Heresy: Kingdom Come
Encyclopedia
Heresy: Kingdom Come was a collectible card game
(CCG) developed and published by Last Unicorn Games
(LUG) in 1995. The game was based around religion
-themed fantasy in a cyberpunk
setting.
s and demon
s in a futuristic cyberpunk
setting. The premise is that the barriers (known in the game as the Mirror, Shroud, or Veil) between the physical realm (the Wilds), the digital realm (the Matrix), and the spiritual realm (Heaven
) have grown thin, and fallen angel
s on Earth are trying to use the Matrix (cyberspace
) to open a portal to ascend back into Heaven. Meanwhile, Earth is torn by conflict between not just the aforementioned angels and demons, but also human governments, corporations, criminal organizations, artificial intelligence
s, hacker
s, and cybernetically
-enhanced humans.
A player wins once he or she has generated enough tau to open a portal with which to ascend to Heaven.
B8 card size of 2.5" x 3.5", popularized by playing cards and the pioneering CCG Magic: The Gathering
, Heresy was notable for instead using oversized cards with a much greater height. The similarity of the height to that of tarot cards emphasized the magical and mystical themes of the card game. The greater card size also allowed for larger art. On the other hand, the greater size was criticized for rendering the cards unable to fit in standard-sized card sleeves, as well as making shuffling difficult.
, Gerald Brom
, Michael W. Kaluta, Tom Kidd, James O'Barr
, Andrew Robinson, Barclay Shaw
, John K. Snyder III
, Karl Waller
, and Bernie Wrightson
.
Collectible card game
thumb|Players and their decksA collectible card game , also called a trading card game or customizable card game, is a game played using specially designed sets of playing cards...
(CCG) developed and published by Last Unicorn Games
Last Unicorn Games
Last Unicorn Games was a games publisher that was eventually absorbed by Wizards of the Coast.Last Unicorn developed the collectible card games Dune and Heresy: Kingdom Come as well as the 2000 role-playing game Dune: Chronicles of the Imperium...
(LUG) in 1995. The game was based around religion
Religion
Religion is a collection of cultural systems, belief systems, and worldviews that establishes symbols that relate humanity to spirituality and, sometimes, to moral values. Many religions have narratives, symbols, traditions and sacred histories that are intended to give meaning to life or to...
-themed fantasy in a cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
setting.
Publication history
The base set, released in 1995, consisted of 374 cards. Though an expansion set of 90 cards known as Project Demiurge was planned, as a result of poor sales, no expansion sets were ever published.Setting
Heresy was themed around the continuation of the War in Heaven between angelAngel
Angels are mythical beings often depicted as messengers of God in the Hebrew and Christian Bibles along with the Quran. The English word angel is derived from the Greek ἄγγελος, a translation of in the Hebrew Bible ; a similar term, ملائكة , is used in the Qur'an...
s and demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
s in a futuristic cyberpunk
Cyberpunk
Cyberpunk is a postmodern and science fiction genre noted for its focus on "high tech and low life." The name is a portmanteau of cybernetics and punk, and was originally coined by Bruce Bethke as the title of his short story "Cyberpunk," published in 1983...
setting. The premise is that the barriers (known in the game as the Mirror, Shroud, or Veil) between the physical realm (the Wilds), the digital realm (the Matrix), and the spiritual realm (Heaven
Heaven
Heaven, the Heavens or Seven Heavens, is a common religious cosmological or metaphysical term for the physical or transcendent place from which heavenly beings originate, are enthroned or inhabit...
) have grown thin, and fallen angel
Fallen angel
Fallen angel is a concept developed in Jewish mythology from interpretation of the Book of Enoch. The actual term fallen angel is not found in either the Hebrew Bible or the New Testament. Christians adopted the concept of fallen angels mainly based on their interpretations of the Book of...
s on Earth are trying to use the Matrix (cyberspace
Cyberspace
Cyberspace is the electronic medium of computer networks, in which online communication takes place.The term "cyberspace" was first used by the cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson, though the concept was described somewhat earlier, for example in the Vernor Vinge short story "True...
) to open a portal to ascend back into Heaven. Meanwhile, Earth is torn by conflict between not just the aforementioned angels and demons, but also human governments, corporations, criminal organizations, artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence is the intelligence of machines and the branch of computer science that aims to create it. AI textbooks define the field as "the study and design of intelligent agents" where an intelligent agent is a system that perceives its environment and takes actions that maximize its...
s, hacker
Hacker (computer security)
In computer security and everyday language, a hacker is someone who breaks into computers and computer networks. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons, including profit, protest, or because of the challenge...
s, and cybernetically
Cybernetics
Cybernetics is the interdisciplinary study of the structure of regulatory systems. Cybernetics is closely related to information theory, control theory and systems theory, at least in its first-order form...
-enhanced humans.
Gameplay
Players alternate turns. Each type of card is associated with one of eight convictions: Acquisition, Devotion, Evolution, Preservation, Rebellion, Stagnation, Technology, and Tradition. There are six types of cards:- Location cards can be turned sideways to generate either aura or tau:
- Aura is always associated with one of the eight convictions, and it is used to play non-Location cards of the same conviction.
- Tau is collected to make progress toward winning the game.
- Character cards represent individuals. They remain on the board after being played and can engage in combat.
- Aleph cards represent artifactsArtifact (archaeology)An artifact or artefact is "something made or given shape by man, such as a tool or a work of art, esp an object of archaeological interest"...
. Like characters, alephs remain on the board after being played. - Enhancement cards attach to other cards, most often characters, for various effects.
- Celestial Power cards are one-time effects. They can only be played during the player's turn and are discarded after being played.
- Miracle cards are one-time effects like celestial powers, but can be played at any time, not just during the player's turn.
A player wins once he or she has generated enough tau to open a portal with which to ascend to Heaven.
Card size
While the vast majority of CCGs adhered to the standard ISO 216ISO 216
ISO 216 specifies international standard paper sizes used in most countries in the world today. It defines the "A" and "B" series of paper sizes, including A4, the most commonly available size...
B8 card size of 2.5" x 3.5", popularized by playing cards and the pioneering CCG Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering
Magic: The Gathering , also known as Magic, is the first collectible trading card game created by mathematics professor Richard Garfield and introduced in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast. Magic continues to thrive, with approximately twelve million players as of 2011...
, Heresy was notable for instead using oversized cards with a much greater height. The similarity of the height to that of tarot cards emphasized the magical and mystical themes of the card game. The greater card size also allowed for larger art. On the other hand, the greater size was criticized for rendering the cards unable to fit in standard-sized card sleeves, as well as making shuffling difficult.
Art
The larger card size showcased art by such well-known artists as Tim BradstreetTim Bradstreet
Timothy "Tim" Bradstreet , is an artist and illustrator, best known for his work on comic books , book covers, movie posters, roleplaying games and trading cards.-Career:...
, Gerald Brom
Gerald Brom
Gerald Brom is an American gothic fantasy artist and illustrator, known for his work in role-playing games, novels, and comics.-Early life:Brom was born March 9, 1965, in Albany, Georgia. As the son of a U.S...
, Michael W. Kaluta, Tom Kidd, James O'Barr
James O'Barr
James O'Barr is an American graphic artist, best known as the creator of the comic book series The Crow.-Personal life:O'Barr, an orphan, was raised in the foster care system...
, Andrew Robinson, Barclay Shaw
Barclay Shaw
Barclay Shaw is an American professional artist best known for his fantasy and science fiction artwork. He has been nominated five times for the Hugo Award for Best Professional Artist, and has earned a top ten ranking six times in the annual Locus Poll Award for Best Artist...
, John K. Snyder III
John K. Snyder III
John K. Snyder, III is a writer and illustrator of comic books and graphic novels. His work has been published in the pages of the underground press , by independent comic book publishers, and by DC Comics .Snyder wrote and drew his first project, Fashion in Action, published by...
, Karl Waller
Karl Waller
Karl Waller is an American artist whose work has appeared in comic books and roleplaying and collectible card games.-Early life and education:He graduated from the Pennsylvania School of Art in 1987, with a diploma in communication arts.-Career:...
, and Bernie Wrightson
Bernie Wrightson
Bernie "Berni" Wrightson is an American artist known for his horror illustrations and comic books.-Biography:...
.