DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot
Donation protected
The DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot is being born, as you read these words. My name is Robin Artisson, and I have been a public practitioner of Traditional Witchcraft and related esoteric practices (and a busy writer on those same topics) since 1999. In my years of study, I became an adept practitioner of the art of Cartomancy- divination through cards- particularly the ancient and time-tested institution of Tarot Cartomancy.
For years, people urged me to create a Tarot deck of my own, and finally, in the wake of recent achievements in my career as a sorcerer and a writer, I agreed that the time had come for just that.
The DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot is the current chief goal of my publishing company, Black Malkin Press. My partner Caroline St. Clair and I have been honored to retain the artistic talent of a superb painter named Larry Phillips, who has begun to produce the most sublime images for this deck that I have ever encountered.
All three of us daily work together in a space of high creativity, to produce these magnificent images. Larry has also joined us as a third partner in our company, and together, we intend to do more than just produce high-quality books and printed matter: we intend to make an artistic and esoteric contribution to the worlds of Tarot and the Occult that will be second to none, in the form of this deck.
(Preview of "The Fool" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)
Our intention (the creative work of which has been underway secretly for some months now, and will continue for the next 18-24 months) is to create a Tarot deck that fills a void: we are creating a Tarot deck that is done in the aesthetic stream of true pre-modern or Traditional Witchcraft and folkloric esoterica. This deck's symbol-language has no relationship to the various modern symbolic systems that are common to most presently-available Tarot decks or literature; it comes from another place, a stranger and older place.
This deck is an arcane visual message, cast in a form that most will recognize, from the "underworld tradition" and from the dark core of historical witchcraft folklore. That message, shortly stated, is this: "The worlds that are Seen and Unseen are in many forms of hidden relationship to one another, through the mediation of powerful Familiar or allied spirits. " The symbols captured in this deck's cohesive story are primed to do what all legitimate Tarot decks can do: facilitate our awareness of those subtle connections. The cards, properly utilized, spell out messages from the depths of a person's soul, or from the depths of the world itself.
(Preview of "The Sorcerer" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)
Tarot is a "lingua franca" of the modern Occult world. Even those not directly interested in Traditional Witchcraft will be able to understand the story these cards tell. The Tarot (as a science, an institution, and a shared spiritual experience down through many centuries) unites all branches of the Occult and Esoteric tree. To make a Tarot deck is to make a powerful statement of belief and insight that many others can share and enjoy. And that is what we are doing, every day, and will continue to do until this deck is done.
About the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot
I am a strong traditionalist when it comes to my understanding and appreciation of Tarot. I am a fan of the oldest Tarot deck traditions: the Marseille, the Visconti-Sforza, and the Sola Busca- but I have learned through many years of experience how the sacred science of Tarot evolved in positive ways with the creation of the world's most popular Tarot deck: the Rider-Waite.
E.A. Waite was a learned man, and his artist was very adept at translating his vision into images, but their decision to have images of human actors interacting on the pip cards of the deck (largely in imitation of the Sola Busca deck) was ground-breaking in its own way. This allowed for the pip cards to not only transmit a more clear message of their meaning (as opposed to the most traditional decks, that only have a suit number and a suit symbol for each pip) but also allowed for the deck to be used to create entire landscapes of interacting characters and images, spelling out an endless variety of more potent messages.
My own path to reading Tarot relies heavily on these images being allowed to create visual stories, stories in which the Divining Familiars that we seek oracles from can answer our needful questions.
Thus, we have decided to create the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot following the general and recognizable guidelines of the Rider-Smith-Waite tradition- but undoing some of the minor errors Waite made in his own pursuit of his Tarot vision, and incorporating the potency of not just traditional Tarot symbolism, but also the mystical and eldritch contents of the visionary language of pre-modern European Witchcraft, particularly from Scotland and the British Isles.
(Preview of "The Sorceress" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)
My method of reading has been evolving over many years of reading, and now, in its perfected form, it will be written into a book and published exclusively with this deck. That book is entitled "The DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot Key." It will not only be a means of sharing my method, but also of exploring the rich symbolism and symbol-language of our deck, giving deep descriptions of the meanings of each card, and transmitting a learned perspective on traditional Tarot symbolism in general. It will bring the message of Tarot to people in its timeless form, but free of the largely Judeo-Christian conceits that have managed to become so prominent in Tarot.
We are not creating this deck to be as "mass market" as other decks. We have found printers who can make extraordinary high-quality cards, and will find a printer who can create for us a top-quality hardcover book to contain the Tarot Key. We will likely have our Hobb's Eye sigil embossed into the cover of that book. We will sell and distribute these Deck-and-Book sets ourselves, carefully controlling the appearance and quality of each one.
The backs of our cards are reversible for those who read with reversed cards. Following along with the oldest deck traditions, titles and numbers (with the exception of Roman numerals for the Major Arcana) will not be used. Anyone will know what card is what just by looking. There will be no front borders, again in common with the oldest decks; the images will be allowed to blend with one another freely.
In keeping (again) with the oldest decks, the cards will be larger than standard Tarot cards- 4 inches wide by 6 inches high. A special randomization method which works far better than ordinary shuffling- and which preserves the cards from shuffling damage- will be shared in the Tarot Key.
(Preview of the Card Back from The DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)
This Tarot set is not merely a deck, but a powerful spiritual working tool and work of True Art that can create a bridge between a human's conscious mind, and the deep places of the soul and the world. That is the true purpose of Tarot. We expect that the finished product (deck and book together) will cost those who wish to obtain one anywhere from 90-120 dollars, or in that range. As the creation process moves forward, we will keep all those interested or in support of this project aware of all changes.
People who may wonder at the name "DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot" will be pleased to know that "DeSavyok" is the name of the sorcerous Covenant of which I am a member, alongside Caroline, and a group of the finest and most powerful esotericists that I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. This Covenant's name has never been made public before now. "Elfhame" refers to the Underworld, or the Unseen World generally considered, the source of all real divinations or oracles. This Tarot deck is a visual display of our own sorcerous understandings, and many of our shared extraordinary experiences, as well as a means of sharing some of those experiences with others.
(Preview of "Death" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)
The Fundraiser
Because we are a (currently) small and independent press with the goal of making a high-quality end product, and have asked our artist to create 78 full-size paintings (they are huge!), we need the help of supporters and people willing to donate to see this vision brought to life.
Larry buys all of his own materials, and he will need 78 large canvases, even before the quantity of paints, brushes, and other implements he will need. This is sadly not cheap. Also, we must pay printers up-front for the lots of Decks that they will print for us, and the books as well.
So, the only way that this project can truly be accomplished is if we raise money to offset Larry's cost of materials, and if we have a small portion put aside for Black Malkin to help offset overhead costs of printing. Thus, we decided to go to GoFundMe and invite everyone who is interested in this powerful project to become a friend and supporter of the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot. We can't do it without all of you. What you donate here will see the creation of a deck that can serve you for the rest of your days, acting as a very beautiful source of extraordinary guidance.
We will be giving the majority of the money we raise to Larry Phillips, so that he can continue his incredible daily output of art and beauty, and the rest will be used to pay our printers.
(Preview of the "Ace of Swords" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)
This is the most powerful spiritual and artistic project that I, Caroline, and Larry have ever been engaged in. All of our visions, talents, and understandings are colliding and mixing to create this contribution to the world of Tarot. I am excited about it, and proud of all that it has done already.
We will be grateful to all who join us in this creative effort, which anyone can do through any donations they are able to make. We have set up certain cunning incentives for everyone to consider when making donations- see below for the gory/juicy details.
We will of course be conducting this campaign of Tarot creation through all the expected channels: we have a Facebook page for the project, found here:
DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot on Facebook
And we've put up an official website:
Home of the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot
Our website and the Facebook page will allow Larry to post other sample images of his paintings as they get finished. He will have his own space to blog about his experiences as he creates an entire gallery of esoteric art- and I boast not at all when I say it is a forest of occult artworks that will have no peer, in scope or in beauty, when Larry is done. We will sell high-quality prints of the paintings, of course, when the Great Task is accomplished.
In the meantime, we will be updating the public and all of our supporters on how the creation is coming. I and we thank you again for your interest in our work.
(Preview of the "Ace of Wands" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)
For years, people urged me to create a Tarot deck of my own, and finally, in the wake of recent achievements in my career as a sorcerer and a writer, I agreed that the time had come for just that.
The DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot is the current chief goal of my publishing company, Black Malkin Press. My partner Caroline St. Clair and I have been honored to retain the artistic talent of a superb painter named Larry Phillips, who has begun to produce the most sublime images for this deck that I have ever encountered.
All three of us daily work together in a space of high creativity, to produce these magnificent images. Larry has also joined us as a third partner in our company, and together, we intend to do more than just produce high-quality books and printed matter: we intend to make an artistic and esoteric contribution to the worlds of Tarot and the Occult that will be second to none, in the form of this deck.
(Preview of "The Fool" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)Our intention (the creative work of which has been underway secretly for some months now, and will continue for the next 18-24 months) is to create a Tarot deck that fills a void: we are creating a Tarot deck that is done in the aesthetic stream of true pre-modern or Traditional Witchcraft and folkloric esoterica. This deck's symbol-language has no relationship to the various modern symbolic systems that are common to most presently-available Tarot decks or literature; it comes from another place, a stranger and older place.
This deck is an arcane visual message, cast in a form that most will recognize, from the "underworld tradition" and from the dark core of historical witchcraft folklore. That message, shortly stated, is this: "The worlds that are Seen and Unseen are in many forms of hidden relationship to one another, through the mediation of powerful Familiar or allied spirits. " The symbols captured in this deck's cohesive story are primed to do what all legitimate Tarot decks can do: facilitate our awareness of those subtle connections. The cards, properly utilized, spell out messages from the depths of a person's soul, or from the depths of the world itself.
(Preview of "The Sorcerer" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)Tarot is a "lingua franca" of the modern Occult world. Even those not directly interested in Traditional Witchcraft will be able to understand the story these cards tell. The Tarot (as a science, an institution, and a shared spiritual experience down through many centuries) unites all branches of the Occult and Esoteric tree. To make a Tarot deck is to make a powerful statement of belief and insight that many others can share and enjoy. And that is what we are doing, every day, and will continue to do until this deck is done.
About the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot
I am a strong traditionalist when it comes to my understanding and appreciation of Tarot. I am a fan of the oldest Tarot deck traditions: the Marseille, the Visconti-Sforza, and the Sola Busca- but I have learned through many years of experience how the sacred science of Tarot evolved in positive ways with the creation of the world's most popular Tarot deck: the Rider-Waite.
E.A. Waite was a learned man, and his artist was very adept at translating his vision into images, but their decision to have images of human actors interacting on the pip cards of the deck (largely in imitation of the Sola Busca deck) was ground-breaking in its own way. This allowed for the pip cards to not only transmit a more clear message of their meaning (as opposed to the most traditional decks, that only have a suit number and a suit symbol for each pip) but also allowed for the deck to be used to create entire landscapes of interacting characters and images, spelling out an endless variety of more potent messages.
My own path to reading Tarot relies heavily on these images being allowed to create visual stories, stories in which the Divining Familiars that we seek oracles from can answer our needful questions.
Thus, we have decided to create the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot following the general and recognizable guidelines of the Rider-Smith-Waite tradition- but undoing some of the minor errors Waite made in his own pursuit of his Tarot vision, and incorporating the potency of not just traditional Tarot symbolism, but also the mystical and eldritch contents of the visionary language of pre-modern European Witchcraft, particularly from Scotland and the British Isles.
(Preview of "The Sorceress" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)My method of reading has been evolving over many years of reading, and now, in its perfected form, it will be written into a book and published exclusively with this deck. That book is entitled "The DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot Key." It will not only be a means of sharing my method, but also of exploring the rich symbolism and symbol-language of our deck, giving deep descriptions of the meanings of each card, and transmitting a learned perspective on traditional Tarot symbolism in general. It will bring the message of Tarot to people in its timeless form, but free of the largely Judeo-Christian conceits that have managed to become so prominent in Tarot.
We are not creating this deck to be as "mass market" as other decks. We have found printers who can make extraordinary high-quality cards, and will find a printer who can create for us a top-quality hardcover book to contain the Tarot Key. We will likely have our Hobb's Eye sigil embossed into the cover of that book. We will sell and distribute these Deck-and-Book sets ourselves, carefully controlling the appearance and quality of each one.
The backs of our cards are reversible for those who read with reversed cards. Following along with the oldest deck traditions, titles and numbers (with the exception of Roman numerals for the Major Arcana) will not be used. Anyone will know what card is what just by looking. There will be no front borders, again in common with the oldest decks; the images will be allowed to blend with one another freely.
In keeping (again) with the oldest decks, the cards will be larger than standard Tarot cards- 4 inches wide by 6 inches high. A special randomization method which works far better than ordinary shuffling- and which preserves the cards from shuffling damage- will be shared in the Tarot Key.
(Preview of the Card Back from The DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)This Tarot set is not merely a deck, but a powerful spiritual working tool and work of True Art that can create a bridge between a human's conscious mind, and the deep places of the soul and the world. That is the true purpose of Tarot. We expect that the finished product (deck and book together) will cost those who wish to obtain one anywhere from 90-120 dollars, or in that range. As the creation process moves forward, we will keep all those interested or in support of this project aware of all changes.
People who may wonder at the name "DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot" will be pleased to know that "DeSavyok" is the name of the sorcerous Covenant of which I am a member, alongside Caroline, and a group of the finest and most powerful esotericists that I've ever had the pleasure of knowing. This Covenant's name has never been made public before now. "Elfhame" refers to the Underworld, or the Unseen World generally considered, the source of all real divinations or oracles. This Tarot deck is a visual display of our own sorcerous understandings, and many of our shared extraordinary experiences, as well as a means of sharing some of those experiences with others.
(Preview of "Death" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)The Fundraiser
Because we are a (currently) small and independent press with the goal of making a high-quality end product, and have asked our artist to create 78 full-size paintings (they are huge!), we need the help of supporters and people willing to donate to see this vision brought to life.
Larry buys all of his own materials, and he will need 78 large canvases, even before the quantity of paints, brushes, and other implements he will need. This is sadly not cheap. Also, we must pay printers up-front for the lots of Decks that they will print for us, and the books as well.
So, the only way that this project can truly be accomplished is if we raise money to offset Larry's cost of materials, and if we have a small portion put aside for Black Malkin to help offset overhead costs of printing. Thus, we decided to go to GoFundMe and invite everyone who is interested in this powerful project to become a friend and supporter of the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot. We can't do it without all of you. What you donate here will see the creation of a deck that can serve you for the rest of your days, acting as a very beautiful source of extraordinary guidance.
We will be giving the majority of the money we raise to Larry Phillips, so that he can continue his incredible daily output of art and beauty, and the rest will be used to pay our printers.
(Preview of the "Ace of Swords" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)This is the most powerful spiritual and artistic project that I, Caroline, and Larry have ever been engaged in. All of our visions, talents, and understandings are colliding and mixing to create this contribution to the world of Tarot. I am excited about it, and proud of all that it has done already.
We will be grateful to all who join us in this creative effort, which anyone can do through any donations they are able to make. We have set up certain cunning incentives for everyone to consider when making donations- see below for the gory/juicy details.
We will of course be conducting this campaign of Tarot creation through all the expected channels: we have a Facebook page for the project, found here:
DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot on Facebook
And we've put up an official website:
Home of the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot
Our website and the Facebook page will allow Larry to post other sample images of his paintings as they get finished. He will have his own space to blog about his experiences as he creates an entire gallery of esoteric art- and I boast not at all when I say it is a forest of occult artworks that will have no peer, in scope or in beauty, when Larry is done. We will sell high-quality prints of the paintings, of course, when the Great Task is accomplished.
In the meantime, we will be updating the public and all of our supporters on how the creation is coming. I and we thank you again for your interest in our work.
(Preview of the "Ace of Wands" from the DeSavyok Elfhame Tarot, © 2015 Black Malkin Press LLC)Organizer
Robin Artisson
Organizer
Ira Township, MI
