Whimsy Cards

Last updated

Whimsy Cards is a 1987 role-playing game supplement published by Lion Rampant.

Contents

Contents

Whimsy Cards is a role-playing aid, a set of event cards that players can use to affect the outcome of a game storyline. [1]

Publication history

Whimsy Cards was written by Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein-Hagen and published in 1987 by Lion Rampant as 48 flimsy cards and a 4-page rules pamphlet, shrink-wrapped; a second edition published the same year came packed in a bag with stiff cards. [1]

Shannon Appelcline stated that Lion Rampant wanted Ars Magica to be the initial release for the company, "but as Gen Con 20 (1987) approached it became obvious that their premier product would not be ready. Rather than rushing it out (a mistake made all too often by RPG companies), Lion Rampant instead prepared an alternative product for that Gen Con: Whimsy Cards." Appelcline detailed that the storytelling branch of design for role-playing games was developing at that time, so for Whimsy Cards, "The idea was simple: print up a deck of 43 cards (plus a few blanks) where each card presented a distinct story element [...] These cards were shuffled and handed out to players at the start of a game; those players would later play a card and describe how it applied to the story. If the gamemaster liked the results, he incorporated the description into the story, otherwise he vetoed it." [2] : 305 

Reception

Stewart Wieck reviewed the product in the December 1986 to January 1987 issue of White Wolf. He provided a positive review, stating they are "wonderful role-playing devices". [3]

Reviews

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Rein-Hagen</span> American game designer

Mark Rein-Hagen, stylized as Mark Rein•Hagen, is an American role-playing, card, video and board game designer best known as the creator of Vampire: The Masquerade and its associated World of Darkness games. Along with Jonathan Tweet, he is also one of the original two designers of Ars Magica.

<i>The Order of Hermes</i> Role-playing game supplement

The Order of Hermes is a supplement published by Lion Rampant in 1990 for the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lisa Stevens</span> CEO of Paizo Publishing

Lisa Stevens is an American editor, CEO and founder of Paizo Publishing, and COO of Goblinworks. She began her career in games in the 1980s, working with Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein•Hagen to help produce the tabletop roleplaying game Ars Magica. She later worked at White Wolf and Wizards of the Coast before founding Paizo. She announced her gradual retirement from her role in June 2020.

Justin Achilli is best known as an author and developer for White Wolf, Inc.

<i>White Wolf</i> (magazine) Game magazine published 1986–1995

White Wolf is a game magazine that was published by White Wolf Publishing from 1986 to 1995.

<i>Ravenloft: Realm of Terror</i>

Ravenloft: Realm of Terror is a boxed set accessory published in 1990 for the Ravenloft campaign setting for the Advanced Dungeons & Dragons fantasy role-playing game.

Lion Rampant was a tabletop game publishing company from 1987 to 1990. Jonathan Tweet and Mark Rein-Hagen founded the company, and Lisa Stevens joined as the editor. They published Ars Magica, a roleplaying game about wizards in the Middle Ages, plus support material for the game. In addition, they published Whimsy Cards, which introduced freeform dramatic elements to a roleplaying session. In 1990, Lion Rampant merged with White Wolf Publishing.

Stewart Douglas Wieck was one of the founders of the publishing company, White Wolf, Inc. He was also one of the original writers of Mage: The Ascension.

Steve Wieck is best known as one of the founders of the publishing company White Wolf, Inc. He is also one of the original writers of Mage: The Ascension. Wieck is a co-founder of DriveThruRPG which later merged with RPGNow to become OneBookShelf. Wieck is currently the CEO of OneBookShelf.

Nicole Lindroos is a game designer who has worked primarily on role-playing games.

<i>Dungeon Tac Cards</i>

Dungeon Tac Cards is a supplement for fantasy role-playing games published by Judges Guild in 1976.

<i>The Chronicles of Talislanta</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

The Chronicles of Talislanta is a supplement published by Bard Games in 1987 for the fantasy role-playing game Talislanta.

<i>Covenants</i> (Ars Magica)

Covenants is a supplement published by White Wolf Publishing in 1990 for the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

<i>Houses of Hermes</i>

Houses of Hermes is a supplement published by Wizards of the Coast in 1994 for the third edition of the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

The Stormrider is an adventure published by Lion Rampant in 1989 for the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

<i>Legendary Lives Players Primer</i> Tabletop role-playing game supplement

Legendary Lives Player's Primer is the first of two books published by Marquee Press in 1990 required for the role-playing game Legendary Lives.

<i>Legendary Lives Referees Rulebook</i> Tabletop role-playing game

Legendary Lives Referee's Rulebook is one of the two books published by Marquee Press in 1990 required for the role-playing game Legendary Lives.

<i>Tales of the Dark Ages</i> Role-playing game supplement

Tales of the Dark Ages is a collection of adventures published under license by Atlas Games in 1990 for Lion Rampant's fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

<i>The Sorcerers Slave</i> Tabletop role-playing game adventure

The Sorcerer's Slave is an adventure released under license by Atlas Games in 1987 for the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica published by Lion Rampant.

<i>The Tempest</i> (Ars Magica) Tabletop role-playing game adventure

The Tempest is a series of adventures published by Lion Rampant in 1990 for the fantasy role-playing game Ars Magica.

References

  1. 1 2 Schick, Lawrence (1991). Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games. Prometheus Books. p. 124. ISBN   0-87975-653-5.
  2. ↑ Shannon Appelcline (2014). Designers & Dragons: The '80s. Evil Hat Productions. ISBN   978-1-61317-081-6.
  3. ↑ Wieck, Stewart (December 1987 – January 1998). "Capsule Reviews: Whimsey Cards". White Wolf. No. 8. p. 61.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.