Talis was a card game popular in Faerûn,[2] being considered "one of the four universal games" along with draughts, chess, and dice.[3]
Description
It involved a deck of 78 cards,[2][note 1] including four regular ("planar") suits (flames, stones, waves, and winds) and one trump suit of 22 cards, called the major arcana. Major arcana cards included the Sun, Moon, Star, Comet, Throne, Key, and Night cards, among others.[1]
Many games could be played with a Talis deck. Common examples included:[1]
- whist,
- poker,
- talison,
- elemental empires, and
- old wizard.
Decks
Most decks were made of lacquered parchment or paper and stored in a wooden case.[2] A typical set might be purchased for 2 gold pieces,[2] although bargain sets made in Candlekeep could be purchased for as little as three silver pieces from Aurora's Emporium.[1]
Other Uses
Some inhabitants of Faerûn used Talis decks for non-magical divination purposes.[1]
Appendix
Inspiration
A deck of Talis cards is described as similar to a deck of tarot cards.
Notes
- ↑ Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition states there are 78 cards in a deck; however, Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue claims four twelve-card suits and a 22-card trump suit, which would be 70 cards. For reference, real-world Tarot decks have four fourteen-card suits and a 22-card trump suit for 78 cards.
Reference
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 114. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ed Greenwood, Sean K. Reynolds, Skip Williams, Rob Heinsoo (June 2001). Forgotten Realms Campaign Setting 3rd edition. (Wizards of the Coast), p. 96. ISBN 0-7869-1836-5.
- ↑ Jeff Grubb, Julia Martin, Steven E. Schend et al (1992). Aurora's Whole Realms Catalogue. (TSR, Inc), p. 112. ISBN 0-5607-6327-2.