Five of Wands

✦ Five of Wands

✦ Visual description

A mass of red, scaly serpentine necks coils in a snarl, each ending in a horned, fanged head. The creatures spit ribbons of fire and smoke as they clash mouth to mouth. Five carved wooden wands jut through the tangle, striking against the bodies. A black background makes the flames and scales blaze with movement and turmoil.

✦ Meaning

The Five of Wands crackles with unruly energy, like the writhing heads of Zmey Gorynych all snapping at once. In its upright spirit, you enter a ring of lively rivalry where everyone talks, nobody listens, and yet sparks of invention fly. It asks you to test your skills, stake your ground, and let friction polish your courage, turning scattered flames into a shared bonfire. Teams may jostle, egos may flare, but with clear rules and a common aim, competition becomes training, not war. At times the card warns that you are fighting shadows—petty squabbles, crossed wires, or clashes of style rather than substance. Reversed, the noise overwhelms: inner conflict, avoidance of necessary confrontation, or chaos that wastes strength. Choose your battles, simplify the plan, and seek a conductor who can make the many voices sing together—perhaps that leader is you. When the dragon has many heads, coordination is victory; channel the heat, and the forge will shape something strong.