Object 43 - "Tarot Decks"

Rewritecon » Object 43 - "Tarot Decks"

Info

Written by CharaTheArchivist for RewriteCon!

This will be my official debut as an author for the Backrooms (I wrote a thing for the 2024 Secret Santa but this will be my first actual page)

I like writing in a more "classic" Backrooms style, so any sort of feedback is greatly appreciated ^w^

Object Danger Level

Object 43, colloquially known as Tarot Decks, are packs of Tarot cards of the Major Arcana variety found strewn about the Backrooms.

Description

An image of all 22 unique tarots found in a deck.

Just like their Frontrooms counterpart, each deck comprises 78 cards, with each unique tarot appearing at least twice. They take the appearance of a standard Rider-Waite variety, with a few changes to the art to reflect the environment they are in. These include:
*Colour shifting according to danger
*Luminescence in darker levels
*The artwork itself shifting to match the mood of the wanderer¹
Each pack comes in a sealed carton. If the seal is broken, it is a counterfeit friendly invite and must be treated with absolute caution curiosity, and, if possible, must be reported to kept secret from the M.E.G.
The rarity of these tampered ascended decks fluctuates over time, following no pattern in how often a regular deck is replaced.

Usage

Sealed Deck

Once the seal on a deck is broken, the cards are forcefully ejected from the carton and begin to rapidly self-shuffle. During this time, they will be blank. It is imperative that the wanderer chooses a card as they are shuffling, as failing to do so will render the cards permanently inert.² The shuffling process will last for 15 seconds before the cards settle on the nearest surface.
After the wanderer has chosen a card, the face will be revealed, and the effect will be primed. To use the tarot, one must say the name of the card and hold it out. There is no timer on most cards³, so wanderers may reserve their use for a later time. The remaining cards will be returned to their carton and cannot be drawn again for the equivalent of 1 day. This is based off the day cycle of Level 11.
The list of effects can be found below.

View Tarot effects?

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Card Name	Effect description
0 ~ The Fool	Transports the wanderer along with the cards to the place where they entered the level from.
I ~ The Magician	Gives the wanderer a powerful sense of skillfulness and clearness in their thought. They are more crafty and resourceful.
II ~ The High Priestess	The user will start to rely on basic survival instinct way more than usual instead of thinking rationally. Gains a boost to natural instinct.
III ~ The Empress	The user will begin to act very aware of their own fragile nature and will be extra careful not to injure themselves.
IV ~ The Emperor	Summons a handgun of the user's preference. The pistol gives off minimal recoil when fired, and the user has complete control over the path of the bullet, even to the point of contradicting physics. The bullet's impact is identical to that of an explosive .50 calibre rifle bullet impact. The pistol only holds 5 shots and disappears after all shots are fired or after 24 hours have passed. This tarot is used instantly after being revealed.
V ~ The Hierophant	The user will start acting very social and stick to social conventions and conformity.
VI ~ The Lovers	The user gains a minor boost in all their stats. The more connections and relationships a user has, the more powerful the effect of this card becomes. They will also be more romantic and more willing to make connections with others. This tarot is used instantly after being revealed and lasts for the equivalent of 6 hours.
VII ~ The Chariot	The user's skin will become impenetrable, they will gain a very large amount of speed, and will have immense power when running at something, being able to easily take it down. This effect lasts for 10 minutes.
VIII ~ Justice	A table will appear in front of the user. This table has a couple of useful items like Weapons, Almond Water and sometimes other Tarot Decks. The table and anything left on it will disappear after 24 hours. This tarot is used instantly after being revealed.
IX ~ The Hermit	The user will be plunged into deep thought. They will be very good in rational situations and when forming plans.
X ~ Wheel of Fortune	The user will become unexpectedly lucky.
XI ~ Strength	User can sap all strength from a target of their choice and harness a ratio of it.
XII ~ The Hanged Man	While weakened personally, any people that the user considers teammates will undergo considerable, albeit temporary power boosts. While weakened, the user can not be killed.
XIII ~ Death	The personality of the user shifts significantly and randomly. This tarot is used instantly after being revealed.
XIV ~ Temperance	The user will be given a boost in positive virtues like patience, willpower, wisdom, and optimism. Will also gain a gut feeling of which route is safest. This effect lasts for the equivalent of 12 hours.
XV ~ The Devil	All surrounding dangers will look more threatening to the user, and their senses will be boosted in order to maintain maximum situational awareness.
XVI ~ The Tower	6 small metal bombs will appear around the user and will explode in ~5-10 seconds. The explosion will be around 4' (122 cm) in diameter and will not have the ability to harm humans. They can be used to dispose of entities or clear out medium-sized spaces.
XVII ~ The Star	A shining star appears in the night sky above the user. This star safely guides the user to their current objective. Users always report the star being in the middle of the night sky, even when they are in underground levels.
XVIII ~ The Moon	The user gains the motivation and drive necessary to reunite with another wanderer whose souls have been described as "linked" by both of them. In addition to the increase in determination to reach their goal, they also experience a moderate boost in physical abilities. If they do not consider themselves linked to someone, then they are given the same boost until they leave their current level or the 12 hours are up.
XIX ~ The Sun	All living things within a 100-meter radius are blinded by an effect similar to a flashbang. This does not apply to the user. This tarot is used instantly after being drawn.
XX ~ Judgement	When this card is used, Judgement is brought down upon the user and any entities inside a 100m radius. All sentient living beings are judged according to an unknown law codex that appear to be similar to whichever core is used by the Eyes of Argos. Wanderers and Entities that are judged innocent are either sent to a level that is widely considered safe (if they are currently on a level that is widely considered dangerous) or given extra supplies if already on a safe level. Those who are judged guilty are sent to a level widely considered extremely dangerous, or simply sent further in the level if they are already on such a level.⁴
XXI ~ The World	When used, the entire level minus the user is slowed down to the point that it simply appears to have stopped. This effect is the shortest of all tarot cards, only lasting around 10 seconds.

Voluntary Burning

If the wanderer draws a card that is detrimental to their life or the lives of many, they can voluntarily destroy the card by shouting the word "Burn!". This will cause the card to burst into flames.

Unsealed Deck

There is no such thing as an unsealed or "dangerous" deck. Who would spread such lies?

Well… there isn't *no* danger… use one and find out~
We'll be waiting on the other side~ ♤

URGENT NOTICE FROM THE M.E.G.

If any individual in an elaborate outfit approaches you and offers ANYTHING, disengage and attempt to flee from it. They are NOT SAFE to be in the vicinity of.

~ Office of Overseer B

Want to know more?

‡ Licensing / Citation

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page revision: 6, last edited: 27 Jun 2026 12:15

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Description

Usage

Sealed Deck

Voluntary Burning

Unsealed Deck