When I first came across The Storm Cloud Oracle on Kickstarter, I was immediately struck by its bold commitment to shadow, superstition, and symbolism. It’s a deck that doesn’t shy away from the darker side of the human experience—and that’s exactly what makes it so powerful. I knew I had to dive deeper.
Speaking with Clare Gregory, the creative force behind the project (and the founder of alternative jewellery brand Bonearrow), I learned more about this new Kickstarter-backed oracle deck, and how alternative jeweller and self-described “eternal goth” Clare of Bonearrow, embraces the eerie, the occult, and the ominous—not to spook, but to empower.
Clare’s creative world has always revolved around gothic symbolism. Through her jewellery line Bonearrow, she’s long crafted rings, pendants and talismans featuring skulls, snakes, swords, and other dark delights. But The Storm Cloud Oracle marks a new direction: a fully illustrated oracle deck packed with superstition and symbolism, where every card draws from the shadows and still manages to shine.
“This is the deck I’ve always wanted, but could never find,” Clare told The Fortune Teller’s Gazette. “Most oracle decks are either very bright and modern or very pastel. Once I realised the deck I craved didn’t exist, it was really only a matter of time before I made it myself.”
The original deck was set to feature 44 cards, but after reaching stretch goals, it now includes 52. Each one is built around a gothic emblem—a feared creature, unlucky sign, or folkloric omen. Some are well-known; others, like The Little Apple of Death, are beautifully obscure. “That one’s based on a toxic fruit that grows in South America,” Clare shared. “It’s one of my favourites.”
Many of the symbols stem from Clare’s own lived experiences. Some are tattooed on her body. Many are icons she’s returned to time and again in her jewellery. “There’s a nice mix of very personal ones, very universal ones and a few obscure ones,” she said.
Each card’s meaning is twofold: it carries folkloric history and an intuitive message. The accompanying guidebook includes notes on the cultural mythology and superstitions of each symbol, along with reflective insights drawn from Clare’s own experience and witchcraft practice.
Despite the deck’s ominous aesthetic, it is anything but grim. At the heart of The Storm Cloud Oracle lies a deep commitment to balance darkness paired with light, shadow paired with growth.
“I’m a very optimistic person (blindly, some might say!),” Clare explained. “I believe all darkness is balanced with light, and it should be in reverse too.”
That equilibrium makes The Storm Cloud Oracle a powerful tool for shadow work, grief support, and emotional resilience. “We’re realising the scope of human emotions isn’t limited to just the positive ones,” Clare said. “It’s probably a good idea to show those in mainstream culture and media.”
Clare worked closely with artist Mari (@vvitchofthevvoods), a longtime friend and collaborator whose intricate linework and love of gothic detail made her the perfect fit.
“I just tell her the card emblem and let her do her thing,” Clare said. “Only a couple of them I’ve given an exact brief. She has a way of adding such charming visual details that really bring the card to life.”
Mari’s background in engraving lends the illustrations an aged, textural feel—like they’ve been pulled from an ancient tome of bad omens and dark magic.
The Storm Cloud Oracle is a natural extension of Clare’s other work. Bonearrow, her alternative jewellery brand, already reflects many of the same visual themes: bones, daggers, serpents, sacred hearts. “Honestly, this deck is primarily for me and my Bonearrow team to use in the workshop!” Clare said. “Because these cards are so much my visual language, I know them in my bones.”
Still, the project has drawn a new crowd. “Many of my diehard Bonearrow fans have pledged, but the deck has attracted many new faces too. There’s definitely a Venn diagram of gothy and spiritual folks!”
Clare previously co-authored The Crystal Magic Tarot with Kerry Ward (aka Tarotbella), a mass-market deck published worldwide. But for The Storm Cloud Oracle, she opted to self-publish.
“It’s been hard,” she admitted. “Being on my own meant no editor, no publisher to catch errors or handle the legal stuff. But it also gave me full creative control, no one to tell me the illustrations are too dark.”
Even with a built-in audience from Bonearrow, Clare found the Kickstarter process eye-opening. “I didn’t realise how important your pre-launch is! And don’t fall for the scams—those marketing messages come in fast and furious.”
Now that the deck is fully funded and expanded, Clare is looking to the future—and more projects with Mari. “We’ve already discussed a tarot deck,” she revealed. “So, so many ideas.”
For now, though, she’s focused on completing the oracle and sending it out into the world. When asked what she hopes users experience the first time they draw a card, Clare was clear:
“I hope they feel seen. I hope the cards understand what they’re going through. That they give comfort and hope and wisdom—and what they need to hear, not just what they want to hear.”
With The Storm Cloud Oracle, Clare has conjured a deck that dares to dwell in the dark, but never forgets the silver lining.
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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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