Rowan, Luke, and Deckard are royal blood, Grant Howitt’s esoteric risk-and-reward game is scheduled for release in March 2026. Produced in collaboration with Italian publisher Mana Project Studio.nightfell, seven sinners,and cowboy bebop RPG), royal blood Successfully raised funds kickstarter At the end of 2024.
First released in 2016, royal blood It’s a robbery game. Set in a glittering, unrealistic city, the characters stand on the precipice of their ambitions. It’s a desperate power grab, a theft so bold that it rewrites reality.
The player characters are half-human, half-magical Royals who personify the court cards of the Tarot. Their mark is Arcane. It is the power of the Major Arcana that gives complete control over the realms of death, justice, and other cosmic principles.
“While I was keen to maintain the freedom that the original version offered, over the last nine years I have become more confident in my work, especially when it comes to writing exciting novels,” said designer Grant Howitt. “In the first edition, the magical abilities attributed to the royal family were very vague and abstract, but here we have the opportunity to express them in poetic detail. This explains why this book is twice as long as before (and we hope it will be more interesting to read).”
royal blood Tarot cards are used to generate heists (landmarks, challenges, story developments) and to determine the outcome of the characters’ actions. The characters use literally any means to get what they want, betting on the success of their own existence. The mechanics combine betting and tarot (cards flip when players push their characters too far) to create tension and action that will make you win every penny.
“We’ve also tweaked the rules to enhance the game. Those who’ve played before will be familiar with the feel, but we’ve introduced an element of unpredictability in the form of a surge of wild magic to keep people on their toes.”
The new edition featured a redesigned layout and new art by Silvia De Stefanis of Mana Project Studio, including new tarot cards. Mana Project Studio also helped with localization royal blood For the Italian market.
“Work with Sylvia” [de Stefanis ] was an absolute dream. She was incredibly good at this, evolving the rowdy atmosphere established in the first edition into something more dignified. Plus, she didn’t complain much when I added six new cards to her tarot deck (four Strangers and two Jokers). Because I thought it would be funny. ”
Features
● TTRPG on page 172
● Card and token-based mechanics to keep stakes and tension high
● Create your story as you play: No preparation or planning required, just the action and drama.
● Use your tarot knowledge to tell stories and improve your tarot skills with games (includes a tarot crash course for beginners).
● Available as a standalone book or as a full set of illustrated tarot cards
● Published in English and Italian
● Developed and written by Grant Howitt, creator of the ENnie award-winning program Heart: Underground City and Spire: City Must Fall.
Grant Howitt – writer, creator
Chant Evans & Laura Fontanella – Producer
maz hamilton – Editing, development
Michele Paroli – Localization, project management (Mana Project Studio)
Silvia De Stefanis – Layout, design, artwork (Mana Project Studio)
Laura Fontanella and marta parvarini – Translation (Mana Project Studio)
Fans can reorder Royal Blood cards, books and boxes here Full release is scheduled for March 13, 2026.
Image via Rowan, Luke and Deckard
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