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Introduction
Known World:
Five Civilized Isles:
Shire: population 89. Land of green clover, pasture animals, underground homes… Four proper Suits, normal Ranks. Tourists from Shire carry unique gold coins. Nether: population 260 to 280: Busy cosmopolitan workforces. Futures, markets and numbers... Golf courses. Four proper Suits doubled, normal Ranks. BeriGomi: population 180. Exporters of perfumes, fine wines. Four proper Suits doubled, normal Ranks, multiple Tens. BeriGomi Tens are of extraordinary beauty, even for Tens. TeriYaki: population close to 300: Exporters of silks, wicker, opium. Four proper Suits doubled, normal Ranks. TeriYaki Tens are trained in arts of pleasure. Isle of Woods: population 54 to 60. Keepers of only known trees. Occasional exporter of lumber, gin, music. Four proper Suits, normal Ranks. Visitors from the other four Civilized Isles and some savage isles travel each week to experience the deep Forest of IsleWood. Far Flung Savage Isles: Odd: land of exiled Kings, motley assortment of Royal losers and liars of proper Suit and imagined or extinct Suit and Rank, Jokers of all levels. Population approx 70, exporter of mercenaries, rock. Sam: beautiful mating pairs of naked tan Royal Sevens, proper Suits. Population approximately 40, exporters of lemons, rubber, oils, shells, fish, birds...They travel in fleets of outrigger canoes, communicating secretly with Sevens of other Isles. Sam Queens are deadly. Mad: population unknown, approximately eight Sevens and a few adventurers of vaguely proper Suits and recognizable Rank. Exporters of rubber, oils, animals. Hardy explorers may venture to Mad; few return. Trees can be seen high on steep mountains inland but harvest and export is impossible. Aqua Firma: population four watchman "Kings" of proper Suit and occasional homeless Seven or ship wrecked Eight, usually a Club. Not that “far flung,” Aqua Firma sits near a point of southern BeriGomi. Low tide rocks and docking, yellow buoy and storm damaged cabins on stilts, Aqua Firma is hub for transfers, covert operations, fishing expeditions and smugglers. Exporters of glass. Taz: Population unknown. Taz royalty are alluring and mysterious, especially Jacks. Like Mad, much of Taz is uncharted and unknown, volcanoes and black sand are prominent, but ports of pleasure do exist. Exporters of yachts, fruits, black stone, furs...
Cast of IsleWood Characters Most standard decks of playing cards resemble the cast of characters in costume, hat, hairstyle or weapon carried ceremonial or day to day. Fifty four individuals on a secluded isle. IsleWood holds the last known forest on any civilized island. Harvesting the forest for “progress” becomes the central issue. Hi and LoJoker, as free agents are crucial to political power plays and civil security issues. Spades are keeper's of the forest, clannish and secretive. Diamonds seek riches of exporting lumber to other isles, undermining Spades politically. Hearts have pledged never to use Jack's Axe to harvest even one tree of the woods unless blessed by Spade Royalty. Hearts feed and care for others. Clubs, the hospitality Suit, long ago sold out to Diamonds, hocked away any chance of real power. Aces are wise elders; Spade is the coroner, in times of war an assassin or surgeon. Ace Heart is astronomer and medical consultant, Diamond a twisted rich money changer. Club is too compliant and ever the host. Fours assist Aces, running errands or serving as decoys by wearing pointy hats. Kings are presidential and self indulgent. Spade is most industrious, rising early and retaining a poor man's work ethic. As a Spade he is stern and unforgiving, as a King vulnerable to vice. Heart is a surgeon and philosopher, sneaking to tryst with Tens is his favorite past time, Diamond competes with him, stewing on matters of finance. Club is gifted with charisma, with war stories and jokes, maybe a song. Kings meet at conference each morning, usually at horse track, with Fours, servants and lobbyists. Kings wear decorated vest of Suit. Queens are varied in passion, Spade is stern chore master, but late afternoon might find her intoxicated. Club is well traveled, and often joins Spade with new intoxicants. Heart is pious matriarch, as is Diamond, though Diamond is shrewd with finance and charitable foundations. Queens wear flowing gowns. Jacks are movers and shakers. Spade works long hours managing the forest and related projects. Heart is meticulous with hospital and banquet preparations, Diamond is a police force and weapon master, ever suspicious, and Club is an entertainer, forever nifty with guitar and song. Jacks wear vests that reveal muscle or show weapons. Tens are beautiful females. They are socially and sexually active, sneaking and cheating, loving and serving Kings, Jacks, and the occasional lucky Joker or Nine. Tens wear swim suits or flowing gowns. Nines are workers, facilitators and finishers. Spade might be assistant in Woods or foreman of work projects, Heart medical orderly or chef, Diamond is a strict teller or shop keeper, Club runs Hospitality lounge tending Bar... Depending on Suit, Nines wear rough denim or fancy corduroy uniform. Eights are portly, inwardly complicated. Spade fancies himself a boss, Heart delegates much, Diamond patrols and polices, inventories and complains, Club is pilot of Yacht, thus he is Abroad much, or making deals in Club often. Eights are sleeveless; sea hats and deck wear except in coldest winter. Sevens are a fraternity loyal to Rank. Though it is forbidden they have secret meetings. They are quick swimmers, stealthy, and share knowledge of Suit. Sevens approximate Jack wear, utility vests hold secret arrangement of emblem. Sixes and Fives are worker drones with aspirations. Some are bright, and move up to important positions and higher Rank. Tough hemp cloth togas or capes give them a strong social bond. Fours are loyal as servants to Aces. They move to other Suits with news and requests. With pointy Ace hats they also serve as decoys in case of assassination attempt. Threes and Twos are toddlers and children, Spades are taught to work early, Red Queens and Tens teach wee digits school work part time. Striking Red uniforms of Diamonds and Hearts make wee digits prominent in Banquet or shuffle. Jokers are free agents. HiJoker is fat and scheming, LoJoker wiry, industrious and honest. Spare or Extra Jokers are often retained as security or labor. Whichever Suit retains Joker or Jokers, usually for a moon or quartermoon, usually for a sack or sacks of gold bullion or other Favor, greatly strengthens Suit temporarily. IsleWood Joker is considered by Known World to be a Favored position. IsleWood Jokers wear gray jester costume, with hat or replaceable emblems signaling allegiance.
LoJoker
by
Alan Van Williams
In center oval courtyard both Jokers frisked about, Hi on jittery horse, Lo precariously balanced atop unicycle. Ten Club, beautiful young woman of Black Suit, laughed with glee, hopping to grab the horse or dance in sun. Under veranda shade Red Queens watched Red Deuces close. Eight and Nine Spade tromped through, muddy boots and shovels distracting Ten. Horse kicked Ten. Jokers carried her; Queen Heart led way through Heart Quarters. At Hospital, Ten fell into coma. Solemn came Queen and King Club, then Jack and Ten Diamond, others and many to mourn or pray and hope. How unusual to see wee cards so still, so quiet. Rows of Black and Red digits and charms: Three Four Five Heart, Deuce Seven Club, Five Six Seven Spade. All that hour came the deck: Queen Diamond leading humble Jokers and freshly washed Eight Nine Spade. Ace Heart came from back, "wait and see." In Club sat Club Nine, crying into drinks, wailing to Club Jack and Diamond Nine. At Mall Diamond flags half mast, many shops closed so tenders could visit Heart house and fellow mourners. At Cemetery Kings Spade and Club speculated grimly. Treys and Deuces of all Suits began to play in shrub mazes embroidering Cemetery and Hospital, indeed all the way from Club yard shrubs meandered with creek behind Spade Quarters, into dense Forest back of Cemetery, where Ace Spades father lay buried. Upright stones from Isle of Odd mark graves of Kings of various Suit, Club Queen and Deuce together, five Jokers, Sevens Heart and Spade, possibly Ten Club today. Shrubs; ever green, ever dense, ever tended by Nine Eight Six Three Spade, close to Kitchen and Hospital, with only a Spade wreath to enter. Long winding trail toured overgrowth behind Heart Quarters, labyrinth trails meandered far to cliffs above pounding surf; acres of alcoves offered many possibilities to lovers or solitary thinkers. No hustling wee Spades today rinsed mops or separated trash behind Banquet. King Diamond entered Heart wreath. Across Quarters entrance steps Diamond Nine collected token and checked purchases in Staples. General store desolate, Ten Diamond cried in Jewelry, Jacks head low in Property. Other shops caged, Five Spade cleaned one. At Club the music low, friends of Ten sat in circles and drunk. Spade Jack began rare drunk, "curse the luck! What god could take such a wonderful creature so alive and with swift kick of fool Joker steed render her nearer the back yard of my very own Suit than even old man Spade." Club Queen threw her glass to the floor to shatter, "curse spirits that plague this house, curse demon alcohol that turns luck of Clubs Black. It was alcohol, partaken at this very table just hours ago that caused her dizziness and foolish rompery. Favor the Horse Joker if he stay Abroad awhile." "Aye," chimed Sevens Club and Spade, "we will prepare the Yacht for travels, and inform HiJoker make note." Club Jack barked vehement, "aye! And we will have no shenanigans from you two or your cronies today! Get Red Tens to help our Queen pack. Begone!" At Marina King Club was upright. He and Ace used largely political send off to further Club agenda through quick comments; Ace Diamond listened, wryly sending Seven Abroad also. HiJoker lounged very quiet deep in the prow. Spades frisked about, Pier would be first stop in about an hour. Here now a chance to tour Spade Grounds. Most, contemplative; wondered about Ace and probably Four probably fishing downstream. What interaction would develop? Four met Yacht from sleek row boat. Young male took breathless draw on pipe, held smoke deep while voicing discernible, "Ace bids you tie up a moment, he offers refreshments to Queen, and wishes a word with Joker." Sevens watched keenly upper deck. Ace stood high and straight on Pier, very quiet in pointy wizard Hat and matching robe. Spade Queen and all wee digits flourished down Thousand Steps to represent Suit on Pier. HiJoker and Ace strolled down Pier, Queens visited noisily. Seven Heart jogged down, exchanging with others, but staying behind. Quite a party forming; had Ten Club not been in coma Ace Spade might have been of short patience, but graciously showed large fish, leading the party upslope. Spade Four and Seven Heart led assorted wanderers back. Yacht honked once on Bay. Behind Tax office dealing heated, quieting by Library, slowing as Ten Heart undressed in window, unaware or not of traveling party at Greenhouse. Queen Heart gave beautiful flower and greenery arrangements. Five Spade busied trimming various bushes, Three Spade dragged freshly pruned branch from Woods. Ace King Heart gathered everyone together. King spoke carefully, "she is going... to be fine." Everyone murmured thankfully, King continued, "the horse kicked her jaw, and damaged her face very bad." In silence Ace spoke, "as we know, all Tens are known for great beauty. If Club Ten is to be an effective Ten, she must be restored, by a surgeon of greater skills than I or any we have at this simple hospice." Ace Club shrugged, still in dealer mode, most saw him as self serving, "we cannot afford it.” King Heart nodded, "this will have to be a team effort, upper deck cooperation, fully," Ace Diamond stared out at the ocean. King Heart continued. "Clubs," Club Royalty looked up startled, "assume the debt," he held a hand to quiet instantaneous protest, "with a sizable tax cut from Spades," Spade King nodded slowly, "and sizable Favor from Diamonds." "At Stables," said Ace of Spades strongly. Ace Diamond stared in hate at King and Ace Spade. King Diamond nodded to Heart. Nine Club barged loudly through to sit at the stricken maidens side. In center bunk house, LoJoker stretched out, the place to himself for another three days. Queen’s Yacht with HiJoker and three Sevens was due back. He tired of cleaning or paying Five Spade to clean after various Jacks and Tens, even quite a few Eights and Nines. He was sick of it, frustrated from chasing Ten Heart all weekend, then catching her in his bed with Club Nine. Spade Ten available this week, LoJoker vowed to score her before HiJoker returned. She was known to walk in Shrubs, so off LoJoker skated to try and accidentally encounter her.
Lying tan on white sandy beach, HiJoker smiled to Queen Club. He had bedded her twice that morning, the wench was insatiable. But Sevens due for lunch, he hoped to romp if only he had a steed. A unicycle packed somewhere, this rough country scarcely qualified for such refined travel. Queen received word of Tens healing, a far off doctor being summoned to restore her beauty. Queen secretly hoped for consultation with the doctor, as she and Queen Diamond frequently discussed such work being done to themselves. Homecoming was perfunctual. Spade Four ran with the news as Yacht cruised by Pier. HiJoker transferred to rowboat Eight Three Spade proffered, riding to Ace. He and Ace conferred quickly and pleasantly, a package transferred. Ace took a walk into Woods, returning presently with glassy eyes, smiling. "You now have my Favor upon you for three moons." Joker smiled, tapping a second package buried in his vest, "and what of your Queen?" Ace dismissed them with a flip of his hand, "she has her own pact with Clubs, see to her." HiJoker, Eight and Three trotted with sparse luggage to escort Queen Spade to Marina. LoJoker wheeled Ten Club down. Queen Club made fuss, variety of Characters greeted. Sevens full of sea tales. With plenty of pomp Eight and Three Spade led Queen Spade down later. HiJoker kept low profile err someone recount his part in injuring once beautiful Ten Club. Late evening Queens conferred as to cosmetic surgery, pooling money and Favor for discreet consultations or operations. Queens Spade and Clubs sampled illicit cargo late that night, sitting quiet dockside, hearing boisterous Club up hill. Somewhere a Seven hollered. Flickering sign of Marina danced upon river surface. |
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