If one to five of swords is drawn (those with positive attributes according to their descriptions in the book), the person who draws gets a corresponding +1 to +5 on any one attack roll for that day. Master of Swords - player gets advantage on all Strength and Constitution skill checks and saving throws but disadvantage on skill checks and saves for all other attributes. Lower Deck Effects (all effects last for 24 hours, any boons not used go away after 24 hours) After drawing a card it disappears from the deck. I would state the party somehow comes across a powerful deck of cards. But maybe you want every card to mean something. If they draw from the lower deck nothing happens. I like your idea of having the high cards having special in-game effects, both good and bad.

You can also give the players the option to change their fate by getting a new reading. If you are into minigames have them play the game for high stakes. The card deck comes with rules for a game called Prophet's Gambit, which is basically Texas Hold'em with a D&D twist. I'm thinking it'd be cooler to have unique effects for each card instead of a generic one (e.g. Madame Eva isn't out to screw them over, nor Strahd. Maybe limit effects to only High Deck cards? A Tarokka deck has 54 cards: 40 'lower deck' cards and 14 'higher deck' cards. party is 3rd level, so effect can't be too overwhelming.

Looked online, saw option for Strahd to toss cards to affect combat, but I'd rather Eva give them some or all of the Deck, with cards having some effect.

I suddenly realized I'd like to find a way to keep use of the Cards in some way as it seems a waste to use them for 10 minutes and then never again (especially if I would have purchased the Tarokka Deck supplement). Running Curse of Strahd and just finished the last episode with an iconic Tarokka reading (using a real set of Tarot cards).

Curse of strahd pdf