I’m not the greatest fan of oracle decks; they tempt me with their beautiful artwork, and then disappoint me with flat and sometimes shallow readings.
But I love dark decks, so when I noticed Madame Endora’s Fortune Cards, I was immediately drawn to the atmospheric images of the cards and decided to give them a try.
The deck was designed by the creators of the Gothic Tarot, which already hints at the atmosphere of the deck – dark, moody, mysterious.
There is a nice feel to the card stock; it’s somehow grippy and therefore easy to shuffle.
The cards themselves measure a standard size of 12.50 cm x 7.50 cm.
The artwork of the 48 cards blends fantasy, Egyptian and Celtic themes, and the style of the deck is described in the accompanying booklet as “incorporating mythical lore and old world concepts of the Tarot with New Age mysticism”.
This is just my style of artwork 
The colours of the card images are vibrant with lots of gold on a black background.
The title of the card is on top with a short explanation at the bottom, for example “The Gate – A barrier keeps you from your goal.”
This allows the beginner to start reading the cards immediately.
The deck is divided into five suits:
The Royal Court—representing people influencing your life or aspects of yourself
The Realm of Fable—various beings from ancient lore representing outside forces affecting your destiny
The Bestiary—creatures of legend representing valuable lessons and truths to be discovered
The Treasury—mystical tools and treasures symbolising aid and guidance in achieving your goals
The Elements—consisting of celestial bodies and the natural forces, which all surround and influence us on a daily basis
The mini booklet included provides brief explanations for each card and also suggests some specially created spreads for this deck, such as the Oracle of the Dawning Day and the Seer’s Fan.
The cards are meant to be read upright; there are no reversed meanings. However, there is definitely potential to introduce reversals for additional depth.
This deck proved a hit with my friends at Halloween. Most of the readings were accurate and to the point (surprise!).
Some of the cards suggest a link to dark magic, such as The Raven, The Hand of Fate and The Mystic Circle. My friends loved that one, especially on Halloween, but not sure how regular clients would take to it.
Unlike the traditional Tarot deck, Madame Endora’s Fortune cards are specifically designed for fortune-telling, with statements such as “darkness looms on the horizon” and “your luck will soon change”, but it’s certainly worth a try using them for more insightful readings offering advice and guidance.
Madame Endora’s Fortune Cards, by Joseph Vargo & Christine Filipak, 48 cards with small instruction booklet
Published by Monolith Graphics 2003
Buy this deck from Amazon.co.uk
If you have an interest in faery lore and would like to learn more, then this oracle deck is for you.