Ley-lines, Dragons, and actual in-game use of a Tarot deck

[Turanil]

I was thinking of using a tarot deck to add some flavor to the game.

I have a few tarot decks, and recently bought these two (Amazon.com if you want to know where): Celtic Dragon Tarot and Dragon Tarot:

So, here is what I had decided for my fantasy campaign setting:

1) Although magic can be used almost everywhere, there are nonetheless channels / currents of magical energies in the ground. As these go in a straight line, they are called "Ley Lines". Harnessing these channels (which requires feats/edges/whatever) can enhance a caster's magic. When two or more ley lines intersect, there is a nexus point / fountain of magic, that can be used to great end by those who can draw on it.

2) Dragons are not just big monsters that eat maiden, sorts of advanced intelligent and magic using dinosaurs. They are mythical creatures of magic. They feed on the energies of magic in the Ethereal/Astral/whatever. When they sleep, they don't really sleep, but send their spirits on the Ethereal/Astral/whatever, where they feed on magic, wander, etc. Now, the thing is, that dragons always choose nexus points of ley lines for their lairs. Here they can feed on magical energies, and be connected with other places of the world through these ley lines.

3) Some wizards (Hermetic mages IMC) have learned to detect and draw on these ley lines. However they are aware of dragons being linked to these ley lines too. So, hermetic mages are able to call on the dragons (in spiritual form) and the ley lines, using a peculiar ritual. This uses a tarot deck card (see above), not to divine the future, but to specifically invoke the powers of magic regarding an endeavour, hopefully for the better.


My concern is how to handle this. I currently have but the following (beginning of) ideas:

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-- The Tarot ritual is about calling the attention of the powers of magic (and dragons) upon some people wanting to undertake an important endeavour (so going after the lich in its lair qualifies for).

-- It's better to know if the conditions are right, so to call upon those powers only if this is to be beneficial. That is, the DM rolls a die to know if the conditions would be good, neutral, or bad. Then, the hermetic mage makes a Knowledge-Omen check to know what the conditions are. Because if he calls the attention of the powers of magic / dragons when the conditions are bad, this will be to his detriment (so he would better not call upon them).

-- The hermetic mage must cast a specific spell for the tarot ritual being effective. Then he draws a certain number of cards. These represent key interventions that will be available in relation to the endeavour undertaken. My problem is: I don't know how to handle this. I think I don't want drawn cards to be a sort of bonus (like a potion or scroll) that can be used by the PCs as if these were potions / scrolls / whatever. I was thinking that maybe cards would have to be interpreted freely by the players and DM according to the circumstances during the game?

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Waiting for suggestions on how use the Dragon Tarot deck card in some interesting way.

 

[BullMarkOne]

Wow, keen concept Turanil. I really dig the art on the first set there too, good stuff. Couple of ideas for ya, not necessarily all related.

- I like the idea of free interpretation for cool factor, but depending on your players it could lead to arguements. What about a list of effects based on the "traditional" tarot interpretations? By this I mean something along the lines of the interpretations printed in little booklets with most rider-waite tarot decks.

- What about reversed cards? These could represent "negative" effects.
-- (subset of above) you could go with organic draw to determine "favorability"
-- or maybe have the dm's roll determine how many cards are treated as reversed
-- or go with either of the above and modify based on the players skill check?

- Since the "tarot ritual" will be a spell how about multiple versions spread across a couple of spell levels? So that there is a "weak" version, that might work anywhere there is the spiritual presence of a dragon, then a "medium" version that works on ley lines, and a "powerful" version that will work on nexus points.

- Are ley lines detectable? or easily detectable? Could the players skill roll represent the characters ability to locate a suitable site for the ritual?

- If you don't mind added complexity for little mechanical value (but a whole lot of flavor imho) you could assign different types of requests their own "spreads" of cards. So that say, help with the "harvest to stave off impending famine" has a spread, and so does "help us go beat down the bbbeg who has razed half the country and is prepping to raze the other half"
-- Could the players skill roll be used to determine an appropriate spread for the situation at hand? Or maybe to research a new spread?

 

[Scribble]

For the Ley Lines, someone once introduced me to BadAxe Games' Heros of High Flavor: Elves...


it has a pretty good system for handling ley lines. (though in my campaign I modified it a bit and made most of the powers ley lines grant only usable by someone with the feat Leyline Sensitivity...)

 

[Vrecknidj]

Cool ideas. I'm looking forward to seeing this stuff worked out in detail.

Dave

 

[WayneLigon]

Tarot: The Simple Way

I would suggest that the Tarot 'spell' be a ritual lasting 10 minutes or more, or it be a skill roll of some kind. Correct interpretation should result in some foresight into actions or outcomes. To abstract it out, The effect would be to grant the party the effects of a Bless or some degree of AC bonus. Possibly the best way of doing it would be to use the same effects as the various Bard enhancements, save that these last for the entire 'scene'. Some significant bonus that comes from having foreknowledge of what to avoid or do or say.

Tarot: The Hard Way
The much harder (on the GM) way is to use significant parts of the spread to plan the adventure and then let the players interprete if something is significant to them or not. That requires you either doing the spread beforehand and planning the adventure and encounters around it, or being really quick on your GMing feet.

Or you could just do like most tarot readers have done: point out the 'significant portions' after the fact (You: Oh, that peddlar you met and the advice he gave..? Remember what the Emperor card in that position meant? Players; Ooooooh!), and use the entire system for added flavor for the campaign world.

The Dragon had a good article about a Tarot-based Deck of Meny Things, many years ago. It's probably on the archive CDs if you can find them.

 

[Turanil]

The way I see in-game use of a Tarot deck card, is to provide ambiance and mythology.

I don't want it to be another excuse for buffing the characters. I don't want it to be: "So okay, +1 for the bless spell, +2 for the sword, +1 for the bard's chant, and +1 for the tarot card drawn..."

I rather see cards would add story elements that players could use to their advantage. So, lets take the "four of cup" (first card, top left above) for example. It shows three dragons drinking from cups, and a woman with another cup. So, it seems to show a person who would feed upon a nexus point as dragons do (in the setting). As a beneficial card, PCs might seek such a person in order to get her help; if a bad card, it's a warning that such a person could be against them. Then, during the adventure, suppose the PCs find two NPCs who fit the description, which one is the good one? It's up to the PCs to choose one of them and then specifically use the card so that NPC will become involved. (Now, if this translates into a Diplomacy check bonus or something, I am back to a Buff thing... Mmmmh... will have to think more about it).

Anyway, thanks for the ideas, let them keep coming. (And yes, I see spells for weaker, medium, and greater tarot draws; and a tarot ritual takes time, not one round to cast.)

 

[TheUnknownSoul]

Well, each card has a mythology and an aspect, good and ill.

Replace the magic system with it!

Hedge mages have a deck of cards, and they can draw the energy of the card once per day. The effect could link with the mage's caster level.

example: The Ace of Cups has an aspect of love. By using this card, the mage can create effects based on love or hate.

Low Level: +2 Diplomacy or +2 Intimidate (rev), Charm Person or Cause Fear (rev)
Med Level: Charm Monster or Fear (rev), Good Hope or Crushing Dispair (rev)
High Level: Sympathy or Antipathy (rev).

Each card can be used 1/day, so the mage effectively has 78 effects/day. If they aren't powerful (and reusable) they should balance out. Especially if many don't have big-combat potential. (aka fireball).

If its too much of an overhaul, then perhaps tarot cards are magical items that can be used to create similar magical effects?

 

[BullMarkOne]

Anyway, thanks for the ideas, let them keep coming. (And yes, I see spells for weaker, medium, and greater tarot draws; and a tarot ritual takes time, not one round to cast.)

Hmm, I think I see what your implying.. I would definately see the value of a free interpretation method. But what about the following?

When prepping (writing or tweaking published) adventures you could assign certain cards to certain encounters, or build up a stable of tangental plotlines (ie not necessary to your main plot). You could also assign certain cards to specific npc's or treasure items. Possibly allowing the players to dictate to a small, semi-random degree the details of the adventure. The character casts the spell, the spread is layed out, and then left near the table as a guide for you to reference when the key encounters come up. Might be able to add a nifty element of surprise to your own game design as well.

I'm not trying to imply that you should give all of the cards in a tarot deck meaning for any given adventure. I think that a small fraction should be treated so, leaving you with the option of freely interpreting the majority of the cards.


On the subject of open interpretation: you could make up totally arbitrary interpretations of cards and use these to feed the players information. Either hints about the upcoming adventure, or bits of interesting, and maybe relevant history about the setting.

You could also let certain of the major arcana come to represent major npc's in your plot. I mean the movers and shakers that are outside the pc's reach at their current level. I'd try to let this grow naturally tho, and not set any value to these cards at the campaign start.

 

[cutup]

These are really cool ideas. I used to do Tarot readings for the characters in my games to help write the following week's adventure/encounters pretty much in the same manner as described by BullMarkOne.