"The Complete Windrow-Ravenswood Deck" is an Adventure in Tarot Storytelling

It's been a while since I've boosted a signal for some fellow creators here in a Monday slot, but since it's the Halloween season I wanted to shine a spotlight on a recent release from Dee Arbacauskas. If that name sounds familiar, she's the mind (and hands) behind Tormented Artifacts, and I talked about some of her leather work a while back in Get Your Hands on Some Tormented Artifacts! (Especially if You're a LARPer). However, while you should definitely take a look at her practical, wearable art, this week I want to talk about a different, unique piece of work... namely, the Windrow-Ravenswood deck.

Because it's more than just a deck of cards.

Before we get into that, though, wanted to remind folks that I have a newsletter now! So if you don't want to miss any of my weekly releases, make sure you sign up today!

All right, now, let's get into this lovely little bundle, shall we?

The Dual Story of The Windrow-Ravenswood Deck

First, let's start off with the really real story of the deck as it's told by the creator. We'll move into the juicy framing device later.

The origin of the Windrow-Ravenswood poker deck came to the creator as part of an art challenge that went more than a little out-of-control. To paraphrase her introduction, the ideas were coming to her almost faster than he could get them down on the page. While the flurry of activity resulted in some beautiful rough work, getting them cleaned up, organized, and available for purchase took time. The first run of the deck caught a lot of attention (and for good reason), and that drove further work to expand on it, and to fill in the gaps.

For example, expanding the deck by creating the Lost Arcana allowed the poker deck to transition into a full and proper tarot card deck. You can get all of this as a bundle on Drive Thru RPG, by the by. At just under $20 it is a hell of a steal!

But what's the second story?

The second story is in the Complete Windrow-Ravenswood Guidebook (not to be confused with the 2-page guide currently available for using the deck). Because in addition to being a guide to this unique tarot, offering both interpretations and translations for those familiar with more traditional decks, the book also presents us a framing for the deck's so-called founding. It paints a picture of a shadowy institute, a bizarre family lineage, and it chronicles the journey of the deck down the years. There are even several winks to the Cthulhu mythos, for those who enjoy the occasional Easter egg. Told primarily through the communiques and letters sent by "The Archivist," the book intermingles the practical aspects of using the deck with a surprisingly captivating story about the deeper, darker world from whence it hails.

 

While the full and complete guidebook is not currently available, it should be out in early November. Prices, according to the author, will be $11.99 for a digital copy, and $29.99 for the standard color hardback edition.

EDIT: The book is out! Take a look at The Windrow-Ravenswood Deck Guidebook!

So How Can You Use This Deck?

As everyone here knows, this is a gaming blog where I talk about RPGs. Interesting as this deck is, what does it have to do with a roleplaying games? Well, the answer is going to depend entirely on you, the games you play, and your imagination.

There are so damn many possibilities...

The first use for the deck is as a practical game piece. If you're a Chronicles of Darkness LARPer, for example, then these decks would make an ideal stack to draw from while players determine success or failure for their actions. Particularly for a Mage game, though they'd fit well enough in Vampire, Changeling, or others as well. For those who enjoy games like Savage Worlds Deluxe, this deck would be a handsome addition to the initiative pull. Especially if you're playing a game like Rippers, and you want a little extra ambiance.

Even if you're not using the deck itself as a game piece, it makes a lovely prop. Whether you're a Malkavian who believes the cards talk to them, or you want to use the cards as something left behind by a serial killer, they're something that can be interacted with. They can add an extra layer of fun to the game... especially if the players can pass them around and admire them for their beauty, and creeping dread.

The last use, and one I would suggest for any burgeoning storytellers out there who are looking for a solid world to base a Chronicles of Darkness: Mortals game or a Call of Cthulhu game in, is to adapt the cards, the setting, and the story as part of your campaign's bible going forward. While the setup could be a cousin to the SCP Foundation and other, similar creepy pastas, it's much narrower in scope, and allows you to keep things a little bit more grounded. And there are just enough references to the timeline, as well as to the sights that the Archivist witnessed, that you could attempt to ascertain what dire deeds Ravenswood committed in his pact to make this deck.

At the end of the day, it's a fun, handsome creation with unique art. Whether you use it as the basis for an entire campaign, or you just pull it out for Halloween poker nights, I seriously suggest giving the full Windrow-Ravenswood deck bundle a look, and staying tuned for when the final guidebook drops here in a few weeks!

Like, Follow, and Stay in Touch!

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday. To stay on top of all my content and releases, make sure you subscribe to my newsletter at the bottom of the page!

Again, for more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, and stop by the YouTube channel Dungeon Keeper Radio. Or if you'd prefer to read some of my books, like my cat noir thriller Marked Territory, my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife or my latest short story collection The Rejects, then head over to My Amazon Author Page!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, Twitter, and now Pinterest as well! To support my work, consider Buying Me a Ko-Fi, or heading to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a regular, monthly patron. That one helps ensure you get more Improved Initiative, and it means you'll get my regular, monthly giveaways as a bonus!

Get Your Hands on Some Tormented Artifacts! (Especially if You're a LARPer)

The Internet is full of crafty people who make strange, unusual, striking, and downright awesome stuff. The problem is that most of the time you only find them by accident. You happen to be scrolling through a group you don't go to much, or a friend shares a link, or the random numbers of the algorithm give you a brief glimpse at someone's work, and show you a door you could step through if you were intrigued enough.

Today, I'd like to be that door for folks who haven't heard of Tormented Artifacts.

Seriously, step through already! There's all kinds of goodies in there.

What Is Tormented Artifacts?

Tormented Artifacts is the place where you can get work by crafter Dmitri Arbacauskas, who makes some lovely, high-quality stuff. Not only that, but he makes unusual pieces that you won't typically find outside of a convention (and what's even better, he'll make custom adjustments to ensure his customers are happy with their order, though there may be a few extra bucks tacked on for additional materials, efforts, etc.).

Seriously, LOOK at this thing!

While there are plenty of fun accessories for those among us who like to stand out from the general populace, Dmitri's work is particularly good for folks out there who enjoy LARPing. From body braces, to hand wraps, to masks, to pouches, his leather is durable, high-quality, and formed with skill. Additionally, you can get pretty much any sort of symbol, crest, or unique marker burned into it, if you can provide the artist with something to work off of.

You get what you pay for when it comes to this artist, which is why I would strongly suggest everyone out there who wants that memorable piece for their character (or just a durable, everyday accessory that will be with you for years to come), that you check out Tormented Artifacts today.

I did, and I'm very pleased with the results.

And if you're looking for some other folks you may not have come across, you should also check out:

- Gargoyle Forge is Your New Destination For LARP Gear

- Post-Apocalyptic LARP Accessories That Won't Break The Bank? Check Out Karol B!

The former is more about armor, weapons, and other boffer accessories, while the latter is a costuming resource I recommend everyone know about.

That's all for this week's Moon Pope Monday post. Remember, small businesses are always there for our hobby, so show them some love and spread the word!

For more of my work, check out my Vocal archive, my Gamers page, or stop by Dungeon Keeper Radio. You could also head over to My Amazon Author Page to get some of my books, like my sword and sorcery novel Crier's Knife!

To stay on top of all my latest releases, follow me on Facebook, Tumblr, and Twitter. And if you'd like to help support Improved Initiative, remember that you can tip me by Buying Me A Ko-Fi, or you can go to The Literary Mercenary's Patreon page to become a patron.