Game of Thrones and Tarot

Game of Thrones is a TV series inspired by the novels A Song of Ice and Fire, by George R. R. Martin.

A Song of Ice and Fire is a series of epic fantasy novels by the American novelist George R. R. Martin. He began writing the first volume, A Game of Thrones, in 1991 and it was published 5 years later by Bantam Books (US). Later volumes are Clash of Kings (1998), A Storm of swords (2000), A Feast for crows (2005) and Dance of dragons (2011).

The novels are set on Westeros and Essos, two fictional continents divided into several regions, kingdoms and cities, which are known as a whole as The Known World. The stories were rewritten as TV scripts for David Benioff and D. B. Weiss HBO series, released back in 2011 and becoming worldwide famous during eigth exciting seasons. They also inspired a Tarot deck illustrated by Craig Coss, from the perspective of the Tarot reader Liz Dean, and published by Chronicle Books in 2018.

The deck includes the traditional 78 cards (2.76" x 4.72") of 22 major ones and 56 minor ones, although rods have been replaced by weapons (spears). Each card mainly represents a memorable scene of the stories or is dedicated to one of the characters. And, even though they're assigned to more than one card, each card displays a specific moment in their journeys. The deck may be included inside of the Rider-Waite tradition although is better appreciated after reading the books or watching the TV seasons.

GOT's Tarot cards & guidebook (box 6.25" x 2" x 7.5")

A guidebook, included along with the deck inside of a hard cover box, doesn't just describe and explain the cards but also recommends several spreads based on the scripts. To be acquainted with the cards' distribution, the very cards and focus on readings, this article offers a brief review about:

• Narrative
• Recommended Spreads
• Comments
• Characters & Cards
• TV Series Photograms
• Box & Cards (video)

I. Narrative

War of the Five Kings

In The Known World, several nobility Houses fight for controlling Westeros and seating on the Iron Throne. Each one of the Houses rules over an autonomous kingdom but all of them are united under the Throne's ruling, to which they stay loyal. After King Robert's death, of Baratheon House in the Throne, and two other Lords murdered, the inheritance of the Throne is in dispute, so the War of the Five Kings begins. Secrets are revealed, treasons, murders, accusations, loyalties and disloyalties, old legacies now being reclaimed as well as other more recent ones enter the scene, with simultaneous struggles in different regions and several occasional attempts of proclaiming independence as instability increases.

White Walkers

The kingdoms in Westeros must face the increasing threat of supernatural forces, the White Walkers also known as The Others, an artic humanoid population who brings deads back to life and turns them into enslaved spectres. They're coming closer from Northern regions, annihilating all they meet on their way and threatening to erase memories from the entire planet (memories always bring ancestors' history back to the present time, so they're a way to keep it alive). Dreams, clairevoyance, natural forces and sourcery are guides and keys as the story goes on, and are the reasons behind important turns reaching the destiny of nobility, armies and populations.
The boundary in those far away lands at the North, where is always winter, is watched by The Night's Watchers, a brotherhood formed by men from several regions who swore to defend the Kingdoms and fight against The Others in case they get closer from beyond The Wall. The Wall is an ancient 8000 year-old fortress extended all along 300 miles, from coast to coast. It was built by the legendary Brandon Stark The Constructor, one of the First Men who occupied the Northern lands. He was helped by giants of the area and the magical arts of The Children of the Forest to construct a great ice barrier for protecting and isolating the rest of Westeros from the Walkers, that species now moving forwards and bringing total death once more time.

Dragons

The Iron Throne, now being reclaimed, had been forged three hundred years ago by fusing the metals of the defeated's weapons, after Aegon The Conquerer (of Targaryen House) left Dragonstone island (located at the sea between Essos and Westeros) and invaded the latter. So it began the War of the Conquest, during which Aegon took progressively control over all kingdoms. Dragons and powerful steel weapons were used during the conquest, and metals were later fused with the fire of the beasts. During current times in the story, Targaryen House has been dethroned by Robert of Baratheon House, whose brother is on the way to Dragonstone to take over the island. During a stormy night, princess Daenerys of Targaryen House born in there, but was hidden along with her brother for avoiding to be murdered. That night, the storm destroyed the approaching enemy's fleets, so the princess is also known as Daenerys of the Storm. When it seemed beasts were just stories from the past, three of them are born again and Daenerys becomes the mother of dragons. She rides them to free slaves on her way and gather forces and armies for her purposes.

Timeline (B.C. Before the Conquest)

500,000 or 40,000 BC
Age of Dawn. The Children of the Forest populated Westeros and adored spirits of secret names: streams, stones, earth, flora and trees.

12,000 BC
1^st invasion in Westeros. The First Men came from Essos, the continent to the East of Westeros. The cut of trees started a 2000 years war with The Children of the Forest.

10,000 BC
Pact. Age of Heroes. Peace was sealed and lasted over 4000 years.

8,000 BC
The Long Night. Snow and darkness fell all over Westeros. The Others moved forwards to Southern lands. Finally, they were defeated by fire and obsidian. The Wall was built.

6,000 BC
2^nd invasion in Westeros. Iron Age. The Andals were men coming from Essos and brought along with them iron weapons and the Faith of the Seven. Trees were cut down and burnt, and The Children of the Forest slaughtered.

5,000 BC
Discovering in Valyria. There were dragons in volcanoes in Valyria (Southern Essos). Valyrian Houses developed the science of riding and controlling them, and rode them to subjugate other empires and expand their own.

300 BC
Moving to Dragonstone. Targaryen House from Valyria believed in a prophecy forecasting that a disaster would fall over the empire, so the House moved to Dragonstone island, to the North and East of Westeros, where they were finally established along with their own dragons.

200 BC
Doom in Valyria. The Fourteen Flames (chain of volcanoes) exploded at the same time. The peninsula was no more, and an archipelago can be found in the area since then. The sea between the islands is known as the Smoking Sea.

YEAR 0
3^rd invasion in Westeros. War of the Conquest. Aegon Targaryen and his sisters landed at Blackriver Bay and began the conquest of Westeros, until they got total domain. Aegon built the Iron Throne.

283 AC
War of the Usurper. Lord Robert from Baratheon House (from Stormlands) dethroned Targaryen House, and proclaimed himself King.

298 AC
War of the Five Kings. Robert Baratheon has just died, and several kings want the Iron Throne: his brother Stannis, his "son" Joffrey, and Daenerys of Targaryen House.

As a whole, HBO series are stories referring to lenghty Ages, vast lands and many generations full of characters in constant motion and adventures, surrounded by mysteries that remain undeciphered over time. Impulsed by their own desires and tied to each other by the same problems that are usually lost of sight due to personal ambitions, a Tarot deck came out from a story that stays open at the end, to keep on exploring and experiencing the unknown, such as many lands of The Known World are still unknown, undescribed, and such as many mysteries remain even after the "ends". The same happens with Tarot cards in fortune-telling.

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II. Recommended Spreads

The guidebook includes 6 spreads, with a specific name each. Cards positions also refer to particular characteristics of the narration. (Touch the cards with the mouse in PC, or finger in mobile devices, to read the meanings).

It's the classic spread telling of the three known times. It can also be used to know how to change situations, move forwards in hard times, develop strength and get means to triumph.

1. Dragonglass. Past. It's the obsidian, the black stone also called as cold fire by Valyrian people, in the ancient Valyrian Empire in a peninsula located at South Essos. A chain of volcanoes (The Fourteen Flames) provided minerals, and dragons were first found there. Huge obsidian stores can also be found in Dragonstone island (to the North, in the Narrow Sea). The White Walkers were made from dragonglass, and it's also what kills them if inserted in their hearts.
2. Milk of Poppy. Present. It's the most consumed medicine to alliviate physical pain, with a narcotic effect as it makes people numb and induces distorted dreams, like morphine and codeine. It's quite used during wars and after combats, although some users prefer not to take it to avoid non-desired effects.
3. Valyrian Steel. Future. Targaryen House came from Valyria, whose members believed in a prophetic dream and left the Empire before the Doom, a catastrophe that actually happened and transformed the peninsula into an archipelago (it's believed it was caused by the simultaneous eruption of The Fourteen Flames). Targaryen House was the only one to survive along with the last dragons. They seated on Dragonstone and kept ancient technologies with them: they moulded stones by fire and magic, without any type of cutting. During the War of the Conquest, Aegon used Valyrian steel weapons, very sharp, light-weighted and always well-preserved since they don't require maintainance.

(Dragonglass)

Page of Swords
Take advantage of the past, what has been offered long ago. It will only mean a start, shapeless and without a purpose yet. It won't take you to the goal you're looking for since something else must be done before. Although you won't get what you want either if you stay still and let the chance go by.

(Milk of Poppy)

Five of Cups
Medicine is at reach. It's up to you mourning or not. You're in a quite hard situation. Always keep in mind that the matters and problems you're in are something serious. If you forget it, they will remain over time and you won't know what is real and what is not anymore.

(Valyrian Steel)

The Chariot
When facing powerful inner and outer forces, you'll have the chance to win. You'll defeat the tendency to destroy, and won't fear. You won't meet the end of the road but a starting point, when negative forces of the surrounding environment disappear. You'll find the solution along with the problem.

There are 4 cards. The spread's name derives from the royal castle, in King's Landing City1, the seat of the Iron Throne. A spread to know the most important, the most influencing, the most required, the most convenient.

1. The Throne's Room. The most important influence in the subject. The seat is at the center and back of a big, wide and mostly empty hall, so it becomes the main object in the room. The throne's possession is the reason for the War of the Five Kings.
2. The Hand's Keep. What must be done. It's the place assigned to the King's counsellor, or The King's Hand, who both advices and is in charge of executing his orders. The place can be accessed by a snailed staircase, from an inner yard at The Red Keep.
3. The Secret Tunnels. Hidden advantages. Six subway tunnels are extended all over King's Landing City, and converge under The Hand's Keep. From The Keep's room, through a small door hidden inside of a chimney, a staircase of more than 250 steps leads to them. The tunnels were used by Lannister House to propagate Valyrian fire and explode the enemies who were gathered inside of a judgement's seat.
4. The Product. Final definition, ending or forecast.

(The Throne's Room)

Knight of Spears
Previous decissions are current still, and are conditioning the matter you're interested in: internal positions, implemented rules, acquired formal ways. Their origin is not at your reach, and you probably should just accept and agree with them.

(The Hand's Keep)

The Wheel of Fortune
Make a turn in the situation. Look for good fortune: it will always be where less density is found. The nature of things is not an obstacle, and tendencies must be reversed. Don't pay attention to orders or fixated schemes. Move and activate!

(The Secret Tunnels)

Nine of Coins
You'll find a great and useful treasure that will change your entire life situation and future projects. A great wealth awaits to be found. You'll get a lot of things and cause great repercussions. Just think on it and prevent the consequences.

(The Product)

Six of Coins
You'll look for alliances, partnerships, business' groups or people making it easier for you to get what you want. You'll pursue your aims and focus on the means you need to achieve them. Consider affinity, conveniences, exchanges and common interests.

There are 5 cards, with the air of the first gods adored all across Westeros2. The guidebook recommends the spread to especially know about past influences reaching current circumstances.

1. The Ancient Gods. What must be known about ancient matters. They were spirits of secret names. They were the very stones, earth, streams, flora and trees (especially weirwood trees).
2. The Weirwood Tree. What provides strength. Of white cortex and red leaves, the wood gets not rotten. When The Children of the Forest died, they became one with the woods, leaves and roots, so trees remembered their songs, spells, stories and all they knew about the world. In the life of a weirwood tree, 1000 human years are just a moment.
3. The Children of the Forest. What must be protected. They call themselves as "the ones who sing the Earth's songs". They were the first inhabitants of Westeros, along with unicorns, direwolves and giants. Of nocturnal habits, they lived inside of caves, lakes and woods, without cutting trees down nor working on metals nor wooden buildings. But they used all kinds of magic.
4. Heart Tree. What is allowed to do. Twelve thousands years ago, Westeros had been invaded by the First Men from Essos. They were humans who cut trees to build houses and work on fields, which unleashed a 2000 years war with The Children of the Forest. Finally, they agreed to engrave a face on weirwoods' cortex, calling them Heart Trees since then, and turning them into a place of meditation, and witnesses of important events.
5. The One of the Vision. Result, forecast, predictions about the matter. Singers of green eyes are called greenseers. They talk to deads, enter inside of the animals' skin, communicate with birds and see the past through weirwoods (where there is still one). Currently, there's just one greenseer left, in The Haunted Wood, a very frozen area beyond The Wall.

(The Ancient Gods)

Five of Spears
Wonder about the way things have been solved in the past. The situation is nothing new, and has been already discussed in other times. You could be more objective, without getting involved in disagreements. It doesn't matter what is discussed but the way it has been discussed.

(The Weirwood Tree)

Two of Spears
Differentiate between options and make a choice for things last over time, with no declining or deterioration. Remembering is the key to avoid traps and wrong decissions. Dismissing offers and advantages means strength, not weakness or doubts or lack of confidence.

(The Children of the Forest)

Temperance
Take care of what nurtures you and makes your spirit alive. It may be objects, environments or people you should preserve, by any mean. Look for agreements, balances and quiet relationships leading to productive activities. Now, they're the most important thing.

(Heart Tree)

Nine of Swords
Time to mourn for what happened, dwell for what won't be anymore. The past has affected many more things than just your personal situation. Now don't make a move about it, and keep your plans and energy in reserve. What you think must stay in your mind, don't try it in the outer world yet.

(The One of the Vision)

The Hanged Man
There might be a future of terrible consequences, painful losses and almost inhuman sacrifices. The reasons might be related to rivalries, enmities or contrary forces looking for the same things or keeping the own. It's a possible future.

There are 6 cards, and the spread's name is a famous phrase by Tyrion Lannister3. Tyrion is a skilled dealer and speakman, making great moves all along the series, although many times without looking for it. He survives and lasts over time, while travelling across all types of regions and experiencing different types of situations. The spread is to explore:

1. Indulgencies. Tyrion is friend of the wine, and a regular brothels' visitor.
2. Learning. Many times he needed to count on specific expertise to be in charge of the tasks being assigned to him, for instance as Master of Coin in King's Landing City.
3. Defects. Tyrion is a dwarf, and has been underestimated for it. Both his family and strangers think of it as a defect. And his father accuses him of his mother's death during childbirth.
4. Tests. He was accused of attempting to murder Bran Stark but was liberated after being judged by combat (the offender had been his brother Jaime). He was also accused of poisoning his nephew, and was betrayed by the one he loved during the trial as a way to find motives against him (but the murdered had been the grandmother of the King's bride).
5. Debts. Lannister House's leitmotive is "A Lannister always pays his debts". When he was condemned, his brother Jaime made a way out to run away. Later, when King's Landing City was attacked by dragons, Tyrion arranged a secret way out for his brothers (although fire brought the structure down and crashed them to die). In another occasion, he made arrangements for his perverted nephew to be distracted by having sex, so he sent him prostitutes but they ended up mutilated or cruelly murdered. Later, Bran Stark named him his Hand when he was seated on the Throne, and said it was a chance for him to fix mistakes from the past.
6. Future. Tyrion is not driven by prophecies or supernatural believes, and prefers a rational and concrete perspective on matters.

(indulgencies)

The World
The environment you're in is permissive, free, and far from judging your likings and habits. People you're with have no problem at all with your lifestyle or costumes. Violence and power abuses are not questioned or intervened, either.

(learning)

Three of Swords
You trust those you shouldn't. They've let you know that the place, matter or people you're related to will disappoint you. They may hurt your feelings but you allow them to do so. Their proposals may harm you. Now, learning is abstaining from, but it will be hard for you to do so.

(defects)

Six of Spears
Certainly, there are more important things in your life than the critics, demands or awards you may receive. But that's precisely what other people see as a problem in you: they don't understand your interests or motives. You both don't share perspectives or views.

(tests)

Eight of Coins
Look at your progress over time, especially those related to your body, finances and tasks. Concrete results and material stability are objective characteristics to face problems or discuss the solidity of your current situation.

(debts)

Two of Swords
Making a decision has become complicated. There are previous commitments or favors to give in return. There's no freedom to set a definition, even if it seems so. Ties will go away when personal interests and rivalries be left aside, at least during a while.

(future)

The Tower
Your human shape is just a shape. There's an animal spirit waiting for you outside. You'll leave your culture progress, your works, and come back to the wild. Goals, means and usual places won't be available anymore. You'll make an exit out of all that and find a new way to be.

It includes 7 cards, and that's the name of a cult that replaced the Ancient Gods. It was brought by the Andals when they invaded Westeros 6000 years before the War of the Conquest4. The spread is recommended to invoke the different aspects of the only god adored by the Faith:

1. Father. Justice.
2. Smith. Crafts, labors, work force.
3. Warrior. Strength, courage and victory.
4. Lady. Innocence, chastity and virtue.
5. Mother. Motherhood and parenting. Fertility and compassion.
6. Witch. Wisdom and guide.
7. The Unknown. Death.

(Father)

Ten of Cups
It's time to think on the one-way progress up to now, for avoiding further losses or unbalances. Think on who gets benefits and how much: a decreasing cycle awaits ahead. If you want to keep balance and store, just foresee the cycle. There are high expectation from many.

(Smith)

Four of Swords
Take care of your health and the spirit inside of you. There're hardened areas demanding your attention. The task is very difficult: physical matters and ungraspable, ethereal matters, are separated from each other. Check their conditions and unite them to come back to life.

(Warrior)

Eight of Swords
Resist the adverse. You might face it but it's not the right time to do it. There are big obstacles against you, so you can't make a move or take action. Your firmness and strength are in reserve, repressed. A fighter's spirit is surrounded, and your weapons are both defenses and a prisson.

(Lady)

Queen of Coins
Appearances are very important: don't show your ambition. Always assure resources, don't neglect them and don't let other people take what belongs to you. Don't let them either notice your interests or the way you amass. Always ligthness, always as dettached.

(Mother)

Four of Coins
Time to set the foundation of a project or a relationship. Consider resources, what will make things grow and where it can be found. Take true care, provide space and look for loans or similar help. These moments are definitory for the future.

(Witch)

Ace of Spears
Find guidance in people you're not used to be with, those close to or acquainted with foreign lands, or people of different costumes to yours. They'll show you a seed to make it grow over time, heat to raise it up, and even passions you should tame.

(The Unknown)

The Star
Don't fall into the wrong hands, especially in sentimental or family ties. Don't trust in those offering commitment. If you're in trouble, you won't be able to ask for help. If you ask for it, it won't arrive. Avoid closed or highly watched locations. The light doesn't shine.

There're 10 cards. Maesters were erudite people, healers and scientists who researched the occult and provided advice to nobility. They were trained in the Citadel, located at The Reach5 the region. The spread is considered for knowing the mastering degree in different fields of knowledge, and the chances coming out of each. Generally, each field is associated to a metal.

1. Astronomy. Present. Bronze.
2. Construction. Foundations.
3. History. Past. Copper.
4. Raven. Communication. Black iron.
5. Economics. Finances. Yellow gold.
6. Smith. Work. Pale steel.
7. Healing. Relations. Silver.
8. War. Strategies. Iron.
9. Magics. What is hidden. Valyrian steel.
10. Astrology. Future. Oldtown (in The Reach) was the first city founded by the First Men in Westeros, 12000 years ago. It hosts an astrolabe with engraved bands telling of future events in The Known World.

(Astronomy)

Two of Cups
Development includes a religious perspective. Your observations gather different types of elements, and you associated them in a single structure. You reach a comprehensive understanding, quite organized, with ideas related to each other and forming like a single chain.

(Construction)

Judgement
It's not the right time to forge or build, not yet. Or maybe you don't have the necessary knowledge or resources. Wait for better times. Search for what is working against life, ideas and projects. There're people opposing to your works and making echo of negative critics.

(History)

The Moon
When you open your eyes, you face an abyss you may fall into. Be careful about what you know (it may lead you to death). Knowing history will change you. You'll discover many things. It will be up to you to go on or not, but the keys to the past are not yours. Keep an eye on your masters.

(Raven)

Six of Cups
You're skilled at communication, relationships and making trustful ties. Good dialogues, sincere and quite empathetic. The means to transmit messages last over time, are stable and consolidated. You're at the right moment offering kind words.

(Economics)

King of Swords
Extremely cold management and very firm controls to be in charge of vast areas or matters of great relevance, involving many people. Objective and rational cost-benefit evaluation. Calculating results is very important, too. Taxative decisions, and absolutely no dealing.

(Smith)

The Devil
A long way designed to develop dominance and, in the worst of cases, voluntary slavery. Big passions and great affinities will decline until finally disappear, when people choose to split apart from each other, in their minds and hearts. This type of development is called control.

(Healing)

Ace of Swords
Skilled at making decisions and setting tendencies. Separate, set limits, establish, sanction, diagnose. All increasing definition improves the situation. You get the point right about what's wrong and what to do about it. Differentiating is like an art providing solutions.

(War)

Five of Coins
Develop you mind and skills to move according to the resources at hand (don't hesitate in accepting them if you're in need). Your sources are just a few or none. Images of the visible world won't mean a thing to you, so plan and design according to other type of information.

(Magics)

Seven of Spears
Your values win. The spirits are with you, on your side. You see priorities, basic causes and what tries to escape. You keep within highly valuable secrets to win against all types of adversities. You'll know when to put them into practice, and when to hide them.

(Astrology)

Three of Coins
Begin formal studies. It's important for you to join structures, be linked and connected to other people, for both working and studying. Share believes and practices, and be part of similar groups to you. Pay attention to those who threaten what you build.

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III. Comments

GOT's deck is a belic deck. Rods were replaced by spears, and all of the suits are of a warrying, combative, dangerous tone. Counting on several conquests in the common history, and a long tradition of death and spread blood, the deck couldn't ignore it!

The six spreads recommended by the guidebook are great to get very accurate answers. Knowing the reasons behind the names assigned to each place provides many concrete and specific details. A clear example is The Star, displaying an unexisting scene, and taking the place of death in Faith of the Seven spread (seventh position). Another key to read the card is the terrible relationship between Ramsay Bolton (Snow) and Sansa Stark. Besides, in some traditions, light is symbol of death. In other cards, the very GOT's narration is basic to read them accurately, for instance The Tower, with a direwolf beneath a mountain that is referring to Bran Stark's falling, his later disability, then The Children of the Forest emerging in his life, and the old ones' vision he progressively acquires after the aggression. Whereas The Moon shows a dark facet of death, under the form of an abyss handled by the whims of a clinged and violent child-mother couple.

After the Andals' invasion 6000 years ago, Westeros progressively became a continent mainly populated by human beings, and Southern regions to The Neck istmus were mainly devoted to a particular faith at the base of the social structure (the North remained more related to the Ancient Gods). So the Two of Cups is a card explicitely naming the different aspects of the Faith of the Seven, like an undissolvable marriage between most of kingdoms and a religion, in political and legal terms.

Westeros's greographic characteristics play an important role in cards, too. The North is the most vast region (Stark House), and equals in surface the sum of the rest of regions in the continent. The problem is the cold weather. The most fertile area, and the wider second, is The Reach (Tyrell House), mostly of agricultural production. But the most wealthy region of all are the Westerlands (Lannister House), since is a land of minery (as it usually happens). Whereas among the Southernmost regions, the warmest one is Dorne (Martell House), and also the more singular one. The rest of the continent may be considered as populated by Andals' descendants but Dorne's inhabitants are also related to Rhoynar people and their costumes (who had migrated to Dorne from Essos).

Differences between regions can be appreciated in cards. Lord Stark is in Justice, and openly doesn't have the required ways to be seated on the Throne (the same Lord is the King of Spears). On the contrary, Cersei Lannister seats on it as self-confident and commanding, as the Queen of Swords, the owner of metals who makes use of any mean for her purposes. Whereas the Ace of Spears reminds of Dorne's capital city, Sunspear, and the ruling Martell House's coat of arms (a red sun pierced by a golden spear on an orange background). Justice and the Ace of Spears seem to be opposite cards: Stark comes from the cold North, and the Martells are in the summery and relaxed South, and are more empathetic with Lannister House. In fact, there was an occasion when Martell House said to Jaime Lannister that sexual intercourse between brothers and sisters wouldn't have been a problem at Dorne.

Two cards traditionally referring to the Zodiac are The Wheel of Fortune and The World. But in The Wheel, animals symbolizing the fixated signs turn clockwise. To see it, just turn the card until they be placed according to the astrological ordering of the Zodiac. Their heads are oriented clockwise: when the wheel turns, everything goes denser, such as the very stories of Westeros become more complex each time. Besides, the bird's tail on one of the axes seems like a sword pointing to the deer (Baratheon House's coat of arms). Whereas in The World card, the order of symbols is completely altered. A map of Westeros is included (although the author of the novels never included maps in his books). Sea areas seem to be like modern fire weapons, as if the classic signs at the corners were threatening each other. Baratheon House is the deer (Taurus) and points to Lannister House of the lion (Leo). House Stark is the direwolf (Aquarius) and points to Lannister House too (Leo) although is pointed at the same time by Targaryen House of dragons (Scorpio). Baratheon and Targaryen Houses point to each other too (Taurus-Scorpio) but Lannister doesn't point to anyone. All of these characteristics converge one more time in the belic and bloody history that inspired the deck.

Court cards especially indicate social forces in the story. All of the main characters of Kings and Queens die, in a narration mainly about the lives of Kings and Queens! Exceptions are Sansa and Jon Snow, of the Stark House of the North, as sister and brother assigned to the Queen and King of Cups, respectively. Anyway, the story ends with Jon voluntarily retiring to the North, far away from embroiled people and power issues (the King of Cups in The Wall!). And Sansa remains next to Bran, taking care of him, when he seats on the Throne of Westeros (the Queen of Cups restrained!). The card even includes the character on her knees, headed down, as praying, in a scene quite far from the usual voluptuous ways of the suit's Queen (Sansa is the same character included in the only two cards that display scenes that never were in the TV series, The Star and Queen of Cups).

Half of court figures finds death, and the other half survives. Among the survivors, two Knights remain over time: Coins (Brienne of Tarth, of warrying tradition, from Stormlands) and Cups (Lord Tyrell, of seige tradition and agriculture, from The Reach). The four Pages, who are the engines behind changes, remain all alive either although conditioned by important physical, mental and social circumstances: dwarfism (Tyrion Lannister, Coins), disability to walk (Bran Stark, Cups) and slavery (Grey Worm in Spears, and one of Harpy's sons in Swords). The two latter come from Astapor City in Essos but belong to different groups of slaves. Grey Worm is an eunuch and had belonged to The Unsullied, and the second one is one of the golden-mask warriors.

Each suit may also be related to a House, such as the table displays. Besides, some cards include coats of arms' symbols: The Hanged Man shows a human body upside down, bleeding-out to death (Bolton House, bannermen of Stark House of the North), the Knight of Cups is adorned with roses (Tyrell House, ruler of The Reach), and the already mentioned Martell's coat of arms in the Ace of Spears. Anyway, the novels refer to many more characters and details about their lifestyles as well as other important regions and events happening in both Westeros and Essos but, of course, just some of them have been included in the cards.

Suits & Kingdoms
Cards	Coins	Spears	Swords	Cups
Region	Stormlands	Westerlands	North	Dragonstone
Value	not mentioned	minerals	wide extension	dragons, obsidian
House	Baratheon	Lannister	Stark	Targaryen
CoA	deer	lion	direwolf	---
Zodiac	Taurus	Leo	Aquarius	Scorpio

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IV. Cards & Characters

Tyrion Lannister

HBO's photogram. Actor: Peter Dinklage.

The Fool Two dragons, sons of Daenerys Targaryen, burnt to die a little girl on a field, so their mother locked them in Dragonstone's catacombs. Later, she left away and they remain there. But there was a time when Tyrion thought it would be better to free them, so he entered the catacombs to let them go out, without any expertise on dragonlord, being quite temerarious and completely risking his own life.

Page of Coins When he was named Master of Coin in King's Landing City, his sister Cersei told him that his performance will be used to judge him later because of his mistakes while being in charge. In the card, he just throws up a coin purse in the air, so he may catch it or it may fall down... as the luck of his performance.

Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish

HBO's photogram. Actor: Aidan Gillen.

The Magician Petyr is skilled at intrigues and plots. He usually deduces what people want to offer it later, even if he doesn't have it or has to make a plan to get it. Whatever he wants to, it becomes a goal, and he moves actively to get it. Like Tyrion, he was Master of Coin in King's Landing City.

Three of Spears The same skill is even used to tie other people's interests to his owns, so he gets benefits from other people's actions. In this sense, Petyr works hard, in short and long terms, and keeps a comprehensive view (although focused on his aims).

King of Coins The most famous phrase of the character is "I want it all". The pose of the figure in the card is of a very calm temper although similar to the German Hitler, something quite in tune with the use of hard force always pointed out by the card. Petyr was also the one who arranged the terrible marriage between Sansa Stark and Ramsay, both from the North.

Melisandre

HBO's photogram. Actress: Carice Van Houten.

The Priestess Also called The Red Witch, she's a priestess of the R'hllor cult, from Asshai City, in the far away and magical East in Essos. She knows the mysteries and wonders of that region, and works for Stannis Baratheon, brother of the deceased King, who reclaims the Iron Throne. By using part of Stannis' life, Melisandre created two shadows to do dark works for him. People say one of them murdered Stannis' youngest brother, Renyl, who competed by the Throne, too. In the card, Melisandre is next to a little fire flame: The Red Witch is never cold, not even when she was in The Wall.

Daenerys Targaryen

HBO's photogram. Actress: Emilia Clarke.

The Empress Daenerys is the mother of dragons, set slaves free and commanded armies. Wherever she made a raid, she left instructions and the memory of her authority.

Two of Spears After increasing the number of forces (armies) and weapons (dragons, obsidian), it turned harder each time to keep regions stable as they remained loyal to her. The wider the extension of the domains, the greater the need of controls, which ends up restraining physical expansion.

Six of Spears Many times, she was especially interested in freeing slaves all over her way, and she got direct contact with slaves' markets as she travelled across related coaster cities. She took all of those cities but didn't stay in any of them. Instead, she left other people in charge, under her instructions. She had profound commitments, quite deep, which had to be pursued.

Queen of Spears She's quite demanding with herself. She fulfils her promises, especially if they involve duties or debts. In the card, Daenerys is willing to accept her duties, and keeps her word because an agreement has been concreted.

Nine of Coins Raising up and counting on dragons for the future may seem a guarantee of long-term abundance, with unequal chances for defence and attack. But a little dragon is different to an adult one, and a big beast may bring unhandeable problems. The mother of dragons received a great gift although she had also to control them while they grew up.

Jon Snow

HBO's photogram. Actor: Kit Harington.

The Emperor Jon is a bastard from the North (all bastards from the North are named Snow) and was raised by the Stark House. However, he became an authority wherever he was: as the commander of The Night's Watchers at The Wall and, later in the end, when he had to make a decision and kills Daenerys since she had become a threaten to everybody (something that wouldn't be forgotten by the slaves she freed). Finally, it was discovered that Jon could reclaim the Throne since he might be the son of Viserys Targaryen (Daenerys' eldest brother) and Lyanna Stark (Eddard Stark's sister), who had been secretely in love.

The Lovers In one of the raids into the lands beyond The Wall, Jon and his team captured some members of the Free Folks, and the woman Ygritte was among them. Later, they both formed a free couple, without caring of their origins, behaviour or social position. In the card, they embrace each other at the top of The Wall. And his tender eyes were the last thing she saw before dying.

King of Cups Simple, open and true, many times he's open about his feelings and concerns, while stays focused on his searching and commitments. But, contrary to what the card usually indicates, Jon controls himself, for instance when Melisandre tried to seduce him at The Wall, and didn't make it.

Four of Swords In one occasion, he let entering some free folks from beyond The Wall inside of the fortress, but the other watchers didn't understand yet that the White Walkers meant a threat to everybody, so they attacked him. Jon was seriously wounded and died. But he was helped by the mysterious arts of Melisandre the priestess. The card is illustrated according to the classic Rider-Waite deck's representation.

Varys

HBO's photogram. Actor: Conleth Hill.

The Hierophant Like Littlefinger, Varys is a cunny advisor and keeps himself always updated about the kingdom's affairs. He influences at the right moment, in the right people. He also has a sensitivity that turns him into a very special person, and many times people look for him to ask for advice and tell their worries. He counts on practical expertise, has been in King's Landing City for a long time, and shows himself as attentive.

Six of Coins He was called "The Spider" but nobody knew that the spying network he called as "my little birds" were just kids of the city looking for childish gifts in exchange of the information they got for him. Varys knows who, what, the purposes and where can be found what is searched for or needed. Many times, he provided the missing link in a chain, and his contributions were key factors to make progress and decisions.

Brienne from Tarth

HBO's photogram. Actress: Gwendoline Christie.

Strength One of the more solid, constant and stable characters in all of the novels. She came from Tarth Island, in Stormlands, a region of warrying tradition. She was right where she had said that would be: protecting, fulfilling promises, acquiring commitments and never undoing her steps. She called her sword Oath, and remained loyal to her own words and feelings.

Eight of Swords Somehow, the commitments she acquired also meant bonding ties to her. Many times, she had to remain just waiting, unable to take action or make a move, due to self-imposed duties she kept unbroken anyway. When a road was over, then a new obligation took place again in her life. So it seemed she never had a choice.

Bran Stark

HBO's photogram. Actor: Isaac Hempstead-Wright.

The Hermit After he was pushed down from a window high in a tower, he couldn't walk anymore, and his life made a turn. He had a lot of time to reflect, and definitely was unable to set free his curiosity. However, he found another way to free his spirit: it seems that the last greenseer, from the lands beyond The Wall, met him in his dreams, such as The Children of the Forest did through birds. The light of consciousness and perception emerged. In the card, a raven holds the classic hermit's lantern.

Seven of Cups Bran was usually in a trance. By his connection with the greenseer, he saw fragments of the past, present and future. Worries and sorrows related to disability remained far beyond: visions were displayed in front of him, and his life wouldn't be as before anymore.

Page of Cups His spirit was preserved even during visions and psychic experiences. He travelled towards the greenseer's cave, who tought him the art of viewing. He became himself a greenseer and went even for a ride by his own into the lands of The Night's King, a completely dangerous trip that caused his guide's cave to be invaded. He looked for his own past too and, at the same time, found those of other ones. He experienced the intersection between timelines, and knew how changes finally happen.

Eddard Stark

HBO's photogram. Actor: Sean Bean.

Justice When the Lord of the North was named The King's Hand, many people thought he was not the right man for the position. A fair spirit, simple and used to move according to real needs, was not someone to get involved in twisted relations, double intentions and intrigues that many times were related to personal affairs. In the card, Eddard is seated on the Throne but was not comfortable in there. And he didn't last too long as The Hand.

King of Spears The card shows him as meditative, seated on a natural environment, something much more alike to his ways. Stark House's leitmotiv is "Winter is coming", which reminds them of those long decades of cold weather and need, those erratic variations of the planet beyond the usual winter season in the region. Low temperatures, the zone's history and the lands under the House's ruling create austere habits, and a type of reasoning ordered by concrete priorities.

Arya Stark

HBO's photogram. Actress: Maisie Williams.

Death At a very young age, the youngest daughter of the Stark House used to play with arrows and little rods as swords. Many times she met death, in front of executions and tortures. And she went out to the world alone, leaving behind childhood times and covering her identity to survive. For a long while, she was moved by taking revenge for the death of her beloved ones.

Two of Swords During her journeys, she had no definite horizon, no place to go. Her family was dispersed and she hidded herself for not being recognized as one of the Starks, since they could kill her. Disorientation can be seen in all of her decisions, although many times it was unnoticed or mistaken by a youthful enthusiasm for the unkown, as if she was playing to explore, like when she went to the Free Cities in Essos.

Five of Coins The card shows Arya blinded by the assassin who hosted her: she didn't just disobeyed his orders but also did what she wanted to. Her situation, receiving charity in Braavos' streets, demanded her concentration, an alert state and acute perception. She couldn't do anything else. She only counted on her mind and thinking to get resources.

Samwell Tarly

HBO's photogram. Actor: John Bradley.

Temperance The character experienced difficult relationships, both with his father at homeland and the watchers at The Wall, where he was along with Jon Snow. He frequently was despised and people used to mock at him but Samwell always remained quiet, more inclined to reflect and move away from aggresive places or people. Besides, he found balance for his discourage in the Maester's books in The Wall.

Nine of Cups Certainly, the path of the Maesters renew his life, and he concentrated his attention and purpose on that path. Entering the Citadel, where counsellors, physicians, scientists and masters were trained, fulfilled his own expectations. In the card, Samwell is quite satisfied in a dekstop full of documents and books. He fits in there: he studied Medicine and treated difficult and dangerous deceases.

Seven of Swords He went through many painful situations until his father desisted of forcing him to go into the military path of physical skills and weapons. Tarly House was bannermen of Tyrell House, the rose of chilvary tradition, and kept one of the most valuable swords made of Valyrian steel. But it seemed Samwell didn't have the courage or count on the inner disposition or physical conditions for it. He wasn't there at all, didn't even know how to take a sword inside of a sheath. However, feudal ways were imposed, and many times he was submitted to a senseless handle.

Ramsay Snow

HBO's photogram. Actor: Iwan Rheon.

The Devil Like Jon Snow, his surname let other people know about his bastard origin. He belonged to Bolton House, bannermen of Stark House of the North, and their leitmotiv was "Our swords are sharped". Sadism, torture and brutality were traditions for those used to bleed out their enemies.

King of Swords The Battle of the Bastards, in which Jon and Ramsay confront their armies while they fight for dominating the North, practically had no previous dealing and, instead, constant provocations from the horseman, something quite characteristic in a card always causing disturbances and turmoils. Ramsay didn't retrieve but just at the last end, the use of force only made the situation worst, and he even lied to his own defenders to keeping them on fighting even when the defeat was imminent.

Sansa Stark

HBO's photogram. Actress: Sophie Turner.

The Star The card shows a scene that never was in the TV series. Brienne of Tarth had offered her help in case Sansa was in danger. To let her know it, Sansa just had to light a candle in the upper window of a tower that Brienne would be watching all day long. The light never shined when she married Ramsay Snow, and Sansa never got to light the candle in the window...

Four of Cups Sansa is seated at the bottom of a weirwood. Weirwood trees are good places to meditate and rest. They count on the patience time provides. They seem to give time. Getting closer to a weirwood tree is usual in sad moments, and losts need time to be processed, first to be considered and later, maybe to loss them in the very time.

Six of Cups It's winter, and Sansa is next to Jon Snow. A close fire flame surrounds them and makes the room warmed. Stark House was mostly a good home, with brothers and sisters loving each other, searching for each other and taking each other into consideration. They had moments of friendship and empathy, something not always seen in other Houses in Westeros, of much more cold or competitive relationships.

Queen of Cups The card shows Sansa's right side, close to a coastline, on her knees, like praying, headed down. It's really a mystery why the character in that position has been related to a card that is usually telling of sensorial plenty and joy. It's the only illustration that doesn't fit the Rider-Waite's tradition.

Night's King

HBO's photogram. Actor: Vladimír Furdík.

Judgement The final moment has come: it's about life going on or the total death of memory, which is history making present time. Facts will provide a result, and one of them may be what the Night's King used to offer every time he extended his arms towards both sides and then raised them up with palms up: dead people raised from the ground as assassin spectres. A true final point.

King of Swords The Night's King commanded armies. The Night's Walkers touched live beings and transformed them into Walkers, like them. And dead people were transformed into slavered spectres, kept completely under control. But when a Walker died, all those raised from the ground by him died too, like when an army is dissolved when the leader falls down. Legions were raised from death. And legions fell down in a second. It all depends on a constant decision, if the action is still supported by the intention.

Grey Worm

HBO's photogram. Actor: Jacob Anderson.

Page pf Spears The Unsullied were slaves who required a lot of time and money to turn them into highly trained warriors, obedients and fully efficient. In order to focus them only on it, slavers made them eunuchs, and changed their names daily to take personal ambitions away from them. When Daenerys Targaryen met them with her free ways, it was something completely unusual in their lives. When she conquered the slaver's cities in Essos, The Unsullied then found new ways, unkown to them. Freedom and consideration was something strange but they slowly let it into their lives and took the new road being offered. In the card, Grey is back to the reader and, although still holds his spear and shield as he was tought to, his helmet is on the ground, and his own shadow falls upon it. Grey is looking at a slaver's city far beyond, and the definition his face acquires now cannot be appreciated yet, now that he's uncovered.

Jaime Lannister

HBO's photogram. Actor: Nikolaj Coster-Waldau.

Knight of Spears A character involved in many battles, fulfilling orders as he was told to, doing his job and always coming back to tell. No complains, but he also took care of nobody had them... As his Houses' leitmotiv demands, he returned favors, like when he helped Brienne of Tarth and rescued her from the paws of a wild bear, after she had saved his life before, too. He even stoically endured to hear King Robert frequently insulting and mistreating her sister Cersei when they were at their bedroom, since the King forced him to stay on the aile, next to the door.

Cersei Lannister

HBO's photogram. Actress: Lena Headey.

Five of Cups She rarely shows herself as weak, and in the novels was only seen sad after the terrible public humilliation ordered by the High Sept: to walk naked and with no shoes all along the city, as she was insulted and people threw dirty objects to her. Anyway, the character is self-confident enough and, in the card, is taking a personal time while remains alone in the castle. Probably revenge will come later, as it happened several times before, after she went through other difficult situations.

Queen of Swords In one occasion, she remained seated on the Throne along with her youngest son and resisted when men in armor entered the hall trying to take control of the castle and finish the House. She had given three sons to her brother, so in practice the Throne would be inherited by Lannister House. She fought against everyone reclaiming the Throne, by any means, and only surrendered in front of death and the city falling in ruins. In the card, she's confidently seated on the Throne, quite different to the way Eddard Stark does in Justice card. She was the one who accused him of treason when he offered the Crown to the brother of the deceased King, instead of Cersei's son. He was judged for it and then decapitated.

Mace Tyrell

HBO's photogram. Actor: Roger Ashton-Griffiths.

Knight of Cups In the card, the Knight is completely armored, and both the banner and horse he rides are adorned with rose motives. House Tyrell comes from The Reach, and the coat of arms includes a golden rose. The Lord had been historically putting Baratheon House's castle under seige, whose coat of arms includes a deer. First, when Robert took the Throne. Later, when Stannis (Robert's brother) got rid of his youngest brother Renly, who competed by the Throne, too. Tyrell was always in charge of strong armies, and only stopped seiging when knew the High Sept had arrested his daughter Margaery in King's Landing City, where he went to in her rescue. The deer was married to the lion (Robert Baratheon and Cersei Lannister), a horned animal that reminds because of its relations to the enmity between the lion and the rose, the English medieval story.

Olenna Redwyne

Fotograma de la serie HBO. Actress: Diana Rigg.

Queen of Coins The Reach is a region ruled by Tyrell House, the second one wealthier in all Westeros. They supplied the Crownlands with great amounts of food during situations of need and war. Olenna Redwyne is Margaery Tyrell's grandmother, and arranged three marriages for her grandaughter, always considering the convenience of new alliances in times when Houses were fighting for the Throne. Tyrell House was never involved without an interest: in the card, Olenna grabs a coin with her hand, with her fingers in a claw gesture. Her grandaughter Margaery was first married to Renly Baratheon, the youngest brother of the deceased King, who died in dark circumstances, so the marriage quickly ended. She later was married to Joffrey Baratheon, the eldest son of Robert and Cersei, but he was poisoned at the wedding party, and the marriage ended that very day. Finally, she would have married the youngest son of both, but when Margaery was being judged by the High Sept in King's Landing City, the place was exploded by Valyrian fire and died in there (the groom committed suicide later). Olenna was the one who ordered to poison Joffrey, when she knew about his perversions. Finally, Joffrey's true father, Jaime, gave to her a poisoned drink for she to suicide. The Queen of the card, Olenna, confessed she would have never given her grandaughter to that monster in marriage, and took the drink.

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V. TV Series Photograms

The Children of the Forest

Photogram of the TV series Game of Thrones (HBO). The Children of the Forest are of very low height, long ears, coll color skin, with just three fingers in their hands, a thumb and black claws instead of nails. Of big enlarged eyes, like cats, of gold color and torn pupils. They're agile, light-weighted, of nocturnal habits, pure voices and live for long time. In the millenary war against the First Men, who came from Essos, they used black magic to break a land bridge that connected Westeros to Essos (known as Stepstones Islands since then). They also used magic to create the White Walkers and use them to fight men. The legend says the first of the White Walkers had been a man captured by The Children, who was transformed after they inserted an obsidian arrow head in his body. After the Andals' invasion, they run away beyond The Wall. In The Haunted Wood, they watch the cave where the last greenseer, known as The Raven of Three Eyes, is about to completely be fused with a weirwood tree. They also communicate through birds, the way they let Bran Stark know he must go beyond The Wall for The Raven to teach him to see as a weirwood tree does.

Weirwood trees

Photogram of the TV series Game of Thrones (HBO). Direwolves are animals similar to wolves but much bigger, and may reach a size of a ponny when adults. They're the ancient inhabitants of Westeros, as ancient as The Children of the Forest. They also know the ice lands, and are quite related to the Stark House of the Northern region. A direwolf walks along with Bran Stark and his friends towards the cave of the last greenseer, to whom they have already seen many times before in their dreams, under the form of a raven of three eyes. The raven is now almost completely fused with the roots of a weirwood tree in The Haunted Wood, an area located far away in the ice lands, beyond The Wall. The magic of The Children of the Forest protects the access to the cave, and nobody can enter if they don't allow it. The body of the greenseer is practically the very weirwood tree by now, and will soon disappear until becoming definitely one with the tree.

Valyrian steel

The weapon is a greatsword and belongs to Tarly House, bannermen of Tyrell House, in The Reach region. The region is Southwest in Westeros, the second one widest all across the continent, and the second one wealthiest, with food and wines fields. They also give great importance to Chivalry and tournaments' rules. The sword in the image is made of Valyrian steel, the most powerful material, like the one used by Aegon Targaryen when he conquered the continent 300 years ago. It's almost 53" long and was held by Lord Tarly, a military man of great vocation. Currently, only smiths from Qohor City know how to reforge Valyrian steel and give it the desired tone. Qohor is an independent city-state, initially founded as part of the Valyrian Empire, located in the woods near the Western coast of Essos.

The Red Keep

Photogram of the TV series Game of Thrones (HBO). The Red Keep is the royal castle in King's Landing City, the capital of Westeros, founded by Aegon Targaryen and where the Iron Throne is placed at. King's Landing is surrouned by a wall, inside of a region called the Crownlands, the ninth one consolidated after the conquest, and including the entire Blackriver Bay's coastline and Dragonstone Island in the Narrow Sea. It's estimated that 1 millon people is directly ruled by the Throne. The royal castle is located on one of the three hills that can be appreciated as part of the city's landscape, called precisely Aegon's Hill. The city has a Mediterranean weather, of long and warm summers, and soft winters.

Faith of the Seven

Photogram of the TV series Game of Thrones (HBO). The Faith of the Seven was introduced in Westeros by the Andals from Essos, 6000 years ago, and the first seat was in the oldest city of the continent, the city-port Oldtown in The Reach region (it was founded 12000 years ago by the First Men). Oldtown was the seat of the Starry Sept (temple), until the Great Sept of Baelor was later built in King's Landing City. The one in King's Landing is the most sacred temple among the seven, and the place where The Most Devote Ones join the High Sept (the greatest authority of the Faith). The Faith is guided by a specific book, The seven-pointed Star, which is clearly represented in the seats. In the photogram, Margaery Tyrell has been arrested by the High Sept, since the Faith is also in charge of judgements.

Citadel

Photogram of the TV series Game of Thrones (HBO). At the beginning of each episode, the bands of an astrolabe are always turning around a shiny Sun (instead of the Earth). The astrolabe can be appreciated in the image above hanging inside of the Citadel, the place where Maesters in Oldtown were trained, in The Reach region ruled by Tyrell House. The city was founded by the First Men 12000 years ago. But one of the astrolabe's bands displays an engraved narration of the future: tehe Andals running away from the expansion of the Valyrian Empire 6000 years ago, the War of the Conquest started by Targaryen House (Year 0), the War of the Usurper (year 283 AC) narrated as a lion (Lannister House) and a deer (Baratheon House) fighting against a dragon (Targaryen House), and the triumph of the deer (Robert Baratheon seated on the Throne, married to Cersei Lannister).

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VI. Box & Cards

From Modern Metaphysicae channel on Youtube, displaying the box, guidebook and all of the cards, one by one.

Amazon deck Bantam bookHBO series

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Sources: Games of Thrones Tarot review, Wikipedia, Fandom, HBO.