Madame Endora's Fortune Cards is a 48-card oracle deck first published in 2003, and I bought it back in those days, shockingly, that's 21 years ago 😱😂
This is the kind of dark deck I still love especially at this time of year.
It was designed by the creators of the Gothic Tarot, hinting at its moody and mysterious atmosphere.
When I revisited the website the other day after all these years, I was delighted to find that the deck is not only still available for purchase, it can now also be downloaded as an app, although sadly just in the Apple store.
Nevertheless, it's come a long way 😄
So here I'm talking about the good old-fashioned analogue card deck, that you can hold in your hands.
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 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”.
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 always proves a hit with my friends around Halloween and cosy get-togethers by the fireplace on dark cold days. Readings are fun, eerily 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.
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.
If it's the first time you've heard of this deck, then you might be interested in buying it.
Created by Joseph Vargo & Christine Filipak, it comes with a small but useful instruction booklet and is available online including the publisher's website Monolith Graphics.
If you bought it back in those days and still use it occasionally today, I'd love to hear from you! Share your experiences and thoughts in the comments below 🤩
Until next time,
Christiane 🦄
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