12 Eyes

A Custom Fortune-Telling Deck for Dungeons & Dragons

Obligatory Detailed Backstory

In the steampunk-esque world of Eberron, Dungeons & Dragons meets the industrial era. Magic finds utility as much as splendor, and the cities of the world begin to grow & condense in a way familiar to those of us who live on Earth.

The city of Sharn is the greatest (and most flawed) of these metropolises. Its towers extend far into the sky and its roots dig deep into the earth. The wealthy & elite reside closer to the heavens - the destitute gather well below them.

As my friends embarked on a new campaign in Sharn, I decided my character’s most precious item was a completely original fortune-telling card deck, with illustrations inspired by the city of Sharn and the kinds of people, places, and adventures found therein.

Spec (a halfling druid old enough to have seen Sharn’s tumultuous history play out in real time) uses the cards to connect with her deity, though that god is not one she would eagerly admit to following.

Anatomy of 12 Eyes

Small compared to a conventional Tarot deck, 12 Eyes is focused & structured based on a few key ideas - some familiar, some novel.

Each card can be read two ways.

Each card has two images on it - for example, the Sky and the Sun. If the airship appears upright, then you have drawn The Sky. If the sun is on top, then you have drawn the Sun.

There are no inherently good or bad results.

Some cards seem to have clearly better results, but even those can be interpreted differently (better to suit the needs of the fortune teller). Spec is a rather roguish druid, so she’s quite content to have plenty of grey area in her readings.

The symbols of 12 Eyes come from the city itself.

From the unique classes of Eberron (like the artificer) to the named sections of the city (like the Cogs and the Skyway), each card in 12 Eyes reflects the world Spec lives in and loves.

Draw three cards. Together, they tell one story.

The cards may be any three in the deck. Some reflect people in your life. Others whisper of the tapestry of fate. The rest fixate on the elements of the natural world. Regardless of the combination, only Spec knows how to read between the lines to find the truth.

12 Eyes Gallery

The Child, the Orphan

A sign of the future - or a symbol of someone younger than you.

The Child is hopeful, surrounded by love, but also helpless & dependent. The Orphan is fearful, alone, but fights for survival independently.

The Harlot, the Hag

A symbol of your ability to determine your own fate - or a representation of someone you consider an outsider.

The Harlot is young, beautiful, and vivacious, but often forced into situations by others. The Hag is old, wise, and cunning, but sets herself apart from the social contract.

The Artificer, the Artist

A symbol of yourself - or what you can create.

The Artificer is practical, follows rules. The Artist has more freedom, but less control. They often resemble one another.

The Champion, the Crowd

A symbol of you, the people you’re with - or a representation of judgment.

The Champion stands alone, with strong ideals in sharp focus, but crumbles at the first sign of doubt. The Crowd is made of many, ever present, easy to hide in, but usually apathetic to what happens around them.

The Caldera, the Cogs

A symbol of what’s beneath you - or in your past.

The Caldera is an ancient thing - scorching hot, dangerous, and fluid. The Cogs are cold, mechanical - mundane and safer, but more easily undone.

The Sea, the Stream

A symbol of where you are now - or where you can go next.

The Sea is vast, with limitless options, but you can easily get lost in its treacherous beauty. The Stream is safer, but it only goes so far.

The Skyway, the Sprawl

A symbol of your fate - or what lies ahead.

The Skyway is lofty & beautiful - but arrogant & delicate. When it falls, innocent people fall with it. The Sprawl is looming, vast, and often ugly, but it’s grounded and deeply human.

The Sky, the Sun

A symbol of what comes after - or what lies just out of reach.

In Sharn, the Sky, near as it is, remains just out of reach - a mythical place reserved for the elite. The Sun’s heat and light reach even the lowest rungs of the city, but the source itself is impossibly distant.

The Feather, the Fall

The wind beneath your wings - or a symbol of consequences.

In Sharn, most residents carry the Featherfall charm with them in case of mishap. Stay prepared.

The Feather ensures safety - as long as you remember to bring it with you. The Fall brings certain death - it is out of your hands.

The Bud, the Blight

A symbol of natural cycles - or the earth beneath your feet.

The Bud is an auspicious sight, a sign of health & growth - but fragile, not fully formed. The Blight brings death & disease, but that which survives is stronger for it.

The Spring, the Storm

A symbol of your environment - or the water that carries you.

The Spring is tranquil, patient. It flows long distances and stays the course. The Storm is sudden, unrelenting, and violent - but over quickly. Both are beautiful, but in very different ways.

The Spark, the Cinders

This tells of repercussions, of power - or what happens when you play with fire.

The Spark - the beginning, illuminating the world around you. If you’re not careful, you’ll be left with the Cinders. But with every end, there’s always a new beginning…

The Dragon Between

A secret card, an old god - a savior to many, but not to all.

The Dragon Below

A secret card, the truer face of the Dragon Between.