Tarot T arot deve developed loped by Terry Donal Donaldson dson Arrtwork by Peter Pracownik A Game rules by Mike Fitzgerald Publishers
U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC. Stamford, CT 06902 USA
Copyright ©1997 U.S. Games Systems, Inc. The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game Copyright ©1997 Tolkien Enterprises, a division of the Saul Zaentz company, Berkeley, CA. The Lord of the Rings and all characters and places therein are trademark properties of Tolkien Enterprises. All rights reserved. The illustrations, cover design, and contents are protected by copyright. No part of this booklet may be reproduced in any form without permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in a magazine or newspaper. ISBN 1-57281-017-3 99 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Booklet printed in the USA U.S. Games Systems, Inc. 179 Ludlow Street Stamford, CT 06902 USA Acknowledgments: These people have contributed to the creation of this tarot deck. Many thanks are due for their efforts and contributions, and for just plain being there: Jazz Deville, Shelly Pink, Lou Gallant, Ian Percival, Rebecca Pracownik, Evelyne Donaldson, Sammy Wilcox, AstralAsia the music band, and everyone at the Riggs Diner Diner in Tintagel, Tintagel, Cornwall. An especial thank you to Laurie Battle of Tolkien Enterprises for her support, advice, and personal enthusiasm for this project, and a tip of the ol’ hat to Anna May Wegbreit, formerly of U.S. Games Systems, who is now, we hear, “somewhere in Florida.”
Terry and Peter welcome feedback about their work. Please drop them a line if you want to at the following address: London Tarot Centre 25 Gisburn Road, Hornsey London N8 7BS, England tel: 0-181-340-3788 fax: 0-181-348-8665 For an actual tarot reading by Terry using The Lord of the Rings Tarot deck, phone pho ne (44) (44)-37 -374-5 4-50-5 0-50-6 0-65 5
Dedicated to Gandalf Long may his friendship be with us
In The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien accessed a rich dimension of mythological symbolism which, once started, cannot be put down. The Lord of the Rings is the archetypal story of the struggle between good and evil, light and darkness. The world is in danger from a powerful Dark Lord, and the Free Peoples of Middle-earth must overcome their differences and come together to thwart his purpose. Arrayed against them are the Dark Lord’s vast magical powers, massive armies of ferocious Orcs, giant spider spider-like -like creatures, demons, and dragons. Elves, Dwarves, Hobbits, and humans form alliances which bring the One Ring back to the fiery furnace of Mount Doom. Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings over the space of 13 years as a sequel to The Hobbit, in which a Hobbit gets caught up in a magical adventure with a team of Dwarves who are attempting to gain the treasure of a dragon called Smaug. In this tale, Bilbo BagBaggins comes across a creature called Gollum at the bottom of a mountain in an underground lake. Gollum asks Bilbo to solve a number of riddles. As Bilbo is answering, he finds that a small metallic ring he has unexpectedly come 3
across is of great significance. He slips it on, becomes invisible, and is thus able to escape Gollum’s lair. Invisibility is the first of several powers which the ring may confer to its owner. The Hobbit concludes with Bilbo making it back to the Shire, his home region, and resuming his quiet lifestyle. The Lord of the Rings begins where the Hobbit leaves off, and suddenly it seems that Bilbo’s ring is of much greater significance than even he could have known. The ring confers great powers upon whoever is its master (i.e., wearer), but it has a will of its own, and is constantly trying to make its way back to its original creator and master, Sauron, the Lord of Mordor. A fellowship is formed consisting of representatives of the different races known collectively as the “Free Peoples.” They sally forth to negate the power of the ring by taking it to Mount Doom, where it was forged, and rid the world of its influence by dropping it into the flames of the volcano there. En route, our adventurers have to endure many privations, undergo tests and challenges, and eventually win against the odds. Everyone will find something different within any epic tale such as this. In this tarot deck, which has been formulated along traditional tarot lines, great respect has been paid to both the spiritual tradition of the 4
tarot and the world of Middle-earth: we have here a special marriage of these two realms. But we have also gone a step further and brought in a dimension of a game that may also be played with the deck. Thus we have continued the bardic tradition of bringing fun into what can otherwise become an overly academic or serious area of study and esotericism, and we feel that the spirit of Gandalf is right behind us in making that decision. We have, in truth, brought together three different realms into what we believe is a Master Deck: uniting three into one. As it is written: “Three Rings for Elven Kings.” J. R. R. Tolkien originally wrote The Hobbit for fun, reading it as he wrote it to his three sons. We can look at his work as if it were a fairy story, but in doing so we would be missing the point. Tolkien’s work was in reality a monumental act of channeling, and in The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and especially in The Silmarillion, Tolkien has presented a symbolic history of the universe and many spiritual lessons for us to apply in our own lives as well. We have the story of how a small group of people, divided by history but united by the loyalty they feel for one another, overcome an immensely powerful enemy whose resources and magical powers overwhelm their own. Yet through perseverance, honesty, and 5
dedication to their purpose, the Free Peoples overcome adversity and successfully save the future of their people. In the end, they sail away from persecution in Europe toward the Americas, in a sense another kind of Blessed Realm, where “gods and mortals dwell,” to where they could live their lives in freedom and in justice. It has been said that the world is divided into those that have read The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, and those that are going to read them. And in reading Tolkien’s works, each of us will derive different insights and at different times. For those of us who have already read The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, and The Silmarillion, to go back and read them again will bring new perceptions, new realizations. For those to whom Tolkien’s work is as yet unfamiliar, to begin such a major quest may seem at first to be a bit daunting. Yet in the beginning of such a quest we should ask ourselves what we would like to derive from it. Some see the stories as parables, others as entertainment; indeed, there is no major contradiction between these realms of experience. Perhaps the most important character in the story is Gandalf, a wizard who inspires, defends, directs, and protects the Free Peoples he is trying to unite and support against the Dark Lord of the eastern kingdom 6
of Mordor. The name Gandalf is taken from the Prose Edda, an ancient Icelandic legend of gods and demons, and is a name or title meaning “wizard.” He is a Merlin-archetype, that interconnecting link of guide and teacher between the realm of mortals and the kingdom of the gods which we find in every culture, spiritual tradition, time, and region. In creating The Lord of the Rings Tarot, we have felt, at the ragged edges of our own reality, the occasional presence of this “archetype”: it is playful as well as full of great teaching. It is thus fitting that this tarot deck should also contain the aspect of a game, encompassing the principal of fun and adventure that Gandalf so epitomized. We wish you fun and fulfillment as your journey begins, and hope that you will enjoy traveling in the realm of Middle-earth as much as we have. Who knows, we may even see you there! Following are basic card meanings. On each card, you’ll find a caption that acts as a prompter to the card’s symbolism and significance.
7
THE MAJOR ARCANA The Major Arcana represents the major spiritual mysteries or lessons of life. 0 The Fool A new chapter of life opens up. A sense of adventure. Eccentricity, originality. Reversed: Dissipation of energy. I The Magician Putting your message out to a wider audience. Commanding the material aspects of life. Using your will to make things happen. Messages. Reversed: Insufficient information; trickery. II The High Priestess Allowing your inner thoughts and feelings to be your guide. Not knowing why you are prompted to do something. Trusting intuition. The call of the wild. Influences of the past, usually unconscious. Reversed: Superstitious; superficial; imageconscious. III The Empress Utilizing your creativity. Manifesting; allowing things to grow and develop around you. Growth and prosperity. Reversed: Too easygoing; the need to stand up for your rights.
8
IV The Emperor The struggle for independence. Refusal to submit to others’ authority. Pushing back external influences which encroach upon one’s territory. Reversed: Too headstrong. Unable to heed the advice of others. V The Hierophant Powerful teachers and teachings enter one’s life. Influences behind the scenes. Rituals and ceremonies which work to influence objective reality. Rites of passage; shamanistic influences. Reversed: Stuck in tradition. VI The Lovers Intensity. Choices in relationships. Devotion to whatever or whoever is sacred in one’s heart. Sexuality as expression. Physical love. Reversed: Obsessive love. Flightiness. VII The Chariot Focus all your resources on attaining what is most important, one step at a time. Pull together disparate forces to create a semblance of order. Discipline, especially self-discipline. Reversed: Unable to finish anything. VIII Strength Allowing one’s immediate impulses to be directed by the use of reason. Creating bridges between this realm and the realm of higher energies. Opening oneself as a channel for these forces. 9
Reversed: Not using your own abilities and powers. IX The Hermit Don’t rush into new sets of commitments. Check out everything involved before making that final plunge. Caution. Reversed: Overly cautious. X The Wheel of Fortune The ebbs and flows of life’s opportunities. Temporary gratification versus one’s destiny. Life’s ups and downs. Consider how to maintain well-being when things are going well. Reversed: Too optimistic. Look out for possible pitfalls. XI Justice Achieving a new sense of balance. Harmony, and how it is attained. Taking responsibility for one’s own errors rather than blaming others for one’s lot. Reversed: Lack of balance. Too much or too little mercy shown. XII The Hanged Man Don’t be swayed or influenced by the considerations of others. Dealing with one’s own hang-ups. Waiting for something to happen. Stalemate. Reversed: Looking at the world upside down. Unnecessary sacrifices. 10
XIII Death Clearing away negative conditions in order for something better to flow in. Giving up something of lesser value in exchange for something of much greater long term value. The spirals of life’s progression. Reversed: Unable to free oneself from the influences of the past. XIV Temperance Looking into the past in order to be able to better understand the present. Using one’s experience in order to deal more effectively with present problems. Healing, self-analysis. Reversed: Unable to learn from the past. XV The Devil Don’t let your own negativity hold you back. Become aware of your own invisible ceilings and thermostats. Avoid self-sabotage. Those around you are negative. Reversed: Suppressive, invalidating influences. XVI The Tower The need to build upon solid foundations, i.e., principles of honesty, truthfulness, and humanity. Putting the interests of what you believe in before your own interests. Reversed: Anger, possible danger. XVII The Star Peace, serenity, realization. Understanding one’s purpose in life. 11
Reversed: Lack of humanitarianism; lack of principles. XVIII The Moon Things are not as they may seem at first glance. There are deeper reasons for what happens. Strange connections between people—beyond their own understanding. Reversed: Living in a fantasy realm. Unable to distinguish the difference between objective reality and what exists purely in the imagination. XIX The Sun Growth and harmonious development in all aspects of life. Conscious planning. Building, organization, objective and measurable phenomenon. Reversed: Overly intense. Burning the candle at both ends. XX Judgment Major transformation, possibly emigration. Moving on to a completely different lifestyle. In the grip of powerful forces, seeing your life explode around you before the changes become visible. Reversed: In the grip of obsessive forces. Feeling that one is a pawn in a game played by the gods.
12
XXI The World Success, but the need for greater self-confidence. The fulfillment of responsibilities, duties, and commitments. How we grow through dealing with life; not avoiding the challenges it presents us with. Reversed: Heavy burdens, excessive duties. Carrying the world upon one’s shoulders. Fears, especially about responsibilities. THE MINOR ARCANA The Minor Arcana represents 56 every-day situations and people that we all come across one way or another in our lives. You will notice that I have given reversals for the Major Arcana, but not the Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana reversals are much more definitive, whereas with the Minor Arcana you have to find your way through. Basically a reversal shows a question mark over the nature of the influence of the card(s) concerned. It shows something coming too soon, too late, too much, or too little. SWORDS Representing the element of air, Swords show states of mind and states of conflict. Ace of Swords: Breakthrough; sudden resolution. The use of power in just the right measure. Effective and timely intervention. 13
Two of Swords: Good advice given and received. Considering all the possibilities before committing oneself to any of them. Weighing up the consequences of any possible action. Three of Swords: Heartbreak, but the need for greater communication is a way of resolving this. A problem that is shared is a problem that is halved. The need to confide and unburden oneself. Comforting a friend or loved one in a time of need. Four of Swords: The lifting of tensions. Relief from suffering. Dissipation of obstacles. Five of Swords: Crossed swords and a parting of the ways. One’s road in life veers away suddenly, and one is alone. Dealing with sudden loss. Six of Swords: Sailing away from negative and limiting conditions. Disconnecting from troublesome or suppressive people. Refusal to have turbulent people around oneself. Retreat, but one step back out of the situation is actually the way ahead. Seven of Swords: Being ripped off by others. The need for greater security, greater vigilance. Also, scenarios involving important sacrifices being made.
14
Eight of Swords: Frustration, but the need for greater patience in order to find a way out of the limitations. Don’t struggle; wait until you know that your energy will make the difference. Unable to see the road which lies ahead. Nine of Swords: Feeling that your hands are tied. The will of another limiting and influencing your life. Obsessions, phobias. The need to open up new channels of communication. Ten of Swords: Major life-changing experiences occurring without warning. Shocks and sudden surprises. Feelings of betrayal. Guilt about what one could have done, or should have done. Trapped in the same old patterns. Conspiracies. Page of Swords: Don’t rush into battle, either one’s own battle or other people’s. Oaths, commitments, promises; possible difficulties in fulfilling these. Observing without mentally censoring what one sees. Knight of Swords: As a person: a man or masculine archetype who has won the war, but who now needs to apply diplomacy as the next stage of his battle plan. As a situation: a time for calling off the dogs and talking things through with those involved. Avoiding overreaction and unnecessary destructiveness. 15
Queen of Swords: As a person: a woman or feminine archetype who has shown personal power, but who now needs to cultivate allies. As a situation: a time to draw up boundaries. Good fences make good neighbors. Loyal followers to be rewarded. King of Swords: You have won the war, now you must win the peace and make sure that you and others get the practical benefit of the victory which you have achieved. WANDS Wands are the suit of fire, and indicate energy, action, and power. Ace of Wands: New initiative being taken. The beginning of a new cycle of action: cause-effect. Inspiration. A new idea which will have far-reaching consequences. Two of Wands: Good advice given and received. Guidance, direction being given to those that value it. Resistance to oppression. Three of Wands: Exercising leadership by example. Others will follow suit, but someone has got to be the first to stand up and resist negativity. Four of Wands: Working with others toward a common purpose. Uniting people with the same objective against those that would whittle away freedoms for the sake of some 16
“greater common good.” Mutual respect and integrity of purpose. Five of Wands: Stiff opposition, and the need for greater determination to overcome it. Competing forces, blockages, pressure. Six of Wands: Victory. The turning of the tide. The seemingly stronger enemy suddenly routed. A strong sense of accomplishment. Time for oneself to be given a pat on the back. Seven of Wands: Cutting down your problems one by one. Don’t let issues build up and overwhelm you. Resist attack, even when it comes in subtle forms. Eight of Wands: Things are happening quickly. Messages are relayed from one terminal to another. Life as a flying carpet of experience and adventure. Nine of Wands: Break down your barriers only when you feel that the other person can be trusted. Establish this first and foremost. Ten of Wands: Carry the burdens of others only for a definite time period and for a definite reason; don’t do so indiscriminately. Page of Wands: Learning, traveling. Moving through life in a traveling/student mode. Knight of Wands: Dynamic male/masculine energy. Taking the necessary steps in order to effect a change. 17
Queen of Wands: Able to act despite limitations and pressure to succumb. Independent/ dynamic female/male energy. Resistance leading on to resolution of an old scenario. King of Wands: A man/masculine archetype of leadership. Having to be strong in times of challenge. Being strong by experiencing one’s emotions, not denying them. CUPS This suit represents the element water, and shows emotions and feelings. Ace of Cups: Emotional fulfillment at finding one’s destiny. The value of love in one’s life. Two of Cups: A new relationship starting, or a new stage in an existing relationship. Friendship, loyalty, togetherness. Three of Cups: Reunion with old friends. Celebration, taking down the barriers. Four of Cups: Reaching out for new friendships and associations. Realizing the value of what is being offered by others, and of what oneself has to offer. Five of Cups: Disillusionment with what has happened, having to make new plans to accommodate a seeming setback. Negative emotional states. Six of Cups: Learning to share on an emo18
tional level. The growth of a friendship through all its phases. Seven of Cups: Confusion stemming from the vision of so many seeming options. The need to get one’s priorities in order and work out a game plan. Eight of Cups: Looking for something on a much deeper level than the status quo. Going beyond the superficial to follow one’s true path or destiny. Renunciation of that which is now unimportant. Nine of Cups: Experiencing life as a celebration. The center of attention. Attraction over others. Being able to realize a long-held wish. Ten of Cups: Emotional commitments fulfilled. Now one is able to go on in life to whatever lies ahead. Page of Cups: New social and other contracts. Learning social skills and applying them. The influence of children in one’s life. Knight of Cups: As a person: a man/masculine archetype who is emotionally sensitive to the needs of others. As a situation: a scenario in which more giving is required. Queen of Cups: As a person: a female/feminine archetype who is emotionally sensitive to the needs of others. As a situation: a scenario in which more receiving is required. 19
King of Cups: One who is emotionally fulfilled, and able to help and support others. COINS Coins represent earth and the material and financial conditions of life. Ace of Coins: A new doorway opening up, work-wise. Dealing with the material questions of life with a new spirit of adventure. Two of Coins: The same line of work, in a different place. Juggling with finances, keeping several different things on the move at the same time. Three of Coins: Learning new skills and developing new abilities. Study, application, love of books, and appreciation of other people’s ideas. Four of Coins: Getting financial and material conditions organized. Accounting for what has been spent; budgeting for future costs. Putting a bridge between two different realms so that people can move from one realm to another. Five of Coins: Unforeseen expenses/difficulties. The unexpected barrier, which is not a barrier at all, but rather a doorway. Turning a problem into an opportunity. People banding together to form a column of mutual support against whatever the future might hold. 20
Six of Coins: Wanting to be generous, but there is a need for discrimination in terms of who gets what. Choices concerning division of the spoils, decisions as to who is deserving. Identifying an individual’s and society’s priorities and how they converge. Seven of Coins: Hard work. Persevere in order to attain the harvest. Continued application; rededication of effort; refusal to give up. Dedication to one’s role in the Great Work, i.e., one’s mission in life. Eight of Coins: Skill, especially the application of knowledge from study, books, teachers. Using one’s knowledge in order to fulfill one’s own life and serve others. Craftsmanship, professionalism. Nine of Coins: Gaining recognition in the eyes of others. Moving through the Paths of Life, and recognizing the worth of what one has experienced. The joys of the physical plane, of the senses, and of sense gratification. Feelings of accomplishment. Ten of Coins: Joint finances and important investment decisions. Major economic policies coming into effect. Large amounts of money; the movement of moneys around the planet. International finance as a vehicle for planetary change. 21
Page of Coins: Wanting to change one’s line of work, or take on more responsibilities. Moving up and on in life through fulfilling existing duties. Able to refer back to one’s superior in order to get a decision. Knight of Coins: As a person: a man who wants to develop his career or vocation. As a situation: finances require more active involvement to realize full potential. Queen of Coins: As a person: a woman who wants to develop her career or vocation. As a situation: patience/passivity is required in order to see a benefit realized. King of Coins: A man/masculine archetype on the material plane who has demonstrated effectiveness, and who now needs greater challenges.
MEDITATIONS In The Lord of the Rings there is a huge supply of symbolism that we can meditate upon. The value of meditation is that we can learn how to be still within our own minds, so as to open the doorways for greater realization to flow through. The tarot, particularly when filtered through the symbolism of Tolkien’s world, is quite potent for such purposes. The archetypes (the characters in the story) are 22
powerful and can lead us to understanding our lives more deeply. To meditate, you don’t need to sit in any particular position. Just breathe deeply, allowing your mind to clear of all its presenttime problems. After a few minutes—and you shouldn’t try to rush this—allow the image of, say, Gandalf to come into your mind. What would he say to you? Where would he take you? Later on, you can “summon” the images of Frodo, Galadriel, Smaug, and so on. In this form of meditation, you are effectively going on a “journey” which will stimulate your imagination, and quite possibly cast light on your past to illuminate your present and future. Try it and see for yourself. The Lord of the Rings gives us many “hints” as to psychic techniques that we can use. Take, for instance, the scene where Saruman shows Gandalf his aura—it has turned from white to many colors. Here is a technique we can all use; concentrate on emanating a particular color from around you. Create different colors in your own aura. So the next time you find yourself at a loss for something to do, don’t just stand there, emanate a color, or just let certain colors flow through you! Again, try it and see.
23
SPREADING THE CARDS In laying out the cards, you might like to use the famous Celtic Cross spread. Following is a diagram to guide you in laying out the cards and putting each card meaning into context. 1. The general situation. 2. Other aspects of the general situation. 3. What is on your mind. 4. Background influences of the last three years. 5. Recent influences. 6. The influences of the coming year. 7. Doorway from the present into the future. 8. Domestic life. 9. Hopes or anxieties. 10. Overview, or any other business. The tenth card does not show the final outcome, but shows us anything there not covered by the preceding nine cards in this spread.
24
10
3
5
1
6
9
2 8 4 7
CELTIC CROSS SPREAD
25
The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game Rules by Mike Fitzgerald For 2-6 players, ages 10 to adult
The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game is easy to learn and quick to play. All players start out as Free Peoples of Middle-earth on a journey to Mount Doom with hopes of destroying the One Ring so it won’t fall into the evil hands of Sauron. The journey is represented by the playing of cards from your hand onto the Journey Pile (discard pile). The players as a group reach Mount Doom (i.e., the round ends) as soon as one player has run out of cards. Along the way, players will be influenced by the forces in Middleearth, and some may be pulled by the Dark Forces to join Sauron in his attempt to gain control of the Ring. This is represented by playing Dark Forces cards and earning Dark Points. Players earn Victory Points in their journey, representing bravery and their dedication to the cause of either Gandalf or Sauron. At the end of the game, the player or players with the most Victory Points is the winner. Three rounds constitute a game. Each round represents one of the three books in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy. To play, you need The Lord of the Rings Tarot deck; coins or counters to keep track 26
of Dark Points; and the score sheet (pp. 4243) to keep track of the scores after each round and determine the overall scores at the end of the game. Please also refer to the Quick Reference rule guides on pages 38-40, and the “Quick Guide to Victory Points” card included with the deck.
Object of the Game In their quest to reach Mount Doom, players try to acquire the highest number of Victory Points. 5 Victory Points are awarded at the end of each round to: • The first player to go out (play all the cards in their hand). • The player who has earned the least Dark Points at the end of each round. (5 bonus Victory Points are awarded if the Ring Affiliation is Free.) • The player who has earned the most Dark Points at the end of each round. (5 bonus Victory Points are awarded if the Ring Affiliation is Dark.) • The player who is the Ring Bearer at the end of the round. Note: If players are tied in any of these Victory Point conditions, they are each given the full 5 Victory Points. 27
Players also earn 5 Victory Points each for having the most Dark Points at the end of the game, and for having the least Dark Points at the end of the game.
The Deck The playing deck is the 78-card The Lord of the Rings Tarot deck, comprised of: • 10 numbered cards in each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana (Swords, Wands, Cups, Coins). These are referred to in the rules as Minor Arcana cards. • Four Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen, King) in each of the four suits of the Minor Arcana. • 22 Major Arcana cards ranking from the Fool (0) to the World (XXI). In the upper right corner of each card is a symbol to delineate the affiliation of the card: 1. Free Peoples Symbol: These cards represent Gandalf and the forces of good in Middle-earth. There are 51 Free Peoples cards in the deck, each with a green background. 2. Dark Forces Symbol: These cards represent Sauron and the forces of evil in Middle-earth, and give players Dark Points which are used to determine how “good” or “evil” the player is in the journey. There are 20 Dark Forces cards in the deck, each with a red background. 28
3. Neutral Symbol: Neutral cards can be associated with either good or evil. During the game, a player declares a Neutral card Free or Dark when it is played. There are six Neutral cards in the deck, each with a gold background. 4. One Ring Symbol: This appears only on the Wheel of Fortune (Major Arcana X), representing the Ring in this game. At the start of each round, the Ring is placed in the center of the table; during the round, it is passed around among the players depending on who is the Ring Bearer (see p. 33). This card is not considered to have a numerical rank in this game.
Setup 1. Before play begins, remove the Ring (Wheel of Fortune) from the deck and place it face up in the middle of the playing area. This card represents the Ring that the group is carrying to Mount Doom to destroy. 2. Randomly designate one player to deal. Put about 30 coins or counters in the playing area where everyone can reach them. These represent Dark Points. The dealer now gives seven cards to each player. In the second and third rounds of play, all players study their hands and select two cards to pass to another player. (See instructions to follow.) 29
First Round
No cards are passed.
Second Round All players pass two cards to the player on their left. Third Round
All players pass two cards to the player on their right . 3. The dealer now turns up the top card from the Draw Pile and places it face up next to the Draw Pile to start the Journey Pile. The player to the left of the dealer plays first, and play proceeds clockwise. During the game, players will decide whether they will try to align themselves with Gandalf and the Free Peoples, or join the Dark Forces of Sauron. The Free Peoples group will play as many Free Peoples cards as they can, while trying to avoid Dark Points (see pp. 34-35). Those aligned with Sauron’s Dark Forces will try to play as many Dark Forces cards and score as many Dark Points as possible. While players will have a good idea whether they will try to be Free or Dark when they first look at their hands by noting how many Free or Dark cards they hold, they may change their associations in the course of the game. Neutral cards are declared to be either Free or Dark when they are played.
30
The Play There are four options for play: 1. Play a card from your hand to the Journey Pile that matches the top card on the Journey Pile in suit or rank. 2. Play a Major Arcana card to the Ring. 3. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then play a card as described in play option 1 or 2. 4. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then elect to end your turn without playing a card to either the Journey Pile or the Ring. Playing onto the Journey Pile brings the group closer to their goal of reaching Mount Doom to destroy the Ring. Playing to the Ring determines the forces controlling the Ring, i.e., the Free Peoples or the Dark Forces; playing to the Ring also determines which player is the Ring Bearer. 1. Play a card from your hand to the Journey Pile that matches the top card on the Journey Pile in suit or rank. Example: Top card is the Two of Cups: play any Two or any Cup. The Major Arcana cards are “wild cards”; players may play any Major Arcana to the Journey Pile at any time and declare a new suit. The next card played must match the declared suit, or be another Major Arcana card. Example: Card played on top of King of Wands is Temperance; player declares 31
“Coins” as new suit. Next card played can be any Coin or any Major Arcana. Similarly, if the first card in the Journey Pile is a Major Arcana card, the dealer declares the suit (Swords, Wands, Cups, Coins) for the first player to match. Note: You may play a Minor Arcana card to the Journey Pile on top of a Major Arcana if it matches the numerical rank of the Major Arcana card. This only applies to the Major Arcana cards ranked I-IX. Example: Top card is the Empress (III): play any Three or any Major Arcana. But if the top card is the Hanged Man (XII Major Arcana), and the new suit is declared to be Cups, the next player can play any Cup or any Major Arcana wild card; in this game, no Minor Arcana card matches rank with a Major Arcana card above the rank of 9. The Court Cards do not have numerical ranks in this game. 2. Play a Major Arcana card to the Ring. Major Arcana cards can be played to the Ring in order to gain control of the Ring. The rank of the card played to the Ring must be higher in rank than the last card played to the Ring. Example: The Hierophant (V) is on the Ring. A Major Arcana ranked above V (5) may then be played to the Ring. 32
Exceptions: • The Ring, although a Major Arcana card, is not considered to have a numerical rank in this game. The first card played to the Ring, therefore, may be of any rank. • Although the Fool (0) is the lowest ranking Major Arcana card, it can be played on top of any other Major Arcana card to the Ring. Once this is done, any Major Arcana card of a higher rank than the Fool (0) may be played on top of it. When a player places a Major Arcana card on the Ring, they must immediately draw a card from the Draw Pile to their hand to replace that Major Arcana card (even if the card played empties their hand, the player must draw a new card and is not yet “out”). Becoming the Ring Bearer: Whoever plays a Major Arcana to the Ring gains the honor of becoming the group’s Ring Bearer, placing the Ring in front of them with the Major Arcana card on top of it. This player represents the brave traveler who carries the Ring to Mount Doom. The player who is the Ring Bearer at the end of the round will earn 5 Victory Points. In addition, the Ring Bearer may elect to add or remove one Dark Point to or from any player’s score (including their own) in 33
the beginning of his or her turn. The Ring Bearer announces which player is to receive or lose one Dark Point before any other play action is taken. (A Dark Point taken away from a player is not given to another player; nor is a Dark Point assigned to a player taken from another player.) 3. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then play a card as described in play option 1 or 2. Remember that each time you play a Major Arcana card to the Ring, you must draw another card from the Draw Pile. Therefore, if you draw a card from the Draw Pile and then play a Major Arcana card on the Ring, you still must draw a second card into your hand. 4. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then elect to end your turn without playing a card to either the Journey Pile or the Ring if you cannot or do not wish to play any card you presently hold in your hand.
Dark Points During the round, players will acquire Dark Points (use counters or coins to keep track of each player's Dark Points during each round). These symbolize the extent to which each player is influenced by the Dark Forces of Sauron. Dark Points are acquired in the following four ways: 1. Playing a Dark Force card or a Neutral card declared to be Dark to the Journey Pile = 2 Dark Points 34
2. Playing a Dark Force Major Arcana card or a Neutral card declared to be Dark to the Ring = 3 Dark Points 3. A Dark Force card held in a player's hand at the end of a round, or any Neutral cards in a player's hand at the end of a round that are declared Dark = 1 Dark Point each 4. At the beginning of each of the Ring Bearer's turns, he or she may assign or take away 1 Dark Point to or from any player (including themselves). At the end of each round, all players record their total Dark Points on the score sheet, and start the next round with zero Dark Points.
Ending the Round A player should alert the others when one card remains in their hand. To do this, the player announces “One Ring.” There is no penalty for not doing this. The round ends as soon as one player has “gone out” by playing their last card to the Journey Pile. If the Draw Pile is depleted before a player goes out, the round ends with no Victory Points given for going out. All other Victory Points are awarded normally. If any player has more than seven cards in their hand at the end of a round, that player does not score any Victory Points. However, that player’s Dark Points are added to their overall Dark Point totals for the game. 35
Scoring The player who goes out first is the best guide in the group. This player gets 5 Victory Points for finding the quickest way to Mount Doom for the group. The Ring Bearer at the end of the round has shown tremendous courage in bringing the Ring to Mount Doom, and gets 5 Victory Points for bravery. The player with the most Dark Points has been influenced by the Dark Forces and has joined Sauron in his fight against the Free Peoples, and receives 5 Victory Points as a reward from Sauron for his loyalty. Add 5 more Victory Points to this player’s score if the Ring has a Dark Force card on it at the end of the round—an extra bonus from Sauron for keeping the Ring from being destroyed! This is shown as “Ring Affiliation” on the score sheet. The player with the least number of Dark Points has remained true to the Free Peoples of Middle-earth and receives 5 Victory Points as a reward from Gandalf and the good forces in Middle-earth. Add 5 more Victory Points to this player’s score if the Ring has a Free Peoples card on it at the end of the round, as an extra bonus from Gandalf for helping to destroy the Ring at Mount Doom. This is also shown as “Ring Affiliation” on the score sheet. 36
Record all players’ Dark Points at the end of each round on the score sheet. At the end of the game, the player with the highest total Dark Points receives 5 more Victory Points, and the player with the lowest total Dark Points also receives 5 Victory Points. If more than one player has the highest or lowest total Dark Points, they each get 5 Victory Points. After totaling all the Victory Points, the player with the highest overall total of Victory Points wins the game. When playing with two players, note that the game will depend upon which player goes out first, which player is the Ring Bearer, and which forces control the Ring in the end, since each player will automatically get the Victory Points for having the most or least Dark Points.
37
Quick Reference: Play Options for The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game option
1
Play a card from your hand to the Journey Pile that matches the top card on the Journey Pile in suit or rank. • Play a Minor Arcana card: must match top card on Journey Pile in suit or rank • Play a Major Arcana card: declare a new suit to be played by next player • Take 2 Dark Points if you play a Dark Forces card, or a Neutral card that you declare to be Dark
option
2
Play a Major Arcana card from your hand to the Ring
• Play a Major Arcana card of higher numerical rank than the last card played to the Ring EXCEPTIONS: > The first card played to the Ring may be of any numerical rank. The Ring has no numerical value in this game. > Although the Fool (0) is the lowest ranking Major Arcana card, it can be played on top of any other Major Arcana card to the Ring. Once this is done, any Major Arcana card of a higher rank may be played on top of the Fool (0).
• Take 3 Dark Points if you play a Dark Forces card, or a Neutral card that you declare to be Dark • Always draw another card after you have played a card to the Ring • You are now the Ring Bearer. You may assign or take away a point to or from any player in the beginning of each of your turns 38
option
3
Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then play a card as described in play option 1 or 2
option
4
Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then elect to end your turn without playing a card to either the Journey Pile or the Ring if you cannot or do not wish to play any card presently in your hand
Quick Reference: Dark Points Dark Points are awarded as follows. Keep track of Dark Points in each round with coins or counters. Players begin each new round with zero Dark Points. • Dark Force card or Neutral card declared to be Dark played to Journey Pile = 2 Dark Points • Dark Force Major Arcana card or Neutral card declared to be Dark played to Ring = 3 Dark Points • Dark Force card held in a player’s hand at the end of a round, or any Neutral cards in a player’s hand at the end of a round declared Dark = 1 Dark Point each • Optional points given to or removed from any player by Ring Bearer = plus or minus 1 Dark Point
39
Quick Reference: Winning the Game To win the game, you must score the highest number of Victory Points. 5 Victory Points are awarded at the end of each round to: • The first player to “go out” (play all their cards) • The player who has earned the least Dark Points (5 bonus Victory Points awarded if the Ring Affiliation is Free) • The player who has earned the most Dark Points (5 bonus Victory Points awarded if the Ring Affiliation is Dark) • The player who is the Ring Bearer at the end of the round • At the end of the game: The player with most Dark Points overall and the least Dark Points overall
40
About the Creators of The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck & Card Game…
From the first time he read Tolkien’s books, Peter Pracownik knew he would one day paint the scenes and characters. He painted the Dragon Tarot and Wyvern. Peter has lived in Glastonbury and Tintagel, England, for most of his life, has held art exhibitions throughout the world, and runs an art gallery in Glastonbury. Terry Donaldson is a professional Tarot reader, astrologer, and counselor, and the founder/ director of the London Tarot Centre. He is the author of Step-By-Step Tarot, Principles of Tarot, and The Dragon Tarot , and was co-creator of the Dragon Tarot deck and Wyvern. Terry is married and has a daughter, Claudia. Mike Fitzgerald is an accomplished game designer. He created the collectible card game Wyvern for U.S. Games Systems, as well as Charlie Brown Plays Baseball and Peanuts ™ Comic Strip card games.
Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game Score Sheet
5
+ D D D N N S > N 5 5 5 5 S 5 5 T U U N + + + + L + + S U O O S I O A S L R R R T O 5 5 5 S S S T S S S L N P + T T A + T T O + T T A T T D D I K T N N N N N N T I O I I O S N R O R S 5 N I 5 N I 5 N I O O O O O O T 1 2 3 P A E D O O O - 5 + I P T 5 + I P P N 5 + I P P - + P T T T D S S S K D R + + R A K R A K R A K D U K K K O E E E N T T T R I I I N T T T O S R R R R U N N N A T R U U R L S C R L R L I R I I I I I U U A A F A A O A F A A R A F A A O O O O R E S D L O E F D D D O E F D D R E O E F D D R P P P L B A B A B A T T T G T T N G T T D K K K L / Y G T A A O S S S N G G S N G G S N G G S R R R R T S A I I I O A S O N N N O A C N N O A I L O N I N I I I O I I E R E E O I I E H A A A O P G R R M L F G R R M L S G R R M L T D D D T M F
Also refer to the “Quick Guide to Victory Points” card included with the deck. Players may reproduce this score sheet.
Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game Score Sheet
5
+ D D D N N S > N 5 5 5 5 S 5 5 T U U N + + + + L + + S U O O S I O A S L R R R T O 5 5 5 S S S T S S S L N P + T T A + T T O + T T A T T D D I K T N N N N N N T I O I I O S N R O R S 5 N I 5 N I 5 N I O O O O O O T 1 2 3 P A E D O O O - 5 + I P T 5 + I P P N 5 + I P P - + P T T T D S S S K D R + + R A K R A K R A K D U K K K O E E E N T T T R I I I N T T T O S R R R R U N N N A T R U U R L S C R L R L I R I I I I I U U A A F A A O A F A A R A F A A O O O O R E S D L O E F D D D O E F D D R E O E F D D R P P P L B A B A B A T T T G T T N G T T D K K K L / Y G T A A O S S S N G G S N G G S N G G S R R R R T S A I I I O A S O N N N O A C N N O A I L O N I N I I O I I I E R E E O I I E H A A A O P G R R M L F G R R M L S G R R M L T D D D T M F
Also refer to the “Quick Guide to Victory Points” card included with the deck. Players may reproduce this score sheet.
