Taroscope handbook
Welcome to taroscope : studio (Beta). The left side is a hands-on table; the right side is the tools panel. Features are still changing — if a button moves, trust the label on screen.
Contents
- What this is
- First visit
- Taylor's Inn
- Star Table
- Table buttons
- Keep flipped
- Ask Taylor
- Collapse panel vs end session (must-read)
- How spreads work
- History and continue chatting
- Reading results and full text
- Account, pentacles, market, orders
- Common situations
- Appendix: classic spreads
What this is
Taroscope is a tactile tarot studio. You can:
- Shuffle, draw, and lay out cards yourself
- Ask Taylor to read and follow up
- Read for someone else (you don't have to open a reading)
Two ways to play:
| Entry | Best for |
|---|---|
| Taylor's Inn | First visit — someone walks you through |
| Star Table | Practice, free play, reading for others; ask Taylor when you need |
Common right-side entries: sign in / account, Wiki (this handbook), Ask Taylor. During a reading you can also open history and the market (pentacles).
First visit
- On entry, the screen asks you to swipe the tarot cards.
- Then choose:
- Taylor's Inn — follow the guided round
- Star Table — jump straight into the table
- Later you can still open Taylor's Inn from the right side of the table; from the Inn you can return to Star Table.
Taylor's Inn
Choose this when you want to be guided. Rough flow:
- Listen to Taylor and tap continue
- Share what's on your mind
- Prepare a spread from the suggestion
- Follow along to shuffle, cut, and draw
- Read the result
If you're short on pentacles or quota, you may see “use free mode” or a path to the market — follow the buttons on screen.
Star Table
This is the main table: practice for yourself, read for others, or lay cards out first and decide later whether to ask Taylor.
You can go the whole session without opening a reading — just shuffle / gather / cut / fan / draw / lay out. The table alone is a complete tool.
Table buttons
Left toolbar (on mobile, tap Hints to show button labels):
| Button | What it does |
|---|---|
| Draw | Enter draw mode and pull cards |
| Shuffle | Scramble the deck by hand |
| Gather | Stack the cards into a pile |
| Cut | Spread, cut, then rejoin |
| Fan | Fan the cards; auto-fan may appear when ready |
| Layout | Spread cards face-up to see them |
| Hints | (Mobile) show / hide button labels |
| Keep flipped | See next section; only in table mode |
You can drag cards on the table; pinch to zoom the view.
Keep flipped
This is the easiest switch to misunderstand. Default is on.
- On: Cards already selected / placed in positions stay put while you gather, cut, or fan; only the rest are rearranged.
- Off: Full reset — placed cards are gathered up too.
- During Ask Taylor: The system keeps your layout for you and hides this switch — tools won't clear your reading mid-session.
- To clear the whole table: Turn off Keep flipped, then Gather or Shuffle.
Ask Taylor
When you want Taylor to read:
- Tap Ask Taylor on the table (drawn cards already on the table come along; the button may show a count).
- Write your question in the input (placeholder: “What would you like to ask...”). If length or card count is short, the UI shows a red hint.
- Adjust the spread and position meanings as needed, then send the reading.
- After the reading you can follow up (placeholder: “I'd like to follow up...”); the pentacle control in the top bar explains your quota.
Common tools in the reading sidebar (one line each):
- Recommend spread — let Taylor suggest a spread
- Spread editor — edit positions and meanings
- Empty / Spread plan — reserve positions to draw into
- Import spread — apply an existing spread
- Save current spread — store the current layout
- Recycle bin — remove unwanted positions
- Retry — try again if a reading fails
- History — open past conversations
- Pentacles / Get pentacles — check balance or go to the market
You can also open an old chat from History and continue.
Collapse panel vs end session
Please keep these distinct:
| What you tap | What actually happens |
|---|---|
| Collapse reading panel (top-bar arrow) | Sidebar narrows, table grows; you're still in this reading; cards and settings stay |
| Ask Taylor again after collapsing | Usually just re-expands the panel |
| End session | Really leave this reading; reading settings unlock; drawn cards usually stay on the table |
| Turn off Keep flipped, then gather / shuffle | That's the “reset the table” path |
In one line:
Collapse just clears space on the table; End session leaves the reading.
How spreads work
During a reading
- Use Taylor's recommendation, import a classic, or edit your own (name, positions, meanings)
- Save and apply spreads
- Position numbers show on the table for easy matching
Spread library
- Add spreads, browse classics, drag numbers in the editor to adjust positions
- Remember to save / update after editing
Reading result page
- If Taylor suggests something, you'll see “Taylor suggests” — use the buttons to add or adjust the spread
After you end the session, the reading spread lock clears; cards on the table usually remain.
History and continue chatting
- In the reading panel, tap History
- Open an old conversation to continue
- You can add cards, edit position meanings, or type a follow-up
- The list can Load more; chats without a summary show “No question set”
Reading results and full text
- The result page shows your question and the full reading
- Signed-in users can tap Go to chat to continue
- Guests can tap Save and follow up (you'll be guided to sign in / save)
- In chat bubbles, tap View full text
- If the reading links to a card, tapping focuses that card on the table
Account, pentacles, market, orders
Sign in
- Sign in with Email and a PING code
- Use “Get login PING code” or “Forgot PING code” as needed
How pentacles work
- Pentacles pay for readings and follow-ups
- The top-bar pentacle tip is roughly: each pentacle includes 1 reading + several follow-ups (exact count is shown on screen)
- When you're out of pentacles or follow-up quota, you'll see Get pentacles
Market
- The entry is labeled Market
- New members can Claim 10 trial pentacles (if not claimed yet)
- You can also buy pentacle packs
Account and orders
- Account shows your email, opens Order history, and Sign out
- The order list shows purchases; if a detail page isn't open yet, trust the list
Common situations
If I Gather during a reading, will my cards clear?
No. During Ask Taylor, the system keeps the cards you've placed.
After I collapse the panel, is the table still there?
Yes. You only hid the sidebar. To leave the reading, tap End session.
After End session, are the cards still there?
Usually yes. To fully reset, turn off Keep flipped, then Gather or Shuffle.
No pentacles / follow-up quota used up?
Tap Get pentacles or go to Market to claim / buy.
Reading failed?
Tap Retry, or try again later.
Can't see button labels on mobile?
Tap Hints on the left.
Do I have to ask Taylor?
No. Star Table works on its own.
Appendix: classic spreads
Common classic spread names only (no card meanings):
- Single Card Spread
- Two-Card Spread
- Time's Flow / Three-Card
- Four-Card Self-Exploration
- Gypsy Cross
- Lover's Pyramid
- Inspiration Correspondence
- Seven-Card Prophecy
- V-Shaped Horseshoe
- Hexagram Spread
- Venus of Love
- Celtic Cross / Waite Version
If anything is still unclear, go back to the table and try once — most actions make sense from the button labels. Wishing you clear readings.