Steampunk Faerie Tarot - magic built with gears and brass
Not all tarot decks tell stories. This one builds them, card by card, with cogs that tick and wings that hum. Steampunk Faerie Tarot combines the structure of Rider-Waite-Smith with a world where magic becomes tangible through mechanics.
The deck is created by author Pamela Chen and illustrator Ashley Cassaday. Chen writes about manifestation and energetic awareness, Cassaday draws digitally with a preference for fantasy and flora. Together they have shaped 78 cards in which fae beings move through industrial settings.
What you see on the cards
Ivy winds along copper pipes. Airships drift on wings that resemble dragonfly membranes. Small technical details, a turning gear here, a tin ornament there, make the cards almost buzz.
The Minor Arcana are populated by elemental beings: selkies, gnomes, salamanders. Each connected to their own force, each drawn in Cassaday's dark-romantic style. The colours are saturated but more muted than in classic RWS decks. Lots of deep green, rust brown, copper red.
The cards follow the familiar Rider-Waite-Smith structure. That makes them readable for those who know that system, while the setting feels completely different.
How this deck works in practice
Through the detailed scenes and focus on characters, you quickly see a story emerge. The cards are sturdy, the format is comfortable to handle. The symbolism is less static than in traditional decks. A figure turns a lever, another looks up at a flying vessel. That movement helps in forming an intuitive image.
The 224-page guidebook describes each card with a so-called 'ignition', a specific trigger that activates the symbolism during a reading. Chen writes clearly and maintains the balance between magic and practical application.
Try this spread: first look at which object in the image seems to move (the mechanism), what sets the action in motion (the spark) and where the figures' gaze goes (the direction).
About Pamela Chen and Ashley Cassaday
Pamela Chen is a manifestation coach and tarot author. Her texts connect energetic awareness with practical insights.
Ashley Cassaday is a digital illustrator from Texas. Her passion for fantasy and flora returns in every detail of the 78 cards. Her style is romantic and dark, with attention to texture and movement.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78
- System: Rider-Waite-Smith
- Language: English (cards and guidebook)
- Guidebook: 224 pages, illustrated
- Dimensions: 125.5 x 49.3 x 168.4 mm
- Weight: 572 g
- Publisher: Llewellyn Publications
- Author: Pamela Chen
- Illustrator: Ashley Cassaday
Questions we often get
How does this deck differ from a classic Rider-Waite-Smith deck?
The structure is the same, but the setting is completely different. Instead of medieval scenes you see a world where magic and mechanics merge. The symbolism remains recognizable, the atmosphere does not.
Are the cards easy to shuffle?
Yes. Users report that the cards feel sturdy but move smoothly through the hands.
