Etrangere/Tarot

An Exalted Tarot : the Deck of Dragons & Maidens

The Deck of Dragons & Maidens is quite older than most people assumes, going back even to the pre-shogunate era. Of those more ancient decks few examplars remain, so we can assume that the game only sprung to popularity later on, when some of the card were modified until it reach its modern appearance.\\ In those ancient times, the Deck was initially called the Gateways to Enlightment, but the name has lost its use, especially now that we have the excellent game of Gateway to confuse the issue. Cards are still sometimes called Gates, though erronous traductions simingly brough to call them also Fates.

In both antique and modern forms, the Deck is constitued of five lesser suits of twelve cards, the so-called Common Fates, and of a serie of twenty-five greater cards, the Exalted Fates, also known as Higher Mysteries.\\ The five suits are of course corresponding to the five Elements, Air, Fire, Earth, Water and Wood. The card are numeroted from 1 to 10, with the two last cards given the name of Maiden and Dragon, and thus the name of the Deck. Those cards were different in the older form, and were named Consort and Monarch.

The first, or Pole, to fifth card are usually concieved as representing the most material and basic form of the element of the suit, while the sixth to tenth card are more symbolical in nature, tying to the emotionnal and intellectual matters represented by those Elements. They are sometimes called, not by their number, but by the successive names of Journey, Serenity, Battle, Secret and Ending of their respective suit.\\ The Maiden is always drawn as a young beautiful woman representing the virtue of her Element. As for the Dragon, it is of course the Immaculate Dragon that is represented on the card.\\ In ancient decks, the Monarch and the Consort were both drawn as noble, healthy and beautiful characters of either gender, but they were easily recognised by the fact the Consort card always had some kind of animalistic features of some sort, while the Monarch wore an icon or emblem with an animal symbol on it.\\ The Twenty Five Mysteries all tied to the Constellations. They are numbered from one to twenty four, with the lone card of the Wyld Hunt, also called the Captain by reference to the wandering star, remaining un numbered.

The Suit of Air

• The Pole of Air is a mountain scene, showing us a snowy landscape where a huge sky full of clouds and winds traces web-like figures. It is significance of a place dedicaced to spiritual and intellectual contemplation, such as a monastery or library.
• The Two of Air represents a child flying a kite, while his parrents are watching. This card represents the association of wisedom and youthful hope for a brillant prospective.
• The Three of Air is a man attacking an Immaculate Monk with a sword. It symbolises the necessity to defend knowledge with learning, but also that knowledge is always more powerful than ignorant brutality.
• The Four of Air is a beautiful ship with white sails leaving the bay from a prospere city. It shows the beginning of an adventure which will provide much wonderment and challenges, and will require a sharp mind.
• The Five of Air shows an old man on his dying bed, at his side a young girl taking notes as he speaks. This card is about legacy and change, tradition and modernity, and the transition from one to another.
• The Six or Journey of Air shows a man holding a missive kneeling in front of his lord. This card means that news are arriving, and that one should wait to have all informations into one's hand before making a decision.
• The Seven or Serenity of Air represents a wise man, often depicted as an Immaculate Monk, helping the young student kneeling at his foot to stand. This Fate is about teaching or learning, and about graduating, or one's abilities and skills being aknowledged by a peer.
• The Eight or Battle of Air is a man being executed for treason. This card is quite ambivalent, as it might stand for the plight one often have to suffer for his virtues and knowledge as well as the way wisdom can be devoided by amoral behaviours.
• The Nine or Secret of Air introduces us to a man jumping recklessly from a cliff. This card is about never presuming your knowledge, and the faillings of arrogance.
• The Ten or Ending of Air shows a violent storm setting over a great city. No kind of achievement protects from the natural elements.

Comments

Cool. Needs more information, I should think; the deck needs to be fleshed out some more. Please place it in your own path however. I already have my own tarot writeup at Quendalon/Tarot, and other Wiki users will want to put their own versions up. Don't bogart the page name! - Quendalon

fleshing out is what I'm currently doing ! Okay for the own path thing... I need to learn how to use that redirect commandline *sighs* Oh ! and just saw your own page... quite cool a deck, i'm ashamed to see that i'm using several of the same ideas you have, sorry :( - Etrangere