The Seance Edition of Mildred's Secret Oracle - oracle cards that glow in the dark
Not every oracle works the same in daylight as it does by candlelight. This deck is made to be read in the dark. Turn on a UV lamp and the illustrations start to glow. The symbolism takes on a different weight, the atmosphere shifts.
Patrick Valenza designed this Seance Edition as a variant on his earlier Mildred Payne oracle. The cards are larger than in the original release, the backgrounds are darker, and the ink reacts to blacklight. The story behind the deck remains the same: Mildred Payne, patient at Fenwood Asylum in 1928, drew what she saw in visions and seances.
What you see on the cards
The drawing style is childlike, almost naive. Simple lines, large eyes, beings that seem half human and half something else. The images are not refined, but that makes them more powerful. They feel raw.
Each card has a dark background. Black, deep purple, night-black. Against that the figures and symbols stand out in colours that glow under UV light. That effect is not an extra. It changes how you look at the cards.
The fold-out guidebook gives a brief meaning for each card. No long essays, just what the card says. That matches the directness of the images.
How this deck behaves
The cards are compact, 64 x 89 mm, playing card size. You can carry them easily, shuffling is smooth. For a daily draw or as a supplement to a tarot reading they work well.
Some people use this deck only in the evening. They dim the light, turn on the UV lamp and draw a few cards. The glow adds something, not just visually but also in how the session feels. That is not a requirement, but it is what this deck was designed for.
Draw one card under blacklight and place it next to your regular tarot spread. Mildred's symbolism works as an extra layer, a second voice in the reading.
About Patrick Valenza
Patrick Valenza previously drew the Deviant Moon Tarot, a deck known for its surreal, uncomfortable imagery. His work seeks the edges of what tarot and oracle can be. With the Mildred Payne series he chose a different kind of strangeness: not his own vision, but that of a fictional character who claims to see things others do not.
Whether Mildred Payne actually existed is not entirely clear. Valenza presents her as a historical figure, but the archives are silent. That does not make the story less usable. The deck stands on its own.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 88, including Infinity card
- Card size: 64 x 89 mm
- Language: English
- Publisher: Deviant Moon Inc.
- Artist: Patrick Valenza
- Included: Fold-out guidebook with card meanings
- Special feature: Cards glow under UV light (blacklight)
Questions we often get
Do I need a UV lamp to use this deck?
No. The cards can be read without UV light. The blacklight effect is an extra possibility, not a requirement. It is true that the Seance Edition is specifically designed for that effect, so it does add something to the experience.
How does this edition differ from the first Mildred Payne pocket oracle?
The cards are larger, the backgrounds are darker, and the ink is adjusted to glow more strongly under UV light. The symbolism and number of cards remain the same, but the visual impact is different.
