Fabio Listrani is known for his tarot decks published by Lo Scarabeo. A recent work is a dark tarot deck called “Goetia: Tarot in Darkness.”
This deck combines the various demons of the Lesser Key of Solomon with the tarot. Each card has a demon beautifully illustrated in shades of grey and black. On the left-hand side of the card (fitting considering the theme) lists the demon’s name, card type, and number. It also includes the matching planet, zodiac, and element symbols. The back of each card has a beautiful illustration designed to allow for reversing a card.
Unlike some tarot decks, the material of the Goetia: Tarot in Darkness is a balance between solid yet not so thick that one can’t handle it. It also has the right amount of slickness to each card, and shuffling is easy without feeling like the cards will slide out of your hands. The size is nice too in that, like Goldilocks, not too big but not too small but just right.
So many tarot decks come with a small white book with general information about the various cards. However, the instruction book for the Goetia: Tarot in Darkness is a nice bound paperback book. Like all Lo Scarabeo tarot instruction books, it’s in multiple languages. Rather than cover the meanings of different cards, the book provides commentary on topics such as the Shadow, demonology, Jung psychology, Kabbalah, and Qliphoth.
Another difference is the case. Unlike the flimsy case of most tarot decks, the Goetia: Tarot in Darkness is well constructed with a sophisticated, solid case. The case’s exterior is black with grey and silver sigils on two sides. On one side is the logo for the deck, and on the other is one of the illustrations from a card. Inside the case is a lip in which a red cap seals the box.
Before writing this article, we performed a reading with the Goetia: Tarot in Darkness. We found the results to be intriguing and insightful.
The Goetia: Tarot in Darkness is available through our Black Rose Shop.