Carto

Carto is a divination technique which uses cards and spells to portray the message. Many clerics, druids, and other magic users will pray to the gods and ask for answers or an outlook on a situation. Some practictioners will use the cards without the use of arcana at times, but the success of this is often debated. It's unclear if it's truly divine influenced or the patterns of randomness. Supporters of this method swear by it and even some magic users will trust the deck without casting a spell. Some scholars argue this is due to blessed decks, but this has not been varified and non-blessed decks have been used. Regardless, it is clear that this method of cards for divination has had success for the people who use them with magics.

The history of cards in divination spans many different cultures of many different generations. Over time, there have been hundreds of different decks, but the practice has mostly standardized across Kyrias to become the modern deck found today. This deck, known as the Deck of Stars, is based on the nine constillations of the zodiac (See Astrology & the Zodiac). Beyond the Deck of Stars, occasionally there is also the standard Three-Dragon Ante deck, the four elements deck, the Tarokka, the Tarocchi, and the Deck of Many Things, all of which are also used for Carto.

Carto is typically performed in various layouts, depending on the desired outcome from the questioner. A card is typically either said to be upright or reversed. This positioning has various meanings depending on the card. Common layouts are the Past/Present/Future, the Five Card Spread, and the Single Card Vision. With larger decks, it is common to have much larger spreads that encompass various facets of one's life. Common topics that come up in Carto is love and finance. Readings can either be something someone does on their own or as a dealer reading the fates of another. This distinction is typically specified before the cards are drawn either by placing their hand on the deck or speaking their name to the cards.

Deck of Stars

Upright & Reversed meanings

I. The Gate

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Upright

The Gate card embodies the "go getter" mentality. It's a symbol of someone who wants to seize the day and make the best of their circumstances. It encourages the reader to stop sitting around and to go out and make the best of their circumstances. The Gate seeks to achive greatness by making that first step. This reading can mean that an opertunity will show itself soon and you are encouraged to take it by the reins. That can be in relationships or career, an opertunity will present itself (or already has) and the cards encourage the reader to dive head first in.

Reversed

The Gate card reversed warns of reckless action. It advises against making a choice without proper planning. It's a sign of carelessness. Drawing this card means that the reader might need to slow down or rethink. When reversed, the Gate has committed a error that could lead to unwant suffering. It's important that the reader stop and revaluate else they will succub to this fate.

II. The Shield

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Upright

The Shield card personifies protecting what a person care about. It says the person wants to not only secure their loved ones but also their own desires from any sort of outside influences. It tells the reader to protect the things they care about in their live. To take action to ensure everything they live for isn't taken from them. Defend ones desires from those who would threaten them, not only physically, but also verbally. For ones career, it means to protect your earnings and income from those who would seek to steal them. For ones relationship it means to be the defender of your love.

Reversed

The Shield card in the reverse position means that the reader needs to stop protecting that is only causes harm. For example, it may be overzealous and borderline abusive. It tells them to stop their delusions of righteousness and see the damage they are causing. It may also say that the path they intend to go down, the things they want to do to protect their love will only end poorly. In a career is tells the reader to let go, take what is coming. In love, it means to open your heart, stop shielding and let those you love in.

III. The Sailor

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Upright

The Sailor card manifests for those who need to set sail in their and explore the world around them. It tells the reader that the information they seek is around them if they look for it. They should make the change they want by taking action. It's much like the gate, but in this mentality, it advises to explore options and knowledge before action. It's intellgient action. Setting sail takes knowledge but the destination is worth it. For romance, it is the same advice, telling the reader to make change, but to be smart about it through exploration. For career, it's very similar, exploring ones options before making their decision.

Reversed

The Sailor card reversed advises the reader to batten down the hatches. They need to sail to calmer waters before the storm over takes them. No amount of intellgient planning or knowledge can help other than heading to less risky endevours. There will be no success on this curent, risky path.

IV. The Axes

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Upright

The Axes card represents duality. The axes are one of a warrior and one of a lumberjack. The card is telling the reader to see the two sides of this situation. To see the flip side, the silver lining. The Axes tell them that if they focus only on one side they will miss an enitre other possibilty. Perhaps the situation they are in could be a positive thing. Perhaps the path they are going down could have more than one reward. It's about embracing these sides. It has also been intrepreted that the reader needs to work and fight, not one or the other. This is a less common reading, but represents the original design of the story.

Reversed

The Axes card reversed says that the reader is complicating something in their life. They think something is more dynamic and intricate than it truly is. It tells them to let things be as they are and not to overthink it. What you see is what you get. In love, the theory of hidden lovers and secret lives is nothing but a fantasy in their head. For career, the boss isn't seeking to fire them based on a massive plot. This card shows up to fans of conspiracy theories quite often. Telling them to stop the nonsese and see reality.

V. The Raccoon

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Upright

The Raccoon card is one of tricksters. It signals for the reader to decieve and lie to achieve their goals. It tells for the necessity of duplicity and hidden intent. The current path will only fail unless you steal it or hide your intent. This description does not just imply thievery but rather the concept of deciept itself. This can come in many ways, such as small lies or manipulation. The deciept could be as simple as challenging someone to an unwinable game or as dark as building their trust for months only to betray them. This is a really rough card to get for those inquiring about romance, as it implies you can only achieve your love through such lies.

Reversed

The Raccoon card in the reversed position tells the reader that there are lies in their life that are stopping them from their goals. Many times these lies are hidden, concealed from the reader. It is wide for anyone who gets this card to evaluate the various relationships in their life as well as the realities in which they live day by day.

VI. The Coin

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Upright

The Coin card embodies negotiation, bartering. It advises the reader to negotiate for what they deisre. To make a deal, an agreement, a bet to ensure their desired outcome. This negotiation can come in many different forms, from the standard deal between two people to battering with one's own circumstances. It could also be a negotiation with a higher power as well, from a parton of a warlock or a diety for a cleric. The Coin card showing up for romance can often puzzle the reader and can have a massive variation in true meanings. Interpretation comes down to what the circumstances of the question is and the dealers view on the intent of the cards.

Reversed

The Coin card reversed warns against making deals or negotiating. It says that doing so will prevent them from seeing their goals achieved. Similar to the upright position, the reversed card can have many different interpretations of negotiation. The one commonality is that making a deal to achieve one's goals is advised against. Not to make a deal with the being that offers everything. The longer route is the safest in this situation.

VII. The Crown

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Upright

The Crown card says that one needs control, or at least the resemblance of it, to achieve their goals. Power like this doesn't wear one mask. It could be physical control over someone/something or it could be as simple as controling your destiny. The control itself doesn't even have to be real actual command, it could be the assumption or the believed mentality of rule. The card doesn't care about the power, only mentality. When it comes to control over oneself and problems, the situation is the same. For career, it's the power over your current position. For ones relationship, it can be a malicious control or a romantic dominance.

Reversed

The Crown card in the reversed position warns that the current percieved power is all a lie. As with the upright position, the power comes in many forms. This card position warns the reader that whatever they think they have control over is either currently a lie or it will very soon collapse. This card can a very eerie omen for rulers and the confident. It creates paranoid people out of even the most resiliant.

VIII. The Jester

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Upright

The Jester card embodies choas. It tells the reader that they need more chaos in their life. It says to stop thinking, just do, cause chaos. Whereas the Gate and Sailor are about setting out, the Jester is about chaos in every action of life. It says that through chaos their answers can be found. Planning, moral code, and rules must go out the window if they wish to achieve their goals. This reading can be shocking to many as it may be a complete change in ones way of life. This is a very risky card to receive, so it's important to understand the possibilities of chaos and what that may mean.

Reversed

The Jester card reversed says the reader has far too much chaos in their life. The chaos is starting to cause others around them to be hurt and the unpredictability is extremely detramental to their goals. The wildness is not condusive to success. Again, this can be a massive change to someone's life, but it's a lot less risky than the upright position.

IX. The Widow

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Upright

The Widow card is the sign of the reserved and somber. It's a sign to be quiet, observe, be weary of others. It says that the reader is to loud, to obvious, to trusting. This typically means that if they step back, they will begin to see the hidden oppertunities they've been missing. It can be a shock to many, but often this card is not a suprise to those around the reader. This card will often rear it's head to those who are the loudest. In relationships, this card is a sign that the reader is overpowering the partner with their brashness. This card is very much a not so subtle reminder to shut up for a moment. On the other side, this card also tells the reader to be careful of trusting. Most often this card can be a sign the person is reckless in trust, causing them to be hurt in many ways.

Reversed

The Window card reversed says that it is clear the reader is lonely, they're lost, and they are alone. It encourages the reader to be more outgoing, to take those risks in socialisation. It could also mean to share ones internal secrets with their trusted friends. Overall, it's a statement to be more charismatic, despite how hard it is.