Café de Nuit

Tarotka Reading: Altan Isfahani

First House: Sense of Self
The World/The Mists This is the card of completion and accomplishment. The World (or the Mists) encompasses the entirety of things - because of this, it's also associated with travel. Altan feels he is complete, somehow, he has made his journey and fulfilled his potential. Whether this is true or not will be no doubt tested.

Second House: Material Goods, Money, Possessions
The Hanged Man/ The Traitor The Hanged Man represents a surrender of sorts, it also represents an altered perspective. Is it the Hanged Man who sees things upside down? Or is it the rest of the world? Altan holds an unusual view on material possessions - what's valuable to him isn't what is valuable to others.

Third House: Siblings, Neighbors, Close Kin, Surroundings
Three of Wands/Three of Stars The Three of Wands is the card of cooperative enterprise and discovery, the suit of wands is that of energy, fire, and power. Altan works well with his famiily - more than that, he draws his strength from them. The cards so far show a man who is confident and comfortable in his own skin, and likewise fits in with his family.

Fourth House: Father, Roots and Foundations, Emotional Needs
Seven of Swords The Seven of Swords is that of a trickster, one who uses stealth and guile to get what s/he wants. Deception is more than a habit for Altan, it's quite literally in his blood.

Fifth House: Self-Expression, in Romance and Creative Endeavors
The Chariot/Victory Not much interpretation needed here, the card is a rather straightforward one. The Chariot is a card of bringing opposing forces together in order to achieve triumph. Once again we see that Altan is very self-assured and confident. He knows what he wants and he has the willpower to go for it.

Sixth House: The Mundane Things of Life, Daily routines, Drudergy, Work
The Devil/The Dark Master (inverse) The Dark Master is a card of worldly temptations and chains forged by the mind. Inverted, it represents breaking free of these chains. One could interpret it as finding release in doing mundane tasks. Of course, one could interpret it as being freed from drudgery, instead.

Seventh House: Commitment, as it Relates to Peers and Partners
Three of Coins The Three of Coins represents diligence, growth, and cooperative enterprise, especially in material matters. Once again we see that Altan works very well with others - when he commits, he really commits.

Eighth House: The Property of Others (To Which We Interpret to Mean the Rest of Hazlan)
The Hermit The card of withdrawal, solitude, and introspection, some manner of enlightenment or inner thought separates Altan from the rest of Hazlan. Perhaps this can be referred back to the Hanged Man with regards to Altan's own possessions - Altan holds a different view on things, compared to his fellow Mulani.

Ninth House: Philosophy, Spiritualism
Three of Swords The Three of Swords is the card of sorrow. Ouch. Altan doesn't have a very kind view of religion. Something spiritual, most likely the Church of the Lawgiver, has caused him a great deal of pain.

Tenth House: Career and Ambition, Those of Superior Status
Two of Cups The Two of Cups, the card of love. Does Altan have a secret here? Whatever the case, once again he has a card of good rapport and cooperation when it comes to working with others. What a pleasant guy!

Eleventh House: Social Life, Friends, Clubs, Social Circles
Temperance/Alchemy (inverse) Temperance is the most cooperative card in the deck, the blending and reconciliation of two things to make one whole. For all the cards speaking of Altan's cooperation, here we find Temperance reversed. There's a lack of emotional balance in here - either in causing discord with those he calls friends, or swinging too hard the other way into impulsive and hasty hedonism. Whichever it is, it's not doing Altan any good.

Twelfth House: The Subconscious
Ten of Wands/Ten of Stars (inverse) This can either mean a release from a great burden, or being crushed under the weight of it, depending on how you read inverted cards. Of course, if you want to be fancy, it could mean both - the things that Altan uses to relieve his stress are also slowly killing him. Judging from the card below, however, it seems more likely that Altan has found some measure of relief.

Thirteenth House: Overarching Theme
Five of Cups (inverse) This is a sign that Altan is emerging from some past pain - he has been deeply wounded by something in the past, but he has traveled and grown beyond it. It's obvious that his past affects him, but he is no longer ruled by it.

Tarotka Reading: Richard Blackwood

First House: Sense of Self
Six of Coins The Six of Coins is the card of charity, and carries a message of "what goes around, comes around". Help when you can, for tomorrow it might be your turn to be helped. Richard seems to view himself in these terms - he's been given a lot of things in his life, and so he gives back when he can.

Second House: Material Goods, Money, Possessions
Six of Swords The Six of Swords is the card of cutting ties, retreat and travel. The meaning here is obvious - Richard has traveled to the other side of the known world, and left most his material wealth behind in Mordent.

Third House: Siblings, Neighbors, Close Kin, Surroundings
Death (inverse) Death is the card of transformation - inverted, it represents stagnation, and the inability to let go or move on. Richard may have left his family and country behind in a physical sense, but it's clear he's still carrying them metaphorically, and it's burdening him down in a painful manner.

Fourth House: Father, Roots and Foundations, Emotional Needs
Ten of Wands/Ten of Stars (inverse) Once again, the inverse Ten of Stars could either represent being released from a burden, or being crushed by it. Given the card above, it seems likely to mean both - Richard has been freed from the immediate pressure of his past and his needs, but is unable to free himself from them in the long term.

Fifth House: Self-Expression, in Romance and Creative Endeavors
The Chariot/Victory (inverse) I'd like to state that Kage did the first reading, making the Chariot's appearance here an ironic and amusing coincidence. If the Chariot represents bringing disparate forces together to gain strength, then inverted it represents a chaotic mess. Richard has no idea what he really wants, and wouldn't know how to express it even if he did.

Sixth House: The Mundane Things of Life, Daily Routines, Drudergy, Work
Nine of Coins The Nine of Coins is the card of fulfillment, gain, and good fortune. Mordentish nobles are known for working alongside their servants - it's apparent that Richard finds a great deal of contentment and satisfaction in honest labor.

Seventh House: Commitment, as it Relates to Peers and Partners
Two of Coins (inverse) The Two of Coins is the card of balance and harmony - inverted, it's... not. Richard has too many commitments pulling him in too many directions, and its causing him severe emotional instability. Coins tends to deal with material matters, and judging from the other cards above, his family is a large and unresolved issue here.

Eighth House: The Property of Others (To Which We Interpret to Mean the Rest of Hazlan)
Eight of Wands/Eight of Stars (inverse) The Eight of Stars is a call to swift action - inversed, it is a warning against hastiness. Richard will have to avoid acting on his first instinct, be patient, and know when to pick his battles. Whether he will heed this - or indeed, can heed this - is another matter entirely.

Ninth House: Philosophy, Spiritualism
The Sun/The Dawn This is probably the happiest card in the whole deck. You don't have to delve very far into the symbolism to see what this means, but for posterity: The Sun represents Glory, Gain, Riches, Confidence, Strength, Self-Assurance, Illumination, and Hope. It's clear that Richard's faith is the brightest thing in his life.

Tenth House: Career and Ambition, Those of Superior Status
The Moon (inverse) This card carries another warning with it - The Moon reversed is a sign of deception and illusion. Things in Hazlan are not as they seem, and what seems like the best course of action may turn out to be lie. Beware of taking things at face value, and beware of trusting those in authority without evidence. Combined with the Eight of Stars above, this seems to send a message against acting before all the facts are in place.

Eleventh House: Social Life, Friends, Clubs, Social Circles
Four of Cups The Four of Cups is the card of discontent, boredom, and loss of pleasure. Once again, we see that Richard's social life is a flaming wreck. *...ahem* Something is missing in Richard's life, and he can't push aside the feeling of deprivation - whatever it is, it's robbing the pleasure from his day to day interactions.

Twelfth House: The Subconscious
Justice We can see what concerns rule Richard's mind. At the same time, Justice means more than trying to do what is fair - this is cosmic justice, cause and effect, and taking responsibility not for just one's motives, but the outcomes of one's actions as well. Richard is concerned with more than just doing the right thing, he is concerned with how he will affect other people.

Thirteenth House: Overarching Theme
The Emperor/The Grand Duke This card represents authority and temporal power - a bit ironic, in a land where Richard has none. The Emperor is a rational man, ruling his heart with his head, and making hard decisions with a clear mind and a strong focus. This is the card of a leader who holds conviction and confidence. "I rule by serving and I serve by ruling. I trust my power."

Tarotka Reading: Lena von Zarovich

First House: Sense of Self
Three of Coins (inverse) The Three of Coins is the card of diligence, growth, and cooperative enterprise. Inverted, it could mean that Lena is having issues with cooperating with others, or feels she has stopped short of achieving all that she can achieve. Of course, it could also mean she sees herself as overqualified, or perhaps not getting the recognition she should.

Second House: Material Goods, Money, Possessions
Four of Wands/Four of Stars (inverse) The Four of Stars is a sign of celebration, a happy and energetic home life. Inverted it means the opposite - Lena's financial situation, to put it mildly, sucks. The desire for material security and status has created a conflict with the rest of Lena's needs.

Third House: Siblings, Neighbors, Close Kin, Surroundings
Queen of Cups/Mistress of Cups The Queen of Cups is a caring, nurturing figure - she's a good listener and a good councilor, romantic, gentle and kind. This can only apply to Lena herself, and her desire to help those around her. Though it is buried beneath a cynical exterior, her sensitive and generous nature shines through in her attempts to make the world a better place.

Fourth House: Father, Roots and Foundations, Emotional Needs
Queen of Swords/Mistress of Swords The Queen of Swords is a perceptive and intelligent woman, but one who has been hurt in the past - her intellect does not necessarily bring her happiness. Lena realizes her father and her family obligations have put her in a bad spot. She has the cunning and the skill to try and avoid her fate, but the knowledge of it cuts at her like a sword.

Fifth House: Self-Expression, in Romance and Creative Endeavors
Five of Swords (inverse) Inverted, the Five of Swords is a card of restoration and vindication. This seems to be a positive sign - Lena choice of class (bard) and profession (diplomat) are going to pay off. Whether her choice in romance partners will similarly lead to vindication is an open question.

Sixth House: The Mundane Things of Life, Daily Routines, Drudergy, Work
Seven of Cups (inverse) The Seven of Cups inverted is a sign of decisiveness and clarity. Lena has a realistic attitude and makes good choices in her everyday affairs. When she gets to work, she gets things done.

Seventh House: Commitment, as it Relates to Peers and Partners
Ten of Coins The Ten of Coins is the card of inheritance and legacy, with a strong familial theme. Lena's last name seems the most obvious culprit here - she's under the employ of Strahd von Zarovich, after all. Her family and legacy are going to have a huge impact on who she commits to and why, whether she likes it or not.

Eighth House: The Property of Others (To Which We Interpret to Mean the Rest of Hazlan)
Ace of Swords (inverse) Whatever Lena intends to do here in Halzan, it doesn't seem to be a good idea - the time isn't right, the situation too unstable. Trying to force her goals may have the opposite effect from what she truly wanted, but with the pressure of her family weighing down on her, Lena might find herself forging ahead despite the warning. Amusingly enough, that's Strahd's sword on the Ace... a bit of a clue to what Lena should be looking out for?

Ninth House: Philosophy, Spiritualism
The Hermit This is a card of quiet introspection, solitude, and searching. Lena's spirituality is a private thing - at the same time, it's very important to her, a personal strength and a large part of who she is.

Tenth House: Career and Ambition, Those of Superior Status
The Empress/The Grand Duchess Lena has her sights set high, it seems. It's easy to just take the card at face value and say Lena wants status. At the same time, this is a very nurturing and feminine card - Lena legitimately wants to make things better for other people.

Eleventh House: Social Life, Friends, Clubs, Social Circles
High Priestess (inverse) The High Priestess is a card of feminine mystery - inverted, it's a card of superficiality. Lena has a hard time trusting others, letting them get too close, or forming meaningful relationships with them. Her cynicism may be displayed here as well, assuming the worst without bothering to look deeper.

Twelfth House: The Subconscious
Squire of Swords The continual appearance of sword cards reinforce Lena's status as an intellectual. The Squire of Swords represents a woman who is mental oriented, direct, outspoken, intelligent, assertive, open, curious, reserved, practical, and thoughtful. Lena is concerned with information, but also has a great desire for swift action and change.

Thirteenth House: Overarching Theme
Temperance/Alchemy A very fine card for a diplomat, Temperance represents blending two sides together into a cohesive whole. Lena seeks reconciliation and equilibrium between two disparate and seemingly incompatible sides, and more often than not, she can find it.

Presented without commentary:

ISAM JARENBERG
Sense of Self: Knight of Cups—Emotional, Sensitive
Material Possessions: Four of Stars—Happiness, Celebration
Siblings: Three of Swords—Sorrow, Pain, Suffering
Father/Roots: Three of Coins—Constructive Force, Cooperation
Romance/Creative endeavors: Strength (Inverted)—Self-control, Power (inverted)
The Mundane: Squire of Coins (Inverted)—Diligent, Earthy, Practical (inverted)
Commitment: Eight of Swords (Inverted)—Imprisonment, Restriction (inverted)
The Rest of Hazlan: Mistress of Cups (Inverted)—Caring, Nurturing (inverted)
Philosophy/Religion: Six of Coins (inverted)—Giving and receiving, Charity (inverted)
Career/Ambition/Superiors: Mistress of Coins—Materialistic, Domestic
Social Life: Nine of Swords (Inverted)—Mental turmoil (Inverted)
Subconcious: Ace of Stars (Inverted)—Energy, Action, a Spark
Overall: Justice (Responsibility, Fairness)

NEZAR ISFAHANI
Sense of Self: Master of Stars (Intense, Ambitious, Daring)
Material Possessions: Four of Coins (Inverted)—Prosperity, Miserliness (inverted)
Siblings: The Lovers (inverted)—Joining of Two (inverted)
Father/Roots: Justice (inverted)—Responsibility, Fairness (Inverted)
Romance: The Tower--Disaster
Mundane: Seven of Coins—Disappointment, Reevaluation
Commitment: Eight of Coins (inverted)—Learning, Practice, Skill (inverted)
Hazlan: Absolution—Beginning Again
Philosophy/Religion: Strength--Self-control, Power
Ambition: Nine of Coins (inverted)—Material Gain, Comfort (Inverted)
Social Life: Seven of Coins—Disappointment, Reevaluation
Subconscious: Ten of Swords—Overkill, Ruin, Utter Defeat
Overall: Nine of Swords (inverted)—Mental Turmoil, Doubt or Guilt (inverted)

Tarotka Reading: Isam Jarenberg
Presented with commentary, on Nathan's "feel free to" suggestion to do so.

First House: Sense of Self
Knight of Cups—Emotional, Sensitive So he sees himself as a sensitive guy then. Okay. Just for posterity, let me put down the keywords for the Knight of Cups: Introspective, Refined, Sensitive, Charming, Warm, Emotionally Warm, Flirt, Good listener, Enjoys interacting with people, winning personality. One wonders if anyone shares the Jarenberg's opinion of himself. In tarot, the Knight of Cups is associated with the elements of Fire and Water - in tarot jargon, that means it is both willful, energetic, and powerful, but is also sensitive and emotional. Not a bad self assessment. The Jarenburg is clearly willful and powerful, but this shows he also sees himself as genuinely caring for his household. We know of his habit of eating with his retainers, for which he is looked down upon, and that habit may spring from this self-image.


Second House: Material Goods, Money, Possessions
Four of Wands/Four of Stars—Happiness, Celebration This is the card of a happy and harmonious home life, a stong and stable settlement and something worth celebrating. A bit ironic, given that Jarenburg is the poorest of the great houses. I'd interpret this as Isam caring for material possessions because they can provide a stable and happy life for his household - he's not interested in wealth for the sake of wealth.

Third House: Siblings, Neighbors, Close Kin, Surroundings
Three of Swords—Sorrow, Pain, Suffering That's a pretty clear sign, although what it refers to, I can't say. Something involving his family has caused him pain in the past. He might have been betrayed, disappointed, or let down, but it could also refer to some manner of loss among his family, or someone close enough to him to be considered family.

Fourth House: Father, Roots and Foundations, Emotional Needs
Three of Coins—Constructive Force, Cooperation The Three of Coins is the card of diligence, growth, and cooperative enterprise. Not a lot of surprise here - the Jarenberg's house and family all form a cooperative enterprise together. Of course, "roots and foundations" might also apply to the mountain they're all sitting on. "You see, Renhalt. The Mountain will not fail us as long as we do not fail her," as Isam has said.

Fifth House: Self-Expression, in Romance and Creative Endeavors
Strength (Inverted)—Self-control, Power (inverted) For all that the Jarenberg sees himself as a sensitive, caring guy, he doesn't express it very well. In fact, I'd go so far to say that expressing his caring emotions weakens him, somehow. This isn't a very open man. Perhaps he is too proud to show such "weakness". Or, perhaps this applies only to his romantic life, which is... not great, apparently. Inverted, the card of Strength means being worn out, stressed, or filled with discord. Does he not get along with his wife? (Does he even have a wife?) Or, since this applies to his self-expression, perhaps his way of trying to show affection backfires and explodes in his face constantly.

Sixth House: The Mundane Things of Life, Daily Routines, Drudergy, Work
Squire of Coins (Inverted)—Diligent, Earthy, Practical (inverted) In tarot terms, the Squire of Coins is an Earth/Earth card - which translates to being Practical/Practical. Except this is inverted, so... not practical. Earth is usually associated with preserverence and diligence, inverted, its most notable trait is being stubborn. It's also a card of insecurity and waste, since coins are associated with materialistic affairs. Most of Isam's daily affairs deal with the fact his house is flat broke, and that doesn't seem likely to change any time soon.

Seventh House: Commitment, as it Relates to Peers and Partners
Eight of Swords (Inverted)—Imprisonment, Restriction (inverted) The Eight of Swords is a mental block - being kept imprisoned not by any outside force, but by the fear of said outside force. Inverted, it means realizing that the bonds keeping you in place are purely mental, and breaking free of the restrictions. This, however, applies to commitments to peers and partners. Does this mean that Isam is no longer feeling obligated to uphold his end of the bargain, with someone? Or perhaps he has realized that a commitment he has made is no longer beneficial? Perhaps this applies to his screwed up romantic relationship up above? Or does the fact that it's an enslaved Rashemani girl in the picture mean we should take this card at face value?

Eighth House: The Property of Others (To Which We Interpret to Mean the Rest of Hazlan)
Mistress of Cups (Inverted)—Caring, Nurturing (inverted) Isam ain't gonna coddle the rest of Hazlan. Alright, the Mistress of Cups is a water/water card - in other words, Emotion/Emotion. Upright, she's an incredibly caring and idealistic woman. Inverted, she's a superficial status seeker that uses emotion to manipulate and get what she wants. (Now, I'm not saying she's a gold digger, but she ain't messing with no broke.) This is likely Isam's opinion on the rest of Hazlan: greedy, superficial, materialistic, obsessed with status, and overly manipulative. Or are we meant to take this to mean that Isam is superficial and covetous towards everyone else's stuff?

Ninth House: Philosophy, Spiritualism
Six of Coins (inverted)—Giving and receiving, Charity (inverted) The Six of Coins is the card of charity, giving and receiving: today I help you, tomorrow you help me sort of thing. Inversed, there ain't no charity here. Anything given has strings attached. We know that the Western Houses tend to be very religious, so this likely isn't Isam's opinion of the Lawgiver church, so much as how his faith manifests itself in him. If he gives you something, you are going to pay it back. This isn't a balanced relationship: Isam is firmly dominating when it comes to who receives what and how they must repay him for that. Of course, looking at some of the cards below, that means it also goes for him. If he owes you something, he feels obligated to pay it. He won't take charity, just as he won't give it.

Tenth House: Career and Ambition, Those of Superior Status
Mistress of Coins—Materialistic, Domestic The Mistress of Coins is an Earth/Water card - pragmatic, but caring. Isam doesn't have much in the way of superiors, so this likely refers to his ambition. He wants to be able to provide, basically, and not just because it's pragmatic, but also because he legitimately cares for the people who serve him.

Eleventh House: Social Life, Friends, Clubs, Social Circles
Nine of Swords (Inverted)—Mental turmoil (Inverted) Inverted, the Nine of Swords is something akin to "sunshine after a storm". Isam has a lot on his mind. Social business and friends help him release that tensions and give him hope for tomorrow. So who counts as his social life? Does this have anything to do with him dining with his retainers? Of course, that is Hazlik on the card, so maybe this is another card to take at face value - which is to say, his social group consists of people who would like to toss Hazlik off a boat. Nothing says it can't mean both, mind.

Twelfth House: The Subconscious
Ace of Stars (Inverted)—Energy, Action, a Spark The Ace of Stars is basically the "root" of everything that comes after it - in the case of stars, its the root of all energy, power, and action. Inverted, well... it means that energy has been screwed up or failed in some fashion. Isam is dissatisfied and frustrated, beneath it all. Things aren't working out for him, and it's weighing on his mind.

Thirteenth House: Overarching Theme
Justice (Responsibility, Fairness) There isn't a lot of interpretation needed here. Isam is fair, in the old sense of the word. If you wrong him, he will pay you back for that. If you do right by him, he will pay you back for that. If he does something for you, he expects that debt to be repaid. He takes responsibility for his actions and decisions, and expects you to take responsibility for yours.

Tarotka Reading: Nezar Isfahani
Presented with commentary, on Nathan's "feel free to" suggestion to do so.

First House: Sense of Self
Master of Stars (Intense, Ambitious, Daring) "I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul." This is the Master of Stars - Intelligent, Ambitious, and most of all, Powerful. The Master of Stars is strong and motivated, but he's also a man of vision. In tarot jargon, he's Air and Fire, meaning he combines sharp intellect with energy and action. Depending on other cards, the Master of Stars can also represent overthrowing the old with new ideas. Nezar sees himself as a man in command, a leader to a bold future.


Second House: Material Goods, Money, Possessions
Four of Coins (Inverted)—Prosperity, Miserliness (inverted) Nezar be broke. He's likely to be broke for the foreseeable future, as well, since he's not willing to work outside his family to fix this. Even inverted, the Four of Coins keeps the sense of stinginess to it - even by the standards of what wealth the Isfahani have, Nezar is a miser. Don't ask him to cover any purchases for you, that's for sure. And keep all your receipts.

Third House: Siblings, Neighbors, Close Kin, Surroundings
The Lovers (inverted)—Joining of Two (inverted) The Lovers isn't necessarily about love, which is... yeah, I know. Ironic. Anyway, while The Lovers can mean romance, it's much larger in scope than that: it represents harmony, completion, and balance, and can also represent that the querant has to make a choice. Inverted, it's a desire for close bonds, but frustration and quarrels, and wanting the best of both worlds. Nezar wants to be close to his kin, but there is a severe break in the relationship, and something is preventing that rift from being fixed. This could be Nezar himself, who wants a repaired relationship but is unwilling to do what it takes to achieve it.

Fourth House: Father, Roots and Foundations, Emotional Needs
Justice (inverted)—Responsibility, Fairness (Inverted) Was Nezar wronged by his father? Or, which is far more likely, does this refer to his father being sentenced to death by Hazlik, and the Isfahani being brought to heel by force? Perhaps Nezar is still steamed over that little incident - and Justice inverted can have the meaning of "vengeful", as well. It seems unlikely he's forgotten, or forgiven.

Fifth House: Self-Expression, in Romance and Creative Endeavors
The Tower--Disaster Ouch. We know Nezar's wife died giving birth to Darius and Cyrus Isfahani. Here we can see just how badly that affected Nezar. His entire world crashed down around his ears - it essentially destroyed the old Nezar and created a new one. In some ways, however, the pain has given him a flash of enlightenment, or some manner of change for the better. What it could be, I can't say.

Sixth House: The Mundane Things of Life, Daily Routines, Drudergy, Work
Seven of Coins—Disappointment, Reevaluation You've been working hard for the harvest, and it's time to reap the rewards, but... somehow it's not what you wanted. Was this really worth all the effort? So, whatever Nezar is up to in his day to day affairs, suddenly he's not satisfied with it any more. Whatever he's been working toward with his house - since we assume his mundane work has to do with his house - it's suddenly becoming apparent that it's not going in a direction that he wants.

Seventh House: Commitment, as it Relates to Peers and Partners
Eight of Coins (inverted)—Learning, Practice, Skill (inverted) The Eight of Coins is one of practice leading to success. Inverted, it's losing interest due to the work showing little pay-off. This is a card of giving up - it likely would have paid off with more work, but Nezar doesn't care any more. Interesting, given Isam's similar card in the same house - both of these men seem to have realized something they've been committed to just isn't worth the effort they've been putting into it. The inverse Eight of Coins can also indicate finding a new area of interest, so perhaps Nezar has found commitments more to his liking.

Eighth House: The Property of Others (To Which We Interpret to Mean the Rest of Hazlan)
Absolution—Beginning Again This is a card of self-realization, of spiritual awakening - most importantly, of rebirth. Nezar has got a big, shiny, awesome dream of Hazlan, and when he is done with it, the whole place is going to be healed. And maybe Nezar will be healed as well. Ambitious, isn't it? But then, we knew that from Nezar's vision of himself.

Ninth House: Philosophy, Spiritualism
Strength--Self-control, Power Strength doesn't represent the physical - the wolf in the card is not tamed by a mighty warrior, but a gentle girl. This is inner strength, patience, and living in harmony. It also represents the triumph of the positive over the negative, and the triumph of the spirit over material power. So does this mean Nezar takes his power from his faith? Or does it mean that the beneficial bits of the Lawgiver faith manifest stronger in Nezar than the negative, sucky bits?

Tenth House: Career and Ambition, Those of Superior Status
Nine of Coins (inverted)—Material Gain, Comfort (Inverted) The Nine of Coins is fruition, gain, and comfort. Inverted, it's gain through illegitimate means, or gain that causes strife (possibly because it was gained through illegitimate means!) We can likely assume that Nezar's goal in life isn't to suddenly become covetous and materialistic. Of course, it could also mean he wants to strip the wealth from his rival houses. My best interpretation is that Nezar will receive some windfall towards his goals, but it's going to cause him far more trouble than it's worth.

Eleventh House: Social Life, Friends, Clubs, Social Circles
Six of Cups (inverse)—Nostalgia (inverse) The Six of Cups is that of nostalgia and child-like pleasures. Inverted, it shows an overly romanticized version of the past, and a need to let go of friends that have been outgrown. Once again, we have this feeling that something isn't quite right in Isfahani land - there's something in Nezar's peer group that needs to be let go, much like the inverted Seven of Coins and the Eight of Coins up above. However, Nezar doesn't want to let it go. It's never fun to admit that you've outgrown a friend, and Nezar isn't admitting it. He's holding on to memories of when times were better, when it's better to just let everyone move on their separate ways.

Twelfth House: The Subconscious
Ten of Swords—Overkill, Ruin, Utter Defeat For all his power and strong self-image, there are some bad things going on in Nezar's head. If the Nine of Swords represents mental pain and fear, this is pretty much all of that mental pain actually coming true. Something has failed miserably, and Nezar's psyche is in shambles over it. It's clear he doesn't recognize this fact, given his self-image above - his subconscious mind is completely divorced from his conscious thought.
Isam had a negative and frustrated card in this spot as well - what does this mean for our dynamic duo?

Thirteenth House: Overarching Theme
Nine of Swords (inverted)—Mental Turmoil, Doubt or Guilt (inverted) The Nine of Swords inverted has the feeling of "sunshine after a storm". Something bad has happened, something really bad, and Nezar's world is in shambles... but it's going to get better. It's only up from here, after all! And how are things going to get better? Well, look who we have on the Nine of Swords card. And note how in the reading, that man is turned on his head. Hazlik is going down, and Nezar is going to be the man to do it.

Whoops. I thought I'd caught all those duplications. <_< The second Seven of Coins should be Six of Cups (inverted) in Nezar's reading.

ALSO! Thanks for the interpretations! That is officially awesome. It's interesting how well these readings (which were done 100% at random) fit at certain points, and the places where I say "I have no idea what that means" at least give some interesting ideas for expanding the character.

It is also borne in upon me that I do not know enough about tarot to do these readings very well. So I am all the more glad for your help!

ISAM JARENBERG—TATTOOS: Wolverine in the “skullcap” style (see Cyrus and Darius), dark blue and dark red, plus teeth running along the lower jaw.

Death-bite sigil in dark blue on center of chest (House Jarenberg)

Dark blue thunderbird across upper back, lower neck (his wife is an Arne) with one lightning bolt (red) in the left claw (a daughter) and two in the right (two sons)

Dark blue crossed sword blades on back (training as a magus, like Darius’s)

6 horizontal bands, 3 on left, 3 on right--enchanted

Wolverine paw-print on right shoulder (cuz it’s awesome and also enchanted)

Stylized dagger on underside of left arm (enchanted)

Stylized Mt. Jarenberg on left shoulder (in honor of the mountain, also enchanted)

“Shinguards” (enchanted)

(The House Jarenberg, like the Isfahani and to a lesser degree the Thott and Sehestad, deprecate the use of tattoos as pure decoration; all of Isam's mark significant events or are functional.)

The Grand Body Modification Fashion Show
(twirl it, boys and girls!)

Isam Jarenburg Yeek! What a friendly looking fellow. Someone needs to tell him about safety razors. Our friendly household head is sporting a nice wolverine skullcap that seems to have come to Hazlan via the Pacific North-West. Also sporting his family sigil to show his pride, as well as a number of tattoos that Nathan has already helpfully listed.

Darius and Cyrus Isfahani The tattoos that launched the campaign! Whatever goes wrong, we'll blame them! Cyrus, over on the left, is sporting a nice horned viper skullcap, while Darius on the left has the tattoo of a panther. It's easy to tell them apart once you know what to look for. If he's smiling, it's probably Cyrus.
We can also see Cyrus is sporting some nice snakes coiling up his arms, as well as a triple oroboros on his back - he might have to to squeeze if he ever gets married. From what I knew of him, this won't be a problem. He's also got the Spear and Coils over his heart to show his devotion to the church, as well as that grey colored sarong he's sporting. He's got a nice gold sash to show solidarity for his house, however.
Darius has a pair of panthers on his arms, and likewise has the Spear and Coils over his heart - a churchman, like his brother. The crossed swords on his back represent his training as a sword mage. He's all decked out in house colors, how nice! Get used to that expression, by the way, it's not going to change much.

Richard Blackwood What? The paladin? Well, he hasn't got any tattoos, but he has got a lovely set of scars. Intentional scars.... well, most of them! On the right hand he has a shield of Ezra surrounded by curling belladonna. Nothing quite like having deadly poison as one of your holy symbols. On his chest, an elaborate pattern of a lamp in the mists. On the left hand... well, that wasn't quite meant to happen. No, he doesn't usually go around with his shirt open, so don't get used to the look.

Cattia Jarenburg Helja yf-Thott Fangtor Altan Isfahani Renhalt Jarenburg Søren Thott Nezar Isfahani

Possible Menu Items at the Burning Scroll:

Kabsa over Rice

Ham with Maple Cinnamon Glaze*

Adobo Pork Loin*

Cinnamon Chicken*

Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Cinnamon Hazelnut Biscotti

Cinnamon Bread

With potatoes or steamed vegetables on the side

A brief history of the 770 June Coup (what Richard lived through) and the events leading up to it.

September 18th, 761 - A foreign priestess attacks the University upon the return of an expedition from Har'Akir, resulting in the Seven Mage Duel and the destruction of the Port-a-Lucine Opera House. A lone revolutionary, Guy Benoit, assassinates Dominic D'Honaire during the chaos and flees into the wilderness. Balfour de Casteele is severely wounded and forced to step down as head of the University, ceding the responsibility to his son, Simon.

May, 762 - The Bread Riots, provoked by a particularly harsh winter and continually ineffectual response by the Lord Governer and the shattered Council of Brilliance.

August 26th, 762 - Bloody Sunday. A huge crowd of the urban poor travels to the palace of the Governor, intent upon beseeching Guignol for relief from the ever-higher food prices. Though the intent of the protest is peaceful, the inexperienced soldiers guarding the Governor's Palace panic and fire into the crowd. This, in turn, causes the frightened poor to stampede, trampling many of their number in the rush to escape the square. It is estimated that over twelve hundred people die.

December 19th, 762 - In response to the increasing acts of terrorism and sabotage in the wake of Bloody Sunday, Minister of Defense Josephine Chantreaux institutes the Sevrigold Laws, effectively placing Dementlieu under martial law. Simon de Casteele publicly refuses the government's soldiers, instead choosing to employ elementals in University security. Relations between the University and the Goverfnment become politely strained.

October, 763 - An Elder Pyre Elemental goes rogue and burns down eight city blocks before being subdued, further straining University-Government relations. Following this event, Councilor Claude LaGrange began to work ever more closely with the University of Dementlieu, to the general disconcertion of his colleagues.

770
March 11th - The Night of Madness, when country-wide riots shook the nation of Dementlieu. Entire villages are reported to have wiped themselves out in the chaos, and blocks of Port-a-Lucine are burned to the ground. The gendarme is devastated by losses, and residents of Dementlieu become notoriously unstable after the event. The curator of the Tessier Gallery is found assassinated with the Sword of Leon, the legendary sword of Dementlieu's founder.

March 15th - An unhinged man throws acid on the Icon of Ezra, before being struck down with disease. The glass remains intact, but leading is pitted, requiring the commission of restorationists from the University.

March 23rd - Jacob de Casteel, the University Bursar, is arrested under suspicion of black magic and incitement to riot.

March 24th - The ship Archeron sinks in Parnault Bay, with a large collection of artifacts from the Guignol Museum (being sent to the Black Academy in Hazlan). A severe diplomatic incident ensues between the two countries.

March 25th - The Icon of Ezra is retrieved from a group of conspirators among the restorationists, who were attempting to use it in some manner of ritual. Several of the culprits are imprisoned and interrogated.

March 26th - Josephine Chantreaux and Lord Simon de Casteele come to an 11th hour compromise, with Simon accepting a large number of restrictions on magic in exchange for charges against Jacob de Casteele being dropped. The strict regulations are in part accepted due to a rogue storm elemental's escape, causing a large loss of face by the University.

March 29th - One of the Icon conspirators dies of sickness in Montmort prison, from what is later believed to be the first instance of Nevuchar Fever.

April - Crop blights and Nevuchar Fever ravage the countryside. Several towns are put under quarantine.

April 20st - Josephine Chantreaux begins discussing a complete quarantine of Port-a-Lucine.

April 21st - The Icon conspirators are discovered to be using undead grave elementals to magically induce the blights and plague. The elementals are destroyed and the cult leader commits suicide, resulting the the end of the sickness. The incident is not reported by the government.

April 22nd - The Second Requiem, in which a hurricane of wraiths, spanning several blocks, appears in Port-a-Lucine. Those who survive encountering the wraiths report them surrounding a dancing man, with bright blue eyes like flame. The results of this Requiem are far less dire, as only those who encounter the wraiths are harmed, and the apparition vanishes without a trace three days later.

June 8th - The Fraternity of Shadows attacks the Palace of Justice in the Sorcerers’ Coup, killing Josephine Chantreaux. The magicians are routed hours later by reinforcements from the government, along with a number of un-allied agents taking advantage of the chaos - the most prominent, Guy Benoit, sneaks in through the ranks and kills Lord Balfour de Casteele. The remaining Fraternity members are discredited and flee Dementlieu, leaving the University of Dementlieu staggering in a loss that it has not yet recovered from.

RENHALT JARENBERG
Sense of Self: Ace of Coins
Material Possessions: Mistress of Coins
Siblings: Four of Cups, inverted
Father/Roots: Knight of Swords, inverted
Romance/Creative endeavors: Master of Swords
The Mundane: Fate, inverted
Commitment: High Priest
Possessions of Others (The Rest of Hazlan): The Lovers, inverted
Philosophy/Religion: Five of Stars, inverted
Career/Ambition/Superiors: Three of Stars, inverted
Social Life: Knight of Coins
Subconcious: Four of Swords
Overall: Nine of Swords, inverted

Tarotka Reading: Renhalt Jarenberg
Presented with commentary, on Nathan's "I was hoping you might" suggestion to do so.

First House: Sense of Self
Ace of Coins This is the "root" of all things material and physical, and a strong foundation to build upon for prosperity - it's not a guarantee for temporal success, but it's definitely a good start. This is the card of a beginning, so, Renhalt sees himself as just starting out on his path, but he's optimistic about it. He has good prospects and good tools. The association of this card with earth suggests Renhalt also strongly associates his personal sense of self with the Jarenberg mountain, as much of his family seems to do.

Second House: Material Goods, Money, Possessions
Mistress of Coins Keeping with his sense of self up above, Renhalt is the master of his domain when it comes to finances - not only is he eminently practical, but he's also creative. He's diligent but also generous and caring, which gives him more tools at his disposal than he might otherwise have. This is also an ambitious card. Renhalt doesn't buy into the idea this is as good as it gets, or that his current resources are played out - matching with the Ace of Coins up above, he sees a great deal of potential in his current position, and he intends to capitalize on it.

Third House: Siblings, Neighbors, Close Kin, Surroundings
Four of Cups, Inverted At some point in his past, Renahlt was so done with his siblings/close kin. Well, actually, that sounds a lot like "being a sibling" just in general. While growing up they are just the worst. But then you grow up and generally, find they're awesome. Looks like Renhalt has hit that point - people have grown up and Renhalt is enthusiastic about being with them now.

Fourth House: Father, Roots and Foundations, Emotional Needs
Knight of Swords, Inverted Huh. The inverse Knight of Swords is a pushy rabblerouser, one that acts too quickly and will not compromise. This stands in stark contrast with the cards up above, but may mean Renhalt feels he's being held back by something. So, is it Renhalt that is champing at the bit to change his roots and foundations, in order to achieve the promising future he sees for himself and his family? Or does he feel like the Jarenberg is overplaying his hand, too quickly and with too little thought?

Fifth House: Self-Expression, in Romance and Creative Endeavors
Master of Swords This is a very rational card in the "expressive and creative" slot. Don't expect Renhalt to get swept up in the emotion of the thing. He's a very mature, intellectual man, first reasoning out what he wants and then acting on it. His creativity, one suspects, manifests in the realm of problem solving and logic exercises. Not really the kind of man who'll sweep you off your feet, but far more dependable and drama-free than other sorts of people might be.

Sixth House: The Mundane Things of Life, Daily Routines, Drudergy, Work
Fate, Inverted For all his optimism about himself and his future, Renhalt seems to have gotten the short end of the stick when it comes to his daily life. Perhaps he just hasn't noticed, or perhaps he is determined to overcome despite this. Whatever the case, this is not a card of good fortune. Renhalt may rightly feel like he he's lost control of his affairs, what with the impending revolution - or perhaps he thinks he's in control, but hasn't recognized nothing he does is going to change the ordained outcome of events.

Seventh House: Commitment, as it Relates to Peers and Partners
The High Priest The High Priest is the power of the group, the power of tradition and conformity. So - his commitment comes from the power of solidarity... and his commitment is likely so, er, committed because of conformity. This is not necessarily an ideological thing, though it can be, but for the most part, he sticks with his commitments because that is what you do. Should we call it and say this is his devotion to his family? Jarenbergs stick together, because Jarenbergs stick together. You do not need any more reason than that.

Eighth House: The Property of Others (To Which We Interpret to Mean the Rest of Hazlan)
The Lovers, Inverted Renhalt and the rest of Hazlan do not get on. Or perhaps Renhalt feels the rest of Hazlan does not get on with itself. Both are likely accurate. Renhalt really wants to love the rest of his country, but it is seriously not working out for him. The current state of affairs is painful to him in only the way something he loves can be.

Ninth House: Philosophy, Spiritualism
Five of Stars, Inverted Now this is interesting. Upright, the Five of Stars is a friendly and spirited competition; inverted, it's a nasty fight for your life. Renhalt and spiritualism are apparently locked in a death spiral, and only one of them is going to win. Perhaps he had one too many "healthy academic questions" that started to turn his own philosophy against himself? Or perhaps said questions turned the rest of the church on him. There's something interesting going on beneath the waters here, and likely not something that would be healthy for Renhalt if it got out.

Tenth House: Career and Ambition, Those of Superior Status
Three of Stars, Inverted So we have all these cards about being the master of his personal prosperity, and now in the career space, we have the card of groupthink - the more people you put on something, the less gets done. Renhalt's superiors do not appear to share his vision. Worse yet, they're actively getting in his way by trying to pursue their own ideas. His superiors might be perfectly good people on their own merits, but their talents do not mesh with Renhalt at all, and the result is a group-project nightmare.

Eleventh House: Social Life, Friends, Clubs, Social Circles
Knight of Coins More Coins! Do we think Renhalt is associated with earth and prosperity yet?? Well, in this case, Renhalt's friendships are the "old reliables" of his life. He can count on them, they can count on him. These are not the sort of friends that try to haul him out to drunken parties at 3am - they're mature, he's mature, everything is all good and responsible.

Twelfth House: The Subconscious
Four of Swords Here's the card of rest and rejuvenation. For all the general frustration going on in Renhalt's life, either due to superiors or just fickle fate, he seems to have a very serene outlook on things. Perhaps he has stepped back to take a mental break form it all, or perhaps he is just able to weather the slings and arrows of misfortune so peacefully. Though he may suffer setbacks, he is keeping himself calm and rational.

Thirteenth House: Overarching Theme
Nine of Swords (inverted) There's that upturned Hazlik again. The Nine of Swords inverted has the feeling of "sunshine after a storm" - something bad has happened, but it's going to get better. This could be true in Renhalt's case, as the Isfahani's and Jarenbergs in general seem to keep drawing cards that mean something has gone wrong. Or, we could just take the card at face value. Viva the Revolution! Down with Hazlik!