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by Desmond Meraz
The Fool's Journey is a solitaire card game designed for use with a standard 78-card Tarot deck.
In this game the Fool embarks upon a journey in which he acquires wisdom, takes chances, and
overcomes numerous challenges with the aid of mysterious helpers. It was inspired by thematic
solitaire playing card games such as Scoundrel, Donsol, and Card Crawl and the Monomyth
described by author Joseph Campbell. This game was created for the 2016 Solitaire Print and
Play Contest.
THE PREMISE
in which he acquires Wisdom ... Coins
represent Wisdom. Each Wisdom card
(including Royals but excluding the Ace) is
counted as one unit regardless of the number
associated with it.
STARTING AN ADVENTURE
During an adventure the player may Replenish Vitality (Cups). The Fool's vitality
accomplish any number of the following tasks may be replenished by placing a Vitality card
in any order: from the Adventure Field or Satchel into the
discard pile. Vitality can only be replenished
Store cards in the Satchel. The Satchel can up to the starting value of 25 points.
hold up to three non-Challenge cards from
the Adventure Field.
Equip the Fool with Wisdom (Coins), Deploy Helpers (Royals). To deploy a
Strength (Batons), and Volition (Swords). Helper, place one equipped Wisdom card in
The Fool may be equipped with up to three the discard pile and then place a Helper card
Wisdom cards, one Strength card, and one from the Adventure Field or Satchel on top
Volition card at a time. They may be played of an equipped Strength or Volition card that
from the Adventure Field or Satchel and is not currently in use or place it on top of a
remain in play until used or fully expended. Vitality card in the Adventure Field or Satchel.
The Helper doubles the value of the card
that it is attached to and is discarded along
with it after the attached card has been used
or expended. Helpers can only be played on
cards of the same suit.
with a combination of the two, or directly
without the use of either. See the complete
description below.
C o m p l e t e C h a l l e n g e s ( Tr u m p s ) .
Challenges may be overcome with Volition
(Swords), endured with Strength (Batons),
Figure 8: Starting from Figure 3, the Fool
discards non-challenge cards from the Adventure
Field and Satchel. The remaining Challenge card
and equipped Wisdom, Strength, and Volition
cards cannot be discarded until resolved,
expended, or used.
COMPLETING CHALLENGES
The rich symbolism featured on the Tarot 5. The Hierophant. Discard from any
Trumps provides a powerful stimulus to the location to gain 1 point of Wisdom. It may
imagination and opens up the possibility of also be equipped in excess of the maximum
creating a unique story with each game. of three Wisdom cards. [Expounder of wisdom]
8. Strength. Spend one point of Wisdom to 17. The Star. Discard to shuffle a random
equip a reversed Challenge card from the discarded card back into the Deck. [Rising
Adventure Field or Satchel as a Strength or star]
Volition card. [Tames the beast]
18. The Moon. Spend one point of Wisdom
9. The Hermit. Spend one point of Wisdom to attempt to overcome two Challenges
and attach this to the equipped Strength card simultaneously with the equipped Volition
to prevent the depletion of the Fool's vitality card. This card mimics the properties of the
when using Strength to endure a Challenge of equipped Volition card and each is placed on
greater value. [O Sensei] a separate Challenge card. [Two wild dogs]
10. Wheel of Fortune. Spend one point of 19. The Sun. Spend one point of wisdom
Wisdom to shuffle all cards face-up on the immediately prior to attempting to overcome
table (except the Fool) back into the deck a Challenge to restore the Fools vitality
and deal a new adventure. [Cycled out] equal to the value of the equipped Volition
card. [Vital and deadly]
11. Justice. Discard to use an equipped
numbered Wisdom card as a Volition card. 20. Judgement. Spend one point of Wisdom
When applied to the reversed Trump 5, it immediately prior to resolving a Challenge to
produces a 5 value Volition card. [Scale and revive the Fool with 1 point of vitality after
sword] taking fatal damage. [Resurrection]
12. The Hanged Man. Spend one point of 21. The World. Spend one point of Wisdom
Wisdom to reverse an upright Challenge to restore the Fools maximum vitality points.
card in the Adventure field discarding any [Wholeness]
attachments currently applied to it. [Upside
down] GAMEPLAY VARIATIONS
13. Death. Spend one point of Wisdom to Difficulty Adjustment. Difficulty can be
discard a Challenge card from the Adventure adjusted by increasing or decreasing the
Field that has a reduced value. [The brink of maximum vitality points of the Fool and the
death] number of Wisdom and Satchel cards that
can be stored. The difficulty can also be
14. Temperance. Spend one point of decreased by allowing Helpers to be played
Wisdom to attach this to any numbered non- on both equipped and unequipped Strength
Challenge card in the Adventure Field or and Volition cards.
Satchel which then becomes a Vitality card.
[The two cups] Random Order Variant. Randomness can be
increased by introducing a new procedure for
15. The Devil. Spend one point of Wisdom resolving Challenges directly. After the Fool's
to discard an upright Challenge card from the vitality has been depleted according to full
Adventure Field. [Total destruction] value of the Challenge, the Challenge card is
placed face down on the table and a number
of cards equal to its value are drawn and
placed face down on top of it. The Challenge
card serves as the first count of the draw and
the rest are taken alternately from the Deck
and Discard Pile. This pile is then shuffled and
placed face down on top of the Discard Pile.
The top card of the new Discard Pile is
placed face up in the Adventure Field and
gameplay continues. This procedure does not
apply to the first trump card. (Contributed by
James)