Artist and jeweller Clare of Bonearrow has conjured something altogether different from what’s readily available in the market, The Storm Cloud Oracle, a dark, dramatic, and deeply affirming oracle deck that dares to walk with you through the shadows.
Currently live on Kickstarter and already unlocking stretch goals, this self-published deck is a love letter to gothic symbolism, bad omens, and the beauty of sitting with discomfort rather than bypassing it.
Clare is no stranger to shadowy symbols. As the creator of alternative jewellery inspired by gothic emblems, skulls, snakes, swords, and all things macabre, her aesthetic has long embraced the eerie and unsettling. Now, she’s channeling that same energy into divination.
“I’ve always wanted to create an oracle deck infused with the same dark symbols I return to in my jewellery time and time again,” she writes in the Kickstarter campaign. “Mass-market decks are often bright and ‘love and lighty.’ That’s beautiful—but it’s not the whole story.”
And The Storm Cloud Oracle is absolutely here to tell the whole story.
Initially planned as a 44-card deck, The Storm Cloud Oracle has already hit two stretch goals and expanded to 52 cards. Each one is illustrated as a moody cloud formation, containing a feared creature, unlucky sign, or mythical emblem, what Clare describes as “a mini-encyclopedia of gothic emblems.”
But don’t mistake this for a doom-and-gloom deck.
“Every card carries a message of hope, courage, and resilience,” Clare writes. “Because of course, every storm cloud has a silver lining.”
The result is an oracle deck that doesn’t shy away from hard truths but also doesn’t leave you alone in the darkness. Instead, it offers companionship, guidance that feels honest, grounding, and fiercely protective. It’s a deck that whispers, You’re not broken. The storm will pass.
To bring her vision to life, Clare turned to longtime friend and artistic collaborator Mari (@vvitchofthevvoods), whose intricate, haunting illustrations capture the essence of each card with layered symbolism and intuitive storytelling. Mari’s style feels like it crawled out of a folktale or a dream half-remembered on a thunderous night—each card its own clouded mystery, framed by a ribbon bearing its meaning.
The accompanying guidebook will deepen the experience, offering the lore, myth, or superstition behind each omen, while helping the reader interpret its message in context. It’s both intuitive and scholarly, balancing emotion with knowledge—a mirror for the soul and a manual for resilience.
Clare’s decision to self-publish was also deeply intentional. Having co-created The Crystal Magic Tarot two years ago (published and distributed worldwide), she chose this time to retain full creative control. “No one to tell me the illustrations are too dark,” she says.
And thank goodness for that. This deck’s power is its darkness.
The Storm Cloud Oracle is ideal for:
- Shadow workers and witches seeking depth over fluff
- Fans of gothic, Victorian, or occult aesthetics
- Anyone navigating grief, transformation, or difficult emotions
- Readers who want a deck that holds space for the whole human experience
It’s the perfect companion for moonlit journaling, dark-night-of-the-soul tarot spreads, or simply those days when you don’t need reassurance but the truth.
Support the project: Back The Storm Cloud Oracle on Kickstarter from £45
Follow Clare’s work: @bonearrow_
Discover more from Mari: @vvitchofthevvoods
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