Tarot developed by Terry Donaldson

Artwork by Peter Pracownik

Game rules by Mike Fitzgerald
Publishers

U.S. GAMES SYSTEMS, INC.

Stamford, CT 06902 USA

Copyright 1997 U.S. Games Systems, Inc.

The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck and Card Game
Copyright 1997 Tolkien Enterprises, a division of the Saul
Zaentz company, Berkeley, CA. The Lord of the Rings and
all characters and places therein are trademark properties of
Tolkien Enterprises.
All rights reserved. The illustrations, cover design, and contents are protected by copyright. No part of this booklet
may be reproduced in any form without permission from the
publisher, except by a reviewer who wishes to quote brief
passages in connection with a review written for inclusion in
a magazine or newspaper.
ISBN 1-57281-017-3
99 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
Booklet printed in the USA
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
179 Ludlow Street
Stamford, CT 06902 USA
Acknowledgments:
These people have contributed to the creation of this tarot deck. Many
thanks are due for their efforts and contributions, and for just plain
being there:
Jazz Deville, Shelly Pink, Lou Gallant, Ian Percival, Rebecca Pracownik,
Evelyne Donaldson, Sammy Wilcox, AstralAsia the music band, and
everyone at the Riggs Diner in Tintagel, Cornwall. An especial thank
you to Laurie Battle of Tolkien Enterprises for her support, advice, and
personal enthusiasm for this project, and a tip of the ol hat to Anna
May Wegbreit, formerly of U.S. Games Systems, who is now, we hear,
somewhere in Florida.
Terry and Peter welcome feedback about their work. Please drop
them a line if you want to at the following address:
London Tarot Centre
25 Gisburn Road, Hornsey
London N8 7BS, England
tel: 0-181-340-3788 fax: 0-181-348-8665
For an actual tarot reading by Terry using The Lord of the Rings Tarot deck,
phone (44)-374-50-50-65

Dedicated to Gandalf
Long may his friendship be with us

In The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings,

J. R. R. Tolkien accessed a rich dimension of
mythological symbolism which, once started,
cannot be put down. The Lord of the Rings is
the archetypal story of the struggle between
good and evil, light and darkness. The world is
in danger from a powerful Dark Lord, and the
Free Peoples of Middle-earth must overcome
their differences and come together to thwart
his purpose. Arrayed against them are the
Dark Lords vast magical powers, massive
armies of ferocious Orcs, giant spider-like creatures, demons, and dragons. Elves, Dwarves,
Hobbits, and humans form alliances which
bring the One Ring back to the fiery furnace of
Mount Doom.
Tolkien wrote The Lord of the Rings over
the space of 13 years as a sequel to The
Hobbit, in which a Hobbit gets caught up in a
magical adventure with a team of Dwarves
who are attempting to gain the treasure of a
dragon called Smaug. In this tale, Bilbo Baggins comes across a creature called Gollum at
the bottom of a mountain in an underground
lake. Gollum asks Bilbo to solve a number of
riddles. As Bilbo is answering, he finds that a
small metallic ring he has unexpectedly come
3

across is of great significance. He slips it on,

becomes invisible, and is thus able to escape
Gollums lair. Invisibility is the first of several
powers which the ring may confer to its
owner. The Hobbit concludes with Bilbo making it back to the Shire, his home region, and
resuming his quiet lifestyle.
The Lord of the Rings begins where the
Hobbit leaves off, and suddenly it seems that
Bilbos ring is of much greater significance
than even he could have known. The ring
confers great powers upon whoever is its
master (i.e., wearer), but it has a will of its
own, and is constantly trying to make its way
back to its original creator and master,
Sauron, the Lord of Mordor. A fellowship is
formed consisting of representatives of the
different races known collectively as the
Free Peoples. They sally forth to negate
the power of the ring by taking it to Mount
Doom, where it was forged, and rid the
world of its influence by dropping it into the
flames of the volcano there. En route, our
adventurers have to endure many privations,
undergo tests and challenges, and eventually
win against the odds.
Everyone will find something different
within any epic tale such as this. In this tarot
deck, which has been formulated along traditional tarot lines, great respect has been
paid to both the spiritual tradition of the
4

tarot and the world of Middle-earth: we have

here a special marriage of these two realms.
But we have also gone a step further and
brought in a dimension of a game that may
also be played with the deck. Thus we have
continued the bardic tradition of bringing fun
into what can otherwise become an overly
academic or serious area of study and esotericism, and we feel that the spirit of
Gandalf is right behind us in making that
decision. We have, in truth, brought together three different realms into what we believe
is a Master Deck: uniting three into one. As it
is written: Three Rings for Elven Kings.



J. R. R. Tolkien originally wrote The Hobbit for

fun, reading it as he wrote it to his three sons.
We can look at his work as if it were a fairy
story, but in doing so we would be missing the
point. Tolkiens work was in reality a monumental act of channeling, and in The Hobbit,
The Lord of the Rings, and especially in The
Silmarillion, Tolkien has presented a symbolic
history of the universe and many spiritual
lessons for us to apply in our own lives as well.
We have the story of how a small group of
people, divided by history but united by the
loyalty they feel for one another, overcome an
immensely powerful enemy whose resources
and magical powers overwhelm their own.
Yet through perseverance, honesty, and
5

dedication to their purpose, the Free Peoples

overcome adversity and successfully save the
future of their people. In the end, they sail
away from persecution in Europe toward the
Americas, in a sense another kind of Blessed
Realm, where gods and mortals dwell, to
where they could live their lives in freedom
and in justice.
It has been said that the world is divided
into those that have read The Hobbit and
The Lord of the Rings, and those that are
going to read them. And in reading Tolkiens
works, each of us will derive different insights
and at different times. For those of us who
have already read The Hobbit, The Lord of
the Rings, and The Silmarillion, to go back
and read them again will bring new perceptions, new realizations. For those to whom
Tolkiens work is as yet unfamiliar, to begin
such a major quest may seem at first to be a
bit daunting. Yet in the beginning of such a
quest we should ask ourselves what we
would like to derive from it. Some see the
stories as parables, others as entertainment;
indeed, there is no major contradiction
between these realms of experience.
Perhaps the most important character in
the story is Gandalf, a wizard who inspires,
defends, directs, and protects the Free
Peoples he is trying to unite and support
against the Dark Lord of the eastern kingdom
6

of Mordor. The name Gandalf is taken from

the Prose Edda, an ancient Icelandic legend of
gods and demons, and is a name or title
meaning wizard. He is a Merlin-archetype,
that interconnecting link of guide and teacher
between the realm of mortals and the kingdom of the gods which we find in every
culture, spiritual tradition, time, and region.
In creating The Lord of the Rings Tarot, we
have felt, at the ragged edges of our own
reality, the occasional presence of this
archetype: it is playful as well as full of
great teaching. It is thus fitting that this tarot
deck should also contain the aspect of a
game, encompassing the principal of fun and
adventure that Gandalf so epitomized.
We wish you fun and fulfillment as your
journey begins, and hope that you will enjoy
traveling in the realm of Middle-earth as
much as we have. Who knows, we may even
see you there!



Following are basic card meanings. On each

card, youll find a caption that acts as a prompter to the cards symbolism and significance.

THE MAJOR ARCANA

The Major Arcana represents the major spiritual mysteries or lessons of life.
0 The Fool
A new chapter of life opens up. A sense of
adventure. Eccentricity, originality.
Reversed: Dissipation of energy.
I The Magician
Putting your message out to a wider audience. Commanding the material aspects of
life. Using your will to make things happen.
Messages.
Reversed: Insufficient information; trickery.
II The High Priestess
Allowing your inner thoughts and feelings to
be your guide. Not knowing why you are
prompted to do something. Trusting intuition. The call of the wild. Influences of the
past, usually unconscious.
Reversed: Superstitious; superficial; imageconscious.
III The Empress
Utilizing your creativity. Manifesting; allowing things to grow and develop around you.
Growth and prosperity.
Reversed: Too easygoing; the need to stand
up for your rights.

IV The Emperor
The struggle for independence. Refusal to submit to others authority. Pushing back external
influences which encroach upon ones territory.
Reversed: Too headstrong. Unable to heed
the advice of others.
V The Hierophant
Powerful teachers and teachings enter ones life.
Influences behind the scenes. Rituals and ceremonies which work to influence objective reality. Rites of passage; shamanistic influences.
Reversed: Stuck in tradition.
VI The Lovers
Intensity. Choices in relationships. Devotion
to whatever or whoever is sacred in ones
heart. Sexuality as expression. Physical love.
Reversed: Obsessive love. Flightiness.
VII The Chariot
Focus all your resources on attaining what is
most important, one step at a time. Pull
together disparate forces to create a semblance
of order. Discipline, especially self-discipline.
Reversed: Unable to finish anything.
VIII Strength
Allowing ones immediate impulses to be
directed by the use of reason. Creating bridges
between this realm and the realm of higher
energies. Opening oneself as a channel for
these forces.
9

Reversed: Not using your own abilities and

powers.
IX The Hermit
Dont rush into new sets of commitments.
Check out everything involved before making that final plunge. Caution.
Reversed: Overly cautious.
X The Wheel of Fortune
The ebbs and flows of lifes opportunities.
Temporary gratification versus ones destiny.
Lifes ups and downs. Consider how to maintain well-being when things are going well.
Reversed: Too optimistic. Look out for possible pitfalls.
XI Justice
Achieving a new sense of balance. Harmony,
and how it is attained. Taking responsibility
for ones own errors rather than blaming others for ones lot.
Reversed: Lack of balance. Too much or too
little mercy shown.
XII The Hanged Man
Dont be swayed or influenced by the considerations of others. Dealing with ones own
hang-ups. Waiting for something to happen.
Stalemate.
Reversed: Looking at the world upside down.
Unnecessary sacrifices.
10

XIII Death
Clearing away negative conditions in order
for something better to flow in. Giving up
something of lesser value in exchange for
something of much greater long term value.
The spirals of lifes progression.
Reversed: Unable to free oneself from the
influences of the past.
XIV Temperance
Looking into the past in order to be able to
better understand the present. Using ones
experience in order to deal more effectively
with present problems. Healing, self-analysis.
Reversed: Unable to learn from the past.
XV The Devil
Dont let your own negativity hold you back.
Become aware of your own invisible ceilings
and thermostats. Avoid self-sabotage. Those
around you are negative.
Reversed: Suppressive, invalidating influences.
XVI The Tower
The need to build upon solid foundations,
i.e., principles of honesty, truthfulness, and
humanity. Putting the interests of what you
believe in before your own interests.
Reversed: Anger, possible danger.
XVII The Star
Peace, serenity, realization. Understanding
ones purpose in life.
11

Reversed: Lack of humanitarianism; lack of

principles.
XVIII The Moon
Things are not as they may seem at first
glance. There are deeper reasons for what
happens. Strange connections between peoplebeyond their own understanding.
Reversed: Living in a fantasy realm. Unable
to distinguish the difference between objective reality and what exists purely in the
imagination.
XIX The Sun
Growth and harmonious development in all
aspects of life. Conscious planning. Building,
organization, objective and measurable phenomenon.
Reversed: Overly intense. Burning the candle
at both ends.
XX Judgment
Major transformation, possibly emigration.
Moving on to a completely different lifestyle.
In the grip of powerful forces, seeing your
life explode around you before the changes
become visible.
Reversed: In the grip of obsessive forces.
Feeling that one is a pawn in a game played
by the gods.

12

XXI The World

Success, but the need for greater self-confidence. The fulfillment of responsibilities,
duties, and commitments. How we grow
through dealing with life; not avoiding the
challenges it presents us with.
Reversed: Heavy burdens, excessive duties.
Carrying the world upon ones shoulders.
Fears, especially about responsibilities.
THE MINOR ARCANA
The Minor Arcana represents 56 every-day
situations and people that we all come across
one way or another in our lives.
You will notice that I have given reversals
for the Major Arcana, but not the Minor
Arcana. The Major Arcana reversals are much
more definitive, whereas with the Minor
Arcana you have to find your way through.
Basically a reversal shows a question mark
over the nature of the influence of the card(s)
concerned. It shows something coming too
soon, too late, too much, or too little.
SWORDS
Representing the element of air, Swords
show states of mind and states of conflict.
Ace of Swords: Breakthrough; sudden resolution. The use of power in just the right
measure. Effective and timely intervention.
13

Two of Swords: Good advice given and

received. Considering all the possibilities
before committing oneself to any of them.
Weighing up the consequences of any possible action.
Three of Swords: Heartbreak, but the need
for greater communication is a way of resolving this. A problem that is shared is a problem that is halved. The need to confide and
unburden oneself. Comforting a friend or
loved one in a time of need.
Four of Swords: The lifting of tensions. Relief
from suffering. Dissipation of obstacles.
Five of Swords: Crossed swords and a parting of the ways. Ones road in life veers away
suddenly, and one is alone. Dealing with sudden loss.
Six of Swords: Sailing away from negative
and limiting conditions. Disconnecting from
troublesome or suppressive people. Refusal
to have turbulent people around oneself.
Retreat, but one step back out of the situation is actually the way ahead.
Seven of Swords: Being ripped off by others.
The need for greater security, greater vigilance. Also, scenarios involving important
sacrifices being made.

14

Eight of Swords: Frustration, but the need

for greater patience in order to find a way
out of the limitations. Dont struggle; wait
until you know that your energy will make
the difference. Unable to see the road which
lies ahead.
Nine of Swords: Feeling that your hands are
tied. The will of another limiting and influencing your life. Obsessions, phobias. The need
to open up new channels of communication.
Ten of Swords: Major life-changing experiences occurring without warning. Shocks and
sudden surprises. Feelings of betrayal. Guilt
about what one could have done, or should
have done. Trapped in the same old patterns.
Conspiracies.
Page of Swords: Dont rush into battle,
either ones own battle or other peoples.
Oaths, commitments, promises; possible difficulties in fulfilling these. Observing without
mentally censoring what one sees.
Knight of Swords: As a person: a man or
masculine archetype who has won the war,
but who now needs to apply diplomacy as
the next stage of his battle plan. As a situation: a time for calling off the dogs and talking things through with those involved.
Avoiding overreaction and unnecessary
destructiveness.
15

Queen of Swords: As a person: a woman or

feminine archetype who has shown personal
power, but who now needs to cultivate allies.
As a situation: a time to draw up boundaries.
Good fences make good neighbors. Loyal
followers to be rewarded.
King of Swords: You have won the war, now
you must win the peace and make sure that
you and others get the practical benefit of
the victory which you have achieved.
WANDS
Wands are the suit of fire, and indicate energy, action, and power.
Ace of Wands: New initiative being taken.
The beginning of a new cycle of action:
cause-effect. Inspiration. A new idea which
will have far-reaching consequences.
Two of Wands: Good advice given and
received. Guidance, direction being given to
those that value it. Resistance to oppression.
Three of Wands: Exercising leadership by
example. Others will follow suit, but someone has got to be the first to stand up and
resist negativity.
Four of Wands: Working with others toward
a common purpose. Uniting people with the
same objective against those that would
whittle away freedoms for the sake of some
16

greater common good. Mutual respect

and integrity of purpose.
Five of Wands: Stiff opposition, and the
need for greater determination to overcome
it. Competing forces, blockages, pressure.
Six of Wands: Victory. The turning of the tide.
The seemingly stronger enemy suddenly routed. A strong sense of accomplishment. Time
for oneself to be given a pat on the back.
Seven of Wands: Cutting down your problems one by one. Dont let issues build up
and overwhelm you. Resist attack, even
when it comes in subtle forms.
Eight of Wands: Things are happening quickly. Messages are relayed from one terminal to
another. Life as a flying carpet of experience
and adventure.
Nine of Wands: Break down your barriers
only when you feel that the other person can
be trusted. Establish this first and foremost.
Ten of Wands: Carry the burdens of others
only for a definite time period and for a definite reason; dont do so indiscriminately.
Page of Wands: Learning, traveling. Moving
through life in a traveling/student mode.
Knight of Wands: Dynamic male/masculine
energy. Taking the necessary steps in order to
effect a change.
17

Queen of Wands: Able to act despite limitations and pressure to succumb. Independent/
dynamic female/male energy. Resistance leading on to resolution of an old scenario.
King of Wands: A man/masculine archetype
of leadership. Having to be strong in times of
challenge. Being strong by experiencing
ones emotions, not denying them.
CUPS
This suit represents the element water, and
shows emotions and feelings.
Ace of Cups: Emotional fulfillment at finding
ones destiny. The value of love in ones life.
Two of Cups: A new relationship starting, or
a new stage in an existing relationship.
Friendship, loyalty, togetherness.
Three of Cups: Reunion with old friends.
Celebration, taking down the barriers.
Four of Cups: Reaching out for new friendships and associations. Realizing the value of
what is being offered by others, and of what
oneself has to offer.
Five of Cups: Disillusionment with what has
happened, having to make new plans to
accommodate a seeming setback. Negative
emotional states.
Six of Cups: Learning to share on an emo18

tional level. The growth of a friendship

through all its phases.
Seven of Cups: Confusion stemming from
the vision of so many seeming options. The
need to get ones priorities in order and work
out a game plan.
Eight of Cups: Looking for something on a
much deeper level than the status quo.
Going beyond the superficial to follow ones
true path or destiny. Renunciation of that
which is now unimportant.
Nine of Cups: Experiencing life as a celebration. The center of attention. Attraction over
others. Being able to realize a long-held wish.
Ten of Cups: Emotional commitments fulfilled. Now one is able to go on in life to
whatever lies ahead.
Page of Cups: New social and other contracts. Learning social skills and applying
them. The influence of children in ones life.
Knight of Cups: As a person: a man/masculine archetype who is emotionally sensitive to
the needs of others. As a situation: a scenario
in which more giving is required.
Queen of Cups: As a person: a female/feminine archetype who is emotionally sensitive
to the needs of others. As a situation: a scenario in which more receiving is required.
19

King of Cups: One who is emotionally fulfilled, and able to help and support others.
COINS
Coins represent earth and the material and
financial conditions of life.
Ace of Coins: A new doorway opening up,
work-wise. Dealing with the material questions of life with a new spirit of adventure.
Two of Coins: The same line of work, in a
different place. Juggling with finances, keeping several different things on the move at
the same time.
Three of Coins: Learning new skills and
developing new abilities. Study, application,
love of books, and appreciation of other peoples ideas.
Four of Coins: Getting financial and material
conditions organized. Accounting for what
has been spent; budgeting for future costs.
Putting a bridge between two different
realms so that people can move from one
realm to another.
Five of Coins: Unforeseen expenses/difficulties. The unexpected barrier, which is not a
barrier at all, but rather a doorway. Turning a
problem into an opportunity. People banding
together to form a column of mutual support
against whatever the future might hold.
20

Six of Coins: Wanting to be generous, but

there is a need for discrimination in terms of
who gets what. Choices concerning division
of the spoils, decisions as to who is deserving. Identifying an individuals and societys
priorities and how they converge.
Seven of Coins: Hard work. Persevere in
order to attain the harvest. Continued application; rededication of effort; refusal to give
up. Dedication to ones role in the Great
Work, i.e., ones mission in life.
Eight of Coins: Skill, especially the application of knowledge from study, books, teachers. Using ones knowledge in order to fulfill
ones own life and serve others. Craftsmanship, professionalism.
Nine of Coins: Gaining recognition in the
eyes of others. Moving through the Paths of
Life, and recognizing the worth of what one
has experienced. The joys of the physical
plane, of the senses, and of sense gratification. Feelings of accomplishment.
Ten of Coins: Joint finances and important
investment decisions. Major economic policies coming into effect. Large amounts of
money; the movement of moneys around
the planet. International finance as a vehicle
for planetary change.
21

Page of Coins: Wanting to change ones line

of work, or take on more responsibilities.
Moving up and on in life through fulfilling
existing duties. Able to refer back to ones
superior in order to get a decision.
Knight of Coins: As a person: a man who
wants to develop his career or vocation. As a
situation: finances require more active
involvement to realize full potential.
Queen of Coins: As a person: a woman who
wants to develop her career or vocation. As a
situation: patience/passivity is required in
order to see a benefit realized.
King of Coins: A man/masculine archetype
on the material plane who has demonstrated
effectiveness, and who now needs greater
challenges.

MEDITATIONS
In The Lord of the Rings there is a huge supply of symbolism that we can meditate upon.
The value of meditation is that we can learn
how to be still within our own minds, so as to
open the doorways for greater realization to
flow through. The tarot, particularly when filtered through the symbolism of Tolkiens
world, is quite potent for such purposes. The
archetypes (the characters in the story) are
22

powerful and can lead us to understanding

our lives more deeply.
To meditate, you dont need to sit in any
particular position. Just breathe deeply,
allowing your mind to clear of all its presenttime problems. After a few minutesand
you shouldnt try to rush thisallow the
image of, say, Gandalf to come into your
mind. What would he say to you? Where
would he take you? Later on, you can summon the images of Frodo, Galadriel, Smaug,
and so on.
In this form of meditation, you are effectively going on a journey which will stimulate your imagination, and quite possibly cast
light on your past to illuminate your present
and future. Try it and see for yourself.
The Lord of the Rings gives us many
hints as to psychic techniques that we can
use. Take, for instance, the scene where
Saruman shows Gandalf his aurait has
turned from white to many colors. Here is a
technique we can all use; concentrate on
emanating a particular color from around
you. Create different colors in your own
aura. So the next time you find yourself at a
loss for something to do, dont just stand
there, emanate a color, or just let certain colors flow through you! Again, try it and see.

23

SPREADING THE CARDS

In laying out the cards, you might like to use
the famous Celtic Cross spread. Following is a
diagram to guide you in laying out the cards
and putting each card meaning into context.
1. The general situation.
2. Other aspects of the general situation.
3. What is on your mind.
4. Background influences of the last three years.
5. Recent influences.
6. The influences of the coming year.
7. Doorway from the present into the future.
8. Domestic life.
9. Hopes or anxieties.
10. Overview, or any other business. The tenth
card does not show the final outcome, but
shows us anything there not covered by the
preceding nine cards in this spread.

24

10

2
8
4
7

CELTIC CROSS SPREAD

25

The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game

Rules by Mike Fitzgerald
For 2-6 players, ages 10 to adult

The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game is

easy to learn and quick to play. All players
start out as Free Peoples of Middle-earth on
a journey to Mount Doom with hopes of
destroying the One Ring so it wont fall into
the evil hands of Sauron. The journey is represented by the playing of cards from your
hand onto the Journey Pile (discard pile).
The players as a group reach Mount Doom
(i.e., the round ends) as soon as one player
has run out of cards. Along the way, players
will be influenced by the forces in Middleearth, and some may be pulled by the Dark
Forces to join Sauron in his attempt to gain
control of the Ring. This is represented by
playing Dark Forces cards and earning Dark
Points.
Players earn Victory Points in their journey, representing bravery and their dedication to the cause of either Gandalf or
Sauron. At the end of the game, the player
or players with the most Victory Points is
the winner. Three rounds constitute a game.
Each round represents one of the three
books in Tolkiens The Lord of the Rings trilogy.
To play, you need The Lord of the Rings
Tarot deck; coins or counters to keep track
26

of Dark Points; and the score sheet (pp. 4243) to keep track of the scores after each
round and determine the overall scores at
the end of the game.
Please also refer to the Quick Reference
rule guides on pages 38-40, and the Quick
Guide to Victory Points card included with
the deck.
Object of the Game
In their quest to reach Mount Doom, players
try to acquire the highest number of Victory
Points.
5 Victory Points are awarded at the end of
each round to:
The first player to go out (play all the
cards in their hand).
The player who has earned the least Dark
Points at the end of each round. (5 bonus
Victory Points are awarded if the Ring
Affiliation is Free.)
The player who has earned the most Dark
Points at the end of each round. (5 bonus
Victory Points are awarded if the Ring
Affiliation is Dark.)
The player who is the Ring Bearer at the
end of the round.
Note: If players are tied in any of these
Victory Point conditions, they are each
given the full 5 Victory Points.
27

Players also earn 5 Victory Points each for

having the most Dark Points at the end of
the game, and for having the least Dark
Points at the end of the game.
The Deck
The playing deck is the 78-card The Lord of
the Rings Tarot deck, comprised of:
10 numbered cards in each of the four
suits of the Minor Arcana (Swords,
Wands, Cups, Coins). These are referred
to in the rules as Minor Arcana cards.
Four Court Cards (Page, Knight, Queen,
King) in each of the four suits of the
Minor Arcana.
22 Major Arcana cards ranking from the
Fool (0) to the World (XXI).
In the upper right corner of each card is a
symbol to delineate the affiliation of the card:
1. Free Peoples Symbol: These cards
represent Gandalf and the forces of
good in Middle-earth. There are 51
Free Peoples cards in the deck, each with a
green background.
2. Dark Forces Symbol: These cards
represent Sauron and the forces of evil
in Middle-earth, and give players Dark
Points which are used to determine how
good or evil the player is in the journey.
There are 20 Dark Forces cards in the deck,
each with a red background.
28

3. Neutral Symbol: Neutral cards can

be associated with either good or
evil. During the game, a player
declares a Neutral card Free or Dark when it
is played. There are six Neutral cards in the
deck, each with a gold background.
4. One Ring Symbol: This appears only
on the Wheel of Fortune (Major
Arcana X), representing the Ring in
this game. At the start of each round, the
Ring is placed in the center of the table; during the round, it is passed around among
the players depending on who is the Ring
Bearer (see p. 33). This card is not considered to have a numerical rank in this game.
Setup
1. Before play begins, remove the Ring
(Wheel of Fortune) from the deck and place
it face up in the middle of the playing area.
This card represents the Ring that the group
is carrying to Mount Doom to destroy.
2. Randomly designate one player to deal.
Put about 30 coins or counters in the playing
area where everyone can reach them. These
represent Dark Points. The dealer now gives
seven cards to each player.
In the second and third rounds of play, all
players study their hands and select two
cards to pass to another player. (See instructions to follow.)
29

First Round

No cards are passed.

Second Round All players pass two cards to

the player on their left.
Third Round

All players pass two cards to

the player on their right.
3. The dealer now turns up the top card from
the Draw Pile and places it face up next
to the Draw Pile to start the Journey Pile.
The player to the left of the dealer plays
first, and play proceeds clockwise.
During the game, players will decide
whether they will try to align themselves
with Gandalf and the Free Peoples, or join
the Dark Forces of Sauron. The Free Peoples
group will play as many Free Peoples cards
as they can, while trying to avoid Dark
Points (see pp. 34-35). Those aligned with
Saurons Dark Forces will try to play as many
Dark Forces cards and score as many Dark
Points as possible. While players will have a
good idea whether they will try to be Free or
Dark when they first look at their hands by
noting how many Free or Dark cards they
hold, they may change their associations in
the course of the game. Neutral cards are
declared to be either Free or Dark when
they are played.

30

The Play
There are four options for play:
1. Play a card from your hand to the Journey
Pile that matches the top card on the
Journey Pile in suit or rank.
2. Play a Major Arcana card to the Ring.
3. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then
play a card as described in play option 1 or 2.
4. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then
elect to end your turn without playing a
card to either the Journey Pile or the Ring.
Playing onto the Journey Pile brings the
group closer to their goal of reaching Mount
Doom to destroy the Ring.
Playing to the Ring determines the forces
controlling the Ring, i.e., the Free Peoples or
the Dark Forces; playing to the Ring also
determines which player is the Ring Bearer.
1. Play a card from your hand to the Journey
Pile that matches the top card on the Journey
Pile in suit or rank.
Example: Top card is the Two of Cups: play
any Two or any Cup.
The Major Arcana cards are wild cards;
players may play any Major Arcana to the
Journey Pile at any time and declare a new
suit. The next card played must match the
declared suit, or be another Major Arcana card.
Example: Card played on top of King of
Wands is Temperance; player declares
31

Coins as new suit. Next card played can

be any Coin or any Major Arcana.
Similarly, if the first card in the Journey
Pile is a Major Arcana card, the dealer
declares the suit (Swords, Wands, Cups,
Coins) for the first player to match.
Note: You may play a Minor Arcana card to
the Journey Pile on top of a Major Arcana if
it matches the numerical rank of the Major
Arcana card. This only applies to the Major
Arcana cards ranked I-IX.
Example: Top card is the Empress (III): play
any Three or any Major Arcana.
But if the top card is the Hanged Man (XII
Major Arcana), and the new suit is declared
to be Cups, the next player can play any Cup
or any Major Arcana wild card; in this game,
no Minor Arcana card matches rank with a
Major Arcana card above the rank of 9. The Court
Cards do not have numerical ranks in this game.
2. Play a Major Arcana card to the Ring.
Major Arcana cards can be played to the
Ring in order to gain control of the Ring.
The rank of the card played to the Ring
must be higher in rank than the last card
played to the Ring.
Example: The Hierophant (V) is on the Ring.
A Major Arcana ranked above V (5) may
then be played to the Ring.

32

Exceptions:
The Ring, although a Major Arcana card,
is not considered to have a numerical
rank in this game. The first card played to
the Ring, therefore, may be of any rank.
Although the Fool (0) is the lowest ranking Major Arcana card, it can be played
on top of any other Major Arcana card to
the Ring. Once this is done, any Major
Arcana card of a higher rank than the
Fool (0) may be played on top of it.
When a player places a Major Arcana
card on the Ring, they must immediately
draw a card from the Draw Pile to their
hand to replace that Major Arcana card
(even if the card played empties their hand,
the player must draw a new card and is not
yet out).
Becoming the Ring Bearer:
Whoever plays a Major Arcana to the Ring
gains the honor of becoming the groups
Ring Bearer, placing the Ring in front of
them with the Major Arcana card on top of
it. This player represents the brave traveler
who carries the Ring to Mount Doom. The
player who is the Ring Bearer at the end of
the round will earn 5 Victory Points.
In addition, the Ring Bearer may elect to
add or remove one Dark Point to or from
any players score (including their own) in
33

the beginning of his or her turn. The Ring

Bearer announces which player is to receive
or lose one Dark Point before any other play
action is taken. (A Dark Point taken away
from a player is not given to another player;
nor is a Dark Point assigned to a player
taken from another player.)
3. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then
play a card as described in play option 1 or 2.
Remember that each time you play a Major
Arcana card to the Ring, you must draw
another card from the Draw Pile. Therefore, if
you draw a card from the Draw Pile and then
play a Major Arcana card on the Ring, you
still must draw a second card into your hand.
4. Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then
elect to end your turn without playing a card
to either the Journey Pile or the Ring if you
cannot or do not wish to play any card you
presently hold in your hand.
Dark Points
During the round, players will acquire Dark
Points (use counters or coins to keep track of
each player's Dark Points during each round).
These symbolize the extent to which each player is influenced by the Dark Forces of Sauron.
Dark Points are acquired in the following
four ways:
1. Playing a Dark Force card or a Neutral
card declared to be Dark to the Journey
Pile = 2 Dark Points
34

2. Playing a Dark Force Major Arcana card or

a Neutral card declared to be Dark to the
Ring = 3 Dark Points
3. A Dark Force card held in a player's hand at
the end of a round, or any Neutral cards in
a player's hand at the end of a round that
are declared Dark = 1 Dark Point each
4. At the beginning of each of the Ring
Bearer's turns, he or she may assign or take
away 1 Dark Point to or from any player
(including themselves).
At the end of each round, all players record
their total Dark Points on the score sheet, and
start the next round with zero Dark Points.
Ending the Round
A player should alert the others when one
card remains in their hand. To do this, the
player announces One Ring. There is no
penalty for not doing this. The round ends as
soon as one player has gone out by playing their last card to the Journey Pile.
If the Draw Pile is depleted before a player
goes out, the round ends with no Victory
Points given for going out. All other Victory
Points are awarded normally.
If any player has more than seven cards in
their hand at the end of a round, that player
does not score any Victory Points. However,
that players Dark Points are added to their
overall Dark Point totals for the game.
35

Scoring
The player who goes out first is the best
guide in the group. This player gets 5 Victory
Points for finding the quickest way to Mount
Doom for the group.
The Ring Bearer at the end of the round
has shown tremendous courage in bringing
the Ring to Mount Doom, and gets 5 Victory
Points for bravery.
The player with the most Dark Points has
been influenced by the Dark Forces and has
joined Sauron in his fight against the Free
Peoples, and receives 5 Victory Points as
a reward from Sauron for his loyalty. Add
5 more Victory Points to this players score
if the Ring has a Dark Force card on
it at the end of the roundan extra
bonus from Sauron for keeping the Ring
from being destroyed! This is shown as
Ring Affiliation on the score sheet.
The player with the least number of Dark
Points has remained true to the Free Peoples
of Middle-earth and receives 5 Victory
Points as a reward from Gandalf and the
good forces in Middle-earth. Add 5 more
Victory Points to this players score if the
Ring has a Free Peoples card on it at the end
of the round, as an extra bonus from
Gandalf for helping to destroy the Ring at
Mount Doom. This is also shown as Ring
Affiliation on the score sheet.
36

Record all players Dark Points at the end

of each round on the score sheet. At the end
of the game, the player with the highest
total Dark Points receives 5 more Victory
Points, and the player with the lowest total
Dark Points also receives 5 Victory Points.
If more than one player has the highest or
lowest total Dark Points, they each get
5 Victory Points. After totaling all the
Victory Points, the player with the highest
overall total of Victory Points wins the
game.
When playing with two players, note that
the game will depend upon which player
goes out first, which player is the Ring
Bearer, and which forces control the Ring in
the end, since each player will automatically
get the Victory Points for having the most or
least Dark Points.

37

Quick Reference: Play Options for

The Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game

option 1

Play a card from your hand to the Journey Pile

that matches the top card on the Journey Pile
in suit or rank.
Play a Minor Arcana card: must match top
card on Journey Pile in suit or rank
Play a Major Arcana card: declare a new suit
to be played by next player
Take 2 Dark Points if you play a Dark Forces
card, or a Neutral card that you declare to
be Dark

option 2

Play a Major Arcana card from your hand to

the Ring
Play a Major Arcana card of higher numerical
rank than the last card played to the Ring
EXCEPTIONS:
> The first card played to the Ring may
be of any numerical rank. The Ring has
no numerical value in this game.
> Although the Fool (0) is the lowest
ranking Major Arcana card, it can
be played on top of any other Major
Arcana card to the Ring. Once this
is done, any Major Arcana card of
a higher rank may be played on top
of the Fool (0).
Take 3 Dark Points if you play a Dark
Forces card, or a Neutral card that you
declare to be Dark
Always draw another card after you have
played a card to the Ring
You are now the Ring Bearer. You may assign
or take away a point to or from any player in
the beginning of each of your turns

38

option 3

Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then play

a card as described in play option 1 or 2

option 4

Draw a card from the Draw Pile, and then elect to

end your turn without playing a card to either the
Journey Pile or the Ring if you cannot or do not
wish to play any card presently in your hand

Quick Reference: Dark Points

Dark Points are awarded as follows. Keep track of
Dark Points in each round with coins or counters.
Players begin each new round with zero Dark Points.
Dark Force card or Neutral card declared to be
Dark played to Journey Pile = 2 Dark Points
Dark Force Major Arcana card or Neutral card
declared to be Dark played to Ring = 3 Dark
Points
Dark Force card held in a players hand at the end
of a round, or any Neutral cards in a players hand
at the end of a round declared Dark = 1 Dark
Point each
Optional points given to or removed from any
player by Ring Bearer = plus or minus 1 Dark
Point

39

Quick Reference: Winning the Game

To win the game, you must score the highest
number of Victory Points. 5 Victory Points are
awarded at the end of each round to:
The first player to go out (play all their cards)
The player who has earned the least Dark Points (5
bonus Victory Points awarded if the Ring Affiliation
is Free)
The player who has earned the most Dark Points
(5 bonus Victory Points awarded if the Ring
Affiliation is Dark)
The player who is the Ring Bearer at the end of the
round
At the end of the game: The player with most Dark
Points overall and the least Dark Points overall

40

About the Creators of

The Lord of the Rings Tarot Deck & Card Game
From the first time he read Tolkiens books,
Peter Pracownik knew he would one day paint
the scenes and characters. He painted the
Dragon Tarot and Wyvern. Peter has lived in
Glastonbury and Tintagel, England, for most of
his life, has held art exhibitions throughout the
world, and runs an art gallery in Glastonbury.
Terry Donaldson is a professional Tarot reader,
astrologer, and counselor, and the founder/
director of the London Tarot Centre. He is the
author of Step-By-Step Tarot, Principles of
Tarot, and The Dragon Tarot, and was co-creator of the Dragon Tarot deck and Wyvern.
Terry is married and has a daughter, Claudia.
Mike Fitzgerald is an accomplished game
designer. He created the collectible card game
Wyvern for U.S. Games Systems, as well as
Charlie Brown Plays Baseball and Peanuts
Comic Strip card games.

PLAYERS----------->
GOING OUT +5
RING BEARER +5
RING AFFILIATION +5
MOST DARK POINTS +5
LEAST DARK POINTS +5
FIRST ROUND TOTALS
GOING OUT +5
RING BEARER +5
RING AFFILIATION +5
MOST DARK POINTS +5
LEAST DARK POINTS +5
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
GOING OUT +5
RING BEARER +5
RING AFFILIATION +5
MOST DARK POINTS +5
LEAST DARK POINTS +5
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
DARK POINTS 1ST ROUND
DARK POINTS 2ND ROUND
DARK POINTS 3RD ROUND
TOTAL DARK POINTS
MOST/LEAST DARK POINTS +5
FINAL SCORES

Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game Score Sheet

Also refer to the Quick Guide to Victory Points card included with the deck.
Players may reproduce this score sheet.

PLAYERS----------->
GOING OUT +5
RING BEARER +5
RING AFFILIATION +5
MOST DARK POINTS +5
LEAST DARK POINTS +5
FIRST ROUND TOTALS
GOING OUT +5
RING BEARER +5
RING AFFILIATION +5
MOST DARK POINTS +5
LEAST DARK POINTS +5
SECOND ROUND TOTALS
GOING OUT +5
RING BEARER +5
RING AFFILIATION +5
MOST DARK POINTS +5
LEAST DARK POINTS +5
THIRD ROUND TOTALS
DARK POINTS 1ST ROUND
DARK POINTS 2ND ROUND
DARK POINTS 3RD ROUND
TOTAL DARK POINTS
MOST/LEAST DARK POINTS +5
FINAL SCORES

Lord of the Rings Tarot Card Game Score Sheet

Also refer to the Quick Guide to Victory Points card included with the deck.
Players may reproduce this score sheet.