Using Inspiration Cards in Everway

Using Inspiration Cards in Everway is easy. Yesterday's post described what Inspiration Cards are like. Today, is my first of several posts sharing ideas for how to use them in your Everway game.

"Louisiana" Chad Davidson uses the Inspiration Cards

First of all, you will want to keep using the Fortune Deck! It is the single most well-organized and Everway-optimized randomizer in your game. But the fact that the Inspiration Cards include both quantitative and qualitative information make them more useful for several things.

Today we'll explore using the cards to create quick NPCs for your Everway game. You will always draw four Inspiration Cards and use them to assign the NPCs Element scores in this order: Fire, Earth, Air, Water.

If this is a "normal-normal" NPC with truly average skills, just use the d4 randomizer on each card to determine each of their four element scores. Pick one image from the four cards to determine something important about the character, and pick one card's quirk to determine a distinctive character quirk. You're done!

If the NPC is a Spherewalker or an otherwise signature or important character (a "player" in your scenario), it's just a bit more complicated:

1. You will first draw Virtue, Fault, and Fate cards from the Fortune Deck. 
2. Next, draw four Inspiration Cards. Use the d6 randomizer on each card to stat out your character's elements. 
3. If you want the NPC to have a 1-3 point power, draw an additional Inspiration Card and consult the d3 randomizer to determine whether their power is frequent, powerful, and/or versatile. If your card's d3 randomizer gives you a 1, pick one quality; if your card's d3 randomizer gives you a 2, pick 2. if a 3 is the result, the power has all three qualities. 
4. Alternatively, if you want the NPC to have magic of some kind, stat that by drawing an additional Inspiration Card. Use the d6 to determine their power level with one kind of magic. If you want a mage of more modest power, use the d3 or d4 randomizer instead. If you want someone with the potention for profound power, use the d8 randomizer.
5. Pick one or more of the images on the Inspiration Cards to select a power or a kind of magic, or an ability, or a resource for the NPC. Use Inspiration Card images to evoke something interesting. The Carnival card might invoke magics tied to passions, lust, and revelry. The Seed card might convey agricultural powers or the skills of a magical midwife. The Twin card could signify some form of malign or useful Doppelganger Magic.
6. Finally, select a Quirk from among the four Inspiration Cards. Use this to give the NPC a final distinctive touch.