Using a Deck of Cards to Tell Stories
My own Tarot Design
The Cards as Pieces to a Story
While playing storytelling games, I realized that there were distinct pieces in every story. I saw this, then, in every movie, book and story. I then assigned meaning to each card and suite of playing cards, almost like a tarot and magic happened - I created a framework for telling my life’s story in a way that put me in the director’s chair rather than the wide-eyed audience.
Aces represent NPCs who help or hinder the progress of the sojourners. These are the people in your life with all of their varieties and dynamics.
2s represent the quest item. This is the McGuffin. What is it you seek? What have you found? Sometimes this 2 is a person. What the 2 represents is a driving force in the plot of your story.
3s represent monsters. Every story game has monsters to fight. But they are not there simply because you need a fight, but usually because the monster acts as a barrier to your reward. It stands in the way and creates a zero-sum game between you and winning. Sometimes, monsters can act as guides or distractions as well. Either way, the monsters have desires, just like you and the desires conflict with your own.
4s represent discoveries about the world you make along your journey. These are things you find out of curiosity. These are people you meet that expand your understanding of reality. These are hidden caves, treasure troves and lost sleeping maidens. These are things that were not meant to be a part of your story, and nevertheless, they become one with you.
5s represent the presence of magic. All things magical. Magical challenges, monsters, people, items, - the presence of magic makes for a fantasy world, rather than a realistic one. This means the inner world part of us that must be brought out into the “real” world and integrated in order for us to be whole. There is magic - inside us all - that if brought out into the world helps fashion a more enjoyable life in this present moment.
6s represent represent inventory. Stuff, loot, and treasure is a big part of any story. The things you carry might be overdue and need to be released. Your baggage might be a skill or tool that you carry to help someone else - or it helps solve a problem.
7s the environment, the air you breathe, the water you swim in - for much can be said about how the unseen vibe affects your day to day living. Cleansing your space and cleaning your home does wonders for affecting your mood. The game space, while unseen, is imagined. And in real life, this space affects the outcome of the story in subtle ways.
8s represent the terrain, the road you walk, the mountain you climb and the swamp you traverse. Wearing the right footgear makes a difference when you know your path and when you know your path, you know where you are and where you are going. Navigation plays a part in the footed journey. Encounters that occur change in dynamic based on the foundation - is the floor made of lava?
9s represent the spirit of wilderness opposed to civilization, mother earth, nature and all things seemingly chaotic. There can be order in nature, of course, but there is also a wild cruelty that must be revered.
10 represent the spirit of civilization opposed to wilderness, father sky and empire and all things orderly. However, we do know that chaos brews in cities just as well as the raging rivers. But through order or chaos, empire must be held in respect, for by the sword does one govern.
Jacks represent your dark side, the specific NPC that always seems thwart your plans, but sometimes comes up helping you in dastardly ways. Either way, there always seems to be a trick played on you, and a compromise that must be met.
Queens represent the divine aid sent your way - help from above, but also inflicting contracts and expectatio
ns that are too powerful for mortals to do alone - and so they pray to the very gods who impose quests upon them.
Kings represent the greatest villain in your story. This is the final boss, the evil one, the source of all your problems and the one who answers the question - how does your story end? Are you victor or victim?
The Suites as Themes
Now, combine the previous cards Ace through King with the themes from the following suites.
Clubs represent a general, often neutral, barrier to progress. This must be overcome, circumvented, tricked or even fought. Clubs are locked doors, cave-ins, sleeping dragons, goblin squads and raging rivers. Often times, as a person, clubs are brutes that are simply following orders, and usually carry a big club! The clubs oppose your progress.
Hearts represent a puzzle, mystery, or something out of place. Hearts cannot be “overcome” in that traditional methods fail. Clever thinking, problem solving and calibration are usually the tools required. Often times this may be a perplexing person that distracts from progress, or a mystery box that eats up time and resources from the main quest. The hearts distract your progress.
Spades represent curses, tricks and setbacks. These are complications, unforeseen and insidious, that usually arise out of consequence to previous actions. Sacrifice and compromise are the tools needed to escape these trials. The spades, as a person, are devils who set up no-win contracts or witches who bestow blessings and curses. Spades impede your progress.
Diamonds represent combat, conflict and climaxes. These are arguments which settle a score, monsters who must be slain and final bosses that want you dead. Dealing with diamonds is sharp and painful business, but they help answer the dramatic question - are you victor or victim? The diamonds, as a person, usually represents the primary villain in your story. Diamonds halt your progress.
Direction on Telling a Story
Lay out 5 cards and describe the story by combining the effects of the numbers with the suites. Each card represents a scene that incites a choice.
Queen of Hearts - A goddess appears before you and offers you a chance to pay for you sins by carrying her golden statue to a nearby village in need.
2 of Clubs - The item in question, the statue, creates a barrier in that it must be carried through a dangerous city where everyone covets gold.
5 of Diamonds - After escaping the city, a field of enchanting flower people halts the progress of the sojourners and must be vanquished before ending the story in a bitter end.
3 of Clubs - Assuming the sojourners won, the story continues with a large beast guarding the innocent village. This monster flies, is territorial, and beastly with no instincts except to protect. The villagers are unable to be contacted by usual means, so this monster opposes the progress.
Jack of Spades - Once inside the city, a seemingly helpful NPC, who journeyed with the sojourners this entire time, backstabs the party and steals the golden statue for himself. The chase is on and if the sojourners do not retrieve the idol, the quest will fail, the goddess will be angry and the villagers turn against them in mob-driven fury.
Hopefully, you can see what a creative device this framework is. I use this in my tabletop roleplaying games, but also in my day to day living. By creating a side-story in my head, I’m usually able to visualize my problems in a different light and therefore, create a little space for creative problem solving. It’s as if I become the director of my life’s story rather than a passive passenger who is along for the ride.
However you use it - enjoy and may your story continue!