The Gothic Tarot by Vargo - The Nine of Wands

Umbrae

The Web of an arachnid is in the background. The foreground is occupied by a female figure displaying cleavage and leg, long black gloves, a black dress split up to the high-thigh…with the red outline of an hourglass on her abdomen. She is the Spider-Woman.

Her right hand holds one wand. Her left hand shows us that eight wands are available for the taking. We must simply dare to come close to the embrace of the Spider-Woman. Perhaps even the kiss of the Spider-Woman...and escape with our lives and the wands…

Dare we be so bold? Do we have a choice?
 

Alissa

That's no ordinary Spider ...

That's a Black Widow. Those hourglass markings on her underside, the same place a real spider sports them, show her for exactly what she is.

She mates, and she kills.

So, don't be surprised when she bites you ... it's her nature. It's like the old "scorpion and the frog" story ....

Why did She do it?

Because it's Her nature. And, sometimes there is no going against the internal drive, the instinct will overrule decision making.

(This would seem fitting when analyzing behavior in a reading).

Her eyes, gray voids, look like cocoon's webbing to me. Something to get trapped in, especially if you dare to look closely.

Her appeal is undeniable. However, so is her appetite. Proceed with caution, and expect "the bite" could come at any moment....

edited to add : And upon another moment's reflection, it's interesting to compare the Black Widow, She who survives, against the RWS "survivor" image.
 

WolfyJames

Spiders often represent meticulous hard work and patience. This woman has worked hard to make her web, and obviously, she's not going to let anyone destroy it. She's in front of it to protect it, using a wand as a weapon, but she still has eight wands in reserve, to use as a weapon in case she loses the first wand.
 

silk_selen

none shall pass, if the black widow woman doesn't succeed in stopping someone herself, she will scamper up the web and let the web to the stopping for her.

Then comes the embrace, and the kiss, and the poisoned death.

She also wears a black crown with a red gem.
 

mercenary30

Nine of Wands

A huge web is the back drop for the Nine of Wands. In front of it, and proportionately centered on the web is a vampiress. She holds one of the nine wands depicted in this card. This is similar to the RWS version in that sense. The vampiress is wearing a very provocative outfit that is all black, and has a red hourglass on the front torso. There is no questions she is the black widow of this clan; beautiful, alluring, and deadly. Her stance and arm gestures suggest that she is offering a challenge, or an invitation......

“Come forth brave man and be conquered.”
No way, I just came here to look. I have no intentions on coming any closer.
“So you are not man enough to handle a woman like me?”
No one is man enough for the likes of you, and I am not foolish enough to think I might be.
“But the pleasures I give is worth any cost…..”
That may be true, but that price is not mine to pay.
“You are not the master of your own fate? Does someone else own you?”
No one is the master of their own fate, but they can certainly influence it….just like you are trying to influence mine…….
 

annik

She seems to be on the hunt. Of course, with the web, it's a deadly game! At least, with all those wands, she is well prepared.
 

Annwyn

The 8 wands to her left side. What do they represent?

Are they something for the taking if one dares? (As previously mentioned in this thread) Or are they her spare weapons?
(Also mentioned in this thread) or are they previously trapped people who have dared to get close to her? Caught in her web?

She is indeed protecting her web and possibly protecting those that have been caught in her web. For she is the black widow vampiress and perhaps the wands are her food?
Spiders trapping the food in their webs. (The wands appear trapped in her web) She protects it.

I will have to contemplate this one some more I think.
 

caridwen

A female black widow spider has transmorphed into a very sexy lady. She looks a little like a magicians assistant or, lets not get sexist here, a magician about to pull back a curtain and reveal something to the onlooker. She is standing in front of her web, holds a wand and has eight wands displayed beside her. She is showing a lot of leg and fake breasts. Her hand is outstretched as though she will rip aside the web and invite you into her boudoir the line: 'Come into my parlour said the spider to the fly...' spring to mind.

There is something wrong about this picture: it's fake. The woman isn't a woman, she's a spider. It looks as though she has made herself as attractive as possible in a very idealised way. She is a little too perfect but I doubt her (male) prey would argue once she had her hooks into him. She is a stereotype, the all consuming femme fatale, the 'man eater'. It looks as though she has become whatever it takes to lure her victim into her trap. And it is very much a trap, its all illusion, wires and trap doors.