Round 4

Judge: themink

3.0 deced VALID We may imagine that there is a deck of cards. It is a standard Tarot deck, with 14 cards (2 to 10, Princess, Prince, Queen, King, Ace) in each of four suits (Wands, Cups, Swords, and Disks) and 22 Major Arcana cards (numbered 0 to 21). Its order is randomized, and it is dealt evenly to all members who will post valid FRs during this round, with any remainder being discarded. With each FR, a card is specified to be removed from the hand of the member who is posting the FR, which is then removed from their hand and placed, face up on a table. On playing a Major Arcana card, an FR names that card. Every FR in this round is consistent with this imagining.

I play Major Arcana 4, and name it 'Sparacus'.

3.1 cloverkitty ILLEGAL If there are not enough cards in the imagined Tarot deck to meet the requirements of FR 3.0, the player holding the card named "Sparacus" will be declared the winner for that round.

I play Major Arcana 7 card and name it "Fluffy."

3.2 deced VALID Sparacus sits at his oak table, composing his new Doctor Who epic (in outline form). He considers how to resolve the thematic tensions that are developing in his Ben Chatham character.

I knock, abruptly, on the table.

"Russell?" He looks up. But it is no-one Sparacus recognizes. A shadowy, insubstantial figure in a dark blue cloak draws a card from behind the Emperor's left ear, and lays it face down on the table.

He is struck with a vision. And in this vision he sees Ben Chatham, and he is speaking. Ah, such honeyed tones, but his words are strange: "Each Fantasy Rule contains references to all previous Valid Fantasy Rules' card names within a Fantasy Rule that consists of a story (if there are any previous such card names). A card is played, in such cases, by having a first-person character explicitly and clearly place it during the narrative; and restrictions on or descriptions of other Fantasy Rules are made by including them in a third-person character's speech."

Then Ben takes his shirt off.

"That's it!" Sparacus ejaculates. "Thank you, stranger."

I turn over the card. A single, fiery Ace of Wands. I bow to the Emperor, and take my leave.

Winner: deced