more around many nations. 2 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

Glantrian Tarots are not the usual FORTUNE TELLING PLAYING CARD GAMES cards that w e are used to, nor the usual Fortune telling is something that the Sometimes in the game, you may Arcanes. Real w orld tarots are based DMs usually don't know how to handle w ant to break from the usual storytelling on 4 suits (goblets, coins, sw ords, in the game, therefore it is commonly and fighting by adding some different clubs) w hich are strictly connected to left out of the adventures. If the DM situations. Card games may be put the four elements (w ater, air, fire and doesn't follow up to the predictions, the through in dungeons (if the characters earth, respectively). The Arcanes draw fortune-telling is actually pointless, but if find three kobolds w ho play cards but a path of grow th from ignorance and he did, the players may be too w ell they need the fourth), in taverns and loneliness to completeness and prepared for w hat's coming. Moreover, inns (the guy that invites you to play know ledge. it is not easy to come out w ith a cards w hile he tells you about the city), The Glantrian tarots are not based prediction w hich is cryptic enough not in dangerous situations (the guy that on Elements, they are based on the to reveal exactly w hat's going to bets his fortune against your life), and essence of magic. Therefore, the suits happen in the future to the players. even in high society (tournaments, but of the cards are five (like the tips of a How ever, there are ways to keep the also parties and casinos). They are not star) and each one is the representation prediction vague and give the players to be abused, though, because this of some kind of magic: the feeling that a lot has been revealed, may lead to the players getting tired of

Books represent know ledge even if it has not, and keep everything cards, and craving for some real action. alw ays in the realm of the possibility, How ever, every now and then they may Roses represent love instead of giving out fortune-telling as be fun to play.

Fans represent beauty an unavoidable outcome. Finally, I put in this volume some In the next pages, I'll present four different card games that may be Coins represent w ealth different w ays to read the Arcanes to played w ith the Glantrian Tarots. Some

Sw ords represent death the characters, from the easiest one to of them are inspired by real card the most complex and complete. As a games, w hile other ones have been Each suit has 9 cards, numbered DM, you can pick the one you prefer, completely invented. Most of them have from 1 to 9. and you can also read the cards w ith very simple rules and may be taught to Likew ise, there are five "ranks" of the this handbook at your side, so that you the players in a very short time. Arcanes, numbered from 1 to 5. Each may alw ays double-check w hat is the rank includes 7 Arcanes which make up meaning of each Arcane. a ath of know ledge, like the real w orld DESCRIPTION OF THE Finally, w hen reading the arcanes try ones. not to bend their meaning to w hat you ARCANES

w ant to tell them. When the players w ill In the next pages, there is the have a new reading, they may get the description of the 35 Arcanes and of the same Arcanes out, and if you gave a five Aces that are used for fortune- different meaning for them, you may not telling. Their meanings and remember that and the players may not interpretations are going to be like it. The description of each Arcane described in deep detail, w ith gives enough space to adjust to many suggestions on how to put the situations. Moreover, as I already said, meanings of the cards together. It is tarot reading must not give the exact important that the tarot reader picture of w hat the future is going to be understands that the Arcanes design a like. It gives one possible picture of one path for the know ledge and the possible future, but the actions of the realization of one's objectives in life. characters may change that, and make it more or less likely.

3 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

FIRST RANK: LEARNING The w orld is made up by the natural elements, forces that rule our lives. Only w ith know ledge and study one may improve his life and become a better person. From the first breathe of life, the human being learns, w ith the help of the mother and the father, and starts grow ing. Passions and disappoint- ments, together w ith the ones that touch their lives, make people become something new , so that one day they w ill be able to start their ow n path, and be able to learn w ithout the help or the guidance of the parents. The cards of the first rank, numbered I to VII, represent childhood, but also ignorance and desire to improve. The first rank is closed by the Ace of Books.

I - AIR II - WATER Air. The first thing w e do w hen w e Water is the element w e rely upon are born is breathe. That is w here it all the most once w e are born. Baby food begins. Air represents the beginning, is liquid, and the milk from the mom is, the birth and the thought. It also too. Water represents the mother and represents the communication, w hich is the essence of life, the lymph of the the act of passing by one's thought, and creation that pervades everyone, the that is symbolized in the bow and stages of one's life, like tides, that come arrow . and go and repeat themselves.

POSSIBLE ITERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS Air may mean travel, great spaces, Water may mean mother and adventures to come. maternity.

It may also mean Birth, both of a new It may also mean innocence, w ill to creature, of a baby, of a kingdom, an improve and to learn, positivity tow ards association, or of new ideals. In any the future, like a new born baby. case, it alw ays means something new . Water may also represent the fear

It may be w arning about new s to that envelops and may drow n a person come. The w ind tells stories that and his or her dreams, and the need to happened far aw ay. There is no w ay to find a w ay to stay afloat. know w hether the news w ill be good or Another interpretation of the card is bad. The w ind is just a messenger. of purity, something that w ashes and

Finally, the Air may mean that brings things back to their original something - or someone - w ill soon be status. It is the return to innocence and taken aw ay. Something that is here to the w omb of the mother. now , and soon w ill be not, like the w ind Finally, w ater may represent that blow s and, suddently, stops. changes and the passage of time, and

the beginning of a new phase in

someone's life. 4 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

III - EARTH IV - FIRE V - FROST Earth is the element of the ground, Fire is the element of desire, of As much as passions may burn, the one w e experience w hen w e start passion and of rage. When finally a delusions may be cold. The ones that w alking, the one that gives consistence human being becomes conscious of his w e lose, the friends that betray us, the to the solid things. It is the essence of ow n needs, he or she also starts having dreams that w e don't fulfill, they all masculinity, and represents the father w ishes and desires. These energies become like ice that turns off our and the protection. Its attributes are may explode if uncontrolled, and need passions and drains our energies. strength and resistence, and also to be carefully kept to avoid hurting How ever, like everyone in life, even ice constance and trust. oneself or the persons around. and snow have their use and place.

POSSIBLE ITERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS Earth may represent the father, or Fire may represent a burning desire, Most of the fortune tellers read the the paternity. apassion that cannot be controlled Frost alw ays as if some disappoint- anyhow . If related to love, it's an ment, loss or betrayal is coming in the It may also represent protection, instinctive, almost animal love that future. desire to avoid problems to someone craves for possession. else and to keep one's family safe. How ever, the Frost may mean a

It may also represent lust and sex period of one's life w hen the loss of How ever, the energy of the earth is w ith a person w hich is the w rong one in someone, or any other disappointment, hard to control, and it may also mean that moment. may be overcome w ith the help of rage, anger, or fury, if associated w ith someone. It is the moment w hen the cards that represent enemies or Fire, as already said, may also frost can be melted through the fire of trouble. represent dangerous choices that may passions and desires. hurt the subject or the persons nearby, Earth clearly represents the natural if they are made only about desire and Frost may also mean that the subject strength of each individual, the innate w ithout thinking them carefully. needs to cool dow n, take a break and resistence and resilience. not to be prey of his passions too w ildly. Altogether, the card of fire invites the Finally, earth may represent subject to be careful, think of the It may also remind of the ones that something that doesn't change, that consequencies and not to rush. Burning are not here anymore and of their doesn't move and is alw ays the same, passions may be turned off quickly, and precious teachings. A dead one may be like a safe place to go back w hen in w hat w ill be left are only ashes. looking after you from the afterlife. trouble. 5 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

VI - LIGHTNING VII - STUDENT ACE OF BOOKS The lightning represents everything Once the childhood is over, the Along the path for improvement that that brings a shock in someone's life. young man or w oman is ready to w alk the student starts, the Ace of Books Something that appears quickly and the paths of the w orld alone, starting provides know ledge and guidance. The disappears w ith the same speed, the journey to learn his w ay into life. ones that put their trust in the changing your life but not giving you the The student represents the young w ho know ledge of the past generations, and time to understand w hat happened. becomes aw are of himself and starts in their legacy, w ill alw ays find w hat Lightning represents all of the persons being independent, w ith his fears and they look for. How ever, relying only on that cross our lives for a very short time his dreams, trying to find a balance. the know ledge of the past may prevent but change us deep inside. us from achieving our goals in life. POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The Student alw ays represents the POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS Lightning may represent a friend that questioning person, w ho is the subject The Ace of Books represents w e don't see since a long time ago, who of the tarot reading. know ledge gained through study and is due to come back in our life. perseverance. If associated to a card that forecasts

It may also represent a shock, a big a choice, it means that the subject is It may also represent a legacy or an change, striking new s, or a sudden and insecure and not ready to make that important know ledge that comes from unexpected love. How ever, it is not choice. some ancestor or someone w ho is possible to know w hether the sudden already dead. This card also represents the change w ill be for the best or if things ambitions and the dreams, but in an The Ace of Books w arns about the w ill get w orse. immature w ay: they are not based on demons that hide in the ancient lore, if

Sometimes lightning may mean that experience, and there is not a solid the know ledge is not based on solid the subject needs to take a decision base behind them. morals. quickly, because he or she has a The student also represents study This card may also invite the subject chance that may never come back. itself: it may mean that the subject to seek guidance from the ones that

If associated qith some negative needs to study, research and improve know more, and to use the brain card, it may predict the sudden and before he is able to solve the problem instead of relying on strength. unexpected death of a dear one. he is currently into. Finally, the Ace of Books may invite

the subject to be open w ith others. 6 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

SECOND RANK: STAGES OF GROWTH Work, study, fight, patience, justice, travel and w isdom are the w ay to convey know ledge and to improve. But the path for know ledge is not only made up of these experiences. To find his w ay into the w orld, the student must go through the stages of grow th. In order to find his place, he needs to try different things, and make experience. Physical w ork, science, w ar, may all bing up to glory. But the patience and perseverance, and the spirit of justice are the tools that may guide the student better, w hatever path he w ill take. Being open to the new and unexpected, the student w ill finally find his freedom through the experience that comes w ith the age. The cards of the second rank, numbered VIII to XIV, represent teen VIII - BLACKSMITH IX - SCHOLAR years and the grow th of a person in relation to the other ones, including the The Blacksmith represents the This card alw ays show s an elderly steps needed to finally reach physical w orker, one w ho has low elf. It represents the know ledge in all of independence. The second rank is expectations, very concrete goals and its forms, and therefore the card show s closed by the Ace of Fans. w orks hard to achieve them. As a card, a w eapon (the staff), magic, age, and it represents the professional life of the also religious signs. The card also questioning person, and the fixed spots represents the teachers that the student of one's life, all of those things that w ill find in his life, and their different have been achieved through hard w ark influences for his grow th. and fatigue.

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS Te Scholar may represent a person The blacksmith builds things made to w hose advise or teachings w ill be last long. It may mean that w hat the precious. subject is building in his life w ill last for

long. It may also mean that a subject is much more complex than it looks, and it It may also urge the subject not to must be studied under different points aim at unfulfillable objectives, but to of view . focus on realistic ones.

The card may also mean that the On a negative read, the card may questioning person already has the mean that the subject needs to w ork answ ers to his ow n problems, but hard, because he is not experienced needs to find the right w ay to read enough to achieve his goals. them.

If connected w ith cards that If associated to negative cards in the announce new s, it means a new job to future of the subject, the card may also start, or an improvement in w ork life. mean that he w ill need to pass dow n

If associated w ith cards that his know ledge to someone before it's represent love, it may mean that a too late, thus forecasting the subject's family may be built. death.

7 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

X - KNIGHT XI - PRINCESS XII - PRINCE Pride, courage and honor make the The princess represents the quiet In his path for know ledge, the path of the knight. This card represents and the patience. Trapped in her tow er, student needs to learn that the law everything that it's w orth to fight for, the she w aits for someone to save her. It must be follow ed, and the rules exist to motivations and the force of w ill. The also represents the loved one, if the bring prosperity to everyone. This card knight w ears an armor to protect questioning person is a man, and the represents justice and good judgement, himself, and the negative meaning of rival if it is a w oman. and the balance of the law . It also the card underlines the insecurities and represents the society and the the fears of someone w ho doesn't want POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS institutions. to be hurt. If the questioning person is a man, the card represents the loved one. It POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS may mean that the subject w ill meet If the questioning person is a w oman, The knight may represent conflicts, love soon. the card represents the loved one. It fights and incoming battles. may mean that the subject w ill meet If the questioning person is a w oman, love soon. It may also mean that the subject it represents the rival, and may mean needs to remember w hat his that the subject is due to meet a rival If the questioning person is a man, it motivations are, and w hat is w orth to soon. represents the rival, and may mean that fight for. The subject needs to find his the subject is due to meet a rival soon. It may also mean that the subject courage and be brave to overcome the needs to w ait patiently and not to rush. The Prince may also mean legal obstacles. Good things come to the ones w ho can trouble, a trial, or an important person

How ever, if associated w ith negative w ait. of the institutions, like a noble, a cards, this may mean that the constable, a village chief, or a The Princess also means of a person questioning person is blocked by fear, magistrate. that w aits for other ones to fix her and built an armor to protect himself. problems. It may represent the attitude The subject may need to use his best The armor needs to disappear, for him of the subject, or a situation w here the judgement to fix his problems, and act to be free tho thrive. subject has no pow er to change what is through justice.

Finally, the knight may represent ging to hapen, but someone else has. Finally, it may represent law and glory, strength and honor on the path of rules that need to be follow ed, or that the subject. stop someone from acting. 8 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

XIII - FOREIGNER XIV - WITCH ACE OF FANS A traveller that comes from another At the end of the path of grow th, the Now independent and free, the man place, the foreigner represents travel, student is finally able to master the needs to be careful not to fall into new s, messengers. In general, it's a magic and is independent and free. The temptations, and not to lose sight of his card that forecasts something for the w itch represents all of this, and the goals, his motivations and his ow n future, and something unknow n. It's experience that comes w ith age. But good. The Ace of Fans represents also a card that talks of distant places the end of a path means that another these temptations, their dangers and and times. Through new experience one is now ahead. With independence their beauty. It is a card that w arns and contacts with different realities, the and freedom, the man is now ready to about the things that look too good to student grow s and obtains know ledge start a journey through his feelings and be true. and self-confidence. for a full life. POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The fan has a very sexualized image, The most comon interpretation of the The w itch may be interpreted as a w hich leads to the most common foreigner is a future travel, adventure or search for freedom and independence. interpretation of a dangerous or visiting a distant place. interested lover. It may also represent the w isdom

If the card is associated to one that that comes from age, w hich may mean This card may more generaly mean represents love it may mean that the that the subject w ill understand a "temptations" and may w arn the subject love is far in time or space, or that a situation later on, that the path w ill be about an easy gain that he needs to be rival is coming, or even that love is clear in the future, or that the subject careful about, if he doesn't w ant to coming from an unexpected place. needs to seek advise from an elderly suffer deadly consequences. person or a more experienced one. Connected to other cards, this card How ever, sometimes this card just means future unexpected events. The w itch may also represent leaving means "beauty" and may be interpreted the past behind and leave, make a sw ift as a beautiful person, a beautiful place, Also, this card may mean messages, change in one's life, get a clear cut from or a situation that w e would never w ant new s or discoveries coming from far things that are gone. to end. aw ay.

If associated w ith Magic it represents Finally, this card may represent one's a pow erful enchantress or enchante in most hidden, w ild and un onfessed the subject's life or path. dreams and aspirations.

9 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

THIRD RANK: TRIALS OF LIFE Life puts us all in front of problems every single day. To overcome them, w e must be able to look into ourselves, put w hat w e learned into practice, and not to follow temptations and w rong advice. That may lead to perdition. Once the man started his path in life, after learning the qualities that make up a real man and becoming indepentent, he w ill have to overcome everyday problems and make important decisions for himself. Self-recognition, discipline and dreams may guide him on the right path, but bad advice, mistakes and sudden changes may lead him to perdition, and into trouble. The cards of the thrd rank, numbered XV to XXI, represent maturity, but also the trials of life and the struggle to keep balance. The third rank is closed by the XV - MIRROR XVI - MAGIC Ace of Sw ords.

Life alw ays keeps putting a man in The w itch in the picture studies at front of a mirror, that show s him his night, practicing magic and still studying strengths and w eaknesses. If a man it on the book. The card of magic indulges in self-admiration and ignores represents the discipline that is needed the w eaknesses, he w ill never improve. to achieve big goals and to obtain If he focuses too much on the pow er. It means devotion to one's goals w eaknesses and doesn't consider his and not sparing one's energies for qualities, he w ill end up in self-pity and them. On a more superficial approach, w ill be stuck i it as w ell. it may also represent magic itself.

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The mirror is usually interpreted as Magic may represent a magic the need for self research, deeply person, item, event or place. understanding one's history, feelings or How ever, on a deeper approach, expectations, w hich may differ from the magic usually represents discipline. image w e have of ourselves. The subject needs to focus himself onto

It may also mean that a person his goals and put all his energies into needs to stay true to himself. pursuing them.

The mirror may also be interpreted It may also mean that the pursue of as imitation, especially if associated the goals of the subject moves him w ith cards representing other people. aw ay from other important things in his life. It may also mean that the

questioning person needs to focus on This card represents a search, too, his good qualities to improve, or that he and a hard one. How ever, w ith needs to understand his limits. In this discipline and dedication, this search case, it underlines a lack of balance can surely be successful, even if w e betw een the image w e have of don't understand w here it leads in the ourselves and the real person w e are. beginning.

10 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

XVII - DREAMS XVIII - GOBLET XIX - CROW The sleeping man is caressed by his Unrealizable dreams lead to The crow is the mssenger of the sw eetest dreams: lust, w ealth, pow er, temptations, cravings and shortcuts. dead. It is the eyes of the dead in the and every other aspiration in his life. These are demons that seem to offer w orld, and their voice to w hoever may This card reminds that dreams can be some sw eet juice, but end up spilling understand. But it also represents the w onderful, but also that they are not your blood. The goblet is one of the w rong decisions, the friends that betray real. To spend too much time dreaming most negative cards in the w hole deck, our trust, the cheating people in our moves you aw ay from reality, and and show s exactly that. lives. It's a card that w arns of a danger, makes you fall into dangerous usually. obsessions. POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS Blood that's spilling from the goblet POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS may represent a danger in the future. The crow may be interpreted as a The card may mean that the w arning of an unexpected death. If associated w ith a love card, it may questioning person must remember his mean a dangerous seduction or affair. It may also represent the spirits of dreams and motivations. the dead that guide the living, and that If associated w ith death it may even The dreams may also be interpreted the subject needs to get guidance from forecast a deadly danger for the life of as impossible to realize, too good to be his ancestors in a hard moment. the subject. true, and in this reading they mean that How ever, the card represents liars, the subject needs to abandon them. This card may w arn about someone scammers and sw indlers too. It may w ho w ill force the subject into doing If associated w ith very positive cards, mean that the subject is endagered by something against his interests or w ill. It it may mean that some dreams are someone like that. may mean corrupton of someone w eak going to become true, or that that some or induction into crime or perdition. Associated w ith more specific cards goals are going to be achieved. may be interpreted as a plain w arning The card may also represent sex If associated w ith death it means that for w hatever is to come. It may mean w ithout love, just pure lust and, some dreams w ill come to an abrupt that a good situation may be obviously, its dangers. end, and reality w ill storm in. endangered if the subject doesn't act to

Finally, this card may represent the protect it Finally, if associated w ith cards about temptations that the subject has to love, it may represent the love of one's Finally, it may mean that something resist to achieve his goals. dreams, the perfect one. is predestined and cannot be changed. 11 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

XX - DEATH XXI - LOST SOUL ACE OF SWORDS Wrong decisions, scammers, It happens in our lives that Sw ords have a double meaning of temptations and lack of discipline may sometimes w e find ourselves lost, strength and death. They are used to lead to hard times. The card of death lonely and w ith no reference points. It kill and to protect. The ace, that show s doesn't alw ays relate to death itself, but may be because of w rong decisions, a young man taking a sw ord out of a mostly means important moments in big losses or changes. When it rock, represents the man that takes the one's life w hen we need to take difficult happens, it's important not to stop life in his hands and embraces his decisions, w hich may change our lives searching for the light, find our strength strength to overcome the problems that completely. Like death is necessary for in ourselves and in the ones w ho care the life gives him. rebirth, something needs to be lost to for us. start something new . POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The card is usually interpreted as a

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The card may mean that the subject suggestion to use one's strongest In some rare cases, death may is at a loss, or w ill find himself in an qualities to overcome a bad situaton. actually represent death. apparently inextricable situation. It's an urge to take the lead in one's life and not let others to guide it anymore. Chains around the death's w aist The chains represent regrets or represent the things that prevent one things w e don't w ant to let go that It may also represent fights and hard from improving. Leaving those things prevent us from improving. Leaving times to come, but also that the subject behind w ill let the subject free once those things behind w ill let the subject has the w eapons he needs to again. find his w ay. overcome the dangers. He just has to believe in himself. The lantern represents the fact that The light in the hands represents the the subject may need guidance from strengths of the subject, w ho may guide If associated w ith bad cards, the ace someone to get ut of a hard situation. him through this situation. of sw ords may represent sacrifices and even death along the path. It means Overall, the card usually represents a If associated w ith the foreigner it may pain and sorrow, as a cost for freedom crisis moment in the life, a breaking mean that the help is going to come and safety. point w hich may involve some very from an unexpected source. hard choice to make. It also means that If associated w ith a card representing If associated w ith the lightning it may the subject needs to keep strong to a person, it means conflicts, and mean that someone w ho w e thought overcome the problems. possible split from the lover or family. w as lost w ill save us. 12 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

FOURTH RANK: REBIRTH When our life is at a loss, the light of the ones w ho guide us, of our dreams and of our qualities takes us out of trouble, and leads to a fulfilling life of love and satisfaction, w here spiritual, material and personal goals may be achieved. In our troubles, w e can't see the light that guides us to freedom. It initially starts glow ing faint, then it improves more and more, until it shines so bright that w e cannot ignore it anymore. If w e recognise and follow the light on our path, no matter now many times hard times w ill come, life w ill open up for us w ith gifts that w ill give it meaning and satisfaction. The fourth rank of cards, made of the

Arcanes from XXII to XXVIII, represents adulthood, and all the good things that XXII - STARS come w hen w e finally find a balance in XXIII - MOON our lives. The fourth rank is closed by Stars in the sky guide the sailors and The moon is charming, mysterious the ace of roses. the travellers. They give us w arnings and alw ays changing, but is the mirror through astrology and show us the of our dreams. When w e are lost, she w onders of the universe. They also enlightens our path clearly, reminding provide a light in the night, w hich is not us of the important things in our lives enough to see everything clearly, but and of our dreams and aspirations. Her may enlighten a path for us, w hen w e influence can be passed unnoticed, but are in the darkest places of our lives. is alw ays there for the ones w ho are And even if w e are not alw ays able to able to see it. see them, they are there all the time.

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The moon may represent the The stars may represent hope: the unexpected help that comes from hope that must never fail even in the someone w ho we don't know , or from a darkest times. source that w e don't notice.

This card may also represent the The moon also urges to remember help and guidance that comes from the dreams, the objectives and the above, from someone else. achievements that w e have, and use their light to move on. It may also represent the search for

answ ers, especially if the solution The card may also mean that, like exists, but it's not easy to find. In those the moon phases, out life is in a dark cases, w e usually need to raise our phase now , but soon it w ill change, or heads and search some guidance. even that w e have to move onto the next phase of our lives. The card may also represent a huge

number, especially if associated w ith Finally, this card may urge the cards that represent people or w ealth. It subject to trust other people, because normally means that in the future someone may influence him to the right something w ill be countless. path and decisions.

13 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

XXIV - SUN XXV - LOVERS XXVI - FLOWERS The light of the sun is shining so When a man is able to overcome the A fulfilling life w ill disclose prizes to bright that it can't be ignored. It can't be problems, and shines of the light of his the man, like flow ers that bloom in a covered even by clouds. It is successes and strengths, his life w ill garden. They can be big or small, there represented by a man w ho has all of disclose new prizes and achievements. can be plenty or only some, but they the qualities: strong, handsome, Love is one of them, and is represented are alw ays things that are w orth to positive, w ears rich clothes, raises a in this card. It does not only represent a receive. Even if sometimes they w on't hand in victory, holds an instrument. lover's feeling, but a more general kind last long, they represent successes and The man that is fully aw are of his of love that binds friends, relatives, and gratifications. qualities is guided from their light to a humanity. successful life, and becomes the POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS guidance for other people as w ell. POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The easiest interpretation is that the Obviously, this card may represent current situation w ill soon give some POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS love. It may mean an encounter, a long- results. The sun may mean that the subject lasting love or a fast passion, but it If associated w ith love cards, it may has all of the qualities he needs to alw ays means deep heartfelt love, and mean that a son or daughter is coming. shine, and he only needs to trust not simply lust. himself and use them. If associated w ith negative cards, the The lovers in the card are close to flow ers may represent successes that The card may also represent a kissing, but they are not yet there. It don't last for long. charismatic leader, or the subject may mean that this may be just a himself as a leader for other people. feeling, and may never materialize in a If associated w ith a card that means true relationship. distance or message, this card This card also speaks of self represents a gift, or good new s coming aw areness and self realization. It If connected w ith negative cards, or soon for the subject. forecasts a bright future and successes. cards that represent loss or separation,

it may forecast the loss of the loved Finally, the flow ers may represent, if The card may also mean success on ones. associated w ith other positive cards, the battlefield, in the arts or on the achievements, successes and w orkplace. In hard times, it may urge the subject realization of dreams in many different to take shelter in the love of his close Finally, it may represent the definitive fields, and even recognitions from ones, befoe taking his decisions. end of a moment of struggle. others. 14 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

XXVII XXVIII - BEAUTY ACE OF ROSES The castle is made of stone, and Beauty has many w ays to be This is the card that represents true resists the seasons and the years. represented in the w orld. It comes love in its purest and more complete Lives go by it, like birds flying in the through the flow ers and fruits of nature, form. It is about a love that spans into sky, but it stays there, unchanged. The from the beauty of a w oman, from beauty, passon, lust, and is going to Castle represents stability, sturdiness, elegant dresses and from arts and bloom into a family. How ever, there's resistence, and in general all of those music. It may also come from magic no rose w ithout thorns, and it may be things that w e build in time, and are and other creatures. This card also forecasting trouble, if someone is meant to last for long. represents the search for perfection already in love w hen draw ing it. and the artistic feelings.

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The castle may represent one's POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS To a single person, it may forecast home household, homeland or family. This card has an overall positive the arrival of true love, that very person meaning, and may turn any other card that w ill fill your life completing you. The card may also represent that it is associated to tow ards its best something solid built w ith dedication, It may also forecast a w edding, or meaning. that w ill last long. It may refer to a love the birth of a baby in the family of the that w ill last forever, or to some relation Beauty also represent arts, and if subject. that w ill never be broken. associated w ith persons, it may If associated w ith negative cards, it represent a beautiful person, but also If associated w ith negative cards, it may mean that the loved one is in and more likely an artist. may represent a situation that cannot danger, or that the story may abruptly be changed, no matter how many It may also mean that the subject end. If associated w ith a person of the efforts w e make. needs to pursue arts, crafts, or any same sex of the questioning one, it may other artistic path. mean that a love rival is around. It may also represend protection, defense. It is a card that urges the Art is sharing. This card may also If draw n together w ith cards about subject to build a strong group or a urge the questioning person to share travel or distance, it may also mean that strong defence around himself, his achievements and productions w ith the real love is still far to come, or that it because the best protection is given by others, w hich may also lead on him w ill come from an unexpected place. If someone hard and resistent that's built being enriched by others as w ell. associated w ith lightning, it represents by the merged efforts of many. a very short but fulfilling love.

15 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

FIFTH RANK: EXPERIENCE Falling and raising again and again, the men grow . There w ill be moments of loneliness, unhealthy seductions and enemies, problems and luck, but if looking back w e are able to learn from our history, w e w ill live a fulfilling life. No matter how many achievements a man can go through in his life, moments of loneliness and unexpected encounters may alw ays break our balance. The life is a never ending search for balance and perfection. Enemies and traps may alw ays come through our path, but if w e keep resisting, w e don't need luck, magic and divine interventions to get a life that, looking back, w ill be as full as it may be. The fifth and last rank of Arcanes, made of cards numbered XXIX to XXIX - UNICORN XXX - SNAKE XXXV, represent old age and experience. It speaks of great The unicorn represents anything that The snake is a dual card. It has a challenges and the pow er to overcome is unique, every situation that cannot be seductive, attractive and tempting one, them. It is closed by the ace of coins. repated, every single thing that cannot and another one w hich is dangerous, be achieved more than once. It may lethal and frightening. The tw o go also speak about loneliness, distance together and cannot be divided, and from the rest of the w orld, or something represent the frauds, deceivings and rare. Other elements of the card, like lies that a man can find along the w ay. the blue moon or the w hite ow l, show It is important that a man learns how to very rare events and unlikely situations. see the truth behind the lies.

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS Unicorn may represent loneliness, The snake may mean that some lies nobody to help the subject, a situation prevent the subject to see the truth. w hen he has to count only on himself. If associated w ith cards representing

The card may also mean that an people, this card may mean that exceptional situation is coming, or that someone is deceiving the questioning something extremely rare is about to person, and that his or her inflluence start. It is an urge not to w aste this w ill damage the subject, if nothing is opportunity, because it w on't come done. back. The card may also represent a lover,

It may also represent isolation, an illegal or illicit affair, or plain lust. reclusion or jail, meant as distance from The hypnotic stare of the snake may the loved ones. also mean that someone is behind a

It may finally mean that there is only given situation, or is moving the strings one w ay out of a hard challenge, and of someone else. It may tell the subject the subject needs to search very hard of a hidden plot or of the secret to find it and succeed. influence of someone pow erful on important matters.

16 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

XXXI - DRAGON XXXII - STORM XXXIII - WHEEL The Dragon represents the foes, the The storm represents the biggest The w heel of fate turns, and good enemies and the diseases: everything challenges in the life of everyone. Like luck and bad luck balance themselves, that may harm, or even kill, the man a ship in the sea, hit by the w aves, the only guided by the blind hand of through his path. It is a mighty opposer, rain and the lightnings, it is important to Fortune. It is not for men to hope in and looks like it's an obstacle that's too keep afloat and never to lose sight of good luck to come out of their trouble: hard to overcome. It may also represent our goals and motivations to keep they should step in and guide the hand a threat that comes back again and going. of Fortune to shape their ow n future. again. The w heel also represents time. POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS

POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The card generallly forecasts big POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS The dragon may mean big battles trouble, problems and fights. How ever, The most common interpretation of and hard times to come. It may also it also means that the subject has w hat this card is that the subject needs to mean an adventure in the future that it takes to overcome the challenge. stop relying on luck and must act to may cost someone's life. change his ow n fate, before it's too late. It may also forecast bad new s and

The card may also represent an unexpected losses, even the death of If associated w ith negative cards, it's enemy, especially one that has never someone. usually interpreted as forecasting bad been defeated and that comes back luck. On the other hand, if associated Like a ship that throw s aw ay the into the life of the subject. w ith good cards, it usually forecasts heavy stuff to keep afloat into the good luck. Associated with cards that represent storm, the card may mean that the good things or the family of the subject needs to let behind everything Sometimes the card may mena that questioning person, it may represent that is not essential to take over this persevering in a direction, the the death of a loved one, or a big threat challenge. questioning person w ill need to rely to the actual situation. I may also only on luck. On a more positive interpretation, the forecast a disease w ith a possibly very storm may forecast big changes, With the meaning of time, the w heel bad outcome. something that is going to change our may mean that time needs to pass for

Finally, the dragon may represent lives forever. It can be a big w orldw ide something to happen, or that the evil, and every kind of negative event or not, but it w ill turn the subject's answ er that the subject is looking for is feelings, like envy or anger. w orld upside dow n. found in a different time or place.

17 OVERVIEW OF THE TAROTS

XXXIV - LIFE XXXV - GRACE ACE OF COINS An old and huge treeman looks at The man that goes through the path Like the Grace is the sum of all of the the sprout into his hand, and the life of his life learning, overcoming moral and spiritual achievements in the that shines from it. At the end of the life, challenges, finding his strengths and life of a person, the Ace of Coins is the w e loo at the young ones, seeing their accepting his w eaknesses, that doesn't sum of all of the material achievements w hole potential and mirroring our lives fall into temptations and stays true to in the life: youth, beauty, w ealth, in them. Through them, w e look back at himself, w hen turning is proud of his strength, are represented in the image. our lives, and appreciated w hat w e path. That is a state of grace, that is the The head of medusa on the golden achieved, and remember w hat w e lost. secret of happiness and may only take shield represents the duality of the him tow ards good things. material things, and the fact that they POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS may hold you back from obtaining full This card represents the circle of life. POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS grace in the end. It is the one that means death and In its most common interpretation, rebirth, contact betw een past and this card represents the w ill of the POSSIBLE INTERPRETATIONS future, and also renew al of the energy. Immortals. Therefore, w ho picks it is The ace of coins very clearly may thought to have the blessing of the mean w ealth, money and treasures. The Life can be inviting the person Immortals for his decisions. It is a very With negative cards, it may mean loss w ho drew it to look back at his life and positive forebonding. of money. remember a time w hen he had dreams and goals to achieve. It may also mean that a big success It may also mean that the subject w ill or achievement is ahead. It may also be able to gain pow er, money, strength It may also mean that the energy of bring glory, fame or other prizes along. and influence above others. How ever, the youth, or something new , must the search may be dangerous. guide our path. In this meaning, it may If connected w ith negative cards, this also represent something new to start one means that no matter how hard the This card also w arns about the soon, or new s coming in. things become, the subject w ill surely danger of greed, that may turn your find a w ay out in the best possible w ay. heart to stone. Finally, this card may represent the contact of the oppposite ones, and may This card may also forecast a If associated w ith positive cards, this mean an urge for compromise or for honorable death or destiny, if may mean generosity and good w ill. talks w ith different people, so that connected w ith death. But it may even different points of view can be shared. represent the Immortals in general.

18 FORTUNE TELLING

Fortune telling w ith tarots is not just draw ing cards and plainly read their meanings. When reading the tarots, the fortune teller acts somehow like a psychologist, who asks questions to the questioning person to fill in the gaps of the prediction. For example: if the princess comes out for a male subject, the fortune teller may ask if there is a special w oman in his life. If the answ er is not, it may mean that some girl is coming for him. If the answ er is yes, it means that the prediction may have something to do w ith her. THREE MILESTONES 3 - THE FUTURE This card reveals something of the Tarot reading becomes then a very The first method is the easiest one. If future. It must be read in relation to the dynamic process made of questions you w ant to have a very quick present, and may not represent an and answ ers, more than just plain prediction w ithout digging too deep in event or a person, but an aspiration or descriptions. Explain this to the players details and background fuss, you can a goal as w ell. It may also contain before you go on w ith it in your games, just use this method, and have the advice on how to get to one's goals or and encourage them to invent questioning person to draw three cards. w arnings about some situations to situations and persons to fill in the He then needs to put them on the table come that may be dangerous or hard to answ ers, if they feel like, so that it may in a line, facing him in the order they handle. It is very unlikely that the become a new chance to develop their came out of the deck. Follow the prediction w ill be clear and character's background. diagram above for guidance. straightforw ard, though. If you w ant to use the tarots for fortune-telling, please remember to only 1 - THE PAST use the Arcanes and the five Aces, The first card that w as draw n taking out of the deck all of the other represents the past of the person. It cards of the five suits. may explain something that influences Finally, please don't take this tarot- the current situation, or that took the reading volume as something too questioning person into trouble. It may serious or realistic. There are much represent someone w ho influenced better books and resources if you really him, or even an event in the past that w ant to learn how to read the tarots in marked an important milestone in his the real w orld. This is just a game development. supplement, and it must be treated likew ise. None of the suggestions in the 2 - THE PRESENT pages of this book are to be used in the The second card represents the real w orld. present, the feelings of the questioning Now that the bases have been person and his or her goals, objectives covered, let's focus on the different and aspirations. It may also reveal techniques that you can use to read the insecurities, w eaknesses and things tarots to others. that hold him or her back from achieving those goals. Somehow , it may be connected w ith both the past and the future, and become the key to read both of the other cards.

19 FORTUNE TELLING

4 - HOUSE OF THE EXPECTATIONS The fourth card show s w hat are the expectations of other people about the questioning subject. What they think and w hat they w ant from him or her, and the reasons w hy they approach. It may reveal doubts about the trustworthyness of others, fears of lies and scams, greed, lust. But it may also show respect and good feelings, and the fact that the questioning person is self-aw are and it show s into other people's feelings as w ell.

5 - HOUSE OF THE GOALS This last card show s the goals, expectations and w ishes of the questioning subject. They may be w ell know n, or hidden ones. It may give a clear view of the priorities of the subject and help find a w ay tow ards the most important goals in his or her life.

PRIVATE ROAD (2-1-5) Cards in positons 2, 1 and 5 are connected, or associated, in their meanings, thus making up the "private road". Their collective meaning show s the interior struggles and w ishes of the questioning person. They are the mirror OUR OUSES 2 - HOUSE OF THE HEART F H of his or her intimate feelings and The card that falls in this position is This method is a bit more complex, desires, but also of hie or her attitude the one connected to the feelings, and and gives to the questioning person a tow ards self. in particular to love. It may tell the more complete view of his situation. It is reader about the love situation of the not a method to foresee the future, PUBLIC ROAD (3-1-4) questioning subject and underline how ever, but a method to seek answers Cards in positions 3, 1 and 4 are problems in the emotive shere. This and to clarify one's current situation. equally connected and make up the card is also connected w ith al of the The cards must be draw n and put on "public road", w hich represents the persons that someone cares for. the table in the order they are draw n, attitude of the questioning person follow ing the diagram above. tow ards the other people, and his or her 3 - HOUSE OF THE MIND strongest ties w ith them. This card represents the logic, the 1 - THE QUESTIONING PERSON study and the research. It show s w hat This card reveals something about SPIRITUAL GROUND (2-3) the questioning person is tow ards the questioning person. It may be the The spiritual (or higher) ground practical matters and their solution, how trouble he or she is going through, it represents the attitude of the much his or her mind can keep the may be something that bothers him or questioning person tow ards everything feelings under control, and may reveal her, or even something that affects the that is not practical. It relates to religion, traumas, w orries and very practical present but happened in the past. It love, feelings, w ishes and dreams, and issues around the daily life or around may also show strengths or to fantasy in general. The tw o cards very urgent matters. w eaknesses, or w arn about problems. make up the meaning together.

20 FORTUNE TELLING

PRACTICAL GROUND (4-5) positive, the other ones w ill lean the good things, that come along w ith Exactly like the spiritual one, the tow ards a more positive reading, w hile that. practical (or low er) ground represents if it is quite negative, all of the other the attitude of the questioning person ones w ill tend to be in the same 6 - DESTINY tow ards everyday issues, practical negative mood. This card is in the middle of the arch issues and material things. Once again, for a very valid reason: it is the one that the tw o cards reveal their meaning 2 - BIRTH has the deepest meaning, and that together. This card represents the origins, the gives the direction for the future of the beginning, and relates to the distant questioning person. It may be good or ARCH OF LIFE past of the questioning person. It may bad, may be very clear or foggy, but it reveal problems or desires that come is the key to read the follow ing cards as This card reading method is meant to from a very distant past, that the person w ell, and the card that is going to be give very recise readings of the future, may not even be aw are of. influenced the most by the last one. both close and far, in relation to one aspect of the subject's life that must be 3 - CHILDHOOD 7 - TOMORROW specified in the beginning. Among the This card is about the recent life of The card of the tomorrow is the card methods to read the cards, it is the the questioning person. This position is of the closest events that may influence most complex and the one that uses for the problems, persons, situations the future developments of the the biggest number of cards. and issues that contributed to make up situation. If some person appears here, The questioning person draw s the the current situation, and that the for example, it means that someone w ill cards, putting them all upw ards, except subject should already know . It is the step in the situation to change it. card n.11. Card n.11 is not to be card of the person that embraces self- revealed until the end of the reading. consciousness for the first time. 8 - EVENING Follow the diagram in this page for the The card of the evening show s the disposition of the cards. 4 - DESIRE feelings of the questioning person Within the arch of life, most cards are This card show s w hat the tow ards the issue in the short period, connected to give a more clear reading. questioning person w ants in relation to and suggest how to deal w ith them.

the issue. It may be something secret, 1 - SELF or unknow n to him or her as w ell, but it 9 - YEARS The first card that is draw n is usually something that cannot be The card of the years is the card of represents the questioning person and kept hidden for long. the events that are still far to come, but his or her general attitude tow ards the that may change the situation in a far question that w as made. The reading of 5 - REALITY aw ay future. this card w ill give the general frame into This card show s the current issues, w hich the remaining ones must be read the reality that the subject is living right as w ell. If this card is generallly now and the fears and issues, but also 21 FORTUNE TELLING

10 - END The card of the end reveals the final results of the w hole arch and the consequences in a long time span. This may lead to prediction for a very far aw ay future, including suggestions and w arnings.

SECOND READING After reading the cards one by one, and keeping the eleventh card still closed, it is now necessary to go through a second reading, pairing the cards in pairs.

THE PAST (2-3) The correlation betw een these tw o cards explains more clearly w hat happened in the past that took the questioning person to the present situation.

THE PRESENT (4-5) The association of these tw o cards the threat may not be enough to something that needs to be throw n reveals the deepest thoughts and prevent the damage, but may be useful aw ay to finally achieve success. This feelings of the subject for the question to limit it and to change the overall card may be related to any one of the that w as asked. They may also reveal destiny of the questioning person. five on the table, to all of them or just to the reason w hy the question w as some of them. asked, and w hy it is so important in the ORTUNE TAR first place. F S 1 - WORK The fortune star is a quite complete The card in this position reveals the THE NEAR FUTURE (7-8) method that allow s the questioning future about w ork and personal success The cards in the positions 7 and 8 person to have a general overview of in the w orld. show the possible outome of the his or her future, but w ithout any situation in a short time lapse, and w hat specific question asked. How ever, the 2 - HEALTH the subject may, or should do to reach prediction w ill show some events This card is related to the general his goals or to change the destiny. connected w ith five main fields of the health of the questioning person, and life of that person. The questioning reveals the future issues about his or THE DISTANT FUTURE (9-10) person needs to cut the deck, then her health. It may even be the one that These tw o cards together show the throw aw ay the first card and pick five forecasts a premature death or a long chalenges to come in a long time, and cards to place on the table, in the order life. the possible final outcome of the and the positions show ed on the situation. Obviously, this prediction diagram in this page. Then, the fortune 3 - ENEMIES cannot be very clear and may be very teller starts reading the cards, This card is related to the ones that w rong, if it is about a very distant time. beginning w ith the one that w as thrown w ill step in the w ay of our plans, the aw ay. ones that may disrupt the efforts of the 11 - THE CHALLENGE questioning person and steal his Finally, card n.11 is revealed, and it THE DISCARDED FUTURE success. show s a card that is going to interfere This card represents something that w ith the goals of the qustioning person, the questioning person has throw n or to w aste his or her efforts possibly aw ay or will be throw ing aw ay to reach disrupting the final outcome. Know ing his or her goals. It may also represent 22 FORTUNE TELLING

4 - TRAVEL her loved ones, friends, neighbors and predictions too far or making them too The card in this position reveals members of his or her family. explicit or unrealistic. things related to distant places or times, but may also announce new s and OTHER METHODS changes. The four methods I described here

should alw ays be enough for in-game 5 - LOVE predictions. How ever, if you w ant to The card in this position is about have some predictions that are more love, and it may tell something about specific for the situation that you set up, the future of a relationship or the you should be able to add new ones, beginning of a new affair. inventing them from scratch.

If you don't w ant to w aste time in CONNECTIONS these practices, you may even just The red lines that connect the cards decide to have the questioning person sitting on the tips of the star link them draw a single card and make up a tw o by two and may reveal new details prediction based exclusively on that about some even more specific one. It is completely up to you. situations.

RIVAL (1-3) FOLLOWING UP The card sitting in these positions As a DM, you may w ant to follow -up taken together may give the description your prediction by turning some of them of the main rival in the professional or into events in the game. Try to be smart public life of the questioning person, the and not to realize every single detail one that he or she needs to be that w as seen in the card-reading, guarding his back from. otherw ise the players may rely too much on predictions and keep going for NEWS (2-4) them. Moreover, not know ing w hich The connection betw een travel and predictions w ill be realized and w hich health gives the forecast about new s ones w ill not may add some colour to and changes that w ill come in the life of your games. the subject, ad may be forecasting the If you fear that you w on't be able to end of something or a new beginning follow up w ith these details, maybe just as w ell. w rite dow n the most interesting ideas and only focus on those ones, or simply HEARTBREAK (3-5) ignore the predictions. Most likely, The tw o cards picked together may some event w ill come to realize some show the main threat to the loved ones of them anyw ay. and to the relationship of the questioning person. It may be a love ADAPTING PREDICTIONS rival or anything else that may interfere. Sometimes, the cards have just a

very specific meaning, and their WEALTH (4-1) meaning may not fit the current The associaton of these tw o cards situation, especially if it is not a very may give a forecast about the general common one. For example: if the w ealth of the questioning person, his questioning person is a gay man, the household or his lands. card of the princess w ould not

represent the loved one, but the prince FAMILY (5-2) w ould instead. Alw ays try to adapt the The tw o cards taken together may card reading to the situation, w hen it show the future not only for the feels right, but w ithout forcing questioning person, but also for his or 23 CARD GAMES

The follow ing card games have been TOWER OF STARS first card from the deck, turning it on the invented by me and may contain parts table and places the deck at its side. This game can be played by any of other common card games, adapted number of players, spanning from 2 to GAME TURN to the very particular deck of the 6. It is a very popular game in parties At his turn, each player may decide Glantrian Arcanes. Each game has its and casinos, and is alw ays played for to draw a card from the deck or from ow n rules explained and some money. Usually, at the center of the the discard pile. Then, he discards a suggestions to play it. Please note that table is placed a plate, a bow l or a card that he doesn't w ant at the end of these games may not be balanced or similar container to collect the bets of the turn. easy to play. If you prefer, you can the players. adapt other games or play your ow n ACES The game's name is made of the tw o games w ith the same tarots. Aces are very important in the game, names of the w inning combinations. Card games can be played for because they grant to the player that money, and w hen it happens in-game, GOAL has them a special action. A player may they can be played for any amount. In The goal of the players is to be the decide to play an ace at every time the games I described here, I use the first to call a tower or a star, to take during his turn, betw een drawing a card generic term "coin" to mean the basic home the biggest possible share of the and discarding another one. bet. In very rural and poor places, bets on the plate. A star is a group of A player may not use more than one people w ould use copper pieces to bet five common cards (not arcanes) w ith ace per turn. on card games, but more w ealthy the same score, belonging to the five When an ace is played, it sits on the people may bet w ith more valuable different suits or a group of five arcanes table in front of the player w ho used it, coins, w hich may be silver, electrum, belonging to the same rank. A tow er is for everyone to see it. As a first result gold or even platinum. a group of five cards belonging to the for playing an ace, the player w ho Please note that these games are same suit in an uninterrupted dropped it immediately takes a coin not meant to be played for real money. sequence, or a group of five arcanes from the plate for himself. Betting money over ard games may w ith subsequent numbers (the roman Then, the same player declares lead to a lot of trouble, and I don't w ant ones) even if of different ranks. Some w hether he w ants to draw from the to promote in any w ay any kind of examples are draw n in the next page. deck or from the discard pile. Whatever gambling and betting through this Some combinations of arcanes may choise is made, the player can look volume. result in both a star and a tow er at the every card in one that w as picked and same time, but that doesn't influence take the one he or she prefers, to add the game. to the hand. After that, deck and When a tow er is declared, if all of the discard pile are reshuffled together. cards in the hand of the player are in a Using an ace may be very helpful for sequence, the low est one is excluded a player to finish a tow er or a star, from the point. especially if the player saw the needed card in the discard pile. Many players INITIAL BET w ould keep the aces in their hands until If there are tw o players, the initial bet the end of the game, to try and close is of 3 coins each. If the players are the game. three or more, the initial bet is of 2 Aces can also be used as part of a coins each. Before dealing the cards at tow er or to make a star, but in that case every round, every player puts his or they cannot be used to draw a card. her bet on the table, in the plate.

END OF THE GAME DEALING CARDS When one player manages to get a The dealer shuffles the full deck of star or a tow er during his turn, he must 80 cards. The person sitting at his right declare it aloud, and show his cards. cuts the deck. Then, the dealer starts The player w ho played a valid star or giving six cards per player, starting from tow er takes all of the coins in the plate. the person sitten at his left and If for a mistake the player declares a proceding clockw ise. At the end, he star w hen the point is a tow er, or the deals six cards for himself, discards the other w ay round, the game still ends

24 CARD GAMES but the player only takes one coin from EXAMPLES OF STARS the plate, and the remaining ones are left in the plate for the next game.

THE SIXTH CARD When a valid star or tow er is played, the other players show their cards as w ell. The sixth card of the w inner is show ed, and each player takes from his ones the card w ith the highest score that belongs to the same suit of that one. If that card is an arcane, the other players take the arcane in their hand that has the highest roman number on it. The player w ith the highest overall card must put a double bet on the plate on the next round. If the other players have no cards of that suit, or if the highest card of that suit (or arcane) is the one that the w inner showed, it is the w inner w ho has to bet double on the next round. EXAMPLES OF TOWERS Sometimes, it is a good strategy to delay the declaration of the w inning point to take a chance and discard the sixth card, if it has a very high score.

EXAMPLE OF BOTH STAR AND TOWER

25 CARD GAMES

HARVEST SEASON This game can be played by up to 8 players, and is very popular at parties, but it's not alw ays played for money. It is actually one of the first games that kids learn, w hen they learn maths and additions.

GOAL The goal is to collect the highest possible number of cards from the table, and the highest possible amount of Arcanes and Aces.

DEALING CARDS The dealer shuffles the full deck of (not w ith VII because it's in the line) Each player gets one point fo each 80 cards. The person sitting at his right Ace in his harvest. cuts the deck. Then, the dealer starts With XVI: giving four cards per player, starting Four cards (score 1+2+4+9) Each player gets one point for each 5 from the person sitten at his left and total ranks of arcanes that he or she With XXIII: proceding clockw ise. At the end, he has in the harvest. Extra rank points are Five cards (score 1+2+4+9+7) deals four cards for himself, discards not taken into account, if the total is not the first card from the deck, turning it on With XXVII: a multiple of 5. Only the rank score is the table and places the deck at its Six cards (score 1+2+4+9+7+4) counted, not the number of the card. side. How ever, to be able to harvest cards The points are added up game after

GAME TURN from the table, the cards must match game until a player reaches the score At their turn, players draw a card the score of the card that is played of 21, and w ins. If more than a player from the top of the deck. Then, they can exactly, except for one case. reaches that score in the same game, use one of their cards to take cards the one w ith the highest overall score is ACES from the discard line, or just end their the w inner. If they all have exactly the Aces once again represent an turn. same score, it's a draw and an extra exception in the game: w hen playing an When the turn ends, the player adds game is needed to sort it out and ace, a player may harvest the last card a card from the hand to the discard line: decide the w inner. added on the discard line, w hatever its in this line the cards are kept visible on score is. This allow s to harvest very VARIANT 1 - BETTING the table, and overlapped just enough high score Arcanes even w ithout other Each player puts a fixed bet in the to still be able to see the card below . Arcanes. plate before starting. When the w inner When taking cards from the discard is determined, he or she takes the pile, a player must show a card that END OF THE GAME w hole plate. In case of a draw , the plate matches the score of the last one, or When the last card is draw n from the may be split, or the game may go on the sum of the scores of the last ones deck, the players keep on playing until until one clear w inner is determined. added to the line. For example, in the they all run out of cards in their hands. discard line that is show n in this page, a Some cards may be left on the discard VARIANT 2 - COUPLES player may decide to draw the follow ing line, w hich is normal. The players are divided in couples, cards: w ho sit facing each other, so that they POINTS alternate among all the couples at the Only w ith an Ace: When the game ends, the players table. The couples put their harvest the first card (score 1) count their points. together and the points are counted per

With a 3 or III: The player w ith the biggest number couple at the end of the game. First and second card (score 1+2) of cards in his or her harvest gets 1 point. If tw o or more players have the With a 7: highest number of cards, this point is First, second and third (score 1+2+4) not given to anyone. 26 CARD GAMES

TREASURE HUNT must have an answ er that may only be w hether there is an animal on the card Yes or No, and must be related to the or not, the dealer may consider the This game is very easy and may be card that the dealer has draw n for dragon an animal or a monster, and played by a minimum of 3 players, but hmself. may answ er either w ay. How ever, the up to a maximum of 13. It is a party Then, the player may decide to place dealer must not lie and, if he is found game w hich is also very popular among another coin in the plate to reveal one guilty of deceiving the players by saying children, and it is usually played for random card in front of the dealer or a lie, he must pay tw ice the total bet on money, or for some other kind of bet. another player. The card is chosen by the plate and leave the game. He may This is a deduction and memory the one that placed the coin in the be allow ed to come back only after his game, therefore it is forbidden to use plate, random. This action may also be money w as w on by someone else. paper and pens to w rite dow n the skipped if the player doesn't w ant to Within the game, some questions are questions and the guesses that w ere reveal any card. commonly considered illicit, or w rong. By putting another coin in the plate, expressly forbidden. Here are some

GOAL each player may also have a chance to examples of forbidden questions. The players try to guess the card that guess the card of the dealer. If the Questions that don't have a Yes / No the dealer has draw n for himself or guess is right, the dealer reveals the answ er herself. card and the player w ins the game,

taking the w hole plate. Questions that hide a guess by INITIAL SETUP If the guess w as wrong, or at the end asking something that is related to only Each player takes out of the w allet 7 of his turn, the player draw s a card from one card in the w hole deck (for coins and puts them on the table, in the deck, looks at it and puts it on the example: "is there a dragon on the fromt of himself, for everyone to see. A table upside-dow n so that nobody else card?") plate for the bets is put in the middle of may see it. the table. The dealer puts his or her 7 Questions that are not related to the Once the card has been draw n, the coins straight aw ay into the plate. card turn of a player ends, and he or she

DEALING CARDS may not do anything else until the next Questions that come out gross or The dealer shuffles the deck, made turn comes. offensive for anyone at the table only of the cards used for fortune- DEALER'S TURN Whenever one of these forbidden telling: the Arcanes plus the four aces. When the turn of the dealer comes, questions is asked, the player is The other cards are not used in this the dealer only draw s a card from the admonished and must place one coin in game. deck and, w ithout looking at it, places it the plate w ithout any other advantage. The person sitting at his right cuts in front of himself on the table, upside Moreover, his or her turn immediately the deck. Then, the dealer picks the dow n. ends, w ithout draw ing a card. card at the top of the deck, looks at it It is also forbidden to ask the fellow and doesn't show to anyone else. That END OF THE GAME players w hether a question can be card needs not to be disclosed to The game ends w hen a player admitted or not during the game. If they anyone, and sometimes it is put into an guesses the right card from the dealer, w ant, the players may talk about that envelop, to avoid any problem. or w hen everyone w ent through three betw een games, and w rite dow n a list Then, the dealer picks a second turns w ithout guessing the right card. of criteria for allow ed and forbidden card, that he must not look at, and puts If someone guessed the right card, questions. it upside-dow n on the table in front of that player takes the money. If nobody himself. guessed the right card, the dealer takes The deck is then placed in the center the money. of the table for everyone to reach. FAIR PLAY AND FORBIDDEN QUSTIONS

GAME TURN Sometimes there is an issue w ith this The game starts w ith the first player game about fair play: it is left to the to the left of the dealer, and procedes dealer's discretion to decide w hether an clockw ise. answ er is going to be yes or no, and it During his or her turn, each player may fall into the field of interpretation, places one coin in the plate, and asks a sometimes. For example, if the card question to the dealer. The question draw n is XXXI - Dragon, at the question

27 CARD GAMES

TAROT SONG usually their very personal touh, to the BUILD THE BRIDGE poem. It is not uncommon that some of This game is very commonly played The deck for this game is made w ith the best composers draw applauses for in high society parties, especially by the arcanes numbers I to IX and all of their verses. Some nobles invite poems w omen, w ho are often not playing for the cards of the five suits, from 1 to 9 and w riters to their parties specifically money. How ever, there can be a w ay to each, for 54 cards in total. to play this game and challenge these put in bets in this game as w ell. It is also very popular in some game masters. More than a competition, this game houses, w here rich people lose huge is a challenge to the fellow players to ASKING FOR HELP amounts of money very fast playing this compose poetry, and share it. It may be If a player cannot come up w ith nice game. played by literallly any number of verses, another player may come and The game may be played by any players, from as few as 4 up to 80. The help completing the rhymes. It is number of players betw een 2 and 6. game is played w ith the w hole deck of common that gfiancees, married GOAL 80 cards. couples, teachers and students help The player that builds a bridge of 11 each other in this game. Asking for help SETUP or more cards first, w ins the game. is not seen as a bad thing in this game, The game is set up by a master of as the game is usually played just for DEALING CARDS ceremonies and a music player. The fun and not as a competition. The dealer shuffles the deck and the players decide an order of execution, or player sitting immediately at his right sit in a circle around the music player END OF THE GAME cuts it. The nine arcanes for this game and including in the circle the master of The game usually ends after one or are considered as a sixth suit. First, the ceremonies. more turns of each player, or w hen the dealer puts six cards upw ards on the The music player plays a music to deck of the tarots ends. The last player table, so that everyone may see them. the audience, w hile the master of is usually asked to play a double round, The dealer then gives one card each ceremonies picks a theme for the the first normally, and the second one, to every player at the table, starting composition and announces it to w ithout the lead of any card, to give a from the one that is immediately at his everybody. He shuffles the deck and proper and epic final to the left and proceding clockw ise. gives it to the first player, then he composition. Finally, the deck is put in the center composes four verses of a poem, RECORDS of the table. making rhimes so that everyone may Sometimes, there are w riters ready From the player on the left of the hear him. to record the poem that is being dealer, each takes his or her turn One by one, in the order that has composed, so that it can be kept in the proceding clockw ise. been decided, each of the players takes records or, if it is very good, shared w ith turns composing part of the poem. GAME TURN other nobles and artists. This game is At their turn, each player may chose GAME TURN considered very stylish by most of the among four different actions. The players must be good at nobles. improvising poetry, in this game. When Drop: The player that choses this PRIZE the player immediately before starts action drops a card on the table, It is not unusual that after the end of speaking his lines, the next player upw ards, so that everyone may see it, the poem, the Master of ceremonies, or draw s a card from the deck. The lines and keeps it in front of himself. the householder, declares a w inner in that he needs to come up w ith must be the person that composed the best Crush: The player takes the last related to the card that the player drew , verses, the most imaginative ones, the card added to any one line and adds it and also w ith the general theme of the most poetic, or w hatever other criteria to his or her hand. If there is no card composition. The reference to the card he w ould chose. The w inner is normally added to the first one of a line, the may be straightforward or hidden, big or given a prize w hich is more a symbolic player may pick the first card of the line, small, in a detail or very generic. recognition of his skill w ith poetry, but in that case he must pick another The player must speak his verses rather than something precious. one from his hand (or draw the first one aloud to the audience, and the first Among the young nobles, this is from the deck, if he has none) to verse must rhyme w ith the last one of considered a very convenient w ay to replace it. the person just before. meet girls of their same age and send The deck passes by and one by one Swap: This action is only possible if messages hidden in the verses w ithout the players add their verses, and the player has at least one dropped other people around to notice. 28 CARD GAMES card in front of himself. The player picks cases, there needs to be another build TRUE LOVE another player w ho has at least one phase to connect the lines. The origin of the name is unknow n, card in the hand. That picked player END OF THE GAME but someone thinks that the name, takes any card from the ones on the The game ends w hen a player is made of 8 letters, of w hich one is table, w hile the player that is in his or able to finish a bridge by succesfully repeated, w as picked to show the goal her turn picks one of the cards that are connecting 2 lines of cards. The player of the game itself: make combinations in the other player's hand. The tw o that closes the bridge is the w inner, and sharing one element. cards are sw apped, therefore the one every other player pays him one coin, The deck to play True Love is made that w as in the hand is dropped on the plus one more coin for each card that of 54 cards: the 45 cards of the 5 suits, table, ant the other one ends up in the they had in their hand at the end of the plus the arcanes n. I to IX, w hich hand. It is not possible to sw ap tw o game. Therefore, it is alw ays advisable represent suit-neutral cards. cards of the same player. not to hold too many cards in the hand The game can be played by 2, 3 or 4

Draw: The player draw s a card from in case you lose. players, and is commonly played by the deck and the turn ends. bored couples.

If the player w ent for drop, crush or GOAL sw ap, the turn doesn't end, and it is The goal of the game is to use up all possible to build. of the cards in the hand to make combinations that share one card w ith Build: If a player has among his each other. dropped cards one that matches the number or the suit of the last card that DEALING CARDS w as added to one of the lines, the The dealer shuffles the deck and the player may add it to that line. The player sitting immediately at his right player may then take cards from his cuts it. Then, the dealer gives to each dropped ones or from the ones that any player 7 cards, one by one, starting other player dropped and attach them from the player immediately at his or making a chain, alw ays follow ing the her left and proceding clockw ise. same criteria. A player may build up to Finally, he or she discards the first three cards in one turn. card of the deck and puts it upw ards on the table, for everyone to see, and puts CLOSE THE BRIDGE the deck next to it. The goal of the game is to close a bridge, connecting tw o lines of cards GAME TURN using more cards, through the build Starting from the player immediately action. Only lines of the bridge that are left to the dealer and proceding at least 5 cards long may be connected clockw ise, the players take their turns to each other. If before the build phase to play. Each player starts the turn by starts, one of the lines is 4 cards long or draw ing the first card either of the deck less, it may not be connected to any or of the discard pile and ends it by other one. discarding one card on the discard pile. The card connecting tw o lines, COMBINATIONS AND VICTORY closing the bridge, must be matching The goal of the game is to make both ends through the criteria that w ere combinations of not less than 3 and not said above. more than 5 cards. The cards may be If, after a build or crush phase tw o combined in 3, 4 or 5 of a kind, w here lines of cards match, they cannot be all of the cards share the same number, connected w ithout the use of at least or into 3, 4 or 5 cards long flushes of one extra card. It may happen w hen cards that share the same suit and one line is too short to be connected to w hose scores are subsequent to each the other ones before the build phase, other. Winning combinations must be or w hen a crushed card reveals another made w ith 7of the cards in the player's one that matches another line. In both 29 CARD GAMES hand, plus one card that w il be EXAMPLES OF WINNING COMBINATIONS discarded in the end to "close" the game. All of the combinations must be connected to each other somehow . In this page and the next ont there are examples of w inning combinations. When a player plays a w inning combination, he or she must reveal it to the other players declaring "True love!", ad w ins the game. The other players take a number of points equal to the sum of all of the scores of the cards in their hand, w ith the exception of the Arcanes. When a player gets over 50 points, he or she must leave the game and the other ones keep on playing until only one player is left.

ARCANES In this game, Arcanes are suit- neutral. It means that they may be used w ithin any flush of any suit to fill in the gaps, and that they may connect flushes of different suits together as w ell. Flushes of arcanes may also be made, if the player has enough cards.

VARIATION 1: BETS Instead of using points, the players may put one coin each in the plate before the game. The one that calls the true love first w ins them all.

VARIATION 2: MASS MURDER The only difference between the tw o games is the name. This is the name w ith w hich this game is know n among the semi-humans, like goblins, kobolds and orcs, w ho didn't w ant to play a game w ith such a feminine name. They picked a name that sounded the exact contrary of the original one, even if it made completely no sense.

VARIATION 3: REVERSE LOVE This interesting variation inverts the deck w ith the discard pile. The deck is placed on the table upw ards, so that everyone at the table may alw ays see the first card on it, w hile the cards are discarded upside-dow n and kept hidden. If a player is able to keep in mind the cards, it helps a lot. 30 CARD GAMES

ARCANA SPIRE In this game, the cards are split into tw o different decks. The first one includes only Arcanes w ith high numbers, w hile the second one includes the Arcanes w ith the low er numbers and all the cards of the five suits. This game can be played by any number of players betw een 2 and 5, and is quite a w eird game for the rules.

GOAL Collect Arcanes to make up combinations.

ARCANES DECK If there are only 2 players, the arcanes deck includes the arcanes numbered VIII to XXXV, for a total of 28 Arcanes.

If there are 3 players, Arcanes n. VI and VII are also included in the deck, for a total of 30.

If the players are 4, Arcanes n. IV and V are included as w ell, for a total of 32.

If 5 players are in the game, all of the Arcanes are used in this deck, and none in the other one.

DEALING CARDS The dealer shuffles the Arcanes deck and the other deck separately. He gives one each to the players at his sides to cut them. Then, from the Arcanes deck he gives three cards to each player, in the order he prefers and places the tw o decks on the table. Once everyone has three cards, each player bets one coin into the plate. The dealer then turns the low er cards deck upside dow n, and puts the first tw o of them on the table, leaving a total of three cards - tw o on the table, one on the deck - visible for everyone.

GAME TURN At the beginning of each turn, each player must bet 1 coin into the plate. Then, every player at the table takes one of the arcanes in his hand and puts it, covered, on the table. When 31 CARD GAMES everyone is ready, everyone turns the cards to harvest. Otherw ise, they just spire, for a maximum of three, and Arcane upwards for the other players to take back the Arcane they dropped into make combinations w ith them. The see. their hand. cards taken from the discard spire must The player w ho has the Arcane w ith be used to make combinations When the last turn of the harvest the highest number is the first to play. immediately, and cannot be taken in a phase is over for every player, the At his round, the player may pick one player's hand. Combination phase begins. out of three possible actions. Cards from the discard pile may be

COMBINATION PHASE just added to combinations that are Harvest: The player draw s a card The cards that are left on the table already in front of the player, but in that from the low er cards deck ad puts it on upw ards and w hatever is left of the tw o case the player may not add to the the table, upw ards. Then, if the Arcane decks is split into Arcanes and other same combination any cards taken that he put on the table matches the cards. The Arcanes, if there is any, are from his hand in the same turn. score of one of the cards on the table, shuffled and put, upside dow n, at the or of the sum of tw o or more of them, Raise: If the player cannot draw or center of the table. he can harvest the cards w ith the harvest, he must raise the bet by The players go through the cards Arcane and put them in his harvest pile. adding one coin to the plate and that they harvested and discard all of If he is not able to harvest any cards, discard a card, ending the turn. the cards w ith a suit, only keeping the he takes the Arcane back to his hand Arcanes, and put them together w ith END OF COMBINATION PHASE and his round ends. any Arcanes they w ere left w ith, at the When a player is left w ith no cards in

Draw: The player draw s a card from end of the Harvest phase. his hand, he drops out of the game and the Arcanes deck and his turn ends. The player w ho played last in the counts the points. Each Arcane is w orth Harvest Phase plays first now , and the a number of points equal to its number Raise: Te player raises his bet, game procedes clockw ise. (in roman numbers). adding another coin into the plate, and At his turn, each player may do one When there is only one player left in drops another Arcane. He may use the of the three possible actions once the game, he or she may play one last new Arcane to harvest, instead of the again. turn and then the combination phase first one, and takes the first one back in ends. his hand. Harvest: If the player has any Every player counts his or her points, combination of 3 or more Arcanes of Once everyone had one round and and the one w ho has the higherst score the same rank, or of 3 or more Arcanes there are no more upw ards arcanes in w ins the plate and takes all the money. that make up a flush, he may drop it on front of the players, the turn ends. If tw o or more players have the same the table and end his or her turn. A score, the plate is split, and if it's not END OF HARVEST PHASE player may also decide to add up to possible to split it evenly, w hat's left is The first half of the game is called three cards to a combination that w as added to the plate for the next game. Harvest hase, and the players keep already dropped on the table, instead of playing until there are cards in the dropping a new one. This still counts as Arcanes deck and in the low er cards a harvest. A player may add cards only deck. The harvest phase ends in tw o to his ow n combinations. cases: Draw: If the player has no

When there are no more low er cards combinations to play, he may draw a on the table to be harvested. In this card from the deck, if there is any. After case, the players that still need to play the draw , the player may put a their round may only draw or, if the combination on the table, if he has. If Arcanes deck is empty as w ell, take he has none, he must drop one card on back the Arcane they dropped into their the table, in the discard spire. The hand. discarded Arcanes are put in the shape of a spiral around the deck, so that they When a player runs out of Arcanes in may alw ays be seen by everyone, and his hand, and there are no more cards must not overlap each other. left in the Arcanes deck. The other If there are cards in the discard spire, players may still end their round, if they instead of draw ing from the deck the still have to play and there are still player may pick any cards from the 32 TAROTS AND MAGIC

As you could see, tarots are mainly a MAGICAL TAROTS same pow er at different levels, as you pictoresque addition to the game, but in w ill see by reading the description of Magical tarots are a very rare terms of game mechanics they don't the five suits. Arcanes have one magical item. There are only a handful really influence it that much. Predictions different pow er each, that matches of decks of magical tarots in the know n don't alw ays become true, and card some common spell, and w hen the w orld, and the DM should be very games may be a nice diversion, but pow er is used, if the level of the caster careful in handing such an item to the w on't really get a central spot in any needs to be determined, it is alw ays characters. game. How ever, if you w ant to get considered to be 9th level. The rank of Here there is an example of magical players more involved into tarots and the tarot gives the level of the spell that deck that you may w ant to use, but be predictions in the game, there are some is summoned w hen the card is draw n. aw are that it is very pow erful and may things that can be done. really unbalance the game if used Suit of Coins

unw isely. A shiny armor of gold coins covers DIVINE INFLUENCE Also note that, being magic items, one ally for each coin on the card. This If you w ant, Tarots may be a w ay to the magical decks are considered as armor is magical and grants a bonus of give messages to the players in a single items, even if they are made of -2 points on the AC to w hoever is cryptic w ay. If one of the characters in many cards. The cards are bound protected by it. The character that drew the game has a deck of cards, maybe together w ith magic and cannot be split. the card may decide w hich of his allies inherited by an ancestor w ho w as If they become more than 3 m distant, is protected by the armor, and may pick know n for being a fortune teller, some or if someone tries to take them aw ay himself as w ell. The creatures must all cards may fall from it, or be blow n by w ith teleportation or through other be w ithin sight of the character that is the w ind, and those cards may dimensions, the cards simply disappear using the deck. The protection granted represent a message, w hich is usually and reappear in the deck. by the armor of coins lasts for 1d6+6 a w arning. Likew ise, a character may Magical decks cannot be used for rounds. A creature may not be affected dream some tarots, or a fortune teller in everyday fortune-telling. There are by more than one armor of coins at the the game may receive the message for common tarots for that. You can invent same time, and if there are no more the characters. more magical decks and give them the available targets w hen a card of coins And again, some rich and pow erful pow ers you prefer, especially if they are is draw n, the card must be discarded character may have his fortune told, related to fortune telling. The one given and the player must draw a new one. and may call upon the characters for below is only an example. You can take Suit of Swords some adventure, due to the reading. inspiration from the spells in the next The cards of Sw ords strengthen the There are lenty of ideas to put the pages, if you w ant. w eapons of the allies. One ally for each fortune-telling in the game as a real COMBAT DECK sw ord on the card is granted a +2 message from the Immortals. This magical deck may only be used bonus on the damage w ith one Whenever the DM decides to do so, he by characters w hose Fortune Telling w eapon. The character that drew the should not pick random cards, but general skill is 15 or higher. When card may decide w hich of his allies is alw ays plan the cards to show to the draw ing a card from the deck, the granted the bonus, and may pick characters exactly. Moreover, in the character needs to check this skill, w ith himself as w ell. Each creature may be case that the tarots are a message from a -5 penalty. If the skill check fails, the picked only once, even if the creature the Immortals, w henever the characters use of the magic item fails as w ell, and has more than one w eapon. The go for a reading the same cards w ill nothing happens. If the skill check gives creatures must all be w ithin sight of the come out, no matter w hat. a success, a magic card, draw n random character that is using the deck. The This kind of divine influence on the from the deck, produces some magic bonus granted by the card of sw ords cards, how ever, is quite rare, and the pow er in the game. This magical deck lasts for 1d6+6 rounds. If there are no DM should not make it the rule. It is is made up of all of the 80 cards. more available targets w hen a card of cool if it happens once, but if it happens Each card in the deck has a different sw ords is draw n, the card must be all the time, the players w ill start pow er, and once that pow er is used, discarded and the player must draw a thinking that the tarots never lie, and the same card disappears from the new one. rely too much on the predictions. deck until the end of the day. At daw n Suit of Books on the next day, the deck is replenished One spellcaster w ithin sight of the and every card is back in place. Cards character that uses the deck, or the that belong to the same suit have the 33 TAROTS AND MAGIC character himself, may immediately this card, it must be discarded and TAROT SPELLS memorize a number of spell levels another one must be draw n. The follow ing spells are tw o equal to the number on this card. The Arcanes examples of new spells that you may spells memorized this w ay must still be In the table in this page, you can find introduce in the game in relation to the spells that the character may cast and the correspondence betw een each tarots and fortune-telling. that are w ritten in his or her spellbook, if arcane and the spells they activate. the character is an Arcane spellcaster, IDENTIFY THE THREAT (2ND LEVEL) or are know n by him, if he is a cleric. R: special The character may use these spells ARCANES AND POWERS D: 1 turn throughout the day, as if they w ere ARCANE SPELL E: tarots reveal an enemy

normally memorized in the morning, but I - Air I - Magic missile This spell must be cast on the deck once the character falls asleep (for any II - Water I - Charm person of tarots before starting a prediction. reason, even due to magic) these spells III - Earth I - Protection from evil Then, the fortune-teller takes three are immediately forgotten. Each cards out of the deck. Those three spellcaster may only be targeted by a IV - Fire I - Light cards represent in some w ay the card of books once per day. If there are V - Frost I - Sleep enemy that the questioning person is no available targets w hen the card is VI - Lightning I - Shield meant to fight. Reading the three cards draw n, the character must draw a new VII - Student I - Darkness w isely, the fortune-teller and the one and discard this one. VIII - Blacksmith II - Continual light questioning person may identify an

Suit of Fans IX - Scholar II - Detect invisible unknow n enemy or focus on his biggest Any ally of the character w ho drew X - Knight II - Web threats, find his w eaknesses and his the card, or the character himself, is strengths, so that they can get ready to XI - Princess II - Invisibility immediately healed 1d4 hit points for fight him. It is a very specific spell that XII - Prince II - Mirror image each fan that appears on the card. This doesn't w ork in any other context. The effect w orks exactly like a common XIII - Foreigner II - Phantasmal force DM must pick the three cards carefully healing spell, but the target must be XIV - Witch II - Levitate w hen the spell is cast: they should w ithin sight of the character that uses XV - Mirror III - Dispel magic show something, but not reveal too the deck. If, w hen a card of fans is XVI - Magic III - Fireball much. draw n, there are no characters that are XVII - Dreams III - Hold person missing HP on the side of the user, this FATE CHAIN (4TH LEVEL) XVIII - Goblet III - Haste card must be discarded and another R: special one must be draw n. XIX - Crow III - Fly D: 2 w eeks XX - Death III - Lightning bolt E: a prediction becomes true Suit of Roses III - Protection from XXI - Lost Soul Rose vines grow around a target normal missiles Before making a prediction w ith w ithin sight of the user. The target must XXII - Stars IV - Ice storm tarots, any spellcaster may cast this save vs. spells w ith a penalty equal to XXIII - Moon IV - Confusion spell to make sure that w hatever is said the score of the card. If the save fails, XXIV - Sun IV - Wall of fire - as long as it's realistic and makes the creature is entangled in the roses sense w ith the cards of the prediction - XXV - Lovers IV - Polymorph other and is considered paralyzed for 1d6+6 w ill become true w ithin 2 w eeks. It must XXVI - Flow ers IV - Grow th of plants rounds. If the creature is bigger than a not be the reader to cast the spell, human, a bonus is applied to resist this XXVII - Castle IV - Wall of ice anyone may do that. The prediction, spell: for each time the creature is the XXVIII - Beauty IV - Charm monster how ever, may not become true in the size of a human, the bonus to the XXIX - Unicorn V - Teleport w ay that the caster thought. It is alw ays saving throw increases by +1. For XXX - Snake V - Feeblemind the DM to decide how these things example, a creature that is up to tw ice a happen. This spell binds the fate of the XXXI - Dragon V - Hold monster man has a +1 bonus, a creature that is questioning person to the tarots and XXXII - Storm V - Cloudkill about six times has a +6. It is not forces the fate onto that person. possible to use this effect against a XXXIII - Wheel V - Wall of stone How ever, because the spell is cast creature that is more than 10 times a XXXIV - Life V - Conjure elemental before the reading happens, there's no human. If there is no available target for XXXV - Grace V - Pass w all w ay to know in advance w hat w ill happen. 34

Glantrian Tarots

is a non-official product for

The rules in this book have been developed only for private use and the book itself is not to be commercialized.

Finished on February 20th 2021 Emanuele Betti

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