Something New - Cha'alt Cards of Fate

 

I'm working on something new... well, a couple of new things.  One that I'll talk openly about here and perhaps in future blog posts.  The other will remain under wraps until October

I blocked a bit of time, securing the services of my layout guy awhile back for Pulp-Drenched Cities of Cha'alt.  And then, my layout guy told me that I had a block of time set aside in late October.  I was like, what?  No recollection of that at all, but since it was there and I occasionally come up with stray thoughts that can sometimes be turned into game mechanics or what have you, I confirmed the time block for future layout concerns.

Anyway, about this idea, it's six, maybe seven (doesn't matter exactly how many, that seems arbitrary for now) cards, like the Cha'alt X-Cards.  One of these are drawn by the Game Master, at some point during the session, maybe when an odd occurrence of numbers happen... I don't know.  

These cards have little (but big, implication-wise) sayings written on the back that will influence the game once drawn or stimulated.  Such sayings as...

1. Backstabbing & Double-Dealing - Someone the PCs have been working with or for are interested in renegotiating terms.  They're in the process of being betrayed.
2. Natural Disaster - Could be rocks falling, cave-in, mudslide, cha'altquake, radiation leak, exposure to toxic material, desert fire (hey, it could happen), etc.
3. Political Theater - City factions, government, royals feuding, nobles and aristocrats jockeying for position, politicians making bold statements, declarations of war, onerous policy regarding taxes, regulations, entitlements, bureaucracy, etc.
4. The Dark Gods Must Be Crazy - Signs, portents, and omens; direct or indirect intervention by the Great Old Ones and/or the New Gods... also, godlike players in the cosmic game of 17-dimensional chess.
5. Dogma of the Unquiet Void Lives Loudly Within You - Zealots, fanatics, cultists, priests, High Priests, servitors, gate keepers, key masters, Qua'aha-Xa'an, and so forth are trying to install, awaken, revive, resurrect, bring forth, manifest, or banish some kind of higher being that will greatly impact life for the PCs.
6. Artifacts, Relics, and Devices of Super-Science - Out there somewhere is a McGuffin waiting to be discovered, acquired, stolen, destroyed, rescued, stopped, attuned, imprisoned, or simply carried from one location to another.  Could be the Necronomicon, Loc-Na'ar, Continuum Transfunctioner, Arc of the Covenant, or whatever you can think of. 
7. Dark Lord, Check and Mate? - The big bad of the campaign rears his ugly head.  The guy behind the guy behind the guy is making moves, putting his pieces into place, and about ready to spring his trap.  The PCs are either in his way or will be collateral damage once he's finished.

A) This is to help facilitate surprising, impromptu events that can lead to some great improvised GMing.

2. The GM is forced to consider certain possible factors that might be going on in the world, and suddenly the GM has to deal with that shit.  It behooves a Game Master to give each a little thought before the next session or two commences.  Otherwise, if he fails to ascend in the playing of it, he shall hang his head in shame... if only to himself.  

Be warned, these Cha'alt Cards of Fate are for the Advanced Class!

I'll explain what I mean about each one, eventually [just added a brief description to each].  Actually, each GM should create and name his own Cha'alt Cards of Fate (yeah, it's growing on me).  Defining each little saying as is his wont.

Oh, and of course you have to decorate the other side your cards, something cool, something badass, something awesome - but it should come from you.  

I'll let you know if this is cool or junk after playtesting it.  Would be crazy for our 90-minute Wednesday night virtual Cha'alt game, but I'm down to clown, hoss. It would be like taking a slice of pie, and then trying to take a middle-slice of pie from the original pie slice.

VS

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