Harlequin's Cards
Wondrous Item,
Common
(cost 40 gp)
Crafting Components
Short story written by a published fiction author, transcribed onto the backs of playing cards.
This deck of cards has a series of cut-outs within each card. As an action, you can make a DC 12 Performance check to send the cards flying through your hands, creating the appearance that the cut-outs are moving to tell a story of your choice. If you are standing near a light source, the story is cast on a nearby wall through shadowplay.
On a failed check, the story’s end is unsatisfying; if you fail by 5 or more, it takes a ghastly turn, ending in murder, betrayal, or gruesome death.
Source