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- "D&D Doesn't Need Cards"
"D&D Doesn't Need Cards"
KS Sneak Peek: Limited Edition Signed Holographic Art by Erica
Studio Munbou
September 02, 2025
Truth Hidden in Verse
You’ll need this later
How strange it still feels, to hold power in the palm of my hand.
All my life I thought such things belonged only to lords and scholars.
Instead, here I am—selling stones that shimmer with wonders.
Lantern-light catches their glow, and people come smiling to my stall.
My table feeds me now, keeps a roof above my head.
Every coin earned feels like a blessing, a chance I never dreamed of.
Kind neighbors stop by, some to marvel, some to buy, all to talk.
How simple, and yet how precious, to make a living this way.
I give thanks to Mekhi, for without him, I’d still have nothing.
These words are more than what meets the eye. Decipher them and you’ll have the key for even greater rewards. Hold tight to that key until the doors open.
Have you figured the crypt out yet? Hold onto it just a bit longer. We promise it’ll be worth it.
WHY ADD CARDS TO D&D?
“D&D doesn’t need cards.”
Yeah, you’re be right. Inherently, the game doesn’t need cards. Dungeons & Dragons has been thriving for decades without them. But when we set out to build Whispers of Taiji, we weren’t just looking to recreate what already exists, we wanted to create a novel experience that feels familiar yet surprising.
Cards give us exactly that. They aren’t required to play the game, but they add something different—moments you’ll remember long after the dice have cooled. Cards allow us to introduce twists, strategies, and opportunities that would be harder to track or clunkier to run in a purely narrative system. They bring unpredictability to the table in a way that feels tactile, immediate, and exciting.
Picture this: your group is working together to take down a Peryton. Just two of your party members are able to stand to face the beast. But the event card draw summons a “Trick Room” where your roll modifiers are inverted. You have -3 strength, but that becomes +3, and paired with your “Strength In Unity” Action Card, you’re able to bring your fighter to the battle again to pummel the Peryton. These moments create stories, not just sessions.
And while the game is fully playable without them, we strongly encourage players to give the cards a try. They don’t just add mechanics, they add texture and memory. They’re the pieces that make your campaign stand out, a little more unpredictable, and nudges your party into situations they’ll talk about for years.
D&D may not need cards. But if you’re looking for something unforgettable—your story might.
Erica officially unveiled our collaboration piece to the world! In case you aren’t aware of her work, she’s an extremely talented, classically trained artist who gives anime worlds a new look through her lens.
This limited edition signed holographic print will be available come Kickstarter launch as an exclusive one-time offering.
LORE WHISPERS
Rabid, the Drugged Painter
Rabid is a gaunt, droopy man with unkempt hair and erratic movements. His once-fine attire is now a patchwork of mismatched fabrics. Splattered in multicolored paint. Dark, sunken, and bloodshot eyes dart around as if seeing things others cannot. His hands remain stained with vibrant colors, creating incomprehensible murals across Astra’s walls. Yet, despite his madness, his brushwork is precise, his chaotic paintings almost... deliberate.
Once a celebrated artist, Rabid’s talent captivated the kingdom—until a mysterious commission changed everything. The patron was secretive. The mural is unsettling. And whatever he saw while painting broke him.
Now, he wanders Astra’s slums, haunted and raving. Some dismiss his work as madness, but others whisper that his murals reveal hidden truths, secrets that those in power wish to bury.
PROJECT UPDATES
GET CAUGHT UP ON ALL THE LATEST
 DOWNLOAD GAME PREVIEWWant to get a flavor of the lore and the world yourself? Come partake in the Blue Lantern Festival with notable NPCs to get a taste of Astra. |  WATCH THE STORY TRAILERYou don’t just hear about the Tower—you feel it. You feel the stakes, the longing, the quiet doubt that creeps in when everything is on the line. |
 | READ THE WEBCOMICWant an introduction to the world of Astra and Whispers of Taiji? Give our webcomic a read - available on Webtoon Canvas and Tapas where you'll get a taste of some of our characters and what's to come. |
Until next time, may Mekhi be with you.
- Studio Munbou