(I sent this as an e-mail to AndyA a while back. I’m posting it here to keep it close to the forefront of my head.)
Okay. So here’s the new storyline I’m thinking about re: Tarot. It’s Crux novel #3.
There’s a guy. He’s kind of crazy. He draws Tarot decks on index cards with his markers. The art on these decks is actually pretty good, if a bit simple. Recognizing this crazy (possibly homeless, haven’t determined) guy’s art, a new age shop owner decides to start printing some of his designs.
The crazy guy finishes this one design, and he insists that the shop owner produce at least one full deck with this design. The shop owner is all right with it, but the crazy guy says he doesn’t have time — he has to find the person who will eventually own this deck.
The shop owner does what the crazy guy asks, and once a shipment of cards comes back from the printers, he gives the crazy guy a deck.
A few days later, the crazy guy is murdered. Then the shop owner is killed, and the shipment of cards goes missing. The printer where the cards were made is burglarized, and the plates with which the cards were made are stolen.
While all this is happening, Crux receives a package. It’s the Tarot deck. He’s been asked to find the person who will eventually own the deck.
The future owner of the deck is a guy who does readings for fun — he uses a book. (Sound famliar?) The forces who don’t want the deck in his hands know that once this guy gets in touch with his psychic abilties, he could become a dangerous force in the underworld.
Does this sound plausible? Or has it been done before?