RuneScape Tarot, Major Arcana
Jan. 8th, 2015 08:40 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
not_my_sandboxSo here is maybe only the start of a project. A Tarot card deck based on RuneScape canon, and so far, only the major arcana. The minor arcana I am imagining as three suites: magic, projectiles, and hand weapons (swords, daggers, clubs, hammers, axes, and polearms). Maybe slayer monsters could be a fourth minor suite?
No pictures yet, and I doubt any will come for a long while. If you want, feel free to take this idea and run with it. Major spoilers inbound! (but behind individually wrapped cuts!)
No pictures yet, and I doubt any will come for a long while. If you want, feel free to take this idea and run with it. Major spoilers inbound! (but behind individually wrapped cuts!)
- The Fool
The fool is adventurous and is indeed the prototypical adventurer. Many start adventurous journeys, some in search of wealth and fame, some to protect those without the strength to defend themselves. Many aren't born with natural strength, talent, or wisdom, but through stumbling and peril these qualities are forged in the fool that is lucky enough to survive. One such fool is the Guardian of the World and holds captive the Fate of all, even that of the God themselves.
Illustration: the adventurer embarking on a quest with a staff in hand and a baby troll following close behind
Card Meanings:
Upright: Start of a new venture, initiative, courage, willingness to learn.
Reversed: Troubles ahead, overconfidence, stumbling, annoyance of elders and superiors. - The World
The Anima Mundi nourishes all, for the Anima Mundi is the power of life itself, and gives nourishment and power to all who know how to ask. The world was created as an efficient generator and collector of anima, even without the assistance of the the most efficient generator of anima, the souls of sentient creatures.
Illustration: Vorago, standing in front of a lush planet with large oceans.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Life, stability, greatness, accomplishment.
Reversed: Sacrifice, unmovable barriers, overshadowing, overly difficult goals - The Child
From darkness is born light, the spark of life. The child is full of wonder, imagination, and innocence. Thus came Edda-Mah.
Illustration: An infant reaches out to a spiral galaxy above, against a sharply divided background of black and white.
From Mah, the light by which to see, the dark in which to hide. The potential for all life, and a place for all things.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Creativity, potential, innocence, a place for everything
Reversed: Impetuousness, thoughtlessness, lack of planning, separation - The Youth
From matter is born shape, ever growing and changing. The youth increases in knowledge and power. Thus came Edda-Bik.
Illustration: A pre-adolescent, shaping mountains and gouging rivers out of sand and clay.
From Bik, the clay to shape, to build and destroy. Form and reform. The changing of states, of forms, of function.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Change, growth, learning, practice
Reversed: Change, insignificance, rote, busywork - The Corpse
From the cold is born fear, shrinking and death. The corpse lies still and lifeless. Thus came Edda-Wen.
Illustration: A dead female warrior sits, propped up against a broken column and looking leftward. She clutches a polearm and a bloodied shortsword lies on the ground near her.
From Wen, the cold to harden and freeze, to brittle and fracture the clay. The ending of things, to break apart. To reflect on the past.
Card Meanings:
Upright: A life well lived, conclusions, memories, self-sacrifice, cold
Reversed: Death, destruction, fear, preoccupation with the past, cold - The Maiden
From the heat is born passion, growth and life. The maiden feels love and joy. Thus came Edda-Ful.
Illustration: A maiden, wearing a crown of flowers and carrying sheaves of wheat, corn stalks, and tree branches full of flowers, walking rightward amongst several braziers aflame.
From Ful, the heat to soften and burn, to work and fire the clay. The beginning of things, to start anew. To experience the now.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Passion, adulthood, beginnings, initiative, heat
Reversed: Over-enthusiasm, lack of restraint, things left unfinished, distraction by the present, heat - The Matron
From life is born experience, wisdom and intelligence. The matron is nurturing and caring. Thus came Edda-Jas.
Illustration: An older woman, doting and instructing the child, the youth, the warrior, and the maiden.
From Jas, the thought to lead them all. The preparation, the plan, the execution. To look to the future.
Card meanings:
Upright: Experience, wisdom, planning, nurturing
Reverse: Inflexibility, unwillingness to understand, overlooking details, preoccupation with the future. - The Dark Emperor
Zaros was created by Mah as the Divine aspect of the Dark. As such, he believes he and his sister creation Seren are the only beings, besides the Elder Goddesses Mah, Bik, Wen, Ful, and Jas, to have a legitimate right to call themselves gods and rule over lesser beings. He is cold and logical, and hungers for the knowledge of the universe which Mah, his Creator, was unable to provide due to her infirmity. He is curious about life, especially the sentient life that evolved in the universe without and against the help and intentions of the other four elder goddesses. Mah gave him the gift and curse of loyalty, so that all lesser beings except gods and others that feed on life energy would be compelled to obey him. He was also gifted and cursed with an insensible adoration of Seren.
Illustration: Zaros sitting upon his throne in a darkened throne room. In his left hand he holds an open book, in his right hand he holds the tools of a geometer. At his feet are two cthonian demons, the virii Ocellus and Auriculus.
When he came to the world, he brought the language and civilization which so fascinated him from the Infernal Realm with him and quickly established an empire, spreading a common language and a common culture across a large expanse of the world. The great empire he established achieved many technological and cultural advances, but there were strata in his society that were greatly disadvantaged and ignored. There were also constant wars at the borders from peoples and empires and gods unconvinced of the Zarosian dictatorship's benevolence.
Zaros chose to present as male
Card Meaning:
Upright: Civilization, loyalty, logic, balance and improvement of mind and body, darkness
Reversed: Suffocating stability, blind faith, lack of empathy, imbalanced environment, darkness - The Light Empress
Seren was created by Mah as the Divine aspect of the Light. She doesn't believe she has a divine right to rule, unlike her brother creation Zaros, but she can be very inconsiderate about the lives and livelihoods of lower beings. She is warm and empathetic, and hungers for the relationship and closeness which Mah, her Creator, was unable to provide due to her infirmity. She is saddened but intensely curious by the deaths of the sentient life that evolved in the universe without and against the help and intentions of the other four elder goddesses. Mah gave her the gift and curse of adoration, so that all lesser beings except gods and others that feed on life energy would be compelled to love her. She was also gifted and cursed with an insensible devotion to Zaros.
Illustration: Seren sitting on her throne in a bright throne room. In her left hand she holds a bright crystal with leafy vines wrapped around it and in her left hand she holds a disembodied heart. She has elven attendants at either side.
She cared for her ailing mother intensely, and continued to do so even after Zaros left to explore the universe. She cared so much that she tricked the second group of Mah's creations, the mahjarrat, to ritualistically and periodically sacrifice eachother to return their life energy to Mah. But eventually, Seren too saw that Mah was beyond help and left to explore the universe on her own. She eventually found the elves and became enamored with them, and they with her, and she taught them agriculture and magic. Saddened by their short life span, she extended their lives, but inadvertently cursed them to be unable to live without her. A part of her remained morbidly curious about their deaths. In an attempt to free them, she accepted Guthix's invitation to Gielinor and forced the elves to leave their beloved homeworld. Once on Gielinor, she helped her elves to establish their own empire in the world to rival and outlast Zaros' own. Yet, it suffered from Seren's sins.
Seren chose to present as female
Card Meanings:
Upright: Connection with nature, love, empathy, balance of the heart and soul, light
Reversed: Natural hazards, obsessive infatuation, disregard of logic, unchecked devotion, light - The Caretaker
Guthix ascended to godhood not because of any ambition or desire for power, or even in hopes of protecting his loved ones from the gods that were destroying his world. He inherited his power from the god he slew in a fit of desperate anger, after that god was knocked unconscious by another and fell on Guthix's home, crushing his beloved daughter Aagi. As a mortal, Guthix was a kind and hospitable soul, welcoming weary travellers to his homestead. As a god, he remained kind and hospitable, inviting mortal races to the perfect world and his new home which he had finally found after travelling the universe so long. In his travels, he learned to commune with the Anima Mundi from Seren and her elves and became mighty with its power, equal to Seren and Zaros, and it was he who invited Seren and the elves to Gielinor. But, as a god, he greatly desired for a world where mortals could live without dependence on or fear of the gods that destroyed his world, and thus he withdrew from the world and asked Seren to do the same.
Illustration: Guthix standing, with a green butterfly alighting on his outstretched finger. In the background, a homestead surrounded by trees with a sign proclaiming "Shelter Available. All aided." In the foreground on his left, the Sword of Skagaroth, on his right, the Sword of Edicts.
In his absence, other gods and their fanatics and devotees arrived in the world and warred for it and its treasures. The destruction caused the world to cry out to him, and he returned to banish the gods and reluctantly set about repairing the world, making himself known to the world's mortals again, some who began worshipping him fervently as a savior, others cursing him as a tyrant who had prevented the completion of their own god's righteous crusade. Under his ministrations, the anima flowed smoothly once more and the majority of the gods remained banished from the world, but he never saw himself as more than a hypocrite, and so withdrew again, hoping he would be forgotten.
Guthix preferred that mortals think he was genderless, but didn't mind being thought of and referred to as male
Card Meanings:
Upright: Balanced Environment, hospitality, respect, fierce gentleness
Reversed: Unbalanced mind and body, lack of conviction, wishes unfulfilled, low self-image - The Shepherd
Saradomin is known to most as the god of order and he fits the mold well. He ascended to godhood on the human homeworld and shepherded humanity in its exploration of the universe, leading them to many green pastures. He is the only god that is human, or was human, that has been seen so far (besides Het) and many of his original followers and present followers are human. In his travels he encountered and adopted the Icyene, winged humanoids who were much hardier and long lived than humans, who sometimes refer to the Icyene as angels. His religion teaches that Saradomin is the one true god, while he believes himself the only god fit to rule creation, perhaps due to the circumstances of his ascension and his belief that life and civilization can only flourish in a peaceful and ordered universe. Adding to this, he wears the Crown Archival upon his head, a tool of the Elder Gods used to locate the rest of the tools they left scattered throughout creation. But as much as he and his priests preach peace, Saradomin will use violence and force to protect his people from what he deems evil and heresy, and will gladly encourage his followers to do the same to defend the faith and all that is good.
Illustration: Saradomin standing in his robes and wearing the Crown Archival. He holds a shepherd's crook, under which a wolf is crushed. In the background, a fenced in pasture.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Order, protection, guidance, tradition
Reverse: Lack of social mobility, trouble from authority figures, misplaced trust, stagnation - The Liberator
Zamorak professes to be the god of chaos, and has opposed the god Saradomin and his philosophies for most of his ascended life. But before that, he was the most highly decorated and trusted general in the Zarosian Empire, until he grew uneasy with Zarosian rule and betrayed Zaros himself, siphoning much of Zaros' divine power and becoming a god. Thus he started the destruction of the Zarosian Empire and the liberation of those oppressed by it, temporarily joining the forces of those loyal to him to Saradominist forces to complete the destruction several years later. In the intervening years, he lead the Avernic demons, then slaves in the Infernal Realms, in a successful rebellion and complete ouster of their Cthonian overlords, destroying the civilization that so impressed Zaros. Zamorakianism preaches that through chaos and distress, people become strong, band together, forget petty squabbles, and accomplish great things, and that orderly society only serves to weaken bodies, calcify hearts, and dull minds through stagnation and lack of purpose. But, the price of freedom of all is the freedom of those with evil purposes, and distress doesn't always inspire greatness; it distracts it and prevents it in some cases.
Illustration: Zamorak standing in front of a figure wearing broken shackles. In the background, a pasture surrounded by a fence that has been broken.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Chaos, freedom, improvement through struggle, independence
Reversed: Unstability, injustice, distress, abandonment by authority figures - Responsibility
Jododu Otoku was the god that protected a world and all life in it from destruction by the asteroid field it orbited within. The protection of the planet took so much effort that it left Jododu Otoku defenseless, save for the efforts of his followers. But those efforts failed when a young warlord of the Kal-i-kra tribe, Bandos, conquered much of the planet and started having ambitions only godhood could satisfy. Before his death, Jododu Otoku warned Bandos that the great responsibility weighing on his shoulders would come crashing down, but Bandos ignored and rejected the responsibility. Jododu Otoku died, as did everything else on the planet in the ensuing meteor storm, save for the new god, Bandos.
Illustration: A giant stands, towering over mountains. He holds up a great dome, protecting the land below from heavenly fire.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Responsibility, spiritual strength, support from loved ones, reliability
Reversed: Defencelessness, slavery to duties, reliance on the weak and incompetent, failure - The Hydra
Loarnab was a god ascended from a hydra, and it roamed and was worshipped in the same area which would later become the capital city of the Zarosian Empire. The people of the area offered it human sacrifices to appease it, and it was during one of these sacrifices that Zaros entrapped the monstrous god and warped it into a portal, through which he brought 12 legions of demons to begin establishing his empire on Gielinor.
Illustration: A hydra with twelve heads, trapped and entangled by purple vines which sprout from the ground. Three heads shed tears.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Turning an obstacle into an opportunity, conquering of fear and hatred, mastery of the environment, the first of many successes
Reversed: Anger, fear, confusion, hopelessness - The Idealist
Armadyl is a god ascended from the aviansie, a race of bird-like people. Many of his worshippers are aviansie like him, but he has a sizeable human following as well. He proclaims himself the god of justice, and is fundamentally a pacifist and in favor of a lawful and orderly society, but one where various races, gods, and religious beliefs can coexist without disadvantaging eachother. His pacifism does not prevent him from righting the wrongs he perceives, however. His detractors claim his naivety is dangerous, pointing out how easily he trusted allies who ultimately betrayed him during the God Wars, and his claims of pacifism hypocritical, pointing out his unprovoked war against and execution of Bandos in recent times.
Illustration: Armadyl standing on an island floating in the air. His wings are spread, and he holds the Staff of Armadyl aloft in his left fore talon aloft, and dangles weighing scales from his right fore talon.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Justice, peace, coexistence, rekindled hope
Reversed: Prosecution, betrayal, naivety, devastating loss - The Warmonger
Bandos was god of war and the only survivor of a great cataclysm that destroyed his planet. In his youth as a mortal he was tutored to become a master of war, and he learned well, becoming a brilliant tactician but showing worrying signs of cruelty even early on. As an adult he conquered a substantial portion of his planet, but it was his ascension to godhood that destroyed his world, both those parts which he had conquered and those which he had not yet.
Illustration: Bandos standing in his armor on a battlefield his mace in his right hand and a pike in his left.
Worshipped as the Big High War God, Bandos espoused the philosophy that only the strong should rule, and that those opposed to their rulers should openly challenge them. He despised politicking and legal intrigue, as they were tools that the weak used to control the strong. Bandosianism dictated that the weak were to be unthinking tools and weapons of the strong and only the strong deserve to command and invent.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Success in battle, brutal honesty, tactical thinking, unquestioned respect
Reversed: War, conflict, disregard for the weak, stupidity - The Beast
Tuska is as pure a force of destruction as a god can get. Somehow, a wild boar like creature gained the divine powers of a god but none of the intelligence, and she was left a rampaging, uncaring, and now blind god-beast. She demands no worship, and none worship her, but the Airut precede, follow, and direct her destructive path through the universe, scavenging and salvaging what they can from the worlds and civilizations that Tuska ravishes. The airut are terrifying and skilled warriors, but they are mere mites riding on Tuska's back from where the airut open portals into worlds across the universe, looking for Tuska's next meal.
Illustration: Tuska
Card Meanings:
Upright: Instinct, control of a destructive force, successful raid, prosperity after ruin
Reversed: Disaster, injury, loss of control, overwhelming situations - The Hunter
Skagoroth was a lone god who never developed a following, likely because he never settled on a world long enough for an organized cult to form before he left. But he had developed a reputation, especially with the airut in his last years. He did not care for mortal life, he only cared for the pursuit of his quarry, his last being the god-beast Tuska. In his pursuit he was aided greatly by his sword, a tool of the Elder Gods with a subtle and keen blade, crackling with energy, sharp enough to slay gods and cut reality itself, allowing the wielder to cut open portals to other worlds. This allowed him to pursue Tuska wherever she went, without expending much of his own energy. With it, he managed to blind one of Tuska's eyes, but it was Guthix, while still a mortal, who used it to blind her completely and in a fit of rage, used it to kill Skagaroth himself. It was also the tool that Guthix used to explore the universe.
Illustration: Skagaroth holds his sword in an alber position.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Dedication, success in the hunt, focus, purpose driven life
Reversed: Unawareness, single minded pursuit, misfortune, disregard of lessers - The Hedonist
Marimbo was an inhabitant of a lush, forested world, populated by several giant ape-like creatures. Marimbo described them as unintelligent, but happy, as she was before she "woke up" next to the statue of the god she had just defeated in a drinking contest, as revealed to her by the followers who mourned the recently defeated and dead God of Hedonism. Taking pity on them, she ordered another giant barrel of wine, held a rowdy wake in the dead god's honor, and continued the party he had started.
Illustration: Marimbo lounging on her throne, content. The Elder Horn lies discarded on the ground.
As a goddess, she does not demand worship, or even demand that anyone join in her celebrations. She is fiercely protective of her revellers so she ousts bandits and those she deems bullies, but beyond dealing with those individual party spoilers she would rather move the party to a safer place than fight to defend a piece of dirt.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Celebration, bliss, sexual attraction, social acceptance
Reversed: Drunkenness, dereliction of duties, sexual harassment, social pressure - Food
Brassica Prime is the king of the cabbages, a partially mad god ascended from a vegetable. It is unknown how Brassica Prime ascended, though it is likely the Anima Mundi was involved. Brassica Prime claims to be the source of deliciousness, the force that permeates everything in the cabbage shaped world, from the micro-cabbages that compose everything to the brilliant glowing cabbage in the sky. It is possible that Brassica Prime believes it has immortality beyond that even the Elder Gods have, since roasting by fire only increases a cabbages' deliciousness and delicious things are meant to be consumed, according to Prime.
Illustration: A cabbage sitting upon a red cushion.
There are many who dismiss evidence of the existence of Brassica Prime as temporary madness and proofs of it as insanity.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Nutrition, wisdom disguised as madness, persistence of life, mystery
Reversed: Madness, inconsistency, misunderstanding, overconfidence - The Sun
In the early ages, Tumeken did come to this world of RuneScape,
Illustration: The sun, under which a falcon flies.
Though, where from, we cannot know.
Then, it was a land of great potential, fresh and new within all existence.
Being god of the sun, he chose to bless the Desert with his deity,
Naming it Kharid, body of the sun, and brought his peoples to this place.
Kharid was fierce and hard, but Tumeken's people prospered,
Drawing life from the desolation and living in peace.
Tumeken was content, but longed for companionship,
For despite the love of his people, he was alone among the gods,
Whose own followers dared not brave the harsh desert, for their lack of reverence to him.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Fatherhood, sunshine, protection, spiritual journey
Reversed: Absence, dryness, harshness, punishment - The River
So it was that Tumeken set out to explore his lands,
Illustration: The river, in which a hippopotamus wades.
Wandering the dunes in search of a queen to share his rule,
Tiring as each day passed with no result.
Until one day he did come upon the beauty of the Elid,
From which he drank deep and found himself nourished.
So he deigned to journey to the river's source,
For the source of such life within the arid sands of the Kharid
Could be naught but the essence of life itself.
And so it was he met Elidinis, her visage as beauteous as the river,
And loved her in all her countenances, as she did in his.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Motherhood, water, fertility, refuge
Reversed: Vindictiveness, drought, hidden danger, too much of a good thing - The Psychopomp
Thus the light in the sky and the waters of life became as one:
Illustration: A jackal walks ahead of several ghosts and barks at spiritual monstrosities.
From life came death, in the form of a son, Icthlarin.
But death in the desert is not to be feared.
Where Tumeken and Elidinis bring life, their son brought balance,
Caring for those that passed and leading them safely to the realm of the dead
Like his father, he too did bring his own peoples to RuneScape:
A tribe of powerful sorcerers, masters of death and war.
Here in the desert they did fight, and the lands beyond, and the desert children wept.
So Icthlarin turned his back on these charges, returning to his father's flock,
And his reverence was restored amongst the people.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Safe journey, duty, reverence, hope
Reversed: shackled by obligations, undesired consequences, accidentally harming loved ones, heavy price for survival - The Devourer
There was a daughter also, Amascut, red-haired and handsome,
Illustration: A lioness and her cubs consume a carcass.
Though her balance was of a different kind.
While her sibling cared for the souls of the dead,
She would treat their bodies with the same respects,
Completing the circle of life, death and rebirth.
But her mind did warp as she saw her sibling's tribe,
Bringing death and destruction on the same whim as was her calling.
Vowing petty vengeance, she brought obliteration, both physical and spiritual,
And the children of the desert grew to fear her, for she had become
Monstrous. Twisted and fallen. Liar. Deceiver. Devourer.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Rebirth, mercy, protection against monsters, domination
Reversed: Wrath, deception, murder, insanity - Health
It was not long before he found himself passing through a mountain range at the desert's northern border, whereupon he stumbled across a man. But this was no ordinary man - he towered over all, standing stock in the middle of the pass, arms outstretched as if he alone were holding back the mountains, keeping the pass open for those fleeing the desert. He appeared carved of the same stone as the rocks around him, a true sight to behold: muscled and olive-skinned; physical perfection in human form. Strength and health radiated from his every fibre.
Illustration: A mountain pass, in which stands a very well muscled middle eastern man, arms outspread.
Tumeken approached the man and said: "You are, indeed, the strongest of men. I shall give unto you a piece of myself, so that you may help me rule this desert realm, an example to my people to take care of their own physical well-being, so that they too can be blessed by Tumeken." And so, the lesser god Het was born, and Tumeken, happy with his day's work, returned to his camp at the centre of the desert to prepare for tomorrow's journey.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Health, physical strength, escape from harsh conditions, self-care
Reversed: Plagues, barred entries, weakness, denial of shelter - The Socialite
Then, beyond the throng he caught sight of a troupe of apes, preening each other, playing and learning together, sharing food and chittering excitedly. And he did call out to them, and the two tribes held their tongues in awe as one of the apes scampered between them towards Tumeken, whereupon she clambered playfully up onto the god's shoulders. Then, looking back to the troupe, the tribes understood why he had chosen to bless the monkey and not them, and vowed to mend their ways.
Illustration: Two monkeys sitting on the ground, one preening the other.
Tumeken stroked the monkey's chin and said: "You are, indeed, the most sociable of creatures, bringing joy and happiness to all around. I shall give unto you a piece of myself, so that you may help me rule this desert realm, an example to my people to take pleasure in the joys of society, so that they too can be blessed by Tumeken." And so, the lesser god Apmeken was born, and Tumeken, happy with his day's work, returned to his camp at the centre of the desert to prepare for tomorrow's journey.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Social grace, friendship, playfulness, peaceful negotiation
Reversed: Mass hysteria, blindness, deafness, inability to speak - Temperance
Despondent, the god decided to leave the city, passing through it to the swamps, whereupon he spied a crocodile. The animal was sleek but powerful, with keen eyes that, in the moonlight, could have been seen to contain a glint. It was stalking some prey through the reeds, slowly, silently, until it closed enough to launch itself. The small animal it had been tracking fought with whatever remaining strength it had, but inevitably the crocodile had her own, well-won meal.
Illustration: A crocodile lurking in shallow water.
Tumeken caught the eye of the crocodile, nodded, and said: "You are, indeed, the most resourceful of creatures, taking pleasure in hunting for no more than your own sustenance. I shall give unto you a piece of myself, so that you may help me rule this desert realm, an example to my people not to overindulge in their physical pleasures, so that they too can be blessed by Tumeken." And so, the lesser god Crondis was born, and Tumeken, happy with his day's work, returned to his camp at the centre of the desert to prepare for tomorrow's journey.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Temperance, patience, sustenance, survival
Reversed: Unrewarded efforts, ambush, a miserly life, involuntary asceticism - The Hermit
As he was nearing his limits, his grateful eyes fell upon a lone tunnel entrance, which delved deep below the desert, providing him a cool place in which to recuperate. Many more hours passed within this cave, providing the god with ample time in which to reflect forlornly. During this time, he saw a small beetle burrow his way into the chamber, but noticing Tumeken, the creature burrowed away. An hour later, the beetle emerged out of another tunnel, but seeing the god still there, disappeared once again.
Illustration: A scarab beetle.
Yet another hour passed and the beetle returned, but Tumeken was ready this time, snatching up the cautious little thing and said: "You are, indeed, the most unusual being, digging your tunnels in isolation, avoiding contact even with me, your god. I shall give unto you a piece of myself, so that you may help me rule this desert realm, an example to my people of what can become of them, should they stray too far into solitude." And so, the lesser god Scabaras was forcibly born, the last of the lesser gods.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Scholarship, enlightenment, purity, meditation
Reversed: Isolation, exile, shyness, unfair ostracism - The Trickster
Sliske is the mahjarrat Lord of Shadows, the first of the mahjarrat to betray Icthlarin and side with Zaros, and formerly the head of the secret police in the Zarosian empire. While Zamorak excelled in war, and Azzanadra in piety and magic, Sliske delved deep in the shadows that Zaros and his empire cast and in necromancy. While Sliske was fearsome for his slipperiness, behind-the-scenes manipulations, and power, he was also well known for his sense of humor and put on marvelous plays for the Dukes and respected citizenry of the empire. However, his actors were hardly ever willing participants. Sliske was and still is a vindictive soul, though, and never forgave those who ruined his fun, holding onto grudges for several millenia.
Illustration: Sliske, the puppeteer, manipulates two puppets, one who wears a grotesquely comedic mask and an other that wears a grotesquely tragic mask.
His loyalty to Zaros is questionable, despite his service to the empire and to his Zarosian allies after the empire fell. It was he who killed Guthix, supposedly in service to Zaros, and he who found and stole the Stone of Jas and the Staff of Armadyl and holds the world captive in a contest for those prizes between the gods themselves, arguably as a distraction from any action Zaros takes. He denies that he has ascended to godhood, but if he truly hasn't, he is most likely a god in all things except divinity.
Card Meanings:
Upright: Humor, hidden influence, successful espionage, entertainment
Reversed: Cruel humor, life controlled by outside influence, lack of privacy, necromancy
