Quick Harrowing Question

[baron arem heshvaun]

Gentlemen this question may be a little dated considering the time frame of developent for the APs but just in case you still recall the intial intent of the rules in the players guide I wanted to ask this here:

In the Carrion Crown players guide there is a variant Harrow point/Hero point option given.

Using this system as intended each player draws a card at the start of the campaign and draws a new card at the completion of each adventure in the campaign.

The guide further states that 'in addition to the cards automatically gained through progressing in the Adventure Path, the party will have the opportunity to obtain additional, specific cards by achieving certain plot goals in each adventure.'

The cards are 'The Crows, The Eclipse, The Hidden Truth, The Marriage, The Survivor, and The Uprising.'

Each of these cards have unique effects when played.

Reading through the various adventures in the AP, when these specific cards are mentioned they are accompanied by this type of phrase:

'If the PCs {fufill this plot goal} award each player a free draw from the Harrow deck as outlined in the players guide'.

That statement is the followed by:

If you are using the other optional system presented in the guide, the entire party receives {specific card} instead.

Is it correct for me to conclude that:

The special cards listed are given to the players in addition to the cards drawn at the end of each adventure or do these special cards replace the drawn cards istead?

I am inclined to follow the former but the wording of 'award each player a free draw from the Harrow deck as outlined in the players guide' followed by 'if you are using the other optional system presented in the guide, the entire party receives {specific card} instead ' threw me a little off.

Also, if the PCs instead opted for a free draw from the Harrow deck, would you allow it? (Although each card can only be drawn once, a party of 6 would ran out of cards by the fifth installment of the AP).

Thanks as always.

[Windspirit]

I used actually both.

What I do is that my PC meet a Varisian Harrowoer every now and then (end or beining of a Book. She will give the group card and they will get personal cards each.

What I also do is have a FUDGED Harrowing Reading. I preselect the cards for that adventure. So that some clues are put into the party. I selected ONE card (need to look up..sorry) to for the WHOLE AP (basicaly the Main threat) so that they know that there is something LOOMING at the end. They will propelry start suspecting that when we have the next reading on the start of BM...and it will be quite intresting when they take out Avron in BM that the card is STILL there...

I like the idea of the cards as they give it some Gypse feeling and some mystery and continuation (like the Voodoo lady in Monkey Island).

As for running out of cards. I copied the cards and hand then out as a B/W print out. So they draw from the REAL HarrowDeck and then get a copy to keep with the character. They need to burn the copy if they want to use it (athmosphere)

[F. Wesley Schneider]

Looking at the guide and if I'm reading this right (and recall correctly) the intention is that you're doing either one of two things when the PCs accomplish their special goal:

Either, they get the particular card assigned.

Or, they get a free draw from the deck.

The idea is that they get ONE card, the choice is whether or not they get something random or something generally thematic.

That said, as long as you're consistent and fair, giving the players one more card per adventure isn't going to be an unbalancing factor.

You're the GM, go with your whim.

[baron arem heshvaun]

Thanks Wes.

[King of Vrock]

I'm using both. The PCs get a draw at the start of each module and IF they achieve the story goals they get the party card. Since I'm not using XP the party card is the reward for achieving the goal of the mod.

So far halfway through TotB and only a single card has been played, however Schloss Caromarc is giving my group a good beating & I expect them to play a few more before it's over!

[baron arem heshvaun]

Thanks King of V. That's what I decided on as well.

I want to actually run Harrow sessions in between adventures that do not feel forced or contrived and have the center card in the reading be the story goal card. If the players fulfill the story goal they get to 'activate' that particular card later on.

I will also let each player start off with a single Plot Twist card at the adventure's prelude where they meet the professor a few years before his untimely demise.

There is going to be a regular poker table worth of cards on the Sultan game table for this campaign.

;)