Emperor's Tarot

Just realised after flicking though my copy of Dark Heresy that I couldn't actually find a note of what it does. Can anyone point me in the right direction, or if there isn't any official note of what it does, then what do people think it does?

It counts as a psy-focus

DanteC wrote:Just realised after flicking though my copy of Dark Heresy that I couldn't actually find a note of what it does. Can anyone point me in the right direction, or if there isn't any official note of what it does, then what do people think it does?

It's tarot. That about says it all. Do with it as you will in your game, because it's mostly meant to be open as to what can be accomplished with it. One might say it's a plot tool in a way, or can be used as such. I don't think there really needs to be any extensive work up on how it works, or game mechanics. Hell, real Tarot has a considerable amount of open interpretation to it. Pick up a book on tarot and add some suitably 40K-ish twists to the meanings of the cards and you should be good to go.

Myself, I'm working through the Major and Minor incarna of real deck and expanding upon the Imperial Divinations tables in DH with them.

And what Vinter said.

-=Brother Praetus=-
"Only the insane have strength enough to prosper. Only those who prosper may judge what is sane."

I think the Emperor's Tarot would make for an awesome prop. Have any of you guys found a real file Tarot that could represent the deck in the gaming table?

You can find the deviant art Emperor's Tarot here although I personally am not a fan, I don't care for the style of art as an 'in game' or 'in universe' reprisentation. Nor do I care for the chosen arcana or inclusion of text. I do however like the cards' backing. I've devised my own prop Tarot for our game and have used primiarly art by John Blanche, black and white and have adhered them to Hecatomb cards (as my psycho-reatcive cyrstal wafers).

I would love to see some of the art work in your deck.

At present I don't have acess to either a camera or scanner, but I've used pretty typical GW 40K art from the late 80s earlier 90s if your familar with Blanche's stye and remember the art from Rogue Trader and old White Dwarfs you'll have a pretty good idea of what I used. I actually just cut up extra Copies of some 2nd Eddition 40K books I had (Codex Imperialis & Rulebook) and some old White Dwarfs, one of which had a four page article which was featuring John Blanche's contributions to 40k imagery. Also if your intrested in designing your own tarot I'd get or at least read the article in WD 210, you still may be able to find a copy on the (a) GW site, it was initially for Epic so I am unsure whether it would still be up, however I think I have a copy on one of HD so if you PM me I could send you a copy.

awesome! Thank you for all your help

There is at least one other 'fan' interpretation of the Imperial Tarot out there, but that's about the extent of my knowledge other than to say that it is significantly different from the one previously posted.

If you're not after the artwork, and just the descriptions, then there are many, many more versions out there.

(And I too think that it woudl make a great prop. Reminds me of the Trump decks that circulated for the Amber universe, though one would doubt that GW would let their IP be associated with anything as gauche as occultism...

)

Kage

Kage2020 is the Anargo Sector Project still working on the Tarot? It seemed as if that particular project had lost impetus, I was unsure as to whether you all were still working on it.

"That" (

) project goes through cycles as do most things. Check out many of the 40k discussion forums and you'll find the same ole discussions being had in the same 'ole ways. Anargo is in a little rut at the moment, but primarily waits for me to have the time to hand code the new "Explore" website.

So, yes, it still goes on and is as ever as active as its members. Amusingly, even without the time to put up material, it's still quantum leaps ahead of Calixis...

(I know, I know. Opinion and all that.

)

Anargo does have text versions of the Tarot, and it was there that I heard about this other version. Again, though, it's all rumours and hearsay.

Kage

Kage2020 wrote:
So, yes, it still goes on and is as ever as active as its members. Amusingly, even without the time to put up material, it's still quantum leaps ahead of Calixis... (I know, I know. Opinion and all that. )
Kage

I agree. If I run a DH game I'll likely use the Anargo Sector as the games setting. Kuddos to all who have comtributed to that project.

Thanks for putting the link in to my DA Tarot project: The Emperor's Tarot Project. Please be sure to look at the gallery to see all the cards completed so far, not just the most recent things on the front page.

Although the style of the art won't suit everyone it has the advantage that it has been donated for player's use and there is no breech of copyright (as there is just by taking someone else's stuff and using it - However each to his/her own). The art provided so far is amazing and there will probably be multiple versions of some of the cards as there are so many talented people working on images inspired by the 40K universe - it's just a matter of finding it and convincing them to share it with us all. I am really happy to find that so many people are just as excited about Dark Heresy as I am.

I will point out that there are two styles - with and without interpretation on the cards, so that a player can choose what suits them best. I know that Kage was an advocate of the Image only version, while I still hold that the text will make the cards easier to use without having to look up the meaning or memorise the whole 78. That is until the deck is finished and the computer program version can be released with the layouts and interpretation incorporated.

What may be of more use however (until the whole project is complete) is the list of my full deck and it's interpretation together with suggested layouts for readings done by CELS from the Anargo Sector Project.

The idea was to make a workable tarot with meanings that would cover a broad spectrum of concepts and contexts and provide useful hints of foretelling (or misdirection) for players and GM's.

I found that during the playtesting of Dark Heresy there were limits on the playability of psyker characters and the Tarot was an obvious way for them to be more useful and gain insight from their abilities as well as providing a tangible psy-focus.

There are many other possible cards and surely variations would exist through time and across the Imperium, as we see many decks in the modern Tarot. I was however very conscious of sticking as much as possible the cards that had been mentioned in the "fluff".

Anyway - I hope what is there is useful to people, and will continue to source art to finish these decks. I'll be using them, and if they can be of use to others, then we can all share the Grim Darkness.

Tiger's Heart

i remember in the origional Space Marine (what's now epic 40k or something like that) rule book there was a short fiction just a few paragraphs where the Imperial tarrot was described as an electronic device with 3 small screens that showed simple line drawings and the user interpreted, nothing like a deck of cards at all.

Magus-Illuminatus Peter Accoming wrote:Over the millennia since His Ascension to the Golden Throne, the Emperor’s Tarot has gone by many names and many incarnations in the uncounted worlds of our vast and eternal Imperium. In the High Gothic, it is known as Cartae Imperatoris Illuminas; the desert nomads of Tallarn refer to the Qarta’an-nafs, or “soul map”; the Necromundan Redemptionists speak of the Will Incarnate. And to the scholar of the Tarot it seems sometimes that there are at least as many variations and manifestations of the Tarot as there are names for it.

Some versions of the Tarot comprise only the Major Arcana. Some include cards such as the Betrayer, the Missile or the Galaxy. Some have alternate names for well-known cards, or divide the properties of a single card into two. Some have the traditional Minor Arcana of bolters, novas, thrones and shields. Others have swords, stars, trees and helms. Yet others may have a mix of these or yet another derivation. Whilst scholars may argue over the merits and pedigrees of different versions, the student is best advised to find the Tarot that suits him best. For if we are of a faithful and pious mind, focussed intently upon His Divine Purpose, then surely He will guide our hand in whatever form our devotions take.

The lowly guardsman must make do with a common set of plastinated wafers, cheaply printed, often in a single colour. Such a set can double as both a focus of pious adoration and a welcome distraction in times of tedious anticipation – literally thousands of different games of skill and chance can be played with the cards of the minor arcana. Note, however, that it is widely considered bad luck to include any of the major arcana in a game.

On more technologically blessed worlds, simple divination engines can be purchased that will generate a basic spread of three, five or even as many as nine cards. More expensive versions can be found that will even supply an automated reading, but those who have even a passing understanding of the subtleties of the Tarot will reject such gadgets as no more than an amusing toy without any of the true spiritual value of the spread interpreted by the faithful human mind.

Only the wealthiest and most enlightened of students will be able to acquire the truest manifestation – that is, the psycho-crystal wafer. Individually attuned to the owner, each set can be manufactured only by the Divisio Cognoscenti of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica and the method of creation is a most holy secret. The truly pious student of the Emperor’s Tarot can aspire no further than to possess a set of such matchless efficacy, and to manipulate and engage with such a Tarot is to come as close as a mortal can to touching the very mind of the Immortal Emperor Himself. My own set was a reward for services in divination rendered to an esteemed member of the Holy Orders of the Emperor’s Inquisition – who must, perforce remain nameless - and in the fifty years from that day to this I have used it but once, at the earnest request of another in the same Order.

Original Source

Tiger's Heart wrote:I know that Kage was an advocate of the Image only version, while I still hold that the text will make the cards easier to use without having to look up the meaning or memorise the whole 78.

I'm a purist, Tiger's Heart, and don't really need to see the Tarot become a CCG.

(Then again, the use of words of interpretation can be done subtly, such as with the DaVinci Tarot.)

Kage

Cypher - another take on the tarot - there would be (in the 40K universe) as many varied interpretations, if not more, as there are in the modern Decks.

Kage - I never intended it to be a CCG, simply easy to use. After 20+ years of playing with Tarot cards I still can't remember all the diverse meanings of each card in the deck. By putting an insight on each card it will be easier to use until the computer version becomes available (if people want an alternative to a physical Deck). It would hawever be nice to see them considered "Collectable"

.

Anyway my work stands as it is - and will hopefully be completed soon.

Others will do their own versions - there is plenty of room out there for everyone's ideas.

Tiger's Heart

I would like to see the full Emperor's Tarot when you have it finished. I use my own Tarot deck for a prop in DH, its a Dragon Tarot deck. But having an interpritation of a deck from 40k I think would be cool to have as a fan of 40k. Like some I don't play the TT game anymore but now do play DH. Makes a more involved game than a TT game.

Ben

Tiger's Heart wrote:Kage - I never intended it to be a CCG, simply easy to use. After 20+ years of playing with Tarot cards I still can't remember all the diverse meanings of each card in the deck. By putting an insight on each card it will be easier to use until the computer version becomes available (if people want an alternative to a physical Deck). It would hawever be nice to see them considered "Collectable" .

I wasn't suggesting otherwise, Tiger's Heart. The CCG reference is merely what the cards that I've seen remind me of (very Magic). That's why I prefer the more limited approach of the DaVinci Tarot - enough to remind you of what it could mean, without going too far (purely IMO of course).

Don't take it as a criticism, merely a difference of approach. If I were to print out copies, I would personally remove the text and go for something more subtle, as above, or hopefully there's a text-free version as well. (Either that or some art/photo program would become involved to cut away the bits that I don't like.)

Again, though, preference is ever eternal.

Kage

Just in case you misunderstood, Please have a look at my DA page for examples of the two different decks... with and without text.

Or so it's easier - have a look at these versions of the Titan Card...

http://inquisitorminmi.deviantart.com/art/Arcana-VIII-The-Titan-II-51727793

http://inquisitorminmi.deviantart.com/art/Arcana-VIII-The-Titan-51726985

The art is awesome, and there is a design to suit both preferences.

Tiger's Heart

Tiger's Heart wrote:Cypher - another take on the tarot - there would be (in the 40K universe) as many varied interpretations, if not more, as there are in the modern Decks. ...

I concur. That's exactly why I quoted that large block from Peter's (Incomplete) Tarot writeup. Also re: your project, tehre are a very many aspects of it which I enjoy and I suspect a great many of the fans of 40K as well as DH will enjoy like it as well. (I really like the backing to your cards -- in fact its the current wallpaper on my laptop.) Althhough like Kage, I think, my taste runs a little diffrent. Still, kuddos to all involved.

Hi,
I made the Emperor's Tarot based on the Tiger's Heart list.
I use some illustration from different artist to make my card.

You can download the Tarot on my site at this adress
http://tiamat64.free.fr/wordpress/?page_id=171 (clic on the Deck to download the Tarot)

C'est très bonne, merci beacoup! J'ai employé l'art par John Blanche aussi.
Vous avez employé un certain art de LVXMVNDI n'est pas? Screencaps?

Thanks for that link, Tiamat. Much appreciated!

Kage

Cypher wrote:Vous avez employé un certain art de LVXMVNDI n'est pas? Screencaps?

Yes, I use some "femmes fatales" pictures from LVXMVMDI (the Witch, the Prophete, the Assassin)
Yes, screencaps.

I have tried to use as many John Blanche's art as possible because his draws are very gothic, dark and tortured.It's perfect for a Tarot's game.