Tarotka Reading: Yarek Thott
Drawn by Nathan, presented with commentary
First House: Sense of Self
The Traitor, inverted
Have I mentioned how much I hate inversions?
The Traitor is a card that's clear upright, but could mean many different things when it is inverted. Upright, it represents sacrifice and acceptance, a card of spiritual limbo. Inverted, it's a sign of struggle and action, but the details of that action aren't clear. At its most positive, it means that a time of reflection has come to an end. At it's most negative, it's a sign of refusing to self-reflect, or being trapped in a self-destructive course of action that you don't agree with but still feel obligated to do.
Second House: Material Goods, Money, Possessions
Ace of Coins, inverted
The Ace of Coins is the sign of a financial beginning; inverted, it's still a sign of financial opportunities, but they're either mismanaged or sour. Yarek
looks like he has good prospects for wealth in life, but there's something wrong about all of them. There might be nasty strings attached, or they might have all been squandered or misappropriated. His financial status, despite all he has going for him, is shaky - the effort he's putting into it is being wasted, either through his own fault or the constant sabotage, intentional or unintentional, by others.
Third House: Siblings, Neighbors, Close Kin, Surroundings
Ace of Swords, inverted
The Ace of Swords is a sign of intellect, but also a sign of authority - given his status as head of the house, that seems like the most likely interpretation to be drawn. Inversed, this card is a sign of
bad authority: Tyranny, Conflict, Instability, Stress, Usurping the Divine Order of Things (which means the divine right of rulers, in this case). There is a fault in his rule, be it his own failings or the desires of others around him to undermine him. Like the other Aces, this is a sign of beginnings, but unfortunately, bad beginnings. Yarek is a young man, how long has he been in power over the Thott?
Fourth House: Father, Roots and Foundations, Emotional Needs
Six of Coins, inverted
The Six of Coins inversed again. This is the card of giving and taking... with strings attached, and no true charity. Since this is in the house of his roots and foundations, it probably refers to his hereditary title. He's been given a lot in life, and everything he'd been given has come with obligations, jealousy, responsibility, and threats. If we look at the cards around this, we start to make out a general trend in Yarek's life - someone who has been given a great deal, and now is expected to pay it back, whether or not he wanted it in the first place. It's taking a toll on Yarek emotionally, everything he's been given has only served to make him trapped in a bad situation.
Søren had this card in the house of his subconscious. Maybe he's worried for his cousin? That would be nice.
Fifth House: Self-Expression, in Romance and Creative Endeavors
Absolution, inverted
The card of Absolution is that of second chances and having the slate wiped clean from the past. Inverted, the chance is there, but something about Yarek simply prevents him from taking it. He wants to be able to be free, to express himself as a person, to not be bogged down by the role that's been shufted onto him. But he's too afraid to hope, too unable to believe it will work out, too skeptical that anything will really change. He can't get beyond his past, and it's sinking his future - he'll probably regret it later.
Sixth House: The Mundane Things of Life, Daily Routines, Drudergy, Work
Eight of Swords
The Eight of Swords is the card of imprisonment and oppression, either by outside forces or mental blocks inside your own head. Once again,we have a picture painted of Yarek trapped within his own responsibilities. The pressures on him are both external and internal, but judging from the other cards, most internal. He feels, in many ways, obligated to keep doing what he's doing, even though he hates it completely.
Seventh House: Commitment, as it Relates to Peers and Partners
Master of Coins
Finally a bit of positivity, and yet it's entirely in how Yarek treats others. The Master of Coins is a pillar of material stability, someone with wealth and good advice to spare. This is a man of means, and can often represent someone in a financial position. He's mature, which means his advice is solid, although he can be trapped by Orthodox ways of thinking. So despite being stuck in a terrible financial situation (see above), he still keeps his responsibilities reliably - he doesn't take unnecessary risks or gambles, and doesn't let people down.
Eighth House: The Property of Others (To Which We Interpret to Mean the Rest of Hazlan)
Knight of Coins
The Knight of Coins is slow, steady, and reliable. He's not the most exciting and dynamic person, but he can be depended upon. He's responsible. His energy is devoted to doing what he perceives to be his duty. He's the one sitting at home keeping things running while everyone else is having fun. We could take this to refer to Yarek again, as per the card directly above. If we want to hope there's at least something nice in Yarek's life, we can say that Hazlan is treating him responsibly too, reliably being there for him even when no one else is.
Ninth House: Philosophy, Spiritualism
Eight of Cups inverted
This is the alcoholic's card, the card of coming crawling back to something over and over again despite the fact that you hate it and hate yourself for coming back to it. Yarek doesn't really like his faith, but he functionally doesn't know what he would do without it. He sticks with it because
anything seems better than starting all over from scratch - change is scary, and pulling out a big chunk of yourself leaves you uncertain of who you really are. Also, there's the Inquisition. Let's not forget the Inquisition.
Tenth House: Career and Ambition, Those of Superior Status
Ten of Swords, inverted
Alright, so this card could have one of two meanings.
Either this refers to Yarek's career and ambition, in which case something horrible and terrible has happened with regards to it - possibly his father's death, given how young the man is - but now that the worst has happened, it is literally only uphill from here. So sort of a positive note.
OR this could refer to those of superior status, in which case the card represents removing a tyrant or an evil force. In which case, Yarek may perhaps wish to join the coalition of throwing Hazlik under a bus.
Eleventh House: Social Life, Friends, Clubs, Social Circles
Four of Cups inverted
When inverted, the Four of Cups is a sign of rejuvenated interest. Yarek's life may suck all kinds of eggs, but he has some awesome friends. Yipee!
Twelfth House: The Subconscious
Ace of Stars
Despite all the cards up above signifying how trapped and crushed by responsibility he is, how all of his situations are bad and how all omens are pointed against him, Yarek has the Ace of Stars in his thoughts. The Ace of Stars is a bolt of energy, and impulse, an inspiration - a sudden desire and will to act. Yarek has been seized by the desire to do
something, though what it is, we do not know. It's not a sign of success in his new endeavor, but it is a promising start.
Thirteenth House: Overarching Theme
Moon, inverted
The Moon inversed is a sign of confusion, illusion, and lunacy, being unable to trust anyone or anything, even yourself. It could be fair to say that Yarek is wrapped up in a situation he cannot understand, and has no way of being certain what is right. This is the card of his overarching theme, however - to simply say he is embroiled in deception would likely have fit better into one of the other houses. It might be more accurate to say that Yarek himself is deceptive and illusive. His role in the story and events to come cannot be nailed down, and trying to do so may only end in self-delusion. Whatever Yarek holds, in his future or in his present, it isn't what it appears on the surface. Or maybe it is, and you're looking too far into it.
Which kind of invalidates his whole reading. All the cards up above may mean something
completely different than how they're interpreted.
Isn't it kinda funny how Søren's material wealth card is The Moon inverted?
"No, but evil is still being — Is having reason — Being reasonable! Mousie understands? Is always being reason. Is punishing world for not being... Like in head. Is always reason. World should be different, is reason."
In the thread.
