Each card is stamped with holographic foil on the front and back, and has been masterfully designed & illustrated by artist Brenda Ho. It is produced by the ENNIE award-winning team at Weird Works, and is a spiritual successor to their Adventurer's Tarot: Empress Deck project.
Physical Deck Details:
In the futuristic world of Eldritch Overload, humans exist alongside half-orcs, elves, dwarves, halflings, and more. The power of magic is harnessed and distributed via walled gardens built by the city's oligarchs. Most magical creatures have been driven close to extinction in the wild. Technology has been woven to contain natural magic, reproducing eldritch powers—but only via payment to the corporations.
A plutocracy of powerful mega-corporations and their greedy political puppets seek only to garner more fame and fortune for themselves, leaving regular citizens to slave away under techno-feudalism, dwell in apathy, or futilely protest their capitalist overlords.
The lowest beings in the societal pyramid eke out a miserable existence in the dank slums of the Underdark, or by salvaging scraps from the massive landfills encircling the outer walls of the city. There are also those who seek to escape the crushing wheel of misfortune outside the confines of the city, living a harsher but simpler life out in the Badlands.
Outside the city, the magical creatures that did survive the destruction of their natural habitats exist in a trashed wasteland known as the Badlands. Nomadic wastelanders salvage usable materials from the landfills to develop and build their own societies. But rumors also tell of a land somewhere beyond the heaps where arcane magic & hope still thrives, away from the rot and pollution of the metropolitan sprawl.
Inspired by D&D, fantasy, science fiction, video games, and the struggles of modern life, each card in the Tarot provides a glimpse into the world of Eldritch Overload through the artist's interpretations of the original Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck.
Here is a side-by-side example of The Fool. I always see the bard as The Fool, so in this card the bard is a DJ, foolishly leaping off stage. The dog seen in the original RWS card is now represented by a dog head costume that the bard wears as his persona. And of course, the sunlight warming the back of the Fool is the spotlight that shines on our happy-go-lucky performer & drives his art & passion. These little details behind each card will be covered in the art book!
Major Arcana are the powerful archetypal cards in a Tarot deck, and they represent major events or changes in our lives. Seen larger in scope, the Major Arcana are meaningful influences in the lives of the people of Eldritch Overload.
The Major Arcana of ELDRITCH OVERLOAD weave together an increasingly familiar story of a neo-feudalist megalopolis dominated by impossibly wealthy corporations and oligarchs who crush the rest of society under their boots just to hoard more and more wealth like the long-extinct dragons of eons past. But we also see themes of hope and rebellion from those tired of surviving in apathy.
The 56 Minor Arcana cards are split into four suits that represent the day to day trials and tribulations of our lives. They symbolize the things that matter the most to us and help us reflect on the situations we are currently dealing with. In the ELDRITCH OVERLOAD tarot, the Cups & Pentacles suits have been changed to Potions and Coins. Each Suit also has a corresponding element that represents the thoughts, emotions, and themes behind each card.
The Suit of Wands [FIRE] represents passion, creativity, and new ideas.
The Suit of Potions [WATER] represents feelings, emotions, intuition, and love.
The Suit of Swords [AIR] represents intellect, communication, action, and power.
The Suit of Coins [EARTH] represents finance, wealth, work, and livelihood.
Tarot enthusiasts are already aware that tarot cards don't magically tell you the future, and that pulling the Death card doesn't mean that you're going to die immediately. We all use tarot decks a little differently, but mostly we use it as a tool or guide to navigate our thoughts, emotions, and feelings. Whether you have a specific question in mind or you want to use the deck to help you delve into different aspects of your life, tarot decks help us focus our thoughts and are great for mindfulness, especially when paired with journaling.
The deck also makes an excellent RPG aid, which can be used to help players visualize a scene, determine initiative, or used in lieu of rolling dice on random tables.
The optional accompanying hardcover 6" x 9 1/2" (152mm x 241mm) Eldritch Overlord Guidebook has extended content about the tarot.
Each card entry will include details about what the card represents, reading guidance, and a large representation of the artwork.
The back of the book features 5E D&D content including:
Our previous D&D deck, The Adventurer's Tarot: The Empress Deck was Kickstarted and fulfilled in 2020. It received an ENNIES award, but most importantly our backers and customers love the deck!
Some reviews from customers on the deck...
The cards are gorgeous and the uses endless. I'm excited to use them with my players. It's also the perfect thing to help with future plot lines in my game. Love the booklet to with the explanations.
--Emma
I cannot be more satisfied with this deck. The artwork is beautiful and the booklet offers many interesting concepts and opportunities for my players in my campaigns. Thank you so much! I can't wait!
--Kait S.
You can tell this deck was made by people who truly care. Every card is a masterpiece of art.
--Cody N.
Weird Works is a small, independent game studio that specializes in creating peculiar products for your tabletop RPGs. We have big plans + passionate ideas. Your support helps fuel our momentum!
Brenda (she/they) is a freelance graphic designer & illustrator who got her BFA at the Rhode Island School of Design, and is now based in Seattle, where she lives with her two cats Duke and Lilith. She's loves going on backpacking in the beautiful landscape of the Pacific Northwest, trying out new art mediums like ceramics, fiber, and taxidermy, and also enjoys eating weird foods.
Thom Denick (he/him) is a game programmer and writer. He wrote official strategy guides for games like Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, Diablo III, and almost every title in the Call of Duty franchise. He developed the Adventurer's Tarot content and adapted the deck to be used as an initiative system. He also developed and wrote Tournament of Pigs, Weird Works first adventure module. He lives with his wife Ji Young, son Dante, and daughter Giovanna in Culver City.
Weird Works' previous Kickstarter: The Adventurer's Tarot was successfully fulfilled to over 10,000 backers in the midst of the pandemic in 2020, and went on to win an ENNIE award at GenCon in 2021!
DECK + DELUXE GUIDEBOOK // CODEX. Get physical copies of both the Eldritch Overload Tarot deck and the Deluxe Eldritch Overload Guidebook. The guidebook is 6" x 9.5" and includes detailed artwork, in-depth tarot reading guidance, and 5E-compatible tabletop resources.
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DIGITAL ONLY: You get a digital print and play version of the deck and book, as well as any additional content that may unlock during the campaign.
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Please upgrade your reward to the $20 level or above to purchase physical add-ons.
This physical deck will include 22 cards: Major Arcana Only. Each card is inlaid with holographic foil, and a mini guidebook, all stored in a beautifully-designed box.
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JUST THE DECK. Get an exclusive price and be one of the first to possess the Cyberpunk Tarot. You will receive the physical deck of 78 custom-illustrated, each card inlaid with holographic foil, and a mini guidebook, all stored in a beautifully-designed box.
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This pledge level is for brick-and-mortar or online retailers only. Verification will be required.
The $100 reward price represents the minimum order amount for retailers. You will be able to order Eldritch Overload Tarot and other Weird Works products on the add-ons page. Your $100 credit will be applied at checkout.
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