Badges/Swords

The suit of Swords represents conflict, progress with opposition. The stresses of creating order out of chaos, of using intellect to reason out problems and challenges. This matches the world of the Watch with its puzzles, battles and triumphs. This suit is named Badges.

Card Name: Two of Badges

Card Meaning: This card is to do with blindness in adversity. Pay attention to signs and advice, keep an open mind and trust people. Be prepared to acknowledge problems as this is the first step towards overcoming them.

Card Scene: This is shown in The Fifth Elephant when Vimes becomes aware that a crime is being committed in Uberwald, but he has no knowledge of the street as he does in Ankh-Morpork and no frame of reference - he has to start from scratch gathering evidence.

Card Name: Three of Badges

Card Meaning: This card tends to be rather troubling in a reading. It warns you that a negative event or thickening problem is on its way - one that you may already be aware of. This card is a warning to be vigilant for dissonant signs, to solve problems with others as early as possible and to be aware of potential problems.

Card Scene: In Jingo, upon the arrival of the envoy from Klatch, Vimes begins to feel the first forebodings of trouble at the Embassy...

Card Name: Four of Badges

Card Meaning: This card is all about the need for calmness. Perhaps you have been unwell or have been struggling with a problem for too long. This card is a sign that you need to stop worrying so much and give yourself respite. You need space and time to prepare, to gather your thoughts and your strength. This is also true following battle or long period of illness.

Card Scene: In the midst of the chaos and upheaval caused by the dragon's attack in Guards Guards, Vimes relies on his calmness and steadiness when he decides to make a visit to Dragon King of Arms to rectify matters.

Card Name: Five of Badges

Card Meaning: This card is a shadow. It foresees further struggle with the possibility of defeat. You need to take all the steps you can to divert this - and it can be diverted. If you do not act now, the situation will come back to haunt you. There may be open hostilities from others. Put your own needs frst, but do so in an ethical way without hurting other people.

Card Scene: In Men at Arms, when the Patrician falters, Vimes has a sense that history is flapping loose and that defeat may happen.

Card Name: Six of Badges

Card Meaning: This card can indicate travel, both physically and an inner journey. It can also indicate mild good news, in particular of difficulties overcome.This is not a dramatically positive card, but there is a feeling of starting to hope.

Card Scene: This can be seen in Jingo when Vimes has made the decision to set sail for Klatch.

Card Name: Seven of Badges

Card Meaning: Personal difficulties. You need to be courageous (do not run away from your problems) and careful. Avoid segregation (oneself or others) and encourage teamwork to overcome problems.

Card Scene: This is shown in Night Watch when Vimes tries to build a team up from the options available at Treacle Mine Road, creating team spirit and keeping his watch safe during the riot at Dolly Sisters.

Card Name: Eight of Badges

Card Meaning: This card indicates restriction, indecision and lack of options. The deeper into the struggle you go, the less freedom you have and the more you restrict your options. You can find a way out, be patient. Clear your head and plan carefully.

Card Scene: This is shown in Men at Arms when Vimes gets drunk after being told to step down in favour of Mayonnaise Quirke. Vimes can't see the point in trying for justice.

Card Name: Nine of Badges

Card Meaning: This is not a positive card to draw. This represents fear, doubt, regret, all the thoughts that haunt us and keep us awake in the night. This shows unhappiness due to unease of mind. You may feel great distress and deep worry or feel guilt over something you have done. Have courage and face your fears.

Card Scene: This is best represented by the scene in Night Watch where Vimes and his group of watchmen wearing lilac are preparing to fight Carcer and his men.

Card Name: Ten of Badges

Card Meaning: This is a dark card - the darkest hour before the dawn - but the dawn is on its way. You have hit rock bottom, and now the only way things can go is up. This card represents ruin or defeat, often for a group of people. On the positive side, this shows a change for the better (how much worse could it be?). You may find that you can finally see your path clearly.

Card Scene: In The Fifth Elephant, this is at the end of the Game with Wolf von Uberwald when Vimes is too tired to finish and the wolves are closing in...

Card Name: Page of Badges
Represented By: Dorfl
Casting: David Morse

Card Details: Dorfl arrives at the Watch entangled in the coils of a subtle plot. Despite his clearness of thought and selfless motives he is drawn into the shadowy world of a murder mystery. He remains blameless and his logical thought allows him to work towards the freedom of golems and the objective analysis of religion (a flameproof body also helps in this regard).

Card Reading: This card represents a person who brings challenges, problems or misfortune. Despite this he has good motives and is innocent and pure of heart. This card signifies the approach of difficulties, but those which are not insurmountable - they are merely to test you and to keep you alert. To conquer the problems you will need to use the skills which this suit represents: intelligence, reasoning and honesty.

Card Name: Knight of Badges
Represented By: Nobby Nobbs
Casting: Steve Buscemi

Card Details: At first glance, Corporal Nobbs may seem to be an ill-fitting choice for this card. He is not usually seen as a dynamic force or as a well-known logician (though his weapons knowledge is second to none). However, you can't have a long and uneventful career in the Watch without clear thinking and logical argument - especially when judging the best time to break up a fight (the answer? after the trolls have left and the dwarves are pulpy pieces). He is also justly suspicious of being volunteered both for 'special duties' and for kingship.

Card Reading: An energetic and vital verson who tempers his impetuous nature with reason and self-confidence. If you lack energy, take a long look at your current lifestyle - are you stuck in a rut? Speak your mind, but count to ten before you do so. Retain the initial enthusiasm and people will be swayed to your way of thinking.

Card Name: Queen of Badges
Represented By: Angua (Delphine von Uberwald)
Casting: Scarlett Johanssen

Card Details: Used to managing a double life of deception and carefulness, Angua is a natural choice for the Queen. Her natural observational powers (it's all in the nose) are pin-sharp and she is rarely at a loss. Years of concealment have enabled her to spot the signs of shiftiness in others, which comes in very useful in the Watch.

Card Reading: This card represents sharpness of thought and cutting to the heart of the matter. The Queen cannot be fooled; she has excellent powers of observation and analysis and is usually direct and firm with her opinions and analysis. She is calm and sees both sides of the story.

Card Name: King of Badges
Represented By: Carrot Ironfoundersson
Casting: Paul Gross

Card Details: Carrot, with his mysterious and perhaps regal background, is a man of firm beliefs and strong allegiances. He is quick to restore order through instinctive good judgement. People turn to him for help and to restore order due to his keen analysis (or more likely because he is Captain Carrot). He expects the best from people and - possibly because of this attitude - usually finds it.

Card Reading: A person in a position of power or in a military or legal role. Excellent advice, wise counsel. He has the highest standards of honesty and expectation, representing moral and intellectual maturity blended with incorruptibility and clearness of vision. Be inspired by this ethos and ensure that your thoughts and actions are beyond reproach.

Card Name: Ace of Badges

Card Meaning: This card shows that you will shortly face an event in your life, a challenge or an event which will demand something of you. This card reminds you to face the challenge squarely and to seek truth and justice. You can attain this goal.

Card Scene: Vimes faces the new King and Dee at the end of The Fifth Elephant and confronts them with his theory as to what really happened with the Scone.