Tyrannical Clock
Value: 6
Notions • Cats • Clocks • Wind
Meanings: Oppression, time, countdown, schedule, repetition
We live and die, quite literally, by time. It rules our actions, for we have no actions without it. We struggle to accomplish what we must by a certain time, or we face grim consequences. We eat, sleep, and even breathe measured by the movements of the clock. It is our master. It is our enemy.
Divination: The pressures of time affect one’s goals. Not only must one succeed, it must be done by a certain cutoff time. The Tyrannical Clock suggests some extraneous, oppressive force that compels us with threat of pain or even death. The compulsion is to keep moving, and to do so on a schedule. It might involve repetition or simply a deadline, depending on the circumstances. This card turn isn’t automatically negative. One can still succeed, but the requirements become harsher and the challenges greater.
Game Narrative: Something—good or ill—approaches, and everyone knows it. A repetitious action figures prominently into important events. It is or soon will be a holiday or day of celebration. A young person with great potential comes of age. A prominent elderly person dies.
Joy: The PC moves more quickly than normal, accomplishing twice as much. The PC’s repetition pays off with success.
Despair: The PC arrives too late. A powerful authority attempts to restrict the PC.
By the ticking of the clock,
By the breaking of your bones,
By the shrieking of the flock,
The tyrant revels in the moans.