reading guide for the

cthulhu dark arts tarot

English version
Tarot reading usually follows protocols
that vary depending on the person doing
the reading (diviner) and the person asking
for it (seeker).

A reading usually goes through the three

following steps:

– You shuffle the cards.

– You draw and spread a number of cards
in accordance with the method and type
of reading you have chosen.
– You reveal and interpret the cards.

When doing a two-person reading, each step

can be carried out by either the seeker or
the diviner, as each participant wishes or is
accustomed to.

2
Reading Methods
A reading method is designed to help you
and guide you in your interpretations. It
indicates the number of cards to draw and
their spread, as well as the meaning of the
cards to interpret. There are many methods
for reading cards: some use the major arcana
only, others use the whole deck. Each type
of reading (cross, 3 card, 7 card) can be done
several ways.

Reversed Cards
Taking into account the reversed position of
a card serves to identify if it has a positive or
negative meaning. A beginner may, however,
find this method quite complex.

Covering Cards
The diviner may find some readings lack
precision if done with only the major
arcana. In those cases, minor arcana are
placed over the major arcana spread cards
as covering cards in order to provide the
missing information. This is also consi-
dered a complex method as it doubles the
number of cards to interpret.
3
Choosing Your Reading Method
We recommend listening to your feelings
and intuition. No one method is better than
others! Try them out and identify the one
you are the most comfortable with: stick
with major arcana to go straight to the point,
or pull out the whole deck if you want to go
into detail.
Whatever your chosen reading method,
the principle remains the same: focus on one
aspect (love, money, work, relationships)
and, most importantly, formulate the
question in the clearest and least-­ambiguous
possible way.

Types of Readings
There are many types of tarot readings. Here
are some of the most common:

– The 3-card reading

– The cross (5 cards)
– The 7-card reading
– The 21-card reading

4
 Three card reading
The 3-card reading is always done with the
22 major arcana, but it has several varia-
tions that allow for latitude in the way the
questions are asked.
If you are reading past, present, and
future, the 3 cards refer to the 3 stages of
a cycle: the beginning (card 1), the present
situation (card 2), and the evolution (card 3).
If you are reading pros vs cons, the 3 cards
represent what is in favor (card 1), what
may constitute an obstacle (card 2), and the
synthesis of the answer (card 3). From left
to right, the cards can also be called the ally,
the adversary, and the result.

1 2 3

Shuffle the cards or have them shuffled, and

focus on the question as you do. Discard
the first 6 cards. Take the 7th and place it
on the left. Discard 6 more cards and put
the next one (the 14th) to the right of the
first one already on the table. Conclude by
discarding 6 more cards and placing the
next one to the right of the two already on
the table.
5
 Cross reading (5 cards)
The cross reading uses 5 cards, but you
should draw only 4 and calculate the 5th
one from the other 4. But you can also draw
the 5th card; it is up to you.
This reading is usually done with the
22 major arcana. You may cover the spread
with minor arcana for additional detail.

1 5 2

– The 1st card is placed on the left; it repre-

sents the seeker’s assets (the pros).
– The 2nd card is placed on the right; it
represents the obstacles, the opposing
forces (the cons).
– The 3rd card is placed on top; it represents
the present situation or the short-term
evolution.
– The 4th card is placed at the bottom; it
announces the long-term evolution of the
question (the result).
– The 5th card is placed in the center; it
represents the synthesis.
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If you choose to calculate the 5th card,
add up the numbers of the 4 cards. If the
resulting number is higher than 22, add
up its digits.

Example:
1 + 11 + 20 + 12 = 44, then 4 + 4 = 8
In this example, the synthesis card
is Justice.

Seven-Card Reading
In this reading, an ambassador arcana is
used to represent the theme of the reading.

It can be randomly picked or chosen from

the following arcana:

III – The Empress / IV – The Emperor:

the seeker
V – The Hierophant: studies
VI – The Lovers: love
VII – The Chariot: work
XII – The Hanged Man: health
XV – The Devil: money
XVIII – The Moon: home
XIX – The Sun: the couple
XXI – The World: travels

7
 1 2 3
4
5 6 7

Place the ambassador arcana in position 1,

face up, then draw and place the other cards
face down. The reading is done by revealing
and associating the cards two by two: 1 and
5, 2 and 6, 3 and 7. Each card represents a
step, an event. The card in position 4 is the
conclusion.

Twenty-one card reading

This reading is usually done with the
22 major arcana. You can cover the spread
with minor arcana for additional detail.
Each column deals with an aspect of the
seeker’s life.

1 4 7 10 13 16 19

2 5 8 11 14 17 20

3 6 9 12 15 18 21

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Column 1: reveals the present thoughts, the
inner feelings of the seeker, what worries
her/him.
Column 2: the seeker’s personal environ-
ment (family, work, etc.).
Column 3: hopes, fears, dreams, and desires.
Column 4: expectations, aspirations, advan-
cement of ongoing projects.
Column 5: the unexpected, possibly the
intervention of fate, karma, or provi-
dence.
Column 6: short-term future, events which
are to occur within 2 or 3 months.
Column 7: long-term future, 4 to 6 months.

The first line refers to elements from the

past, the second from the present, and the
third from the future, which all pertain to
the appropriate column’s aspect.
Do not read the cards individually, they are
all related to one another.

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 Interpreting the minor arcana

Each suit symbolizes an aspect of existence:

– Swords represent intellect
– Cups represent emotion
– Wands represent accomplishment
– Pentacles represent money

Each suit is made up of 10 numbered cards

and 4 faces. Whatever their suit, numbers as
well as faces have the same base interpretation:

Ace: the beginning

2: duality
3: creation
4 : implementation, execution
5: evolution
6: transition
7: victory
8: balance
9: the peak
10: the outcome
Page: the project
Knight: action
Queen: possession
King: success
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 Swords
Swords are associated with mind and reason
rather than emotions. Decision-making is
always made easier.
As a symbol, the sword is both attack and
defense. It symbolizes the element of air.

Ace of Swords:
Upright: will to succeed, competitiveness,
determination, victory, success, renown.
Reversed: excess, violence, tyranny, confron-
tation, being tested, hindrance.

Two of Swords:
Upright: joining forces, defeating adversity,
overcoming obstacles, balance.
Reversed: opposition, rivalry, lies, evil entity,
disloyalty.

Three of Swords:
Upright: time to reflect, to review the situa-
tion, to challenge oneself; mental fortitude.
Reversed: separation, breakup, bad news,
arguing, disappointment.
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Four of Swords:
Upright: slow fulfillment, need for rest,
stability, recovery, vacation.
Reversed: unfavorable times, loneliness,
overwork, isolation.

Five of Swords:
Upright: becoming aware, new point of view.
Reversed: defeat, failure, weariness, self-doubt,
imbalance.

Six of Swords:
Upright: travels, period of transition, fertility.
Reversed: obstacles, restrictions.

Seven of Swords:
Upright: possible success through difficul-
ties, hope.
Reversed: unstable situation, betrayal, fraud,
plotting.

Eight of Swords:
Upright: help from a third party, hope.
Reversed: despair, crisis.

Nine of Swords:
Upright: new faith, permanent psychic
change, reconstruction, experience.
Reversed: unavoidable hard times.
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Ten of Swords:
Upright: new opportunity to seize, good
fortune smiles at last.
Reversed: bad luck, unavoidable fate.

Page of Swords:
Upright: very young entity, intelligent and
smart but lacks confidence.
Reversed: very young hypocritical, harmful
entity.

Knight of Swords:
Upright: young impetuous entity, support,
help.
Reversed: dishonest, sly entity.

Queen of Swords:
Upright: rational, careful, rigid entity,
objectivity.
Reversed: perversity, grudges.

King of Swords:
Upright: entity of power and authority,
competent, incorruptible.
Reversed: cruel, vindictive entity.

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 Cups
Cups are about the heart, feelings, every-
thing emotional and spiritual. The cup
symbolizes the element of water.

Ace of Cups:
Upright: home, family, joy, tenderness,
happiness, communication.
Reversed: family trouble, difficult start to a
relationship.

Two of Cups:
Upright: friendship, positive interaction,
romantic relationship.
Reversed: dissatisfaction, disagreement,
hypocrisy.

Three of Cups:
Upright: harmony, reconciliation, healing.
Reversed: sorrow, grief, dilemma.

Four of Cups:
Upright: quiet love, balance, security.
Reversed: boredom, emotional vulnera­­bility.
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Five of Cups:
Upright: reconciliation, renewed love, possible
pregnancy.
Reversed: discord, breakup.

Six of Cups:
Upright: declaration, choice to make, reunited
family.
Reversed: nostalgia, unfaithfulness, indecision.

Seven of Cups:
Upright: success, recovery, marriage, ambitious
project.
Reversed: misunderstanding, delay, difficulties.

Eight of Cups:
Upright: planning, contrac­­ting, absolute joy.
Reversed: impasse, depression.

Nine of Cups:
Upright: successful emotional aspirations,
abundance, love for mankind.
Reversed: slump in project progress, feeling
superior, temporary obstacles.

Ten of Cups:
Upright: shared feelings, strong and sincere
friendship.
Reversed: quarrels, bickering, uncertainties.
15
Page of Cups:
Upright: very young entity, betrothed, in
love.
Reversed: seductive entity, flattery, emo­tional
turmoil.

Knight of Cups:
Upright: young entity, new relationship,
opportunit y, potentially long-term
relationship.
Reversed: false promises, seduction for
gain.

Queen of Cups:
Upright: loyal and devoted entity, precious
and sensible advice.
Reversed: false promises, bad news.

King of Cups:
Upright: older entity, full of empathy,
altruistic and protective, faithful, patient.
Reversed: cold and distant entity, too
generous, self-centered.

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 Wands
Wands are a symbol of power. They stand
for manliness and brute force, repre­­sent
projects, from planning to achievement.
The wand symbolizes the element of fire.

Ace of Wands:
Upright: a new project begins, opportunity.
Reversed: bad news, ruined or failed plans.

Two of Wands:
Upright: a force in preparation, team project.
Reversed: incompatibility, tensions, conflicts.

Three of Wands:
Upright: novel ideas, dynamism.
Reversed: inaction, lack of reflection.

Four of Wands:
Upright: objectives reached, abundance,
acknowledged professionally.
Reversed: doubts, dissatisfaction, slight
delay.

17
Five of Wands:
Upright: profits, good advice.
Reversed: conflicts, tensions, arguing.

Six of Wands:
Upright: conquests, professionally important
choice.
Reversed: doubts, self-doubt, cancelled or
postponed projects.

Seven of Wands:
Upright: victory at work, professional fulfill-
ment, energy.
Reversed: obstacles, inertia, violence.

Eight of Wands:
Upright: discipline, untiring activity, seeking
perfection.
Reversed: injustice, idealism.

Nine of Wands:
Upright: perseverance, working for the long
term, new life.
Rever­­sed: breakup, low motivation.

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Ten of Wands:
Upright: support from close ones, achieving
career objectives, dynamism.
Reversed: pressure from close ones, over­­
worked, lies.

Page of Wands:
Upright: very young entity, trustworthy, high
potential.
Reversed: lazy, dreamy entity.

Knight of Wands:
Upright: brave, ambitious, energetic young
entity, support, unexpected travel.
Reversed: sly, cunning entity, unaccepted
change.

Queen of Wands:
Upright: older entity, practical, organized.
Reversed: rival, hostile, dangerous entity.

King of Wands:
Upright: influential entity, moral authority,
high influence.
Reversed: selfish and unscrupulous entity,
vengeance.

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 Pentacles
Pentacles represent material energy: money,
bodies, needs, and necessity. The pentacle
symbolizes the element of earth.

Ace of Pentacles:
Upright: life assets, achievement, accompli-
shment, having talent.
Reversed: lacking financial means, debts,
selfishness.

Two of Pentacles:
Upright: interaction and communication,
material wealth.
Reversed: lacking in progression, instability.

Three of Pentacles:
Upright: opportunities, signing a contract, luck.
Reversed: missed opportunities.

Four of Pentacles:
Upright: many options, good placements.
Reversed: blocked project, stinginess, finan-
cial loss.
20
Five of Pentacles:
Upright: good counsel from close ones, good
management.
Reversed: useless expenditures, wasting,
greed.

Six of Pentacles:
Upright: success in enterprise, generosity.
Reversed: excessive rush, too much ambition.

Seven of Pentacles:
Upright: favorable time for enterprises,
balance.
Reversed: difficulty in attaining objectives.

Eight of Pentacles:
Upright: harmony between worlds, perfect
work, favorable judgment.
Reversed: difficulty in attaining objectives,
overwork.

Nine of Pentacles:
Upright: financial security, prosperity.
Reversed: poverty, unexpected occurrence.

Ten of Pentacles:
Upright: important gains, new cycle.
Reversed: insecurity, family expenditures.

21
Page of Pentacles:
Upright: very young entity, wholly disinte-
rested, determined.
Reversed: waste of talent, carelessness.

Knight of Pentacles:
Upright: young entity, determined and
clever.
Reversed: lack of scruples, dishonest opera-
tion.

Queen of Pentacles:
Upright: generous and altruistic entity,
self-confidence.
Reversed: capricious and superficial entity,
thinks the ends justify the means.

King of Pentacles:
Upright: influential and loyal entity, trust-
worthy, stable.
Reversed: untrustworthy entity, lacking in
respect for others, intolerant.

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 Interpreting the major arcana

O – The Fool:
Upright: Innocence, enthusiasm, resignation,
absolute surrender, nonchalance, prevalent
instinct, new beginnings, fluidity, regene-
ration.
Reversed: Blindness, indecisiveness, absorp-
tion, unconscious disorder, extravagance,
irresolution, disappearance, inescapable
punishment, annihilation.

I – The Magus:
Upright: New beginnings, opportunity,
occult triumph, fine diplomacy, communing
with spirits, eloquence, promptitude, joined
opposites, fertility.
Reversed: Guilelessness, weakness, dissipa-
tion, dispersion, arguing, evil conjuring,
quibbling, losing one’s way, hesitation, abulia.

II – The High Priestess:

Upright: Intuition, wisdom, meditation,
introspection, planning, serenity, knowledge,
spirituality.
Reversed: Selfishness, superficiality, dissimu-
lation, hypocrisy, inaction, laziness, night
terrors, kidnappings.

23
III – The Empress:
Upright: Fertility, motherly love, material
wealth, sensuality, feminity, decisiveness,
return to nature.
Reversed: Sterility, anxiety, bewitchment,
aimlessness, contamination, infidelity,
disappearance.

IV – The Emperor:
Upright: Rigorousness, stability, willpower,
victory, psychic control, protection, fathe-
rhood, wisdom.
Reversed: Decline, loss of control, opposition,
adversity, disorientation, tyranny, failure.

V– The Hierophant:
Upright: Spirituality, moral authority,
sacrifice, pardon, indulgence, wisdom,
respectability, forgiveness.
Reversed: Vulnerability, smallness of mind,
heresy, credulity, sectarianism, loss of moral
compass, intellectual deceit.

VI – The Lovers:
Upright: Harmony, virtue, examination,
deliberation, love, trust, desire, aspirations.
Reversed: Irresolution, unsolvable dilemma,
fickleness, test to pass, doubt, temptation,
debauchery, lechery.
24
VII – The Chariot:
Upright: Conf lict, mobility, progress,
victory, great acti­­­vity, strength, conquest,
domination.
Reversed: Defeat, unjustified ambitions, lack
of talent, failure, tyranny, exhaustion.

VIII – Justice:
Upright: Stability, equity, balance, method,
practicality, reason, administration, compo-
sure, economy, obedience.
Reversed: Sectarianism, intolerance, false
accusations, trial, imbalance, lack of disci-
pline, lack of adjustment, loss of reference.

IX – The Hermit:
Upright: Isolation, concentration, silence,
circumspection, meditation, study, satiety,
sobriety, discretion.
Reversed: Ti m id it y, m isa nt h ropy,
speechlessness, gluttony, precipitation,
poverty, celibacy, chastity, dark conspiracy.

X – Wheel of Fortune:
Upright: Astuteness, fortunate initiative,
end of a problem, chance, random success,
spontaneity, equality of souls, contemplation
without fear of the void.
Reversed: Unconcern, speculation, paralyzing
25
fear, reversal of fortune, trusting to chance,
insecurity, unpreparedness, plot twists.

XI – Strength:
Upright: Moral energy, determination,
self-discipline, fearlessness, victory of mind
over matter, active intelligence, physical
might.
Reversed: Impatience, pettiness, anger,
abusive power, brutality, impotence, war,
discord, insensitivity.

XII – The Hanged Man:

Upright: Selflessness, others before self,
devotion, transition, repentance, apostolate,
self-sacrifice, sacrifice, abnegation, contem-
plation.
Reversed: Impotence, treachery, useless
sacrifice, selfishness, reluctance, barrenness,
blindness, temerity, ingratitude, indiffe-
rence, stinginess.

XIII – Death:
Upright: Transformation, fulfilled revenge,
change of state, new beginnings, acquiring
profane knowledge, extended life.
Reversed: Caution facing radical change,
adventuring into the unknown, fear of
change, family plagues, shortened life.
26
XIV – Temperance:
Upright: Moderation, sociability, edu­­­­cation,
adaptability, health, conci­­­­liation, harmony,
economy, self-control.
Reversed: Indifference, betrayal, passivity,
inconstancy, accepting prejudice, withdrawal
into oneself, excess, disagreement.

XV – The Devil:
Upright: Need for money and power, people
skills, thaumaturgy, occult power, mysterious
influences, materiality, disorder and passions.
Reversed: Trouble, disease, concupiscence,
intrigue, bewitchery, selfishness, dark
influ­­ence, enslaved senses, omens of ruin,
violence.

XVI – The Tower:

Upright: Collapse, explosion, fall, adversity,
distress, brutal change, profiting from the
mistakes of others, delivery, self-distrust.
Reversed: Disease, punished mistake, subju-
gation, imprisonment, scandal, hypocrisy
revealed, presumptuousness, hubris, excess,
monopolization.

27
XVII – The Star:
Upright: Wisdom, candor, favorable
outcome, faith in destiny, fulfillment,
kindness, compassion, beauty, hope.
Reversed: Pessimism, immodesty, day­
dreaming, disappointment, harmonic
imbalance, debauchery, lack of spontaneity,
despair.

XVIII – The Moon:

Upright: Rest, lucidity, meditation, intui-
tions, experimentation, patience, navigation,
bewitchment, respite, inner voices.
Reversed: Misled senses, traps, deceptions,
trickery, blackmail, delusions, dissension,
brutality, distraction, dementia.

XIX – The Sun:

Upright: Insight, transcendence, illumi-
nation, satisfaction, radiance, clarity in
judgment and expression, fraternity, glory.
Reversed: Bedazzlement, self-delusion,
solitude, uncertainty, vanity, susceptibility,
fake ornament, disagreement, fratricidal
competition, war.

28
XX – Judgement:
Upright: Expiation, healing, revealing
cataclysm, change-of-situation disclosure,
end of an era, animistic exaltation, resur-
rection of the past, apostolate.
Reversed: Indecision, disillusions, bad news,
apocalypse, spiritual void, mental intoxica-
tion, illuminism, tardiness, early dementia,
vexation.

XXI – The World:

Upright: Completion, conclusion, success,
decisive intervention, favorable environment,
contem­­plation, bliss, travel, absoluteness.
Reversed: Interruption, obstacle, dispersion,
distraction, ruin, unfavorable environment,
setback, submergence, stagnation, shock.
 Førtifem
Adrien Havet and Jesse Daubertes both started
their careers as graphic designers before devoting
themselves to their shared love for illustrations
as a duo under one name.
Since 2012, they have developed a four-handed
style that borrows from the strength of tattoo
lines as well as from the meticulousness of old
engravings.
Swinging between dark and ultra-colorful
atmospheres, occultism and pop culture, they
don’t know how to do anything else but drawing,
so they try to do it well.
Lovers of extreme musics, they split their time
between creating visuals for bands (Rammstein,
Slipknot, Trivium, Emperor, Alcest, Carpenter
Brut . . .) but also for books and brands (HBO,
Ubisoft, Cartier, Affligem, Le Monde . . .).
Their personal drawings have been exhibited
in Paris, Los Angeles, and Hong Kong. They
are based in Paris and work from home, with the
“support” of their two feline bosses.
 Maxime Le Dain
Maxime Le Dain is a 38-year-old French
representative of the Translatoria editorialis
species, a terrestrial parasite that dwells in the
darkest recesses of publishing houses, waiting
for a foreign author to fasten itself onto. Once its
victim is hooked, the Translatoria unfolds its long
stinger to suck out of the writer’s brain the ink it
needs to survive, which it then spews back into
another language. As of now, Maxime has had
the honor of digesting the cerebral secretions of
many wonderful artists, such as H.P. Lovecraft,
Anthony Ryan, Joe Hill, and Lewis Carroll.
When saturated with ideas, the Translatoria
editorialis can enter a chrysalis state that enables
it to autonomously excrete words and become
itself an author. Maxime Le Dain currently lives
in its nest in the French countryside, with its
mate, two adorable pupae and three cats.
 legal notice

« It had learned all things that ever were known or ever

would be known in the earth, through the power of its
keener minds to project themselves into the past and
future, even through gulfs of millions of years, and
study the lore of every age. »
Shadow out of Time

© bragelonne games 2021

reading guide:
maxime le dain & bragelonne games
artists:
førtifem
translator:
gil morice
artistic direction:
françois vesin

printed in china by whatzgames in may 2021

(xiuzhou district, jiaxing city)
ref : soft-thuck-64

bragelonne games
60-62, rue d’hauteville – 75010 paris – france
mail: [email protected]
website: bragelonne.games
facebook.com/bragelonne.games