Reliquary : Cards, Gems and Strategy

Do play yer hand before I empty this full stein, will ye'? Ye' got in over yer head a'ready. Just giv' me the stone and be done with it!

— A drunk dwarf in a tavern

As opposed to most trading card games, the dwarven game of Reliquary is always played with a standard deck composed of the same cards for everyone. It is with these 32 cards that you must spread out your strategy between your nine field slot in 3 rows. Even if it can technically be played as is, the aspect that usually ignites tavern fights is the ability to boost, customize and show off your cards with various elemental gems. These gems must be inserted inside the card you want to play to give it a special effect.
The game can be played on a bare table, but most taverns have a playing field drawn or carved into the table. Foldable metal playmats are also common, and some of the most dedicated and talented dwarves will forge their own elaborate 3D field, often to go with a matching custom card set. These card set are usually, when the owner can afford it at least, also enchanted to be altered when a stone is inserted in it so as to better match its new card title and effect. Ale is a must at just about any table.

Card Types

Each card type except the Leader card contains a number of different cards that have some different baseline effects that can be modified or enhanced through gems inserted in them, leading to a phenomenal amount of possible combinations. The rarity and strength of certain gems has lead to some particularly brutal gambling practices that often end in fist fights. As such, any tavern housing players will keep a close eye on the players, or ban gambling within theirs walls. Of course, though heavily frowned upon, gem brokers exist and will take advantage of the demand to sell gems for exorbitant prices. Most dwarves however firmly believe in earning them through their own gambling, by exchanging with other races as part of a more typical transaction, or in the best cases, finding them themselves in the mines or on their travels.

Leader (1)

Elite (5)

Effects (2)

Defensive (2)

Fodder (22)

Melee (8)

Ranged (8)

Caster (6)

Gem Types

In order of type rarity:

Pure Elemental

• Fire Gem
• Stone Gem
• Water Gem
• Wind Gem

The most common of gems, the pure elemental gems are also relatively weak. Dwarves usually have an easier time procuring stone and fire gems, since they are more closely related to their own existence.

Mixed Elemental

• Dust Gem
• Ice Gem
• Magma Gem
• Steam Gem

Extra-Planar

• Divine Gem
• Fey Gem
• Shadow Gem
• Torment Gem

Extremely rare, these stones are also the most powerful individually. They can be defeated with some clever combination of the others or by a wrong move from their owner, of course, but they still often shift the balance enough to truly test the skills of the opponent.

History of the Game

If only I could get my hands on that Fey Gem, I could finally beat Kirk, my Dragon card charming his guards instead of barely brushing their damned Stone skin with fire!

— A player's dreams

Deck Size

32-Cards identical decks for each player

Players

Two players is standard, though four is possible

Other accessories

• Elemental gems
• Field map
• Ale