Tarot Magic

**Tarot Magic**, also known simply as **tarot** or **mysticism**, was a unique and powerful magic system capable of directly contacting celestial beings that existed on the mortal planes. It consisted of a set of 78 cards divided between major and minor arcana, with each being bound to a deity present on the mortal planes.

Created by Aidan Reyne during his tenure as Hierophant of the Church of the Imperial Creed, it had very few competent users at the time of its inception. By the time of the Imperial Era, however, many had been taught to read tarot and many more outside of the Church's institutions had taken to interpreting the cards in their own way, often for profit.

## Information

### Divination

Those that were able to wield and control the powerful energies of the cards were capable of bringing divine attention to themselves through accessing the aethereal links of the world. In this way, they could notify the deities of their worship, and wish for a miracle. In most cases, this would be granted, although it would depend on the time of year, the god heralded and the size of the task needed. Often, prayers and calls would go unanswered.

The wielder of the tarot had no control over what arcana would reveal itself to them, as this was often up to whatever aethereal link the magic was drawn to. Those blessed with the ability to use Tarot often worked as fortune tellers or soothsayers, although in attempting to praise the Druidic Gods for a miracle they were often less useful than the standard congregational method of worship.

Although the cards were capable of contacting any celestial, they were only able to do so if the celestial had not been born native to the structure of the world created by the Archangels. This meant that the Archangels and their ilk were not bound to the magics of the Tarots, and could not be contacted by it.

### Effects of the arcana upon the deity

Arcana was only designed as a divination tool, but its creation had beneficial side-effects for the recipient of the worship. As mortal worship often fuelled the aethereal bonds a Celestial had with the planar structure, it helped them manifest with greater strength on the world, and for longer periods of time. For the Druidic Gods, this meant that they were able to walk amongst the mortals of Esria periodically.

As well as enabling deities to manifest in Esria with unprecedented clarity, and even strengthening other minor celestials enough that they were able to pass through the world's barrier, mysticism continued to have unexpected and inexplicable effects on the mortal plane.

After absorbing the Angel Epheriel, the Emperor of Vesryn Lucièn Lafayette became partly celestial and inherited the arcana The World. The card was heralded many times. Although this had a deteriorating effect upon Lucièn, it eventually attuned to his celestial blood. He spent decades in introspection, locking himself inside a hall of mirrors. While he was attempting to unlock the powers granted to him through widespread worship, he had underestimated his foe and found himself desperately struggling for control of his very being.

## Tarot Cards

### Major Arcana

**II**
**III**
**IV**
**V**
**VI**
**VII**
**VIII**
**IX**
**X**
**XI**
The High Priestess
The Empress
The Emperor
The Hierophant
The Lovers
The Chariot
Justice
The Hermit
Wheel of Fortune
Strength

**XIII**
**XIV**
**XV**
**XVI**
**XVII**
**XVIII**
**XIX**
**XX**
**XXI**
**N**
Death
Temperance
The Devil
The Tower
The Star
The Moon
The Sun
Judgement
The World
The Fool

#### XXI: The World

**The World** was the twenty-first card in the tarot deck, and the very last card to appear in the originally divined order. Unlike all other cards, which bound themselves to deities on Esria and beyond, the World was directly bound to the partly celestial but distinctly mortal soul of the Vesryne emperor Lucièn Lafayette.

It was most often interpreted as the completion of a journey, depicting a figure looking eternally outwards. It celebrated the end of the road, but also the new beginnings promised by such a conclusion.

The card also represented evolution and balance, and was symbolic of success, victory, achievement and accomplishment. It was often taken to suggest the infinite rewards of positive effort in improving oneself and other. Stars of light were always depicted upon the card, indicating ascendancy to a higher level or the attainment of some form of enlightenment.

#### N: The Fool

**The Fool** was a unique card, having no place in the order of major arcana as originally divined. It was directly linked to the trickster goddess Riegel, representing the manifestation of her enigmatic power in the mortal realm. It came to exist in 1501 B.E, divined by the second Hierophant of the Creed after a feverish dream compelled him to seek a new aethereal link.

For a time, the card had no meaning and was simply disregarded as a mistake until the increasingly frequent appearances of its parent celestial. After only a short while, it was reluctantly recognised as a major arcana by the Creed, and became a staple of tarot decks across the world.

In tarot readings, the card was taken to suggest a sense of persistence and timelessness. Other common interpretations included innocence, new experiences and curiosity, with the jester-like figure on the card always being depicted as searching for something.

### Minor Arcana

* Queen of Wands
* Knight of Wands

* Ten Wands
* Nine Wands
* Eight Wands
* Seven Wands
* Six Wands
* Five Wands
* Four Wands
* Three Wands
* Two Wands
* Ace of Wands
* Queen of Chalices
* Knight of Chalices

* Ten Chalices
* Nine Chalices
* Eight Chalices
* Seven Chalices
* Six Chalices
* Five Chalices
* Four Chalices
* Three Chalices
* Two Chalices
* Ace of Chalices

* Queen of Pentacles
* Knight of Pentacles

* Ten Pentacles
* Nine Pentacles
* Eight Pentacles
* Seven Pentacles
* Six Pentacles
* Five Pentacles
* Four Pentacles
* Three Pentacles
* Two Pentacles
* Ace of Pentacles
* Queen of Swords
* Knight of Swords

* Ten Swords
* Nine Swords
* Eight Swords
* Seven Swords
* Six Swords
* Five Swords
* Four Swords
* Three Swords
* Two Swords
* Ace of Swords