Deck of Only a Few Things
From Tel'Laerad Wiki
| Deck of Only a Few Things | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||
|
| ||||
| |||||
| |||||
| |||||
The Deck of Only a Few Things is a not-particularly-legendary artifact of rather unmemorable power. Due to the aesthetic similarity between this construct and the rather more famous Deck of Many Things, few adventuring groups who come across it are foolish enough to look within.
Contents |
Appearance
The Deck of Only a Few Things is composed of three different kinds of card- black cards, made of thin sardonyx sheets, cleverly fitted with multihued gemstones of remarkable potency and decorated with extraordinarily lifelike illustrations, white cards; similarly decorated constructs of snowy marble, and grey cards, which are cardboard. The Deck is contained within a thin stone box, sheathed in mother-of-pearl and lined with vellum.
Powers
Despite the seemingly large number of cards, the deck contains only nine different effects.
Black Cards
Taxes- A large illustration of a man in the cusp of rage, thrusting a hand filled with sheets of parchment at the foreground of the picture.
Pirate- A wild-looking man, boasting a huge black hat emblazoned with a skull and crossbones, standing upon a peg-leg and grinning with a mouth full of gold teeth. He brandishes a hook at the foreground, while his parrot attempts to unstopper a green bottle perched upon a cannon.
Instant And Horrible Death- In place of a picture, this card sports a thin pane of glass, backed by silver foil. Reflections as seen within appear fatally marred.
White Cards
Butterfly- A colorful but primitive picture of a butterfly, done in a charming Eastern style.
Blank- A gold-trimmed border around an entirely white square.
Instant But Delightful Death- In place of a picture, this card sports a thin pane of glass, backed by silver foil. Reflections as seen within seem surprisingly appealing.
Gray Cards
Pictures of my Grandchildren- Photo-quality renditions of every member of the seventy-two grandchildren of the wizard who created the Deck.
Carmen Sandiego- A cartoonish rendition of a mature woman with long brown hair, dressed in a red coat and matching hat. Her face appears on a background of a fairly generic world.
Jackpot!- A depiction of a great pile of gold, topped with chalices rimmed with emeralds, scepters encrusted with diamonds, and crowns hanging off of very kingly blades.
Effects Thereof
Taxes- A number of forms are materialized before the player, who must fill them out without error. This takes a total of twenty uninterrupted turns, and must be completed before 2d20 turns, or the player is struck dead. Should the player do so, they are given a reward as the DM sees fit.
Pirate- This card summons 1d6 pirates 1d6 kilometers away from the summoner. These pirates are always ten levels above the one who draws the card, and are compelled to kill him. The DM also rolls 1d10, where 7 or above means they have a pirate ship which can sail the land.
Instant and Horrible Death- The one who draws the card dies instantly and horribly.
Butterfly- The DM rolls 1d6, where 1 is instant hurricane, 4 is light rain, 3 is cloudy, and 1 is drought.
Blank- The DM rolls 1d6, where 1 summons an Aethic Anathema, 2-5 summons that many Aethic Nightmares, and 1 causes the card to spout a fountain of chocolate.
Instant but Delightful Death- The player dies instantly and wonderfully.
Pictures of my Grandchildren- The player is polymorphed into any person or creature the DM desires.
Carmen Sandiego- The one who draws the card is teleported at once to the next location they mention aloud, regardless of considerations or wards.
Jackpot!- This card confers a passive effect upon the one who drew it. The next wish they voice aloud is granted in as excellent a way as the DM can devise.
How This Works
However the DM wants it to.