The Wild Cards
01/08/4118
Scope
The motivation behind building The Wild Cards
The Wild Cards is meant to cover hope and unison, changing others and having a positive impact on the world. Yet at the same time note the damage that oppressors and bullies do to both their victims and the bystanders.
The goal of the project
I want to write a story covering the journey through the Academy, leading to the changing of the world.
The Wild Cards's Unique Selling point
Those with Tarot abilities can manifest it in several different ways, but they are treated with distrust. Rather than starting when things already have gone sideways, this story takes place as things begin to slip, so the characters will still impact where it ends.
Theme
Genre
Medieval technology with limited amounts of people having special Tarot abilities.
Reader Experience
While optimistic in nature, the stories should also evoke a mild feeling of dread, to better illustrate what the Wild Cards are resisting.
Reader Tone
Those abusing their Tarot abilities hide well, but isolated places may be dark as a result. Yet at the same time, the shared connections make it a bright future once things start falling in place
Recurring Themes
Resistance against oppression
Carefully kept secrets of their end goals
A helping hand when least expected
Character Agency
Up against a long history of traditional nobility, the characters cannot change the world by themselves, they can only change those around them for a cascading effect. If the momentum is large enough, the waves will become lasting.
Focus
Drama
Oppression of the common people: Those of nobility, who had better training and education, tend to consider themselves superior to others with Tarot abilities. Even at the Academy, bullying is a common aspect and even teachers may be complicit. All subtly, to not get expelled, but harmful nonetheless.
Fear of the Cards: With Tarot abilities being rare and dangerous, the people fear it and strict laws surround it, to prevent abuse. Killing isn't allowed even in self-defense, so even a child who kills in self-defense will be marked for life and treated with fear and suspicion. Yet with powers and control growing, so does the fear of the common people, meaning eventually something's got to give.
The monsters at our doors: There are those abusing Tarot, resulting in Tarot monsters. Some focus on hunting those, and taking down the culprits. Tarot wielders fear those that may lose control, but it's the insidious manipulations that are the real problem.
Rise up! Prove yourself, master your abilities, end up in a decent fate, but if you push yourself too far you may very well break! The marked, the recruited, the merchants, the lower nobles, all aim to become stronger and make a name for themselves, but will they go too far trying to do so?
Independence be damned. The Academy stands neutral, yet as the best of its kind. To the great dislike of both its rivals and those that spit at the Academy's morals.
Rise of the new nobles, even in countries that will refuse to change their tune. Revolts are brewing and some may choose to turn against their own families.
Where did they come from? The recruited are always treated with suspicion.
World cover image by Enrique Lopez Garre