The Children of Litha tarot Black Edition

The Children of Litha Tarot Black Edition - eighty cards about nature, myth and archetype

Few decks use eighty cards. Most stay at seventy-eight. Alexandria Huntington added two extra cards to the standard Rider-Waite system: 'The All' and 'The Void'. In numerology, eighty stands for destiny and cosmic balance. Whether you do anything with that is up to you.

This deck is built around the relationship between human, animal and untamed nature. The Major Arcana shows hybrids in which human and animal forms merge. The minor arcana is divided into natural domains: ocean beings for Cups, predators for Wands. The Aces show skeletons, a choice Huntington makes to reveal the core of each element.

What you see on the cards

The illustrations are hand-drawn and detailed. Human figures often have animal heads or grow into animal forms. The palette is dark, especially in this Black Edition, with lots of green, brown and black. The borders are fully black, which gives each reading a compact frame.

The matte finish feels soft. The cards do not stick together and do not reflect in candlelight. The cardstock is 350 gsm, sturdy enough for daily use. The magnetic flip box with gold foil accents keeps everything together.

How you work with it

The deck follows the structure of the Rider-Waite system, which means the usual positions and meanings are recognisable. You can add the two extra cards, 'The All' and 'The Void', to spreads if you want. Huntington describes them as opposites: pure potential versus cosmic necessity.

The guidebook runs to 180 pages and is printed in full colour. Each card gets an interpretation and an incantation, a kind of spell or ritual text you can use in meditation or manifestation work. How concrete those work depends on how you approach ritual language.

If in doubt about a reading, draw 'The All' or 'The Void' as an extra card. They often indicate whether a situation arises from choice or from something unfolding beyond your will.

About Alexandria Huntington

Alexandria Huntington, also known as Xia Hunt, graduated in illustration from the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She worked on projects such as 'Beneath the Dark Crystal' before focusing on tarot decks. She now runs her own business where she writes, illustrates and publishes tarot decks.

Her style combines imaginative storytelling with traditional tarot archetypes. The focus is on animals, myths and the wilderness as a spiritual framework.

Specifications

• Number of cards: 80
• Language: English
• Publisher: Children of Litha
• Cardstock: 350 gsm
• Finish: Matte, black borders
• Packaging: Magnetic flip box with gold foil accents
• Guidebook: 180 pages, full colour
• Creator: Alexandria Huntington (Xia Hunt)
• System: Rider-Waite with two extra cards

Questions we often get

What is the difference between this Black Edition and other editions?
The Black Edition has fully black borders around each card. Other editions have white or coloured borders. The illustrations themselves are the same, it is purely about the border finish.

Do I have to use the two extra cards or can I stay at seventy-eight?
You can leave them out or add them, as you wish. The guidebook describes how they work, but nowhere does it say you must use them. It remains a Rider-Waite deck without those two cards.