Gothic Tarot of the Vampires- 1 Magician

In the LWB the card is refered to as Seduction. We see here the male Child as he progresses from a state of innocence about his new powers to mastery over them as he lures a young woman into his embrace so thet he may feed. But he is not to kill her only to take what he needs then leave her be. He is still young, & retains much of his humanity. He is still young barely out of being a Childe, He is a Neonate. This card is where he realizes his potential.

Seeing the image, I can easily make the connection with seduction. The man seems to be seduced by the woman. It may be his own doing but as she seems to faint, he retain her from falling hard on the floor.

The Gothic Tarot of Vampires --The Magician I

The Gothic Tarot of Vampires

The Magician I


This is a very sensual card. The vampire is leaning into a woman who has her head back in ecstasy. His grip on her is real, hers is of trust her hands on him are light trusting that he won’t let her fall.

The primary color in this card is red. The woman’s dress is red, and her skin tone is red. “The Magician” is dressed in a black suit jacket and white shirt open at the neck. He has long hair, his face is toned with gray.

Around the vampire’s neck is a symbol. The symbols seem Greek to me, they could be Theta and Epsilon (or even be Iota—but it’s more of an E.) I am not one hundred percent sure. If someone can look at this card and give me feed back. Also note that this Symbol is around the neck of other vampires in on other cards, 7 of Pentacles, Queen of Wands, Knave of Wands, 6 of Wands, and The World. – 21).

I am not sure of what this could mean, and what links between these cards are.

In this card I see a male vampire bending over a woman who is overcome with passion or fear. He is staring very intently at her. The background is muted and has odd skulls and other shapes.

Magician cards have always been tough for me, no matter the deck I’ve never really related to this card. I tend to categorize it as a symbol of the Renaissance intellects who were obsessed with the power to control angels and demons. So I guess in this card I see the obsession to possess, control and in a territorial manner protect the path to power. The woman’s red dress represents the passion he needs to walk his chosen path. On the first page of the LWB it says “the Vampire’s thirst is therefore a metaphor for the insatiable greed of man.” I think this vampire is very thirsty.

Interesting question about the symbol. I hadn't really paid much attention to it.

The Vampires with the symbol are the two children from the Fool card. The symbol marks them as twins, as the male & female parts ot the same person. They change in aperance as they undergo different experances in their lives.

Magi said:

The Vampires with the symbol are the two children from the Fool card. The symbol marks them as twins, as the male & female parts ot the same person. They change in aperance as they undergo different experances in their lives.

Click to expand...

I am not sure of this because the symbol was not on the Fool card. And wouldn't it be on some more of the majors? Not just number 1 and 21? why wouldn't the symbol be of the gemini (the sign of the twins) --

Why be on mostly Wands and not on the Swords or Cups? What links the Wand cards and the one Pentacle together?

I think there is something more-- But it's not coming to me at the moment.

You might have a vaild theory but it doesn't work for me.

Ceit

The vampire is holding a young woman tightly who is totally under his spell. She throws her head back which exposes her neck. Her eyes are closed and she gave up all control and is willing to surrender. There is erotic and lust. The background is colored in black and blue and there are skulls.

The Magician enjoys to use the power which he has over people. The woman is caught in his magic. He aspires power but he also aspires knowledge because everytime when he bites a human it brings him closer to his own nature which he is desperate to understand later in his journey. The skulls are a symbol for the death that goes along with his magic.

For whatever reason this is where that In the Metaphor and Beyond the Metaphor stuff starts messsing with me.

He has these new tools, powers and is using them. He isn't being particulary brutal which I suppose the vampire instint might be... he's refined it. He's charming the lady. This might be how he eventually wants to be...charming, romantic, that sort of "classic"/old school image of a vampire.
I guess this would also be about embracing what you do have/your abilities and then learn to use them properly.

The book says "Seduction"...well could it be about being seduced by the new power...giving in to using it. Even though it opens up things you may not like it(the need for our vampire to feed). Are you the seducer or is the power or some outside force seducing you...or both? Are you trying to control things you can't? Does this seem valid?

I'm trying to sort of merge my ideas with the book...I'm not sure if that's a good way to approach it or not.

Who is being seduced by who? the woman is presenting her long beautiful neck to him willingly-- she is surrendering herself to him. Does she know what he is? Is she tempting him to bite him. He does long hungry. Will he know when to stop? Will he take too much, or just enough to statisfy the hunger? Will he create a new vampire?

If the essence of the magician is the create? Wouldn't he be creating her-- into a vampire?

Just a thought.