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Tarot developed by Terry DonaldsonArtwork by Peter Pracownik
Game rules by Mike FitzgeraldPublishers
U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.Stamford, CT 06902 USA
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Copyright 1997 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.The Lord of the Rings
Tarot Deck and Card Game
Copyright 1997 Tolkien Enterprises, a division of the SaulZaentz
company, Berkeley, CA. The Lord of the Rings andall characters and
places therein are trademark properties ofTolkien Enterprises.
All rights reserved. The illustrations, cover design, and
con-tents are protected by copyright. No part of this bookletmay be
reproduced in any form without permission from thepublisher, except
by a reviewer who wishes to quote briefpassages in connection with
a review written for inclusion ina magazine or newspaper.
ISBN 1-57281-017-3
99 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Booklet printed in the USA
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.179 Ludlow Street
Stamford, CT 06902 USA
Acknowledgments:
These people have contributed to the creation of this tarot
deck. Manythanks are due for their efforts and contributions, and
for just plainbeing there:
Jazz Deville, Shelly Pink, Lou Gallant, Ian Percival, Rebecca
Pracownik,Evelyne Donaldson, Sammy Wilcox, AstralAsia the music
band, andeveryone at the Riggs Diner in Tintagel, Cornwall. An
especial thankyou to Laurie Battle of Tolkien Enterprises for her
support, advice, andpersonal enthusiasm for this project, and a tip
of the ol hat to AnnaMay Wegbreit, formerly of U.S. Games Systems,
who is now, we hear,somewhere in Florida.
Terry and Peter welcome feedback about their work. Please
dropthem a line if you want to at the following address:
London Tarot Centre25 Gisburn Road, HornseyLondon N8 7BS,
England
tel: 0-181-340-3788 fax: 0-181-348-8665For an actual tarot
reading by Terry using The Lord of the Rings Tarot deck,
phone (44)-374-50-50-65
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Dedicated to GandalfLong may his friendship be with us
In The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, J. R. R. Tolkien
accessed a rich dimension ofmythological symbolism which, once
started,cannot be put down. The Lord of the Rings isthe archetypal
story of the struggle betweengood and evil, light and darkness. The
world isin danger from a powerful Dark Lord, and theFree Peoples of
Middle-earth must overcometheir differences and come together to
thwarthis purpose. Arrayed against them are theDark Lords vast
magical powers, massivearmies of ferocious Orcs, giant spider-like
crea-tures, demons, and dragons. Elves, Dwarves,Hobbits, and humans
form alliances whichbring the One Ring back to the fiery furnace
ofMount Doom.
Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings overthe space of 13 years as
a sequel to TheHobbit, in which a Hobbit gets caught up in amagical
adventure with a team of Dwarveswho are attempting to gain the
treasure of adragon called Smaug. In this tale, Bilbo Bag -gins
comes across a creature called Gollum atthe bottom of a mountain in
an undergroundlake. Gollum asks Bilbo to solve a number ofriddles.
As Bilbo is answering, he finds that asmall metallic ring he has
unexpectedly come
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across is of great significance. He slips it on,becomes
invisible, and is thus able to escapeGollums lair. Invisibility is
the first of severalpowers which the ring may confer to itsowner.
The Hobbit concludes with Bilbo mak-ing it back to the Shire, his
home region, andresuming his quiet lifestyle.The Lord of the Rings
begins where the
Hobbit leaves off, and suddenly it seems thatBilbos ring is of
much greater significancethan even he could have known. The
ringconfers great powers upon whoever is itsmaster (i.e., wearer),
but it has a will of itsown, and is constantly trying to make its
wayback to its original creator and master,Sauron, the Lord of
Mordor. A fellowship isformed consisting of representatives of
thedifferent races known collectively as theFree Peoples. They
sally forth to negatethe power of the ring by taking it to
MountDoom, where it was forged, and rid theworld of its influence
by dropping it into theflames of the volcano there. En route,
ouradventurers have to endure many privations,undergo tests and
challenges, and eventuallywin against the odds.
Everyone will find something differentwithin any epic tale such
as this. In this tarotdeck, which has been formulated along
tra-ditional tarot lines, great respect has beenpaid to both the
spiritual tradition of the
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tarot and the world of Middle-earth: we havehere a special
marriage of these two realms.But we have also gone a step further
andbrought in a dimension of a game that mayalso be played with the
deck. Thus we havecontinued the bardic tradition of bringing
funinto what can otherwise become an overlyacademic or serious area
of study and eso-tericism, and we feel that the spirit ofGandalf is
right behind us in making thatdecision. We have, in truth, brought
togeth-er three different realms into what we believeis a Master
Deck: uniting three into one. As itis written: Three Rings for
Elven Kings.
J. R. R. Tolkien originally wrote The Hobbit forfun, reading it
as he wrote it to his three sons.We can look at his work as if it
were a fairystory, but in doing so we would be missing thepoint.
Tolkiens work was in reality a monu-mental act of channeling, and
in The Hobbit,The Lord of the Rings, and especially in
TheSilmarillion, Tolkien has presented a symbolichistory of the
universe and many spirituallessons for us to apply in our own lives
as well.
We have the story of how a small group ofpeople, divided by
history but united by theloyalty they feel for one another,
overcome animmensely powerful enemy whose resourcesand magical
powers overwhelm their own. Yet through perseverance, honesty,
and
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dedication to their purpose, the Free Peoplesovercome adversity
and successfully save thefuture of their people. In the end, they
sailaway from persecution in Europe toward theAmericas, in a sense
another kind of BlessedRealm, where gods and mortals dwell, towhere
they could live their lives in freedomand in justice.
It has been said that the world is dividedinto those that have
read The Hobbit andThe Lord of the Rings, and those that aregoing
to read them. And in reading Tolkiensworks, each of us will derive
different insightsand at different times. For those of us whohave
already read The Hobbit, The Lord ofthe Rings, and The
Silmarillion, to go backand read them again will bring new
percep-tions, new realizations. For those to whomTolkiens work is
as yet unfamiliar, to beginsuch a major quest may seem at first to
be abit daunting. Yet in the beginning of such aquest we should ask
ourselves what wewould like to derive from it. Some see thestories
as parables, others as entertainment;indeed, there is no major
contradictionbetween these realms of experience.
Perhaps the most important character inthe story is Gandalf, a
wizard who inspires,defends, directs, and protects the FreePeoples
he is trying to unite and supportagainst the Dark Lord of the
eastern kingdom
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of Mordor. The name Gandalf is taken fromthe Prose Edda, an
ancient Icelandic legend ofgods and demons, and is a name or
titlemeaning wizard. He is a Merlin-archetype,that interconnecting
link of guide and teacherbetween the realm of mortals and the
king-dom of the gods which we find in every culture, spiritual
tradition, time, and region.
In creating The Lord of the Rings Tarot, wehave felt, at the
ragged edges of our ownreality, the occasional presence of
thisarchetype: it is playful as well as full ofgreat teaching. It
is thus fitting that this tarotdeck should also contain the aspect
of agame, encompassing the principal of fun andadventure that
Gandalf so epitomized.
We wish you fun and fulfillment as yourjourney begins, and hope
that you will enjoytraveling in the realm of Middle-earth asmuch as
we have. Who knows, we may evensee you there!
Following are basic card meanings. On eachcard, youll find a
caption that acts as a promp -ter to the cards symbolism and
significance.
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THE MAJOR ARCANAThe Major Arcana represents the major spiri-tual
mysteries or lessons of life.0 The FoolA new chapter of life opens
up. A sense ofadventure. Eccentricity, originality.Reversed:
Dissipation of energy.I The MagicianPutting your message out to a
wider audi-ence. Commanding the material aspects oflife. Using your
will to make things happen.Messages.Reversed: Insufficient
information; trickery.II The High PriestessAllowing your inner
thoughts and feelings tobe your guide. Not knowing why you
areprompted to do something. Trusting intu-ition. The call of the
wild. Influences of thepast, usually unconscious.Reversed:
Superstitious; superficial; image-conscious.III The
EmpressUtilizing your creativity. Manifesting; allow-ing things to
grow and develop around you.Growth and prosperity.Reversed: Too
easygoing; the need to standup for your rights.
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IV The EmperorThe struggle for independence. Refusal to sub-mit
to others authority. Pushing back externalinfluences which encroach
upon ones territory.Reversed: Too headstrong. Unable to heedthe
advice of others.V The HierophantPowerful teachers and teachings
enter ones life.Influences behind the scenes. Rituals and
cere-monies which work to influence objective reali-ty. Rites of
passage; shamanistic influences.Reversed: Stuck in tradition.VI The
LoversIntensity. Choices in relationships. Devotionto whatever or
whoever is sacred in onesheart. Sexuality as expression. Physical
love.Reversed: Obsessive love. Flightiness.VII The ChariotFocus all
your resources on attaining what ismost important, one step at a
time. Pulltogether disparate forces to create a semblanceof order.
Discipline, especially self-discipline.Reversed: Unable to finish
anything.VIII StrengthAllowing ones immediate impulses to
bedirected by the use of reason. Creating bridgesbetween this realm
and the realm of higherenergies. Opening oneself as a channel
forthese forces.
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Reversed: Not using your own abilities andpowers.IX The
HermitDont rush into new sets of commitments.Check out everything
involved before mak-ing that final plunge. Caution.Reversed: Overly
cautious.X The Wheel of FortuneThe ebbs and flows of lifes
opportunities.Temporary gratification versus ones destiny.Lifes ups
and downs. Consider how to main-tain well-being when things are
going well.Reversed: Too optimistic. Look out for possi-ble
pitfalls.XI JusticeAchieving a new sense of balance. Harmony,and
how it is attained. Taking responsibilityfor ones own errors rather
than blaming oth-ers for ones lot.Reversed: Lack of balance. Too
much or toolittle mercy shown.XII The Hanged ManDont be swayed or
influenced by the con-siderations of others. Dealing with ones
ownhang-ups. Waiting for something to happen.Stalemate.Reversed:
Looking at the world upside down.Unnecessary sacrifices.
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XIII DeathClearing away negative conditions in orderfor
something better to flow in. Giving upsomething of lesser value in
exchange forsomething of much greater long term value.The spirals
of lifes progression.Reversed: Unable to free oneself from
theinfluences of the past.XIV TemperanceLooking into the past in
order to be able tobetter understand the present. Using
onesexperience in order to deal more effectivelywith present
problems. Healing, self-analysis.Reversed: Unable to learn from the
past.XV The DevilDont let your own negativity hold you back.Become
aware of your own invisible ceilingsand thermostats. Avoid
self-sabotage. Thosearound you are negative.Reversed: Suppressive,
invalidating influences.XVI The TowerThe need to build upon solid
foundations,i.e., principles of honesty, truthfulness, andhumanity.
Putting the interests of what youbelieve in before your own
interests.Reversed: Anger, possible danger.XVII The StarPeace,
serenity, realization. Understandingones purpose in life.
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Reversed: Lack of humanitarianism; lack ofprinciples.XVIII The
MoonThings are not as they may seem at firstglance. There are
deeper reasons for whathappens. Strange connections between
peo-plebeyond their own understanding.Reversed: Living in a fantasy
realm. Unableto distinguish the difference between objec-tive
reality and what exists purely in theimagination.XIX The SunGrowth
and harmonious development in allaspects of life. Conscious
planning. Building,organization, objective and measurable
phe-nomenon.Reversed: Overly intense. Burning the candleat both
ends.XX JudgmentMajor transformation, possibly emigration.Moving on
to a completely different life style.In the grip of powerful
forces, seeing yourlife explode around you before the changesbecome
visible.Reversed: In the grip of obsessive forces.Feeling that one
is a pawn in a game playedby the gods.
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XXI The WorldSuccess, but the need for greater self-confi-dence.
The fulfillment of responsibilities,duties, and commitments. How we
growthrough dealing with life; not avoiding thechallenges it
presents us with.Reversed: Heavy burdens, excessive duties.Carrying
the world upon ones shoulders.Fears, especially about
responsibilities.
THE MINOR ARCANAThe Minor Arcana represents 56
every-daysituations and people that we all come acrossone way or
another in our lives.
You will notice that I have given reversalsfor the Major Arcana,
but not the MinorArcana. The Major Arcana reversals are muchmore
definitive, whereas with the MinorArcana you have to find your way
through.Basically a reversal shows a question markover the nature
of the influence of the card(s)concerned. It shows something coming
toosoon, too late, too much, or too little.
SWORDSRepresenting the element of air, Swordsshow states of mind
and states of conflict.Ace of Swords: Breakthrough; sudden
reso-lution. The use of power in just the rightmeasure. Effective
and timely intervention.
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Two of Swords: Good advice given andreceived. Considering all
the possibilitiesbefore committing oneself to any of them.Weighing
up the consequences of any possi-ble action.Three of Swords:
Heartbreak, but the needfor greater communication is a way of
resolv-ing this. A problem that is shared is a prob-lem that is
halved. The need to confide andunburden oneself. Comforting a
friend orloved one in a time of need.Four of Swords: The lifting of
tensions. Relieffrom suffering. Dissipation of obstacles.Five of
Swords: Crossed swords and a part-ing of the ways. Ones road in
life veers awaysuddenly, and one is alone. Dealing with sud-den
loss.Six of Swords: Sailing away from negativeand limiting
conditions. Disconnecting fromtroublesome or suppressive people.
Refusalto have turbulent people around oneself.Retreat, but one
step back out of the situa-tion is actually the way ahead.Seven of
Swords: Being ripped off by others.The need for greater security,
greater vigi-lance. Also, scenarios involving importantsacrifices
being made.
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Eight of Swords: Frustration, but the needfor greater patience
in order to find a wayout of the limitations. Dont struggle;
waituntil you know that your energy will makethe difference. Unable
to see the road whichlies ahead.Nine of Swords: Feeling that your
hands aretied. The will of another limiting and influenc-ing your
life. Obsessions, phobias. The needto open up new channels of
communication.Ten of Swords: Major life-changing experi-ences
occurring without warning. Shocks andsudden surprises. Feelings of
betrayal. Guiltabout what one could have done, or shouldhave done.
Trapped in the same old patterns.Conspiracies.Page of Swords: Dont
rush into battle,either ones own battle or other peoples.Oaths,
commitments, promises; possible dif-ficulties in fulfilling these.
Observing withoutmentally censoring what one sees.Knight of Swords:
As a person: a man ormasculine archetype who has won the war,but
who now needs to apply diplomacy asthe next stage of his battle
plan. As a situa-tion: a time for calling off the dogs and talk-ing
things through with those involved.Avoiding overreaction and
unnecessarydestructiveness.
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Queen of Swords: As a person: a woman orfeminine archetype who
has shown personalpower, but who now needs to cultivate allies.As a
situation: a time to draw up boundaries.Good fences make good
neighbors. Loyalfollowers to be rewarded.King of Swords: You have
won the war, nowyou must win the peace and make sure thatyou and
others get the practical benefit ofthe victory which you have
achieved.
WANDSWands are the suit of fire, and indicate ener-gy, action,
and power.Ace of Wands: New initiative being taken.The beginning of
a new cycle of action:cause-effect. Inspiration. A new idea
whichwill have far-reaching consequences.Two of Wands: Good advice
given andreceived. Guidance, direction being given tothose that
value it. Resistance to oppression.Three of Wands: Exercising
leadership byexample. Others will follow suit, but some-one has got
to be the first to stand up andresist negativity.Four of Wands:
Working with others towarda common purpose. Uniting people with
thesame objective against those that wouldwhittle away freedoms for
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greater common good. Mutual respectand integrity of purpose.Five
of Wands: Stiff opposition, and theneed for greater determination
to overcomeit. Competing forces, blockages, pressure.Six of Wands:
Victory. The turning of the tide.The seemingly stronger enemy
suddenly rout-ed. A strong sense of accomplishment. Timefor oneself
to be given a pat on the back.Seven of Wands: Cutting down your
prob-lems one by one. Dont let issues build upand overwhelm you.
Resist attack, evenwhen it comes in subtle forms.Eight of Wands:
Things are happening quick-ly. Messages are relayed from one
terminal toanother. Life as a flying carpet of experienceand
adventure.Nine of Wands: Break down your barriersonly when you feel
that the other person canbe trusted. Establish this first and
foremost.Ten of Wands: Carry the burdens of othersonly for a
definite time period and for a def-inite reason; dont do so
indiscriminately.Page of Wands: Learning, traveling. Movingthrough
life in a traveling/student mode.Knight of Wands: Dynamic
male/masculineenergy. Taking the necessary steps in order toeffect
a change.
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Queen of Wands: Able to act despite limita-tions and pressure to
succumb. Independent/dynamic female/male energy. Resistance
lead-ing on to resolution of an old scenario.King of Wands: A
man/masculine archetypeof leadership. Having to be strong in times
ofchallenge. Being strong by experiencingones emotions, not denying
them.
CUPSThis suit represents the element water, andshows emotions
and feelings.Ace of Cups: Emotional fulfillment at findingones
destiny. The value of love in ones life.Two of Cups: A new
relationship starting, ora new stage in an existing
relationship.Friendship, loyalty, togetherness.Three of Cups:
Reunion with old friends.Celebration, taking down the barriers.Four
of Cups: Reaching out for new friend-ships and associations.
Realizing the value ofwhat is being offered by others, and of
whatoneself has to offer.Five of Cups: Disillusionment with what
hashappened, having to make new plans toaccommodate a seeming
setback. Negativeemotional states.Six of Cups: Learning to share on
an emo-
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tional level. The growth of a friendshipthrough all its
phases.Seven of Cups: Confusion stemming fromthe vision of so many
seeming options. Theneed to get ones priorities in order and
workout a game plan.Eight of Cups: Looking for something on amuch
deeper level than the status quo.Going beyond the superficial to
follow onestrue path or destiny. Renunciation of thatwhich is now
unimportant.Nine of Cups: Experiencing life as a celebra-tion. The
center of attention. Attraction overothers. Being able to realize a
long-held wish.Ten of Cups: Emotional commitments ful-filled. Now
one is able to go on in life towhatever lies ahead.Page of Cups:
New social and other con-tracts. Learning social skills and
applyingthem. The influence of children in ones life.Knight of
Cups: As a person: a man/mascu-line archetype who is emotionally
sensitive tothe needs of others. As a situation: a scenarioin which
more giving is required.Queen of Cups: As a person: a
female/fem-inine archetype who is emotionally sensitiveto the needs
of others. As a situation: a sce-nario in which more receiving is
required.
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King of Cups: One who is emotionally ful-filled, and able to
help and support others.
COINSCoins represent earth and the material andfinancial
conditions of life.Ace of Coins: A new doorway opening
up,work-wise. Dealing with the material ques-tions of life with a
new spirit of adventure.Two of Coins: The same line of work, in
adifferent place. Juggling with finances, keep-ing several
different things on the move atthe same time.Three of Coins:
Learning new skills anddeveloping new abilities. Study,
application,love of books, and appreciation of other peo-ples
ideas.Four of Coins: Getting financial and materialconditions
organized. Accounting for whathas been spent; budgeting for future
costs.Putting a bridge between two differentrealms so that people
can move from onerealm to another.Five of Coins: Unforeseen
expenses/difficul-ties. The unexpected barrier, which is not
abarrier at all, but rather a doorway. Turning aproblem into an
opportunity. People bandingtogether to form a column of mutual
supportagainst whatever the future might hold.20
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Six of Coins: Wanting to be generous, butthere is a need for
discrimination in terms ofwho gets what. Choices concerning
divisionof the spoils, decisions as to who is deserv-ing.
Identifying an individuals and societyspriorities and how they
converge.Seven of Coins: Hard work. Persevere inorder to attain the
harvest. Continued appli-cation; rededication of effort; refusal to
giveup. Dedication to ones role in the GreatWork, i.e., ones
mission in life.Eight of Coins: Skill, especially the applica-tion
of knowledge from study, books, teach-ers. Using ones knowledge in
order to fulfillones own life and serve others. Crafts -manship,
professionalism.Nine of Coins: Gaining recognition in theeyes of
others. Moving through the Paths ofLife, and recognizing the worth
of what onehas experienced. The joys of the physicalplane, of the
senses, and of sense gratifica-tion. Feelings of accomplishment.Ten
of Coins: Joint finances and importantinvestment decisions. Major
economic poli-cies coming into effect. Large amounts ofmoney; the
movement of moneys aroundthe planet. International finance as a
vehiclefor planetary change.
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Page of Coins: Wanting to change ones lineof work, or take on
more responsibilities.Moving up and on in life through
fulfillingexisting duties. Able to refer back to onessuperior in
order to get a decision.Knight of Coins: As a person: a man
whowants to develop his career or vocation. As asituation: finances
require more activeinvolvement to realize full potential.Queen of
Coins: As a person: a woman whowants to develop her career or
vocation. As asituation: patience/passivity is required inorder to
see a benefit realized.King of Coins: A man/masculine archetypeon
the material plane who has demonstratedeffectiveness, and who now
needs greaterchallenges.
MEDITATIONSIn The Lord of the Rings there is a huge sup-ply of
symbolism that we can meditate upon.The value of meditation is that
we can learnhow to be still within our own minds, so as toopen the
doorways for greater realization toflow through. The tarot,
particularly when fil-tered through the symbolism of Tolkiensworld,
is quite potent for such purposes. Thearchetypes (the characters in
the story) are
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powerful and can lead us to understandingour lives more
deeply.
To meditate, you dont need to sit in anyparticular position.
Just breathe deeply,allowing your mind to clear of all its
present-time problems. After a few minutesandyou shouldnt try to
rush thisallow theimage of, say, Gandalf to come into yourmind.
What would he say to you? Wherewould he take you? Later on, you can
sum-mon the images of Frodo, Galadriel, Smaug,and so on.
In this form of meditation, you are effec-tively going on a
journey which will stimu-late your imagination, and quite possibly
castlight on your past to illuminate your presentand future. Try it
and see for yourself.The Lord of the Rings gives us many
hints as to psychic techniques that we canuse. Take, for
instance, the scene whereSaruman shows Gandalf his aurait hasturned
from white to many colors. Here is atechnique we can all use;
concentrate onemanating a particular color from aroundyou. Create
different colors in your ownaura. So the next time you find
yourself at aloss for something to do, dont just standthere,
emanate a color, or just let certain col-ors flow through you!
Again, try it and see.
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SPREADING THE CARDSIn laying out the cards, you might like to
usethe famous Celtic Cross spread. Following is adiagram to guide
you in laying out the cardsand putting each card meaning into
context.1. The general situation.2. Other aspects of the general
situation.3. What is on your mind.4. Background influences of the
last three years.5. Recent influences.6. The influences of the
coming year.7. Doorway from the present into the future.8. Domestic
life.9. Hopes or anxieties.10. Overview, or any other business. The
tenth
card does not show the final outcome, butshows us anything there
not covered by thepreceding nine cards in this spread.
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25
1 6
3
5
4
10
9
8
7
2
CELTIC CROSS SPREAD
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The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card GameRules by Mike
Fitzgerald
For 2-6 players, ages 10 to adult
The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game iseasy to learn and quick
to play. All playersstart out as Free Peoples of Middle-earth ona
journey to Mount Doom with hopes ofdestroying the One Ring so it
wont fall intothe evil hands of Sauron. The journey is rep-resented
by the playing of cards from yourhand onto the Journey Pile
(discard pile).The players as a group reach Mount Doom(i.e., the
round ends) as soon as one playerhas run out of cards. Along the
way, playerswill be influenced by the forces in Middle-earth, and
some may be pulled by the DarkForces to join Sauron in his attempt
to gaincontrol of the Ring. This is represented byplaying Dark
Forces cards and earning DarkPoints.
Players earn Victory Points in their jour-ney, representing
bravery and their dedica-tion to the cause of either Gandalf
orSauron. At the end of the game, the playeror players with the
most Victory Points is the winner. Three rounds constitute a
game.Each round represents one of the threebooks in Tolkiens The
Lord of the Rings trilogy.
To play, you need The Lord of the RingsTarot deck; coins or
counters to keep track
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of Dark Points; and the score sheet (pp. 42-43) to keep track of
the scores after eachround and determine the overall scores atthe
end of the game. Please also refer to the Quick Reference
rule guides on pages 38-40, and the QuickGuide to Victory Points
card included withthe deck.
Object of the GameIn their quest to reach Mount Doom, playerstry
to acquire the highest number of VictoryPoints.
5 Victory Points are awarded at the end ofeach round to: The
first player to go out (play all the
cards in their hand). The player who has earned the least
Dark
Points at the end of each round. (5 bonusVictory Points are
awarded if the RingAffiliation is Free.)
The player who has earned the most DarkPoints at the end of each
round. (5 bonusVictory Points are awarded if the RingAffiliation is
Dark.)
The player who is the Ring Bearer at theend of the round.
Note: If players are tied in any of theseVictory Point
conditions, they are eachgiven the full 5 Victory Points.
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Players also earn 5 Victory Points each forhaving the most Dark
Points at the end ofthe game, and for having the least DarkPoints
at the end of the game.
The DeckThe playing deck is the 78-card The Lord ofthe Rings
Tarot deck, comprised of: 10 numbered cards in each of the four
suits of the Minor Arcana (Swords,Wands, Cups, Coins). These are
referredto in the rules as Minor Arcana cards.
Four Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen,King) in each of the four
suits of theMinor Arcana.
22 Major Arcana cards ranking from theFool (0) to the World
(XXI).In the upper right corner of each card is a
symbol to delineate the affiliation of the card:1. Free Peoples
Symbol: These cardsrepresent Gandalf and the forces ofgood in
Middle-earth. There are 51
Free Peoples cards in the deck, each with agreen background.
2. Dark Forces Symbol: These cardsrepresent Sauron and the
forces of evil
in Middle-earth, and give players DarkPoints which are used to
determine howgood or evil the player is in the journey.There are 20
Dark Forces cards in the deck,each with a red background.
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3. Neutral Symbol: Neutral cards canbe associated with either
good orevil. During the game, a player
declares a Neutral card Free or Dark when itis played. There are
six Neutral cards in thedeck, each with a gold background.
4. One Ring Symbol: This appears onlyon the Wheel of Fortune
(MajorArcana X), representing the Ring in
this game. At the start of each round, theRing is placed in the
center of the table; dur-ing the round, it is passed around
amongthe players depending on who is the RingBearer (see p. 33).
This card is not consid-ered to have a numerical rank in this
game.
Setup1. Before play begins, remove the Ring(Wheel of Fortune)
from the deck and placeit face up in the middle of the playing
area.This card represents the Ring that the groupis carrying to
Mount Doom to destroy.2. Randomly designate one player to deal.Put
about 30 coins or counters in the playingarea where everyone can
reach them. Theserepresent Dark Points. The dealer now givesseven
cards to each player.
In the second and third rounds of play, allplayers study their
hands and select twocards to pass to another player. (See
instruc-tions to follow.)
29
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First Round No cards are passed.
Second Round All players pass two cards tothe player on their
left.
Third Round All players pass two cards tothe player on their
right.
3. The dealer now turns up the top card fromthe Draw Pile and
places it face up next to the Draw Pile to start the Journey
Pile.The player to the left of the dealer playsfirst, and play
proceeds clockwise.
During the game, players will decidewhether they will try to
align themselveswith Gandalf and the Free Peoples, or jointhe Dark
Forces of Sauron. The Free Peoplesgroup will play as many Free
Peoples cardsas they can, while trying to avoid DarkPoints (see pp.
34-35). Those aligned withSaurons Dark Forces will try to play as
manyDark Forces cards and score as many DarkPoints as possible.
While players will have agood idea whether they will try to be Free
orDark when they first look at their hands bynoting how many Free
or Dark cards theyhold, they may change their associations inthe
course of the game. Neutral cards aredeclared to be either Free or
Dark whenthey are played.
30
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The PlayThere are four options for play:1. Play a card from your
hand to the Journey
Pile that matches the top card on theJourney Pile in suit or
rank.
2. Play a Major Arcana card to the Ring. 3. Draw a card from the
Draw Pile, and then
play a card as described in play option 1 or 2. 4. Draw a card
from the Draw Pile, and then
elect to end your turn without playing acard to either the
Journey Pile or the Ring.Playing onto the Journey Pile brings
the
group closer to their goal of reaching MountDoom to destroy the
Ring.
Playing to the Ring determines the forcescontrolling the Ring,
i.e., the Free Peoples orthe Dark Forces; playing to the Ring
alsodetermines which player is the Ring Bearer. 1. Play a card from
your hand to the JourneyPile that matches the top card on the
JourneyPile in suit or rank.Example: Top card is the Two of Cups:
playany Two or any Cup.
The Major Arcana cards are wild cards;players may play any Major
Arcana to theJourney Pile at any time and declare a newsuit. The
next card played must match thedeclared suit, or be another Major
Arcana card.Example: Card played on top of King ofWands is
Temperance; player declares
31
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Coins as new suit. Next card played canbe any Coin or any Major
Arcana.
Similarly, if the first card in the JourneyPile is a Major
Arcana card, the dealerdeclares the suit (Swords, Wands,
Cups,Coins) for the first player to match.Note: You may play a
Minor Arcana card tothe Journey Pile on top of a Major Arcana ifit
matches the numerical rank of the MajorArcana card. This only
applies to the MajorArcana cards ranked I-IX. Example: Top card is
the Empress (III): playany Three or any Major Arcana.
But if the top card is the Hanged Man (XIIMajor Arcana), and the
new suit is declaredto be Cups, the next player can play any Cupor
any Major Arcana wild card; in this game,no Minor Arcana card
matches rank with aMajor Arcana card above the rank of 9. The
CourtCards do not have numerical ranks in this game.2. Play a Major
Arcana card to the Ring.Major Arcana cards can be played to theRing
in order to gain control of the Ring.The rank of the card played to
the Ringmust be higher in rank than the last cardplayed to the
Ring.Example: The Hierophant (V) is on the Ring.A Major Arcana
ranked above V (5) maythen be played to the Ring.
32
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Exceptions: The Ring, although a Major Arcana card,
is not considered to have a numericalrank in this game. The
first card played tothe Ring, therefore, may be of any rank.
Although the Fool (0) is the lowest rank-ing Major Arcana card,
it can be playedon top of any other Major Arcana card tothe Ring.
Once this is done, any MajorArcana card of a higher rank than
theFool (0) may be played on top of it.When a player places a Major
Arcana
card on the Ring, they must immediatelydraw a card from the Draw
Pile to theirhand to replace that Major Arcana card(even if the
card played empties their hand,the player must draw a new card and
is notyet out). Becoming the Ring Bearer:Whoever plays a Major
Arcana to the Ringgains the honor of becoming the groupsRing
Bearer, placing the Ring in front ofthem with the Major Arcana card
on top ofit. This player represents the brave travelerwho carries
the Ring to Mount Doom. Theplayer who is the Ring Bearer at the end
ofthe round will earn 5 Victory Points.
In addition, the Ring Bearer may elect toadd or remove one Dark
Point to or fromany players score (including their own) in
33
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the beginning of his or her turn. The RingBearer announces which
player is to receiveor lose one Dark Point before any other
playaction is taken. (A Dark Point taken awayfrom a player is not
given to another player;nor is a Dark Point assigned to a
playertaken from another player.)3. Draw a card from the Draw Pile,
and thenplay a card as described in play option 1 or 2.Remember
that each time you play a MajorArcana card to the Ring, you must
drawanother card from the Draw Pile. Therefore, ifyou draw a card
from the Draw Pile and thenplay a Major Arcana card on the Ring,
youstill must draw a second card into your hand.4. Draw a card from
the Draw Pile, and thenelect to end your turn without playing a
cardto either the Journey Pile or the Ring if youcannot or do not
wish to play any card youpresently hold in your hand.
Dark PointsDuring the round, players will acquire DarkPoints
(use counters or coins to keep track ofeach player's Dark Points
during each round).These symbolize the extent to which each play-er
is influenced by the Dark Forces of Sauron.
Dark Points are acquired in the followingfour ways:1. Playing a
Dark Force card or a Neutral
card declared to be Dark to the JourneyPile = 2 Dark Points
34
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2. Playing a Dark Force Major Arcana card ora Neutral card
declared to be Dark to theRing = 3 Dark Points
3. A Dark Force card held in a player's hand atthe end of a
round, or any Neutral cards ina player's hand at the end of a round
thatare declared Dark = 1 Dark Point each
4. At the beginning of each of the RingBearer's turns, he or she
may assign or takeaway 1 Dark Point to or from any player(including
themselves).
At the end of each round, all players recordtheir total Dark
Points on the score sheet, andstart the next round with zero Dark
Points.
Ending the RoundA player should alert the others when onecard
remains in their hand. To do this, theplayer announces One Ring.
There is nopenalty for not doing this. The round ends assoon as one
player has gone out by play-ing their last card to the Journey
Pile.
If the Draw Pile is depleted before a playergoes out, the round
ends with no VictoryPoints given for going out. All other
VictoryPoints are awarded normally.
If any player has more than seven cards intheir hand at the end
of a round, that playerdoes not score any Victory Points.
However,that players Dark Points are added to theiroverall Dark
Point totals for the game.
35
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ScoringThe player who goes out first is the bestguide in the
group. This player gets 5 VictoryPoints for finding the quickest
way to MountDoom for the group.
The Ring Bearer at the end of the roundhas shown tremendous
courage in bringingthe Ring to Mount Doom, and gets 5 VictoryPoints
for bravery.
The player with the most Dark Points hasbeen influenced by the
Dark Forces and hasjoined Sauron in his fight against the
FreePeoples, and receives 5 Victory Points as a reward from Sauron
for his loyalty. Add 5 more Victory Points to this players scoreif
the Ring has a Dark Force card on it at the end of the roundan
extra bonus from Sauron for keeping the Ring from being destroyed!
This is shown asRing Affiliation on the score sheet.
The player with the least number of DarkPoints has remained true
to the Free Peoplesof Middle-earth and receives 5 VictoryPoints as
a reward from Gandalf and thegood forces in Middle-earth. Add 5
moreVictory Points to this players score if theRing has a Free
Peoples card on it at the endof the round, as an extra bonus
fromGandalf for helping to destroy the Ring atMount Doom. This is
also shown as RingAffiliation on the score sheet.
36
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37
Record all players Dark Points at the endof each round on the
score sheet. At the endof the game, the player with the
highesttotal Dark Points receives 5 more VictoryPoints, and the
player with the lowest totalDark Points also receives 5 Victory
Points. If more than one player has the highest orlowest total Dark
Points, they each get5 Victory Points. After totaling all
theVictory Points, the player with the highestoverall total of
Victory Points wins thegame.
When playing with two players, note thatthe game will depend
upon which playergoes out first, which player is the RingBearer,
and which forces control the Ring inthe end, since each player will
automaticallyget the Victory Points for having the most orleast
Dark Points.
-
38
Quick Reference: Play Options for The Lord of the Rings Tarot
Card Game
Play a card from your hand to the Journey Pilethat matches the
top card on the Journey Pilein suit or rank. Play a Minor Arcana
card: must match top
card on Journey Pile in suit or rank
Play a Major Arcana card: declare a new suitto be played by next
player
Take 2 Dark Points if you play a Dark Forcescard, or a Neutral
card that you declare tobe Dark
Play a Major Arcana card from your hand tothe Ring
Play a Major Arcana card of higher numericalrank than the last
card played to the Ring
EXCEPTIONS:
> The first card played to the Ring maybe of any numerical
rank. The Ring hasno numerical value in this game.
> Although the Fool (0) is the lowestranking Major Arcana
card, it can be played on top of any other MajorArcana card to the
Ring. Once this is done, any Major Arcana card of a higher rank may
be played on top of the Fool (0).
Take 3 Dark Points if you play a Dark Forces card, or a Neutral
card that youdeclare to be Dark
Always draw another card after you haveplayed a card to the
Ring
You are now the Ring Bearer. You may assignor take away a point
to or from any player inthe beginning of each of your turns
option 2
option 1
-
39
Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then playa card as described
in play option 1 or 2
Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then elect toend your turn
without playing a card to either theJourney Pile or the Ring if you
cannot or do notwish to play any card presently in your hand
option 3
option 4
Quick Reference: Dark PointsDark Points are awarded as follows.
Keep track ofDark Points in each round with coins or
counters.Players begin each new round with zero Dark Points.
Dark Force card or Neutral card declared to beDark played to
Journey Pile = 2 Dark Points
Dark Force Major Arcana card or Neutral carddeclared to be Dark
played to Ring = 3 DarkPoints
Dark Force card held in a players hand at the endof a round, or
any Neutral cards in a players handat the end of a round declared
Dark = 1 DarkPoint each
Optional points given to or removed from anyplayer by Ring
Bearer = plus or minus 1 DarkPoint
-
Quick Reference: Winning the GameTo win the game, you must score
the highest number of Victory Points. 5 Victory Points areawarded
at the end of each round to:
The first player to go out (play all their cards)
The player who has earned the least Dark Points (5bonus Victory
Points awarded if the Ring Affiliationis Free)
The player who has earned the most Dark Points(5 bonus Victory
Points awarded if the RingAffiliation is Dark)
The player who is the Ring Bearer at the end of theround
At the end of the game: The player with most DarkPoints overall
and the least Dark Points overall
40
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About the Creators of The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck &
Card Game
From the first time he read Tolkiens books,Peter Pracownik knew
he would one day paintthe scenes and characters. He painted
theDragon Tarot and Wyvern. Peter has lived inGlastonbury and
Tintagel, England, for most ofhis life, has held art exhibitions
throughout theworld, and runs an art gallery in Glaston bury.
Terry Donaldson is a professional Tarot reader,astrologer, and
counselor, and the founder/director of the London Tarot Centre. He
is theauthor of Step-By-Step Tarot, Principles ofTarot, and The
Dragon Tarot, and was co-cre-ator of the Dragon Tarot deck and
Wyvern.Terry is married and has a daughter, Claudia.
Mike Fitzgerald is an accomplished gamedesigner. He created the
collectible card gameWyvern for U.S. Games Systems, as well
asCharlie Brown Plays Baseball and Peanuts
Comic Strip card games.
-
PLAY
ERS----------->
GOINGOU
T+5
RINGBE
ARER+5
RINGAF
FILIATION+5
MOS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
L EAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
FIRSTRO
UNDTO
TALS
GOINGOU
T+5
RINGBE
ARER+5
RINGAF
FILIATION+5
MOS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
L EAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
SECO
NDRO
UNDTO
TALS
GOINGOU
T+5
RINGBE
ARER+5
RINGAF
FILIATION+5
MOS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
L EAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
THIRDRO
UNDTO
TALS
DARK
POINTS1S
TRO
UND
DARK
POINTS2N
DRO
UND
DARK
POINTS3R
DRO
UND
TOTALDARKPO
INTS
MOS
T/LEAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
FINAL
SCO
RES
Also refer to the Quick Guide to Victory Points card included
with the deck. Players may reproduce this score sheet.
Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game Score Sheet
-
Also refer to the Quick Guide to Victory Points card included
with the deck. Players may reproduce this score sheet.
PLAY
ERS----------->
GOINGOU
T+5
RINGBE
ARER+5
R INGAF
FILIATION+5
MOS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
LEAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
FIRSTRO
UNDTO
TALS
GOINGOU
T+5
RINGBE
ARER+5
RINGAF
FILIATION+5
MOS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
LEAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
SECO
NDRO
UNDTO
TALS
GOINGOU
T+5
RINGBE
ARER+5
R INGAF
FILIATION+5
MOS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
LEAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
THIRDRO
UNDTO
TALS
DARK
POINTS1S
TRO
UND
DARK
POINTS2N
DRO
UND
DARK
POINTS3R
DRO
UND
TOTALDARKPO
INTS
MOS
T/LEAS
TDA
RKPO
INTS+5
FINAL
SCO
RES
Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game Score Sheet
