# Pillar language and art direction

## Pillars in plain English

Keep the short pillar names. They are good. Translate them clearly everywhere the player needs them.

- **Seen ♦**
  Notice clearly. Ask directly. Surface what is hidden.
- **Held ♥**
  Stay with them. Build connection. Reduce emotional isolation.
- **Helped ♣**
  Reduce the load. Ease practical pressure. Widen the support around them.
- **Secured ♠**
  Make this moment safer. Reduce immediate risk.
- **Pressure**
  The unresolved weight still pushing against the case.
- **Anchors**
  People, routines and reasons that can pull them back toward tomorrow.

## Card entry philosophy

The physical game happens in the cards and the table talk. The app should stay hands-off until input is needed.

Use one shuffled 52-card deck, remove both Jokers, and do not reshuffle. The app should remove already-played cards from the picker so the table can infer what is still live in the deck.

## Art direction

Use a simple webcomic-readable stick figure language, similar in clarity to Cyanide & Happiness, but without comedy tone.

What to keep:
- simple linework
- expressive posture
- broad, humanised figures
- ordinary clothing and settings
- high readability at card size
- somber, restrained tone

What to avoid:
- gag energy
- jokey faces
- punchline compositions
- bright cheerful comedy palettes
- explicit self-harm imagery

The goal is readable and emotionally grounded, not goofy.
