The standard 78-card Tarot deck. That is, in theory, all you need.
I'd recommend paper and pencil for note-taking, especially for the
story teller.
Before play starts, the players should each determine enough about their
character to make the storyteller comfortable. Again, personally, I like
my players to be pretty familiar with their characters.
Character creation can now be found
here. This is an optional widget, but I strongly
recommend its use.
The players get a 'deck' of their own to start with--two cards is a good
standard, but it can be adjusted either way. Players do not get to keep the
cards--they get put back into the game deck; either the Story Teller, the
players or both should keep notes on the contents of the players' deck.
At this point, the story is ready to start.
The players will play the roles of their characters, the storyteller will
play everybody/thing else. The story proceeds as a joint venture, with
each participant offering hir part, until such time as a character (PC or NPC)
tries to do something which tests hir abilities.
At this time, the
storyteller flips the top card of the deck. The card is played as it relates
to the storyteller, to determine whether it is inverted or not. Usually, the
'meaning' of the card reads in relation to the players.
So if the Seven of
Staves came up, I would read the 'success against opposition' as being a
success for the players.
This can be flexible, say if an NPC is trying to
pick a character's pocket, so decide before the flip how to read the card.
Now, the PCs and even some NPCs have their own decks, to turn the tide of destiny and good stuff like that. These cards can be played in four distinct places in game play.
First: To affect a card that has already been played.
This will temper the effect of a flip, adding the card's 'meaning' to
that of the previously played card.
Secondly: To take the place of a card
that has yet to be played.
If the player sees the storyteller reaching for
a card, and really wants a specific result, this is the way to go. Once the
card has been played from the main deck, this option is no longer available.
Thirdly: To create an opportunity for a card flip.
This was an idea
my playtesters brought up. Basically, the player declares that they want to
spend their card, to influence the mood of a scene or whatever, and plays
it. Easy, isn't it?
If a card is played from a personal deck, the person
who plays the card decides if it's inverted.
Fourth: A card may be played to either downplay or up-play a character's merit or flaw for the length of a scene. If a player uses this on an NPC, it certainly helps to be familiar with the NPC--either a long term adversary or a companion.
STs are free to use their sense of drama here. If a player wants to spend a card from hir deck to destroy the big bad guy, or otherwise completely anti-climax your climax, feel free to let hir use the card to get a good first strike in, or to otherwise tip the odds in the party's favour. The spending of a card from a personal deck should never be completely discounted, but that doesn't mean that the card gets to play your game instead of you.
Often, I flip a card when PCs first meet an NPC, to gauge reactions or the tenor of the relationship between PCs and NPC. In a good-sized skirmish, I'll flip cards for (A) the fight in general (B) how each of the relevant characters fared. This has worked fairly well over time.
There may be situations where the storyteller restricts the use of fortune decks, especially in climactic situations, to avoid a 'gimme' setup where the main villain who's taking over the world goes down in a single card flip. PCs (and NPCs) may only be allowed to play their cards to modify a flip, or in some cases not at all.
Players should be rewarded for doing something very clever, staying in character even when it hinders their accomplishing their goals, bringing the Storyteller dinner, or doing something else the ST thinks deserves an In Character bennie. Rewards are usually in the form of a new card for the character's deck, but could also involve 'freezing' a card currently in play so it stays in effect longer or replaying a detrimental card currently in play.
Most anything not covered here is negotiated between player and storyteller.
How strong is your character in various areas? Is your character descended
from an alien race of gerbils? Does your character have a Barony that se
abandoned in order to join a troupe of players? That's up to you and the
storyteller.
Big surprise here, the storyteller's final word is just that.
Final. If se says you can't speak French, even if you're Louis the Sun King,
then you're just doomed. We hope the storyteller has a good reason for this.
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