Jokers' Deck

Jokers' Deck is an exclusive gambling circle for the galaxy's billionaires and trillionaires. Members of Joker's Deck are guaranteed complete anonymity by the group's secretive organisers, and high-stakes events are held at different locations each time. Billions of credits, entire corporations, and even continents are regularly wagered in Jokers' Deck games, which include deadlock poker, Giant Verrix racing, and roue mortelle. An undercover investigation by Francesca Wolfe of the Wallglass Investigations Agency in September and October 3307 exposed several Jokers' Deck members.

Members

• Current
  • Ambassador Jordan Rochester
  • Arch-Corsair Kay Volantyne
  • Lexi October
  • Duchess Rouncival
  • Scorpio DeVorrow
  • Senator Simone Leatrix
  • Arch-Corsair Trask
  • Xiona
  • Zachary Rackham

• Former
  • Talitha Ambrose

Timeline

05 OCT 3307

• Francesca Wolfe of the Wallglass Investigations Agency provides an inside view of the Jokers' Deck gambling circle. "Gunnarson's intel was correct. The latest host is multi-billionaire investor Lexi October, the lady who rescued Supratech from bankruptcy. We're in one of October Consortium's disused warehouse complexes, which looks derelict on the outside but is a fabulous glittering palace within. I don't actually know what planet I'm on, since all the servants – including me with my fake ID – were transported here in total secrecy. Jokers' Deck is exactly what you'd expect of a luxury casino for the super-rich. Exquisite food, sumptuous clothes, and dozens of games from deadlock poker to Giant Verrix racing. Wagers are made using billion-credit chips, precious gemstones and even land deeds to an entire continent. And that's not counting the VIP rooms that I can't get into. I've served exotic drinks to several famous faces, such as Duchess Rouncival and Scorpio DeVorrow. I've seen Senator Leatrix talking earnestly to Ambassador Rochester about a princess they both know. Arch-Corsairs Trask and Volantyne from the Kumo Council are here, taking on Zachary Rackham at the roue mortelle tables. And there's no mistaking the voice of Alliance megastar Xiona whenever she wins big. Oh, and who should walk in just now but... wait, I can hear an alarm. Looks like a security alert. Damn it, have they detected me? I should – " The message was published by Erik Gunnarson, who added this coda: "I've heard nothing more from Wolfe since receiving this, and she didn't check in at a scheduled rendezvous point. I've decided to share her report as a warning to Jokers' Deck. If anything happens to her, just remember we know who you are."

29 SEP 3307

• Erik Gunnarson of the Wallglass Investigations Agency discusses the secretive gambling circle attended by the galaxy's wealthiest players. "Casinos and gaming hubs have always been popular, tempting people to risk their credits for the chance to score a lucrative win. But where do the billionaires and trillionaires go to enjoy that buzz? Jokers' Deck is a highly exclusive gambling event attended only by the rich and powerful. Nobody knows who runs it, only that it's held in a different location each time. Its attendees are guaranteed – and can afford – total anonymity. There was one exception. In 3305, Wallglass was hired to find the heiress Lady Talitha Ambrose, after she vanished along with her family's fortune. I was part of the team that discovered she had gambled away 300 billion credits at Jokers' Deck in a high-stakes game of deadlock poker. Their security was so tight that we never learned much more. This year I've been tracking several rumours, such as Jokers' Deck being present at the Galactic Summit and inviting political leaders to settle their differences at the roue mortelle table. But thanks to some costly bribes – which hopefully I can claim back as expenses – I've finally got a solid lead. My partner, Francesca Wolfe, and I should have more to reveal soon. With a little luck we will gain a unique insight into this most privileged of gambling dens. Assuming we play our cards right..."

09 MAR 3305

• The former heiress to the Ambrose Foundation has confessed that she lost her family's entire fortune through excessive gambling. Lady Talitha – now ordinary Talitha Ambrose – provided this statement to Vox Galactica: "Everything you’ve read is true. I attended a lavish event hosted by Jokers' Deck, staked the entire Ambrose estate and lost it all. But I don't regret a thing. The gambling problem I've suffered with for years has finally been cured. I believe my addiction was fuelled by having far more wealth than any individual should. I now plan to use my connections to raise funds for addiction support charities. I don't blame Jokers' Deck for my situation, since I knew the risks when I joined. And frankly, it could have been worse – I've seen corporations won and lost over a hand of deadlock poker."

02 MAR 3305

• It has been revealed that Lady Talitha Ambrose's 300 billion credit fortune vanished as a result of her participation in a powerful gambling ring. Confirmation came when Baroness Oksana Ambrose shared a report from the Wallglass Investigations Agency: "Multiple sources verify that Lady Talitha has been a member of Jokers' Deck for years. At the group's most recent event, she bet the entire Ambrose Foundation during an epic game of high-stakes deadlock poker, and eventually lost. Lady Talitha was apparently devastated, fleeing the venue soon after. Some attendees believe that the game was rigged by one or more other players, who aimed to exploit Lady Talitha's well-known gambling addiction. The organisers of Jokers' Deck remain anonymous and untraceable, so retrieving the family's assets is unlikely." An Ambrose Foundation spokesperson later stated that Baroness Oksana has officially revoked Lady Talitha's title, vowing never to speak to her daughter again.

23 FEB 3305

• Lady Talitha Ambrose, the missing Ambrose Foundation heiress, has been alleged to have a history of gambling that may explain the sudden loss of her family’s entire fortune. Independent journalist Flint 'Firemaker' Lafosse commented on the Rewired news feed: "Baroness Oksana has convinced everyone that her daughter was kidnapped and forced to surrender her vast inheritance. What the baroness failed to mention is that Lady Talitha's name has long been associated with an exclusive gambling circle named Jokers' Deck. Some of the wealthiest individuals in the galaxy are believed to be associated with the group, including corporate CEOs, senior politicians, minor royals, pirate lords and cartel kingpins. Several famous names are rumoured to be in Jokers' Deck, including at least one member of the Rochester family. Is it possible that Lady Talitha wasn't kidnapped but is instead hiding in shame, having gambled away the entire Ambrose Foundation?"