Tarot of Cthulhu: Major Arcana
Details
Publisher: Ronin Arts
Product Code: HITE002
Publishing Year: 2008
Pages: 38
Cover Price: $19.11
Author(s): Kenneth Hite
Artist(s): Kenneth Hite, Phil Reed
Setting(s): Non-Specific
Format(s): PDF and Print-on-Demand Softcover
Contents
While the title of this item may suggest that it is a deck of cards, it is actually a book containing images of cards. Twenty-two monochrome line drawings are provided, showing the Major Arcana of a uniquely Cthulhu Mythos tarot. The book also includes a (fictitious) history of the designs, notes on the interpretation of each card and ideas on using the cards in a Call of Cthulhu game.
The book comprises the following sections:
- Introduction,
- The Tarot of Cthulhu: A Hypothetical Provenance
- The Twenty-Two cards of the Major Arcana (each with a relevant quote from a Mythos tale plus notes by Hite about the symbology of his drawing)
- A Speculative Minor Arcana
- Using the Tarot of Cthulhu in Roleplaying Games
- Recommended Readings
The Tarot Deck
As with most standard Tarot decks, the Tarot of Cthulhu is made up of seventy-eight cards, only twenty-two of which (The Major Arcana) are pictured in this book. Some text notes are given suggesting titles for the remaining cards.
The Major Arcana cards are shown in the table below (along with the correspondance to the common names of the Rider-Waite cards)
no | Tarot of Cthulhu Card Name | Rider-Waite |
---|---|---|
0. | Azathoth | The Fool |
1. | Yog-Sothoth | The Magician |
2. | Abhoth | The High Priestess |
3. | Shub Niggurath | The Empress |
4. | Cthulhu | The Emperor |
5. | Hastur | The Hierophant |
6. | Futility | The Lovers |
7. | The Sigil | The Chariot |
8. | Chaos | Strength |
9. | Tsathoggua | The Hermit |
10. | Power | Wheel of Fortune |
11. | Insanity | Justice |
12. | Cthugha | The Hanged Man |
13. | The Pursuer | Death |
14. | Despair | Temperance |
15. | Nyarlathotep | The Devil |
16. | The Dolmens | The Tower |
17. | Algol | The Star |
18. | Fear | The Moon |
19. | The Eclipse | The Sun |
20. | Doom | Judgement |
21. | Failure | The World |
The Minor Arcana of the deck is, as is traditional, divided into four suits. For the Tarot of Cthulhu, the following suits (and their themes) are as follows:
- Suit of Mirrors: represents Light, and is made up of historical (and pre-historical) individuals who represent the lineage of human magicians
- Suit of Rings: represents Time, and is made up of images depicting the history of Earth from Ubbo-Sathla, through to humanity and beyond
- Suit of Keys: represents Geometry, and is made up of cards depicting dimensions, planes and the like
- Suit of Stones: represents Gravity, and is made up of depiction of scenes from alien planets
Call of Cthulhu Mechanics
The book includes a short section with rules for using the deck as an in-game artifact. Most of the rules relate to effects associated with each of the Major Arcana cards (mostly spell-like effects, or improvements to summoning chances)
The in-game deck is referred to as the "Deck of Borellus"; there also exists a Latin book written by Borellus discussing the divinatory abilities of the cards. This book is called Novum Iamblichum; game statistics are given.
Also included are some brief thoughts on treating the cards as a Keeper accessory for generating plots or story ideas. To this end there is a table assigning some abstract "event" to each of the Minor Arcana cards.
Front Cover Text
No additional text.
Back Cover Text
"They had, indeed, come themselves from the stars, and brought Their images with Them." -- H.P. Lovecraft, "The Call of Cthulhu"
Twenty-two of Their images, to be precise. For the first time ever in Full Edwardian Colour, the Major Arcana of the Cthulhu Mythos unfold beneath your avid gaze. This is the Tarot of Cthulhu: Major Arcana!
- DISCOVER the symbolism cunningly hidden in the bizarre drawings!
- REVEAL the Awesome Lies behind this deck's creation!
- SHUDDER at the cosmic hints within the Minor Arcana, described here for the first time!
- BLAST your players' Sanity to shreds!
- FORETELL THE FUTURE of your own horror games!
Kenneth Hite, having broadcast the Suppressed Transmissions, dreamed the Nightmares of Mine, and pieced together the Dubious Shards of the Cthulhu Mythos, now lays bare the secrets of the timeless Tarot of Cthulhu! With fully licensed rules for Call of Cthulhu, and with story-building methods and mechanics suitable for any game of Cthulhoid horror, great and terrifying gaming is only as far away as the turn of a card.
Comments / Trivia
Several of the cards presented in this book were previously printed in Dubious Shards. The designs themselves were drawn by Hite back in the 1980s for use within his own Call of Cthulhu game.
The name "Borellus" associated with the in-game version of the deck is drawn from the name of alchemist named in The Case of Charles Dexter Ward (fiction).
This book should not be confused with several actual Lovecraft-themes decks of Tarot cards that have been produced over the years, including Donald Tysons all-colour "Necronomicon Tarot".
Links
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