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Made in ph
Ancient Venerable Dreadnought





Thousand Sons Battleship wandering the galaxy...

Does anyone actually know how to read the Imperial Tarot? I mean, we know all or the more important cards, but did GW ever say how it's read? Or is it done like it's done in reality?

I should have left him there. He had served his purpose. He owed me nothing - yet he gave himself to me willingly. Why? I know not. He is nothing more than a pathetic human. An inferior race. A mon-keigh. But still I broke off my wings so that I might carry him easier. I took him from that place, into the snowstorm where our tracks will not be found. He is heavy. And he is dying. And he is slowing me down. But I will save him. Why? I know not. He is still warm. I can feel his blood ebbing across me. For every beat of his heart, another, slight spill of heat. The heat blows away on the winter wind. His blood is still warm. But fading. And I have spilled scarlet myself. The snow laps greedily at our footsteps and our lifeblood, covering them without a trace as we fade away.

'She sat on the corner, gulping the soup down, uncaring of the heat of it. They had grown more watery as of late she noted, but she wasn't about to beggar food from the Imperials or the "Bearers of the Word." Tau, despite their faults at least didn't have a kill policy for her race.' 
   
Made in gb
Rough Rider with Boomstick






Southern England

All the information you need about the Emperor's Tarot can be found here. It's literally like 'our', I use the word loosely, tarot cards - lay out the deck face down and turn a card at random. You then 'interpret' that cards meaning. Or you could use it as a base to interpret other cards as you turn them, deciphering & interpreting combinations of cards. Of course there are probably different ways of laying the cards out with different meanings and so on - personally I like my characters to lay them in the form of the aquila and work from left to right, top row to bottom row;

Inquisitor Gravius closed his eyes. Before him lay the Emperor's tarot. The deck had been arranged into a rough aquila, the back of each card glittering in the bright phoslight. His fingers slowly walked across the top row of the deck. As he touched the card that formed the head of the aquila, he felt a tug at the back of his mind, a gentle insistence. Gravius turned the card, moved his hand to the middle of the aquila and carefully slipped his fingers over the back of the tarots. The card on the far right trembled beneath his touch. It was noticeable but not the card was not impatient, just a minor disturbance no more than a mouthful of air might disturb the atmosphere. He left the card be.
The card that formed the talons of the aquila screamed at him, a pulse of psychic energy that surged urgently into his mind. He turned the card. Opening his eyes he reached for the card on the middle row and turned it.
For several moments his eyes flickered from card to card, examining the faces, shapes and images that stared up at him. The Inquisitors mind worked overtime to decipher the tarots message, his face creased in concentration.
His breath caught in his throat, eyes staring. Slowly, like a receding tide, Inquisitor Gravius exhaled, shock written into every line of his face.
“God-Emperor have mercy,” he whispered hoarsly.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2011/12/01 14:20:38


 
   
Made in gb
Executing Exarch






Ayrshire, Scotland

I assume it is done in the same way as the tarot we have, its just the cards have been changed/renamed to fit in with the setting. As a matter of fact The Emperor Card is in the tarot decks we know:

The Emperor

DS:90-S+G++M--B--I+Pw40k05#+D++A++/eWD324R++T(D)DM+ 
   
Made in ph
Ancient Venerable Dreadnought





Thousand Sons Battleship wandering the galaxy...

I see, so it's like 'our' tarot decks...just different names, but read in the same way...thanks a lot, guys!

I should have left him there. He had served his purpose. He owed me nothing - yet he gave himself to me willingly. Why? I know not. He is nothing more than a pathetic human. An inferior race. A mon-keigh. But still I broke off my wings so that I might carry him easier. I took him from that place, into the snowstorm where our tracks will not be found. He is heavy. And he is dying. And he is slowing me down. But I will save him. Why? I know not. He is still warm. I can feel his blood ebbing across me. For every beat of his heart, another, slight spill of heat. The heat blows away on the winter wind. His blood is still warm. But fading. And I have spilled scarlet myself. The snow laps greedily at our footsteps and our lifeblood, covering them without a trace as we fade away.

'She sat on the corner, gulping the soup down, uncaring of the heat of it. They had grown more watery as of late she noted, but she wasn't about to beggar food from the Imperials or the "Bearers of the Word." Tau, despite their faults at least didn't have a kill policy for her race.' 
   
Made in us
The Conquerer






Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios

The difference is that the Emperor actually communicates through the Tarot. Its actually the Emperor who says which card to flip and such.

its why its a relativly rare ceremony and few can preform it.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2011/12/01 16:34:35


Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines

Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.

MURICA!!! IN SPESS!!! 
   
Made in ph
Ancient Venerable Dreadnought





Thousand Sons Battleship wandering the galaxy...

I'm guessing Astronomican Chosen, Astropaths, Sanctioned Psykers, Librarians, Inquisitors, Grey Knights, maybe Chaplains, Sororitas, and more-favored members of the Ecclesiarchy and Imperial citizenry.

I should have left him there. He had served his purpose. He owed me nothing - yet he gave himself to me willingly. Why? I know not. He is nothing more than a pathetic human. An inferior race. A mon-keigh. But still I broke off my wings so that I might carry him easier. I took him from that place, into the snowstorm where our tracks will not be found. He is heavy. And he is dying. And he is slowing me down. But I will save him. Why? I know not. He is still warm. I can feel his blood ebbing across me. For every beat of his heart, another, slight spill of heat. The heat blows away on the winter wind. His blood is still warm. But fading. And I have spilled scarlet myself. The snow laps greedily at our footsteps and our lifeblood, covering them without a trace as we fade away.

'She sat on the corner, gulping the soup down, uncaring of the heat of it. They had grown more watery as of late she noted, but she wasn't about to beggar food from the Imperials or the "Bearers of the Word." Tau, despite their faults at least didn't have a kill policy for her race.' 
   
Made in us
The Conquerer






Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios

sort of, its only really mentioned in cases where its performed by an Inquisitor or GK.

It must also be performed by a Psyker as well.

Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines

Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.

MURICA!!! IN SPESS!!! 
   
Made in ph
Ancient Venerable Dreadnought





Thousand Sons Battleship wandering the galaxy...

A librarian or an astropath could do it then...since the Emperor guides it, that's one defeat for those who claim the Emperor is dead.

I should have left him there. He had served his purpose. He owed me nothing - yet he gave himself to me willingly. Why? I know not. He is nothing more than a pathetic human. An inferior race. A mon-keigh. But still I broke off my wings so that I might carry him easier. I took him from that place, into the snowstorm where our tracks will not be found. He is heavy. And he is dying. And he is slowing me down. But I will save him. Why? I know not. He is still warm. I can feel his blood ebbing across me. For every beat of his heart, another, slight spill of heat. The heat blows away on the winter wind. His blood is still warm. But fading. And I have spilled scarlet myself. The snow laps greedily at our footsteps and our lifeblood, covering them without a trace as we fade away.

'She sat on the corner, gulping the soup down, uncaring of the heat of it. They had grown more watery as of late she noted, but she wasn't about to beggar food from the Imperials or the "Bearers of the Word." Tau, despite their faults at least didn't have a kill policy for her race.' 
   
Made in us
Terminator with Assault Cannon






OKC, Oklahoma

NONONONO....
That link CANNOT to be the "Official" Imperial tarot.

Assassin (of Adeptio)
Space Marine
(Redacted by the Inquistion)
Daemon (Major Arcana)
Hulk (Major Arcana)


Hmm, see even Dakka doesn't recognise that middle card.

Of all the races of the universe the Squats have the longest memories and the shortest tempers. They are uncouth, unpredictably violent, and frequently drunk. Overall, I'm glad they're on our side!

Office of Naval Intelligence Research discovers 3 out of 4 sailors make up 75% of U.S. Navy.
"Madness is like gravity... All you need is a little push."

:Nilla Marines: 2500
:Marine "Scouts": 2500 (Systemically Quarantined, Unsupported, Abhuman, Truncated Soldiers)

"On one side of me stand my Homeworld, Stronghold and Brotherhood; On the other, my ancestors. I cannot behave otherwise than honorably."
 
   
Made in gb
Executing Exarch






Ayrshire, Scotland

I'm sure I read of a Librarian (Chief?) reading the Emperor's Tarot somewhere, can't think where though.

DS:90-S+G++M--B--I+Pw40k05#+D++A++/eWD324R++T(D)DM+ 
   
Made in us
Stealthy Kroot Stalker






U.S.

I just read Cadian Blood and there was a Raven Guard Codicier that read the Tarot.
   
Made in us
The Conquerer






Waiting for my shill money from Spiral Arm Studios

Yes, although people doing the Tarot are probably extremely rare outside the Inquisition. He could have been in the Deathwatch and got the skill that way.

Self-proclaimed evil Cat-person. Dues Ex Felines

Cato Sicarius, after force feeding Captain Ventris a copy of the Codex Astartes for having the audacity to play Deathwatch, chokes to death on his own D-baggery after finding Calgar assembling his new Eldar army.

MURICA!!! IN SPESS!!! 
   
Made in us
Purposeful Hammerhead Pilot





Atlanta GA

Or he could be like people doing tarot today and making a bunch of bs up.

BLU
Opinions should go here. 
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka






Glasgow, Scotland

According to the Inquistor War books (in which the Emperor's Tarot is first mentioned I believe) its much likes been said earlier in the article. You have to be a pysker to interpret the card's meaning or its just like any other deck of cards (maybe that's why there's random guardsmen playing games of tarot in the fluff sometimes...though I assume these cards aren't magically charged or what not). The card's physically change their appearance depending to what information's being conveyed-the eye of Horos appearing behind the Emperor's card meaning your screwed- and similarry the user mentally designates one particular card which to represent themselves in the deck-ie Jaq Draco chooses the Inquisitor (or was it the Judge?) card and the card changes its appearance to show himself. The card's are connected to the warp, but are generally protected by the user's abilities, but that is not to say that someone cannot infiltrate another's deck and manipulate what carda re displayed or what the cards show.

Oh and they are actual channels to the Emperor. The Emperor just happens to be a tad insane and rather pernickity about communicating in any sane fashion. ^^

   
Made in us
Insect-Infested Nurgle Chaos Lord





Oregon, USA

I think there was a short story back when with a guardsman reading the Tarot, just idly killing some time.

He drew out The Renegade, and about 4 seconds later a CSM kicked in the door and shot him

Can't remember what book it was in, could even be a WD, but it was a cool little snippet.

The Viletide: Daemons of Nurgle/Deathguard: 7400 pts
Disclples of the Dragon - Ad Mech - about 2000 pts
GSC - about 2000 Pts
Rhulic Mercs - um...many...
Circle Oroboros - 300 Pts or so
Menoth - 300+ pts
 
   
Made in gb
Fixture of Dakka






Glasgow, Scotland

^^ Oh and on that note all humans are inherently pyschic (sept for those damn pariahs, bloody necrons) , but only those powerful enough can actually understand and influence the Tarot. Tarot reading can be awfully bad for your health and social life in 40k. =P
   
Made in us
Manhunter





HIDING IN METAL BAWKSES!

Don't forget about the Legion of the Damned. They use it a lot.

Lokas wrote:...Enemy of my enemy is kind of a dick, so let's kill him too.

"Without judgement there is no obstacle to action." ~ Kommander Oleg Strakhov
 
   
Made in us
Insect-Infested Nurgle Chaos Lord





Oregon, USA

Yes... but they're Damned.. That's kind of the point

No social life to speak of ..

The Viletide: Daemons of Nurgle/Deathguard: 7400 pts
Disclples of the Dragon - Ad Mech - about 2000 pts
GSC - about 2000 Pts
Rhulic Mercs - um...many...
Circle Oroboros - 300 Pts or so
Menoth - 300+ pts
 
   
 
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