# The Emperor's Tarot



## Nicholas Hadrian (Mar 20, 2011)

I've seen this discussion in a few other places, the Black Library forums with Anguipipes, the Dakka Dakka thread with Thor665 and Manchu, and I have decided to bring it here to Heresy.

So, which primarch do you think fits to which card of a modern tarot deck? Now I am no pro at tarot readings, and to be entirely honest, all these personality definitions are clearly stolen from another site, but I still find this subject interesting. For those who find them to be tl;dr you can find my brief take at the bottom of the ones I felt needed further explanation.
My choices are:

The Fool: Horus - You enjoy travel on all levels – mental, spiritual, emotional and physical. You’re someone willing to take chances and not so willing to be tied down to any one thing for too long. You can fit in almost everywhere you go and have the capacity to move forward without carrying a lot of baggage. You bring creative enthusiasm, innocence and new ways of looking at things to all your enterprises. Fool personalities are especially fun to be around and are usually the party favorite. Someone who is naive, gullible, child-like in their way of thinking but not necessarily innocence. The subject of the reading is a dreamer. One who lives in their own little happy world when it comes to the way they perceive things. He or she has desire to succeed but must be careful. On the other hand, The Fool could also represent someone who does not think ahead and takes foolish risks. He reminds of us the warning "look before you leap." He could also represent someone who is fearful of stepping out into the unknown
Face up the Fool Represents Horus' innocence and lack of understanding about the deeper nature of Chaos. Inverted it stays the same, representing his equally twisted notion of the inner workings of Chaos and it's true nature, blinded to what he has become, living in his own world.

The Magician: Magnus the Red - Visionary and inspirational, you’re the person people go to for new ideas. You’ve got the uncanny ability to turn your ideas into reality – or at least get others so excited that they turn your ideas into reality. Focus is a key to your success. If you put your mind to something in a serious way, you’re almost assured that it will become a reality. Communications and clear quick thinking are your gifts. Magic is nothing more than the manipulation of energy to one’s will. At their best, Magician types are positive masters of manipulation. 
At best; Originality. Creativity. Imagination. Self-reliance. Spontaneity. Self-confidence. Ingenuity. Flexibility. Masterfulness. Self-control. Deception. Sleight of hand. 
At worst; greed, deceit, using one's skill and ability for negative ends. Trickery and cunning, manipulation, untrustworthiness, mental confusion. 


Face up the Magician represent's Magnus' ability to make thought into reality, as well as his liberated views on the manipulation of nature. Inverted it represents change and manipulation, as well as deceit, representing his fall to Chaos by way of such.

The High Priestess: Missing Primarch - Wisdom and refined receptivity define your basic nature. Not one to make a scene you quietly and carefully take note of everything around you. Sensitive to the subtlest of energies, you can be depended upon to notice what most of us miss. Your quiet patience and virtuous demeanor often set you on a pedestal people are grateful to bow before. Your intuition is strong and you tend to use your feelings at least as much as your fine intellect when making decisions that matter. Those represented by the High Priestess have the gift for seeing the whole picture without getting swamped by the details. 
At best; Wisdom, Sound judgment, Serene knowledge, Common sense, Serenity, Objectivity, Penetration, Foresight, Intuition, Comprehension, Perception, Self-reliance, Emotionlessness, Platonic relationships, Practical. 
At worst; Ignorance, Shortsightedness, Selfishness, Passion, Physical ardor, Acceptance of superficial knowledge, Improper judgment. 

The Empress: Fulgrim - Deeply compassionate and nurturing, you’re a natural mother. If you’re not birthing children, you’re busy birthing new creations in the form of art, food or music, anything that inspires the senses. You are sensuality embodied and when you focus on your task, unusually prolific. Your kind nature draws many wayward souls your way and you do your best to help them all. To the Empress, nothing is more important than creation and creation grows from love. Reversed, the Empress suggests a loss of personal power through placing too much emphasis on another person’s emotional or material needs, thus neglecting one’s own. The reversed position of this card deals with indecisiveness concerning others and confusion about the direction a relationship may be taking. You may also be finding it difficult to work cooperatively with others. As the reason for this lack of harmony is likely to be within yourself; introspection is called for. 
At best, open, friendly, idealistic but practically so, gregarious, and diplomatic. 
At worst, materialistic, self indulgent, self-centered, over dramatic, and overwrought. 
Face up the Empress represents Fulgrim's appreciation for the finer things in life, as well as his love of beauty. Inversed it shows his arrogance and inability to humble himself before his brothers.

The Emperor: The Emperor - Assertive and confident, you have a strong sense of your own dominion. You work hard to create the world you want to live in and have little tolerance for upstarts pushing in uninvited. Once you’ve set your mind to something, your focus rarely wavers. An aura of authority surrounds you, and you are often found in charge. You’re passionate about your convictions and few who know you are unaware of your beliefs. At your best you are dynamic, logical and know your own power. You can really make things happen, and woe be to those who might try to stop you. Even at his best, the Emperor is inescapably self-centered. He is absolutely confident that he is right and works entirely for his own aims. However, he identifies absolutely with his goals and if these are noble the Emperor's actions need not be ego driven. He can become extremely stubborn and fiercely argumentative should his orders or goals be questioned, as to him this amounts to a personal attack. 
At best: Worldly power. Confidence. Wealth. Stability. Authority. Indomitable spirit. War-making tendencies. Father. Brother. Husband. Male influence. Domination of intelligence and reason over emotion and passion. Patriarchal figure. 
At worst: Immaturity and confusion. Problems with those you consider enemies, Inability to reach goals. lack of energy both emotional and physical. Indicates a person weak in character over dependent on parents. Ineffectiveness. Indecision. Inability. Weakness of character. Failure to control petty emotions. 

The Hierophant: Lorgar - Grounded and firm in your spiritual convictions, people look to you to help them with their important decisions. You’re often seen as a moral authority and it’s a role you relish. Family, tradition and practicality are highlighted with the Hierophant energy, as is a highly attuned sense of the divine. You spend a great deal of time trying to bring it down to earth for the rest of us to learn from. At times unyielding, you’re sense of right and wrong is firmly defined. When asked to make judgment, the Hierophant rarely shies away from the challenge. This card reversed is about breaking the rules somewhat, and breaking the norms. You may want to challenge ideas and concepts you once thought as written in stone. There may be an awakening to what is really happening around you and what it really means. 
At best: Ritualism. Mercy. Kindness. Forgiveness. Inspiration. Compassion. Servitude. Inactivity. Timidity. Overt reserve. Captivity to one's own ideas. Tendency to cling to ideas and principles even after they are outdated. Conformity. A religious or spiritual leader. 
At worst: Foolish exercise of generosity. Susceptibility. Impotence. Vulnerability. Frailty. Unorthodoxy. Renunciation. 
Face up the card represent's Lorgar's solidarity and his ability to completely win the people through religion, but inversed it represents his immobility and perpetual inflexibility.

The Lovers: Alpharius Omegon - It’s all about the relationships for you, romantic and otherwise. Tending to your networks is a vital component of your personality. You like to have people around you and are most comfortable as part of a couple. Though often quiet in a crowd, you pay close attention to what’s going on, finding lots to say later when safely home with your other half or close confidantes. Making choices can sometimes be a struggle and you might find yourself flip-flopping a bit till you’re finally ready to commit. But once you do, you generally mean it. Maintaining an open flow between one’s consciousness, unconscious and higher-consciousness helps the Lovers types maintain pleasant and well-balanced dispositions. 
At best: Communication, togetherness, joining, shared goals and purpose, trust. 
At worst: Failure to meet the test. Unreliability. Separation. Frustration in love and marriage. Interference from others. Fickleness. Untrustworthiness. Unwise plans. 
Face up the Lovers represent Alpharius' dual nature, inverted they also represent his secretiveness. 

The Chariot: Rouboute Guilliman - You’re at your best when you’re on the move. Nothing brings you down faster than forcing you to stay in the same place for too long. You work hard and move with the flow of things. Others depend on your fluid stability. People appreciate your strength and willingness to put in the work you expect from others. You’ve managed to unify the opposite elements within yourself and know what it takes to compromise. Victory is the fruit of the Chariot's labors as you are ultimately recognized for your determination, focus and steady loyalty. 
At best: Adversity, possibly already overcome. Conflicting influences. Turmoil. Vengeance. Success. Possibly, a voyage or journey. Escape. Rushing to a decision. Need to pay attention to details. Urgency to gain control of one's emotions. 
At worst: Life is unbalanced and passions are uncontrolled. There is victory but it is reached by cheating or unethically. A journey or trip planned is postponed. Failure. To lose at the last minute something otherwise in your grasp. Sudden collapse of plans. Overwhelmed. Failure to face reality. 

Strength: Vulkan -You have a fiery nature and yet know how to direct your inner wildness to foster your personal power. Balancing the beast within with an innocent outlook and compassionate wisdom allows you to attain your goals. You have the ability to live with passion, while remaining mentally at peace. Courage and integrity are your gifts when you focus and stay true to your inner wisdom. There’s more power in the gentle touch than in forcing an issue with rage and impetuosity. The Strength personality has a strong lust for life and a particular appreciation for its eternal cycles. 
At Best; Higher nature triumphs over material desire. Strength, courage, patience, soft control. 
At worst; uncontrolled emotions, passions, self indulgence, temperamental, weakness of morals and/or mind and body. Materialistic nature dominates. Fear of having too much passion. Abuse of power. Lack of harmony in your life. 

The Hermit: Lion El'Johnson - Questions of the spirit drive you to look within yourself to find your way. Though you’re often most content alone, you rarely turn people away who are seriously looking for advice. And they often appear. In their search for truth, you encourage others to look within, just as you try to. You have faith only in what you know from experience – your own and those of others you trust. Gathering your thoughts and building your spirit takes time and patient silence. But it’s well worth it. Despite their solemnity, the Hermit type typically loves life and enjoys a good laugh. 
At best: Being introspective; focusing inward; concentrating lesson the senses; needing to understand; searching; going on a personal quest; desiring a new direction; receiving/giving guidance; learning/teaching; seeking solitude; desiring stillness; withdrawing from the world; giving up distractions. 
At worst: Hastiness, imprudence, unreasoning caution or fear, emotional immaturity. Withdrawal from one's problems with no constructive plans. 

Face up the Hermit represent's El'Johnson's introversion and introspection. Inverted the card represents Luther and his unreasoning fear leading up to his betrayal, unbacked by a solid plan.
The Wheel of Fortune: Missing Primarch - Opportunity and new horizons keep your life spinning with regular change and new perspectives. You gather experiences from all walks of life and mold them into new prospects for your future. Creative communication and a willingness to move on are integral parts of your personality. Getting stuck in a rut drives you crazy, and if you ever feel trapped, the faster you shake things up the better. The world never stops, and neither can you. Wheel of Fortune types expect good fortune to come their way, and it usually does. 
At Best; Cycles of life. Need to be centered. Faith and trust in the adjusting power of nature which rules all life. Need to focus on goals and aims. Getting a broader perspective. Need to heal. Unity. 
At worst; The person resists change, that he/she is trying to stop events from running their course. Luck has deserted you for now. Setbacks will occur. You will reap what you sow. 


Justice: Ferrus Manus - Balance is vital to your persona and striving to maintain it is a primary focus. Your respect for authority is related directly to how fair and honest you perceive it to be. You have no time for liars and despise injustice everywhere. You understand the lessons of karma well, recognizing how the smallest action or thought can cause the grandest of changes. Your passion for justice on a universal level is equal only to your need to maintain equilibrium on the personal level. It’s important that Justice personality types take time to regularly realign themselves, rejuvenate and rejoice. 
At best: Need for better inner balance. Time for work and action. Balancing health habits. Need to discriminate as to what is best for the self. Need to create one's own joy. Taking responsibility for one's actions and relationships. Looking at another side of an issue. Looking at the pros and cons. Need to cut away unnecessary baggage. Affirmation: "By creating greater balance within, I create more joy in my life." 
At worst: Injustice, inequality. Legal complications. A biased mind, dishonesty to self and others. 

The Hanged Man: Sanguinus - You’re a person who recognizes the importance of sacrifice and patience. Patience is a virtue, allowing the time necessary to see all sides. Sacrifice is a pre-requisite to enlightenment. Sometimes there’s a higher purpose than our immediate selves, and you are particularly good at seeing it. When you take your time and look at things from different perspectives, you’re able to discover your true path. Watch carefully and you always know when the time is finally right to act. The Hanged Man personality feels most comfortable when they manage to align their higher principles with their mental attitudes and physical behaviors. 
At best; Faith. Reversal of thinking. Heart about head. Escapism or inspiration. Letting go. Spiritual breakthrough. Looking at things from another viewpoint. Need to relax. Dreaminess. Unreality. 
At worst; Preoccupied with yourself. Stop it. Resistance to spiritual teachings. Arrogance. Efforts on projects are wasted. Loss of something you want or need. 


Death: Mortarion -Transformation and renewal is natural to you, not something to be avoided or frightened of. You recognize the importance of letting go of elements in your life that are no longer useful, or hold you back from the future you’re trying to create. New opportunities can only be realized when the clutter from the past is cleared. You are especially adept at moving forward when the time comes. Holding on to the past, or wallowing in the loss of times gone by will only stagnate your inner growth. The Death personality is aware that the constant cycle of death and rebirth is nothing less than life itself. One is not possible without the other. 
At best; Getting to basics, Change, Transition 
At worst; Temporary, stagnation, decay. 


Temperance: Jagatai Khan - Internal balance or the struggle towards it is integral to your personality. You strive for harmony between your emotional/spiritual and physical/mental self. Sometimes this is a difficult but discipline and self-control teaches you to blend these opposites to create a beautiful whole. You’re able to bring the lessons from the past to the present in new and innovative ways. The Temperance personality is especially attuned to the messages of the divine and at their best serve as bridges between the spirit and earthly plains. Life flows most smoothly when you pay attention to your soul’s voice and the Temperance personality can be especially adept at doing so. An explorer and a traveler, Temperance will love activity and adventure. He is an idealistic crusader who will tend to fight for the underdog with enthusiasm and good judgment. A quick thinker, he prefers to get straight to the heart of problems with a sharp, calculated strike. However he may tend to overlook finer details, or be inadvertently tactless in his straightforward truthfulness. While strongly idealistic he is also adaptable and always interested in new ideas. 
At best, swift, precise, idealistic, enthusiastic, strong-willed, honest and adventurous. 
At worst, quick tempered, tactless, rebellious, and oblivious to danger or criticism. 


The Devil: Peturabo - Intense and at times obsessive, when you focus on something you keep at till it’s done. You’re more concerned with what you can see and touch than any airy-fairy theories. And you don’t have a lot of patience for those that don’t want to get down and dirty when the time is right. But when you play, you play hard, and no one likes to laugh at how crazy we all are more than you. To the Devil personality, nothing is taboo. As far as you’re concerned, people can do what they will, but they should do it like they mean it. Persevering, hard-working and patient, the Devil will pursue a goal with methodical, single minded determination. He is likely feel great pressure of responsibility, partly because he so readily accepts it. Because of this he can start to act put-upon and be a bit of a martyr. Underneath a modest exterior he is quite ambitious, but towards realistic and practical goals. He is great builder, and often involved with constructing codes of behavior as well as lasting physical monuments. He can become obsessed with limitations, ironically both enforcing them ruthlessly and hating the pressure they put him under. This paradox in his nature often leads to great discontent. 
At best, responsible, hard-working, methodical, practical, constructive and patient. 
At worst, suspicious, tense, frustrated, cold, rigid and demanding. 


The Tower: Angron - Try as you might to keep the world structured and steady, it always seems to tumble down around you. Just as you mortar that last brick in place, lightening strikes and you’re starting it all again. Or maybe it's you that's shaking things up or acting as a lightening rod to the crazy world around you. There are few people more able to withstand the storm than those born with the Tower as their symbol. Your strength and fortitude is enormous, especially when the going gets tough. Experience has taught you that nothing lasts forever, regardless of how permanent it might appear. And anyway, sometimes the walls become more a prison than a shelter. The Tower personality knows this well and lets change happen when it needs to, though sometimes they might need a little nudge. An unstoppable force, and in danger of not being much else. The Tower has a tendency to act, and act in the extreme, before he thinks. Bellicose, with a permanently simmering temper when not in action, punctuated by violent outbursts if he feels in any way wronged or is simply unable to expend his excess energy for whatever reason. He has a tendency to take things very personally, and may conjure up imagined insults out of any unfortunate turn of phrase. He himself forcefully speaks his mind, regardless of any mitigating factor. While this often causes trouble, sometimes it is just what is needed. 
At best; Force for change, breaker of chains, unconstrained energy 
At worst, unrestrained and wantonly violent, unconcerned about who or why they are destroying what is there. 


The Star: Konrad Kurze - The Star is likely to be detached, taciturn, and highly intellectual. He is more interested in his plans and methods than their outcome. He is also likely to be highly unconventional, which can lead to both great originality and terrible miscalculations. The future is always a great concern for the Star, and he is a great progressive thinker. However he may become too caught up in planning for the future and neglect what is happening in the present. He may have trouble thinking in terms of individuals; any individual problem is to him a symptom of a wider malaise. He will then set to work on this wider issue, perhaps completely ignoring the original problem. He will identify far better with groups and causes than other people, and may give the impression of liking humanity but not being overly keen on people. 
At best, original, brilliant, humanitarian, objective and progressive. 
At worst, detached, cold, disinterested in people, over-permissive, elitist, unpredictable and perverse

The Moon: Corax - A psychic magnet for all sorts of negative emotions, but without any conscious control over the ability. Therefore likely to be plagued by disturbing visions. From this experience of the darkest aspects of humanity he is likely to be very suspicious of contact and of the merits of humans in general. However he is also genuinely perceptive of other's thoughts and motivations. Distrustful of all forms of structure and possibly a bit of an anarchist. He will be very aware of the subjective aspect of truth, which may bring him into conflict with several of his brothers. Highly otherworldly, he probably goes through phases of deep melancholia, and always seems rather trapped in his own dreams or more likely, nightmares. He has a self-sacrificing nature that easily slips into self-abusive martyrdom and may try to take all work and blame for failure on himself. His methods will be unorthodox and indirect, and also nebulous and difficult to pin down which makes them very difficult to analyze or attack. He will probably work best alone, and may shun command or even any company. 
At best, perceptive, inspired, and highly effective through unusual methods. 
At worst, paranoid to the point of hysteria or madness, unable to connect to reality, melancholic and fatalistic. 


The Sun: Rogal Dorn - Strong, warm and unshakable, with a strong sense of purpose in forging and maintaining identity. While he is quite able to show flexibility in his approach, in nature he is stable, balanced and well-rounded. Due to this he may become a neutral but exemplary point of comparison, and must be careful not to let this go to his head. He tends to be frank and honest, which can come off as tactlessness if he is not careful. A good advisor and very supportive unless he believes the wrong course of action is being taken, in which case he will stand firm against it. Also very self-sufficient, rarely needing input be not outright rejecting it when offered. Might be called into a central role, though this will detach him from the main areas of action. May go through extremely dark times, but will always emerge on the other side. 
At best, strong, stable, honest, and supportive. 
At worst, prideful, self-centered, stubborn, aloof and detached. 


Judgment: Leman Russ - An extremely intense character, energetic and passionate. He is likely to a be a strong individualist, doing his own thing regardless of the opinions of others. He does not however break rules or go against others wishes just for the sake of it. He works from his instincts, and may on occasion have trouble justifying his actions, even to himself, beyond "it just feels like the right thing to do". These instincts will rarely lead him astray, and mistakes are far more likely to come from outside interference. Others depend on his straightforward truthfulness. He is likely to be highly direct and honest, disliking subterfuge and hidden agendas. 
At best, unhesitating, definite, revolutionary and with flawless instincts. 
At worst, rash, extreme, violent, hot-tempered, moody, and uncontrollable. 


The World: The Imperium - The end

And a very interesting idea from Manchu on Dakka Dakka:
Our goal is that all of them are eventually green. Let me know if I misrepresented you here. We might consider that the major arcana are more complex than a one-for-one set. The Emperor inverted, for example, is Horus. What if each card were imagined to represent an event, a meeting of personalities and circumstances? In which case, the Emperor card--again, for example--would represent the Great Crusade and, when inverted, the Heresy as exemplified by the personalities of the Emperor and Horus. 

And finally, my own contribution, a link to the Lexicanum page on the whole Emperor's Tarot. 
http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Imperial_Tarot
I highly doubt that any more than a few will apply to the primarchs in a direct way since, quite simply, most are dead by the time the tarot is being used, and thus, no longer directly interacting.


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## khrone forever (Dec 13, 2010)

try edditing the page errors and people might actually read this


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## Nicholas Hadrian (Mar 20, 2011)

khrone forever said:


> try edditing the page errors and people might actually read this


Way ahead of you, my computer decided to have a tantrum. So I fixed it all in Word. Though I think it could use some colours or pagebreaks. You know make it Fabulous.


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## Rems (Jun 20, 2011)

Can i ask what exactly is the point of this? So you can loosely match the personalties and aspects of the Primarchs to tarot cards. So what? 

It doesn't really tell us anything about the Primarchs we don't already know and has no real other use. What's there to discuss?, it all seems to match up (though you could make anything match up with enough effort and differing interpretations).


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## Child-of-the-Emperor (Feb 22, 2009)

http://menducia.atspace.com/primarchs/XIX.html

Check that out.


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