The Card: Ace of Blades

The Name: Excalibur

The Image: A sword set in a stone floats down a river.

The Interpretation: In order to take your rightful name, and therefore your power, you need to face this challenge. It is a test, and it is designed specifically for you, so have no fear. As a person: Someone about to be tested; royalty. As a time: A time of testing; A time of naming. Reversed: You are taking a name or a title you have yet to earn. Either drop it or work to earn it legitimately.

The Card: Two of Blades

The Name: Duplicity

The Image: On the border between sun-ruled day and moon-ruled night stands a woman, bare to the waist, hold two swords at the ready. From her mouth protrudes a forked tongue.

The Interpretation: Things are not as they appear, and it is necessary to be able to discern, day from night, and right from wrong. As a person: Someone who is prone to lying. As a time: Any time when things are unclear. Reversed: Never mind about black and white, you are big enough to embrace them both. There's nothing wrong with accepting a paradox at face value.

The Card: Three of Blades

The Name: The Aerie

The Image: Mother Eagle feeds her babies in their nest, high atop a cold mountain crag.

The Interpretation: In the midst of coldness and sterility, still there is family. Look for the warmth of a small, close-knit group in the face of an uncaring world. Let this be your starting point. As a person: Someone who is capable of creating a feeling of home from nothing. As a time: A time of escape from the world into the comforting nest of home. Reversed: It's time to leave your retreat.

The Card: Four of Blades

The Name: Focus

The Image: Four swords are driven point-first into the ground. Between them, oblivious to their presence, sits a man reading cards.

The Interpretation: Strife and conflict move around you, but you can keep focus on the task at hand. Keep your eyes on the work at hand and you'll be better equipped to face the world. As a person: Someone who is good at ignoring distraction. As a time: A time when the world around you seems bent on distracting you from the path you've chosen. Reversed: Careful, you're so focused on what's right in front of you your missing something important. Try not to be so near-sighted.

The Card: Five of Blades

The Name: Meditation

The Image: A man sits contemplating an image before his eyes. On the floor about him five swords form a pentagon.

The Interpretation: It is a good time to meditate on form. Focus, intellect and reason all have their place, even in the most emotional and artistic of souls. Strengthen these qualities through meditation and mental exercise. As a person: A logically-minded and focused person. As a time: A time of testing, or preparation for a test. Reversed: You are too caught up with so-called science and reason. Spend some time learning to hear other voices and look at things through other eyes.

The Card: Six of Blades

The Name: Escape

The Image: A woman emerges from a long entrapment in a stone wall, arm first, held by her lover and rescuer, who is weeping. Scattered on the floor are the broken remains of six swords.

The Interpretation: The walls we build to protect ourselves can easily become traps we cannot escape alone. Weapons and sharp words will not serve to break down these barriers, but vulnerability will paradoxically be strong enough to effect and escape. As a person: Someone who is trapped behind his own barriers; Someone who is struggling to break them down. As a time: The time when you realize that enough is enough and you have to get out. Reversed: Your perceived protections are a liability, and you are now more prone to getting hurt than you were before.

The Card: Seven of Blades

The Name: Commerce

The Image: On a wall seven swords are arranged in a heptagram. In front of this figure, two earnestly talking men shake hands: a deal is made.

The Interpretation: Communication is happening, and an agreement is imminent. All concerned parties will be satisfied. As a person: A good negotiator; A diplomat. As a time: The moment when everyone realizes everything is going to work out. Reversed: Someone is blocking the peace for nefarious reasons of his own. Look out for duplicity.

The Card: Eight of Blades

The Name: Executioner

The Image: An executioner stands ready, blade drawn. On the wall behind him hang seven swords.

The Interpretation: Karma is about to strike. As justice is meted out, you may find yourself losing ground, but take it as an opportunity to see if so might not wind up in a better place after all. As a person: someone who delivers justice; a judge or police officer. As a time: A time of judgment; the verdict is read. Reversed: It looks like you're going to get away with it this time, but do yourself a favor and learn the lesson the easy way.

The Card: Nine of Blades

The Name: The Knighting

The Image: A marked initiate is knighted by a Lady and given a new name. Eight witnesses hold swords.

The Interpretation: It is a time to take on new responsibilities. A new job or new position is imminent, do not shun it. As a person: One who bestows responsibility; Any new initiate. As a time: A time of initiation; The beginning of a new job. Reversed: Take care, there is risk of losing your current level of responsibility—unless this is what you really crave.

The Card: Ten of Blades

The Name: Cuttings

The Image: A gardener uses a blade to make cutting from a grapevine and replants them. Laid out on his workbench are nine other blades.

The Interpretation: What seems like an ending is really the beginning of a new, more independent existence. Focus not on what you're being severed from, but on growing in your new medium. As a person: A gardener; Someone who is good at distinguishing what parts need to be removed. As a time: The time of separation; A new beginning. Reversed: Something is trying to cut you off—beware.

The Card: Heir of Blades

The Name: Wary Man

The Image: A wary young man stands with his hand on the hilt of his sword; the blade is drawn an inch.

The Interpretation: It is a moment for caution and discernment; you are about to enter a relationship or a partnership, and should take care that you watch that the other is as forthright as you are. As a person: Someone who is always wary and untrusting, often even to his own detriment. As a time: The beginning of a relationship; a time to watch out. Reversed: Put away your sword and stop trying to analyze the motives of others. It's good to trust once in a while.

The Card: Champion of Blades

The Name: Angel Guard

The Image: At the entrance to the garden stands an angel with a flaming sword.

The Interpretation: There is a barrier on the path you're seeking, but it's there for a reason. Trust that it'll move aside when you're ready for what it's guarding, and look elsewhere for a while. As a person: Someone who is guarding a secret. As a time: A time to reconsider the path you're seeking. Reversed: The barrier is a phantom: there's no real impediment, just take a deep breath and walk through it.

The Card: Consort of Blades

The Name: The Faerie Queen

The Image: Imperious, beautiful, graceful, Titania, the Queen of Faerie sits on a throne covered in flowers and vines. About her flit the glowing forms of pixies and sprites. Her sword is across her lap, and glows with a witch-light of its own.

The Interpretation: The logical and scientific and the mysterious and magical are not mutually exclusive. As a person: Any imperious, mysterious woman. As a time: A moment of insight into mystery while pursuing the rational. Reversed: The glamour that you perceive is not reality.

The Card: Monarch of Blades

The Name: Avenging Angel

The Image: A winged man soars upward, drawn sword in hand.

The Interpretation: The righteous warrior goes into battle for good—of course, there's more than one kind of battle. As a person: Someone who is very sure of right and wrong; a flyer; a crusader. As a time: A time to do battle. Reversed: The avenging angel reversed is falling, cast out of heaven. Of course, he always meant well.