El Reino Playing Cards on Kickstarter

El Reino Playing Cards is a fully hand-illustrated custom deck set within a dark medieval kingdom where royalty has fallen under the influence of a mysterious “gold fever.” Kings, Queens, Jacks, and Jokers are depicted with bloodshot eyes, reptilian tongues, and unsettling expressions, creating a distinctive fantasy world that blends gothic storytelling with traditional playing card design.

Created as a passion project that evolved from a simple collaborative Queen of Hearts illustration, El Reino was designed to be both a functional deck and a collectible art piece. 

Every card features original artwork, while the court cards introduce a unique twist: they are intentionally asymmetrical, revealing subtle changes in expressions, gestures, and hidden details when rotated, giving each character two distinct versions of itself.

The deck is kept secure in a dark-themed tuck box printed on premium 300gsm cardstock with a soft-touch matte finish, matching the atmosphere of the deck. e richly illustrated characters beyond the deck itself.

Printed by WJPC on premium 330gsm German Black Core stock with a Butter Glossy finish and comes standard with gilded edges across the entire edition. Pledge starts at $17 on Kickstarter. Also, additional oversized art prints based on the court cards are also available during the campaign.