Deck of Many Things (AKA destroyer of campaigns)

[Myrryr]

So, looking through the Artifacts and Legends book, it has little information on the origin of the Deck or the Harrow Deck.

Now, with how powerful these artifacts are, as certain cards seem capable of doing things on deific level, notably the Tyrant card (give one order to any being in the multiverse and have it carried out, no specification on limit to being but pointing out that immortal ones will be very annoyed at you) and the Vizier/Hidden Truth being able to answer any question/summon an omniscient spirit to answer any question, I'm curious what their real origins are.

Were they spun out of the Maelstrom itself for mischief? A chaos god or protean lord struck by inspiration and decided to play with a deck of cards? Who is the omniscient spirit mentioned by the Hidden Truth? Is it truly omniscient and able to tell any secret, including Aroden's death, the real creation story, or why/how the jyoti keep the gods out of the positive energy plane? Can it tell us what Nyarlathoteps plans really are?

Can the Owl card let me scry on Tiamat or Rovagug? Would there be consequences for that? Can I use the Tyrant card to order a god to enter the positive energy plane? Can you use the Tyrant card to order the omniscient spirit of the Hidden Truth card to answer a question?

I'm mostly just interested in their origins primarily. Really curious if they're crafted by a super wizard, a protean, a chaos god, the Maelstrom, or the multiverse itself in some weird cosmic balance thing. Also whether I can get them to sign the Deck that I just got >_>

[Landon Winkler]

Maybe the Deck of Many Things is some fragment of primal chaos. Perhaps something from the Maelstrom, before even the Abyss was discovered, only perceived as a deck of cards because that's our closest approximation.

In Curse of the Crimson Throne:

Spoiler:

A ghost bound to a Harrow deck potentially fuses with the collected souls of Korvosa's dead, combining to form the Harrow Deck of Many Things.

Cheers!
Landon

[KestrelZ]

The purpose of the Deck of many things seems to be for GMs that want to end the campaign, yet want the players to end it for them.

[Myrryr]

Interesting, didn't know there was a Harrow Deck of Many Things in CoCT

[CorvusMask]

I dunno if its canon anymore, but in Classic Treasures, there is "Shelana the Mother Deck"(you can find info about her with google) who is intelligent item deck of many things. Apparently she is first deck of many things and she creates more of them by mind controlling people who draw moon and sun card from her to replicate more deck of many things.

[Myrryr]

CorvusMask wrote:

I dunno if its canon anymore, but in Classic Treasures, there is "Shelana the Mother Deck"(you can find info about her with google) who is intelligent item deck of many things. Apparently she is first deck of many things and she creates more of them by mind controlling people who draw moon and sun card from her to replicate more deck of many things.

Ooohhhhh? I will have to go find this!

[Myrryr]

Found her on page 21 in Classic Treasures. Neat. Doesn't have her origin though... and I still wonder if her card effects are capable of matching deities.

[Scythia]

All they've ever been good for in my games is a doorstop. My players will not draw.

I have to rely on demon offered wishes to cause chaos, and even those are usually refused unless the player thinks they can "get away with it".

[Myrryr]

Scythia wrote:

All they've ever been good for in my games is a doorstop. My players will not draw.

I have to rely on demon offered wishes to cause chaos, and even those are usually refused unless the player thinks they can "get away with it".

My players love them. But then I've also written two other entirely new Decks, including a Deck of Sin and Virtue that's based on Thassilonian magic. Has 4 cards for each sin/virture (added 4 jokers to get a 56 card deck), and each sin and virtue has a good card, bad card, good and bad card, and neutral card. And each card has a stronger effect if the drawer has 2 ticks on the sin/virtue chart (similar to needing to be able to use the Runeforge enchant)

[Kalindlara]

Myrryr wrote:

Scythia wrote:

All they've ever been good for in my games is a doorstop. My players will not draw.

I have to rely on demon offered wishes to cause chaos, and even those are usually refused unless the player thinks they can "get away with it".

My players love them. But then I've also written two other entirely new Decks, including a Deck of Sin and Virtue that's based on Thassilonian magic. Has 4 cards for each sin/virture (added 4 jokers to get a 56 card deck), and each sin and virtue has a good card, bad card, good and bad card, and neutral card. And each card has a stronger effect if the drawer has 2 ticks on the sin/virtue chart (similar to needing to be able to use the Runeforge enchant)

I wouldn't mind a look at that. ^_^

[Myrryr]

I could, but I need to do some touch ups on it and also move it onto a different spreadsheet. The one it's on currently has a ton of other chaos artifacts and items as well.

[Haladir]

In every campaign I've ever run or played in which one appeared, the introduction of a deck of many things was a campaign-ending event.

Every. Single. Time.

I will never introduce another into a game I'm running ever again.

[CapriciousFate]

Eh, my players had fun with it in CotCT. Though one was fairly upset about transforming into a woman, and they never did anything about the evil duplicates that two of them drew. And one of them drawing the holy avenger was pretty anticlimactic, what with them having Serithtial and all.

[Myrryr]

Kalindlara wrote:

Myrryr wrote:

Scythia wrote:

All they've ever been good for in my games is a doorstop. My players will not draw.

I have to rely on demon offered wishes to cause chaos, and even those are usually refused unless the player thinks they can "get away with it".

My players love them. But then I've also written two other entirely new Decks, including a Deck of Sin and Virtue that's based on Thassilonian magic. Has 4 cards for each sin/virture (added 4 jokers to get a 56 card deck), and each sin and virtue has a good card, bad card, good and bad card, and neutral card. And each card has a stronger effect if the drawer has 2 ticks on the sin/virtue chart (similar to needing to be able to use the Runeforge enchant)

I wouldn't mind a look at that. ^_^

Ok, so I finished the touch ups on it so it should be good to go. Lemme know if you still want it and I can give ya a link.

[Myrryr]

Anyways, back on topic I'm more curious about the Deck's power level. What should a Deck be capable of accomplishing, and should it be able to trump powers of weaker gods and demigods?

[Kalindlara]

Myrryr wrote:

Kalindlara wrote:

Myrryr wrote:

Scythia wrote:

All they've ever been good for in my games is a doorstop. My players will not draw.

I have to rely on demon offered wishes to cause chaos, and even those are usually refused unless the player thinks they can "get away with it".

My players love them. But then I've also written two other entirely new Decks, including a Deck of Sin and Virtue that's based on Thassilonian magic. Has 4 cards for each sin/virture (added 4 jokers to get a 56 card deck), and each sin and virtue has a good card, bad card, good and bad card, and neutral card. And each card has a stronger effect if the drawer has 2 ticks on the sin/virtue chart (similar to needing to be able to use the Runeforge enchant)

I wouldn't mind a look at that. ^_^

Ok, so I finished the touch ups on it so it should be good to go. Lemme know if you still want it and I can give ya a link.

Sure!

[Bunch of Grapes]

+1 on that link for the Deck of Sin and Virtue. My players are infatuated with Runelords and Thassilonian magic. Any new Thassilonian related items I could add to the campaigns would be fantastic.

[Myrryr]

PM's sent with it.

[CelticDragon38]

Had a GM in D&D 3.5 whose alignment I like to describe as chaotic chaotic. He introduced a deck to us in a situation that pretty much forced us to draw cards. We ended up creating the badger god of stadium seating.

[Bellona]

Bunch of Grapes wrote:

+1 on that link for the Deck of Sin and Virtue. My players are infatuated with Runelords and Thassilonian magic. Any new Thassilonian related items I could add to the campaigns would be fantastic.

+1 on that link too, please!

[Falderal]

A link would be much appreciated to the Deck of Sin and Virtue. I would very much like to incorporate it into my gameplay.

I've invented an item that acts as a table-cloth that has the unique property of the Olympics. That is to say, it offers something like a Sanctuary spell with no saves, provided the players are engaged in some form of game. If players take too long to move, or pause the game to do something out, the effect ends. If spells are cast upon the players or by the players during the game, they only take effect once the game has concluded, or the players adjourn.

Additionally, if a deck of many things is used in a game, the "winner" of the game is only affected by the "beneficial" cards he draws, while the "loser" of the game is only affected by the "harmful" cards he draws.

Now, this item may be overpowered in some ways, but no more than a deck of many things, and it provides an interesting twist. Suddenly, two willing participants can indulge in a game that involves unpredictable stakes. Plus, short rests are now guaranteed to be without physical ambushes, though someone still needs to guard against magical attacks that might pile up, then all take effect instantly.

[Astral Wanderer]

Myrryr wrote:

Who is the omniscient spirit mentioned by the Hidden Truth? Is it truly omniscient and able to tell any secret, including Aroden's death, the real creation story, or why/how the jyoti keep the gods out of the positive energy plane? Can it tell us what Nyarlathoteps plans really are?

Yes, but for that you have to draw an unlisted card: the Business Card of James Jacobs, with his phone number.

[Myrryr]

Ok, so I know this has been awhile, but I finally think I've got a good solid on the Deck.

The Deck of Sin and Virtue! Keep in mind, that as Lust is a Sin, it is represented on the Deck and some things mentioned, while not explicit or anything, are still adult. (About as adult as the succubus entry in the bestiary at least)