This afternoon, JM and I decided to meet at Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf. Before that I was just looking for drawing supplies when I decided to check out the games sold in National Book Store. Near a wooden checkers set were boxes of Talecraft cards. I have seen them so many times in various cons but I never got myself a set until today. Wanting to try something new, I decided it could be a fun way to spend an afternoon.

So I got myself something to drink and then started checking out the cards while waiting for him. Talecraft basically has the following types of cards:

• genres – the type of story you’re supposed to be telling; examples: romance, sci-fi
• archetypes – the characters in your story; examples: reluctant hero, siren
• key – key things needed in your story.
  • keywords – could be anything like objects, places; examples: church, lock of hair
  • plotlines – certain twists in the story; examples: revenge, pursuit
  • pick – you need to follow what it says in the card. it would usually tell you to pick another card type
  • swap – you need to follow what it says in the card. would usually mean swapping out one of your cards of a particular type with a new one from the deck.

Each player has to get 1 genre card, 2 archetype cards of which one will be the protagonist and the other the antagonist, and 6 key cards. Now if a player gets pick or swap cards among the key cards, then the player must do as the card says.

I started writing a story when JM showed up and we decided to play the cards. It was interesting really, because there was a time when I got 3 pick cards which all said pick archetype card. I ended up with a story of 5 characters! We ended up telling several stories and it was interesting to hear JM make thrillers and mystery stories. He seems to have something in his head right away. As for me, I am terrible at making horror and thrillers. There were moments when JM suggested to me how I could improve my stories. Once he even suggested I ship the twin brothers instead of making them rivals because that is an even more forbidden love than one of the twins marrying the daughter of their employer! Haha! I like JM’s historical fiction set in the time of Lapu-lapu with Pintados and all. And this is one of the times I wish I recorded our stories. Oh well, maybe another session?