Using Tarot Cards & Casting Bones to Create Deeper Roleplaying Characters

The Weirdest Video I’ve Made

Today we’re making Dolmenwood characters. This is probably the weirdest one I’ve done, but also one of the most valuable exercises in my hobby. I’m sharing my inner sanctum, my esoteric practices.

The Method

We’re using tarot cards, a bag of bones (objects corresponding to the seven ancient planets), meditation, and a little astrology to make deep, cool characters. Clearing our minds so the muse can give us thoughts—call it your subconscious, God, Carl Jung speaking from the grave.

The Bones

Seven coins corresponding to the seven ancient planets they could see: Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Moon, Saturn, Sun, and Venus. Each has corresponding colors, elements, and influences.

Shake them up, throw them. Whichever are face up tells me which influences are on the character. This determines which colored dice I roll their stats with.

Roal the Zenithilim Knight

The Wanderer coin jumped out of my hand—meant to jump out. Strong Mercury influence (water element: luck, gratitude, memory, divination, poverty).

First stat roll: 6-6-6. Eighteen strength. This boy is ready to smash. An 11 intelligence, 6 wisdom (makes sense—he spent his whole life underground but was called to the surface to be a warrior of the sun). Nine dexterity (heavy shield and armor). Nine constitution. Sixteen charisma (he’s a little cutie with a heart of gold).

His Tarot Reading

• Past (Knight of Cups): Arrival, approach, proposition, invitation
• Present (Nine of Swords): Death, failure, delay, deception, despair
• Future (The Fool): Faces a choice of vital importance, about to enter the supreme adventure

Garen and His Dog Barrow

All seven coins face down—no planetary influence. True independent. Using clear dice.

Stats: 13 strength, 8 intelligence (rerolled from 4), 6 wisdom, 11 dexterity, 9 constitution, 13 charisma.

The Dog’s Reading

• Past (Five of Wands): Strenuous competition, battle of life
• Present (Two of Pentacles): Harmony in midst of change
• Future (Ten of Cups): Happy family life, true friendship

He’s just a happy boy. Happy to go on an adventure, meet new people, poop in a new forest.

Ellerin Vale the Mage

All five coins face down—nobody wanted to relinquish their hold. Rolling 5d6, keeping the best three. This guy’s going to be a monster.

Stats: 15 strength, 14 intelligence, 11 wisdom, 14 dexterity, 16 constitution (tankiest character we rolled), 17 charisma.

He presents peaceful and do-goody, but has ulterior motives.

His Reading

• Past (The Hermit): Silent counsel, wisdom from above
• Present (Six of Pentacles): Philanthropy, charity, prosperity shared
• Future (Queen of Cups reversed): May indicate dishonesty or immorality

The Synchronicities

The craziest part is how the cards align with backstories I’d already written. The universe speaks to us. These characters have their own lives—we’re not building characters, we’re tapping into another dimension and channeling them onto character sheets.

Why I Do This

This fills my bucket back up. Painting is awesome, but something is coming out of me to do that. When I do stuff like this, I’m still creating—I’ve brought five people into existence—but it’s bringing something into me.

It’s a meditation practice. The goal is to make your mind empty so the muse can speak. Touch your cards, roll your bones, get your subconscious working. Tap into something you don’t understand, that little kiss of the muse on the back of your head.

Thanks for watching Day 91. I’m so excited for the next 91.