Divinatory Uses - The Deck of Many Things: Card Reference Guide

Divinatory Uses. The Deck of Many Things card set is a wonderful tool for representing fortune-telling encounters in your game, whether characters arc reading the cards for each other or the DM is portraying a non-player character peering into the characters' futures. Divinatory Basics Traditional readings require two people: a questioner who is looking for answers, and a reader who places the cards in a spread and interprets their meaning. The questioner and reader cooperate to understand the situation the questioner is in and what might be possible in the questioner's future. Usually, the DM takes on the role of the reader, and a character is the questioner. However, a character might be both questioner and reader, interpreting the cards to answer a question they're asking themself, or a character might perform readings for the others in the party. Choosing Questions When posing a question using the deck, avoid anything with a simple yes-or-no answer and questions with a specific, factual answer. Instead, ask open-ended questions that might have many answers. Questions like "How can we stop Iuz from conquering all of the Flanaess?" are more suited to the divinatory nature of the cards than "Where is the Eye of Vecna?" Stacking the Deck The reader should decide what cards to include in the deck for the reading, depending on their goals. A DM might want to include only cards that reflect the themes of the adventure, or choose the exact cards to display to give the players specific clues. A character reading a nonplayer character's fortune might do the same if they want to trick or manipulate that person, but trusting in fate and including the whole deck is always an option. Performing the Reading As cards are drawn, take your time interpreting them. Ponder how the cards' possible interpretations might speak to the questioner's memories, experiences, and current situation. The reader should help the questioner look for connections between cards, seeking the story...