The following pages contain rules and instructions for The rulesets ahead are reflections and responses on

standalone games and experiences, each inspired by and the meanings of each card. As such, they can deal with
named after a card from the major arcana of a tarot deck. heavy, negative themes.

Some are to be played alone, others are for groups, some If playing alone then be mindful of your limits and I
can work either way, and others need not be played at all. encourage you to stop if you approach or pass them.

At the bottom of 19 of the 22 rulesets is guidance as to Before you begin playing a ruleset with others, always
the ideal number of players and materials required for discuss your boundaries together. Establish a safe-word
play. 1d6 is a six-sided dice, 1d10 is a ten-sided dice. The or a signal that you can make to pause or stop playing.
other 3 rulesets are provocations to react to as you wish. Never cross boundaries that have been established.

In all rulesets you are encouraged to fill in the gaps At all times I advise reading a ruleset in full before
between the prompts with narrative or responses, playing and considering how it may affect you.
to whatever extent you wish. Some warrant shorter
responses, others warrant longer ones, the rulesets Below is a list of possible trigger and content warnings.
these statements apply to is a choice for you to make.
• Death - IV, VII, XII, XVI
Space has been provided for you to journal in this zine • Past relationships - VI
after each appropriate ruleset. I encourage that you use • Addiction & eating disorders - XIV
these to mark it as your own. • Excessive Violence - XVI
• Bullying - XX
Writing, Design & Layout - Alex Wilcox
Illustration - Morgan Noll
Editing & Playtesting - Will Smith

INTRODUCTION SAFETY
 You and at least one other are warring magicians, either in a single
arena or a battle of wits across decades. You each have four magics:
Swords, Pentacles, Cups, and Wands. Assign each a different
number between 1 and 4.

Toss a coin. Do not catch Swords refer to body magic. Pentacles refer to material magic.
Wands refer to energy magic. Cups refer to soul magic.
it or look at it.
Each time you attempt to physically or reputationally harm one
of your warring rivals with your magic, state what you wish to
attempt and which magic it refers to. Roll a number of six sided
Call the result. dice equal to the magic used.

1 or 2 - The magic horrifically backfires and harms the caster instead.

3 or 4 - The magic happens as desired and harms the rival as intended.
Later, if you find the coin 5 or 6 - The magic is much larger than intended, harming both the
caster and rival.
again, see if you remember
It can be all of these at once. The caster describes how their
the result you called. magic occurs as desired, their rival decides how it backfires, one
unaffected (or all involved if there is none unaffected) describes
how it is larger than intended.

Magic can and should be used to counter magic. These rolls negate
harm on a 3-4, or compound it on a 1-2 or 5-6.

When you are harmed you must reduce one of your magics by 1.
When all are reduced to nothing your opponent has won.

O - THE FOOL I - THE MAGICIAN

Players: Solo, Requirements: A Coin Players: 2+, Requirements: 4d6
 Write yourself a letter.

Start by introducing yourself with your real name Harvest or buy some seeds.
and then a lie about yourself. Write two things
you’ve done recently, one true and the other a lie.
Write about two things you have been concerned
with recently, one true and the other a lie. Write
Go somewhere that needs
two presumptions about when you open the
letter, one true and the other a lie. Finally, add a
new life and plant them.
note to yourself with as many truths and lies as
you wish to write.
Before covering the seeds
Place the letter somewhere that you will come across
it occasionally. Open it again only when you find it you may leave behind a habit
and realise you have forgotten what it says.
you wish to bury with them.
When you open the letter, annotate it and make
corrections. Respond to incorrect assumptions and
attempt to remember the truth behind the letter. Hold a short ceremony for
Once you are satisfied with the corrections, tear up the habit. If with others do
the letter and throw it away, or blot out all of its
contents and leave them to be re-forgotten. not reveal what has been left.
Repeat the process.

II - THE HIGH PRIESTESS III - THE EMPRESS

Players: Solo, Requirements: Pen & Paper Players: Any, Requirements: Seeds
 Oh great and mighty and fanciful and wise emperor, it is time to
commemorate your rule, greater as it has been than your rival neighbouring
rulers. We must take your direction: what is it that you should like to be Hold a key. Think of the door or doors, real
remembered looking like? or imagined, that it unlocks.
Write this down on a piece of paper, hidden from your opposing
rulers. Once all are written, one by one, stand and announce your Think of who gave it to you, or tried to reject
grand image and present your paper for proof. Once all are heard,
declare your own the best and write in secret which one you were
you having it.
most jealous of.
Run a finger along the grooves that unlock the
Oh clever and wretched and dreadful and bounteous emperor, it is time
to commemorate your rule, greater as it has been than your neighbouring tumblers of the door.
rulers. We must take your direction: what is it that you should like to be
remembered doing? Think of yourself as one of these grooves,
Repeat the process as with the previous round, once again announcing pushing a tumbler into place.
your own the best and keeping a secret record.

Oh brilliant and sinful and deceitful and trembling emperor, it is time to Run a finger back along the grooves.
commemorate your rule, greater as it has been than your neighbouring rulers.
We must take your direction: what is it that you should like the plaque to say Think of those that gave it to you, or tried to
and where would you like the statue to be erected?
reject you having it, as other grooves.
Here is your final chance to be magnificent. Repeat the process once more.

Oh deposed and bastard emperor, we will no longer take your direction. Are you Press a finger on each groove one by one. Make
satisfied with what you have wrought, you monstrous, lazy and contemptible fool? a commitment to how you use this key and the
Reveal your secret record of jealousies. That statue is put in a museum
access you give.
long after you’ve all been killed.

IV - THE EMPEROR V - THE HIEROPHANT

Players: 3+, Requirements: Pen & Paper Players: Solo, Requirements: A Key
CALL MOVE
YOUR PAST
EX. THEM.
VI - THE LOVERS VI - THE LOVERS
If playing alone then create a journal in response to prompts; you
are the revenant, but you respond to both prompts. If playing in a
two then assign the roles of Revenant and Target.

You died, but there’s no time to dwell on that. You’re back and you
have no idea for how long. The gloaming light is edging around your
vision. You’re the Revenant.

You’re leaving, going far away. There’s nothing for you here
anymore, all that’s in the ground now. You’re the Target.

The Target describes the Revenant’s grave site, they’ve seen it

recently. The Revenant gives the Target’s name, that’s all they
remember. The Revenant moves from location to location, searching
for the Target. The Target describes the new location the Revenant
arrives in, they were just there after all. The Revenant describes what
it triggers in their memory that leads them closer to their Target.

At each new location roll two dice, one for the Target and the other Permit your weaknesses.
for the Revenant. Keep a note of the difference between the numbers.
The further apart the numbers are, the closer the Revenant is getting
to the Target. If both numbers rolled are a one then the gloaming
light consumes the revenant. Spend a moment to see the Target and
where they are, focus on their face as they remember the Revenant
and think of the future.

After each roll, take a moment and only a moment to be silent,

unwriting, unspeaking, unrolling.

When the record reaches 7 the Revenant reaches the Target. You
stand face to face. Describe what the other looks like. Focus on the
Revenant’s face as they remember everything.

Then after that-

VII - THE CHARIOT VIII - STRENGTH

Players: 1-2, Requirements: 2d6
If playing alone then create a journal in response to prompts. If
playing in a group then respond to prompts in discussion.

Alone, solitary or in a small community, you are contented by your

removal from busy social life. Describe your distant and removed
living conditions. Describe yourself and the peace you find here,
but not where you were before. You have, framed in your abode, of
whatever sort it may be, a picture of a single number between 1 and
6, choose that now.

One day, which is today, a small animal appears to you, clearly lost
and in need of care. You must care for it, because while you may
be gruff you are never heartless and it reminds you somewhat of
yourself. Describe this lone animal and why it is out of place.

There are three necessary steps, but there may be more between
them if they occur naturally in your telling of this tale. The first is
Tenderness to the animal, roll a d6. The second is Discovery with the
animal, roll a d6. The final is Parting with the animal, roll a d6. For
any extra step you may decide if you wish to roll.

If you roll your chosen number then you must describe something
of the world you left behind. If you roll its opposing number (the
number that it adds with to make 7) then describe something of the
world that you lost.

You may interpret the number rolled however you wish. A high
number may mean success, it may imply a condition to how you
perform the step, or it may mean nothing. Whatever the case,
describe the outcome.

At the end, when the animal is gone, describe where you will go now.

IX - THE HERMIT
Players: Any, Requirements: 1d6, Pen & Paper if Solo
Shuffle a pack of cards then lay them out as It’s been a long ten years in office. You’ve done the unthinkable and made your
depicted, face up. The centre is the rest of the entire infrastructure totally corrupt. It was good for a while, but you’ve intercepted
deck, face down. a memo detailing an upcoming coup, 2 months away. Even your allies want you
gone. At the end of each week, journal your thoughts in your memoir. If you survive
then you can sell the rights, if you’re deposed then it’ll be a curiosity.
If playing alone then create a journal in
response to prompts. If playing in a group Assign a different number between 1 and 6 to your six untrustworthy allies and your
six troublesome enemies, the higher the number, the more powerful the organisation.
then respond to prompts in discussion.
Untrustworthy Allies: The corporation owned unions, Your benevolent donors,
The militarised police force, Celebs of the ‘cultural revival’, The state sponsored
You are young, new to the world and trying press, Your own damn party.
to make your way. You will. You will become
Troublesome Enemies: The worker led unions, The grassroots activists, Teachers
vastly wealthy, but what will be left when all the money is yours? and educators, The only remaining opposition party, International oversight,
Those crowds in the streets.
Describe yourself, each player taking on their own character. Your station is lowly. Each week you set your allies and enemies against one another, hoping that when
the time comes, whoever is behind this is weak enough to lose.
Go player by player, rolling the dice and picking a face up card with the same
value as the number rolled, 1’s and 10’s are whatever value you wish. The suit As a new week begins, roll the die twice. The numbers displayed are the enemies causing
of the card tells you the type of event that has occured. You decide how to problems this week. Roll the die two more times to find out who of your allies are available
interpret the card you pick up, but it should reflect your station. to help. So long as an ally has a higher number assigned to them, they will be able to block
one of your enemies. Two allies can be used to block one enemy if their numbers alone
Swords / Spades are new or returning patrons or partners. are not high enough.
Wands / Clubs are profitable ventures, schemes, and ideas. When an ally blocks an enemy, the enemy gains the number used to block them as a
Pentacles / Diamonds are material gains, fine possessions. further number. When an enemy is unblocked; roll the die, whichever ally has that
Cups / Hearts are quiet days and holidays. as their first number, gains the enemy’s number in the same way. When rolling a new
week, allies and enemies will also be called on these new numbers.
If you cannot pick up any of the face up cards then you get a big break.
Describe where this new wealth has come from and replace all taken cards At the dawn of the 9th week, roll the die only once. This is the coup. Any allies or
using the deck in the centre. After a big break your station changes, lowly enemies with that number will attempt to overthrow you. Roll the die again, any
becomes established, then established becomes opulent. If your station is allies with this number will defend you. If the combined numbers of your defenders
beat the number of those performing the coup, you remain in office, if it is the same
opulent and you get a big break then you recklessly gamble your fortune and
or lower then you are deposed.
lose it all.
If you are deposed, record what is said of you during your trial. If you remain in
At any point after the first player has lost it all, a final round of draws may be office, record what eventually gets you out and the state you leave the country in.
declared. When there are no cards left in the centre this will always be the final
Finally, on the following day, read back and redact anything you don’t want to
round. To end, describe what your character has been missing all this time.
become public knowledge.

X - THE WHEEL OF FORTUNE XI - JUSTICE

Players: Any, Requirements: A Pack of Cards, 1d10 Players: Solo, Requirements: Pen & Paper, 1d6
 A quiet has washed over the planet as the last colony ships have left.
What remains is a world worth leaving, at least to most. Now only a
handful are left.
Play a game of chess with the usual rules.
Stop when you reach a point where if one You may be recording this alone, in a journal, or talking through the last
days of those that remain with friends or strangers, perhaps around a fire
of you were to move it would spell disaster as you watch the embers die.
for one side. Each season contains a prompt, answer this as the time comes. At the
end of the season you will come across another who remains, if alone
you shall decide who this person is and journal your encounter, if played
Negotiate the pieces already taken back through discussion then you will meet one of the others. Go one by one,
each person deciding who they run into. This may mean that one is in
onto any space on the board, one by one, more scenes than the others each season, that’s okay, but try to even it
until all pieces have been returned. out across the whole story.

Over each season, characters will age. They may not age at the same rate,
don’t give this too much attention and let time fade into the background.
Each side should be wary of a double cross. Seasons may not match, a character need not go from young to old from
spring to winter, a year for them may not even pass, but the months will
age them all the same.
Now work together to move your pieces to
your opponent's starting positions. Pawns Spring - Why did people leave while you remained? What was it that
drew you to stay as one of the few on this lonely rock?
may now move one space diagonally. Check
Summer - What hardships remain with you? What wonders have crept
and checkmate must still be observed. through the cracks that were left?

Autumn - How has settling changed you? What is it that you miss?
If this truce is broken then chess may be
Winter - How will you go? Who are you hoping to get some more time
won in the usual way. with before the end?

After winter, describe the death of each character. Once each death has
been narrated, look at the world. What’s changed? What’s been lost?
What remains?

XII - THE HANGED MAN XIII - DEATH

Players: 2, Requirements: A Chess Board Players: Any, Requirements: Pen & Paper if Solo
Focus on what you crave. See it in your mind.
Draw back.

Focus on your craving. Feel it, dormant or

active, remembered or present. Draw back.
PRINT
Focus on the act of craving, how you respond
emotionally and physically. Draw back. OUT
Focus on how you respond to yourself feeling THIS
a craving. Find forgiveness. Draw back.
PAGE
Focus on that forgiveness. Fill up with it.
Allow yourself to bask in it.

Return. Keep the forgiveness as long as you

can hold it.

XIV - TEMPERANCE XV - THE DEVIL

Players: Just You and Me
 You awaken. Behind you is the vastness of a pale ocean you do not
remember. In front is a landmass quickly dying. Life here is in a
death spiral, frantic and desperate to protect all it has. You are
nothing and all you know is violence, this is all you can protect.

When you venture to a new part of this land record what it

DO
looks like, what is dying here and what it used to be. There will
be a Danger and a Beauty here, always reflections of each other.

If the Danger is a bear, then the Beauty may be a cub.

SOMETHING If the Danger is a swamp, then the Beauty is its nest of orchids.
If the Danger is forgiveness, then the Beauty is revenge.

UNSPEAKABLE When the Danger comes to harm you, and it always will come
to harm you, take a block from the tower. To strike back at the
Danger, place the block atop the tower. Defeat a Danger when

TO IT you start a new layer to the tower, then contemplate the Beauty
if it still remains, destroy it, and move on.

If the tower should fall then bask in this last Beauty as the Danger
lands a fatal blow. Collect the blocks and lay the foundation
layer of a new tower.

If you are ready to stop fighting then build something that

pleases you with the fallen remains of the tower.

Otherwise, rebuild and continue, waking at the edge of a pale

XV - THE DEVIL
ocean once more.

Requirements: Just the Page XVI - THE TOWER

Players: Solo, Requirements: Jenga Tower & Pen & Paper
 Take a large vessel of water and leave Create a shared, digital document which
room for more. can be edited by multiple people at once.

Get another water vessel and pour half Decide a time for meeting and send one
person this message:
into the first.
CONSPIRACY - X day, X time. You need
Count the ripples.
not attend, but invite one other person. Send them
this exact message. Join here: [insert the link].
Look up and study what is above you
in a level of detail you’ve never yet At the designated time, the originator
given it. should put this on the page and allow all
to edit:
Pour the rest of the water into the bowl
and think about what’s above you. CONSPIRACY - No names. Create a
pseudonym for yourself then type it below. We
Once the water stills again, make some must work out how many people didn’t show
ripples with your hand. up. They might have given us away.

XVII - THE STAR XVIII - THE MOON

Players: Solo, Requirements: Two Water Vessels Players: Any, Requirements: Shared Document
You’re a baby on a horse. Everyone else is trying to get you off
the horse, because babies shouldn’t be on horses alone.
Everyone writes down an invented
The horse is charging towards the horizon with joyous, reckless
abandon. Everyone needs to get the baby off the horse before
quality of an entirely invented person.
the horse crests that last rise in the land. For as long as there is discussion to be
had, cruelly gossip about the invented
They have whatever they can imagine to get the baby off the
horse, but neither the baby nor the horse can be harmed, for person based on these qualities,
that would be wrong. finding out details about the person
You, the baby, have a big bag of money and a massive flag. Split in-between the invented facts over the
the number 19 between these objects, for example: course of the discussion.
Big Bag of Money - 12
Massive Flag - 7 Once the cruel gossip is over, this
These can be expended to get rid of people trying to get you off
invented person enters the room. You
the horse, 1 point to roll a die. If three dice are rolled then you must discuss, as a group, if you wish
narrate how you disrupt your assailant. If two dice are rolled then to apologise to the invented person or
you narrate with your assailant how you bat them away. If one die
is rolled then your assailant narrates how they’re batted away. confront them. Either way, at the end,
you should concede and apologise to
The dice roll means nothing, but roll them anyway because
they make the baby laugh. each other for each of the moments
where you went too far in your gossip.
Once the last dice are rolled, the baby rides off into the distance.

XIX - THE SUN XX - JUDGEMENT

Players: 2+, Requirements: 3d6 Players: 3+, Requirements: Pen & Paper
Remember a civilisation that never existed, recall it out
loud, alone or with more historians like yourself.

Draw a map of our world and mark the civilisation’s

boundaries on it. Mark all official and unofficial borders.
On the map name the regions that sit at the extremities
of each of its compass points.

Imagine a person from this place and render them in as

much detail as you can. Did they come from this place or
another, were they absorbed into this civilisation, or is it
somewhere their ancestors have roots in?

Recall the end of this place. What fatal flaw led to

its collapse? What fragments remained in scattered
communities outside the new borders that arose?

Go outside if you are not there already. Take a fist full of

dirt, grass, mud, sand, leaves.

This is that land, an echo of its rubble and the remains of its
diaspora. This land is that land, you hold it, you are of it.

Let go. Let the land slip through your fingers and never
recall that civilisation again. Blot out the map.

XXI - THE WORLD

Players: Any, Requirements: A Fist Full of Dirt
The writing and design is by Alex Wilcox.
They’re a freelancer, also working as a performance
artist and a producer. They’re working on another
tabletop RPG, Daemonologie, which is much unlike
this apart from the melodrama and mysticism. You
can find that @DaemonologieRPG on twitter,
instagram and facebook. You can find them on
twitter @alexderrickjohn.

The cover illustration is by Morgan Noll.

She is a theatremaker and illustrator from the US.
Morgan is a graduate of the Royal Central School of
Speech and Drama with an MFA in Advanced Theatre
Practice. She is now pursuing a career in background
design and visual development for animation. You can
find more of her work and commission information
on her twitter @heliohermit.

The writing was edited by Will Smith.

He’s a writer, performer, and editor, and a recent
convert to the world of TTRPGs. He did an
undergraduate degree in English and a Masters
in Creative Writing. You can also find him on
twitter @actualwillsmith.

This project was funded by you. Thank you.

CREDITS