Pelgrane Press has announced Merryshire Detective Club, a cozy fantasy investigative tabletop RPG powered by the award-winning GUMSHOE system. The crowdfunding campaign launches on BackerKit on July 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM PDT.

Designed by Gareth Ryder-Hanrahan, Merryshire Detective Club invites players into the peaceful villages of Merryshire, where amateur detectives solve mysteries involving suspicious neighbours, awkward family feuds, questionable inheritances, eccentric local traditions, and the occasional murder.

Set in the idyllic countryside of the Riding, the game blends cozy fantasy, classic detective fiction, folkloric weirdness, and collaborative storytelling into a long-form mystery campaign experience centered on community and recurring characters.

“In a hole in the ground, they found a body…” begins the game’s campaign copy, setting thetone for a world where tea, gossip, nosiness, and clever deduction matter far more than combat.

Players create halflings, dwarves, pooka, or boggarts, each bringing their own distinctive abilities and perspectives to investigations. During character creation, the group collaboratively builds a shared village map filled with homes, landmarks, neighbours, rivalries, and local scandals. Over the course of a campaign, the village evolves into a living record of the group’s adventures.

Powered by the GUMSHOE investigative RPG system, Merryshire Detective Club focuses on uncovering clues, interpreting evidence, and piecing together mysteries through roleplaying and deduction rather than failed dice rolls or combat encounters.

The core book will include:

– the complete GUMSHOE investigative system
– collaborative village creation tools
– richly illustrated setting material
– mystery design guidance
– ready-to-play mysteries
– campaign resources and player aids

Merryshire Detective Club continues Pelgrane Press’ tradition of investigative roleplaying games, joining acclaimed titles such as Trail of Cthulhu, Night’s Black Agents, The Yellow King RPG, TimeWatch, and Swords of the Serpentine.

The BackerKit campaign launches July 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM PDT.

Follow the campaign before launch to receive previews, updates, stretch goal reveals, and community events.

I reviewed several tarot decks and even a couple of oracle decks so far, but I found myself struggling to write about the Deviant Moon Tarot designed and illustrated by artist Patrick Valenza, because I didn’t want to pen a typical review. I picked up the Deviant Moon Tarot: Borderless Edition as a gift to myself for my birthday, and was drawn deeper into Valenza’s process when I read the guidebook (pgs 6 and 7) about how this deck took three years to produce and his description of his artistic process.

Valenza said that: “My character stylization was influenced by ancient Greek art, yet I added a slightly abstracted twist. I chose to draw the figures in a flat, playing card style, rendering them with heavy light and shadows, then placing them in a shallow background. As I worked, different styles emerged, and before long the characters evolved into the moon-faced beings see in the cards.” This detail stood out to me, because his description reads as if he’s an artist peering at his younger self with loving care.

Knowing how much work Valenza put into this deck caused me to realize that I wasn’t just drawn to the art on the cards, I was drawn to learning more about him as an artist. So, I picked up the full-color, hardcover Deviant Moon Tarot Book as a companion to the tarot deck, and I’m really glad I did. The hardcover book sits at the intersection of a Taschen art book and an esoteric grimoire, and is one I highly recommend even if you don’t get the deck. In an era where a polished version is spat out of a vending machine due to genAI, this style of art book-slash-tarot guide is an authentic representation of the journey Valenza followed to draw on his imagination, interests, and personal experiences to create his signature style.

After reading the guidebook, I started with one-to-three card readings to become more familiar with my deck and the card’s meanings. Unlike other tarot decks, where the court cards tend to get a little muddled, the Deviant Moon Tarot is more balanced and, in some cases, more direct, because it takes each suit and transforms them into families or clans. For example, the suit of swords is portrayed as: “The family of swords is a powerful clan, yet its members are troubled with conflict. In spite of their problems, they persevere through strength and fortitude.” This type of storytelling helps the cards emerge as stronger symbols that expand past traditional Rider-Waite-Smith portrayals to form a customized experience unique to this deck without alienating tarot enthusiasts.

The print quality of the cards is gorgeous, and each tarot card is a miniature work of art. The back of the cards are the same if you shuffle them in the upright or reverse position, and both sets of meanings are included in the enclosed guidebook and in the hardcover companion. Offering stylized figures, the deck leans into the lunar theme with both the art and the “Lunatic Spread,” a self-guided tarot card spread of cards laid out in a circle, the shape of the moon.

My only complaint about the Deviant Moon Tarot, is that I really want a premium edition of this deck so I can keep one as a collectible with a more elaborate card box and gilded foil edges while using the other. The deck box is, unfortunately, already starting to wear. Even so, trying to protect the deck is proving to be a challenge. The tarot card sleeves I bought are just a little too short for the cards. If you are anything like me and want to protect and use this deck, as printed, know that 67mm x 130mm cards are considered oversized and require a different sleeve that’s hard to find.

Do I think this type of deck is good for beginners? Actually? Yes, yes I do. This deck is the reason why so many of us are drawn to tarot in the first place. Not only has the artist spent a great deal of time and attention developing each card, the meanings and symbolism depict an interesting caricature that tells a story in Valenza’s fantasy world. As one of my favorite tarot decks in my collection, I give this deck five stars despite the issues that I have with its wear-and-tear.

To order direct from the artist, visit Deviant Moon, Inc.




This review contains Amazon.com affiliate links. Multiple editions of the tarot decks are now available, including a miniature edition and a deck with borders, through your favorite bookstores, too. Both the guidebook and the tarot decks are published by US Games Systems, and are widely available.

Did you participate in Free RPG this year? I did! We went to a local game store to have fun with a friend. I’m so glad I did! I wanted to pick up some game accessories and solo journaling games I can play, because I’m seeking different styles to recommend to my patrons while I develop and release chapters of Shards of Remorsica on my Patreon. I found clear tarot card sleeves for a decent price, but was thrilled to find a trio of new-to-me games.

Free RPG Day Haul

We took home several Free RPG titles, many of which I plan to review here, for FlamesRising.com. The haul?

• House of Broken Promises, a haunted house map building role playing game by Doug Levandowski and Yeonsoo Julian Kim. Compatible with Home.

• Creation Curation Presents #1 2026 with Three New Adventures and Quickstart Rules. Compatible with the old school RPG Mörk Borg by Free League Publishing.

• Arkham Horror The Roleplaying Game Adventure Three Days to the Big Easy by Edge Studio. The adventure is recommended for 4-6 players, was written and developed by Sam Gregor-Stewart with Zion Johnson, and uses d6s.

• The Archivist’s Curse with quickstart rules for Vaesen Nordic Horror Roleplaying, also from Free League Publishing. The lead game designer is Nils Nitze and the adventure is credited to Kiku Pukk Härenstam.

• Dungeons & Kittens Free RPG Special also by Edge Studio is a quickstart written by Mike Mearls titled An Afternoon Outing.

• Dolmenwood quick-start rules & adventure, The Weaver & the Redcaps, is published by Necrotic Gnome and is compatible with Classic D&D and AD&D. The quick-start is written by Chance Dudinak and Gavin Norman. The game is a three-book core set: the Dolmenwood Player’s Book, Dolmenwood Campaign Book, and the Dolmenwood Monster Book are available now individually and as a bundle.

I should point out that both Free League Publishing and Edge Studio are European publishers who offer a few translations of their games into other languages in addition to American English. Those translations are also available in game stores and on DriveThruRPG.com.

Games I’m Looking Forward to Playing

The first is titled Letters of Sandra and is a solo letter writing game published by Gem Room Games (Kali Lawrie and Dan Phipps) who also designed a cool game titled 9 Lives to Valhalla. The description reads: “Sandra Blank has gone off to college. You are one of 6 characters who is close with Sandra. She is corresponding with all 6 people throughout her first semester of college. Read excerpts of Sandra’s letters to you, roll on news tables to reveal what you are choosing to share with her (and what you are choosing not to say), and decide for yourself whether or not to respect the privacy of letters not meant for your eyes.”

My attention was drawn to the bespoke cover by Aleksandra Brokman, who designed the Wise Women RPG. “Wise Women explores what effect navigating between having the power to help on one hand and facing social prejudice on the other has on the characters and their relationships with their neighbours. Will they continue to strive to protect and improve their community, or will the prejudice drive them to lash out and turn to violence and Dark Magic? Wise Women is based on the Powered by the Apocalypse ruleset and suitable for 2-5 players.” Though it’s not a solo journaling game, I could not pass this plant-themed game up!

Lastly, I snapped up a hardcover edition someone pointed out to me of Siege Perilous in the Age of Arthur. Powered by tarot, this journaling game “is a solo and troupe (group) roleplaying game about Arthurian knights questing across England. You will travel through the life of your knight, encountering characters, enemies and NPCs. You will undertake quests, both for your own advancement and that of those you serve alongside and for.” Published by Gallant Knight Games, this game uses a tarot rules set I’m not familiar with called Firelights. I’m curious to see how that style of roleplay plays out against an Arthurian backdrop.

Which games, adventures, and accessories did you pick up? Anything I should know about?




This post contains DriveThruRPG.com and Amazon affiliate links.

Set in Ireland at The Bilberry Woods Hotel, HOKUM (2026) spins a yarn about an unlikable protagonist who visits the hotel to lay his parents’ ashes to rest. Ohm Bauman, an American novelist played by Adam Scott, is painted as a wealthy-but-unhappy writer who’s moved to visit the hotel his parents stayed at for their honeymoon. Shortly after arriving, Bauman overhears an old man named Cob (Brendan Conroy) warn two young kids about a Callieach who’ll cut off body parts as souvenirs and drag the boys in chains to the underworld.

What follows is a story that includes multiple character arcs, braiding the main-and-supporting cast’s problems together with supernatural threads. Though Bauman is the central figure in the film, the character keeps us grounded by dealing with his grief and the colorful hotel workers who have issues of their own.

HOKUM is distributed by Neon, an independent American film company established in 2017, and is now available to rent through video-on-demand or purchase.

***WARNING***SPOILERS BELOW***WARNING***SPOILERS BELOW***

One of the interesting things about HOKUM is that the movie is not, and should never be regarded as such, a story about a malevolent genius loci. The Bilberry Woods Hotel is not supernatural itself, like the kind of hotel (THE SHINING) or mansion (ROSE RED) that terrifies its visitors because it’s possessed or built on tainted land. Instead, it’s clear from the beginning of the movie that people–not ghosts or witches or demons–are always more interesting that we give them credit for. The employees keep secrets, make mistakes, and pursue their own agendas while obeying Cob, the owner, who believes he’s keeping the Cailleach at bay. From the very beginning of the movie, it isn’t clear whether she exists or not, just like the ghost of Bauman’s mother.

What I find so interesting about HOKUM is that the protagonist’s impetus for change has nothing to do with the act of scattering his parent’s ashes or his attempted suicide, but through his guilt after hotel worker Fiona (Florence Ordesh) discovers him. Recognizing the trauma he caused, Bauman becomes obsessed with finding her, only to discover she’s missing. This mystery is something he can’t let go of, and the novelist picks up the search touching upon the locked honeymoon suite no one is supposed to go into.

As the mystery unravels, it becomes increasingly clear McCarthy’s take on the supernatural is that it’s part of our waking reality at all times even if we can’t acknowledge it without a little help. This theme shines through the ghosts, culminating in the movie’s finale, while keeping us guessing. Small details–the clock in the locked honeymoon suite, the elevator, the diorama–aren’t just symbols, they’re warnings.

I found HOKUM to be atmospheric, grounded, and satisfying because of its emphasis on human failings and grief. Blending psychological elements with folk horror was an excellent choice, and made sense for all the characters involved. Though I do have a few nitpicks (e.g. more Cob, amplifying how broken Bauman is before his trip, etc.), those are minor in comparison to the rest of the film. By retaining a tight narrative, the story is so personal when we finally meet the Callieach we know which victims she’s targeted and why.

Filmed beautifully, with stellar performances by its tight casting, you might be surprised to learn HOKUM was a low-budget film, only 5 million. Though this figure is comparative to modern folk horror movies like MIDSOMMAR ($9 Million) and LAMB ($5 Million) the production value doesn’t suffer for it. If anything, McCarthy’s emphasis on character arcs woven against a supernatural backdrop has benefited from the confines of filming small, predominantly in one location like THE OTHERS, using different cinematic framing and effects.

If you’re hoping for an atmospheric-but-tense movie check out HOKUM. Now available through video-on-demand platforms like Amazon Prime and in physical media.







This post contains Amazon affiliate links.

Events for this year’s Gen Con opened for registration and tickets for my events are almost sold out. You can click on Valentinelli at Gen Con Indy to find my workshops. I am running a two-hour workshop titled “Tarot for Storytellers,” and a four-hour workshop with Scott Lynch and Brandon O’Brien titled “Pitch Us Your Game Take Two.” I am also hosting a koffeeklatch, too!

If any event is sold out, please don’t be afraid to come anyway. Sometimes, people drop out our schedules shift and I’d like to make time for you. For my sold out koffeeklatch, feel free to come anyway and I will schedule extra time for you.

Don’t know what to chat about? If you’ve taken one of my workshops, I’m interested to hear how your writing is coming along. This year, I will also be bringing some enamel pins for trade. Huzzah! I am also taking recommendations for fude (also referred to as bent nib) fountain pens, witchy hats, fun vinyl stickers, and solo journaling games.

Thank you to everyone who already booked tickets for my events. I appreciate it!

To keep in touch, don’t forget to sign up for Monica’s Marvelous Musings.

Huzzah!

Cthulhu Dreamt is an upcoming original sci-fi horror tabletop roleplaying game that combines immersive storytelling, survival-focused gameplay, and a fully integrated original soundtrack into a single experience. Set on a near-future Earth transformed by cosmic entities, the game challenges players to cross a dangerous world in search of one of humanity’s last hopes for survival.

Created by Reed Reimer and developed alongside a team of writers, designers, and musicians, Cthulhu Dreamt spans more than 700 pages across two hardcover books. Players take on the role of survivors navigating a world altered by the influence of Cthulhu and other forces. Throughout the campaign, players can scan QR codes embedded in the book to trigger tracks written specifically for key encounters. The result is a tabletop experience where music evolves alongside the narrative, creating a cinematic atmosphere.

“At its core, Cthulhu Dreamt is a beautiful exploration of both cataclysmic, apocalyptic horror, and deep, profound grief. It’s unlike any game we’ve ever designed, and working on it has been beyond anything I could have… well, dreamt. When Reed and I met all those years ago and started this journey, neither of us could have predicted how far it would take us. It is my greatest pride to have worked on this game, and it has transformed me. I think it’s transformed all of us,” says Jaron Johnson, Lead Game Designer & Writer at Vala Foundry.

Key Features of Cthulhu Dreamt include:
* More than 700 pages across two hardcover books
* An original narrative d12 ruleset
* Over 7 hours of original music
* QR code soundtrack integration throughout the campaign
* Ten playable character specializations
* Five standalone adventures

“When I began delving into what would become Cthulhu Dreamt, it was as a way to process grief over the loss of my daughter. I would never have thought that my loss would have led to gaining so many new and wonderful people in my life, whom I’ve not only had the opportunity to work and create with, but who have become dear, dear friends to me. The fact that wanting to make some music has become a world that other people could take and make their own is beyond magical to me, and I’ll forever be grateful to everyone involved!” Reed Reimer, Music Director & Composer, Fable Factory.

The Cthulhu Dreamt crowdfunding campaign launches this week!. Players can follow the project now to receive updates, previews, and launch information.

Bring fear to your virtual-or-in person gaming table with a newly-released supplement for Dungeons ∓ Dragons. Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is the ultimate horror expansion set in D&D’s most popular setting. This book is a complete toolkit for DMs to create a wide range of fear-based campaigns across multiple genres of horror. Whether you’re looking to adventure based on gothic horror, cosmic, dark fantasy, the occult, or another type of horror, the Dungeon Master is provided with all the tools necessary to explore shadowy Domains of Dread, battle malevolent Darklords, and face grotesque monstrosities. This is a nightmare your party can’t wake from… and you’re in control.

The Roll20 edition of Ravenloft: The Horrors Within by Wizards of the Coast provides everything you need to play online and in-person, including:

Character Options: New subclasses, species and backgrounds, all available in the Roll20 Character Builder and drag & droppable onto your sheet.

Domains of Dread: 16 fully realized Domains, each set up and ready to run in the VTT with Area Maps, Dynamic Lighting (requires a Roll20 subscription), Map Pins, Automated Traps, and more!

Monsters: 17 sinister Darklords with full stat blocks, a bestiary of over 40 grotesque monstrosities, all droppable into any D&D Fifth Edition game.

GM Resources: Everything you need to run the Domains, not just the maps, including rollable tables, art handouts, searchable compendium, and maps.

Ravenloft: The Horrors Within is also available at your local bookstore, game store, or online through etailers like Amazon.

This post contains affiliate links to Roll20 and Amazon.

Vala Foundry and Vault Comics recently announced Barbaric: The Board Game, a tabletop adaptation of the hit comic series by Mike Moreci and Nathan Gooden. Barbaric the comic follows a ruthless barbarian cursed to use his violence only for good, sending him, his talking axe, and a young witch on a road of self-discovery, redemption, and revenge.

The announcement of the board game follows Netflix’s recent announcement that it has greenlit a new live-action series adaptation of the property, with Academy Award nominee Sheldon Turner attached as writer and co-showrunner, positioning Barbaric as one of the most anticipated IP expansions in the independent comics space.

In Barbaric: The Board Game, players take on the role of a band of cursed warriors and must fight their way through hordes of violent monsters and powerful overlords. Slash, blast, and thrash your way through waves of enemies using savage abilities to tear your foes limb from limb in sword-and-sorcery combat that can only be described as… Barbaric.

Each of the six unique characters has a distinct playstyle defined by their Curse: a sentient, blooddrunken axe, a fearsome vampiric transformation, and even the power of death itself. Skillfully manage your Curse to outlast waves after wave of enemies, chaining together attack after attack with a unique Frenzy system.

Players move around a hexagonal map, chucking dice and using action points to slay hordes of monsters as they try desperately to defeat the brutally evil Overlord in this bloody, black comedy adventure.

“Vala was in the right place at the right time with the right idea,” said Vault CEO, Damian Wassel. “They approached us months ago when a Netflix series was still just wishful thinking, with a compelling vision for a Barbaric miniatures game that Vault, Mike Moreci, and Nathan just couldn’t say ‘no’ to. We’ve always wanted to see Barbaric find its way to the table top, and I know fans are going to love Vala’s horde-battler approach.”

“Board games have become one of the most powerful ways to deepen fans’ relationship with worlds they love, and Barbaric gives us everything we need to build something truly special and unique. Our partnership with Vault is exactly the kind of project Vala Foundry was built for,” said Grant Mielke, CEO, Vala Marketing.

Previous collaborations between Vault and Vala have achieved massive success. Dungeon Crawler Carl: Crocodile raised $2,915,277 from 30,754 backers, becoming the most funded comic ever on BackerKit. The Primal Hunter: Deluxe Collector’s Box Set funded in under a minute and surpassed $1.25 million, becoming the most 2nd most funded LitRPG project ever.

Subscribe to receive Barbaric: The Board Game updates, and be notified when the game launches. To catch up on downloadable comics, visit Vault on DriveThruComics to read Barbaric, Witchblood, Vampire: The Masquerade, and more!

Tarot for Storytellers is a full-color eBook written by author and narrative designer Monica Valentinelli (World of Darkness, Cyberpunk RED, Shadowrun, Firefly, Mistborn). The eBook is jam-packed with prompts, guidance, and examples to teach you how to develop new characters, plots, and setting using a deck of tarot cards. Enjoy this sneak peak at a fun writing exercise from the eBook and a special price for June!

Writing Exercise Using a Tarot Card

This writing exercise uses a single tarot card and is completed in five minutes.

1. Character Sketch

The Character Sketch is a timed exercise that’s great to warm up your creative muscles. It works best with a tarot deck that is visually interesting. Similar to The Picture Game, designed by authors K Tempest Bradford and Alethea Kontis, you’ll use the card’s illustration as your writing prompt.

Shuffle your tarot cards, then pick a single card. You’ll use this card to write about a character you plan to include in a story or campaign. If your deck doesn’t have a lot of character art, my recommendation is to skip shuffling the cards and pick one that inspires you for this exercise. When you’re ready, set a timer for five minutes and write!

New Character

If you’re developing a new character, briefly look at the card you’ve drawn. Then, start a timer for five minutes. Using the card as inspiration, take this time to freely explore who your new character is and what they want. Treat this exercise as the creative spark of a new character. Just go with it!

Existing Character

If you’re pulling a card to flesh out one of your existing characters, that’s great! Look at the card you’ve drawn. Use the events of the card as inspiration to flesh out your character further. If your selected character is already fully developed, treat the card as a catalyst that will change something for them.

The 5 of Cups, for example, often depicts a person who’s crying by the side of a riverbank. Three of the cups are empty, and two remain upright and full. What happens when your character suffers an unexpected loss? On the other hand, say you draw The Sun. Typically, this card is full of light, splendor, and positive vibes. What happens when your character succeeds? Do they welcome overwhelming success and revel in that joy? Or do you decide their positive feelings are premature?

Inspired by Monica Valentinelli’s popular writing workshop presented at the Gen Con Writer’s Symposium, the Rambo Academy for Wayward Writers, and Clarion West, this how-to book is beginner-friendly and can be used by authors or game masters. Find Tarot for Storytellers on DriveThruFiction.com.

Today, I’m pleased to announce a new months-long project unfolding on Patreon. Titled “Shards of Remorsica,” I’m designing a high-fantasy solo journaling game powered by tarot for artists and writers.

In Shards of Remorsica, you play a solo journaling game answering prompts and shuffling cards. Your character is a mythical creature who once thrived aeons ago–but you don’t know which type you are or what magical powers you hold. Reduced to consciousness, you rebuild yourself one day at a time.

As a narrative designer, I’m really excited about this project and its potential for new and existing creators. I hope that you’ll join my Patreon to walk with me on this journey. My first rewards for Patrons were released in May: I’ve offered a draft of the cover and my initial brainstorming notes. There’s a lot more to come!

Patrons will receive a complimentary copy of the game when it’s released. There may be additional rewards as this project progresses. Unlike into shadow: a poetic exploration of personal fears, which was a month-long Patreon project, or Pinching Tarts, a Wonderland-themed game I designed for PocketQuest, Shards of Remorsica’s development will unfold month-by-month until the game has been playtested and polished for publication.

I hope you’ll join me and my existing patrons at patreon.com/booksofm on a journey of mythical discovery.

Until next time,

Monica Valentinelli




This post contains DriveThruRPG.com affiliate links.

Dream Realm Storytellers (DRS), known for their immersive 5E worlds (Svilland, Bloodpunk, Corpus Collection, and Silverplate), open the gates of hell with a new trilogy of Demonheart supplements compatible with DaggerheartTM. Funded on Kickstarter in six minutes, the three-book codex of evil contains over five hundred pages of material.

Demonheart – The Vile Codex for DaggerheartTM is a 3-book codex with over 500 pages, a new class, 7 new domains, 66 new subclasses, a Hellish setting, tons of goodies including a tarot deck and demon plushie. This project marks DRS’ first descent into DaggerheartTM, a system originally created by Critical Role. It will include the first major adventure ever written for the DaggerheartTM system, and embraces an edgy, unflinching plunge into a biblical Hell that is very dark, and very not-safe-for-work.

Players descend into a brutal infernal metropolis of torture, execution gardens, and endless chains, taking on the roles of the damned themselves. With subclasses inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins and a new Sin Domain mechanic, Demonheart challenges players to face demonic legions and terrifying tyrants as they ascend the ladders of damnation.

“This is not a safe story,” says the DRS creative team. “It’s an exploration of a raw, bloody world. Demonheart is about finding a path forward in the darkest possible world, and asking what it costs to take that path. Beware and despair.”

Demonheart embraces themes of corruption and damnation, pushing players toward uncomfortable, high-stakes choices. It will include unusual mechanics, like instructions for turning player characters into demons, for example. Centered on narrative play, Demonheart’s story evolves through the choices players make. Players actively shape the tone of the game by building Hope or inviting Fear, turning every roll into a meaningful story.

Highlights of the project include:

* Three books totalling over 500 pages
* Demonheart supplement book for new mechanics
* Demonheart setting book with descriptions of Hell and its inhabitants
* The Infernal Bible, written in demonscript (translatable only to those clever enough)
* A Demon Plushie with a removable heart
* Enamel Pins
* Demonheart-themed Tarot Deck
* New DaggerheartTM content
* Unusual Mechanics
* Dark Themes
* Narrative Depth
* …and much more!

Demonheart – The Vile Codex for DaggerheartTM is live now on Kickstarter, with exclusive early backer rewards and limited-edition goodies that fans won’t want to miss. To learn more and back now, fans can visit Demonheart – The Vile Codex for DaggerheartTM on Kickstarter and download the free Demonheart demo booklet.




This post contains DriveThruRPG.com affiliate links.

Sally Face: Strange Nightmares – Corruption is now live on Kickstarter and has already reached full funding, signaling a powerful return to the haunting world of Sally Face. Maestro Media and creator Steve Gabry invite fans back to Nockfell with a thrilling expansion featuring new finales, new enemies, and brutal new challenges.

Backers can pledge for the Corruption expansion, including an exclusive Collector’s Edition Set designed to immerse players even deeper into the strange, dark world of Sally Face.

“Sally Face: Strange Nightmares – Corruption is a structural evolution of the system,” said Javon Frazier, CEO and Founder of Maestro Media. “We reengineered the corruption mechanic to create real escalation. Higher tension. Harder choices. Consequences that compound. This expansion doesn’t just add content. It transforms how the game feels and how players survive inside Steve’s world.”

Expanding on the storylines and mysteries fans embraced in the original campaign, Corruption delves further into the legacy of the Red Eyed Demon.

In the new expansion, you’ll find:

* New Scenarios & Characters: Explore new chapters that reveal untold secrets of Sal and his friends, the residents of The Addison Apartments, and more!

* Corruption Mechanic Overhaul: Revisit an amplified corruption mechanic that forces players to combat its spread across multiple floors. The greater the spread of the affliction, the harder it becomes to survive.

* Cooperative Madness: Play solo or with friends in 3 brand new stories or revisit previous, now corrupted, stories.

Corruption can be played as a continuation of the base game or as a standalone experience for both veterans and newcomers.

The original Sally Face: Strange Nightmares TTRPG campaign brought Steve Gabry’s cult classic indie video game to the tabletop for the first time, immersing fans in a world of dark humor, mystery, and the supernatural. The Corruption expansion continues Maestro Media’s commitment to fan-powered storytelling.

“Sally Face has always been about confronting darkness — both literal and internal,” said Steve Gabry, creator of Sally Face. “With Corruption, we wanted players to feel that creeping sense of dread again, to realize that sometimes the real nightmare isn’t what’s around you, but what’s inside you.”

The Sally Face: Strange Nightmares – Corruption expansion is live now on Kickstarter, featuring a range of exclusive rewards for fans. Backers can unlock limited items including the Corrupted Gear Boy Pin (follower bonus), and the Blood Clock (reservation reward).

Fans can also pledge for premium tiers featuring signed items from Steve Gabry, including a limited run of Jim’s Journal, alongside collector-focused rewards like deluxe editions, playmats, custom dice, tarot cards, and more.

Fans can back now on Kickstarter, and follow Maestro Media on Instagram, Facebook, X, and BlueSky, or visit www.maestromedia.com.

Created by MJ Cullinane, the Crow Tarot exemplifies the majesty and mysticism of ravens and crows in all 78 cards. The tarot card meanings, which pay homage to the traditional Rider-Waite-Smith deck, are easy to understand if you’re familiar with RWS. If you’re not, an 86-page guidebook included with the deck walks you through upright and reversed meanings of each illustrated card filled with crows, ravens, and other members of the animal kingdom.

Printed on heavy cardstock, the full-color cards are traditionally-sized and are 5″ tall by 3 1/4″ wide and are stored in a sturdy, illustrated deck box. The back of the cards are printed with a repetitive pattern that appears the same in both the upright and reversed position. Art heavy and color-rich, each card is its own work of art and a mosaic of tea-stained borders contributes to the uniqueness of each card. Cullinane’s style, which I can only describe as a mixed media with a bold watercolor feel, is beautifully rendered lending a fresh, modern take on tarot.

The Crow Tarot delves deeply into esoteric imagery and does not include any human figures. In fact, art is predominant in each card. The Major Arcana cards are labeled along with the aces of each suit and their corresponding court cards. The remaining cards are simply numbered with roman numerals; you’ll need to mark the symbols of the cards rather than just relying on the card’s printed title.

Reading the cards is a slow, almost meditative process, because the images are rich and full of meaning. When I was working with this deck, I found myself naturally slowing down and leaning into three-card draws when I was short on time. Included with the guidebook is an 8-card spread, simply titled “The Crow Tarot Spread,” that offers you insight. Instead of shuffling and drawing cards in order, Cullinane encourages you to draw cards randomly and build the body of the crow. This tactic encourages you, as the reader, to slow down and review each card at a time rather than assess meanings at a glance.

The Crow Tarot strikes the balance between an artist’s exploration of tarot and a practical deck that encourages the reader to listen to your intuition, appreciate the art, and be inspired.

This review contains Amazon affiliate links. The Crow Tarot is also available at fine bookstores like Barnes and Noble.

Wizards of the Coast Announces Dungeon Masters, an Official Dungeons & Dragons Actual Play Series, Featuring All-Star Cast

Starring Jasmine Bhullar as the Dungeon Master, Mayanna Berrin, Christian Navarro, Neil Newbon, and Devora Wilde

Today, Wizards of the Coast, a division of Hasbro announces Dungeon Masters, an all-new official Dungeons & Dragons actual play series debuting April 22 on YouTube with a two-episode premiere special. With weekly episodes that showcase official, unreleased D&D content, and innovative visuals that help viewers follow the action, Dungeon Masters is made to appeal to a wide audience of D&D veterans, newcomers and everyone in between.

Bringing together an acclaimed lineup of talent from across gaming, television, and streaming, Dungeon Masters stars Jasmine Bhullar (DesiQuest, Dimension 20) as the Dungeon Master, Mayanna Berrin (Dispatch, StoryQuest), Christian Navarro (13 Reasons Why, Forgotten Realms: Tears of Selune), Neil Newbon (Baldur’s Gate III), and Devora Wilde (Baldur’s Gate III). Dungeon Masters will give fans an opportunity to play unreleased content on D&D Beyond directly following each episode.

The first campaign arc unfolds within the world of Ravenloft, plunging viewers into a dark and atmospheric setting filled with mystery, suspense, and gothic horror. This campaign arc ties into the newly announced Ravenloft: The Horrors Within releasing June 16 and features unreleased content from the upcoming book. The viewer experience of Dungeon Masters is accentuated by an all-original score from five-time, Grammy-nominated composer David Arkenstone, whose work has encompassed television, games, and more.

“Dungeon Masters brings a truly authentic and original experience to our fans, with all of the fun, high-tension moments, drama and adventure built from official D&D material,” said Dan Ayoub, SVP and Head of Dungeons & Dragons at Wizards of the Coast. “In many ways, Dungeon Masters is our love letter to the actual play shows that have introduced so many to D&D. Our aim with Dungeon Masters is to crystallize all that’s great about actual play – the tension, drama, and unpredictable nature – and put our stamp on it with upcoming official source material. We’re so excited to see how Dungeon Masters can inspire even more adventure from our players, and in turn, see how they inspire us to make the show better and better.”

Our Brilliant Ruin is: “the first story-world developed by Studio Hermitage. Created for multiple formats including tabletop and video games, Our Brilliant Ruin features the Dramark, an elitist society unraveling against the backdrop of a preternatural catastrophe. Welcome to a gilded age in which upstairs-downstairs personal and sociological drama meets existential horror.”

Created by Justin Achilli, Pam Punzalan, and Rachel J. Wilkinson, the Our Brilliant Ruin tabletop roleplaying game is a speculative fiction setting-rich in a class-divided world falling into catastrophe inspired by Victoriana, Lovecraft, and Downton Abbey. The location for the game is a world spurred to invention in the wake of a dead star’s light touching the planet centuries ago. At first, the ruling upper classes failed to identify and deal with the issues caused by the Ruin. Now, all of humankind is suffering, and a deep-seated hatred bubbles through every interaction. The game centers human interactions in a class-based society of three strata that’s falling apart. Choose from the aristocracy, the truefolk operating in guilds, and the unbonded who refuse to live according to society’s dictates. Then, choose your faction within those layers, to align your values within a family, guild, or selected archetype.

The Lovecraftian elements quickly come into play, because before you create a character you learn there is no possible way to “win”. The light of the Ruin cannot be stopped and will continue to exact a heavy toll. Thus, what matters is whatever you decide. What would you do in the wake of fatalism? What would you do knowing the world will end no matter what you do?

Basic Rules and Character Creation

After almost ninety pages of setting, it’s time to build a character. Character creation is split into three templates pending your decision to play as a member of the aristocracy, truefolk, or an unbonded. Before making a decision, I recommend reviewing the character sheet on page 280 to give you a preview of the narrative-heavy gameplay. I would also strongly recommend reading through the rules before making your decisions, because your choices are important.

The rules of the game are explained in chapter 4 and outline the gamemaster’s and players’ roles. Whenever a player wants to take action, a negotiation between them and the gamemaster is triggered before the player rolls a pool of six-sided dice. This is to acknowledge there are several ways to approach a potential action, and it’s up to the player to declare how they want to proceed. After dice are rolled, the results are tabulated: only sixes and ones matter. Sixes are “brills” and indicated measures of success, whereas ones are “gloom” and represent failure or catastrophe. Health is measured by your physical well-being, Vitality, and by your mental and emotional health, or Distress. When either drops to zero, the player can no longer take any actions. In addition to your core stats, you can also affect your dice pool by adding Passion. Lastly, in Chapter 5, you and your fellow players devise “community property” or a shared estate you can use as your home base of operations.

The second-half of Our Brilliant Ruin is designed for the gamemaster and includes NPCs, both friends and foes, along with monsters, obstacles, environmental challenges, and a full gazetteer. Most gamemasters will want to pay special attention to the introductory adventure found on page 262. Fortunes Turn at Crowscroft Manor is essential to understanding gameplay and the roles both gamemasters and players have. A game centered on human interactions requires a different type of adventure design, because there needs to be pain-or-pressure points that invites the players to act.

Impressions

Though the societal structure is dominant in character creation, the Ruin (pgs. 78-79 and pg. 145) is omnipresent and disaster is all but guaranteed in subtle and overt ways. This style of horror can be both unpredictable and fun at the table, because the mold on a cellar’s walls could be caused by the Ruin–or it could simply be a moldy cellar. To counteract this, clear objectives, like the missions laid out in the sample adventure, are a necessity.

Who would enjoy playing this game? My first thought was fans of The Walking Dead. Though the society and its technology is circa early 20th century on a world succumbing to alien starlight, you and your friends are struggling investigators who know full well how dangerous the Ruin is–even if other people pretend they don’t. Just like a virus, you can’t fight the Ruin–but you must deal with its effects on people who suffer from its taint, whether they’re human or forever changed.

Art, Format, and Availability

Heavy on aesthetics, Our Brilliant Ruin provides gorgeous, evocative art that underlines the Dramark. The effects of the Ruin aren’t as dominant in the art as the characters, manors, and setting, however, and some white text is harder to read on the dark backgrounds in the two-column format. The hardcover has been printed in a brilliant edition, funded on Kickstarter, and a standard edition; collectors will want to know the brilliant edition’s cover art is designed similarly to the standard edition published by Dark Horse. The brilliant edition’s cover, however, is bound to perfection and covered with a fine, emerald-green linen and embellished with black-and-gold details. Inside, the brilliant edition features embossed end pages, gold foil edges, silk ribbons, and superior color printing to highlight the thematic art.

Our Brilliant Ruin is now available in hardcover and digital. The Our Brilliant Ruin TRPG corebook, map packs, and several Clawmoor Heights character packs are available for free on DriveThruRPG.com.

Also available from Dark Horse is the Our Brilliant Ruin: Horror at Crane Mansion graphic novel adaptation. You can read our review of the graphic novel here at FlamesRising.com.


An unsigned brilliant edition of the Our Brilliant Ruin TRPG was provided to FlamesRising.com for review. This review, written by Allie Brooks, contains affiliate links.

There, in a crooked house lives a Crooked Man with a crooked grin. He raises crooked arms to a Crooked Tree at the edge of midnight and hears the whispers of the Old Ones…

The Crooked Moon is a 632-page folk horror compendium of setting, species, subclasses, backgrounds, feats, dark bargains, spells, monsters, and a self-titled adventure. Designed as a 5th edition-compatible supplement, The Crooked Moon is a blend of atmospheric worldbuilding and new rules to run and play a 5th Edition horror campaign.

The book, in many ways, is three separate full-length supplements combined into one massive book: a setting guide, a player’s guide, and a ready-to-run campaign that provides one-to-two years’ worth of play. Sectioned into three parts, players will run from (or play as) monsters in the land between life and death: Druskenvald.

Druskenvald features thirteen, distinct provinces that provided unique opportunities for original and thematic horror adventures. They include:

Ardengloom: A dark forest of long-forgotten tales filled with the bones of ancient feyfolk and new species like the gnarlborn.

Astramar: Celestial mysteries and the arcane arts can be found in the azure sky and lands of this magical province. This province includes some Grecian overtones.

Bubonia: A plague-ridden province, a nod to 14th century Europe during the Black Plague, filled with the plagueborn, sinister guilds, and mutant creatures.

Chernabos: Lawlessness and guile reign supreme in this provincial hellscape where the ashborn live amongst erupting volcanoes, earth-splitting quakes, and bold seekers of fortune.

Edwardia:: Edwardian gaslight fantasy is dimmed in the province of Edwardia where the Grey threatens all. An entity, an omnipresent fog, and a curse, the Grey pushes back against innovative inventions.

Enoch: The agrarian cycle of planting, harvesting, and dark rituals is dominant in Enoch, where fields are magically grown in the dark of night.

Kalero: Inspired by the Mexican holiday Dia de Muertos, life and death are celebrated in equal measure in a province filled with the relicborn and untold treasure.

Nerukhet: Deep below ground, labyrinthine caverns riddled with lightbearing geodes house the silkborn and the divine, gemstone-encrusted Bejeweled: sacred insects and oversized arachnids.

Olmarsh: A Lovecraftian province in the dark seas surrounding Druskenvald, the people of Olmarsh and the deepborn face nautical phantoms, eldritch horrors, and the abyss.

Pholsense: Inspired by the deadly European witch trials, Pholsense inquisitors demand its residents live and practice magic according to a law called the Silver Path.

Picco: Picco is a dark carnivale-themed province of chaotic, gleeful fun. Its locales are distinct, like Dinopolis and Captain Bone’s Lagoon, offering a customizable experience and a break from the horrors omnipresent throughout the other provinces. It also includes a nod to Curse of Strahd.

Syndramas: Eternal winter and endless battles are fought throughout the Drakkonite mine-filled necropolis of Syndramas. A trio of undead factions that includes the Rimeshade, Bloodboil, and Marrowfeast Legions are locked in an unceasing war.

Zulrogg: Humid, swampy jungles riddled with bogs, ancestral spirits, and spirit beasts are home to the trollish bogborn and their spirit priests.

Next, players are introduced to thirteen new playable species including the humanoid, harpy Azureborn, the doll-like construct Threadborn, and the undead Relicborn. Players can further flesh out their characters with 15 new subclasses and 13 new backgrounds as well as new feats, dark bargains, and spells. The subclasses are tied to the twelve, core classes and infuse straightforward classes with horror. For example, the Bard can specialize in the College of Whistles to “whistle” ghostly companions, while the Fighter can become a Barrow Guard and command the undead. The new subclasses and backgrounds infuse several horror tropes, like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, into character creation for a creative and more well-rounded player character.

The book’s third and longest portion is The Crooked Moon adventure, which I’m not going to narrate in its entirety to avoid spoilers. It is a campaign that walks players from level one to level fourteen; it is filled with multiple characters, monsters, and locations that includes a broad range of horrific and supernatural elements.

Capped by over 145 pages of appendices, stats and write-ups are included for monsters, familiars, fabled heirlooms, cursed curios, paranormal potions, curses, music, tarot–and more!

A personal favorite is the Reveler of Stories, because that monster is not limited to one, unique form. The chaotic neutral Dingpot is cute in a mischievous way, and can be easily outfitted to other, similar yokai-themed creatures. Cursed objects like the Midwife Shears are thematic and flesh out urban legends that can be wielded by both new and existing species, while potions and tonics have useful purposes, like the Nightwatcher potion, as well as narrative hooks, like the Tincture of Mourning.

Based on the Edge of Midnight, a folk horror campaign produced by Legends of Avantris, the material in The Crooked Moon is dense, playable, and adaptable. A “must have” for players who want to plump the depths of folk horror and its tropes, The Crooked Moon is now available in the following formats:

* The Crooked Moon 5th Ed (2014) PDF
* The Crooked Moon 5th Edition (2024)
* The Crooked Moon Roll 20 VTT
* The Crooked Moon Hardcover

The Crooked Moon is a one-of-a-kind 5th edition supplement and Avantris Entertainment’s first product.


This post contains Amazon and DriveThruRPG affiliate links.

This review has been written by FlamesRising.com contributor Allie Brooks. A copy of The Crooked Moon was graciously provided by the publisher for review.

Up in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s the super kitties!

Atlas Games, publisher of Magical Kitties Save The Day 2nd Edition, has launched and funded a Kickstarter for three new supplements: Mice’s Gambit, Trouble in River City, and a new city book called “Mewotropolis.”

Meowtropolis is a big, bustling city filled with supervillains plotting to control the planet, steal the world’s largest diamond, or get revenge on everybody who ever laughed at them.

When Meowtropolis is threatened (and it’s threatened A LOT), the city’s magical kitties need to save the day. Unlike most magical kitties, THESE kitties wear bright costumes and have superhero names like Thunder Kitty or The Invisible Claw. But they must keep their secret identities hidden!

Trouble in River City is a collection of six full adventures, filled with all-new challenges for your kitty krew that includes: Strange Fairyland, Little League, The Cavern Beneath, Mall of DOOM!, The Great Scavenger Hunt, and an adventure written by FlamesRising.com contributor, Monica Valentinelli, called “A Pocket-sized Problem.”

Delve into a magical mystery in Mice’s Gambit, the solo puzzle gamebook for Magical Kitties Save The Day 2nd Edition. This journal-sized book is 64 pages of full-color adventure that takes your kitty to Danbury’s Antiques Shop and its labyrinth of hidden treasures and enchanted relics. When the mischievous Mice Resistance steals a powerful enchanted chessboard, it’s up to your magical kitty to recover the pieces, thwart the mice’s plans, and restore order to the shop and River City.

Meowtropolis by Atlas Games on Kickstarter has already funded, but there’s still time to pledge. Backers enjoy several freebies when they pledge, and stretch goals include additional, fun adventures like the unlocked tale Case of the Cursed Mirror!

Dream Realm Storytellers, known for their immersive 5E worlds (Svilland, Bloodpunk, Corpus Collection, and Silverplate) are excited to announce their newest project, Demonheart – The Vile Codex for Daggerheart. Demonheart is a 3-book codex with over 450 pages, a new class, 7 new domains, 66 new subclasses, a Hellish setting, a full adventure, and more for Daggerheart.

This project marks DRS’ first descent into Daggerheart, a system originally created by Critical Role. It will include the first major adventure ever written for the Daggerheart system, and embraces an edgy, unflinching plunge into a biblical Hell that is very dark and very gory. Players descend into a brutal infernal metropolis of torture, execution gardens, and endless chains, taking on the roles of the damned themselves. With subclasses inspired by the Seven Deadly Sins and a new Sin Domain mechanic, Demonheart challenges players to face demonic legions and terrifying tyrants as they ascend the ladders of damnation.

“This is not a safe story,” says the DRS creative team. “It’s an exploration of a raw, bloody world. Demonheart is about finding a path forward in the darkest possible world, and asking what it costs to take that path. Beware and despair.”

Demonheart embraces themes of corruption and damnation, pushing players toward uncomfortable, high-stakes choices. It will include unusual mechanics, like instructions for turning player characters into demons, for example. Centered on narrative play, Demonheart’s story evolves through the choices players make. Players actively shape the tone of the game by building Hope or inviting Fear, turning every roll into a meaningful story.

Highlights include:
* Three books, each 150 pages
* Demonheart supplement book for new mechanics
* Demonheart setting book with descriptions of Hell and its inhabitants
* New Daggerheart content
* Unusual Mechanics
* Dark Themes
* Narrative Depth

Demonheart – The Vile Codex for Daggerheart will be launching on Kickstarter on April 21, 2026, with exclusive early backer rewards and limited-edition goodies that fans won’t want to miss. To learn more and gain access to an exclusive Hope pin and Hope die, follow the campaign: Demonheart to Launch on Kickstarter

Rebellion Unplugged has just launched Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age, a brand-new roleplaying game and reimagining of Ken St Andre’s classic Tunnels & Trolls from 1975, the world’s second-ever RPG, after Dungeons & Dragons on Kickstarter.

Your characters are at once ordinary but fated Kindred, and adventures take you deep into dark tunnels, dangerous caverns, bustling cities and face-to-face with ancient trolls.

Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age is lightning-quick, immediate and thrilling, with a fresh, streamlined ruleset that is easy to learn for newcomers while evolving the most loved elements of the classic game for veteran fans.

Solo adventures were a huge part of the original game and are not forgotten. Rebellion Unplugged has launched Solo Sidequests, starting with The Wailing City and another to be unlocked during the campaign.

Rebellion Unplugged has put a lot of heart and soul into Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age to create a bold reimagining of the world’s second ever roleplaying game. If you’re curious about the brand-new game, you can download the Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age quickstart for free.

Tunnels & Trolls: A New Age on Kickstarter includes several tiers for the 256-page corebook, supplements, and several add-ons. Already funded, the campaign has generated a lot of interest and more announcements will be forthcoming.

Continuing with my reviews of tarot decks, I’m diving into Tarot del Toro. This tarot deck and guidebook draws from the world of award-winning filmmaker Guillermo del Toro. Designed and illustrated by Tomás Hijo, this deck features original artwork inspired by the themes, imagery, and characters of some of del Toro’s most popular films including Pan’s Labyrinth, Hellboy 2: The Golden Army, Crimson Peak, and The Shape of Water.

For many tarot card readers, the physical aspects of the cards and the deck box are important, so let me address that aspect before addressing the art and off-page elements of this unique horror-themed deck. The back of the cards has a design that does indicate which position it’s in. The position of the skull indicates whether you’ve drawn the cards in the upright or reversed position. The cards are printed in a limited color palette on a matte card stock that feels velvety-soft to the touch. The box the cards arrive in can be considered a true keepsake box: a red satin ribbon helps lift the cards from the interior box, exterior words are printed in raised, embossed lettering, and the box has a thematically-appropriate interior print that’s then covered with an additional piece of cover art. These details, along with the 87-page guidebook, present a deck worthy of del Toro’s vision.

I find the Tarot del Tarot deck interesting for a lot of reasons. First, if you didn’t know this was a deck of tarot cards based on del Toro’s works, Tomás Hijo’s art remains compelling regardless of whether you recognize the characters. By that, I mean that this deck feels like a work of love to encapsulate del Toro’s vision that doesn’t fall into the trap of reprinting images from films or concept art just to put art on the cards. Hijo’s linocut style and its limited palette are perfect for a deck inspired by the legendary director, because they are cards that depict the essence of a character, theme, or scene. The lines are sharp, and the card printing even captured the depth of the linocut lending each card a three-dimensional feel.

This deck is a departure from traditional tarot, however, because it’s a blend of filmmaking inspiration and symbols. Themes are present in the Major Arcana, the ace of each suit, and the court cards. So, cards two-through-eight in each suit of gears, goblets, knives, and branches are elements rather than full scenes. For some tarot card readers, that detail may be a turn-off, but for myself I think this artistic choice lends to the uniqueness of this deck rather than detracts from it. In so many tarot card decks, each suit has a minor, narrative arc. Here, those narrative arcs are harder to glean, but aren’t necessarily important to the overall theme. I can’t imagine choosing unique themes, symbols, and images found within all of del Toro’s popular movies to mark the traditional stories inherent within tarot–whether del Toro himself uses tarot to tell stories (as he describes in his introductory letter) or not.

To use the cards, you must read the small guidebook. I was especially interested in Hijo’s experiences with a member of his community, Don Miguel and the older Tarot des Marseilles (as opposed to the Rider-Waite-Smith deck), and the stories about his mother’s tarot card readings. It is refreshing to read about how an artist not only drew inspiration from another creator’s work, in this case Guillermo del Tarot, but also from other people in their community. Thus, what we get, as both tarot card readers and fans of del Toro’s work is a deep look into each card and the choices made. The minor arcana, as I mentioned earlier, is different because here Hijo describes how the progression of cards in each suit describes the same or similar journey within a suit. This is different from typical tarot. For example, the numbered cards each have a similar meaning described on page 70. Nine is the Harvest or Happy Ending of the process. If you read tarot, you might have had the same reaction I did: Wait, the Nine of Swords is the same as the Nine of Cups? But, yes, that is what Hijo intended. In this way, the departure from traditional tarot is intentional to ensure, just like del Toro’s popular films, that this deck stands apart.

Included in the booklet are Don Miguel’s sample readings and the encouragement to lean into your intuition when reading the cards. More than just a collectible, the beautifully-illustrated Tarot del Toro is truly a work of art.