The Sceptic's Tarot

Would you like to play a game?

"Crime cards" is a fun game that both tickles your imagination and helps strengthens your creativity. It also boosts your understanding of the cards.

Let's go!

The game

Someone has been murdered. You, of course, are the detective (or skilled amateur) who must solve the crime.

Divide a tarot deck into major arcana, court cards, and pip cards (Aces through Tens).

Shuffle the three piles of cards separately and then, keeping the cards face down, draw the following cards.

• Draw a court card to represent the victim.
• Draw a pip card to provide the scene of the crime.
• Draw a major arcana card to supply the motive.

Turn over the victim and scene cards.

The murder

Examine the cards carefully. The clues might be in the details you don't always see.

Which elements on the scene card could be clues to the murder? Where was the murder committed? When was the murder done? (The Six of Cups could suggest it is early in the morning in a garden. The weapon is a poisoned chalice, or perhaps the flowers can poison you if you prick your finger on a thorn. A boy has just delivered the flowers. Look at the figure in the background: is it the murderer fleeing the scene? What about that X on the pillar: is it a clue? Who is the girl: the victim or an innocent bystander? And the boy: is he a murderer disguised or as simple as he seems? And what about the other five vases with flowers: do they contain more than is seen, could they hold clues, or are they blameless props?)

Examine the victim card. Can you identify any traits or behaviour that could have led to the murder? (The Queen of Pentacles is insufferably smug; no wonder she drove someone to murder. The Page of Wands never even saw the murderer coming—he was keeping his eye on something he desires.)

Why was the victim in that particular place?

Can you find a weapon in the scene card? (Is that a poisoned chalice the Queen of Cups is examining? Who is the man with the spear on the Six of Cups?)

The motive

Now turn over the motive card.

Why was the murder done? What was the motive? (The Wheel of Fortune could suggest a hit and run; the Empress might represent passion; the Devil could imply drug smuggling or kidnapping.)

How does the motive relate to the victim and scene cards? Find the links between the cards.

What else does the motive card imply?

The murderer!

Finally, put the leftover piles together and shuffle. Draw a final card to represent the murderer.

Congratulations, you caught the murderer!

But how did you do it? Find the clues you followed. Examine the card in the light of the previous cards. What are the links between the victim, scene, motive, and murderer card? What else does this card show?

Since this is Tarotland, the victim, murder, weapon, motive, and murderer can be as unusual or absurd as you wish.

Have fun :-)

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[This game was first described on my previous blog, SynTAROTis.]