Chaosium :Published by Mythos Books LLC 2002 78 Duotone Cards measuring 4.25 x 5.5 inches. Artwork by D.L. Hutchinson 80 page booklet by Eric Friedman
The first edition was published in 1996, and sold out within a year, with the occasional copy being listed online or on e-bay, and often commanded staggering prices. This second revised edition of the Lovecraft Tarot, published by Mythos Books LLC 2002, 2nd revised edition, contains 78 cards corresponding to the Major Arcana and Minor Arcana of the traditional tarot; the Minor Arcana of The H.P. Lovecraft Tarot consisting of the Suits of Man, Artifacts, Tomes & Sites; the Major Arcana consisting of entities and creatures of H.P. Lovecraft & the Cthulhu Mythos. Over 1/3 of the cards have been redesigned with augmented or completely new illustrations, all the artwork again by noted artist Daryl Hutchinson.
The cards are printed in duotone, in varying shades of sepia and white, and the card dimensions are approximately 4.25 x 5.5 inches. The symbols, numerals and card title are printed against a white background, and the cards are UV coated to protect the cards in the course of their handling. This second edition of the H.P. Lovecraft Tarot comes with an 80 page book authored by Eric Friedman, who provides the introduction to the H.P. Lovecraft Tarot, detailed explanation of each Major Arcana card and how this card relates to the Cthulhu Mythos, and where applicable to its corresponding card in the traditional tarot, and for all cards in the Major & Minor Arcana both positive and negative aspects of the card are listed for those who choose to use the deck as a diviniation tool. The descriptions from the Major Arcana also include quotes from the writings of H.P. Lovecraft, H.P. Lovecraft & Zelia Bishop (for the
Yig card) and one quote from August Derleth (for the
Ithaqua card). A suggested tarot spread, and an example reading, is provided in the book as well for those who wish to use the deck as a traditional tarot. The deck may be appreciated as either beautiful art cards, or as a functional working tarot deck, or as both.
The MAJOR ARCANA cards are as follows: Azathoth, Nyarlathotep, Yog-Sothoth, Shub Niggurath, Hastur, Cthulhu, Lavinia, Ithaqua, Shoggoth, Great Race of Yith, Hounds of Tindalos, Mi-Go, Deep One, Ghoul, Old One, Tsathoggua, R'lyeh Rising, Nodens, Night Gaunt, Yig the Serpent God, Cthulhu Awakens and The Crawling Chaos.
The MINOR ARCANA cards are as follows:
THE SUIT OF MAN: H.P. Lovecraft, Randolph Carter, Inspector Legrasse, Charles Dexter Ward, Erich Zann, Herbert West, Captain Obed Marsh, Wizard Noah Whateley, Wilbur Whateley, Wizard Edward Hutchinson, Dr. Henry Armitage, Crawford Tillinghast, Harley Warren, Keziah Mason.
THE SUIT OF ARTIFACTS: Star Stone, The Colour Out of Space, Silver Key, The Shining Trapezohedron, Guardian of Kadath, The Yellow Sign, EOD Vestments, Resonator, Pickman's Model, Mi-Go Brain Cylinder, Bokrug, Stone of Nepemiah Derby, Liao the Plutonian Drug.
THE SUIT OF TOMES: Necronomicon, De Vermis Mysteriis, Unaussprechlichen Kulten, The R'lyeh Texts, The Dhol Chants, Libre D'Eibon, The King in Yellow, Cultes Des Gouls, The Pnakotic Manuscripts, The Eltdown Shards, The People of the Monolith, The Ponape Scriptures, Seven Cryptical Books of Hsan, The Black Book. THE
SUIT OF SITES: Yuggoth, Irem City of Pillars, Plateau of Leng, Whateley Farmhouse, The Witch House, The Mountains of Madness, St. Toad's, Innsmouth, Kadath, Exham Priory, Sentinel Hill, EOD Temple, Federal Hill, Arkham.