Cards and Dice in the Cognoterre

Lixiviate the segregated nystulian tinctures a fortnight with an admixture of the artisan's essence sanguine, macerated cephalophage, brine and pulverated chrysoprase. Netherside the iconic palingenesis, incise the lithoglyph (the sideral lineature arcane) in acromatic acid on oblong denticle ivory expropriated from the remorhaz (or any extra-Attrahent denizen). Delineate the facsimile with taciturnity and celerity henceforth; adhibit the pigments as a supra-lithoglyphic veneer. Invariably recollect the caveat parlous: legerdermain utilizing the lineature arcane immutably impoverishes the artisan of akashic potency.

There are few known portrait artists, and all apparently come from the old Dominions; if other peoples are able to draw Portrait Cards, the records of the Wythucarn and Carillon Universities do not have any information on them.

Darsheen

Darsheen was an unknown artist until his sketchbook was recovered from a pocket dimension that had opened in the Hedge Maze of the Botanic Gardens in Candor. His black-and-white ink sketches were obviously quick and rough, but show a trained hand. The style emphasizes the emotions of, or associated with, the subject, leaving details of face and figure somewhat roughly delineated.

Gargoyle

Only one card has been found by the artist who signed him/herself "Gargoyle"; it was a thin, flexible rectangle of metal upon which a scene had been engraved and apparently enameled over to give color. The border of the card was engraved with symbols of no known origin. The area depicted was completely foreign, with strange lighting and plant-life. Adventuring group "Riffraff" stepped through the card to investigate, and vanished. Neither card nor group has been seen since.

Cameron Greyheart

This bade'in artisan draw Portrait cards of the various bade'in Holdings, that were kept by the bade'in to facilitate movement back and forth. The cards are assumed to still remain in the keeping of the bade'in. They have distinctive borders in the mohrait style. Greyheart died at a relatively young age, of a respiratory infection that he kept hidden until it was too late.

Altair Lark

Altair Lark was a human artisan who created what is thought to be the first True Deck; over the course of his life he created a total of six such decks before being tragically killed in a bar fight (he was reputed to be an alcoholic, and spent much of his waking hours either in front of an easel or a bottle). Many of the decks have now disappeared, and one is generally thought to have been destroyed.

Adrianne Nightmare

Adrianne was a human noblewoman who created a True Deck over the course of the last twenty years of her life. The Deck was formed of human skin stretched over plaques of bone, and painted in some sort of blood-based dyes. Adrianne was discovered dead with the last card finished in front of her, apparently of a heart attack. The Deck is considered to be cursed; everyone who has owned it has profited immensely but, within three years of having used it, met a gruesome end. The whereabouts of the Deck are currently unknown.

Evelyn Palladiarch

Evelyn was a human from Travioch who draw Portraits of her friends, all of whom are all long dead. The cards are now kept by the Palladiarch family and are available for scholars to examine within the family's library. Her style was marked by a graceful application of oil paints to each vellum card, and emphasized ornate backgrounds and fastidious details of dress and poise.

Calendyr Shair

This half-aseku artist was a sailor whose cards were often of ships and given as gifts to the captains of those vessels. He also draw a few Portraits of friends (all now deceased) and places he visited. His style was remarkably gothic, with dark, foreboding colors and gruesome details. The purpose for this style is unknown, since by all accounts he was a pleasant, cheerful man before meeting his death of a wasting disease while his ship was too far out to sea to get good medical help.

Missarian Wytphyr

This grey elf accompanied the armies of Darion Sun-Blazoned during the formation of the Dominions, and drew Portraits of Darion, Dake Half-Masked, Adrian Evander and Cer Oristial (these cards are now kept in the treasury of Mynedd Palace). He was drawing one of himself at Oristial's request when the card went Wild and he was trapped inside. Unfortunately, Oristial had vanished a week before, and the card has since been lost. Wytphyr's style is typically old inhre'atu, with elongated, delicate figures painted in rich, brilliant hues.

Alexos "Zip" Xylos

This human thief apparently discovered his talent by accident and immediately put it to underhanded use. Masquerading as a member of the gentry, he entered rich people's houses and then later sketched them from memory, using these sketches to safely enter and rob them. Zip ended up founding the Pandour Thieves' Guild of Candor, but died several years later of a drug overdose. His style is hasty but compelling, with emphatic black brush-strokes that capture the essence of each object depicted. Most of the cards have disappeared, presumably still owned by the Pandours.

Dake's Four

These four dice were first used in their present form in BD 15 by Dake Half-Mask, Dominarch Darion's companion. The symbols on the dice inspired the symbols currently used in the Dominarch's Reckoning.
The dice are: Day, Birth, Birth and Cant. They are all carved in ivory, their symbols scrimshawed in colored inks. Day portrays the symbols of the days and a blank face depicted the unknown day. The two Birth dice portray astrological symbols. Cant portrays influences on the reading. These dice are used to tell fortunes.