How to Read a Quest Scene Using “The Endless Grove: A Fantasy Oracle Deck and Guidebook”
“In the shadow of the Sut mountain range and its forests of cedar, where djinn tempt the devout into games of chance; cradling the salt-spun Lyric Sea, with the shadows of hippocamps passing beneath merchants’ ships; there was a land called Gadhakar. Here, in eons past, the shroud between the mundane and the magic realms, known as the Real and Imaginal to the Gadhakari, were thin. That mythic age gave rise to heroes, mages, and monsters. Their stories planted seeds that grew into the poetic code of Gadhakar, immortalized in song, play, story… and in the deck of cards you now possess.”
Created by Zachary Woodard and illustrated by Kim Ekdahl, The Endless Grove is a one-of-a-kind fantasy oracle deck that transports you to an Arabian-inspired fantasy world, merging the traditional oracle deck with a myriorama storytelling deck. Harness the stories depicted in the cards to explore your inner world!
As you look at the back of the cards, you’ll notice ten different foliaged frames signifying a distinct Gadhakari Poem.
“Each Poem recounts a self-contained story, presenting the myth of a Gadhakari hero…Each Poem contains one card of each of the five suits–Hero, Ally, Foe, Site, and Auspicia. The suit determines both the card’s role in the story and what type of elements it represents in an oracle reading.”
With The Endless Grove, it’s considered bad luck to pull a single card. As it says in the guidebook, “Wisdom claims this is because one element does not make a story, and thus a single card cannot represent your life or even your day.”
Instead, work with the deck through the use of spreads, called scenes.
Before pulling a scene, here are a few things to keep in mind:
- When doing an oracle reading with this particular deck, consider how the cards relate to one another–are they from the same poem? Consider reading through the entire poem in the guidebook.
- Notice the suit of each card and its alignment, which represents the forces at play.
- Over time, as you get to know the cards and the characters therein, it will become easier to interpret their messages.
- Always state your intentions as you shuffle the deck.
- Read the scene from left to right, considering how each card makes you feel and what thoughts come to mind. Look at the cards surrounding it, and see how those cards might be in conflict or cooperation.
- The most important thing to remember is to be flexible and open to interpretation and reinterpretation – “the cards cannot tell you anything unless you listen, and it can take introspective work to hear them.”
Reading a Quest Scene
The Quest scene is a distinct reading that utilizes all elements of a Gadhakari Poem. It’s perfect for general reflection or meditation (you don’t need to have a specific question for this one!).
Start by dividing the deck into the five suits: Heroes, Allies, Foes, Sites, and Auspicia. Shuffle each deck separately. Draw one card from each deck, then shuffle your hand without looking. Lay out the scene and read it from left to right.
Now, we’ll walk through a sample 5-card Quest Scene with visuals of each card’s illustration and excerpts from the guidebook. Alongside this sample scene, I included my personal interpretation of each card.
Card 1: 🤝 PE THE BLUE
POEM / SUIT / ALIGNMENT: The Sword and the Stele / Ally / Order
MEANING: A love, someone worthy of you, someone openhearted, someone cool like water
Pe the Blue wandered the Crystal Deserts of the Imaginal, spreading the spark of living flame to those places where darkness dwelled. Their fire was the warmth of the hearth that called one home, of the oven that filled the home with the smell of bread, that heated the bath that enveloped and soothed. They listened as they wandered; they took the anxiety of whispered prayers and burned them away until only the calm remained. Pe the Blue was the wandering love, that reliable one who could always be called upon. Though deep in their heart Tam the Red held a special place, Pe’s love belonged to no one–this was what drove Aymr the Spider mad.
For me, this card reminds me of my current love life. While I have been dating someone consistently and our connection is strong, I feel that my heart belongs to no one but myself. It is my own self that I can rely on most, which keeps me calm and grounded.
Card 2: 🌱 SHRINE TO PĀGA AYNA AYN
POEM / SUIT / ALIGNMENT: When the Apprentice Put Back the Moon / Site / Null
MEANING: A place of ritual, wisdom, meditation, reflection, ceremony, tradition
Deep in the cedar forest, in a glade beyond the trails, there was a shrine to the demigod and lilu Pāga Ayna Ayn. Here, travelers were welcomed to rest and spend time in contemplation and worship. Each found themselves called to their own ritual–the gathering of holy flowers, the burning of incense, the gentle self-flagellation of knuckles rapping foreheads. It was a place of quietude and calm, where the song of prayer could be heard whispered on the breeze. None knew the exact domain of the shrine’s beloved god, but all knew how they felt as they left that blessed site. Sometimes one required a bit of ritual to see through the mundanity.
For me, this card reminds me of a ritual I have been consistently practicing since the beginning of the year: stream of consciousness journaling. Each day, I open my journal and fill 2-3 pages with whatever comes to mind. Pulling the Shrine to Pāga Ayna Ayn card affirms the power of the meditative, reflective, and calming ritual I’ve found for myself.
Card 3: 👁️🗨️ HOB RAYTSH OF ZUAT
POEM / SUIT / ALIGNMENT: The Fool King / Foe / Null
MEANING: Illness, toxicity, broken systems
Even the sweetest wine could be a deadly toxin; even incense smoke could choke the breath from one’s lungs. These are things the wizard Hob Raytsh, high mage of the Sleeping Kingdom of Zuat, knew well. In her high ambitions, Hob Raytsh learned the nuances of all things physical, spiritual, and lawful. She learned how they could be twisted, flipped, and adjusted to fit her ends and destroy her enemies. To Hob Raytsh’s ill mind, there was a natural rightness to things in their darkest context that the joyous could never recognize. She mistook her cynicism for wisdom and paid the price–her worldview could never withstand the light of day.
For me, this card is a reminder to avoid getting caught up in a cycle of negative thoughts. There is so much toxicity in the world, and while it’s okay to be aware of the broken systems that surround me, it is crucial to do what I can to avoid surrendering to negative thought spirals by staying present in the world and looking to the light wherever possible.
Card 4: 🪐 THE STONE OF IDRIR DJAYM
POEM / SUIT / ALIGNMENT: The Sword and the Stele / Auspicia / Chaos
MEANING: Endurance, commitment, opportunity // Defeat, obsession, untapped potential
The author of the stele known as the Stone of Idrir Djaym was lost to history–some bison-headed half-god commemorating the only primordial truth: that love is everlasting. Though the author was long dead, the stone remained, a thing unchanging despite the wind, sand, and rain that would take it from the present’s grasp. The stone lasted, standing sentinel, as empires rose and fell, and as life grasped at its edges and slipped away. Many sat before it, spent their whole lives wondering at its story, at what secrets it could possess. Each of them dissipated to the wind, but the Stone of Idrir Djaym remained.
For me, this card affirms the importance of remaining committed to my values despite the broken systems and monotony that encompass my day-to-day life. Ensconced in self-love, grounded by my daily journaling ritual, and cognisant of negative thoughts yet rising above them, I can recognize that I’ve built up the endurance to stay committed to my values despite any obstacles that come my way.
Card 5: ✋ RURHAYN EN THE BONE BREAKER
POEM / SUIT / ALIGNMENT: The Law of the Dead / Hero / Order
MEANING: Integrity, purpose, sacrifice, responsibility
Rurhayn En the Bone Breaker knew what it was to sacrifice for her ideals. She was a great wandering knight, pledged by the oaths she swore anew each morning to protect those in need. But she did not always do so without a price. By the time she faced the great ghoul on Korb Keju Field, she had already lost much: her eye, her arm. Her zeal would have ended her long ago if not for the care of Seditiir. Nevertheless, she knew that the cost of doing nothing was greater. So she took up arms and sorcery, dedicating her mind and body to a cause she felt was greater than her life.
For me, this card makes perfect sense as the last card in this scene. It is a reminder to act with integrity and purpose, even if it means making sacrifices. As long as I’m following my moral compass, I know that I’m following the path that’s meant for me.
Dive Deeper
What inner stories will the cards bring to the surface for you? The Endless Grove is available for purchase wherever books and decks are sold.
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The Endless Grove
$20.00
$26.00 CAD
