Fortune Telling with Playing Cards
Kaitou Ace reveals Sailor V’s fortune using his trademark playing cards. This method of fortune telling, known as cartomancy, has been around for centuries, though it may have started as a game before divination got brought into it.
One popular method of cartomancy uses Tarot cards, which typically come in decks of 78 illustrated cards (though some decks have more cards). Many of the cards are quite similar to those in a modern deck of playing cards, though the names are a bit different. Still, many of the meanings are retained. However, it isn’t certain if playing cards originated from the Tarot, or if playing cards were somehow combined to create the Tarot.
The Parts of a Tarot Deck
Tarot decks are comprised of two parts: a Major Arcana (Big Secrets) of 26 cards and a Minor Arcana (Little Secrets) made up of 52 cards. It is the Minor Arcana that bear the most resemblance to today’s decks of playing cards. Both the Minor Arcana and today’s playing cards have face cards or “royals” in the form of Kings, Queens, and Jacks (which are called Knights in most Tarot decks). Tarot decks also include another member of the royal court, the Pages. In contrast, instead of Hearts, Diamonds, Spades, and Clubs, Tarot cards feature Cups/Chalices, Pentacles/Disks, Swords, and Rods/Wands for their suits. Other than those name differences, the numbers of the cards are the same.
Like the Tarot, card meanings are best expressed when arranged in a spread, or special shape. Examples of spread include a line of three, with the first card representing the past, the second the present, and the third the future. Although a three-card line is the simplest, easiest to do spread, it’s also the vaguest in terms of the clarity of the information it provides. More complex spreads, such as a Celtic Cross (used in Tarot) tend to give more information. The more cards used in a spread, the more detail can be given.
It should be noted that fortune telling with any of card should not be expected to reveal the definitive answer to a “yes or no” question, nor should it be expected to predict events with 100% certainty. For example, it’s not good to ask “Will I become rich?” but better instead to ask, “As of this stage in my life, what steps can I take to become materially wealthier?” The cards will outline such things as time, people, and events.
Here are some of the meanings of cards (from Serena’s Guide to Fortune Telling With Playing Cards):
Hearts
- Ace: home, love, friendship, joy, the start of a romance. A love letter.
- Two: Success and prosperity. An engagement or partnership.
- Three: You need to be cautious. Don’t say something you’ll regret.
- Four: A change, a journey or a move of house/business. A late marriage.
- Five: Jealous people around you. Take your time to make any decisions.
- Six: Unexpected good luck. Someone helping you out.
- Seven: An unfaithful or unreliable person. Broken promises.
- Eight: Visits and visitors. Invitations out or attending a party.
- Nine: The wish card. Dreams come true.
- Ten: Good luck and happiness.
- Jack: A close friend or a good-natured, fair-haired youth.
- Queen: A kindly fair-haired woman.
- King: A good-natured, fair-haired man. Good advice.
Diamonds
- Ace: A ring or present of jewelry. News about money. A letter.
- Two: A love affair attracting disapproval from others. A business partnership.
- Three: Legal problems, domestic arguments. A legal letter.
- Four: An inheritance. Improvements in finances.
- Five: Success in business. Happy family.
- Six: Problems in a second marriage.
- Seven: Surprise news or a gift. Problems and losses at work.
- Eight: A marriage and travel late in life. Financial ups and downs.
- Nine: Surprise with money. New business opportunities. Restlessness.
- Ten: Money and travel highlighted. Fortunate changes.
- Jack: A relative. A very fair-haired youth. Watch out for dishonesty or unreliability.
- Queen: A woman who loves to party and to gossip. A flirt. A very fair-haired woman.
- King: A stubborn and influential man. A very fair-haired man.
Clubs
- Ace: Wealth, health, love and happiness. A letter concerning money.
- Two: Gossip. Disappointments and opposition.
- Three: Marriage to a wealthy partner. Money coming from the partner.
- Four: Changes for the worse. Lies and betrayal.
- Five: New friends and a successful marriage. Help from friends.
- Six: Business success. Getting financial help.
- Seven: Prosperity and success. Be careful of trouble coming from a person of the opposite sex.
- Eight: Trouble in relationships, business and personal. Jealousy and greed.
- Nine: Achievements. A new lover or admirer. Don’t be stubborn.
- Ten: Unexpected money coming in. Good luck. Travel abroad.
- Jack: A reliable friend. A dark-haired youth.
- Queen: An attractive, self-confident woman. A dark-haired woman.
- King: An honest, generous and affectionate man. A dark-haired man.
Spades
- Ace: Emotional conflict, obsession, death. Things coming to a head.
- Two: Separation, gossip, and deceit. Difficult changes.
- Three: Unfaithfulness and partings. Be wary in partnerships.
- Four: Illness. Business and money worries. Broken promises.
- Five: A happy home, but interference from other people. Reversals and opposition but eventual success.
- Six: Small improvements.
- Seven: Loss of friendship or loss of a friend. An unexpected burden. A warning against losses and sorrow.
- Eight: Trouble and disappointment. Plans go awry. Friends let you down. Cancellations.
- Nine: Bad luck in all things. Depression and low energy. Destruction, deaths. Extreme anxiety
- Ten: Misfortune and worry. Imprisonment. Unwelcome news.
- Jack: A well-meaning but immature and unreliable youth. A very dark-haired youth.
- Queen: A widow. An unscrupulous woman. A very dark-haired woman.
- King: An ambitious and authoritative man. A very dark-haired man.
More…
- Joker: (optional) New developments, fresh starts, taking a risk.
Sailor V and/or Kaitou Ace fanfiction and fanart
Do you know of any good Sailor V (including Sailor Venus)-centric fanart or fanfiction? What about any for Kaitou Ace or his related personae? Nominate them and I’ll link to them. I’ll also provide reviews and summaries for fics that I find, along with reviews for fanart I’ve found. Art will NOT be hosted here without the original artist’s permission (and if you are a fan artist with Sailor V fanart, it is preferred that you host your work on DeviantART or similar, and then I can link to the art’s profile page).