Constellation Cards
Constellation Cards
CardsRules

Character (Focus)

Courage

//"It doesn't matter if I win. It matters if I don't try." -- Emory

Courage is strength in the face of grief or pain. It's not just a willingness to do something, but to do it when there's every reason to hold back.

Courage lets you fight when afraid, speak when being shouted down, stand up when you're injured, or take an unpopular stand.

  • Honor or pride must be upheld
  • Someone or something near you has already suffered harm
  • Nobody else can or will take the risk

Flip to get a hit.

Courage

//"Emory! Fall back! This isn't our fight!" -- Tana

Courage can twist into cowardice or recklessness. Not everyone knows the right time to run from a battle, or when a battle really needs to be fought. And not everyone is prepared to fight every battle they face.

  • Compromise a principle for safety or expedience
  • Run away to avoid getting hurt, physically or emotionally
  • Seek glory or self-aggrandizement

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.

Charm

//"I only came here to see you!" -- Basler

The essence of charm is creating a bond with someone. Make them feel interesting, or appreciated, or just part of something cool.

Charm lets you awe, wow, surprise, or comfort people. It gets you through tough situations with style and panache, making people move aside for you or get behind you through force of personality.

  • Perform with grace and elegance
  • Get by on audacity
  • Gain someone's confidence

Flip to get a hit.

Charm

//"Listen, city boy. Stop talking or I'll cut your tongue out." -- Woody

Some people can become enraptured by their own ability to impress and influence. They buy into the story they're selling, until reality intrudes.

Others see charm as deceit, and will trust you less.

  • Show off needlessly
  • Push things for the sake of pushing
  • Take advantage of someone's emotions

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.

Instinct

//"My eye watches the target. My hand lets go the bowstring. I do nothing." -- Woody

You do things without thinking. Your heart, your conscience, a divine command, or something guides your actions.

Instinct lets you act when everything says to hesitate, or when uncertainty overwhelms you, or when speed counts more than reason.

  • Take decisive action in the moment
  • Get an immediate read on a person or situation
  • Exploit a momentary opportunity

Flip to get a hit.

Instinct

//"So, he was a king's guard in disguise. He looked like a bad guy!" -- Woody

Only fools rush in, and this time, you were the fool.

  • Interrupt a plan mid-execution
  • Misjudge someone's intentions or actions
  • Screw something up by impulsively acting

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.

Magic

//"I don't know, I just felt ... something ... flow through me!" -- Tana

The mystical, the eldritch, the arcane. The Power has many names. What do you call it?

You can achieve a variety of supernatural outcomes with magic, such as healing, curses, enchantments, and more.

  • Place the impossible within reach
  • Mingle the material and the symbolic
  • Infuse the ordinary with awe and mystery

Flip to get a hit.

Magic

//"The Power is much like the ocean. You can sail in it, or drown in it." -- Tana

When called, the Power always comes. That doesn't mean you can always command it.

The costs and consequences of using magic can be anything, even for a familiar spell.

  • Face a cost you can't easily or immediately pay
  • Supply a rare material component or perform a ritual at specific place and time
  • Fall prey to a side effect or curse

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.

Secrets

//"Basler, where did you get that knife from?" -- Tana

You deal in concealment, stealth, and subterfuge. Your tools are things people don't want known, or weren't expecting.

You could use hidden weapons, court gossip, cloak-and-dagger skulduggery, or the secrets of the heart.

  • Acquire something from someone else without their knowledge
  • Reveal something you've been concealing
  • Avoid detection or culpability

Flip to get a hit.

Secrets

//"You don't wanna know" -- Basler

The problem with secrets is keeping track of who knows what. The value of a secret is lost once it's revealed. And some secrets weigh on the conscience.

  • Endure distrust from those around you
  • Reveal the wrong thing to the wrong person
  • Give yourself away at an inopportune moment

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.

Tech

//"Y'see, this gizmo here can automatically pick any lock in the kingdom!" -- Basler

You focus on science, technology, or artifice to get things done.

This could include familiar inventions like handguns or balloons, or magitek such as glowing crystal fire-rods, or products of magic such as alchemical potions.

You can use, repair, or replace your toolkit of inventions.

  • Fight using advanced weapons or protective gear
  • Overcome obstacles by deploying a gadget
  • Gain surprise or advantage against those unfamiliar with your tech

Flip to get a hit.

Tech

//"The gizmo broke and I gotta fix it. Well, at least I have my tools." -- Basler

Nothing works perfectly, especially new inventions that have seen more use than testing.

  • The gadget has unexpected side effects or fails to work at a key moment
  • A gadget malfunctions or breaks in interesting ways
  • People distrust or avoid your strange science

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.

Training

//"The mind directs the body's power. I get it now." -- Basler

Through exercise, mindfulness, and practice, you've learned to use your own mind and body as a tool.

Training lets you fight, move, and act with grace, power, and precision. You can push your own abilities past normal limits, or unlock new ones.

  • Use your body's abilities in place of weapons, armor, or equipment
  • Focus inner strength to resist torment or temptation
  • Gain an understanding of someone from how they move

Flip to get a hit.

Training

//"Well, I can't pick locks with my fingernails, can I?" -- Basler

Your discipline is demanding, and while your body is versatile and powerful, it can't compete with everything.

  • Face a problem that requires tools after all
  • Spend time honing yourself instead of accomplishing an important goal
  • Reveal your abilities to someone you'd rather not see them

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.

Wits

//"The world is full of opportunities!" -- Basler

Characters who live by their wits take advantage of the things (and people) around them. They turn difficulty into opportunity, or find a new way to look at a situation.

Wits lets you find solutions within the problem you face, create plans, and know when to abandon those plans.

  • Find a way to turn strength to or from weakness
  • Devise a plan to deal with a problem
  • Realize a useful truth about a situation

Flip to get a hit.

Wits

//"When I said people were gullible, I didn't mean me too!" -- Basler

No battle plan survives contact with the enemy, but not all planners are humble enough to realize that. Getting by on the world can sometimes mean exploiting people, or seeming like you're doing so.

  • Misjudge the strength of your position
  • Overplay your hand
  • Make someone else pay for your victory

Flip when a prompt is narrated by anyone.