Culdcept

Culdcept (カルドセプト, Karudoseputo) is a turn-based strategy video game. It has drawn comparisons to other modern strategy titles, and also shares features with non-video games Monopoly and Magic: The Gathering. The first installment to reach North America was the expanded port of Culdcept Second released for the Sony PlayStation 2, the North American release was simply titled Culdcept. The first game was initially released only in Japan for the Sega Saturn and PlayStation, but was ported to the Nintendo DS in 2008 as Culdcept DS. Also available are a series of manga adapted by Shinya Kaneko and serialized in Japan by Kodansha in Magazine Z, and collected in six bound volumes. It is licensed in English by Tokyopop.

Manga
Najaran is a young woman who just happens to be an apprentice Cepter. Cepters have the power to summon creatures from magical cards. Once, these cards were collected in a book called the "Culdcept." During an ancient battle, the book was destroyed—its cards scattered far and wide. Najaran's master gives her a dangerous mission—she must obtain information about the Black Cepters and their nefarious plans. If the Black Cepters rebuild the Culdcept, the arcane book of ages past will grant them unspeakable God-like powers!