Dark/Gothic Deck Suggestions

Thread originally posted on the Aeclectic Tarot Forum on 21 Jun 2004, and now archived in the Forum Library.

Oni	21 Jun 2004
Ok i am looking for a kinda like dark, morbid kinda deck. My freinds r having a senance and i want to do a reading before we do it, cause i personally do not like senaces! It made me think of the fact me being the horror lover i am i have no dark themed typed decks. I dont mean like literally dark in color more like morbid in theme etc. Something that kinda puts u in mind of Countess Elizabeth Báthory/ Rasputon/Jack the Ripper kinda deal. Or like just occultish, or even otherworldly spirts. i know no deck devoted to Elizabeth Bathory exists, but like any suggestions of any kinda deck that like gives u like the feeling would be cool. I dont know i most likely dont make much since, but any suggestions would be great. thanks

lunakasha	21 Jun 2004
Hi Oni! The first deck that comes to mind for me is Vargo's Gothic Tarot. It is a beautifully dark deck that features vampires, gargoyles and other creatures of the night...the settings include graveyards, tombs and decaying mansions....highly recommended! There are other "dark" decks that might appeal to you....The Gothic Vampire deck from LoScarabeo, the Baphomet (not my taste but some people like it)....the Bosch is definitely strange and disturbing...and the Secret is another favorite "dark" deck of mine. Have fun checking them out! :D Luna

lunakasha	21 Jun 2004
Hi Oni! Here is a link to the Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo: http://monolithgraphics.com You can view all of the cards here....and can order directly from the artist's website or through tarotgarden.com :) Luna

Oni	21 Jun 2004
i will have to check that one out, i went looking for the Gothic tarot, and i got some other deck with statues on it that was a majors only, i dont like majors only decks i want as many cards as i can get! he hee! now i see that this is anouther deck. The vampire one, the people look too comic bookish for my likeing. i was looking at the william blake deck but i dont know, all that poety stuff on it. thanks for the suggestions!

dolphingirl	21 Jun 2004
Wow sounds like a fun night you are going to have. Below is a list of decks which feel kind of spooky. :) Vertigo- really dark surreal collage photo deck The Gothic Tarot by Joseph Vargo - really cool vampire deck has a real otherworld feel to them Fantastical Tarot - this one may be a bit of an odd choice but it has a really neat look to it and a rich feel. Templar Tarot - lots of primary colors and skulls. A bit brighter in colors than alot of the earlier mentioned decks but really pretty and has nice energy. Stone Tarot - I don't have this deck but I just think the colors would look so cool for your night Nefertari's Tarot - it is egyptian and done in black with gold foil on all the cards. All that gold foil by candle light ooooohhhh Margarete Petersen Tarot - really dreamy and surreal. Once again not a deck I have but it just feels so dreamy in the pics Well those are the decks that came to mind :)

Nycelle	21 Jun 2004
I quite like the Gothic Tarot of Vampires (Minettei). When I first leafed through the deck, I felt quite uneasy, but the Tower card depicting a coffin rising from the grave seemed very fitting. The artwork is slightly comic-book style but I enjoy it :) And Nathalie Hertz's Vampire deck is sort of playfully dark.

Ryan	21 Jun 2004
The very entities you are trying to evoke are contained within the Naos Deck Sinister Tarot. www.angelfire.com/realm2/thecollectionplate/Nproject.html

tao51	22 Jun 2004
Is sensuous and dark. They eyes of the vampires are evil and yet alluring. The designs are fairly traditional but are so sinister that they evoke a different mood. These vampires display a modern view of these undead!--Tao

lunakasha	22 Jun 2004
dolphingirl: Glad you mentioned the Vertigo.....*sigh* :eek: If only I could get my hands on one.... I have been craving this deck for a very long time..... :D Luna

dolphingirl	22 Jun 2004
You might check your local comic book stores I have seen a few coppies of this deck in different ones around here. :) Samantha

Tarot Sparrow	23 Jun 2004
I second the Vampire Tarot by Nathalie Hertz. I love this deck :D

hyatt	23 Jun 2004
I'm not sure if the Secret of Tarot is dark enough but it is my everyday deck and I LOVE it! It is certainly on the dark side. All the people are pale and thin with dark features. It has some untraditional cards in it but after working with it a while it has become my favorite!

dolphingirl	23 Jun 2004
I also love the Secret tarot, it is a very lovely deck with kind of a gothic romantic feel to me and is also very readable. I am eagerly waiting for the pocket version to come out later this year.

Oni	24 Jun 2004
the gothic tarot by vargo seems like a really good fit, does anyone know were to see more of the cards? I m looking at the Secrets tarot . the two vampire tarots- sorry they just dont evoke the kind of feeling i am looking for. but i am still makign decideing thanks alot

WolfyJames	24 Jun 2004
You can go see Vargo's website: http://www.monolithgraphics.com/ Many of the cards in the deck are based on his previous art of works.

tao51	24 Jun 2004
This has a supernatural feel. Crows have a mysterious air anyway. The deck is full of dark imagry. I love the High Priestess card!--Tao

Emily	24 Jun 2004
The Tarot of the Spirit has a dark feel around it - it is Thoth based and although I love the Tarot of the Spirit now I once referred to it as the product of someones nightmares. :)

tao51	25 Jun 2004
Tarot of the Spirit with its symbols aid the intuitive reader. It tends to appeal to a wide range of readers.--Tao

Dark_angel	25 Jun 2004
Another vote for the Crow's Magick! I love dark decks, and most of mine are dark, but personally I think that the Crow's Magick would be perfect for the situation. It's the deck I use for tarot spells and shadow work (bizarrely, it's also the one my boyfriend uses, and we've both been using it since before we even knew each other). Or, how about a classic? an old-style Marseille? a Thoth? even an old RWS? Their history alone makes them alluring for this situation.

tao51	30 Jun 2004
This is a distinctly gothic deck with rich gold accencts. --Tao51

Oni	17 Jul 2004
The seace is tonight, i could not find a deck that really like did it for me soon enough cause the event was moved up so i ended up using my Enochian deck, wich i actully love alot and honestly have had for a long time and never actully even shuffled! I designed a ritual to do before to open up the gainways, call upon the deitys i feel r nessacary and allow only higher plane entitys. and also a closing ritual too both using the deck. and i m going to have each of the 10 people there pick out a sig card also. so i will let u know how it goes! it is this evening. I do love this deck now that i actully look at the cards! he hee, it has like demons on it and is like totally new to me wich also makes me even more excited about using it. he hee. like the Enochian was the last gift i had from my x when we broke like 2yrs ago so i guess that is why i never used, it just sat on the shelf and sat there then new decks pushed it behind. he hee. but now that still leaves me needing to buy a new deck cause u all did give me some good suggestions. I saw the Secret tarot, well like one of the decks by that name, i saw this other deck with that same name and i did not think it was dark at all, now i see this other deck and yea it is rather nice. the Gothic by Vargo way cool i will look n2 ordering that too. I m goign threw a tough time right now so it will be awhile before i do though. but then again i have no resistance to indulgence, and i am prone to intensity and seriousness, (the Devil is my card) so i may just by one thanks all

The Dark/Gothic Deck Suggestions thread was originally posted on 21 Jun 2004 in the Tarot Decks board, and is now archived in the Forum Library. Read the active threads in Tarot Decks, or read more archived threads.