Lesser Arcanoi
Nov. 25th, 2025 10:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
curzedCurze's Lesser Arcanoi deck is handcrafted, and somewhat different than the Emperor's Tarot of the 41st Millennium. The cards are black, the pictures carefully inscribed on them in vivid red and the faintest dusting of the occasional bit of damnably contagious glitter.
The similarities between it and tarot cards of Old Earth are rather obvious.
As are the artistic themes.
0 - The Pilgrim: A cloaked skeleton with a long topknot of hair.
Upright: Beginnings, possibilities, a free spirit, freedom
Variations: Passion, thoughtlessness, rashness
Reverse: Indecision, apathy, hesitation, naive, foolish
1 - The Sorcerer: A skeleton in fine robes, an open book spread before it.
Upright: Willpower, self-confidence, mastery
Variations: Transformation, ingenuity, improvisation, concentration
Reverse: Weakness, insecurity, delay, wasted talent, manipulation
2 - The Urizen: A skeleton in holy ornamentation preaching before a crowd of more skeletons.
Upright: Wisdom, intuition, absolute truth
Variations: Intuition, purity, virtue
Reverse: Hidden motives, selfishness, shallowness
3 - Holy Terra: That sure is a planet.
Upright: Fertility, abundance, nature, home
Variations: Mother/sister/wife themes
Reverse: Vacillation, infidelity, negligence, lack of progress, lack of growth
4 - The Emperor: A crowned skeleton in very fancy armor, sitting on a throne of bone. One eye has been replaced by a mechanical device.
Upright: Accomplishment, confidence, stability, leadership
Variations: father/brother/husband, great achievements, a capable person
Reverse: Immaturity, feebleness, tyranny, stubborn, lack of discipline
5 - The Sigilite: A robed and cloaked skeleton leaning on a staff.
Upright: Tradition, dogma, obedience, ethics, education
Variations: Faith, selflessness
Reverse: Unconventionality, rebellion, invention
6 - Unity: A pair of skeletons hand in hand, a multiheaded snake skeleton wrapped around them.
Upright: Partnerships, duality, family, love, harmony, trust
Variations: Romance, optimism, a lasting relationship
Reverse: Unreliability, separation, conflict, untrustworthy. Broken relationships between lovers, families or friends.
7 - The Astartes: Another skeleton in armor, wielding what looks awfully like a hybrid between a chainsaw and a sword.
Upright: Ambition, success, conquest, conviction
Variations: Pride, willpower, bravery, vengeance
Reverse: Unsuccessful, lack of control, defeat, obstacles
8 - The Lion: A skeleton of some sort of big cat with long saber fangs.
Upright: Righteousness, confidence, compassion, virtue, honor
Variations: Harmony, balance, advice
Reverse: Cowardice, falsehood, self-doubt
9 - The Astropath: A blindfolded skeleton curled up in some kind of mechanical looking pod.
Upright: Divine guidance, vigilance, patience
Variations: Withdrawal, a loner, inner strength, prudence, caution
Reverse: Loneliness, hastiness, rashness, isolation
10 - Mankind: An ordinary skeleton standing tall over a distant horizon.
Upright: Destiny, good fortune, inevitable fate
Variations: End of a problem, unexpected events
Reverse: Failure, an unusual loss, unwelcome changes, bad luck
11 - The Titan: An absolutely enormous mecha. A tiny skelly can be seen at its feet.
Upright: Strength, courage, conviction, cause and effect
Variations: Self control, patience, determination, discipline, inner strength
Reverse: Dishonesty, unfairness, sickness, retribution, corruption
12 - The Martyr: A bound and blindfolded skeleton hanging upside down from a tree.
Upright: Perseverance, acceptance, sacrifice, duty, waiting
Variations: Contemplation, inner harmony, perspective
Reverse: Apathy, useless sacrifice, selfishness, stagnation
13 - Death: That looks very much like your standard Grim Reaper, honestly.
Upright: Transformation, end of cycle, change, death
Variations: Letting go, loss, failure, illness
Reverse: Stagnation, immobility, a narrow escape, cheating death
14 - The Imperium: The twoheaded eagle sigil of the Imperium. Not a skeleton.
Upright: Moderation, temperance, patience, harmony
Variations: Good influence, confidence, serenity
Reverse: Discord, conflict, disunion, hostility, frustration, impatience
15 - The Monster: A skeleton of some horned, hoofed bipedal monstrosity.
Upright: Addiction, materialism, excess, dependency, limitations
Variations: Controversy, conflicting duties, powerlessness
Reverse: Revelations, independence, release, enlightenment, restoring control
16 - The Lightning Tower: What it says on the tin.
Upright: A sudden change, abandonment of past, upheaval, disaster
Variations: Disruption, downfall, loss of security
Reverse: Disaster avoided, delaying the inevitable, changed fate, achievement through sacrifice
17 - The Dove: A dead bird wreathed in a laurel.
Upright: Hope, faith, inspiration, healing
Variations: Optimism, insight, love
Reverse: Despair, disappointment, crushed dreams
18 - The Moon: A crescent moon. A small skeleton sits on it, fishing over the edge with a pole and bobber.
Upright: Deception, uncertainty, confusion, illusions
Variations: intuition, secrets
Reverse: Confusion, fear, misinterpretation, understanding, clarity
19 - The Throne: A throne!
Upright: Splendor, brilliance, majesty
Variations: Joy, assurance, accomplishment, success
Reverse: Unhappiness, loneliness, canceled plans, broken alliances
20 - The Dark King: A skeleton seated on a throne of bone, a sword in one hand and a book in the other.
Upright: Authority, submission, reflection, judgment
Variations: Awakening, renewal, salvation
Reverse: Fear of death, doubt, a hidden failure, possible loss
21 - The Galaxy: ... A galaxy.
Upright: Completion, perfection
Variations: Recognition, success, fulfillment, triumph
Reverse: Imperfection, lack of vision, disappointment, failure
The similarities between it and tarot cards of Old Earth are rather obvious.
As are the artistic themes.
0 - The Pilgrim: A cloaked skeleton with a long topknot of hair.
Upright: Beginnings, possibilities, a free spirit, freedom
Variations: Passion, thoughtlessness, rashness
Reverse: Indecision, apathy, hesitation, naive, foolish
1 - The Sorcerer: A skeleton in fine robes, an open book spread before it.
Upright: Willpower, self-confidence, mastery
Variations: Transformation, ingenuity, improvisation, concentration
Reverse: Weakness, insecurity, delay, wasted talent, manipulation
2 - The Urizen: A skeleton in holy ornamentation preaching before a crowd of more skeletons.
Upright: Wisdom, intuition, absolute truth
Variations: Intuition, purity, virtue
Reverse: Hidden motives, selfishness, shallowness
3 - Holy Terra: That sure is a planet.
Upright: Fertility, abundance, nature, home
Variations: Mother/sister/wife themes
Reverse: Vacillation, infidelity, negligence, lack of progress, lack of growth
4 - The Emperor: A crowned skeleton in very fancy armor, sitting on a throne of bone. One eye has been replaced by a mechanical device.
Upright: Accomplishment, confidence, stability, leadership
Variations: father/brother/husband, great achievements, a capable person
Reverse: Immaturity, feebleness, tyranny, stubborn, lack of discipline
5 - The Sigilite: A robed and cloaked skeleton leaning on a staff.
Upright: Tradition, dogma, obedience, ethics, education
Variations: Faith, selflessness
Reverse: Unconventionality, rebellion, invention
6 - Unity: A pair of skeletons hand in hand, a multiheaded snake skeleton wrapped around them.
Upright: Partnerships, duality, family, love, harmony, trust
Variations: Romance, optimism, a lasting relationship
Reverse: Unreliability, separation, conflict, untrustworthy. Broken relationships between lovers, families or friends.
7 - The Astartes: Another skeleton in armor, wielding what looks awfully like a hybrid between a chainsaw and a sword.
Upright: Ambition, success, conquest, conviction
Variations: Pride, willpower, bravery, vengeance
Reverse: Unsuccessful, lack of control, defeat, obstacles
8 - The Lion: A skeleton of some sort of big cat with long saber fangs.
Upright: Righteousness, confidence, compassion, virtue, honor
Variations: Harmony, balance, advice
Reverse: Cowardice, falsehood, self-doubt
9 - The Astropath: A blindfolded skeleton curled up in some kind of mechanical looking pod.
Upright: Divine guidance, vigilance, patience
Variations: Withdrawal, a loner, inner strength, prudence, caution
Reverse: Loneliness, hastiness, rashness, isolation
10 - Mankind: An ordinary skeleton standing tall over a distant horizon.
Upright: Destiny, good fortune, inevitable fate
Variations: End of a problem, unexpected events
Reverse: Failure, an unusual loss, unwelcome changes, bad luck
11 - The Titan: An absolutely enormous mecha. A tiny skelly can be seen at its feet.
Upright: Strength, courage, conviction, cause and effect
Variations: Self control, patience, determination, discipline, inner strength
Reverse: Dishonesty, unfairness, sickness, retribution, corruption
12 - The Martyr: A bound and blindfolded skeleton hanging upside down from a tree.
Upright: Perseverance, acceptance, sacrifice, duty, waiting
Variations: Contemplation, inner harmony, perspective
Reverse: Apathy, useless sacrifice, selfishness, stagnation
13 - Death: That looks very much like your standard Grim Reaper, honestly.
Upright: Transformation, end of cycle, change, death
Variations: Letting go, loss, failure, illness
Reverse: Stagnation, immobility, a narrow escape, cheating death
14 - The Imperium: The twoheaded eagle sigil of the Imperium. Not a skeleton.
Upright: Moderation, temperance, patience, harmony
Variations: Good influence, confidence, serenity
Reverse: Discord, conflict, disunion, hostility, frustration, impatience
15 - The Monster: A skeleton of some horned, hoofed bipedal monstrosity.
Upright: Addiction, materialism, excess, dependency, limitations
Variations: Controversy, conflicting duties, powerlessness
Reverse: Revelations, independence, release, enlightenment, restoring control
16 - The Lightning Tower: What it says on the tin.
Upright: A sudden change, abandonment of past, upheaval, disaster
Variations: Disruption, downfall, loss of security
Reverse: Disaster avoided, delaying the inevitable, changed fate, achievement through sacrifice
17 - The Dove: A dead bird wreathed in a laurel.
Upright: Hope, faith, inspiration, healing
Variations: Optimism, insight, love
Reverse: Despair, disappointment, crushed dreams
18 - The Moon: A crescent moon. A small skeleton sits on it, fishing over the edge with a pole and bobber.
Upright: Deception, uncertainty, confusion, illusions
Variations: intuition, secrets
Reverse: Confusion, fear, misinterpretation, understanding, clarity
19 - The Throne: A throne!
Upright: Splendor, brilliance, majesty
Variations: Joy, assurance, accomplishment, success
Reverse: Unhappiness, loneliness, canceled plans, broken alliances
20 - The Dark King: A skeleton seated on a throne of bone, a sword in one hand and a book in the other.
Upright: Authority, submission, reflection, judgment
Variations: Awakening, renewal, salvation
Reverse: Fear of death, doubt, a hidden failure, possible loss
21 - The Galaxy: ... A galaxy.
Upright: Completion, perfection
Variations: Recognition, success, fulfillment, triumph
Reverse: Imperfection, lack of vision, disappointment, failure
