The
first suit of the Lesser Arcana of the Innsmouth Tarot Deck establishes a
pattern which is continued through all three other suits. The suit contains an
Ace and four court cards, including a King and Queen, a Knight and a Jack. The
remaining nine cards are numbered 2 to 10.
In
each suit, the King is portrayed by an avatar or incarnation of the Great Old
One Cthulhu; the Queen is represented by one of Cthulhu’s consorts or female
relatives; the Knights are generally symbolised by one of Cthulhu’s offspring,
with one exception; and the Jacks are all symbiotic beings known to co-habit
with the Great Old Ones – particularly Cthulhu – for uncertain benefits.
Amongst those represented in this latter category are those beings sometimes
referred to as “The Drowners”.
The
suit of Shadows outlines intellectual effort and the realm of the mind. It
refers to personal interactions, social relationships and the political aspects
of life. In other tarot card decks this suit would be represented by the swords
or spades symbol and would be attributed to the Greek element Air.
*****
The Ace of Shadows
While
the suit of Shadows represents the powers of the intellect, the Ace indicates
those powers honed to their highest level. This card stands for great
determination, power, success and prosperity. When inverted it indicates a
debacle, a disaster, or a great embarrassment; self-destruction, tyranny or a
violent temper.
The Two of Shadows
Two
hands haul at either end of the same rope: do they struggle against each other,
or in the same cause? The meaning of this card is balance, or a stalemate –
equal forces in a counteracting engagement. The card indicates harmony,
resolution, or the imminent arrival of a letter. When upside-down, the Two of
Shadows stands for treachery, duplicity, falsehoods, misrepresentation and
disloyalty.
The Three of Shadows
“The shark with one fin swims only
‘round and 'round”, so goes the
local Innsmouth saying.
The
meaning of this card is loss, power applied for no clear benefit; an absence,
removal or dispersion. When inverted it can mean a distraction; confusion or
disorder; an error, incompatibility, or separation.
The Four of Shadows
The
Four of Shadows speaks of breaking away from community – an enforced or
self-imposed exile. This can range from a quarantine for the purpose of health,
to a withdrawal in which one may have time to reflect or gather one’s forces.
Inverted, it implies activity, circumspection; a sense of economy or guarded
advancement; or a desire to regain something that has been lost.
The Five of Shadows
As
the waves oppose the tyranny of the land, so this card indicates conquest,
destruction of one’s enemies, or the arraying of new enemies against one. When
upside-down, it talks of personal weakness, an uncertain outlook with the
possibility of defeat. Sometimes it signifies a misfortune befalling a friend
or acquaintance.
The Six of Shadows
This
card heralds the beginning of a journey, either physical or spiritual. Just as
in the days of the old whalers or traders to the South Seas, this is no idle
travel, but one which will incur suffering and discomfort; the benefits,
however, will be commensurate. When inverted, the Six of Shadows stands for an
unwelcome proposal; a stalemate; no immediate resolution to an ongoing problem.
The Seven of Shadows
The
shell represents a conveyance or housing; a means of moving forward or of
weathering difficulties. This card signifies hope, new plans: a confident
attempt at gaining one’s desires or outcomes. Upside-down it speaks of
arguments and quarrels and uncertain advice.
The Eight of Shadows
The
net is a barrier to one’s goals. It tells of domination and imprisonment;
crisis, calamity and conflict. It can also mean bad news or criticism. When
inverted, it stands for release and new beginnings: treachery in the past;
regeneration; the overcoming of a depressed state of mind.
The Nine of Shadows
“Blood in the water will bring forth
a fight”.
This
card represents animosity and the sorrow it brings. It stands for misery and
concern: quarrels and unhappiness, a miscarriage of justice, or concern for a
loved one. When upside-down, the meaning is no better: it stands for doubt,
suspicion or slanderous gossip.
The Ten of Shadows
This
card stands for ruin, desolation, things fallen into decay. It can mean pain,
affliction, sadness, mental anguish trouble or disappointment. In some
instances, it can reveal an inimical cabal of secret watchers, working against
the questioner. Upside-down, it indicates a measure of improvement in one’s
woes – a temporary gain or benefit – or, if one is sitting on a successful
outcome, the passing of such fortune.
Nyogtha - The Jack of Shadows
“The
Drowners” are a collection of beings whose existence is dependent upon the
presence of the Great Old Ones. Some have theorised that they have a parasitic
attachment to those entities and derive some kind of essential nourishment from
them. Chief amongst them is Nyogtha – “The
Thing That Should Not Be” – although, since Nyogtha is said to have been
spawned by Ubbo-Sathla, maybe that entity is also to be numbered among these
creatures. Nyogtha’s association with witches makes it part of the witchcraft
tradition of the New England area and is the reason for the presence of this
card in the Innsmouth Tarot.
This
card signifies a person spying upon the questioner – a hidden enemy playing a
false hand. Alternatively, it can indicate the presence of a person gifted with
perspicacity. It speaks of vigilance and agility. When inverted, it signifies
that the questioner may be revealed as an impostor, or liar; it speaks of
unpreparedness, and powerlessness against those ranged against one. In some
instances, it can indicate a forthcoming illness.
Ythogtha – The Knight of Shadows
Ythogtha
is one of the three sons of Cthulhu, springing from its mating with Idh-yaa,
the Bride of Xoth. Ythogtha is pictured in the Ponape Scriptures mythology as a monstrous bipedal being with
savage claws whose head is a struggling mass of tentacles surrounding a
gigantic single eye. According to the lore, Ythogtha waits imprisoned in the
Abyss of Yhe, served by the Yuggs and waiting for the time when Cthulhu awakes
in order to be released.
The
divinatory meaning of this card is of capability, heroism and skill; the
ability to rush headlong into danger without fear. It speaks of opposition and
war, but on an equal footing. When upside-down, it represents rashness and
incapacity; impulsive mistakes made by a conceited fool, or dispute and ruin
over a lover.
Nctolhu – The Queen of Shadows
Nctolhu,
and its twin “sister” Nctosa, are the daughters of Cthulhu, spawned upon its
sister, Kassogtha, or so the lore of the Ponape
Scriptures reveals. According to the mythology, both of these gigantic
multi-limbed, limpet-like creatures are imprisoned within a mighty storm upon a
distant planet (Jupiter?).
This
card stands for mourning, privation or loneliness. It can signify a
quick-witted and sharp-tongued woman, possibly the bearer of bad news or
slander. When inverted, it represents narrow-mindedness and bigotry;
deceitfulness coupled with maliciousness; possibly a treacherous enemy.
The Chorazin – The King of Shadows
Dreamers,
or the extremely psychically-sensitive are occasionally prone to the visitation
of an astral version of Great Cthulhu, vaguely described as that entity’s id, or
“will”, operating independently of the creature itself. The name “Chorazin” is
the same as that of a benighted town in the Middle East which, at one time, was
the destination of the so-called “Black Pilgrimage” made by such potent wizards
as Abdul Alhazred and Ludwig Prinn. It is also the name of a – now abandoned –
upstate New York village which was investigated by a researcher named Alonzo
Typer before his disappearance. How this avatar of Great Cthulhu came to
acquire this name is unknown, but the associations are certainly unsettling.
This
card generally represents an efficient and authoritative professional person,
someone with a highly analytical outlook. It speaks of justice, controlled
force and superiority. When upside-down, it indicates a dangerous and wicked
person: cruelty, selfishness and sadism. A person who tends to embark upon
“scorched earth” policies.
*****
To Be Continued...
No comments:
Post a Comment