Section 3. The “Phoenix” Deck. Description of the Cards
3.1. The deck (24 cards)
Eleven archetypes are represented by two cards each, a light side and a dark side; the twelfth pair is made up of the Phoenix card (light side only) and the Author card. All 24 cards are used in play.
| STRENGTH | ARCHETYPE | LIGHT SIDE | DARK SIDE |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Infanta | “I can’t, you decide for me.” Total helplessness, waiting for someone to come along and fix everything. | “You must take control of me, or I’ll be lost.” Manipulation through weakness, sulking, tears. |
| 2 | Beggar | “Help me, I have nothing.” Openly demanding help, playing the victim. | “You all owe me for my suffering.” Aggressive demands, guilt-tripping. |
| 3 | Puttana | “Burned out, gone into the shadows.” Vanishing, walking away after a rebellion. | “I’ll destroy everything you’ve built.” Aggressive rebellion, scandal, provocation. |
| 4 | Cinderella | “I serve so that I’ll be loved.” Self-sacrifice, working for gratitude. | “I’ve done so much, and you don’t appreciate me.” Resentment, demanding recognition. |
| 5 | Mistress | “I love him, so I’ll forgive everything.” Patience, devotion, waiting. | “You won’t leave, I couldn’t take it.” Emotional blackmail, threats, hysterics. |
| 6 | Hippie | “I live here and now, without commitments.” Freedom, lightness, creativity. | “I don’t need anything, leave me alone.” Withdrawing into nothing, dependence, degradation. |
| 7 | Courtesan | “I’m free, I choose.” Independence, play, pleasure. | “You’re just a trophy.” Cynicism, devaluing your partners. |
| 8 | Lilith | “Money solves everything.” Rationality, calculation, security. | “I’ll buy you, and you’ll serve me.” Power through resources, humiliation. |
| 9 | Geisha | “My talent serves people.” Creativity, inspiration, beauty. | “Admirers are my drug.” Pride, addiction to praise. |
| 10 | Teresa | “I help because I can.” Sincere service, mercy. | “You all must love me for my saintliness.” Manipulation through self-sacrifice. |
| 11 | Chameleon | “I understand everyone, I’m flexible.” Diplomacy, empathy, adaptation. | “I’m nobody, I’m just a mirror.” Losing yourself, inner emptiness. |
| 12 | Phoenix | “I am sincere, I love, I am free.” Wholeness, maturity, responsibility. | The dark side is absent; this is the peak of development. |
3.2. Situation cards (24 in total)
The situation cards set the context for play in the first round. The Author reads out the situation, and the players respond according to their hidden character card. Bonuses are awarded based on the results of the round.
| No. | SITUATION | TEXT | BONUSES TO CARDS |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Infidelity | You learn that your partner has cheated on you. | Puttana +2, Courtesan +1 |
| 2 | Job loss | You’ve been fired without explanation. | Lilith +2, Beggar +1 |
| 3 | Public insult | You’ve been insulted in front of a group of friends. | Puttana +2, Chameleon +1 |
| 4 | A request for help | An old friend comes to you and asks for a large sum of money. | Cinderella −1, Beggar +2, Lilith +1 |
| 5 | A declaration of love | Someone confesses their love to you, but you’re not sure about your feelings. | Geisha +1, Courtesan +2, Phoenix +3 |
| 6 | Loneliness | You feel lonely even surrounded by people. | Chameleon −1, Hippie +1, Teresa +2 |
| 7 | A friend’s betrayal | Your best friend betrays you for personal gain. | Lilith +1, Puttana +2, Infanta −2 |
| 8 | Injustice | You witness an injustice. | Teresa +2, Puttana +1, Chameleon −1 |
| 9 | The ex’s wedding | You’re invited to the wedding of your former partner. | Mistress −2, Courtesan +1, Phoenix +2 |
| 10 | A big win | You’ve won a large sum in the lottery. | Lilith +2, Beggar +2, Hippie +1 |
| 11 | A loved one’s illness | Someone close to you has fallen seriously ill. | Teresa +2, Cinderella +1, Infanta −1 |
| 12 | Conflict with parents | You’ve quarreled with your parents over your choice of partner. | Mistress +1, Puttana +2, Chameleon +1 |
| 13 | A marriage proposal | You’ve been proposed to, but you’re having doubts. | Geisha +1, Courtesan −1, Phoenix +2 |
| 14 | News of a pregnancy | You learn that you’re going to become a parent. | Teresa +2, Hippie −2, Cinderella +1 |
| 15 | Moving to another country | You’re offered a move abroad for the sake of your career. | Lilith +2, Chameleon +2, Mistress −1 |
| 16 | A quarrel with your best friend | You’ve fallen out with your best friend over some trivial thing. | Puttana +1, Cinderella −1, Phoenix +2 |
| 17 | Financial crisis | You’ve run out of money, and payday is still a week away. | Lilith −1, Beggar +2, Infanta +1 |
| 18 | A colleague’s envy | Your colleagues envy your success and spread rumors behind your back. | Puttana +2, Geisha +1, Chameleon +2 |
| 19 | Moving back in with your parents | You have no choice but to return to living with your parents. | Infanta +1, Beggar +1, Phoenix +1 |
| 20 | Infidelity on your part | You’ve cheated on your partner and feel guilty. | Mistress −2, Puttana +1, Teresa −1 |
| 21 | Losing someone close to you | You’ve lost someone you loved. | Infanta −2, Teresa +2, Phoenix +2 |
| 22 | A rival’s success | Your rival has made it, and you haven’t. | Lilith −1, Courtesan +1, Puttana +2 |
| 23 | A compliment from a stranger | A stranger pays you an unexpected compliment. | Geisha +2, Courtesan +1, Chameleon +1 |
| 24 | The test of fame | You’ve become famous and popular. | Geisha +2, Chameleon +1, Phoenix +2 |