Pandemonium deck
This is a magic item for Pathfinder based on P.D. Magnus' Decktet. Though inspired by the deck of many things and its harrow deck version, it alters the whole concept of the deck (roughly) following the model used by Madness at Gardmore Abbey to make the deck a less destabilizing force (at least at first).
Aura strong (all schools); CL 20th; Slot none; Weight —
This worn fortune-teller's deck bears an evocative image upon each of its forty-five cards. The deck contains six suits (in order: moons, suns, waves, leaves, wyrms and knots) with a complex structure. For each suit, there is an Ace and a Crown. Ranked between them are other cards numbered 2 through 9, each with two suits. Four Courts each have three suits and are ranked beneath Crowns. Four Pawns each have three suits as well, ranked below Courts. The Excuse has no suit or rank. Suit combinations do not occur with equal frequency. All cards also have a theme or meaning, written on the face of the card.
Individual Cards
Cards of this deck are almost never found assembled, as the deck has the ability to scatter itself at random under certain circumstances. Most who come across cards find them singly. Individual cards are no more or less durable than mundane cards, but should a card be destroyed, it disappears and reforms itself whole at some other random location in the world.
Individual cards make their presence known whenever combat begins. Whenever an initiative check is made, gather all of the cards possessed by any of the participants and draw one randomly. This card then exerts an influence on the battle. A spectral icon representing the card appears on the ground in a random square adjacent to the character who owns the selected card. Anyone standing in the square containing the icon gains the influence effect listed for that card so long as they remain in the same square as the icon. If the character moves out of the square (or the icon moves out from under the character) the influence effect ends immediately.
At the start of each round, the icon moves 1d4-1 squares in a random direction (roll 1d8, with 1 indicating north and the other numbers indicating compass going clockwise). Any creatures standing in that square immediately gain the influence effect of the card.
Characters who own cards may spend a move action attempting to force a card they own to become the influencing card. Success on a Use Magic Item check (DC 18) causes any existing influence to vanish, and a new influence icon to appear at a random square adjacent to the card owner. Any character in that square immediately gains the influence effect of the new card.
The character who owns the influencing card may also spend a move action attempting to move its icon. Success on a Use Magic Item check (DC 20) allows the character to move the icon up to 15'. Any creatures standing in the destination immediately gain the influence effect of the card.
Cumulative Effects
As more of the cards come together, the deck gains potency. If a single character holds multiple cards, they bestow additional effects, depending on the number of cards and their suit combinations. All applicable effects from the following table apply if the character owns cards that qualify. All spell-like abilities function with a caster level equal to the character's level.
| card combination | effect |
|---|---|
| any 6 cards | You emit an aura of chaos as if you were a cleric of a chaotic deity. |
| any 12 cards | You are constantly protected from law. |
| any 18 cards | Your alignment shifts one step toward chaotic. You may cast magic circle of protection from law 3 times/day as a spell-like ability. |
| any 24 cards | You may cast chaos hammer 3 times/day as a spell-like ability. |
| any 30 cards | You may cast dispel law 3 times/day as a spell-like ability. |
| any 36 cards | You may cast word of chaos 3 times/day as a spell-like ability. |
| any 42 cards | You may cast cloak of chaos 3 times/day as a spell-like ability. |
| three moons + three suns | You may cast flare burst at will as a spell-like ability, as a swift action. |
| three waves + three leaves | You may cast endure elements at will as a spell-like ability, changing the range to medium. |
| three wyrms + three knots | You may detect chaos at will as a spell-like ability, as a free action. |
| three moons + three wyrms | You may cast deathwatch at will as a spell-like ability, as a swift action. |
| three suns + three leaves | You may cast defoliate at will as a spell-like ability. |
| three waves + three knots | You may detect law at will as a spell-like ability, as a free action. |
| four pawns | You may cast suggestion at will as a spell-like ability. |
| four courts | You may cast prayer at will as a spell-like ability. |
| six aces | You may cast true seeing on yourself at will as a spell-like ability. |
| six crowns | You may cast scrying at will as a spell-like ability. |
| one card of each rank + the excuse | Once per day, you may broadcast a sending which is heard by any creature who owns six or more cards. |
| moons of each rank | You may cast beast shape iv twice per day as a spell-like ability. |
| suns of each rank | You may cast sunbeam twice per day as a spell-like ability. |
| waves of each rank | You may cast seamantle twice per day as a spell-like ability. |
| leaves of each rank | You may cast plant shape iii twice per day as a spell-like ability. |
| wyrms of each rank | You may cast form of the dragon ii twice per day as a spell-like ability. |
| knots of each rank | You may cast maze once per day as a spell-like ability. |
Completing the deck
Should one character assemble the complete deck, the true power of the deck reveals itself. The owner of the deck may perform an hour long ritual culminating in the owner (or someone she designates) drawing one or more cards from the deck. If the one drawing is lawful, they may draw only one card. If the one drawing is chaotic, they may draw up to three cards. Otherwise the one drawing may draw up to two cards. Regardless of who draws, the owner of the deck chooses one of the drawn cards, and the major effect listed for that card activates (targeting the one who drew it, if applicable). Major effects are permanent and cannot be eliminated without powerful magic, such as a wish or miracle.
Afterwards, each card drawn disintegrates and reforms at a random location (as mentioned above). The owner of the deck immediately becomes aware of the location of the card that was activated (but not the others, if any). No longer in possession of a complete deck, the owner must track down the lost cards in order to draw again. Note that, since the new cards are not technically the same object as the cards that were drawn, the deck's owner has never handled the new cards, which prevents divination spells that require such handling from locating the new cards.
Some major effects also cause additional cards from the deck to vanish and reappear elsewhere. This may happen in one of two ways. If the deck divides, undrawn cards are distributed at random into four separate piles, with the cards distributed as evenly as possible. One pile, chosen at random, remains where it is. The other piles teleport to random locations within 100 miles. If the deck scatters, all undrawn cards teleport to random locations within 2,000 miles.
Consciousness
Created to spread chaos, the deck possesses a rudimentary consciousness which helps further that aim. This consciousness wants the cards to be found and used, so whenever cards transfer to new locations, they will never wind up anywhere too obscure or unaccessible (e.g. surrounded by solid rock, the bottom of unclimbable ravine, etc.). Instead, they tend to appear in places where they might get found eventually (e.g. the bottom of a chest in an attic, the pocket of a rarely used coat, tucked into a library book, a family crypt, etc.). The deck is most content when its presence sows discord or upsets the status quo, and favors getting cards into the hands of destabilizing forces (like your average group of PCs).
When adjudicating matters related to the deck, keep the desires of this consciousness in mind. Take the Windfall card, for example, which makes a character an heir to a noble title. While this might result in the character taking up the reins of power peacefully, the deck would much prefer that a full on civil war broke out instead. Along the same lines, the deck wants people to fight over its cards when trying to unify the deck.
Card Effects
The Author
Rank/Suits Two (moons, knots)
Influence Effect The character can read, speak and understand any language, as if under the influence of a tongues spell.
Major Effect From this point on, whenever the character rolls initiative, he rolls twice and selects whichever result he prefers.
The Bard
Rank/Suits Crown (suns)
Influence Effect The character gains a +4 luck bonus to charisma.
Major Effect The character physically becomes a member of the opposite gender.
Battle
Rank/Suits Four (wyrms, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect While in combat, the character is always considered to be flanked. Attackers gain a +2 flanking bonus on attacks made against the character and may sneak attack him at will.
Betrayal
Rank/Suits Eight (wyrms, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect The character's animal companion, familiar, cohort, or other NPC ally is alienated and forever after hostile. If the character has no such allies, the enmity of some powerful personage, community, or religious order can be substituted. This hatred remains a secret until such a time that it might be most dramatically and perilously revealed. Upon drawing this card, the character knows that someone or something will turn against him, but nothing more.
The Borderland
Rank/Suits Pawn (waves, leaves, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
Calamity
Rank/Suits Crown (wyrms)
Influence Effect The character gains a +4 luck bonus to strength.
Major Effect
The Castle
Rank/Suits Seven (suns, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect The character gains a personal demiplane, as per a permanent create demiplane spell.
The Cave
Rank/Suits Seven (waves, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Chance Meeting
Rank/Suits Seven (moons, leaves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Consul
Rank/Suits Court (moons, waves, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect The character's wisdom score becomes her new dexterity score. Her old dexterity score becomes her new intelligence score. Her old intelligence score becomes her new wisdom score. The character then adds +2 to two of these ability scores.
The Darkness
Rank/Suits Nine (waves, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Desert
Rank/Suits Two (suns, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Diplomat
Rank/Suits Eight (moons, suns)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Discovery
Rank/Suits Five (suns, waves)
Influence Effect The character knows the exact identity and location of all cards from the pandemonium deck within 300', even if contained within extra-dimensional spaces or protected from divination.
Major Effect This card grants the character the one-time ability to call upon an omniscient spirit to fully answer any question or solve any single puzzle. Whether the information revealed can be effectively acted upon is another question entirely. The character may use this card's effect whenever he wishes, but only once.
The End
Rank/Suits Crown (leaves)
Influence Effect The character gains a +4 luck bonus to constitution.
Major Effect The character permanently gains a +2 luck bonus to checks of all skills based on strength.
The Excuse
Rank/Suits None (none)
Influence Effect
Major Effect the cards scatter.
The Forest
Rank/Suits Five (moons, leaves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Harvest
Rank/Suits Pawn (moons, suns, leaves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Huntress
Rank/Suits Crown (moons)
Influence Effect The character gains a +4 luck bonus to wisdom.
Major Effect
The Island
Rank/Suits Court (suns, waves, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect The character's charisma score becomes her new dexterity score. Her old dexterity score becomes her new strength score. Her old strength score becomes her new charisma score. The character then adds +2 to two of these ability scores.
The Journey
Rank/Suits Three (moons, waves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Knot
Rank/Suits Ace (knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect The deck divides. The character is taken captive as if by an imprisonment spell with no saving throw. The character retains all possessions on her person, except the pandemonium deck. All beings in the world become magically aware that a) the character is imprisoned and b) anyone who frees the prisoner will be able to place a geas on the prisoner and be granted a limited wish.
The Leaves
Rank/Suits Ace (leaves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Light Keeper
Rank/Suits Pawn (suns, waves, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Lunatic
Rank/Suits Six (moons, waves)
Influence Effect For every five points of damage the character deals to a target with a melee attack, the target gains a +1 morale bonus to Strength and -1 AC penalty. Multiple attacks are cumulative (to a maximum of +7 Strength, -7 AC).
Major Effect The character gains the lycanthrope template, becoming a weretiger lycanthrope, and as such, remove disease and heal have no affect on this affliction.
The Market
Rank/Suits Six (leaves, knots)
Influence Effect The character may increase one combat score at the expense of another, as if she had the power attack, combat expertise or deadly aim feats. If the character makes use of a feat they already have, they may calculate the penalty and bonus provided by the feat (but not the attack roll itself) as if their base attack bonus was eight points higher.
Major Effect Any time the character dreams, she may choose to enter the Dream Market, a place where all non-unique magic items are bought and sold at a 10% discount. The character may access all of her real world wealth and possessions to buy and sell in the Dream Market and any transactions made translate into the real world once the character wakes. Any time she enters the market, ten random sleeping people within 50 miles of the sleeping character have vivid dreams where they see everything the character does in the market. These people will remember the dreams, and may seek out the character because of them.
The Merchant
Rank/Suits Nine (leaves, knots)
Influence Effect The character may throw a gem at a target as a ranged touch attack. If the gem hits, disappears in a flash of light. For every 50gp of value the gem had, the character may adjust the rolled initiative score of the target up or down by one.
Major Effect A mysterious entity known as the Generation Merchant appears, offering the character any treasure she wishes in return for years of her life. The character has up to four choices:
- The character accepts. She chooses to age a number of age categories, taking all the ability score penalties for the new age, but gaining none of the benefits. For each age category she advances, however, she gains 20,000 gp worth of credit with the Generation Merchant, which can be spent on any non-unique magic items. Any credit a character does not spend is lost. Years taken by the merchant cannot be restored by any means. Characters who are immortal or cannot die of old age are not offered this choice.
- The character transfers to offer to someone she knows (either out of goodwill or some side bargain). The recipient must then make one of the four choices himself.
- The character counteroffers magic items in exchange for life. She chooses to "youthen" a number of age categories, taking all the ability score benefits for the new age, but gaining none of the penalties. For each age category she retrogrades, however, she must pay 30,000 gp worth of magic items to the Generation Merchant. Characters who are immortal or cannot die of old age are not offered this choice.
- The character declines. The Generation Merchant disappears in a puff of acrid yellow smoke.
The Mill
Rank/Suits Eight (waves, leaves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Moon
Rank/Suits Ace (moons)
Influence Effect If the character casts a spell of up to 4th level, it does not consume one of the character's spells per day.
Major Effect The character is granted a single wish. This wish functions similarly to the spell wish when it comes to affecting rules and statistics, but can also change reality in ways outside the bounds of the spell's effects—such as rerouting a river or ending a war. The GM decides what the wish can and cannot accomplish.
The Mountain
Rank/Suits Four (moons, suns)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Origin
Rank/Suits Two (waves, leaves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Pact
Rank/Suits Nine (moons, suns)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Painter
Rank/Suits Three (suns, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Penitent
Rank/Suits Six (suns, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Rite
Rank/Suits Court (moons, leaves, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect The character's wisdom score becomes her new constitution score. Her old constitution score becomes her new strength score. Her old strength score becomes her new wisdom score. The character then adds +2 to two of these ability scores.
The Sailor
Rank/Suits Four (waves, leaves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Savage
Rank/Suits Three (leaves, wyrms)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Sea
Rank/Suits Crown (waves)
Influence Effect The character gains a +4 luck bonus to dexterity.
Major Effect
The Soldier
Rank/Suits Five (wyrms, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Sun
Rank/Suits Ace (suns)
Influence Effect Any divine spells cast by the character function as if cast by someone four caster levels higher.
Major Effect
The Watchman
Rank/Suits Pawn (moons, wyrms, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Wave
Rank/Suits Ace (waves)
Influence Effect
Major Effect
The Windfall
Rank/Suits Crown (knots)
Influence Effect The character gains a +4 luck bonus to intelligence.
Major Effect The character gains 20,000 gp worth of gems and jewelry. Within 1d8 weeks, evidence is uncovered proving the character has the most legitimate claim to a noble title. The GM will determine the nature of the title, including who might currently hold it.
The Window
Rank/Suits Court (suns, leaves, knots)
Influence Effect
Major Effect The character's charisma score becomes her new constitution score. Her old constitution score becomes her new intelligence score. Her old intelligence score becomes her new charisma score. The character then adds +2 to two of these ability scores.
The Wyrm
Rank/Suits Ace (wyrms)
Influence Effect Any arcane spells cast by the character function as if cast by someone four caster levels higher.
Major Effect The character must choose between his most valuable item and a major ally of the GM's choice, knowing that whichever is not selected is destroyed or slain and cannot be restored by mortal means.
Destruction
If the entire deck is assembled and then the cards ordered by rank, then the first suit on the card, a dispel chaos spell will cause the deck to disintegrate without regenerating.