AUTHOR’S NOTE: Here I’m applying my “Tell Me No Lies” Personality Profile spread to the recently-purchased tarot deck shown above. (This is my version of the “new-deck interview.”)

This spread is designed to explore the quasi-psychological profile of a deck in twelve cards, conveying its immediate impact on the viewer (“first impressions”) along with its conversational “tone” and aesthetic “presence” that define its inherent nature in each of the four “elemental disposition” categories. The left and right columns are pulled randomly; for the middle column, finding the lowest-numbered suit card in each of the four elemental sub-packs is intended to reveal how close the deck comes to expressing the “root” of the elemental energy in that area; the lower the number, the closer to the source of power in the Ace.

The four suits of this deck are “Combustion” (Fire); “Tentacles” (Water); “Aether” (Air); and “Fungi” (Earth). In the reading below, four of the twelve cards are Fire; two are Water; three are Air; and three are Earth. Fire and Air are emphasized while Water and Earth are understated, so active, positive cards stand out while passive, negative cards recede, making for a forthright mode of delivery.

In the Fire position of the “First Impressions” column, the Knight of Combustion is well-placed for its abundant vigor and enthusiasm; the 8 of Fungi in the Water position is sober and seemly in its emotional demeanor; the 6 of Fungi in the Air position is of muted voice and cooperative attitude; and the 8 of Combustion in the Earth position is swift and sure, excelling at precision and punctuality in mundane matters. The overall bearing of this column is one of composed self-assurance.

In the Fire position of the “Tone” column, the 3 of Combustion is in extremely high spirits; the 2 of Tentacles in the Water position is gentle and sensitive; The Ace of Aether in the Air position is sharp-witted and sharp-tongued; and the 10 of Fungi in the Earth position is the soul of reliability. Taken all together, these cards suggest quick reflexes and nimble discourse until the 10 of Fungi, which slips into comfortable idleness.

In the Fire position of the “Presence” column, the Wheel of Fortune is expansive and unstinting in its show of generosity; the King of Aether in the Water position is opinionated and impatient with emotional drama; the 3 of Aether in the Air position is also inclined to be “snippy” in its criticisms; and the Page of Tentacles in the Earth position is prone to self-indulgence. As a group, these cards display both geniality and bossiness.

The Fire row is bursting with passion and boldness across the board, so the “inherent nature” (Tone + Presence) should be one of stimulating repartee sprinkled with inspired non sequiturs. The Water row exhibits a benign complexion until the King of Aether decides to take over the profile and shake things up with his pointed barbs. The Air row loses its cool with two tense Aether cards implying irritability after a tranquil start, while the Earth row opens with a bang in the capricious 8 of Combustion and ends with a contended sigh in the uncomplaining Page of Tentacles.

Summary: In practice I expect bracing conversations with this deck, apart from the caveat that a certain prickliness may creep into the dialogue. The “personality profile” is slanted emphatically toward mincing no words, except for a retreat into mild apathy in the Earth row that may spell lackluster mundane narratives.

The deck is a magnificent triumph of the artist’s skill in choosing vivid collage imagery and adding thoughtful painterly touches that bind everything together. Although it is on the larger side dimensionally, I find it less cumbersome to shuffle than anticipated. When I brought it out of the box, the gold edging was stuck together and I resisted the urge to try picking the cards apart with my fingernails; instead, I flexed the deck slightly and heard a “cracking” sound as it separated into smaller clumps, then warped each of those gently until all of the cards came free. They were rather stiff at first, but a little handling soon limbered them up. The deck came as part of an elegant set with a hefty companion book sporting color illustrations and a sturdy box with magnetic closure.