BLOOD AND BRINE: WIDOW’S WAKE Playing Cards. A deck forged in stolen gold
A dark pirate legend, gold stolen from the sirens, and an unbreakable curse. Each card hides mysterious characters and marine details, with a highly detailed design that blends life on the high seas and dark fantasy aboard a vessel condemned to sail through waters of blood and brine: BLOOD AND BRINE: WIDOW’S WAKE.
This brand new proposal comes from the hand of Jody Eklund (Black Ink Playing Cards), an old sea dog of illustration with an impeccable track record in creating custom playing cards—and a good friend of Max Playing Cards. On this occasion, he invites us to dive into a visual adventure where Jody’s unmistakable classic stroke serves the fables of the high seas. With an obsessive level of detail and top-tier finishing, Widow’s Wake is one of those decks designed to catch both the eye of the poker player and the heart of the hardcore collector.
As a worthy narrative sequel to Sirens of the Sea, the campaign presents three editions of the Widow’s Wake deck, each with a very defined visual identity.
On one hand, the Classic Edition is perfect for those who enjoy the purest nautical style. It comes in a beautiful blue and gold tuck box, dominated by the image of a gigantic kraken engulfing a ship.
On the other hand, the Limited Edition is a clear tribute to the haunted gold. Its tuck case features embossing and shiny foils, and the cards themselves incorporate cold foil technology. This detail makes the illustrations flash with changes in light, imitating the gleam of the treasure that doomed the pirates.
To crown the campaign, the exclusive Gilded Edition is offered which, based on the limited edition, raises the collection’s level to the maximum, providing the deck with gilded edges in a dazzling gold finish.
The court cards are the true heart of the story, masterfully showing the two opposing sides in this legend. In these cards we discover a fascinating duality: on one hand, we find the cursed crew, made up of skeletal-looking corsairs who cling to their rum and stolen gold, condemned to wander between life and death. Facing them stand the true masters of the ocean, represented by majestic mermen and sirens defending their realm from the depths. Eklund’s unmistakable stroke perfectly conveys this eternal conflict between human greed and the unforgiving magic of the sea.
The aces follow this same crossed narrative. While the spectacular ace of spades is an absolute emblem of the curse—showing a pirate skull pierced by a sword and surrounded by tentacles—aces like the hearts give us the beautiful and deceptive placidity of sirens swimming in the depths.
The numbered cards are not far behind in their level of detail. Far from settling for plain backgrounds, Eklund has incorporated a subtle and beautiful bluish tapestry full of filigree.
As for the jokers are true mini-works of art that summarize the tragedy: one guarding the cursed treasure beneath a pirate skull, and the other illustrating the fury of the kraken destroying a ship.
The back of the cards maintains the thematic elegance with a spectacular and highly ornamented symmetrical design. In the center shines a compass rose surrounded by a complex pattern of classic-style filigree, intertwined with two sea dragons. This composition, rich in blue, red, and gold tones, comes to life with every movement of the hand in the cold foil versions.
The campaign also includes several great add-ons. From a beautifully detailed embossed coin, to collector’s boxes beautifully decorated and illustrated to house the different editions of the deck together and display them as the treasure they are.
Furthermore, for those who wish to delve even deeper into this rich universe, the campaign offers an interesting booster pack with additional cards.
Printed by WJPC and with tuck cases manufactured by Boschiero & Newton, these editions ensure impeccable handling, casino-worthy durability, and exterior finishes that will leave those who hold them speechless.
The project is already widely funded, advancing at full sail and just 4 days away from ending. If you don’t want to miss the opportunity, visit the project website and make your pledge to secure your decks before they sail away forever.
Good luck!
