Mistborn Tarot: Spoilers for all books (Discuss)

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: Ironeyes

This card is known as Ironeyes or Death on Scadrial. We would call this card Justice. Prior to the fall of the Final Empire this card was often called The Inquisitor. Ironeyes would later come to be associated with it.

Upright the card represents Justice, Truth and Law. Reversed it represents Unfairness and Dishonesty.

The allomantic symbol on this card is Aluminum, which removes metals. It can symbolize the removal of biases when judging others, or the purification of the spirit that comes from receiving justice.

Ironeyes can pair with The Survivor when playing Tarot for additional points. This trump pair is referred to as ‘The Brothers.’ The Brothers can be called at any point during a round for additional points, so long as at least one of the Brothers is in the taker’s hand. When performing reading the presence of the Brothers may indicate familial relationships, particularly those between siblings. 

This is the last of the original 12 cards I completed four years ago.

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: Sacrifice

The Sacrifice card represents Surrender, Letting  Go and New Perspectives. This card was formerly known as The Execution and some still utilize the name.

The card depicts the  Last Emperor gazing into the future as he allows Ironeyes to kill him, knowing his death is necessary for that future to be. For this reason he hangs loose. Close inspection of the card will reveal that Lord Elend is not suspended by any visible force, further evidence that his impending death is entirely his choice; a sacrifice for all of Scadrial.

The visions Elend gazes upon show the clash between Ruin and Preservation, Harmony healing the world, Harmony’s Ascension, and the newly healed Scadrial. Elend’s face is turned toward the last image, the yellow sun rising over fields of marewill. This is reflective of The Last Emperor card, which depicts Lord Elend against the sun, hovering over a field of Marewill.

This card has an interesting history for me. It was the last card I began four years ago. I drew Marsh and Elend, inked them, and stopped. When I restarted the deck, I completed this card by designing the “windows” of the future Elend is looking on. The Sun thing was a coincidence, btw. I hadn’t designed that card when I drew that Window. Elend looking at was a fortuitous accident.

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: The Survivor

Kelsier, Survivor of Hathsin, adorns the card that bears his monicker. Upright this card symbolizes Endings, Transition, Change and Transformation. Reversed it represents Resistance to Change, Inner Purging, and Personal Transformation.

This card’s association with Change, as well as the Death imagery often associated with the Survivor, led to him coming to represent this card. The Survivor is pictured before a bloody fountain, stabbed through the chest with an obsidian tipped spear. The mists swirl about him, symbolic of his status as Lord of the Mists. Above him is the symbol of Malatium, the eleventh metal that led to the Lord Ruler’s defeat. In the lower right is the symbol of Lerasium, here representing Preservation, to which the Survivor would briefly Ascend. As always, the spear is symbolic of the deck of Spears. The Survivor’s blue shirt is representative of the blue skies he promised would be restored.

When a taker holds both The Survivor and Ironeyes, he can declare the brothers for additional points. If the taker holds The Sovereign, The Survivor and The Cosmere, the Survivor may count as an additional bout. If used in this manner, The Survivor may not be used as part of The Brothers.

This is the first entirely new card I created for this deck. It is the thirteenth trump and the fourteenth card overall.

[Kingsdaughter613]

Sharders! The point of posting this isn’t just to show off the art. It’s to get some thoughts about the mock-history of Tarot I’m creating for Scadrial.

Some things that I’ve decided are set:

The game Tarot came into popularity in the third or fourth century of TLR’s reign. It’s unclear when exactly the game developed. It plays similarly to French Tarot in our world. As in France, Tarot is very popular in North Scadrial.

The Skaa began playing Tarot sometime between the fifth and sixth centuries of TLR’s reign. This was mostly done by city Skaa. The game trikled down via Skaa thieves who learned it so they could better fit in among the nobility. Most Skaa created their own decks, as printed cards were harder to acquire.

It is unclear when Tarot cards began to be used for divinatory purposes. The first known use was in the late 8th century. Ironically, it seems the practice began among the Skaa and trikled upward to the nobility.

Following the fall of the Funal Empire many Skaa began redesigning the deck. There were multiple redesigns, as most decks were customized following the Skaa tradition of making their own.

The modern Scadrian deck is based off The Lord Mistborn’s personal deck, with two exceptions. The cards utilized for tarot and divination are the same, with many utilizing the same deck for both purposes. Most decks in modern Scadrial are printed.

The Sovereign card replaced the allomancer card after it was revealed that Kelsier was the Sovereign. Around the same time a spike was added to his image on the Cosmere card. This occurred around the time of Era 2, possibly a little later.

Scadrial has developed a few unique tarot rules that separate it from French Tarot:

The Survivor’s Hand: Tarot has three bouts, The Fool, The Sovereign and The Cosmere. If a taker holds The Sovereign, The Cosmere and The Survivor the last may be used as an additional bout. At least one of the three cards must be in the taker’s hand when The Survivor’s Hand is called. (The other two cards may be in the tricks pile.) The Hand may be called at any time during the round. The Survivor may not be used as a bout if it is being used as part of The Brothers.

The Brothers: If both the Survivor and Ironeyes are held in hand, the taker may call The Brothers. If called, and the taker wins, the Brothers are worth an extra 30 points. If the Taker does not call The Brothers, but wins the round with them in his Trick pile, they are worth fifteen points. If the Taker loses the round the points for the called Brothers go to the other players. If the Taker calls the Brothers, subsequently loses one, then wins the round, thirty points are deducted from his total. If The Survivor is being used as a bout it cannot be used as part of The Brothers.

The Imperial Pair: This hand is formed by The Lovers, The Ascendant Warrior, and The Last Emperor. The rules follow those of The Brothers, with the exception of a called hand being worth fifty points and an uncalled one being worth twenty-five. 

 

[Frustration]

Well, if you want my thoughts on the development, I don't think Hoid is going to let Kelsier have all the fun to himself and would find a way to sneak himself into the game.

[Kingsdaughter613]

47 minutes ago, Frustration said:

Well, if you want my thoughts on the development, I don't think Hoid is going to let Kelsier have all the fun to himself and would find a way to sneak himself into the game.

Kelsier actually designed only one card: The Steward of Spears, which features Dockson. And it was less ‘design’ as complain about Dox not being in the deck. Spook solved this by having his own deck feature Dox on a card and ensuring everyone in the Basin knew it.

Most of the cards were designed by the freed Skaa during WoA and in the aftermath of HoA. The modern card deck follows Spook’s particular design, but who goes on which card was mostly a natural process (with the exception of the above). I don’t think Hoid played enough of a role on Scadrial for him to feature on a card.

Now, if we’re talking Silverlight decks, Hoid tends to feature on the Worldhopper/Cosmere card. But this is a Scadrian deck, not a Silverlight deck.

[Frustration]

8 minutes ago, Kingsdaughter613 said:

Kelsier actually designed only one card: The Steward of Spears, which features Dockson. And it was less ‘design’ as complain about Dox not being in the deck. Spook solved this by having his own deck feature Dox on a card and ensuring everyone in the Basin knew it.

Most of the cards were designed by the freed Skaa during WoA and in the aftermath of HoA. The modern card deck follows Spook’s particular design, but who goes on which card was mostly a natural process (with the exception of the above). I don’t think Hoid played enough of a role on Scadrial for him to feature on a card.

Now, if we’re talking Silverlight decks, Hoid tends to feature on the Worldhopper/Cosmere card. But this is a Scadrian deck, not a Silverlight deck.

I was more meaning being featured than making them.

And replacing him in the decks of more Cosmere aware groups is (I think) a big enough statement for it to satisfy Hoid,

[Kingsdaughter613]

27 minutes ago, Frustration said:

I was more meaning being featured than making them.

And replacing him in the decks of more Cosmere aware groups is (I think) a big enough statement for it to satisfy Hoid,

Who got featured was basically decided by various citizens after TFE fell, based on their personal associations and the cards original names, with minor alterations. Which is where I just don’t see Hoid having enough of an impact to effect that process. Spook’s deck was just one variant of the deck everyone was using. (So everyone had the same people on the cards, but the cards looked different, if that makes sense.)

Off world, it made a lot more sense for Hoid to be on the Cosmere/Worldhopper card. Quite a few decks put him on The Fool as well. Admittedly, tarot is not quite as popular off Scadrial as on it (with the exception of the Ghostbloods, who have regular tarot tournaments). Kind of like how it’s more popular in France (where it was developed) than in the US.

The cards are typically not used for divination by non-Scadrians, with the exception of one particular Cosmere organization. Scadrian worldhoppers prefer to use a Scadrian deck for divination, but may use Silverlight decks for regular play.

I want it to kind of sound like this could be a real deck with a real in-world history, if that makes sense.

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: Harmony

Not very surprisingly, this card features Harmony. He cradles Scadrial in his arms, guarding and protecting her. On his arms, fingers, and in his ears are copper metalminds, sybolizing his knowledge and wisdom. His stands on water and land, black and white mist swirling about him. The same colors appear on his symbol, indicating that he is both Ruin and Preservation united.

Upright Harmony symbolizes Balance, Moderation, Patience and Purpose. Reversed it symbolizes Imbalance, Excess, Self-healing, and Realignment.

Water and land symbolize that one must remain grounded, but must also go with the flow. Harmony cradles the globe, symbolic of Scadrial’s people and their ties to their world. Black and white swirl together at the peak of Harmony’s symbol, sybolizing how the two united become life.

The blue in Harmony’s robes are the blue skies he restored. The green is for the green plants. Orange recalls the Copperminds Harmony utilized to restore the world.

This card has seemingly always been called Harmony, even prior to the Ascension. As such, the modern association of this card with the Shard was all but inevitable.

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: Ruin

This card corresponds to our Devil card. This card’s name appears to be quite old, although the imagery is modern. Like most of these cards, Ruin is taken from the deck of the Lord Mistborn. This card symbolizes the Shadow Self, Attachment, Addiction, Restriction, and Sexuality. Reversed it symbolizes Releasing Limiting Beliefs, Exploring Dark Thoughts, and Detachment.

Ruin is shown holding two crossed hemalurgic spikes, from which bloody strings descend like those of a puppet. Attached to the strings are Ironeyes, the Ascendant Warrior, the Lord Mistborn, and the Survivor, all of whom were manipulated by Ruin. In his right hand Ruin holds a single spike from which a miniature version of himself descends, indicating that Ruin himself is a puppet to his own Intent.

Behind Ruin’s head is the symbol of Atium, his god metal. Ash falls from red skies in the background and black mist rises, an indication of the destructive nature of Ruin.

Here are some pieces of this card’s creation:

concept sketch:

rough sketch:

Pencil sketch:

Inked sketch:

The tiny people on the blood strings were the hardest part of this card.

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: The Catacendre

The Catacendre is Scadrial’s version of The Tower. The name is obviously a post-Catacendre invention. Pre-Catacendre cards displayed seven volcanoes and the card was known as The Ashmounts. Post-Catacendre, the card, associated with Upheaval, began to display the tumultuous events that ended the World of Ash.

Upright this card symbolizes Sudden Change, Upheaval, Chaos, Revelation, and Awakening. Reversed it represents Personal Transformation, Fear of Change, and Averting Disaster.

The card shows to hands cradling Scadrial. One hand is white, symbolizing Preservation, and the other is black, for Ruin. The two hands blend at their base, indicating the merger of forces.

Between the hands are sixteen stars, symbolic of the sixteen allomantic metals. Nine stars are above Ruin’s hand, indicating the nine base metals that had been commonly known in the Final Empire. (Atium being a godmetal, of course.) Three stars are between Preservation’s fingers, representing the three metals discovered by Lady Vin: Aluminum, Duralumin, and Electrum.

Here is the line art prior to coloring:

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: The Ascendant Warrior 

The Ascendant Warrior is also known The Ascendant’s Field or simply The Stars. The corresponding card in our world is The Star.

Upright this card symbolizes Hope, Faith, Purpose, Renewal, and Spirituality. Reversed it represents Lack of Faith, Despair, Self-trust, and Disconnection

This card, like many prior to the fall of the Final Empire, once displayed the Lord Ruler. The card was then known as The Sliver. Skaa readers typically reversed the card meanings at this time. Like many similar cards, this card went through a brief period where it displayed the Survivor. That version of the card is known as The Lord of the Mists. Both cards are still in use, but are uncommon.

It is unclear when this card began to display the Ascendant Warrior above the Mists. The decision was likely related to the Survivorist belief that Lady Vin merged with the Mists. It is generally accepted that Lady Vin’s placement on this card led to her husband’s position on the Last Emperor card.

There are sixteen stars above the Ascendant Warrior, symbolizing the sixteen metals. Her hands reach up to catch the stars as she falls into the Mist, trusting it to catch her. She hovers momentarily between worlds, between realms, as she prepares to Ascend them entirely. In this she represents all three realms of existence.

WIP images for The Ascendant Warrior:

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: The Mist

The Mist is sometimes referred to as Preservation. It displays Leras, former Vessel of Preservation, dissolving in mist. For unknown reasons, our master refers to this card as Fuzz.

The Mists upright represent Illusion, Fear, Anxiety, Subconscious and Intuition. Reversed it symbolizes Release of Fear, Repressed Emotion, and Inner Confusion.

This card retains its name from before the Final Empire’s fall. The Mists were often associated with mystery and fear, so it’s understandable how those meanings came to be represented by this card.

The image on this card, as noted above, is Leras. The first appearance of the Vessel in this card was in the Lord Mistborn’s deck. One can only presume that the Survivor passed on the description. As with many other cards in that deck, this version of The Mist has become the most popular.

The black pants Leras wears represent the Final Empire and its static society. The brown coat is said to represent the brown plants of the ante-verdant world which could endure even in the ash. The blue tunic represents the return of the blue skies, for which Preservation planned. Leras gazes toward his symbol - Lerasium - a hint toward allomancy, the gift of Preservation.

On our world this card is called The Moon. Scadrial doesn’t have a moon, but the Mists have a similar lore in many ways. Finding ways around lunar imagery for a world without a moon...

The Mists WIP:

Edited April 1, 2021 by Kingsdaughter613

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: The Last Emperor

The Last Emperor is sometimes called the Sun and he represents the day to the Ascendant Warrior’s night. Together they form the Imperial Pair, a trump pair unique to Scadrial.

Upright The Last Emperor represents Positivity, Fun, Warmth, Success, and Vitality. Reversed it symbolizes the Inner Child, Feeling Down, and being Overly Optimistic. 

This card has, in part, retained its original name as many still refer to it as The Sun. As with The Mists, the anteverdant version of this card does not display a figure, instead showing the Mists dispelled beneath the breaking dawn. Post-Catacendre Scadrial tended to revere the Mists - officially, anyway - so showing them dispelled was no longer viewed as fitting. It is likely that the original imagery is why the Survivor, who is often associated with the Mists, was never displayed on this card.

The themes of dawn and hope remained, however, with the modern card showing the sun shining on the new world. The decision to put the Last Emperor on this card is held by most historians to be due to the presence of his wife on the former Sliver card. The two cards are held to represent day and night.

The four marewill flowers represent the four seasons, four elements and four suits. As is traditional, the flowers are stylized with three petals said to represent the metallic arts and the three realms. (Marewill flowers tend to have six petals, forming two layers of three to create a six pointed star shape. But you knew this already, Master Thaidakar, so I don’t know why I need to repeat it here.)

The green grass and blue skies are symbolic of the New World and the potential it holds. It also indicates youth and wonder. The warm yellow sun dominating the sky symbolizes the warmth and positivity the Last Emperor was known for. Elend extends his hand to the flowers, the four minor suits, indicating his desire to protect those who lack power. He hovers above the land, showing that he stands above the biases that do taint the deliberations of others.

The Last Emperor WIP:

I imagine Marewill to look a bit like a lilly:

But with blue instead of pink, with white edging and speckling. This is based off a picture that Brandon offered for what he thinks Marewill might look like.

In case I haven’t mentioned it before, these descriptions are written by Trésor, a Ghostblood, for Master Thaidakar. He asked her to look into a possible connection between minor forms of divination, such as cartomancy, and Fortune.

[Bejarden]

I don’t want to sound like an idiot...but what’s a tarot card

[Kingsdaughter613]

1 hour ago, Bejardin1250 said:

I don’t want to sound like an idiot...but what’s a tarot card

Tarot is a card game. It’s played with a Trump Deck of 22 cards and four suits of 14 cards. The suits are known as Swords, Cups, Pentacles/Coins, and Wands. It’s very popular in France and Scadrial is inspired by France, so...

The cards are also used for Cartomancy (telling the future through cards). When used like that the cards have certain meanings attached to them and a great deal of symbolic imagery.

On Earth one version of the deck is used for the game and another is used for cartomancy. Scadrial uses one deck for both.

While I don’t believe in cartomancy, I do like the symbolic imagery in the cards. I’ve been creating a working deck for Scadrial. I’ve so far finished the Major Arcana (trump deck) and am nearly done the first suit. 

[Kingsdaughter613]

Mistborn Tarot: The Ascension 

The Ascension is the penultimate card in the Scadrian trump deck. The card shows Sazed kneeling between the bodies of Vin and Ati, taking up the powers of Ruin and Preservation as he Ascends to Harmony.

Upright The Ascension represents Judgement, Rebirth, Inner Calling, Absolution. Reversed the card symbolizes Self-doubt, Inner Critic, Ignoring the Call.

As with The Mists, this card retains its name from the Final Empire. Originally this card displayed the Lord Ruler stepping into a pool or pillar of light. Many Sliverist decks still retain this imagery, though it is uncommon elsewhere. Harmony’s Ascension, being rather dramatic, understandably supplanted the Lord Ruler’s earlier one. 

There are sixteen stars in the sky above Harmony (two of which are slightly cut off in this image). In this they symbolize the 16 metals. Harmony’s Copperminds separate from his arms as he absorbs the knowledge within. This is said to represent wisdom. Ruin and Preservation’s mist represents balance. The blues and greens of Harmony’s robes symbolize the New World he is about to create, while the orange is the anteverdant world of the past.

The Ascension WIP:

[Kingsdaughter613]

So I have a problem. I want to post The Cosmere card, but it’s rather more obvious a spoiler than the previous cards. So I’m not sure if I should...

 

 

Edited April 25, 2021 by Kingsdaughter613

[The Unknown Ajah]

Maybe only put it in the art gallery and spoiler tag it then hide it on this one.

[Kingsdaughter613]

1 hour ago, The Unknown Order said:

Maybe only put it in the art gallery and spoiler tag it then hide it on this one.

It’s in the art gallery already. I’ll send you a pic and you can tell me if it’s too spoilery.

[Kingsdaughter613]

So after some discussion with @The Unknown Order I’ve decided to post this. Just to be safe, I’m putting this under a spoiler tag though.

Spoiler

The Cosmere is the final card in the trump deck, corresponding to Earth’s ‘The World’. The card displays the Sovereign crossing through Harmony’s perpendicularity. He holds a spear in his left hand and the Cosmere symbol in his right. Around the pool float the Allomantic symbols. In the four corners of the card are the symbols of other worlds. Above the Sovereign’s head is the symbol for Scadrial. Below him is a stylized Marewill, his personal sigil.

This card represents Completion, Integration, Accomplishment, and Travel when upright. Reversed it symbolizes Seeking Personal Closure, Short-cuts, and Delays.

This card is known - ironically - as The Worldhopper in the greater Cosmere. We Ghostbloods have been known to call this card by another name.

Prior to the Catascendre this card was usually called ‘The Final Empire’ and featured The Lord Ruler standing over a map of the same. Occasionally the card was called ‘Scadrial’. Following the Catascendre, multiple variants of the card appeared with many varied figures standing over the new map. Some of the more popular ones, including the Survivor, Lord Mistborn, Ascendant Warrior, and Harmony, remain extent. Cards featuring the Lord Ruler remain in use by some Sliverists, though most have taken to utilizing Ironeyes on the card. On Silverlight this card has been known to display several different worldhoppers, with Drifter being the most common variant (much to our master’s annoyance).

The Survivor crossing through a perpendicularity was first seen on the Lord Mistborn’s card. This is likely where the card’s modern name was alloyed as well. The Sovereign’s spike is a recent addition to the card, and many cards still show Lord Kelsier with two eyes.

This card has been noted for being highly Cosmere aware, incorporating multiple world icons from around the Cosmere. These include: Sel, Scadrial, Taldain, Nalthis, and Roshar. A stylized, three petaled Marewill flower serves as a secondary symbol for Scadrial* and the Survivor’s personal sigil. As the true nature of these symbols is unknown to most Scadrians, they have created their own interpretations.

The various planetary symbols are held to represent constellations, with Harmony’s symbol representing Scadrial. The three petals on the large Marewill flower are said to represent the metallic arts. The four flowers on the spear are the four minor suits. The spear is Lord Kelsier’s symbol and is the suit he represents.

The portal he is stepping through represents transition between the realms of life and death. Although the Survivor has defeated death, as indicated by his foot stepping on the sword constellation, he remains tied to life and the past. It’s influence on him is shown by him moving through the portal, but not having entirely crossed over. Lord Kelsier holds the Cosmere in his hand, representing mastery over his fate. 

 

*T- This is still official policy, right?

K-Yes.

WIP for the Cosmere card:

Spoiler

Note that I went back and forth on if his foot went before or behind the Roshar symbol.

 

[Kingsdaughter613]

I realized I never updated this with the minor Arcana, so here we go!

The Suit of Spears, Swords to us, is associated with the element of air. This being Scadrial, it’s also associated with Mist. The suit is associated with power, change, knowledge, and action, oppression, ambition, courage sand conflict.
 

The suit is centered around the mind and the intellect. It also about the balance between power and intellect and the constructive and destructive nature of actions. It’s negative aspects include anger, guilt, harsh judgement and a lack of compassion.

Lord Kelsier’s position as the Mistborn (King) of Spears should surprise no one. With the suit bearing his symbol, and its traditional association with mist, it was almost inevitable. Upright this card symbolizes mental clarity, intellectual power, clarity and truth. Reversed it can mean quiet power, inner truth, misuse of power, and manipulation.

Prior to the fall of the Final Empire, the Mistborn cards either held random figures or the Lord Ruler. Some decks shortly after the fall have Lord Kelsier appearing on all four Mistborn cards. Others placed Lord Kelsier on Spears or Metals, Lady Vin on the other, Emperor Elend on Bands or Boxings, and The Lord Ruler on whichever Elend did not appear. While it has become uncommon to see the Last Emperor and the Lord Ruler on Mistborn cards, The Survivor and the Ascendant Warrior have retained their place. 

Some versions of this card, particularly in the South, depict the Sovereign rather than the Survivor. The Survivor version of the card remains more common, however.

The four Marewill flowers on the ground symbolize the four suits. Added to the four on the Survivor’s spear, they symbolize the 8 basic metals of the Final Empire. The symbol behind Lord Kelsier and in the lower right is Mah, for Mistborn. It is also the symbol for gold, the metal of introspection and healing. In the upper right is the symbol  Kah*, for Kelsier. It is also Bendalloy, the metal of the future. Kah includes two crossed spears, as the Survivor was pierced by two spears. (This version of Kah is sometimes found in Survivorist imagery as well.)

The Survivor wears a pale blue shirt, symbolizing the blue skies he restores. The brown of his pants symbolizes the brown plants of the World of Ash. He stands before a night sky, for he belongs to the nights. The spear is held in his right hand, symbolizing the rational mind, and rests on the ground, indicating stability. The spear points toward the sky, reminding us of the Survivor’s Ascension. Marewill winds along the shaft, representing intuition. The grass are the green plants the Survivor worked to restore, and he gazes to the right, looking toward the future.

*Canonically, the Gold symbol is Mah. I accidentally kind-of confirmed that Electrum is Nah. Working off this, it seems the Metallic Alphabet is phonetic, so Bendalloy should be Kah.

 

WIP images:

Edited February 18 by Kingsdaughter613