 | |
| The Lord of the Rings Tarot | |
|---|---|
| Publication Information | |
| Author | Terry Donaldson |
| Contributors | Mike Fitzgerald (game) |
| Illustrator | Peter Pracownik |
| Publisher | U.S. Games |
| Released | 1 September 1997 |
| Format | Softcover |
| Pages | 224 |
| ISBN | 1572810548 |
The Lord of the Rings Tarot is a book describing a Tarot deck and a card game based on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit. The book is accompanied by a deck of cards called The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck & Card Game.
Terry Donaldson and Peter Pracownik would later collaborate on another Tolkien-related Tarot Deck, The Hobbit Tarot, released in 2012.
Synopsis from the publisher
The Lord of the Rings Tarot unites two great traditions: the spiritual, mystical tradition of the tarot, and the world of folklore and fairy tales that is most delightfully depicted in the works of J.R.R. Tolkien. The added factor of a card game summons you to travel through Middle-earth to reach Mount Doom and destroy the One Ring!
Fanciful characters and scenes from J.R.R. Tolkien's 'The Lord of the Rings' trilogy and 'The Hobbit' appear on each of the 22 Major Arcana and 56 Minor Arcana cards. Rules are included for a card game for 2-6 players, ages 10 to adult.
Card Game
The instructions included with the tarot cards also contained a set of rules for a competitive card game. Each tarot card bears a symbol that shows it is aligned with one of the factions: "Free Peoples" (FP, 51 cards), "Dark Forces" (DF, 20 cards), "Neutral" (N, six cards) or "The One Ring" (OR, one card). Players earn victory points by playing all of their cards, being the ring-bearer (The Wheel of Fortune) and having the most and/or least Dark Points at the end of the round, three of which are played (mimicking the three volumes of the book).
Major Arcana
- 0 - The Fool: Gollum (N)
- I - The Magician: Gandalf (FP)
- II - The High Priestess: Éowyn (FP)
- III - The Empress: Galadriel with Belladonna Took and Rose Gamgee (FP)
- IV - The Emperor: Elrond refuses The One Ring (FP)
- V - The Hierophant: Saruman and the the Palantír (DF)
- VI - The Lovers: Aragorn and Arwen (FP)
- VII - The Chariot: Théoden in battle (FP)
- VIII - Strength: The White Tree of Gondor (FP)
- IX - The Hermit: Tom Bombadil (FP)
- X - Wheel of Fortune: The One Ring (OR)
- XI - Justice: The Oathbreakers of Dunharrow (FP)
- XII - The Hanged Man: Denethor lowers Faramir onto the pyre (FP)
- XIII - Death: The Battle of Bridge of Khazad-dûm (FP)
- XIV - Temperance: Frodo has mercy on Gollum (FP)
- XV - The Devil: Gríma (DF)
- XVI - The Tower: Orthanc under attack (DF)
- XVII - The Star: Galadriel wearing Nenya while pouring water into the Mirror of Galadriel (FP)
- XVIII - The Moon: Orcs at Minas Morgul (DF)
- XIX - The Sun: The Sun shines over The Shire (FP)
- XX - Judgement: Gandalf reveals to Frodo the nature of the One Ring (FP)
- XXI - The World: Arda (N)
Minor Arcana
Coins
- Ace of Coins: Celeborn on his throne (FP)
- Two of Coins: The Ents (FP)
- Three of Coins: Bilbo reading in his library (FP)
- Four of Coins: The Great Tree of Lórien (FP)
- Five of Coins: The Fellowship of the Ring at the Doors of Durin (N)
- Six of Coins: Bilbo finds treasure in Smaug's lair (N)
- Seven of Coins: The Fellowship is turned away by Caradhras (N)
- Eight of Coins: Faramir's wounds being tended to in the Houses of Healing (FP)
- Nine of Coins: The Nine Rings (DF)
- Ten of Coins: Smaug in the Lonely Mountain (DF)
- Page of Coins: Glorfindel, riding Asfaloth, meets Aragorn and the Travellers on the Road to Rivendell (FP)
- Knight of Coins: Soldier of Gondor (FP)
- Queen of Coins: Lúthien weeps for Beren (FP)
- King of Coins: Treebeard (DF)
Cups
- Ace of Cups: Frodo, Sam and Galadriel at her mirror (FP)
- Two of Cups: Faramir and Éowyn embrace (FP)
- Three of Cups: Frodo reunites with Bilbo in Rivendell (FP)
- Four of Cups: Frodo, Sam, Pippin and Merry befriend Farmer Maggot while picking mushrooms (FP)
- Five of Cups: The Fellowship grieves the fall of Gandalf (FP)
- Six of Cups: Pippin and Merry relax after the fall of Orthanc (FP)
- Seven of Cups: The Palantíri (DF)
- Eight of Cups: Gollum leads Frodo and Sam through the Dead Marshes (DF)
- Nine of Cups: Bilbo's Farewell Party (FP)
- Ten of Cups: Círdan watches the White Ship depart for the Blessed Realm (FP)
- Page of Cups: Barliman Butterbur in The Prancing Pony (N)
- Knight of Cups: The Black Riders are defeated at the Ford of Bruinen (FP)
- Queen of Cups: Goldberry (DF)
- King of Cups: Thorin Oakenshield and Gimli (FP)
Swords
- Ace of Swords: Gwaihir the Eagle (FP)
- Two of Swords: The One Ring during the Councl of Elrond] (FP)
- Three of Swords: Sam comforts Frodo after Gollum and the One Ring are destroyed (FP)
- Four of Swords: Frodo in the Barrow-downs (DF)
- Five of Swords: Pippin and Merry are captured by the orcs (DF)
- Six of Swords: Bilbo and the Dwarves use barrels to escape the Elves of Mirkwood (FP)
- Seven of Swords: William, Tom, and Bert arguing (FP)
- Eight of Swords: Frodo lies, bound, as Sam tries to resist Shelob (DF)
- Nine of Swords: The Nine Nazgûl (DF)
- Ten of Swords: The Eye of Sauron (DF)
- Page of Swords: Denethor speaks with Pippin (FP)
- Knight of Swords: The Battle for Minas Tirith (FP)
- Queen of Swords: Éowyn slays the Witch-king (FP)
- King of Swords: Aragorn is crowned King of Gondor (FP)
Wands
- Ace of Wands: The One Ring is forged in the fires of Mount Doom (FP)
- Two of Wands: Gandalf (DF)
- Three of Wands: Aragorn, Gimli and Legolas search for the captured hobbits (FP)
- Four of Wands: Gandalf shakes Théoden of his malaise (FP)
- Five of Wands: Bilbo sees the Dwarves captured by spiders in Mirkwood (DF)
- Six of Wands: The tide turns against the Orcs in the Battle of the Five Armies, as Beorn and the Eagles join the battle (FP)
- Seven of Wands: Arargorn defends against the Black Riders at Weathertop (FP)
- Eight of Wands: Gandalf riding Shadowfax (FP)
- Nine of Wands: Gandalf confronts Saruman (DF)
- Ten of Wands: Sam carries Frodo up Mount Doom (DF)
- Page of Wands: Radagast the Brown waits to deliver a message to Gandalf (FP)
- Knight of Wands: Faramir prepares to battle orcs (FP)
- Queen of Wands: Théodwyn (N)
- King of Wands: Théoden and Wormtongue
Gallery
-
Magazine advertisement
| Licensed Card Games set in Middle-earth | |
| Collectible Card Games | |
| Middle Earth CCG (1995-1998) • Lord of the Rings TCG (2001-2007) | |
| Magic: The Gathering Expansions | |
| Tales of Middle Earth (2023) • The Hobbit (2026) | |
| Living Card Games | |
| The Card Game (2011-2024) • Adventure Card Game (2022 digital) | |
| Trick-Taking Game Series | |
| Fellowship of the Ring (2024) • Two Towers (2026) | |
| Other Card Games | |
| Tarot (1997) • The Hobbit (2012) • War of the Ring (2022) • Duel for Middle-earth (2024) | |