The Gothic Tarot by Vargo - V The High Priest

WolfyJames

cjtarot has also written interesting stuffs on this card, and other cards as well, in a thread on The Gothic Tarot and he/she accepted graciously to be quoted here.

cjtarot said:
I want to respond to the quote about the Lovers, the High Priest and the Empress standing in the same arch...

The Empress, guards her home...the relm of beond. (note the Emperor is inside with all the babe's doing NOTHING)

The Hight PRiest guards the knowledge in the Relm of beond

The Lovers..It is your choice (or is it) to enter into the Relm..note the lovers almost look farther into the arch..

Also look at the High Priestess and the 9 of cups...
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The HP..guarding the unknow of our sub consious - or the door to the afterlife.

The 9 of cups.. Cups are emotion, our life flow if you will..the 9 is showing the final preperation before we are fufilled, before the final journey into the ultimate unknow..(Note the 10 of cups is within that arch..the claiming or the dark angel leading you away)

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Vargo's cards were based on earlier works, you can see some of them on his website. This card is called Nosferatu, based on the silent black-and-white movie "Nosferatu the vampire" by Murnau in 1922.

This vampire is based on the traditionnal way the vampire was perceived centuries ago :

"The vampire had fangs, if not a whole mouth of unusually sharp teeth (easier to rip you apart, my dear) and has the intelligence of...well...a dead person. Not that I've ever had a conversation with a dead person, mind you, but I can imagine that they were not the brightest of folks. Nighttime was the appointed hour of the vampire, the sunlight, or light in general, being a great aversion. They were "as pale as death." The clothes were those they wore when buried, and often became tattered rags by the time the vampire was disposed of for good. Vampires were vile, evil, sometimes thought to be a creature of the devil. They could change into a bat or wolf, which were also considered "evil" creatures. The physical appearanc e was of an ugly monster, whose nails had grown long, sometimes into claws. They were no longer human, as only the living could be considered human. In short, you wouldn't want to meet up with one."

Lore of the Vampire by DanaRae Proctor on Vampyres Only ( http://www.vampyres.com/content/iwav/content/lore.html )

The sexy, alluring and classy vampire is an invention by the Romantics and the Gothic in the 19th century. The real vampire is... hideous and terrifying, just like on this card, the High Priest. I shiver just at looking at the card.

The back of the card is the same as the Empress. Here's the High Priest, in a door within a coffin. The arch has a pillar on each side, and on each side of the arch stands the guardians, skeletons with wings. So the vampire here wears a black cloak, is pale and bald, has long nails and pointy ears. He looks ferocious. His arms on his body have the position that were given to the dead, then. He looks like a bat.

This vampire is the true vampire at its core, tradition runs in his blood, he probably could talk of the past and of all he knows. But something tells me that, just like the High Priestess, he wants a bite too. Umbrae, you terrified me with this part! Now, I feel that all the characters want my blood.
 

Umbrae

The High Priest, not your Hollywood vampire, but a classic Nosferatu; hairless, canine ears, blank – lifeless – eyes.

He’s not coming to you like the Empress, you come to him – and are compelled by your own desires..

If you want what he has, he does not offer it – you have to ask…and then be initiated.

As with all higher knowledge – if you want it, it has a price.
 

Livia

I saw a movie that exemplifies the properties of this card, as it seems to me. It is called "Shadow of the Vampire" with Willem Dafoe, and John Malcovich...check out a description at http://imdb.com/title/tt0189998/
It was a great twist on the old Nosferatu image of old movies. It is about a film crew making the silent movie from 1922 called Nosferatu-Eine Symphonie des Grauens (Nosferatu-a Symphony of Horror). The director (Malcovich) has found an unusual actor for the lead, a real nosferatu (Dafoe). He is powerful in a way, but still in need , especially in this modern world, to survive
Great movie check it out... it is just what I thought of when I saw the card, and I think others from this site will "get" the movie too.
 

Livia

Another thought
Umbrae said:
He’s not coming to you like the Empress, you come to him – and are compelled by your own desires..

If you want what he has, he does not offer it – you have to ask…and then be initiated.

As with all higher knowledge – if you want it, it has a price. [/B]
I love this insight. The HP might invite you in but she is in control, and will only give you what she wants to give you...again he isn't as subtle as the HP
 

Hikaru

Amazing.
I just pulled this card in my nightly reading for myself and without
having read this...the very first thing that popped into my mind was "Nosferatu". I saw the film many years ago and am still haunted by it.
There is something compelling, yet imtimidating and unapproachable about this High Priest. He does offer knowledge, but it's not his job to make it easy for you.
 

mercenary30

The High Priest

We start off with the same pillars and archway that can be found in the Lovers card. I believe this reinforces the premise I had in that card, that this is some formal place where rituals and ceremonies are performed. This time, inside the arch, is a coffin which contains a very feral looking vampire. He is ancient even by vampire standards, currently positioned in the sleep of the dead. Vampires are known to be able to change their shape and form. This untamed form is a natural appearance for vampires, especially when they are in hibernation or a regenerative sleep.

Something very important must be going on. A major decision or activity that effects the clan is about to begin. The most ancient and powerful member of the brood has been awakened for a special purpose and he is now about to take audience. To be able to take on a more human form, or return to his normal visage, he will have to engage in a blood feast. If this is just a quick awakening that will not require him to once again emerge from the long sleep, then when he is finished speaking he will be placed back in the crypt. His wisdom, experience, and knowledge are extensive and he is awakened in times of need. If the need is great, he will again arise to be in the world to lead his clan.
 

annik

His arms are crossed. A perfect position to put hands on the shoulders of a carefree person going near the coffin.

He seems to look inward (stressed by his closed eyes and his head a bit toward us). He have the look of someone sleeping while standing up. But could be meditating.

A very introspective card...
 

Emeraldgirl

He reminds me of the true nature of the vampire. A real elder of the tribe. the Emperor my be the charismatic leader but the High Priest is real wisdom and elder. The original fount. And where the real knowledge lies but distrub him for a trivial question and he won't be half as forgiving as the High Priestess.
 

Livia

What an interesting idea.... The Emperor needs to show off and seem powerful, to excude an air of power, to legitimize himself, but with the age, wisdom, expericences, etc of the High Priest he needs none of that show, he is power.....

Emeraldgirl said:
He reminds me of the true nature of the vampire. A real elder of the tribe. the Emperor my be the charismatic leader but the High Priest is real wisdom and elder. The original fount. And where the real knowledge lies but distrub him for a trivial question and he won't be half as forgiving as the High Priestess.

This reminds me of the sort of debates in a philosophy of law type course when you really ask yourself what gives one person the authoirity to make and apply laws?