The record
The fifty cards are divided into five suits of nine cards each, named Alembic, Tree, Retort, Egg and Athanor. These correspond to love, heath, wealth, protection and power and are furthered divided into three levels: from Puffer, to Initiate, then the highest level, Adept. The suit cards display a single alchemical scene on the left, the images of which have been taken from ancient alchemical text. On the right, a variety of symbols and correspondences for the card's suit, gemstone, planet, grade, and number. There is also a large visual representation of the solar system, displaying the card's planetary conjunction. As well as the suit cards, there are also five 'wild cards': Execute, Balance, Observe, Harmonize, and Master. These are linked with earth, spirit, air, water and fire and display two alchemical scenes rather than the one on the rest of the cards. The wild cards seem to serve a similar purpose as the major arcana in a tarot deck: the book describes that their appearance 'heralds powerful forces at work'. The cards are packaged with the companion text, the 'Book of Alchemy' which is essential to understanding these cards. Inside, Buckland gives a quick history of alchem
The cards
