The Tarokka Reading

During this adventure in the Ravenloft D&D game I've been running for my friends online, their characters found a tarroka deck in Doctor Hesselius Reichmann's cabinet of curiosities. The tarokka is Ravenloft's version of the tarot; it is a deck of symbolic pictorial cards used for telling fortunes. 

Since the party was accompanied by a Vistani named Bela, they figured that he might be able to use the tarokka deck to give them a glimpse into their futures. I hadn't planned for this in advance; to be honest the possibility didn't even occur to me, but I think one DM skill really worth honing is the ability to recognize a fun and interesting opportunity. 

Luckily, there was a physical tarokka deck on the shelf just above my desk--so I was able to just reach up, as if it were perfectly natural, grab the deck and roleplay Bela giving a tarokka reading for each of the player characters. (The deck I used is pictured above; it's a bespoke tarokka by Eleanor Ferron.) Now I can use these readings as hooks I can write into the game as it continues.

Here are the fortunes for each of the characters in the campaign:

13 Shattered Mirrors: Let yourself by guided by your keen intellect; the solution to a nearing problem hinges on a clever mind.

Al': Beware betrayal by someone you trust; a loss or weakening of faith approaches.

Tank Orkerson: An innocent of great importance is in danger; only you can save them.

Tekla: You must embrace the power of nature over that of civilization. You are the chosen one who will stop a calamity against the natural world.

Gnargar: Beware lies and deceit; a grand conspiracy involving shadowy forces has begun.