Orc Slayer: an elvish card game

Long before the migration to the valley, the elves developed a device for leisure known as "playing cards." There are 52 cards in a deck of playing cards, and they can be used in myriad ways to play various games. One such game is called Orc Slayer, owing to the elves' long-standing animosity towards orcs. The game centers around a hero, the elf, who engages in a war with the villain: the orc. It is intended as a single-player experience, though a second person can assist by standing in as the orc. Orc Slayer is intended for elves aged 114 and up and is enjoyed in taverns, canteens, and saloons from Tennerae to Avalon.

Materia for Play

1-2 players of any race or creed
A deck of elvish playing cards, including two jester cards

Basic Rules

The game is split into three acts: the Skirmish, the Harvest, and the Reckoning. In the Skirmish and Reckoning, the two combatants battle their cards against each other. The elf and orc are given an equal number of playing cards, playing one card at a time from the top of their decks. Whichever card is of a higher value is the winning card, and both it and the losing card go to the winning combatant. This continues until the combatants run out of cards.
When two cards of equal value are played against each other, a "war" is initiated. The combatants each play three additional face-down cards, followed by one face-up card. Whichever combatant wins that battle receives all of the cards in play. If another equal card match-up occurs, the process repeats until one combatant wins.
Cards of the heart suit are imbued with magic and are worth twice as much when played by the elf. Cards of the club suit, on the other hand, are mighty weapons worth twice as much when played by the orc.

Act I: The Skirmish

Twelve cards are dealt to the elf and the orc. In rapid succession, the elf and the orc engage in three wars. Whoever wins the best out of the three wins the act. If the elf wins, they will receive either one or two of the Orc's Tusks (represented by the jester card), depending on if they won two-to-one or three-to-zero, respectively.
In the event of a draw, where both the orc and elf score one point and tie in their third war, four more cards are drawn by each combatant, and another war is had to decide the winner. In the event that war ends in a draw, another war is had, and so on, until a winner emerges.

Act II: The Harvest

Ten cards are dealt face-down in separate piles. Ten cards are then dealt atop those cards face-up. The elf then guesses, for each pair, whether the face-down card is worth more or less than the face-up card. If they are right, they keep both cards in the pile. An incorrect guess or a draw means the elf does not keep those cards unless they choose to expend one of their Orc's Tusks. When all ten pairs have been decided, the elf chooses up to ten of their kept cards to take into the final act.

Act III: The Reckoning

The orc is dealt half of the deck, while the elf is dealt enough to give them half in addition to their harvested cards. The battle proceeds from there and ends when both combatants have run out of cards. The winner of the game is whoever has won the most cards after the Reckoning concludes.
If the elf severed both Orc's Tusks, the orc retaliates with Orc's Rage: the first face card played will result in an immediate war, regardless of the opposing card's value.

Act IV: Vengeance

Act IV is initiated if Act III ends in a draw or the orc wins Act III and the elf still has an Orc's Tusk. Vengeance operates identically to the Skirmish: best-of-three determines the winner of the game.