Lore and Legends of the Dezzyverse

The Caravanserai Who Camp in the City of Miseries

Not everyone in Arjenvís are monsters, prey, or prisoners. There are one people who know secrets, who travel out beyond the walls of the city to other lands. Despite Arjenvís deepest wishes for no one to escape once locked behind her walls, against the monumental, terrible will of the city who will not let go of the souls in her iron grip. The Caravanserai continue to slip in and out with seeming impunity, bringing rumors of lands beyond the horizon, as well as trading in exotic wares from foreign artisans.

The Caravanserai camp away from the estates of the aristocracy, setting up in hidden places among the poor neighborhoods or abandoned buildings. Though they can be found in most of the Canton, somewhere, excepting I Canton, the Kziazekyr. Their camps are able to be taken down and moved in a single night.

Cartomancy

Of all the various forms of divination, the Caravanserai prefer, excel at cartomancy. The decks used vary from Caravan to Caravan, but the pattern is the same. The Caravanserai Diviner uses the Vaghanesqa Ròdho to read the fortunes of those who search them out.

Vaghanesqa Ròdho

The dealer separates the High Deck from the Lesser Deck and shuffles both separately. They place the High Deck to their left and the Lesser Deck to their right. The dealer then deals cards from the High Deck.

• I. This is the Mandĭn (Fortune) card. It represents what the seeker (the person the reading is for) will become at the end of their journey.
  • this card is dealt face down, perpendicular to the dealer
  • the top of the card (for determining if the card is inverted or not) is the short edge facing to the dealer’s left
• II. This is the Ègo (Self) card. it represents the seeker as they are at present.
  • This card is dealt face up and crosses the first card
  • the top of the card is the short edge of the card that faces away from the dealer
• Deal four cards from the High Deck face up starting on the far side of the Self cards and passing clockwise.
  • each card is dealt perpendicular to the last with one short edge facing the cross of the first cards dealt, is the top of the card.
• III. The Mashkar e Jivendesko (Midwinter) card.
  • dealt to the wheel at twelve o’clock
  • this card represents where the seeker is departing from, and returning to.
• IV. The Prago e Primaverako (Spring Threshold) card
  • dealt to the wheel at three o’clock
  • this card represents the first leg of the seeker’s journey
• V. The Mashkar o Milaj (Midsummer) card
  • dealt to the wheel at six o’clock, opposite Mashkar e Jivendesko
  • this card represents the farthest away the seeker journeys from home.
• VI. The Prago e ćhonesko (Autumn Threshold) card
  • dealt to the wheel at nine o’clock, opposite Prago e Primaverako
  • this card represents the final leg of the seeker’s journey
• Deal 8 cards from the lesser deck in pairs around the wheel
• VII. The O vudar (Doorstep) card
  • dealt to the wheel at one o’clock.
  • this card represents that which is sending the seeker on their journey
• VIII. The Obstàkulo (Obstacle) card
  • dealt to the wheel at two o’clock.
  • this card represents the first challenge to the seeker, holding them back from the Prago e Primaverako and must be overcome before the seeker can cross the Spring Threshold
• IX. The Amala (Comrades) card
  • dealt to the wheel at four o’clock.
  • this card represents the friend or ally that will help the seeker following the Prago e Primaverako
• X. The Corripen (Setback) card
  • dealt to the wheel at five o’clock.
  • this card represents a problem or defeat that the seeker must endure before they can move forward to the Mashkar o Milaj
• XI. The Pauza (Respite) card
  • dealt to the wheel at seven o’clock
  • this card represents the restoration of the seeker following the Mashkar o Milaj
• XII. The Bibaht (Misfortune) card
  • dealt to the wheel at eight o’clock
  • this card represents unexpected adversity before the seeker can begin their final part of their journey
• XIII. The Gardeno (Warden) card
  • dealt to the wheel at ten o’clock
  • this card represents the fearsome guardian of the prize the seeker hopes to attain.
• XIV. The Prèmio (Prize) card
  • dealt to the wheel at eleven o’clock
  • this card represents the reward the seeker earns and brings back to their start at Mashkar e Jivendesko

After the Prèmio is dealt, the dealer reveals the seeker’s Mandĭn card.

The Journey

The reading of the cards is framed as the seeker journeying to discover their fortune. The seeker asks the diviner (dealer) what fortune they want to know. The diviner, as they read the cards, describe what each card means in context of it’s position. Since the four Thresholds (Mashkar e Jivendesko, Prago e Primaverako, Mashkar o Milaj, and Prago e ćhonesko) are dealt before the remainder of the wheel, the reading can only be made after all the cards are dealt.

Following the Prèmio card being dealt to the wheel, the diviner leads the seeker through the journey of the wheel. The diviner reads the wheel, starting with the Maskar e Jivendesco and Ègo and progressing clockwise.

The beginning of the journey, represented by the O vudar, Obstàkulo, and the Prago e Primaverako cards are read together as a “Spring Season” of the Journey. Prago e Primaverako translates to “Spring Threshold”. The Spring Season represents the conditions of the journey’s start (the O vudar) and the first real obstacle before arriving at the Spring Threshold (the Obstàkulo). The Spring Threshold card reveals the first turning point of the journey, showing a place or person that will point the seeker forward. It is the reward for taking on the journey.

The next part of the journey, represented by the Amala, Corripen, and the Mashkar o Milaj cards are read together as a “Summer Season” of the Journey. Mashkar o Milaj is Midsummer and is the midpoint of the journey, The Summer Season is the first half of the pilgrimage through the wilderness towards their fortune. In Summer, allies and comrades are found, setbacks are endured and Midsummer is the threshold to the deepest, and most dangerous part of the journey.

The deepest part of the journey, represented by Pauza, Bibaht and the Prago e ćhonesko are read together as the “Autumn Season” of the Journey. The Prago e ćhonesko, the Autumn Threshold, is the place where the Self is killed and reborn. The Autumn Season starts with a short rest, but quickly descends into misfortune until the seeker confronts the parts of themselves that they must change before they can complete the journey. These three cards unveil the form that the events take.

Passing through the deepest shadow of the Autumn Threshold the end of the journey is represented by Gardeno, Prèmio, and the Mashkar e Jivendesko cards. Read together, these cards are the “Winter Season” and when the Mashkar e Jivendesko is read, signifying the return of the seeker to where they started, the Mandĭn is revealed showing the seeker what their fortune makes them into.

Storytelling with Divination

Divination like cartomancy can be effective in helping Game Masters and Players tell stories at the table. Beyond the scene where the fortune-teller lays cards out on their velvet table, the fortunes themselves become the seed of new stories. This can be utilized to develop bespoke adventures that are tailored to the characters.

When developing story in this manner, the reading should be for the entire group as a whole, instead of individuals. While personal, individual readings can motivate the subject directly, it does focus a lot of the burden on that character and the other members of the party can start to feel like sidekicks. Even in a focused reading, as GM, make sure to include the other characters in the interpretation.

An option, likely the simplest, but still, the most challenging to design around is to use the reading as a form of emergent storytelling. Neither the GM, nor the players know what the cards are going to tell them, and when the reading is complete, there is an outline for a story arc. Everyone involved should make notes about the reading, because those notes will maintain a level of consistency and fate to the adventure as it progresses. As a GM, consult with the players as to what they want the fortune to mean for their characters. The point here is to follow the player’s choices and interpret their fortune, not to build a railroad that forces them onto the predetermined route to the end.

A second option, which requires a little more work, but will be easier to design around is to stack the deck prior to the reading. Again, with the players’ input, figure out what they want the fortune to mean. The GM then can select cards and place them in an order that will conform to the players’ intentions. Again, everyone should take notes regarding the reading, and the point remains to follow these designs to guide the characters to their fortune, and avoid railroading them to a destination.

A third option is to use the divination as a Red Herring. This is not to suggest that the divination is false, but that interpretations vary and can mislead. As with the previous options, it’s up to the Game Master and Players to discuss as to what the fortune means. However, the GM should re-interpret the reading to subvert the players’ intentions towards their characters.

The Vaghanesqa Ròdho is designed to resemble the Hero’s Journey to make the design of a narrative easier. The four thresholds serve as turning points in the story with the lesser cards acting as story elements. Other reading layouts can be adapted with a little thought and effort. Divinations are ways of telling the story of the future regardless of the means used to tell fortunes.

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