The 1996 LOTR Tarot Deck: Review and Discussion

[Raisins]

So in 1996 a tarot deck was approved by the Tolkien Estate and was developed by Terry Donaldson and the artwork was done by Peter Pracownik.

It did have a game associated with it as well that was created by Mike Fitzgerald.

This... Deck was published by U.S. Game systems Inc from the US and as a general rule that I've found between Readers and Tolkien fans in general is considered an absolute hot mess.

It was the first Tarot deck I ever owned and when I was young and i honestly bought it before I'd even finished reading the Two Towers as I was already utterly enamored with LOTR and wanted everything LOTR. Now I own it and apparently it's fairly ridiculously rare (I paid 15 dollars Canadian and I'm only finding it for 100 to 175 dollars) Now honestly I have half a thought to create my own LOTR based Tarot as some of the cards just don't work or are problematic in terms of just what is depicted.

So I figure what I'm going to do is review the cards in the licensed deck and discuss what is wrong with them and perhaps what could have been done better while comparing them to what is generally considered the standard in Tarot deck the Rider Waite deck.



The Ace of Cups
Now this is generally a card about emotional fulfillment as well as using your intuition and following your inner voice and remaining true to it. And that while this can be difficult generally you'll be full of joy.



Now you can see that the LOTR decks focus is not the cup, nor is the scene really about emotional fulfillment. It does involve intuition but more in questioning your intuition instead of trusting it. After all we see the vision in the mirror does come to pass. As well there really isn't joy at least for me associated with this scene in LOTR.

What are your thoughts on this? And is there a scene that you feel would better illustrate the traditional interpretation?

[Raisins]

The Two of Cups

Traditionally this card is about the same as the Lovers card, it depicts a new strong union generally but in the Minor arcana. This can mean friends, business partners etc not just as a lovers relationship. and that the art ABOVE the union shows its higher purpose what makes it unmistakable.




Over all in the LOTR deck they've got this one right for the basics of the quote and scene - Eowyn and Faramir embracing for the first time falling in love, however it's not so much a meeting of their minds and the freedom that they give each other that is depicted, their cups are opposite, I like that they seemt to try to show the higher purpose with the sun and the moon inside the heart but the image really comes across as a seperation of their minds. The cups are apart, the towers are apart, and for some reason the Tree of Gondor is in there. Not sure why that tree is a King of Gondor symbol and if anything would seem to read more like Eowyn is basing her feelings for Faramir based off of the fact she can't have Aragorn that that relationship is dead. (as that appears to be the dead variant of the white tree as it's not a sapling and is barren of leaves. (Also it's really bugging me that the flags on the two towers shown... are BLOWING IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS... how is that perfect harmony?)

Honestly I feel like this could have had a much stronger imagery used that would have embodied this card far better with this scene but the execution is just clumsy and honestly |I feel like Pracownik really doesn't know what the cards are for thus far and he's just sorta... drawing perhaps a scene he's been told to and throwing the odd reference from standard cards in there LIKE the two cups?

Other thoughts on this card?

[Raisins]

Three of Cups

So the Three of cups your party card. That's generally what it stands for gathering your closest friends and having a party, especially after a long separation (this is honestly the card every one wants to pull post covid and have it be upright) The imagery is about what each person brings to the table, and about lifting each other up often associated with abundance and harvest and like most of the cups, this card also is the first to really showcase that this is a feminine suite.



NOW the LOTR version. *waves hand at it* The only imagery we get is that there are 3 cups at the top of the image. Absolute hard zero on feminine energy unless we start going into how Tolkien talked about how Bag end was queer and it's folks Queerer - but I highly doubt that this particular artist would be making a play at the sexual orientation of Bilbo and Frodo which his coming up more and more for debate, there is also zero partying, and not so much of lifting each other up. Instead we have barren leaf scatter and Frodo looks more like he's scolding Bilbo (probably for wearing Quaker shoes honestly)

Though it is in fact a reunion after a long time. Now there is a bit of a theme in the LOTR tarot and that is that there are a lot of hobbits being used for the imagery in the suite. However really there were much more suitable 'get togethers of hobbits that could have been depicted. Bilbos long expected BIRTHDAY would have been a closer hit on the general meaning of this card, Merry and Pippin and Frodo reuniting post the destruction of the Ring (one could add Sam in though they really weren't seperated from each other and M, P and F are three cousins) If we want to go with more feminine energy one could illustrate Galadriel, Eowyn and Arwen the three most influential women in the LOTR series as they each uniquely bring something to the story. Probably for the best this artist didn't we'd have tits out on all three of them and I'd want to cry.

[Raisins]

Four of Cups

Ahhh yes the mopey boy that is too sad to and emo to pay attention to any of the things that he is offered. This is showing that for the time being a person is turning to internal contemplation and turning aside new opportunities to do so. This is not necessarily a bad thing, it just means you are waiting to be better prepared to say yes to possibly the same opportunity later.



Making new friends while mushroom picking. I honestly don't remember Frodo, and Merry and Pipping and Sam PICKING mushrooms with Farmer Maggot. They DO eat mushrooms at Maggots house but there is no picking and Merry was not even a part of that scene. He went ahead with Fredding Fredagar to get the new house at Crickhollow ready so honestly at this point the artist is on meth. That's the easiest explanation of where this card came from. Never mind that they are all wearing shoes. Again. Shoes. I guess the guy can't draw feet well? It's my only thought for that. Also what is Sam doing in the 'THRILLER' pose leg and hand wise I'm not sure what Merry/Pippin is doing picking a mushroom a mushroom from the background while in the foreground? Nothing about this image makes sense. I'm glad I've never actually pulled it or I'd have been a lot madder at this deck a lot sooner.


As for the meaning in this card as illustrated - this shows a group of friends welcoming a new friend in, accepting a new opportunity as it arrives, even if it comes baring a threat (if one looks closely Maggot has a dog on a leash coming towards them - which is very in character for Maggot though I feel like he would have all three dogs with him not just one) Over all while there are mushrooms the fields are bare - they don't have a lot of opportunities here there is no richness in the world despite this generally being a farming area during the fall there should be far more richness to this image which would explain why they are accepting the opportunity as it arrives without contemplation. Over all I feel like this card represents in general what the Four of Cups REVERSED would stand for.

[Nessa Saelind]

He went ahead with Fredding Fredagar to get the new house at Crickhollow ready so honestly at this point the artist is on meth.

it's either that or a weird combo of shrooms (since the shrooms are a theme de jour) or both I don't know much about tarot, but it's very entertaining and educational to read your posts.

[Raisins]

I"m glad your' really enjoying my little posts on this Nessa!

Five of Cups

So the standard cup is about situations not turning out as planned and missing opportunities that are there because you are so focused on those loses however the card also shows you there is a path forward with the bridge and the castle if you just turn away from the opportunities that haven't gone the way you thought it would.



Now the LotR variant is very much about a situation that hasn't gone as it was expected to - the death of Gandalf in the Mines of Moria. It's an excellent scene to be portrayed however the way it's portrayed is off. Mostly in that the company doesn't look like they are lamenting at all, they look more like they are lounging about or having a debate (especially Aragorn and Samwise) the only one with their head down is Frodo the rest The one cup that's IN the image at Aragorns feet (not including the ones at the top) is upright - considering this should be representing Gandalf and his fall, it should be tipped over. The other major thing with this image is that there is no 'obvious path forward'. A stronger image would have been open plains with a forest with yellow leaves symbollic of Lothlorien in the background which was where they headed afterwards. That was their path forwards and instead this card is illustrating the situation that had them stuck as it were.

[Raisins]

Six of Cups

So when you look at the Rider Waite you see innocence and kindness and cooperation it is a draw back to good childhood memories and the security and familiarity that comes with those memories. This is meant to help guide you to reflect on your past so that you can find the keys to your own happiness now and in the future.



Now this particular scene, is not really illustrated in the best manner, it is people that generally are kind and considered innocent interacting with each other in a setting that is NOW safe. One may assume that this is a glance at what would make Merry and Pippin happy in the future - being together doing things that they use to do when they were younger and had less worries to bear - you can see this in the mushrooms around them as well as the pipeweed (and pipe) which is being offered from one to the other. The biggest issue here is that the background while it is safe - we know this from the story is it doesn't look safe. There is no warmth or security in this image which would make it a much stronger representation of the 6 of Cups however the scene works.. (Though why is the one hobbits legs green?)

[Nessa Saelind]

Wow, the illustration for this card totally missed the mark As you've already mentioned the background of the LotR Tarot card is really off. Just looking at the colours and the leafless trees and the stone ruins... It's not very safe or pleasant. The illustrator could have done a scene in the Houses of Healing with Merry and Pippin which could have functioned much better than this if they were so stuck on the trees and stone thing... The green leg could be an attempt of green tights/pants/something Who knows at this point

[Raisins]

The illustrator could have done a scene in the Houses of Healing with Merry and Pippin which could have functioned much better than this if they were so stuck on the trees and stone thing...

An absolutely spot on thought! I didn't even think of that scene which could be very similar in over all composition to the orthanc scene as we could most certainly have the courtyard and flowers...one could even get the guard with their back turned there... (Admittedly putting an ent in the background would have helped the Lord card as it is too)

[Raisins]

Seven of Cups

The original meanings of the Seven of cups it to be careful of what you wish and dream for as not everything is how it seems. Everything in those cups is a gift, not everything in there is one you'd want - the jewels and treasure yes, the snake? Not so much. So you need to be careful and mindful of the choices that you make and that you should be aware of illusions hiding danger.



The LOTR Seven of cups... It's the Palantir. Which I suppose they make sense. they don't necessarily show it as well they are a broader stroke and it doesn't show the lies in the images. You wouldn't even know what those items are they aren't showing anything they are blank. They aren't showing real treasures or dangers - In fact they tend to only show what the person wants to happen, or what is happening and not on the persons hopes over all.

IF it were not for the quote underneath They would come across as glass marbles, and the fact that ALL of them are attached directly from the top which is where we are suppose to be seeing that each of them are different with that geometrice shape it would have looked better UNDER the palantirs showing they were a network and then having images inside them - like the white tower or the white tree on fire, the elven rings, a winged beast. As well one could also perhaps show Aragorn with it as he is the one that really wrestles with the palantir in the books and would work with the original imagery of the Rider Waite.

[Nessa Saelind]

I have to admit that having the palantíri as the 7 of cups is a good concept. Although the primary function of the palantíri was communication, a person of great power could still bend the stone to its will and make the stone show them any part of the world. Or show another person anything. And although seeing something through the palantíri is like having a gift of knowledge, not everything you see or you think you see is truth or something you want - like the snake in the cup.

I like the LotR Tarot card and the concept the illustrator had, it's just that the execution of the concept could be better, also the placement of the palantíri, as you mentioned. If they looked more like the orbs from the film with something swirling in the stones or the stones showing different things it might have been more in line with the original Tarot Card.

[Raisins]

@Nessa Saelind Honestly I feel like that is the case with a few of them. The idea is there... the execution is not. The two of cups is another example of it's a good idea but could be done better. And these palantir were illustrated well before the movies were even hinted at in terms of how they were going to look for the public, but it's very clear that you see visions through them (it's what drove Denethor 'mad' as it were so to make images in even a few of them to give the illusion of something in them would have been far superior to how they were portrayed.

Eight of Cups

So this particular cup is to do with abandonment and disappointment and generally being unfulfilled. It's turning your back on something that is missing to find what you need even if the journey to get what you need is not easy and it can be quite tolling emotionally especially as this is meant to be secretive with the mans back turned in the dead of night.



This like the 7 of cups I feel is SOooo very close to being an excellent depiction an image that is true to the orginal intention of the card. We have a hard journey - it is difficult and emotionally tolling (the Dead marshes have faces portrayed in them though I'm not sure I got the image sharp enough for that they are there the yellow clad hobbit is looking at them) We have mountains in the background portraying that difficult journey and it's being done in the dead of night. What I am NOT getting from this particular version of the car is the sense of disappointment and abandonment Perhaps this is because we know that Gollum does not abandon Sam or Frodo at this point - he takes EXCELLENT care of them in fact and if anything this trio in this particular case is about helping each other get through a tough time by staying together by listening to an experienced guide.

Perhaps this is the best option for this particular card - at no point do ANY characters ever fully abandon their quest - there is no true slinking away in the dead of the night by a singular character - the closest I can think of to this is Frodo thinking of taking off on his own to Mordor right when the fellowship breaks. Frodo is leaving at the darkest moment of the fellowship, where Gandalfs loss was temporary this is where we see the true fracturing of the fellowship the disappointment of Boromirs behaviour, the emotional strain. Of course we know that Sam goes with him but neither of them have any idea where they are really going - the don't have a guide that knows the way until Gollum joins them.

[Raisins]

Nine of Cups

So this is an invitation to indulge in all of the finer things in life. Food, drink company all of it, and to enjoy it and find fulfillment in it but not becoming so comfortable that you become stagnant (it's a hard bench so you don't want to be there too long!)



This card works in terms of what is being depicted, The hobbits at Bilbos birthday genuinely DID enjoy the finer things in life and his birthday was an added layer of indulgence in their life. They're comfortable but not too comfortable - aka Bilbo's gonna make a speech at some point. The thing that bothrs me the most about this again is the tree. This is the Party Tree, why does this artist always feel the need to make every tree he depicts thus far DEAD or in winter? Where are the leaves where is the comforts from life itself?

In other news I did also share this thread with another card reader - we were discussing making our own decks in a convention panel the other day and their comment was one that I had never thought of in terms of why some of the cards looks so odd - They are a mix of Rider Waite and the Marseilles which is interesting because the latter is generally a literal depiction of the card (so in this case the 9 cups that we can clearly see) and the two in general do not work together which is possibly why we see so many images just not working.