Tarot cards are highly evocative. Their illustrations recall the mysticism of the mythologised medieval period that is prevalent in fantasy games. In them, we see archetypal figures, esoteric symbols and, perhaps, the promise of hidden knowledge.
The most popular modern deck is the Rider-Waite-Smith Tarot, developed by A. E. Waite and artist Pamela Colman Smith at the turn of the twentieth century, both members of the English magical society The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn. There are now hundreds of decks available, ranging from the serious, such as The Sacred India Tarot, to the whimsical Mystical Cats Tarot.
The typical modern perception of Tarot in the English-speaking world is as an occult practice of divination or fortune-telling, but in actuality it has always been a game first. Tarot is the French name of this game, but it is also known as Tarock in German and Tarrochiin Italian. It originated in 15th century Italy, based on existing playing card decks imported through trade with the Muslim Mamluk Empire.