Rust
2011-04-20, 10:55 AM
I was playing 3DA the other day after announcing my plans to run a new Eberron game. We all enjoy playing 3DA and haven't really had a chance to use it much in game yet, sure our characters play a bit in taverns but we usually just cover the whole game with a die roll or something.
But a while ago I was reading through Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, as many people may know one of the key features of the adventure revolves around the party having their fortunes read with tarot cards. I won't go into the mechanics but its a great idea and fits brilliantly. There was also an option to use a deck of 3DA cards, which while quirky felt a bit weird in the setting but I think would work quite well in Eberron.
Consider that originally Tarot was used for card games similar to modern playing cards before their mystical connotations became so well known that the games fell out of use. Then consider the draconic prophecy and how 3DA could be seen as Eberron's equivalent to tarot. The Dragon connotations are the most obvious but then the cards go up to 13. The number of the Dragonmarks. After googling the subject a bit all I found was a Steal that Hook article which involves one of the undercover dragons comically flustered about the game which she views as degrading to dragons but her pride means that she seeks out tutors so she might at least be the best at the game in the land.
Tbh I think, while a rather comical diversion from Eberron's usually gritty themes its not all that interesting beyond a single adventure seed while mystical connotations offer limitless opportunities to build upon. Fortune-telling, occult history, 3DA themed markers and supersticous gamblers just off the top of my head.
But I'm rambling now. Its one of those tangents you have to let free or it will distract you constantly. What do other people think of this? Has anyone used 3DA in their D&D games to similar effect? Ideally Eberron? And do you think in Eberron the Dragon Gods would instead be called Syberis (Bahabmut), Eberron (Io) and Kyber (tiamat) or is that unnecissary?
But a while ago I was reading through Expedition to Castle Ravenloft, as many people may know one of the key features of the adventure revolves around the party having their fortunes read with tarot cards. I won't go into the mechanics but its a great idea and fits brilliantly. There was also an option to use a deck of 3DA cards, which while quirky felt a bit weird in the setting but I think would work quite well in Eberron.
Consider that originally Tarot was used for card games similar to modern playing cards before their mystical connotations became so well known that the games fell out of use. Then consider the draconic prophecy and how 3DA could be seen as Eberron's equivalent to tarot. The Dragon connotations are the most obvious but then the cards go up to 13. The number of the Dragonmarks. After googling the subject a bit all I found was a Steal that Hook article which involves one of the undercover dragons comically flustered about the game which she views as degrading to dragons but her pride means that she seeks out tutors so she might at least be the best at the game in the land.
Tbh I think, while a rather comical diversion from Eberron's usually gritty themes its not all that interesting beyond a single adventure seed while mystical connotations offer limitless opportunities to build upon. Fortune-telling, occult history, 3DA themed markers and supersticous gamblers just off the top of my head.
But I'm rambling now. Its one of those tangents you have to let free or it will distract you constantly. What do other people think of this? Has anyone used 3DA in their D&D games to similar effect? Ideally Eberron? And do you think in Eberron the Dragon Gods would instead be called Syberis (Bahabmut), Eberron (Io) and Kyber (tiamat) or is that unnecissary?