Vitor Ayres Fernandes (Order #22519015)

The Tarot Deck of

Many, Many Things

A sourcebook for adventurous characters of all levels.

by KEVIN OHANNESSIAN

Cover adapted from a photo by Derek Gavey

https://www.flickr.com/photos/derekgavey/5340569099/
(under creative commons attribution 2.0)
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

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 Table of Contents

Introduction page 3

The Deck page 4

The Cards
The Major Arcana page 5
Minor Arcana: Wands page 11
Minor Arcana: Swords page 15
Minor Arcana: Cups page 19
Minor Arcana: Coins page 23

Tips for Play page 27

Scenarios page 28

Adventure page 29

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 Introduction
There are few magic items in Dungeons and
Dragons that embody the game's potential for
fantastic possibilities as the Deck of Many
Things. A draw from the deck can completely
change a character into a force to be feared or
strike them with some terrible circumstance
that takes months to overcome.
This guidebook expands the 22-card deck
from the many editions of D&D into a full
Tarot of 78 choices, both the major and minor
arcana. And much like actual Tarot readings,
whether the cards are drawn right side up or
inverted can drastically alter the outcome.
As a player, when I drew from the original
deck, I found myself facing my own grim
reaper. As a Dungeon Master, I have seen a
fighter instantly gain a level. I have also seen
a cleric lose all of their items, including a
Shield +5 they were fortunate to roll as loot
from a giant lizard randomly encountered in
the fields of Faerun.
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THE TAROT DECK OF MANY, MANY THINGS
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The cards below are fairly balanced with a
mix of positive results, negative results, or
neutral results -- strange things that will
change a character or their circumstances.
Whatever draw from the deck a player gets, it
will likely be memorable. And if they draw
multiple cards, the interplay between them
could be shockingly epic.
But a note of warning: draws from this Tarot
deck can drastically change a campaign. It is
recommended you use these cards only if you
can truly embrace the idea that anything can
happen in your game and you are ready to
really shake things up. But that is the point
to roleplaying -- to see where the most unreal
situations take you. And with that, it is time
to shuffle...
3!
 The Deck

This collection of 78 tarot cards are usually
made with the best materials, expertly crafted
vellum with finely painted figures or ivory
with etched and stained images. The deck can
be contained in a velvet pouch, a wooden box,
or even a metallic case.
The Reader, the one giving the Tarot reading,
will ask the player how many cards they want
to draw while they shuffle. This may be a
disembodied voice, if the deck was abandoned
somewhere. If another player is the one to
pick up the deck and give readings, they will
be compelled to ask the question and shuffle.
The player then draws a card and flips it over.
The Reader notes which card was drawn and
if it is properly oriented or inverted, from the
point of view of the one drawing. This is
crucial because an inverted card has a
different result than one drawn upright.
The effect occurs immediately, though a few
have a delayed reaction. Other cards beyond
the first must be drawn less than 1 hour after
the last card they drew. If the player does not
physically draw the card(s), they will fly to the
player themselves and take effect.
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THE TAROT DECK OF MANY, MANY THINGS
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When the effect of the card begins, the
physical card will instantly disappears from
existence, flawlessly teleporting back into the
deck. Thus, a player could get the same card
multiple times in a row.
The tarot deck is divided into the Major
Arcana, featuring 22 named cards such as
Justice or the Magician. The Minor Arcana
are the remaining 56 cards, four suits not
unlike a typical deck of the playing cards. The
suits are Wands, Swords, Cups, and Coins,
rather than the four suits in a deck of playing
cards. The cards are numbered 2 to 10 and
then there are face cards, including an Ace --
besides the King and Queen, there is a Page
card and a Knight card instead of just a Jack.
The suits are Wands, Swords, Cups, and
Coins, rather than the four suits in a deck of
playing cards.
So without further adieu, here are the 78
cards themselves. Good luck on your draw.
4
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 The Cards

The Major Arcana
O - THE FOOL
The Reader says, "Here comes the fool." A
jester appears and insults the player, saying
they are a bigger fool than him. He laughs
and points at the character. A sense of
embarrassment overcomes the character.
They lose 10,000 experience and draw once
more, foolishly.
inverted
The jester walks around and looks at player
and says, "You are a fool." The PC goes into
shock, thinking about their life, realizing the
jester is right. They come out of the daze with
insight on how they have been foolish in the
past. They gain 10,000 experience.
I - THE MAGICIAN
The Reader says, "A practitioner of magic
approaches." A Wizard appears and gives
assistance to the party in any way he can,
but he will seek spells or magic items as
payment. He looks like a stereotypical human
wizard with a robe and a pointy hat. He is
12th level, with ability scores all 10 except for
an Int of 16. and his tradition is Divination.
inverted
The same wizard appears, attempts to help,
but makes things worse. The entire time he
insults the character for wasting his time.
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II - THE HIGH PRIESTESS
The Reader says, "Prepare for the aid of the
priestess." A matronly woman appears,
dressed in robes of holy authority. She asks
whom the player wants restored. Everyone
designated in 1 minute is healed completely,
including all diseases and ailments.
inverted
The same woman appears and asks the
player, "Which infidel do you wish defeated?"
The NPC named suddenly dies via divine
intervention. If the character says they do not
wish any deaths the priestess calls the
character merciful and heals the group like
the non-inverted card.
III - THE EMPRESS
The Reader says, "All hail the empress." A
raised platform is brought out by four
servants and the well dressed ruler is
revealed. She blows a kiss to the PC, saying
she gives them her blessing. The character
becomes pregnant. If the character is male,
the baby grows inside a magic bubble inside
their torso, and will need to be birthed via a
C-section when the time comes.
inverted
The empress gives a look of scorn and curses
the PC, declaring, "Barren. Bare. You will die
without children, without legacy, without
love." The character is now sterile.
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 IV - THE EMPEROR
The Reader says, "Long live the glorious
emperor." An emperor on his throne sprouts
up from the ground. He asks the player to
draw near. He gives a speech on what it takes
to rule. He then examines the character and
pronounces them worthy. He bestows upon
the player his Rod of Lordly Might (DMG
p196). He asks the player to use it for the
good of all. The first time the player uses the
rod in a deliberately evil way it will stop being
magical for one day. The second time it will
lose all its magic permanently.
inverted
The emperor examines the character and
pronounces them unworthy. The PC is forced
to kneel, paralyzed in that position. Then he
presses the button and turns his Rod into a
Battleaxe +3, and gets a single attempt to
chop off their head (Instant Death rule
applies, PHB p197). After the single attack is
made, the emperor returns to the ground.
V - THE HIEROPHANT
The Reader states, "Now comes a servant of
the heavens." A wizened priest appears,
stating he is a messenger of the gods. He asks
the character if he has a patron god. If he
does, the priest comments on the god’s great
qualities and then touches the player on the
forehead. The symbol of the god is forever
branded there. Those who follow this god will
give the PC respect, but enemies of said god
will hate them. The DM should devise
suitably drastic results in social situations.
Players who answer they do not follow a god
just get a pitiful glance from the priest.
inverted
The same as above, though the priest
punishes the faithless by putting a magical
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mark on their forehead that says the word
faithless in the tongue of the native language
of whoever reads it. The mark will only
disappear when the character finds faith.
VI - THE LOVERS
The Reader hands the character a small token
that hints at the identity of the love of their
life and says, "This will lead you to true love."
The PC will meet their soulmate sometime
during the next week. The PC will have to face
many obstacles to win their love. The DM
should put the time in to make the soulmate
a fully fleshed out NPC with stats, goals, etc.
inverted
The same as above, except a tragedy will
befall their soulmate. It could be illness. It
could be murder. It could even by they go on
a quest that changes them into a villain.
VII - THE CHARIOT
The Reader cocks head as if listening and
states, "Hark the rumble of the chariot." A
black chariot being pulled by two Nightmares
(MM p235) and driven by a Cambion (MM
p36). It will run down the PC. They all will
attack relentlessly for one minute, ten
rounds, each day. This will reoccur until the
PC is killed or they are. The chariot is
intangible to everyone else, except for the PC.
inverted
The same chariot appears and asks the
character whom they would see vanquished.
It will perform the same actions as above, but
against whomever is named.
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 VIII - STRENGTH (1) or a critical success (20) on any d20 rolls.
The Reader says, "You are reborn, with the Have fun with this one!
Strength to succeed." The PC becomes a half-
orc. All changes and modifiers occur, with an
additional +1 to Strength above the usual inverted
modifiers. If already a half-orc, the receive an The same as above, except the wheel is tilted,
additional +2 to Strength. and only a 1 on a 1d4 in the morning gives
good luck.

inverted
The Reader says, "You are drained of your
strength." The character gets a -2 to Strength.
XI - JUSTICE
The Reader states, "Justice shall be served." A
sense of foreboding weighs on the PC. The
next important action the character
IX - THE HERMIT completes will have consequences. If it is a
The Reader says, "Behold your future." The good act, an unforeseen reward will result. If
player is given a glimpse of themselves at old it is a negative act, than something like poetic
age. They are alone and crazy, a hermit in the justice will occur.
wild. They are abandoned and they are fated
to die alone. This leaves the character with a
sense of dread for the future, losing whatever inverted
experience gained toward their next level. The Reader states, "Justice will come to one
who is close to you." Similar to above, but it
will be on an NPC close to them, with the
inverted result somehow effecting the player (for better
The same as above, except the old version of or for worse).
the character is giving advice to a room of
students. A year of such classes flashes by in
the PC's mind. They gain confidence in the
future, receiving 50% Experience needed to
gain their next level.

X - THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE

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

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 XII - THE HANGED MAN
STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
The Reader expresses sympathy for the PC,
16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3) 16 (+3)
then they are swallowed by a large black gem,
the size of a wall. The party can look into it Damage Immunities: necrotic, poison
and watch as a gallows instantly appears and Condition Immunities: charmed, frightened,
paralyzed, petrified, poisoned
the PC is hung. Time seems to speed up as Senses: darkvision 60 ft., truesight 60 ft., passive
they watch the body of the character be Perception 13
buried. It speeds quicker as days of horrible Languages: all languages known to its summoner
weather pass. Finally the player emerges as Challenge — (0 XP)

an undead who slowly approaches the gem

and emerges from it. The gem turns to dust
and blows away. The PC is now a kind of
Ghoul (MM p148), their skin tight and
slightly discolored, though not decaying. They
have the poison immunity and the darkvision
of a Ghoul, the bite of a Ghoul, but not the
claws or the need to devour corpses.
Incorporeal Movement. The reaper can move
through other creatures and objects as if they were
difficult terrain. It takes 5 (1d10) force damage if it
ends its turn inside an object.
Turning Immunity. The reaper is immune to features
that turn undead.
Action: Reaping Scythe. The reaper sweeps a scythe
through a creature within 5 feet of it, dealing 7 (1d8
+ 3) slashing damage plus 4 (1d8) necrotic damage.

inverted
The same as above, but when the character is
buried, they emerge not as undead, but
reborn with a new regard for life. The XIV - TEMPERANCE
character now has Damage Resistance to The Reader says, "You are now tempered." The
Necrotic energy. PC no longer needs food, water, sleep, or air.
They just exist. One could consume these
things, but they aren’t needed to survive.

XIII - DEATH inverted

The Reader solemnly states, "Now there is
death." A grim reaper comes to kill the PC. It
warns that anyone who helps the player will
have their own reapers to face. It will If a
character is slain, they are slain forever.
The Reader says, "You are ill-made." They now
need double the food and water to live. They
also get exhausted easily, with endurance
checks being made at a -4 penalty.

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

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

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 XV - DEVIL
The Reader states, “I smell sulphur. You’ve
gained the enmity of the netherworld.” A devil
attacks the player sometime during the next
week. It won’t stop until it is killed or the
player is. The devil is a Bone Devil if player is
level 6 or less, an Erinyes if level 7 to 11, or a
Pit Fiend if level 12 or more (MM p66 to 78).
inverted
The Reader states, “I smell sulphur. Are you
sure you aren’t of the netherworld?” The
character gets little nubs on their head that
grow into full horns after a week. It is not
unlike a Tiefling (PHB p42) — they even get
the Thaumaturgy cantrip (PHB p282) and
Darkvision like one.
XVI - THE TOWER
The Reader says, "You shall rise above all
others." The PC grows in height. They grow to
the maximum height + 10%. Their Strength
and Constitution will be +1, but their
Dexterity will be -2.
Constitution, over heart; Intelligence, side of
head; Wisdom, forehead; Charisma, around
one eye. Once per day, the PC can touch the
brand and choose to activate it for one
minute. The brand will glow for that minute,
raising that ability score by 5 points.
inverted
The same as above, except when the brand is
activated, the PC also loses 1 point in each of
the other 5 ability scores.
XVIII - THE MOON
The Reader says, "The genie of the night shall
grant your wishes." A moonstone (translucent
and pearl-like) appears in air before them. It
grants 1d4 Wishes to use (PHB p288), one a
minute, measured in realtime. This is
represented as a moonstone with the shape of
the phases; full=4, gibbous=3, half=3,
crescent=1, new=0. The moonstone changes
shape as wishes are granted, the Reader
stating the phase as it happens.

inverted
The Reader says, "All shall rise above you."
The character shrinks to minimum height -
10%. Their Strength and Constitution will be
-1, but their Dexterity will be +2.
inverted
The moonstone is full, but tinted dark red.
The player makes one wish, which first seems
beneficial, but will turn out to be rather
disastrous for the player.

XVII - THE STAR

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

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 XIX - THE SUN
The Readers says, "The light of the sun shall
radiate upon you." From a large ball of light,
an item from Magic Item Table F (DMG p146)
emerges and floats to the PC. Then a burst of
sunlight occurs as the ball fades, granting the
player wondrous insight, which provides
50,000 experience.
XXI - THE WORLD
The Reader states, "Prepare for a journey
through the world." The world flashes by
them, land and sea alike. With a sudden jolt,
the character finds themselves in a random
place in their world. The dungeon master may
or may not choose for the other PCs to take
the trip too.

inverted inverted
After receiving the item, the player will see the The Reader states, "Prepare for a journey to
same ball of light, but the player is sucked in. another world." A similar blurring of space
They take 1d6 damage per level and are around the character occurs, but they see
blinded permanently. outer space with planets and stars going by
and when it stops the player is on another
world altogether. The dungeon master may or
may not choose for the other PCs to take the
trip too.
XX - JUDGMENT
The Reader gives the character a grim look
and exclaims, "Thou shall be judged." The
character and the closest ten people (allies
and enemies) will be transported to a marble
court room. No one is able to lie, or speak out
of turn. There, three judges will question the
PC’s life, seeing if they were Good. The jury
asks questions and then make a ruling. The
judges then rule. If they acted Good in life,
they are freed without consequence, if Neutral
then they permanently loses a level, if Evil
they are instantly slain.

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

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 inverted
MINOR ARCANA, WANDS The same as above, except the Reader asks,
"Whose end shall you witness?” The player
Ace of Wands – BALANCE answers and sees the death of another
The Reader says, "You are weighed in the person, with the player now forewarned of a
balance, and found wanting." A flood of threat to that individual.
thoughts on morality overwhelm the PC.
When the barrage dies down, the PC is not
the same. Randomly change their alignment.
If the player doesn’t follow the new alignment,
Four of Wands – THRONE
they will receive a -1 to all d20 rolls.
The Reader says, "Somewhere you shall have
a throne of your own. Where shall be your
home?" The player answers, gaining a small
inverted
keep at that location. With this gain comes
The same as above, except they are fanatical,
the knowledge to maintain those who work
compelled to criticize friends and family that
there, as well as proficiency in Intimidation
act outside their new alignment. If the player
and Persuasion while in the keep.
doesn't do so, they get another -1 to d20 rolls.

Two of Wands – CHARLATAN
The Reader says, "What a tangled web we
weave." The character is now a pathological
liar. At minimum, they must lie at least once
per day, usually when the situation is critical,
and usually for personal gain.
inverted
The same as above, except the keep becomes
a magnet of trouble, always being attacked by
wandering monsters or would be conquerors
coming for the keep.

Five of Wands – DRAGON

The Reader says, "May this new life bring
inverted
hope to yours." The character receives a
The character now abhors lying, and they can
Pseudo Dragon (MM p254), of the character’s
cast the Zone of Truth spell once per day
alignment, as a familiar. The normal rules for
(PHB p289).
having a familiar apply (PHB p107, PHB p240,
MM p254).

Three of Wands – DOOM inverted

The Reader says, "Welcome to life’s end." All The same as above, except the Pseudo Dragon
becomes dark, then a play-like scene appears is Chaotic Neutral. It will be harder to raise--
before them. They see themselves, witnessing but over time the alignment of the familiar
their own death. After falling to the floor in will shift to that of character.
hysterics, they find themselves back in the
real world. Whenever they encounter a similar
situation, they make a Wisdom save versus
DC 12 or be Frightened (PHB p290).

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 Six of Wands – ECHO
The Reader says, "May a thing you behold be
voiced and echoed throughout this place."
After they say the name of an item they can
see, the words echo continuously through the
area, becoming louder, a shape of energy
forming in the center. It culminates in a
booming echo and the item popping into
existence. The character is given a double of
an item (not an artifact) in sight.
inverted
The Reader says, "May a thing you behold be
named, so it shall fade away like the echo of
your voice." The echo crescendos once more,
but this time the energy surrounds an object.
The echo’s loud conclusion makes the item
pop out of existence.
Seven of Wands – FAITH
The Reader says, "Let a hollow receptacle be
filled." The image of a deity of the character’s
alignment appears in their mind. The PC
becomes a believer of this deity. They roll
1d10 when they level up; on a result of 1 they
must take a level of Cleric. Repeat until a
level of Cleric is taken. If the character is
already a believer in a god or a Cleric, the
vision is of their deity. The PC is gifted with
the ability to contact a proxy of their lord
once per week, ala Commune (PHB p223).
inverted
The same as above, except the character is
instantly reshaped by their new belief, losing
all levels in their given class and gaining
levels as a Cleric. The player may make a one
time decision to switch the numbers in
Wisdom and another ability score.
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Eight of Wands – DESIRE
The Reader says, "Who do you want to see?"
The player names a living character they have
met in the past. That character is instantly
teleported to the player's side. They remain
for 1 minute, and then are teleported back. If
the subject is killed or knocked out, they do
not teleport back.
inverted
The Reader asks, "Who do you want to be?"
The player names another character they
have met. The player is told what feats or skill
proficiencies that character possesses. They
then choose one to get for free. With that
ability comes the muscle memory that
character has for said ability.
Nine of Wands – FLESH
The Reader points at the character and says,
"A pound of flesh, no more no less." They feel
a sickening drain. Reader adds, “Only blood
will salve your body.” The character begins to
decay, losing 1 Constitution point every week,
unless they bathe in fresh blood that week,
which gives 1 Constitution point back. This
will persist for a lifetime, barring divine
intervention or a Wish (PHB p288).
inverted
The Reader points and says, "The body is a
temple." The character feels a soothing wave
of energy, making their flesh perfect; scars
disappear and will not appear in the future.
Any physical ailments are removed. The
character gains proficiency in Constitution
saves, or doubles the bonus if they already
have that proficiency.
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 Ten of Wands – GREED
The Reader says, "Greed fills your heart and
blinds your eyes." Thoughts of greed
overwhelms the character. Double your
number of remaining draws, adding a
minimum of one.
inverted
The Reader says, "Greed fills your mind and
sickens your soul." The character realizes the
horror of greed and the next considerable
magic item they receive will be refused or
given away. They also refuse any remaining
draws from the deck.
Page of Wands – IDIOT
The Reader says, "Ignorance is bliss." The
character suddenly feels lazy and lethargic.
They slump over, their mind emptying. They
lose 1d4 points of Intelligence, but they can
choose to draw another card.
inverted
The same as above, but they gain double the
loss as a Wisdom bonus.
Knight of Wands – FEY
The Reader says, "May glamour find you and
bind you." Lights of all colors surround the
character, filling him with a sense of wonder
and delight. When these little lights cease the
character finds they have become more fey. It
is special for a half-elf because they become
full-blooded, with appropriate ability score
adjustments and abilities added (PHB p21),
as well as Charisma +3. Elves gain Charisma
+2 as they become closer to the ideal of
Elvenkind. For everyone else they gain
Charisma +1, as an elf-like grace is given.
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inverted
The Reader says, "May the darkness find you
and bind you." The lights are of darker hues:
blues, purples, and grays. They become
Drow-ish: skin becomes grayer, hair become
lighter, and eyes become much paler. Elves
become more Drow-ish, with similar cosmetic
changes, and an additional +1 to Charisma.
Half-elves become a full-blooded Drow, with
all the appropriate modifiers (PHB p24), as
well as an additional +1 to Charisma on top
of the other ability score adjustments.
Queen of Wands – KEY
The Reader says, "Here is your key," and
hands a large brass key to the character. It
changes shape into a useful magic weapon.
Roll on Magic Item Table G (DMG p147),
with any result not being a weapon, staff, or
wand being considered a Weapon +1. The
actual form of the weapon, such as a long
sword or short bow, is changed to a weapon of
the player’s choice. The weapon has a Minor
Property (DMG p143). The weapon will be
instrumental in defeating an upcoming
enemy, due to the enemy having a weakness
to that particular weapon.
inverted
The same as above, except the item is Cursed
(DMG p138), causing the player to have a 50%
chance to automatically fail a Saving throw.
But only one save can be failed per day.
13
!
 King of Wands – THE SEVEN
The Reader says, "You are now enthralled by
the seven." He raises his hands and with each
finger names a sin. Everyday one sin takes
hold of the character in a random order. This
lasts seven days until each gets a turn. If the
person survives, they gain a permanent +1 to
all saves. The Sins are Greed (tries not to
spend wealth, only stare at it), Lust (seeks out
partners for sex), Gluttony (goes on a binge,
eating and drinking), Pride (becomes arrogant
and overconfident), Envy (covets what others
have), Wrath (becomes easy to anger), Sloth
(unwilling to act, -2 to rolls).

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

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

Ace of Swords – BLOOD

The Reader says, "Blood is life." The PC goes
into convulsions. Every time the character is
Three of Swords – HELL
hurt, their blood rages and they convulse
The Reader says, "There is hell to pay." A
(losing a round of action). They must make a
chasm opens up, and a demon crawls out of
Constitution save with a DC = to 8 + the
it. They seek payment, something that will
damage dealt. If they fail, The PC’s blood
hurt the PC to give up -- a favorite weapon, all
begins to race in agony, receiving a -2 to all
their gold, their love for their siblings. DM
rolls, until they take a Short Rest. Only Wish
must decide what is valuable enough to the
(PHB p288) can remove the affliction.
player that the demon is satisfied. If the devil
does not get such a thing after negotiation,
they will attack without mercy. The demon is
inverted
a Shadow demon if player is level 5 or less, a
The same as above, except rather than going
Glabrezu if level 6 to 10, a Nalfeshnee if level
into convulsions, when hurt they are
11 to 15, or a Balor if level 16 or more (MM
automatically invigorated. They receive a +4
p50 to 65).
Constitution bonus which lasts until the
encounter is over.

inverted
The same as above, but the demon laughs
and says the PC’s terrible future impresses
Two of Swords – COMET him. He gives the PC the weapon Black
Starlit darkness surrounds the area. The Razor (DMG p216) to bring that future.
Reader points at a shooting star and says,
"Your next enemy shall be as a comet that
guides you toward the future." If the player
defeats next hostile opponent with a challenge
Four of Swords – DONJON
rating equal to or greater than the player's
The Reader says, "You have lost your
level, they gain enough experience to go up a
freedom." Shimmering walls of force envelop
level. The player, and the player only, can see
the character. It and the PC then fade from
a starlight aura around the enemy.
sight. They leave their items behind. The PC’s
party must seek out the imprisoned comrade.
inverted
The same as above, except the Reader says,
inverted
"Your next enemy shall be the comet that
The Reader says,"Bars shall not bind you."
guides you toward glory." If the player
The PC (and their party) will be freed from
successfully defeats next hostile opponent
their next instance of bondage -- it’s basically
with a challenge rating equal to or greater
a get out of jail for free card.
than the player's level, they will find an
additional piece of loot from Magic Item
Table I (DMG p149). The magic item has a

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 Five of Swords – ROGUE
The Reader says, "There is a rogue out for
you." A close NPC gains a secret hatred
toward the character. They will plot against
the character, and will reveal their hatred at
the culmination of their revenge.
inverted
The same as above, except the player becomes
obsessed, wanting to hunt everyday, eat only
fresh meat they kill, learn abilities or spells to
help with hunting.

inverted
The same as above, except the NPC will work
towards a good thing that will help the player.
Six of Swords – HERO
The Reader says, "The world needs heroes." A
trumpet sounds and the world dissolves and
they find they are in a King’s Hall. They
brought before the King and charged as a
Knight on a Quest. The character and their
party have been teleported to a storybook
world. The PC becomes the center of a heroic
quest. This quest is a cliche, with a princess
held by an evil wizard or cruel knight.
inverted
The same as above, except there will be an
ironic twist that makes the PC the villain.
Perhaps the princess appears captive, but is
really undergoing some strange ritual before
marriage. The PC will learn form her that she
didn’t want to be rescued.
Eight of Swords – VOID
The Reader says, "You are void." Black energy
surrounds the character as they flail about.
Once they are completely covered, they stop
flailing and the black energy rises off the
body. It resembles a black balloon illuminated
to gray because of the vibrant soul within.
This soul balloon floats into the horizon. The
PC’s soul is lost somewhere, their body falling
into a coma. The party must reunite the soul
with the body. A Wish (PHB p288) can reveal
where soul is located.
inverted
The black energy stays on the body, whisking
it away, leaving a shadowy image of the
character. They are ethereal and can’t touch
the material plane or effect it with magic. The
PC’s body is lost, and the soul must find it. A
Wish can reveal where the body is located.

Seven of Swords – HUNT

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

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 Nine of Swords – LIFE
The Reader says, "Receive the gift of life." A
little point of light appears and the character
feels their hit points leaving them. Their
health appear as points of light flying out of
their body like fireflies, joining the first light,
Soon, there is a concert of lights floating in
the area. When the PC reaches zero HP, they
are paralyzed. The symphony of lights begin
to rapidly fly around in swarms. Then the
lights violently fly back into the character’s
body. The player is completely rejuvenated
and healed. The character’s hit points become
as if the player had rolled the maximum
number of HP every level.
inverted
The Reader says, "Now your life slips away."
The point of light appears, as well as the
lights flying out of the PC. When the lights go
wild some of them burst and die. The lights
return to the PC, who learns they have lost 2
HP per level from their total hit points.
Ten of Swords – PAIN
The Reader says, "Behold the horrible face of
pain." A scarred female face appears, floating
in space--not a head, but a hairless visage of
just the skin and muscles of the actual face.
Blood drips from behind. It floats over to the
character, staying quiet. Then it slowly curses
the character, "Thou shall feel my agony." The
PC is cursed into taking +2 damage from each
melee attack against them, leaving
horrendous scars. This can only be stopped
with Remove Curse or similar magic.
inverted
This same face appears and floats over to the
PC. The face smiles and heals into a perfect
beauty, including long black hair growing.
This beautiful female blesses the player,
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"Thou shall resist pain." Once per day, the
player can bolster themselves for one minute,
gaining resistance to bludgeoning, piercing,
and slashing damage.
Page of Swords – LEGEND
The Reader says, “You are the stuff of legend."
A book forms with the PC’s name on top. The
first page starts with the words, 'Once upon a
time there was a man…' (change race and
gender to fit PC). They instantly now know the
tale of a famous hero that has the same name
as the PC. A past exploit of the PC mirrors
this commonly known legend. The PC is seen
as the reincarnation of this famous hero. The
PC may receive positive attention and fame
wherever they go.
inverted
The same as above, but it puts the PC in a
bad light. This makes the player infamous
when they become known.
Knight of Swords – KNIGHT
The Reader says, "You shall be served.” A
fighter arrives on horseback. They say they
shall serve until death. They are the same
race and gender and alignment as PC. Their
ability scores are 15,15,15,12,12,12; Level is
half of PC, rounded down; HP total is level x
10. The warrior has plate mail and great
sword (both +1 for levels 4 to 6, +2 for levels 7
and 8, +3 for levels 9 and 10).
inverted
The same as above, except the NPC is merely
a level 1 squire with all scores of 12.
17
!
 Queen of Swords – PHOENIX
The Reader says, "From the ashes, it is
reborn." In the air a small flame appears. The
phoenix emerges from it and shrieks. It then
flies into the character, becoming a tattoo.
The tattoo is ribbons of flame crisscrossing
the person’s body, culminating with a huge
fiery bird on the back. The tattoo grants Fire
Resistance. When the character dies there is
an explosion 1d6 rounds later (as they
become engulfed by fire) equal to a Fire Ball
spell (PHB p241) of 10d6 damage and DC 15
centered on the body. The character emerges
from the explosion resurrected, with all
ailments, equipment, and the tattoo, gone.
inverted
When the phoenix appears, she attacks the
character, in a rage. Stats are the same as a
After the duel, if he lives, the Challenger
laments his survival. He explains that once
he fought the Challenger and he killed them
-- he gained all of his swords by becoming the
next Challenger. If the player does kill the
Challenger, they learn about this outcome the
hard way, by being cursed to the same fate.
inverted
The Challenger looks at PC and says they are
unworthy, The party is teleported back. After
the player gains two levels, they will be
teleported to the arena to finally duel him.
The Challenger
Medium human, neutral
Fighter, level 9
Armor Class 15
Hit Points: 100

Giant Eagle (PHB p306, MM p325), but STR DEX CON INT WIS CHA
Ability scores are all +2, attacks have +2 to 16 (+3) 14 (+2) 16 (+3) 10 (0) 10 (0) 10 (0)
hit and +1d6 fire damage; Armor Class is +2
Senses: passive Perception 10
natural armor; Hit Points are +2d10; it has
Languages: common
immunity to fire; and at death causes the Challenge — (0 XP)
above Fire Ball. The phoenix’s Challenge
rating is 4. Dueling style (PHB p72). When wielding a sword in
one hand, and no other weapons, the Challenger
gains a +2 bonus to damage rolls.

One-handed assault. Two attacks with a base bonus

of +7 and +5 damage, before weapon modifiers.
King of Swords – DUEL
Two-handed assault. Two attacks with a base bonus
The Reader says, "It is time to dance the of +7 and +3 damage, before weapon modifiers.
duel." The PC and their party are whisked
away. The PC who drew the card is inside an
arena, the party in the stands. A man The Challenger’s Blades
wrapped in bloody bandages is across from 1 - Sword of Dancing, rapier (DMG p161) and Dagger of
Venom (DMG p161)
the PC. He challenges the PC to a duel using
2 - Defender, long sword (DMG p164)
only weapons. (Magic spells automatically
3 - Frost Brand, great sword (DMG p171)
fail.) The Challenger gives him a choice: a
4 - Nine Lives Stealer, scimitar (DMG p183)
duel until knock out, where if the PC wins,
5 - Scimitar of Speed (DMG p199)
they can keep one blade; or a duel to the
6 - Sword of Life Stealing, short sword (DMG p206)
death, where if the PC wins, they keep all the
7 - Sword of Sharpness, long sword (DMG p206)
blades. The PC is told that they must pick -- a
8 - Vorpal Sword, great sword (DMG p209).
duel is the only way the party can leave. The
PC chooses. The Challenger grabs his blade(s)
from a rack -- roll 1d8 and consult table.

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 inverted
MINOR ARCANA, CUPS The same as above, except after nemesis
fights the character for the first time, it
Ace of Cups – MEMORY realizes that the PC deserves to live. It will
The Reader says curiously, "Can you leave, but one day it will return, to sacrifice
remember?" A glorious halo appears around itself to save the original character.
the character’s head, writhing with tendrils of
light. The character feels a rush as their
minds expand. A magic-using character may
recast a spell once per day. If a Sorcerer, they
Three of Cups – FATES
gain an extra casting of their highest spell
The Reader says, "The fates carefully examine
level. If a Warlock, they gain an additional
the thread of life that is each of us." A boggy
Invocation. If not a spell caster, they gain the
fog envelops a corner of the area. From this
ability to cast one spell of their choice once
corner steps out the three fates, old hags who
per day, as if they were a Sorcerer. The spell is
share one eye. One holds the thread coming
of a spell level that a Sorcerer of their level
from the mist, the second has the loose end
would have access to, though the spell can be
of the thread stretched out, and the third
from any class's spell list. It should fit the
holds the scissors (and has the eye). They ask
character’s personality.
in unison if the character wishes to undo an
event that has occurred to them since the last
new moon. When the character replies, they
inverted
undo this one occurrence, cutting out a piece
The Reader says the words with morbidity. A
of thread and then knotting it back together.
magic-using PC loses enough memories to
If the PC answers no, the second one holding
lose a level. If they aren’t such a character,
the end of the thread takes the eye, examines
they only lose 1d4 days of memory and half
the character, saying that she will just have to
the experience toward their next level.
make sure a coming tragedy never happens at
all. Then the fates drift back into the fog,
which then dissipates.

Two of Cups – NEMESIS

The Reader says, "Everyone has a relentless
rival, they just don't know it." Directly in front
of the character the nemesis appears, layer
after layer of flesh coming together. The
nemesis has the same stats as the PC. They
also look identical to the character, except
their eyes are completely black and they have
small antlers. The nemesis’s personality is a
morbid and determined version of the
character. It mocks the character, warning
that they shall return. They will return to
wreak havoc on the PC.
inverted
After appearing, the fates examine the
character’s thread and state that they seek
revenge against something the character did.
They curse him, saying that a horrible fate
awaits him, it could be in one day or one
decade. They then leave. (The dungeon master
can decide if this is just to frighten the PC, or
if they will actually act on it.)

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 Four of Cups – NUMBERS
The Reader says, "Laws and measurements
form this universe; all one needs to know is
the math." Strange symbols (Greek letters
used in math and other symbols used from
equations) swirl around the PC, changing
them. The player rolls percentile, a result of
01 to 33 gives you the number 3, 34 to 66
gives you the number 4, 67 to 99 gives you
the number 5, and 100 allows the PC to
choose from the trio of numbers. Every base
number divisible by the result of 3 or 4 or 5
gains a +1 bonus: ability scores and
proficiency bonus gain +1. For hit points, they
gain +1 per level. There is no bonus for level,
or Hit Dice total or die type.
inverted
The same as above, except every number
divisible gets the amount as a minus.
Five of Cups – PARADISE
The Reader states, "Somewhere there is a
perfect paradise for us all." The area instantly
changes into a paradise of the character’s
desire. They also choose companions, up to a
dozen people, that are willing to come. There
is food, drink, and any non-magical and
inexpensive objects they want. The Reader
and Tarot Deck are there as well. Anyone can
leave when they wish to. The party can stay
as long as the character wills it, resting,
healing, studying, seeing loved ones. Time
does not pass in the real world.
inverted
There is trouble in paradise. After a day, there
is an attack from a formidable monster.
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Six of Cups – PARAGON
The Reader says, "People seek someone to
look up to." Confidence fills the character, but
also an aura of power. The character gains
the Inspiring Leadership feat (PHB p167). In
general, the PC is now impossible to forget.
inverted
The Reader says, "People seek others, but you
shall be unsought." The character is easily
forgotten, a paragon of obscurity wrapped in
an aura of obfuscation. Only those that have
had extended contact with him, at least one
week, can remember him. Against all others,
the PC has Advantage on Stealth checks.
Seven of Cups – SMITH
The Reader says, "The smith’s anvil shall
ring." A blacksmith’s hut rises from the earth.
The player watches as an old Dwarven smith
and his Dwarven assistants go to work. Time
seems to speed up in the hut until it is
numbingly quick. Then it stops and the smith
approaches. He hands the player a
Spellguard Shield (DMG p201) that is
Sentient (DMG p214). It has random
qualities, but it’s Special Purpose is Bane, to
defeat or kill Wizards.
inverted
The same as above, except the Smith ask the
player for a weapon or piece of armor. It gains
an additional +1 enhancement, but it has a
flaw and the player has to make a Dexterity
saving throw to prevent it from breaking on a
critical hit or fumble, DC 12.
20
!
 Eight of Cups – PATHS
The Reader says, "We all must choose our
path in life. Perhaps you wish that you
walked a different path?" The player may
remake their character: changing class,
alignment, ability scores, background, skills,
feats, or powers. How drastic they can go is
up to the DM. The character then gets
memories of this new life. The character
possesses both time-lines of memories, but
the old one is hard to recall, requiring
Wisdom checks with varying degrees of
difficulty based on the obscurity of the
memory or information. The PC’s party only
knows the new version of the character. The
DM should state that although the players
remember the old version of the character,
their characters should not.
inverted
The same as above, except the change has
unseen consequences. Perhaps they never
met a love interest? Or their family was killed
in a tragedy? Maybe certain NPCs are now
enemies? The DM could also press for drastic
changes to a PC’s personality and alignment.
Nine of Cups – PAX
The Reader says, "Gain peace of body, gain
peace of mind," and he gestures toward the
character. The character is suddenly hit by
agony and regret. When they recover from the
shock, they find that they abhor violence.
They can cast Calm Emotions (PHB p221)
once per day and Sanctuary (PHB p272)
twice per day. They can also choose to make
any damage they deal — by weapon, ability,
or spell — automatically knockout, rather
than kill, opponents reduced to 0 hit points.
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inverted
The same as above, except the Reader states,
"Gain peace of body, or give piece of your
mind." Result is same, but whenever the
character’s pacifism is criticized, they are
compelled to attack the critic.
Ten of Cups – POX
The Reader says, "A pox upon you," with a
dismissive wave of a hand. A wave of heat and
nausea flows through the PC. They convulse
and throw up. Their condition quickly
worsens. The character has become sick,
losing 1d4 Constitution permanently.
inverted
The Reader says the same words, though the
illness they feel doesn’t effect them directly.
For the next week they spread Sewer Plague
(DMG p257) to anyone they touch. It is a more
potent version that incubates in 1d4 hours.
Page of Cups – RUIN
The Reader says, "This is your ruin." A
character is given a vision where the wealth
that isn’t on them is taken by officials. Then a
stuffy official with a group of guards appears
and takes whatever wealth is on him
currently. The PC loses all wealth.
inverted
The same as above, except after one month
will gain wealth that is ten times what they
lost. The officials will return, apologize for the
mistake, and reward the character.
21
!
 Knight of Cups – NEED
The Reader says, "The need shall drive you."
The image of a likable thing or enjoyable act
appears in the PC’s mind. The character is
now enthralled by it. They need this thing to
go on with their life. If they don’t get it after a
week, they make a Wisdom save DC 12 in the
morning to prevent from irrationally pursuing
the thing at all cost. If they pass, the next day
it is a -1 check, the following day it is made at
-2, and so on, until the addiction is met.
(Until it starts over a week later.) During the
period of pursuit, all d20 rolls are made at -2
due to distraction.
inverted
The Reader says, "The need shall desert you."
A calmness comes over the character and
they gain an addiction for avoiding vice. The
PC will not allow themselves any luxury,
pleasure, or frivolity. If they do engage in
something against this stoicism, they will get
-2 to all d20 rolls for 24 hours.
King of Cups – MAGI
The Reader says, "Learn the magi’s answer."
An old man bumbles in, kind of unfocused.
He seems unkempt and sloppy. He then offers
to answer any inquiry. He replies with an
absurd attention to detail.
inverted
The same as above, except after he begins to
answer, he babbles without end about
irrelevant details, then switches to life stories,
which become silly anecdotes. If bothered
enough he simply leaves. If the party
diplomatically explains how the information
may be important, he will finally answer the
question they have.

Queen of Cups – ROULETTE

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

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

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MINOR ARCANA, COINS
Ace of Coins – GAMBLE
The Reader says, "Are you willing to gamble it
all?" A twisted doorway of black wood appears
in a wall. The white door opens from the
inside and a man wearing an expensive black
suit steps out with a coin in his hand. He
asks the PC if they want their ultimate desire.
The risk is losing their soul, which will fuel
the magic to provide the next gambler's
desire. If the character agrees, he asks the
player if they want heads or tails, then flips. If
they call it, the PC gains their heart’s desire,
or they are slain forever. Not even divine
intervention can bring them back. The desire
should be exceeding grand -- more than a
Wish (p288), though the DM may still want to
limit any numerical gains.
inverted
The same as above, except if the player wins,
the man in the suit will take the soul of a
NPC beloved by or important to the PC, to fuel
the magic that will get them everything they
ever wanted.
inverted
The same as above, except after the strict
sage teaches the character for a number of
years equal to 5% of current age, the
character realizes they are inadequate and
can never truly grow mentally. They do not
gain the bonuses and in fact may never gain
bonuses to Intelligence or Wisdom, from going
up levels, magical enhancement, or by any
other means.
Three of Coins – SENSES
The Reader says, "Open the doors of your
perception." The PC suddenly feels acute pain
in their head and falls unconscious. When
they awake moments later they are changed.
A character’s senses are heightened. Roll 1d6
to see which sense. 1=Sight, 2=Hearing,
3=Smell, 4=Taste, 5=Touch, 6=Danger. How
are they changed? For Sight the gain is +2 to
Insight. For Hearing, the gain is +2 to
Perception checks. For Smell, the gain is a +2
to Survival. For Touch, the gain is +2 to one
relevant skill that is randomly chosen. For
Danger sense, the gain is +2 to initiative.

inverted
The same as above, except the sense rolled up
Two of Coins – SAGE is diminished instead, and the bonus is a -2
The Reader asks, "Do you seek sage advice?" penalty instead.
A hole in the floor appears. Stairs lit by old
candles end at an elaborate oak door. When
the character goes to touch it they hear,
"Come in, come in." When the door is opened
they see a room, like a dusty study, where an
old sage waits. She asks the character if they
seek knowledge? If the character agrees they
stay and the sage teaches the character,
gaining 1d4 in Intelligence and Wisdom, but
aging 5% of current age per point gained. The
PC may age, but no time actually passes.

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 Four of Coins – SEX
The Reader says, "How much does your sex
shape you?" A red shell envelops the PC. They
emerge biologically changed one minute later:
The player rolls 1d10. If 1-6, opposite sex;
7-9, sexless; 10, become more comely, gaining
Charisma +2 and the ability to use Charm
Person (PHB p221) once per day.
inverted
The same as above, except the character
becomes sexless, but with the power to
change into either male or female, at will, as a
standard action, up to 3 times per day. In
some situations, the DM can give the player
Advantage on a Disguise check due to
changing sex.
Five of Coins – SIEGE
The Reader calmly says, "I believe you are
besieged." There is silence, than a faint
rumble which becomes a cacophony, as an
army of 2d10 Fighters attack the player and
everyone around him, friend or foe. The levels
of these fighters are 40 levels in total, as
evenly distributed as possible; two fighters of
20th level, three fighters of 14th, 13th, and
13th level, four fighters of 10th level, etc.
inverted
These warriors instead praise the character
and begin to revel wildly. After a week of
partying, they may be persuaded to do a favor
for the PC before their next siege.
Six of Coins – GEM
The Reader remarks in awe, "How the light
plays off the facets." One gem blinks into
existence and falls onto the table, then the
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rest of the gems, one after another. Each of
the fifty are expertly cut, flawless, and with
perfect clarity, worth 1000 gold pieces each.
There are ten of each jewel: emerald, ruby,
sapphire, topaz (yellow), and diamonds.
inverted
The same as above, except one day later a
gnome Mage (MM p347) will come to get his
riches back. He will secretly attack them with
pranks and illusions, to create an opportunity
for him to steal the gems. He will avoid direct
combat, until he is discovered or directly
confronted by the players.
Seven of Coins – SOUL
The Reader says, "Are you a survivor?" A
purple Will o’ Wisp (MM p301) flies into the
PC’s eyes. The player starts coughing up
purple slime. Each round they lose 20% of
their hit points, unless they make a
Constitution save of DC 12 for that round. If
they make two saves, the coughing stops. If
their hit points reach 0, they go into a coma
for 1 day. Either way, from then on the
character is afflicted. The player must play
their character as usual, but they will try to
murder a party member in their sleep, the
purple wisp hovering above the afflicted’s
head. The wisp leaves the character’s body
once all the other members of the party are
murdered, or the Wisp is killed.
inverted
The same as above, except the Wisp is benign.
After the coughing and/or coma, it takes
control to right some random wrong. After it
does so, it flies out of the character. The PC
gains a +2 bonus on saves against
Enchantment-based magic or attacks.
24
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 Eight of Coins – TIME
The Reader says, "Take time as thine own." A
minute glass appears on the table. When the
character grabs it, the Reader explains that
the sands of this minute glass stops the
sands of time. The character gains a minute-
glass that stops time for a minute, ala Time
Stop (PHB p281). The sand may be used one
round at a time. The minute glass is highly
elaborate with a flowing, almost liquid bone
design. After the minute passes and the sand
is used up, the item disappears.
inverted
The same as above, except this minute glass
ages the PC 2% of their maximum age every
round used, for a total of 20%.
Nine of Coins – WORM
The Reader says, "You are a lowly worm,
eating of king and beggar alike." A hunger
instantly comes over the character, and they
know it is a hunger for rancid flesh. The
character must eat from decaying carcasses
to live. Charisma -1, due to the slight odor of
decay that lingers about them.
inverted
The Reader says, "You are no longer food for
the worms." When the character dies, they
will not decay. The result is that it is easier to
bring them back to life -- Raise Dead (PHB
p270) does not have a limit of 10 days; rather,
it is now 10 years. Furthermore, whatever
method of restoration, the -4 penalty to rolls
that comes with returning to the living is
automatically dropped to -2.
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Ten of Coins – WHISPER
The Reader silently looks around and then
mutters, "Can you hear them, can you hear
the whispers?" The character begins to hear
murmurs. The PC becomes paranoid. They
develop an irrational fear for crowds. The
whispers emerge when groups of people are
near by. Though mostly unintelligible,
occasionally the words “kill”, “death”,
“murder”, “maim” are heard. Wisdom save DC
12 or be stunned.
inverted
The reader says the same phrase, but instead
the PC is gifted with the ability to hear
distant whispers as if directly spoken to them
(they automatic succeed on Perception checks
for whispering).
Page of Coins – MELODY
The Reader says, "Listen to mind’s melody." It
begins with a small melody played on a
mandolin runs through the character’s head.
This song then begins being played with the
instrument of the PC’s choice. Then they
notice a beautiful example of said instrument
sitting in the corner. And the character now
knows how to play this tune. They want to
play this song. The PC gains Proficiency in
the Perform skill in that music instrument.
inverted
The same as above, except the Reader says,
"You are a slave to mind’s melody." The PC
becomes obsessed with music, to the point of
wanting a minstrel’s life. Wisdom save DC 20
every sunset to fight the urge to stay in a
tavern and play music all night.
25
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 Knight of Coins – WARD
The Reader says, "You are now warded from
harm." An armor made of energy flashes into
existence around them with a clanging
sound, then fades into invisibility. The
character has a permanent Mage Armor spell
(PHB p256) active on them. This Armor also
grants proficiency in one save of the player's
choice that they currently do not have
proficiency with, choose when the card is
drawn. Whenever the Mage Armor or that
save is used, the armor momentarily re-
appears with a metallic sound.
inverted
The same as above, except the Reader adds,
"but you must have self control." Whenever
the player instigates a fight, there is only a
25% chance that the Armor will work.
King of Coins – HEAVEN
The Reader says, "One of heaven’s hallowed
shall hail you." A pillar of light from the sky
rains down. When it ceases an emissary of
the character’s deity remains. This being
grants the character a random Blessing (DMG
p 227). If the character has no deity, an
emissary of the central deity of the
character’s racial pantheon will appear.
inverted
The emissary can tell if the PC lives by the
deity’s ideals. If so, they gain the Blessing. If
they don’t, they are cursed with the inability
to sleep, until they redeem themselves.

Queen of Coins – TALONS

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

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

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 Tips for Play

Here are a few tips for using the Tarot Deck
in your game.
1. Get real
I recommend you use an actual tarot deck
with this item, and physically play out the
actions of the Reader of the deck. Some dim
lighting and suitably eerie music does not
hurt either.
2. Change it up
Tarot decks in the real world can vary. There
may be a few names different in the Major
Arcana, such as Universe instead of The
World. The suits in the minor arcana may
also differ; staves instead of wands or discs
instead of coins. Regardless of the differences,
it should be pretty easy to map the card to
the standard deck used here.
3. Single out
Since the changes can be overwhelming, you
may want to skip having players name the
number of cards they want and instead only
let them draw a single card each.
4. Do the shuffle
In terms of drawing, you should shuffle the
cards in front of the players and have them
tell you to stop shuffling when they are ready.
Have them take the card and place it on the
table face down. They should then quickly
turn it over, in whatever method they wish.
This way, there is no dispute if the card is
inverted or not.
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5. Go for it
If a card is too drastic for your game, halve a
number, make an effect temporary, or switch
out a card for the inverted card. You can also
modify any save DCs. But, rather than
changing a card, you could rewrite the
campaign to fit disruptive draws. Often this
will result in a game that is more exciting.
6. Be true
You many want to warn players as the DM, or
via an NPC. Tell them that this could greatly
help or hurt them, that it is not a move to be
taken lightly. Add that if they would feel bad
from an unlucky result or get jealous if
another player drew better than they did, that
maybe they should avoid the deck.
7. Next time
Some cards guarantee that the party will have
to go on a quest, like saving an imprisoned
PC. But others can also mean adventure. The
party could seek the blessing of a bishop to
remove a curse, find a remote pool in the wild
that cures afflictions, or be hunted by an
assassin hired to kill the empowered party.
8. Pick your poison
This deck can be used with other editions of
Dungeons and Dragons. Switch out feats for
other feats or bonuses, Proficiency bonuses to
flat +2 bonuses, and saves for those in that
edition. And items can be substituted.
27
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 Scenarios

There are many ways in which to add the
Tarot Deck to your game. Here are six.
1. Reward for a good deed
The players are traveling across the land and
they hear a scream over the next hill/around
the bend in a forest path/beyond a ridge of
dunes in the desert. A traveling caravan or
nomad tribe are being attacked by monsters.
The players kill the monsters. As reward, the
huge family shares a meal with them. At the
end of the lunch or dinner, the eldest among
them invites them into their wagon or tent for
a tarot reading each.
2. A gambler pays a debt
At a tavern or inn common room, the players
begin playing cards or dice with a table filled
with folk, including a skilled gambler. By the
end of the night, the only players remaining is
one of the PCs and this professional gambler.
When he loses, he will offer the use of a
magic item instead of the thousands of gold
he owes them.
3. Investigating a town’s troubles
The players arrive in a small village to find it
decimated by a plague, or the mayor haunted
by a ghostly chariot, or the inn ransacked by
a legion of warriors. The party is dealing with
the results of an unlucky draw from the deck.
Eventually, they trace the calamity to a young
man who drew the card, and from there, the
traveling minstrel who owns the deck. This
bard will offer them time with the Tarot deck
if they do not reveal he is the source of the
recent unpleasantness. Will the players court
chaos and draw cards themselves?
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4. A merchant's daily special
While walking down a path in the wilderness,
the party will meet a traveling merchant with
a variety of simple magic items: potions, low-
level wands, and the like. She will hint at a
special deal. If she is pressed, she will admit
that she has a wondrous, but dangerous
artifact: a tarot deck that can rewrite reality.
If they trade her a magic item she will share a
card or two.
5. Doing a job for a collector
A store’s proprietor will offer to hire the party
to deliver a specialty item to a collector across
town. Each player would get a discount at the
shop and a bag of gold, half now and half
from the collector. The PCs just need to get it
to them safely. The party is given a beautifully
crafted box the size of a large book. Maybe a
thief will attempt to steal it during the
transport. Maybe the players will get curious
and pick the lock, and find the finely painted
cards, a woman's disembodied voice telling
them to choose carefully. Or perhaps, rather
than gold, the collector will let each player
pick a card as a reward for their good work.
6. On a dead adventurer
The next time the party explores a ruin or a
dungeon, they will come across a table with a
half-skeletal body slumped over it. Clutched
in one hand with be a velvet pouch. When a
player touches the body or the pouch, with a
creepy breeze, the body will become animated
and ask in a harsh whisper if they wish to
tempt fate by drawing from the deck.
28
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 Adventure


And here is an adventure that features the A talk with the local constable will direct
Tarot deck prominently. them to the local graveyard, where the
warlock is yelling at some tombstones.

1. The Cursed Dwarf

Bolik will be screaming about how the deck
Whilst traveling, a rain storm hits. The party
ruined his life: killing his friend Xark;
takes refuge in the only building for miles, a
changing Marin to forget that she and Bolik
farm. The farmer and his family will happily
were in love. He had to destroy it.
have them, for the promise of help setting the
farm right after the storm passes.
He can be convinced — by force or by
persuasion — to give up two cards: the Moon
One of the PCs will be awoken in the barn by
and the Eight of Cups. He admits a pair of
the sound of a shriek. If they go investigate
thieves, the Raven Alley Boys, took the other
the dairy, they find a sickly thin Dwarven
cards when they robbed him the night before.
woman covering herself in the blood of a dead
cow. Her name is Marin Brightshield.
Poking around Raven Alley, they can get info
from a beggar that the pair belong to the local
She explains that she’s been cursed by an evil
thieves guild. The guild owns and operates a
deck of Tarot cards. It killed her friend, a
gambling hall called the Dice Pit.
Dragonborn named Xark, and turned another
mad, a Halfling warlock named Bolik
Tarriwild. He used a Wish from the deck to
end the magic of the deck. Then he ran away 3. Broken Partners
with six of the ornate cards. Whether the party talk or fight their way into
the member’s only Dice Pit, they will find a
tense situation. One table of Liar’s Dice has
The dwarf explains that if the party can get two players accusing each other of cheating —
the cards back, Xark’s father Xuresh, a the Raven Alley Boys. The party can see a
wizard of some repute — and who the players pair of finely painted cards in the pot.
recognize — will restore the deck and then
use it to end her curse. The wizard would
surely reward them for their aid. If the party However it goes, the players will get an
agrees, she will tell them that Bolik was on opportunity to buy, trade, or play for the
his way to a nearby city. cards from whomever wins the argument. The
cards? Three of Wands and Five of Coins.

2. Finding the Warlock They can learn from the Boys that the other
When they get to the city and the inn the two cards have been sold off. One to a Sir
Dwarf named, they find that the halfling has Gerek of Ardur, a human, and the other to a
been kicked out for disturbing the peace. merchant name Toblynn, a half-elf.

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 4. A Knight’s Luck
Sir Gerek is in his small keep. He is a knight
of middle years, but still wants to fight. He’s
been collecting items of good luck to help
insure that he doesn’t lose his edge in battle.
He will part with his card, the King of
Swords, if the players can persuade his sister
Sally to call off her marriage to an Elven
barkeep named Lysanther.
Whether they persuade Sally or take her side
and persuade Sir Gerek to drop his prejudice
let the marriage continue forward, the players
will get the card as thanks.
5. The Cult of Last Words
Tracking the merchant down, leads them to
an antique shop called Toblynn’s Terrific
Treasures. When they confront the dapper
half-elf, he will say the card isn’t for sale. If
the players press him he will grab a glass jar
of smokey glass and threaten to break the jar
and unleash something terrible upon them.
If pressed further, he will unleash a Black
Pudding (MM p241) and run. If they catch up
and threaten his life or simply follow him,
they will learn the card is now at a friend’s
house. (If the players don’t press Toblynn, he
can be followed there when the store closes.)
When the adventurers get to the house, they
find four others inside. The group goes into
the cellar, where they don black robes and
begin a ritual around the final card, Death.
This Cult of Last Words chants about the
glory of the grim reaper and the ultimate
judgment of death. They beseech death to
grant them long lives, prosperity, and power
of their enemies.
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If the party interrupts the ritual, the four
members will fight back with weapons, spells,
and scrolls. The group is made up of retired
adventurers turned business owners. And
they have a pet Hell Hound (MM p182)
chained to the altar where the Death card
rests. They will not give up the card unless
they are all killed or knocked out.
6. The Chaos Undone
The players return the cards to Marin at the
farmhouse. They journey with her to a lonely
wizard’s tower in the wilderness. Xuresh will
let them in, treating Marin with sadness and
the party with distaste.
Xuresh will take the complete Tarot deck and
with a ritual, restore the magic to the cards.
Once done, he will cast a spell and draw a
card. He too draws the Moon, with a single
wish, and uses it to remove the curse from
Marin. He will show regret that he did not get
another wish to restore Xark.
7. One Last Shuffle
Xuresh sees the party as scoundrels abusing
an opportunity, but he will keep to his word.
He gives each player a bag of 50 platinum.
He then says he will be destroying the cursed
Tarot deck the next day, but he would allow
each of them a chance to draw from it.
Marin says that it has only ruined her life,
but maybe the party will have better luck?
Xuresh advises against it, but begins to
shuffle the tarot cards anyway. And then he
holds the deck out toward them, awaiting the
player’s decision.
30
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 Acknowledgments


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


About


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

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