Royo Dark Tarot Deck
The world of the apocalypse is presented by various authors in their own way. For some, dystopia does not imply the presence of a person on Earth at all. Biorobots completely replaced people, and the planet turned into a branch of Hell. However, the Dark Tarot of Luis Royo offers a different approach. Beautiful half-naked women, remnants of virgin nature and mystical creatures. It seems as if the heroines are still fighting for life on this planet. Looking at them, one gets the impression that they are quite capable of it.
History of creation of the Royo Dark Tarot Deck
The Royo Dark Tarot was first published in 2012. Erotic plots, a dystopian world and beautiful heroines – all this allowed the deck to gain fame. The Spanish illustrator Luis Royo became the author and artist of the cards. In the 80s, he drew comics for a metal magazine. In parallel, the artist collaborated with various glossy publications. As a result, his deck became a collection of outstanding works. For the Royo Tarot, Luis used pictures and illustrations that were most suitable for the classical Waite system. However, the deck turned out to be very original.
Often, accompanying literature comes with the Dark Tarot by Luis Royo. The author recommends not to perceive the dark deck from the point of view of traditions. The Arcana give a huge field for interpretation. There are hidden fears, repressed emotions, and sexual deviations. As usual, each practitioner will see his own. Luis Royo himself simply offers to immerse himself in a fantasy world. It is inhabited by gothic beauties and frightening monsters, but in fact reflects reality.
Key features of the Royo Dark Tarot
The Royo Dark Tarot deck consists of 78 cards. At first glance, the system corresponds to Waite: the Fool goes without a number, Strength is 11th. The court Arcana are standard – Pages, Knights, Queens and Kings. Hierarchy does not raise questions, unlike the same Manara or Crowley. In addition, for the Major Arcana of the Dark Tarot, Luis Royo tried to pick up the most authentic illustrations to Waite from his own collection. For example, Luis’s High Priestess shows a dark-haired girl with bats circling around her. The main message is mysticism, the secret was preserved, despite the external differences of the heroine. The same goes for the Emperor. It depicts a muscular man holding a sharp blade in his hand. The character makes his way through the forest thicket, not being afraid to meet obstacles.
In general, in the Royo Dark Tarot deck, the main emphasis was placed on the female figure. It is not for nothing that the author became famous for his ability to beautifully convey the lady’s appearance. However, often thin and attractive girls will fit into an unfriendly reality. The Minor Arcana of the Dark Tarot by Luis Royo is an example of this. So, on the Three of Swords, the heroine holds on to a column in a room that is very reminiscent of a sewer. It seems that the girl is hiding from someone, or she came here to mourn.
The suits of the Dark Royo Tarot deck remain the same – Cups, Swords, Pentacles and Wands. But the visual range is often not sustained in classic shades. So, for example, blue tones can be seen on a group of Wands, and red tones on Swords. Pointers on the frame, which each card has, help not to get confused in the interpretations. The name of the Arcana is written here, its numerical designation. There are no astrological or kabbalistic correspondences. For each suit, Luis designed his own symbol: Swords are a blade, Wands are a staff, Cups are a jellyfish, and Pentacles are a gold coin. They are also present on the frame of the cards.
Style and symbolism of the deck
In many ways, the Dark Tarot by Luis Royo is like the deck of Milo Manara – a black frame, erotic motifs, a departure from traditional designations. Only the world itself, in which the characters are immersed, differs. Precisely because reality is often dangerous here, Luis’s characters have an appropriate appearance. Girls carry weapons, have protection tattoos. At the same time, they are dressed in translucent fabrics, revealing outfits, and wear jewelry. One gets the impression that the heroines have taken their position for granted and are trying to be beautiful in any conditions. Male characters are rare. Even on the cards of the Kings, some monsters are often drawn, and not the usual gentlemen.
Much emphasis in the Royo Dark Tarot deck is placed on infernal creatures. And even if these are not classic vampires or werewolves, they still inspire horror. The questioner can see here dragons, demons, ancient deities and mechanical creatures. Some kind of correspondence with the elements cannot be drawn, because initially most of the images were “taken out of context”. Therefore, the color palette, even in the format of the same suit, will be varied. The seal itself can be considered a common feature of all Arcana – it resembles all the same comics from magazines.
Interpretation of the Royo Dark Tarot cards
The interpretation of the Tarot by Luis Royo requires skill from the practitioner. The prediction should be built around the image, numerical designation, suit. As a basis, it is possible to take the classical interpretation according to Rider-Waite. However, the nuances from the author will always be of paramount importance. The main characters in a dark deck can show both specific individuals and characterize any event. In addition, you should not make a reference to gender – often girls will personify men, and vice versa.
For a more in-depth understanding of the Dark Royo Tarot deck, analogies can be drawn with the paintings from which the fragments are taken. The general context will allow you to see the situation as a whole. But, of course, the tarot reader has the right to trust intuition and derive their own meanings. Everything will depend on the time of practice, the development of experience. Animals and birds that occasionally appear on the Arcana can serve as a hint.
What questions is the deck suitable for?
In general, the Dark Tarot deck by Luis Royo best of all illuminates the psychology of a person, his sexuality. The cards will help the fortuneteller understand the motives for the behavior of his enemies, friends, or work colleagues. Explicit scenes give a reference to the relationship between the sexes. So, with the help of this Luis deck, you can find out the innermost secrets of the second half, find an approach to the most closed person. There are many variations and questions – you just need to start working with the Arcana. In order not to get confused, you can write down the answers received and then compare them with the events that have occurred or the characteristics of certain people. Thus, analogies will be drawn with the court Arcana, the archetypes of the major group and the motives of the minor.
But in ordinary everyday situations, fortune-telling on the Royo Dark Tarot can lead to a dead end. There are no familiar landscapes, no objects. It is best to focus on people, because they are given a central place in the deck. It is worth paying attention to body language, facial expressions, posture. The color scheme chosen by Luis is often gloomy, so all the answers will be with a touch of mysticism. By the way, on the topic of the paranormal Arcana should show themselves well. The same applies to the interpretation of dreams or some signs, strange phenomena.
Who are the Royo Dark Tarot cards for?
The spreads on the Dark Tarot by Luis Royo will definitely appeal to practitioners immersed in the theme of esotericism and mysticism. These are various sorcerers, magicians, witches. Also, the cards are suitable for those people who are interested in astral travel. In any case, these are individuals who are guided by higher matter, energy, and not by conditioned reality. Ordinary people can be repelled by a deck. Yes, and erotic motives will not appeal to overly closed personalities who are afraid to express their own feelings.
Of course, the Royo Dark Tarot deck will appeal to fans of the artist. The Spanish illustrator started his art back in the 70s, but released the cards only in 2012. Fans of this style could see the paintings of Luis even before they were inscribed in the Tarot system. Some practitioners buy a deck and never work with it. The Arcana of Luis is simply an exhibit in a private collection. To summarize, we can call the deck very specific. It will not suit everyone, but for those people who find an approach to it, it can become a real treasure.