Call of Cthulhu: The Writhing Dark - Playing Cards and Tarot

Call of Cthulhu: The Writhing Dark is a collaborative project by artist Shane Tyree, known for his work on Albino Dragon's playing cards. This ambitious campaign, launched in 2013, offered three distinct products rooted in the terrifying world of H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu Mythos. The core offerings included a 78-card Eldritch Tarot deck, based on the recognizable Rider-Waite model, and a Bicycle-branded deck of traditional playing cards, both featuring unique illustrations.

The project was officially licensed by Chaosium Games and involved collaboration with Lovecraftian experts from the John Hay Library at Brown University, home to the world's largest collection of Lovecraftian work. The tarot deck features 78 unique illustrations across the Major Arcana and all four suits (Swords, Wands, Cups, Pentacles), designed to immerse users in eldritch lore. The playing card deck incorporates some of the tarot art, alongside unique illustrations for aces and court cards, printed on high-quality Bicycle card stock.

Beyond the card decks, the project also included "The Writhing Dark Anthology," an e-book comprised of short horror stories submitted by backers. This community-driven aspect aimed to create a lasting tribute to Lovecraft's legacy, with selected stories potentially being printed, bound, and interred in the Lovecraft collection. The campaign successfully raised over $116,000 from more than 1,600 backers, demonstrating significant community engagement and interest in the Cthulhu Mythos.

This project is ideal for fans of H.P. Lovecraft and the Cthulhu Mythos, as well as collectors of unique playing cards and themed tarot decks. Readers who appreciate dark, gothic, and horror-themed artwork will find the aesthetic appealing. It caters to both experienced tarot readers familiar with the Rider-Waite-Smith system, who will enjoy the thematic reinterpretation, and playing card enthusiasts looking for high-quality, collectible decks with a strong narrative theme. The community anthology aspect also appealed to aspiring horror writers and dedicated Lovecraft scholars.

Shane Tyree is an experienced artist and illustrator with a background in game product illustration for companies like Monte Cook Games and Wizards of the Coast. Prior to this solo project, he was the lead artist and creative force behind Albino Dragon LLC, where he created several successful playing card projects on Kickstarter, including the popular Cthulhu Mythos Playing Cards. The Writhing Dark project marked his first solo Kickstarter endeavor, a collaborative community effort that brought together his artistic vision with Lovecraftian expertise and community contributions.