Tarot Minor Arcana Matching: Cups
The continuation of the Minor Arcana matching series: The Suit of CUPS! Cups was evocative of political prowess and also religious power to me. Thus, Cups finds ourselves with characters from The Madness of Light, and the political spaces of the Empire. It also includes the characters presented in Sepulcher of Shadows.
King of Cups: Renoan Hallihanet
Beware of ill-will on the part of a man of position, and of hypocrisy pretending to help. Reversed: Loss.
This meaning was so powerful. I had it applied to Paewar Zfnoc for awhile, and that still works very well...but Renoan felt like he deserved the King slot more than Paewar.
Queen of Cups: Varyal Hallihanet
Sometimes denotes a woman of equivocal character. Reversed: A rich marriage for a man and a distinguished one for a woman.
Varyal is a powerful individual, although she is not married, she seemed to feel apt here against Renoan. Two differing individuals, tied together, and with such nuanced aspects to their personality.
Knight of Cups: Paewar Zfnoc
A visit from a friend, who will bring unexpected money to the Querent. Reversed: Irregularity.
'Money'...ha. Paewar Zfnoc had various interesting 'meetings' in his screen time. The Trinity and the One, Lana, Balon... unexpected revelations and chances for redemption. Overall, irregular.
I wish there was a stronger place for him, he was shifting around a lot and...the places that fit him better other characters deserved more. Sigh. But this is suitable for him.
Page of Cups: Jiuwquai
Good augury; also a young man who is unfortunate in love. Reversed: Obstacles of all kinds.
Jiuwquai, really, is a very tactful individual to me. Unfortunate in...timing of events beyond her, which create obstacles and problems, but I think Jiuwquai, being so aware, is well suited for it. Also it works since she follows Paewar Zfnoc.
Ten of Cups: Qua’ra’la Vuwai
For a male Querent, a good marriage and one beyond his expectations. Reversed: Sorrow; also a serious quarrel.
Qua’ra’la Vuwai is higher than her mate, Baloragon, in this suit. She is a powerful entity in her own right, a leader of a guild, and much more now. She’s cunning and proud. The death of her niece applies to the aspect of sorrow and as for quarrel? Her relationship with her brother, Ra’uw’la.
Nine of Cups: Baloragon Wolfeni
Of good augury for military men. Reversed: Good business.
King of Wolfen, a strong military presence, and someone who has made a tactful alliance with Qua’ra’la Vuwai. He represents military power so here he is.
Eight of Cups: Sheziera Ayk
Marriage with a fair woman. Reversed: Perfect satisfaction.
Sheziera is the councilor for Jalon. She is savvy and prudent. Eight is of strength and prosperity and that is what Sheziera brings. So satisfaction follows.
Seven of Cups: Tzurohquah
Fair child; idea, design, resolve, movement. Reversed: Success, if accompanied by the Three of Cups.
I told myself: It doesn’t matter if the Seven of Cups doesn’t align with the Three of Cups. I don’t have to follow it. But I did. It just worked anyway since I couldn’t find a sensible alternative anyway.
Tzurohquah prompts resolve and movement in the story. And they succeed, in a way. She had wise counsel for Hepfarish. That just worked as the seven of cups.
Six of Cups: Xenpar/Darafen
Pleasant memories. Reversed: Inheritance to fall in quickly.
A couple mired with tragedy. Memories are pleasant…but things fell apart quickly as a result of Lana Zfhi’s plans. This was a hard slot to fill, and it changed a few times and then I just settled on putting these two here. So they are represented well enough.
Five of Cups: Reshaptz
Generally favourable; a happy marriage; also patrimony, legacies, gifts, success in enterprise. Reversed: Return of some relative who has not been seen for long.
Reshaptz felt full of positive connotation and Balon's return with Halon seemed apt for the reversed meaning. It just clicked with me.
Four of Cups: Nielkov Zfhi
Contrarieties. Reversed: Presentiment.
Nielkov Zfhi needed to be somewhere, and this succinct Arcana just...seemed like the best place for him. Four is a fateful number, and Nielkov always understood something of his fate.
Three of Cups: Hepfarish
Unexpected advancement for a military man. Reversed: Consolation, cure, end of the business.
He's not military, but he's part of the religious complex of Zfhi. In the Sepulcher of Shadows, he experiences the end of an era, truly, with Tzurohquah. He is elevated through this experience, despite it being the end.
Two of Cups: Khapiela Quahwu
Favourable in things of pleasure and business, as well as love; also wealth and honour. Reversed: Passion.
Khapiela Quahwu embodies luxury and fleeting passions to me. She was formerly part of a political/guild space, but now...passions rule her. Er, well, they did. Her abode is quite luxurious too.
Ace of Cups: Magniya King
Inflexible will, unalterable law. Reversed: Unexpected change of position.
Magniya King did not choose a side in the War and for his indecision, Magvierak was destroyed by Caraseis. Magniya King is a great political power and icon…so this just clicks and works.
The quoted meanings for the above Minor Arcana are taken from The Pictorial Key to the Tarot’s Additional Meanings section.
Related/Recent Posts
Commissioned Art of Spellbinder Casting a Spell
As the other commission of Spellbinder didn’t go so well, I craved to get Spellbinder done again to hopefully a better end—to make it right for her and for myself. So, I set my sights on an artist who seemed like they could do both the fantasy and sci-fi side of Spellbinder. I landed on AR Sullivan after looking into/contacting a few artists. I wasn’t sure if I’d find ‘the One’ at second try, but….I think did. Really happy with...
Commissioned Art of Spellbinder
So, after a long commission hiatus, I commissioned Hailfire for a picture of Spellbinder. V1 {% include image-figure.html src=”art/commissions/spellbinder/hailfire/Spellbinder-Hailfire-01.jpg” alt=”Spellbinder First Sketch” caption=”First Sketch” %} So here I realized a few things that I ought to have communicated: That she’s not mechnical looking The legs are to be taken verbatim and not stylized The pincers need to be thick/fat To help, I did edits on the art to call out what I was referring to: {% include image-gallery.html gallery=page.v1edits class=”half”...