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Introduction: What is Draka?

Draka is the name for a set of cards that gained galactic attention when it was named "Best Family-Friendly Game" by the popular news source Coruscant Agenda. This set of cards is unique in its duality, where it is still regularly used as a set of playing cards while also having strong ties to Mandalorian spiritualism, the culture's most practiced, though unorganized, religious beliefs. Many speculate on how beings maintain a level of reverence for the cards while also using them in revelry, but most agree that community-building through games is integral to Mandalorian society, lending credence to the idea that it is because it is a game that the cards remain in high esteem. Other games have superseded its popularity in recent years, such as cu'bikad, meshgeroya, or get'shuk, but draka remains a favorite for young children who struggle with the dexterity required for those games.

This guide contains an overview of the rich history where draka finds its roots, a description of some of the ways the cards are used, and a dictionary for general card meanings when they are handled as a spiritual medium. 

Draka Origins:

Nomadic Mandalorian Movements Post-Excision

When a mighty galactic empire falls, who is left to pick up the pieces? To this day, many mourn the losses from centuries ago; clans and traditions vanished in a moment and that was devastating for Mando’ade. Scholars weep over the lost history, records glassed with the rest of Mandalore, and a culture, once singular, fractured planet to planet. Adaptation, as keepers of oral histories rose in status and necessity, became the main goal. This is when the Resol’nare, the six core tenets that make a Mandalorian, was formalized in a way it never had been before. When education became that important, where without it the culture would be lost completely, many Mando’ade reached for ways to teach it to their children in ways that wouldn’t bore them. One of the easiest routes was through games.

This was a period of cultural upheaval, where immigration skyrocketed as Mandalore natives found new homes in new systems that had once made up the Mandalorian Empire. Crime was as high as desperation, and there would be no outside help or sympathy even if they had wished for it. So the people moved, and moved, and moved again until there was a population of Mando’ade who primarily lived on their ships, almost entirely nomadic. Games filled the long hours of spaceflight, and so many developed during this time period that they could fill their own book. The one we will be focusing on, however, came from cards.

Cards for these nomadic Mandalorians were traditionally on sheets of plasti that the children of the family would write on, to hand-make the set under their parent’s guidance. If that wasn’t possible, the children found a way, drawing on old ration packaging or, in one notable case, carving into the sides of blaster chargepacks (though historians are still stumped on why those specific ones were chosen to be marked). And so, draka cards were born, in the absence of their sabacc cousins.

Once draka reached a relatively high level of popularity among the Mandalorian systems, manufacturers realized the potential profits they could make from producing standard sets, and the game continued to gain cultural weight, where very few things connected what was left of the empire. Children were indeed the future for draka and for Mandalore.

Word Origins and Epistemology

While we cannot be certain, it is widely accepted that the many glottal stops within the Mandalorian language are a result of linguistic drift over millennia, but the letters that once filled the space have been lost to time and the Dral’Han. It is speculated that the most common letters dropped would be “s,” “v,” or “g” sounds in Mando’a. 

For draka, the linguistic drift is far more recent, and can be traced readily to the original name of the game the cards were used to play, called dral ka’ra, literally translated to bright/heavy/strong star. This alludes to the main play of the game where the round is ended when a player invokes the star card as a “trump.” As children were the primary players of this game, syllables were inevitably dropped in happy and excited exclamations. Dral ka'ra was quickly reduced to “dra’ka’ra” before it slipped into colloquial use as “draka,” though there are some recorded instances of the glottal stop remaining in the middle as "dra'ka."

Modern Opinion and Distribution

Draka cards remain a common household item for the modern Mandalorian, though few are hand-made anymore, and they no longer hold quite as much cultural weight as they did at their inception. Time has settled some things, after all. Organized inter-clan tournaments for the varied games played with this set of cards have been in sharp decline since the end of the Mandalorian Civil War (956 ARR), and there is no indication that they will be reorganized anytime soon. Local tournaments within clans will likely continue. Sundari does not ban draka cards, but it also doesn’t have a consistent production line for them, so they tend to be priced higher in Mandalore’s current capital. Keldabe has the largest factory for mass production of a standard pack of draka, but many Mandalorian planets have their own variations. The Concordian variety is the most common to find at many spaceports across the galaxy, due to its unique silver accents that many non-Mandalorians find appealing. 

Children are still the main players of the original games draka was intended for, but they can still be found around a campfire in the hands of adults as well. Many find draka cards to simply be good fun with good company and no longer use them as any sort of teaching tool. However, the cards themselves are full of rich symbolism that many find comfort in. As they have with plenty of types of cards throughout the galaxy, beings have become adept at using draka as a spiritual tool to look within or to their ancestors for guidance.

Basic Games and Spreads

Draka: The Original Game

Draka was the game that developed in tandem with the cards themselves, where the Ka’ra or Star card in the Manda suit ends the game. The primary objective is to end the game and/or play the Ka’ra card with as few cards as possible. For setup, the whole deck is shuffled then distributed evenly between the players. The number of players is flexible, and it is not required that the player holding the Ka’ra card to announce that it is in their possession. In fact, hands should be kept secret to give a player an advantage since their cards can impact the gameplay of others. While there are plenty of variations where different Manda cards have different actions, such as the Riduur card forcing the preceding opponent to pick up two cards or the Dral’Han card forcing the next player to skip their turn, it is not standardized enough to record until inter-clan tournaments agree upon them again. However, one rule that holds standard is that when two cards that are the same numerical value (11-20 of the Manda suit counting as a 1-10 in such cases) all players are to lay a hand on the pile of played cards. Whoever is last to slap their hand down is penalized and forced to pick up the whole of the played pile. Historically, other standardized rules included the Mand’alor card reversing the flow of gameplay, the Manda’yaim card allowing the play of two cards, and the Hunt card allowing the one who played it to look at another player’s hand of their choosing. A particularly controversial rule that was allowed in some tournaments involved the Ade card, where if it was held in hand at the end of the game it granted -5 to the final card count of the player who held it, but +5 to the hand of the winning player if they were the one to play it. 

The game ends when the Ka’ra card is played, at which point the players count up the cards in their hand. The player with the least amount of cards is the winner.

Hoard: A Matching Game

Often one of the first games that children learn, the objective of Hoard is to accumulate sets of six cards with the same numerical value. Everyone has five cards in hand, with the remaining cards distributed evenly into individual piles, or hoards, for each player that remain face down. From there, the youngest player begins by setting out a Manda card of any value. If they do not have one, the play goes to the next player. If none have a Manda card, the play may be started by a cups card of any value. Once the first card is played, any may play at any point, as no there are no turns in the game. Of the five cards in hand, the player can match their cards to any open piles in the play area or start their own pile with a Manda card. The player then replaces the cards in their hand with the cards from their hoard. The main conflict of the game begins when the first set of six is complete, as whoever seizes the set can claim it as their own. When the first hoard pile is depleted, the player must call out “Hoard down!” or “Hoard!” and the battle ends. Whoever has seized the most sets of six in this timeframe is declared the winner, with the player who emptied their hoard first claiming a bonus point. Temporary alliances (narudar’e) in this game are common and an integral part of strategy in more competitive atmospheres.

Deceit: A Game of Deduction

Since Mandalorians are often wearing helmets and armor, reading body language is a critical skill for children to learn if they’re to understand the people around them, even if they can see their facial expression. To that end, the game Deceit became a favored pass-time for elder siblings that were attempting to teach (or take advantage of the ineptness of) their younger siblings. The objective is to lose all of the cards in hand by any means necessary. Generally, the game is played by placing a card facedown in the middle of the players and declaring what that card is. Many clans include the complication of requiring the cards to be consecutive numbers, but not all do so. Otherwise, there are no other requirements to how one “uses” or “loses” their hand. Lying and cheating are part of the game, and fairness is frowned upon when playing. However, if you are caught in an attempted lie or deceit, another player may call it out. This results in the “caught” player taking on the cards in the middle pile. If the player that is called out was not lying or being deceitful, then the player that attempted to call them is the one penalized.

Kar’ta Beskar: A Battlefield Game

The objective of this game is to end with the lowest number of points, and it requires an even number of players. Cards are distributed evenly between players, at which point the Ka’ra card begins the first play. Each player selects a card from their hand that is the same suit as the first card played, in the first round this is always the Manda suit. Whoever has the lowest number card is the loser of the hand and collects the other played cards to be counted towards their point-count and is in charge of starting the next round of play. Subsequent cards are played to the right of the player who opens the round. If a player doesn’t have a card from the required suit, they may play from any suit they wish. Cards from the kar’ta and beskar suits are worth the number of points of their numeric value, with each suit having the ability to give out 55 points. The game ends when a player reaches 1000 points. Some enjoy adding the rule that, if someone manages to obtain all 110 points possible in a round, they instead receive no points and all other players get 55 points.

Stronghold: A Game of Siege

As Mandalorian games go, Stronghold actually might predate Draka and the cards that developed with it. Evidence suggests that it used to be played with specialized pieces and boards that stayed in clan compounds and playrooms. With the upheaval that followed the Dral’Han, play likely adapted to use the available draka cards instead. Because of this transition, it is the least standardized of the games outlined in this guide, so feel free to customize it as you see fit. Basic gameplay revolves around protecting a goal card, a Manda card with a unique defense or power that is selected by each player prior to beginning the game, after which the rest of the Manda suit is kept out of the game. Once goal cards are selected, the rest of the deck is shuffled and distributed evenly to create player hands. From these, four to seven cards can be placed around the goal card as defensive measures, creating a “stronghold” or fortress. Prior to the start of the game, only four cards can be used to build the first strongholds. After each player has put together their initial defenses, the attack round is started by the player to the left of the dealer. The player can do one of three actions: attack an opponent, add to their defenses, or pass their turn. To attack, they place a card from their hand against the stronghold of their choice. The defender must choose a part of their defenses to counter the attack. If the attack is stronger than the defense card, both the attack card and the defense card are then put into a discard pile. If not, only the attack card is discarded. The game ends when all but one player’s goal card is destroyed. The powers that each card has will vary, but commonly, blasters and beskar are the best suits for defense and kad and kar’ta are the best for attack, and the higher the numeric value, the more power the card has.

Some options for card powers include:

• The Karyai card can let the player have eight cards in their stronghold instead of seven.
• The Ori’ramikad card can let the player play two attack cards in one turn
• The Riduur card can “steal” a defense card from another player’s stronghold
• Beskar cards can require two attacks to win before they can be discarded
• Blaster cards could have an amount of “range” that can counter an attack before it engages at a stronghold by forcing the attack card to be “-1” in numeric value
• Kad cards can choose which card on a stronghold they attack
• etc. and so forth.

The Star: A Relationship Analysis Spread

While it’s common to simply draw three cards to get an overview of a relationship (you, them, the relationship’s current status), some often wonder over more specific aspects of the connection. Since community is so important to Mandalorian society, the star spread was one of the first developed, taking a deeper dive into a bond between two people. The spread is six cards, five points that create the “star” and a sixth that sits in the middle of the spread. Each placement has a meaning, and it doesn’t matter what order the cards are drawn in. The most common order is to start with the bottom right point of the star and place the points in order of how someone might draw the star by hand, bottom right to top to bottom left to middle right to middle left and ending in the center. However, this order isn’t required for an accurate reading. The position of the card does have significance, though. 

The bottom right point is the signifier of the person requesting the reading or the one it is focused on. The bottom left card is the signifier of the other being in the relationship. The middle right card is the largest obstacle the relationship currently faces. The middle left card is the greatest strength or victory of the relationship. The top card can be many things, whatever the person requesting the reading is trying to focus on, but if left ambiguous it will read as what the people in the relationship felt upon their first meeting of one another. The card in the center of the spread is the “heart” of the relationship, what it is when everything is boiled down.

The Table: A Pathway Spread

Although it is commonly called the Table spread, older records suggest that it was once referred to as the “Life’s Path” spread. It is popular to request this spread at major turning points in life, such as a verd’goten or a birth of a child. However, it should be used with caution, as people change greatly over the course of their lives. The spread is made up of seven cards, three in a line that create the “tabletop” and then two cards placed perpendicular on either side of the top three, the four total cards creating the “legs.” It does not matter which order the cards are drawn in as long as the tabletop portion is made before the legs. Legs should be drawn one at a time, not one card for each leg.

The middle card of the top is the signifier or focus of the reading. Everything to the left of this card pertains to the past, and everything to its right pertains to the future. Closest to the signifier are the immediate past and present, respectively, and are intended to give context to the meaning of the signifier. The left leg is then made up of two cards, the top one looking into the long-term past to assist in identifying the “root” of the signifier, where they consider themselves to come from, either metaphorically or literally. The lower card on the left leg is the “core belief” card, and directly informs what is impacting the signifier’s personality. Often, this card manifest’s as a being’s greatest regret or largest trauma, since those sorts of experiences can shift a person’s worldview. The right leg of the table is similar, in that the higher card in the leg looks at the long-term, but this time it looks to the future. If things continue in their current course, what happens or how does the focus feel about it? Finally, the last card, the lower of the right leg, is considered the “legacy” card. It asks and answers the questions of the former two right cards and says, “this is what your life ultimately amounts to.” Many warriors hope for the Kote card to be drawn here, but there are times that fate can be cruel.

The Key: A Conflict Analysis Spread

 Also known as the “tower” spread, this is often used in households to teach about conflict resolution. The base spread is six cards, but it is easily modified to clarify different aspects of the initial reading, which is why it often has notches on the sides of it, giving it a key-like appearance. Before any additions, it is four cards stacked in a column and two additional cards, one on either side of the base card. The three on the base layer are the two sides of the conflict and the context behind the conflict between them. Just above the context card, the second in the tower, is the “linchpin” card that answers what the heart of the conflict is, past all the trappings. Above that card is the “reflection” card, one that offers advice on how to resolve the conflict. The top card is read as a potential future, if the advice is followed from the previous card. Common additions to the base reading include other parties involved in the conflict, potential futures if the advice card isn’t followed. Specialized advice cards for each side are also often drawn for this type of reading.

The Six Suits and Card Meanings, A Reference Guide:

Overview: Suits

While what records we have of the original formation of draka indicate that only the Manda suit was used to actively teach Mandalorian principles, the deck as a whole was used to show how the Resol’nare was a cohesive set of teachings. So, while Manda stands out and holds several trump cards in various games, it is assigned numbers in addition to the usual names, and as a suit it isn’t supposed to rank over the others in a set. Some games give different powers to specific card types, such as the assigning of points to the kar’ta and beskar suits in the game kar’ta beskar (aptly named) or the ability of 10’s in the game Stronghold to “wipe out” the discard pile. For those using draka as a guidestone, the suits similarly have unique symbolisms and effects. The following sections are a brief collection of common traits draka users agree on, in games and in spiritual readings.

A Note on Customization

As draka were originally homemade and subject to much variation, not all decks can be interpreted the same way, much like how every clan tends to have their own specialized set of rules to the developed games. When using a custom deck or a combination of multiple decks, it’s important to note the symbols used and contemplate how they change or add to the original meaning behind the card. For example, many clans will put different sigils on the Mand’alor card in the Manda suit or will replace the Mythosaur card entirely with something that they think will be more applicable to them, especially if the clan in question has ties to a specific faction from the most recent Civil War.

Cards in Reverse:

What a card means when it is upside down in its drawing is dependent on the reader of the cards. For many, the direction the card faces does not change the meaning of the card itself, but instead changes the way the energy is “facing,” or where it is coming from or going towards. It can also indicate an obstacle or a delay in the outcome of the card. For draka, the overall meaning of the card remains the same, but the direction informs it with context. For example, to draw the Kote card in reverse, especially in a Table spread, could mean that the victory is unexpected, not that there will be a defeat. It’s important to keep the context of draws in mind when contemplating the meanings of the cards.

Cups (Gai'ka)

Resol’nare attribute: aliit

As the suit of aliit, the cups focus heavily on inter-personal relationships, especially those surrounding community. The symbol is that as a cup because aliit also means identity, as a family impacts who you are and who you will become, for good or ill. Aliit is who we sit and fill our cups with, both literally and figuratively. 

1 of cups: unconditional love, given freely, the kind that defines and changes you as a person

2 of cups: apathy, indifference, or ignorance

3 of cups: community, being a part of something bigger than oneself

4 of cups: balance, restraint, or tolerance of or with others

5 of cups: abandonment, ostracization, rejection

6 of cups: nostalgia, longing for childhood, yearning for community

7 of cups: loss, negligence, or willful isolation

8 of cups: travel, finding a new community, first meetings

9 of cups: greed, taking from the community without giving back

10 of cups: connection and fulfillment, finding one’s place

Swords (Kad)

Resol’nare attribute: Mand’alor

Many non-Mandalorians are confused as to why the Manda suit isn’t the suit of the Mand’alor, but the Manda is made up of all the things that make mandokar, not just what the Mand’alor directs. In fact, the Mand’alor themself is part of the Manda set. No, the kad is a tool that needs extreme control and training to wield effectively, and it is similarly difficult to lead effectively, especially if those that are being led are Mando’ade. Then, the suit of swords is about power and purpose, what a good leader uses and gives to their people. More than simply following orders, swords are about what drives people to act.

1 of swords: overwhelming power or authority

2 of swords: stagnation, a stalemate, or indecision

3 of swords: pilgrimage, meditation, spiritual journey

4 of swords: patience, resolve, or lying in wait, as in stalking prey

5 of swords: panic, fear, or hasty reactions

6 of swords: striking at the solution, cutting through a problem

7 of swords: betrayal, unexpected conflict, or ambush

8 of swords: rivalry that pushes opponents to better themselves

9 of swords: ambition, an eye to the future, a goal

10 of swords: a surrender or strategic retreat

Blaster Pistols (Tracy'uur)

Resol’nare attribute: ara’nov

While Mandalorians are widely known for their warrior culture, this does not mean that every Mando’ad is a soldier or a mercenary. However, all who follow the Resol’nare have knowledge of self-defense so that they can keep themselves and their loved ones safe. Blasters, while taking training to truly master, are widely variable and therefore adaptable to those with a lower skill level than, say, a melee weapon like the sword. This is why the suit developed around the idea of defense, even the ade who had not passed their verd’goten could wield one in defense of their hearth and home.

1 of pistols: ultimate defense, striking down an enemy

2 of pistols: laziness, naivety, or disorganization

3 of pistols: generosity, opening doors, a welcome

4 of pistols: profit, full pantries or coffers, growth

5 of pistols: cowardice, leaving the weak to fend for themselves, fleeing the battle

6 of pistols: planning, strategy, a blueprint

7 of pistols: a deception, a false lead, a fake trail

8 of pistols: Trust, alliance, or a strong bond

9 of pistols: narudar, wariness, being on guard, caution

10 of pistols: risk, weighing of options, or compromise

Iron (Beskar)

Resol’nare attribute: beskar’gam

Armor made of Mandalorian iron, beskar, has been an integral piece of Mandalorian culture since the first settlement of Manda’yaim. In draka, it symbolically serves a dual purpose: protecting from external forces and being a form of expression. Beskar primarily deals with the “outer self,” how we come across to others or interact with the physical world.

1 of iron: heavy responsibility, the weight of one’s choices

2 of iron: arrogance, ego-centric, condescension

3 of iron: equal-footing, partners, marriage

4 of iron: endurance, holding fast, steady

5 of iron: a broken guard, forgetfulness, weak points

6 of iron: honor, self-worth, chivalry

7 of iron: blindness, ignorance, the unknown

8 of iron: reforging, a new outlook, perspective

9 of iron: artistic, creative, head in the clouds

10 of iron: Focused, polished, gleaming

Hearts (Kar'ta)

Resol’nare attribute: bajur

In Mando’a, it is the heart that knows things, more strongly than the head or brain. To say “I love you” literally translates to Basic as “my heart knows you forever.” As with all things, in order to know, one must learn, and a heart never stops doing so. This is why this suit closely ties to bajur, education, because people are infinite, ourselves included. Hearts also link to the “inner self,” or our perception of ourselves and the corresponding emotional health. 

1 of hearts: figuratively, a bleeding heart, intense compassion

2 of hearts: hatred, abuse, imbalance

3 of hearts: amiability, friendliness, easy-going

4 of hearts: passionate, unsubtle, obvious

5 of hearts: hurt, pain, broken-hearted

6 of hearts: logic, weighing emotions, calculation

7 of hearts: self-deception, rose-tinted glasses, delusion

8 of hearts: vengeance, the satisfaction of justice, self-righteousness

9 of hearts: callousness, hard-hearted, cold

10 of hearts: satisfaction, feeling accomplished, happiness

Manda (Spirit)

Resol’nare attribute: Mando’a

This suit is tied to Mando’a, the language, because being able to communicate like a Mandalorian goes beyond pronunciation and vocabulary: it’s about mandokar and the ability to truly understand the culture and people.

1 - The Children (Ade)

Keywords: Youth, Innocence, Beginnings

Children are the future, and they are full of potential. Every day is a new beginning for a child, and this card reflects that. This card is full of energy and the innocence of youth. However, this can also convey the inexperience of children, their lack of skill. Drawing the Ade could be the start of a journey or a warning against overconfidence, depending on the reader.

2 - Goran/Bajur

Keywords: Guidance, Wisdom, Clarity

The Goran in Mandalorian society functions as both a blacksmith and a secret-keeper, as they are the only ones who know how to properly work beskar’gam. Because armor is a reflection of oneself, the Goran must be able to see people clearly for who they are. They impart wisdom with their work, and often are the ones to know the oldest stories. This card, called either Goran or Bajur depending on the deck, conveys that idea of guidance and wisdom of the ancient art.

3 - Verd’goten

Keywords: Transition, Accomplishment, Coming of Age

As real verd’goten’e are traditionally for children at the age of 13, the card that represents the event is tied to the idea of a coming of age rather than a mastery of a skill or something similar. The card often has depictions of growth, such as sprouts or saplings, showing that the transition is important even if it isn’t the ultimate destination. It is an accomplishment, completing the first set of armor a Mandalorian will use and showing that a child is now capable of performing ara-nov, self-defense, graduating from beginner level and getting to choose how they specialize.

4 - Karyai

Keywords: Community, Support, Foundations

While the karyai was far more popular in northern Mandalore, it was not unheard of to find it in any Mandalorian home after mass immigration mixed the cultural practice around with other regions. The area is the centerpiece of a home, a community’s gathering space and final defense. This card is about inner strength and the support of the community. 

5 - Riduur

Keywords: Unity, Harmony, Balance

While this traditionally refers to spouses, riduur’e can also be translated to “good company,” so this card reflects both the balance of happy partners and the good humor between best friends, regardless of romantic sentiment. Because the best of relationships is like a well-balanced weapon, this card isn’t about finding “true love” as much as it is about finding harmony.

6 - Mythosaur

Keywords: History, Legendary, Traditions

The Mythosaur is a legendary beast that the original Taung settlers of Mandalore hunted to extinction, but they were considered extremely powerful. The skull of it was a long-time symbol of the Mand’alor’s power, but it was used recently by the True Mandalorians, one of the political factions in the Mandalorian Civil War, and so many draka makers have been replacing this card with other powerful beasts, such as the krayt dragon. However, these other representatives lack the air of mystique and history that the card usually translated as in readings.

7 - Beroya

Keywords: Wandering, Introspection, Cautious

A mercenary or bounty hunter, this profession became popular after more and more Mandalorians needed to find work that didn’t require them to have a permanent address and suited their skills as trained warriors. However, the guilds of the profession offer little protection or steady income, so this card reflects the beroya’s every present state of wariness and movement from one system to the next.

8 - Verde

Keywords: Loyalty, Pride, and Equality

The soldier card extols the virtues of those not in command, recognizing that it takes a certain kind of mettle to push forward even in uncertainty, even without knowing if you will continue to survive. The verde is the power behind the Mand’alor, and their unending loyalty to their leader and each other gives them strength.

9 - Ori’ramikad

Keywords: Courage, Skill, Competition

Unlike the verde, ori’ramikad’e are specialists, supercommandos meant for smaller, more flexible teams. Their training is much longer than the traditional soldier, and this card reflects that dedication. 

10 - Mand’alor

Keywords: Authority, Willpower, Leadership

The leader of the Mandalorians themself, the Mand’alor ultimately leads the forces of the Mando’ade and unites the clan leaders. It requires a spine of steel to direct the people effectively, and this card conveys that message, that to lead is to be challenged and press forward anyway.

11 - Buy’ce

Keywords: Concealment, Protectiveness, Logic

A helmet, used to protect, often as in protecting or concealing one's inner self. The helmet isn’t taken off around strangers or potential threats, and the face behind it is a gift to be offered. Also representative of “the head” or “the brains” with a coldness that comes with harsh logic.

12 - Jetii

Keywords: Martyrdom, Self-destruction, sacrifice

One of the ancient enemies of the Mandalorians, especially so after the Mandalorian Excision, the Jedi card is not one that is looked on fondly. However, there is a begrudging respect of the power that the Jetii wields, and that the enemy’s commitment to avoiding their descent to dar’jetii undoubtedly stunts their own potential. It is self-sacrifice for an ideal, and the Jetii card reflects it.

13 - Justice/Vengeance

Keywords: Aggression, Truth, Obsession

Justice and vengeance are closely tied concepts, especially in the clan-based Mandalorian culture, so this card is variable based on who creates the deck. However, this card, regardless of which it is, warns against falling into obsession. A quest for vengeance or justice is well and good, but if there is nothing left of you at the end of it, what was it for? Justice and vengeance are meant to cleanse a wound, not exacerbate it. To draw the card means to be mindful of this lesson. 

14 - Expansion/Empire

Keywords: Strength, Ambition, Control

Mandalorians have been conquerors for millenia, and the Empire card is all about the ambition it takes to conquer worlds. To those with strength, the idea that an empire could be spread too thin is laughable because they would not let anything slip through the cracks. 

15 - The Hunt

Keywords: Passion, Instinctive, Intuition

A hunt is different from the idea of conquering in that it is more raw and instinctual, closely tied to bloodlust, but hopefully more calculated than a blind rage. Hunts are community building, chances to teach the young their skills and bring home a quarry, whether that be an actual animal or a bounty. To draw the hunt card is to be in touch with one's instincts and to listen to intuition. 

16 - Manda’yaim

Keywords: Yearning, Illusion, Delusion

The homeworld card is still most commonly Mandalore, despite many draka manufacturers being non-native to the planet itself. The card is often split, with one side being a lush, pre-Excision landscape and the other being closer to modern maps. This card is about nostalgia and wishing for what once was, but unchecked it becomes about living in the past and in regret. One needs to be grounded in the present to see, but this card only promises the illusions of the past and delusions of the future. 

17 - Dral’Han

Keywords: Rebirth from destruction, Travel, Upheaval

While it could be thought of as a heavily negative card, Dral’Han is usually interpreted as the beginning of a cin vhetin , as something is wiped out or left baren. It can be considered hopeful if found in conjunction with a card that points to rebirth, since something needs to be destroyed for there to be room to create. In Basic, this card is called Destruction. Yes, it is an end, but it is also what began many clans’ immigrations, so it is known for intense change, good or bad.

18 - Kote

Keywords: Glory, victory, shereshoy

Glory, as in the glory of victory in war, but also of brightness, with most people agreeing that it includes the feeling of shereshoy. Kote is both a goal and a state of mind, where, to some, every day is a victory to be celebrated even if there isn’t the bloodshed of battle.

19 - Death

Keywords: Remembrance, Reverence, Peace

Unlike many other cultures, Mandalorian death rituals don’t focus much on the disposal of the deceased’s body. Instead, it is on remembering: not gone, simply marching far away. In draka, the death card is an order to remember those that are in the heart and ask “what would they want for me?” It is a very peaceful card that asks for reflection. 

20 - Ka’ra

Keywords: Completion, Satisfaction, Serenity

The star card is about endings, where the last place a Mando’ad touches is beyond the reach of the stars themselves. It is the quiet acceptance at the end of mourning, the gentle light that brings satisfaction of acknowledging a life well lived. The card is known for its serenity, one of the few concepts of the Manda that focuses solely on peace instead of war.

Acknowledgements

This project couldn’t have been accomplished without the vast support of our donor, Mandal Merchandising, or our research team at Sundari University, lead by the inspirational Enea Sharratt. And thank you, reader, for keeping our history alive in your memory.