The Deck of Narrative Things

AKA: The Deck of Proverbial Spanners

Welcome, the following is a Deck designed after The Deck of Many Things, unlike many other "Deck of Many Things" copies this one does not add cards, it does CHANGE cards, but not like many you've likely read, everyone that was bad has stayed roughly the same level of badness, and everything that's really good has stayed that way.

The following deck, is designed to give and take roughly the same amount as the original Deck, this isn't a replacement, its an alternative, everything in this deck has been changed to be more interesting, not more powerful, or more deadly, simply more interesting!

Now, as a DM I would recommend not telling your players what they drew, hell to be honest, have them decide OOC if they want to pull from this deck, then pull, they're all narrative cards or as I said in the other title, a Proverbial spanner in the works, they're designed to take the story in a direction that even the DM didn't expect, to add drama and tension! I'm not saying your players can't pull from it in game, and god knows that might be a bit cool too "A middle man! oh gods did we pull the jester or the joker?" but I've used something like this in the past, like a lot, and it's worked best when you pull out of character, and they don't know what to expect.

Like the Deck of Many Things this is a deck of 22 cards, these can be represented by ordinary playing cards, I've listen which playing cards represent which cards.

Vizier - Ace of Diamonds

Somewhere on the path to the party's next objective they will find a strange tent with an even stranger occupant: a mystic! He will ask for a single gold coin, and in return give a "reading." He will ask the party to declare a single question and then answer it completely truthfully. This character knows all, and if asked a question such as, "How do we beat Strahd," he will impart the wisdom to apply the answer he gives. For example he might say ,"You will require the sunblade—to find it, you must travel north to the cave of wonders."

Sun - King of Diamonds

Seemingly overnight, a magical Key appears in one member of the party's backpacks with a simple note attached. The note explains the key is to an ancient ruin somewhere within the world, and that the location of this ruin is unknown. Upon finding and opening the ancient ruin the party is awarded 50,000 XP to split amongst themselves (or if you're doing milestones, count this as a milestone), the Tomb contains a single wondrous item of the DM's choice. (It's advised obviously that the tomb is difficult to find and will take some serious investigation work.)

Moon - Queen of Diamonds

The party hears tell of an item buried deep in a dungeon far away that will grant the user wishes. (Amount determined by DM or by rolling 1d3, your choice.)

Star - Jack of Diamonds

A Mysterious Stranger appears before the party and challenges one of them to a game of the players choice that tests a specific ability score. If the players wins (whether fairly or by, for example, outsmarting them) that ability score increases by 2. This can increase the score above 20 but no higher than 24.

Comet - Two of Diamonds

THWACK! The party blacks out and all wake up in gladiatorial cells to the sound of cheering crowds in the distance. They're each taken one by one, given a weapon of their choice, and must fight for their adoring masses! if they put on a good show and the patron approves, they each gain enough XP to get to their next level. If, however, they displease the patron (lose the majority of the one on ones, refuse to play along, etc. etc.) then they're left to rot in their cells, or until they escape...

The Fates - Ace of Hearts

Reality's fabric unravels and spins anew, allowing you to avoid or erase one event as if it never happened. You can use the card's magic as soon as you draw the card or at any other time before you die.

Throne - King of Hearts

You gain proficiency in the Persuasion skill, and you double your proficiency bonus on checks made with that skill. In addition, you gain rightful ownership of a small keep somewhere in the world. However, the keep is currently in the hands of monsters, which you must clear out before you can claim the keep as yours.

Key - Queen of Hearts

A Rare or rarer magic item important to the completion of the current adventure/story and of the DM's choosing is magically placed in the path of the party. Perhaps a friendly NPC gifts it to them, not knowing what it truly is, or they merely find it in the dungeon they are about to clear. (This item does not have to end the story or adventure, it merely must be something helpful to the party to complete it.)

Knight - Jack of Hearts

The party gains the service of a 4th Level Fighter, through one means or another. The fighter has a quest of his own he one day wishes to complete and hopes that the party will aid him when the time comes.

Gem - Two of Hearts

The party begins to receive notes with payments attached from a mysterious benefactor. The notes give cryptic but helpful suggestions for locations the party should go to, and a new one will arrive after the party has visited the location of the previous note. The benefactor seemingly knows when they have gone or if they have not, but the courier can never name who is sending them. They continue until the party has been sent 50,000 gp in total.