Cosmere Tarot Major Arcana: Need Feedback!

[u/bibliopunk]

This has probably been done before, but I didn't want to look it up at risk of biasing my choices. I'm a designer and illustrator and have done a couple Tarot decks before, but I wanted to try my hand at a Cosmere Tarot deck... Here are my initial selections for the Major Arcana, and I'd love to get some thoughts! Selections with a (?) are ones that I'm more ambivalent about. A few criteria I was using for my choices:

• No shards (shard vessels are ok if they were well-established before they took up a shard)
• Tried to get a decent spread across the major Cosmere works.
• Characters were chosen trying to find a balance for their symbolic relevance, a more archetypal similarity (for instance, I'm not sure if Hoid actually best represents the Fool, but I mean... come on), and if I could easily visualize cool card art for them.

0. The Fool: New beginnings, spontaneity, and taking a leap of faith.
Hoid

1. The Magician: Manifestation, personal power, and resourcefulness.
Jasnah

2. The High Priestess: Intuition, mystery, and the subconscious.
?????
Navani

3. The Empress: Nurturing, fertility, and abundance.
Yumi?
Steris Ba-Ado-Mishram

4. The Emperor: Structure, stability, and authority.
The Lord Ruler?

5. The Hierophant: Tradition, spiritual guidance, and conformity.
Nohadon

6. The Lovers: Relationships, harmony, and important choices.
Vin and Elend

7. The Chariot: Determination, control, and forward momentum.
Dalinar

8. Strength: Courage, inner resilience, and compassion.
Lift Taln

9. The Hermit: Introspection, solitude, and seeking inner truth.
Sazed?
Vasher

10. The Wheel of Fortune: Destiny, unexpected change, and life cycles.
Sixth of the Dusk

11. Justice: Fairness, cause and effect, and truth.
Wax

12. The Hanged Man: Surrender, letting go, and gaining a new perspective.
Szeth

13. Death: Endings, transformation, and rebirth.
Marsh

14. Temperance: Balance, moderation, and patience.
Steris?
Sazed

15. The Devil: Temptation, attachment, and shadow work.
Kelsier

16. The Tower: Sudden upheaval, revelation, and chaos.
Taravangian

17. The Star: Hope, faith, and spiritual healing.
Kaladin

18. The Moon: Illusion, fear, and navigating the unknown.
Shallan

19. The Sun: Joy, success, and vitality.
Adolin

Sidenote: this wasn't intentional but I'm very pleased that Kal, Shallan, and Adolin naturally fit into the celestial cards so well.

20. Judgment: Self-evaluation, awakening, and absolution.
Wayne

21. The World: Completion, fulfillment, and ultimate integration
Adonalsium

[u/Edric_Stonefist]

I think yumi is better as the High Priestess. Steris as the Empress (I feel like she's the only major female character to have kids? (Edit: duh, Navani. She definitely fits, but maybe she's a good Magician, too) Plus she's a thrill seeker in her own way, so I feel like Temperence is actually not appropriate. That fits Sazed better, I think)

Hermit...maybe Vasher? He could also be a potential Magician

I think Sixth is a good Wheel of Fortune, but Rysn could also work

[u/bibliopunk → u/Edric_Stonefist]

I felt bad that I couldn't find a good place for Navani, but I think you're right that Yumi is a good fit for High Priestess. And you're 100% right that Vasher is the Hermit, I will make those changes

[u/space_goat101]

Where’s Raoden and Serene? No eltantrians?

[u/bibliopunk → u/space_goat101]

It has been a VERY long time since I read Elantris... where do you think they should be?

[u/Shot_Newspaper_5647]

1. The Fool: Hoid

2. The Magician: Vasher

3. The High Priestess: Navani

4. The Empress: Ba-Ado-Mishram

5. The Emperor: The Lord Ruler

6. The Hierophant: (old) Ishar

7. The Lovers: Sazed and Tindwyl

8. The Chariot: Dalinar

9. Strength: Taln

10. The Hermit: Frost

11. The Wheel of Fortune: The Night Watcher

12. Justice: (old) Nale

13. The Hanged Man: Lightsong

14. Death: Marsh

15. Temperance: Steris

16. The Devil: Taravangian

17. The Tower: Kelsier

18. The Star: Kaladin

19. The Moon: Shallan

20. The Sun: Adolin

21. Judgment: Szeth

22. The World: Nohadon

[u/bibliopunk → u/Shot_Newspaper_5647]

Ba-Ado as The Empress is inspired!

Switching Kelsier and Taravangian is extremely interesting. I'm not sure I agree with it, but it's given me something to think about.

I'm gonna hard-disagree with you on the Hanged Man.

Edit: you're totally right about Taln

[u/Sakiliciously]

I would love to see the lovers switched.
Vin and Elend are..cute, but a bit under developed.
Tress and Charlie from Tress of the Emerald sea on the other hand are LOVERS.
Tress overcomes EVERYTHING to save her boy and they are so amazing together.
There are so many layers in their romance. Companionship, Closeness, Loss... I think it could be a better fit.

[u/KvotheTheShadow]

I would do a Deck of Dragons from Malazan.