The Society of the Lost

Things in Lost Vegas work a little differently from the way they do everywhere else. Here, the traditional Seasonal Court structure has broken down, replaced with the Courts of Chance, a system meant to harness the powers of hope, faith, and fate as a blanket under which to hide from the True Fae. It's not perfect, but it works for Vegas, and thus far it's held off the Gentry just fine.

The Courts of Chance are young and imperfect, ruled by the leaders of a revolutionary group that overthrew the tyrannical Helion and his Summer Court. Thus, politics in Lost Vegas are dirty, unpredictable, and conducted with extreme paranoia that all the power will once again rest in the hands of a tyrant.

The Courts of Chance are organized as follows:

The Court of Hearts: The leadership of the old Spring Court shifted focus from Desire to Love under the direction of the Spring Queen, Flickering Jenny. Mercurial, calculating, and captivating describe the members of the Court of Hearts, who masters at manipulating one of humanity's strongest emotions.

The Court of Diamonds: The Winter Court, under the command of the Winter King, Filthy Luther, shifted its focus from Sorrow to Pride: a shift that the self-professed "sons of Pluto" took to almost instantly. Blessed with health and wealth, the Court of Diamonds attracts the greedy and prideful, people who understand the true power of the kingmaker rather than the fleeting power of the king.

The Court of Clubs: To the Autumn Court, accustomed to sowing fear, the change proposed by the Autumn King, Raleigh Clint, was puzzling. Trading Fear for Obsession seemed like a bum deal, but the Court of Clubs has produced some of the most creative, brilliant, and strange insights in recent memory. Courtiers are enigmatic and sometimes awkward, but given to sudden and intense moments of clarity that make all the obsession and sacrifice worthwhile.

The Court of Spades: When Helion was deposed, the Summer Court fell into chaos and violence. Most members fled to the other nascent Courts of Chance, seeking solace in the forgiveness of their peers. Others, like the young revolutionary Sally Venom, saw opportunity in the ruins of the Summer Court. Banding together under the banner of the Spades, and tossing Wrath aside in favor of Abandon, the young Court of Spades built on the Summer Court's reputation for skilled violence and added a context of unpredictability. While Lost Vegas still looks to the Court of Spades for protection from outside threats, many fear that Sally Venom's court is just as dangerous.

The Politics of the Lost

Lost Vegas society is built on the premise of fairness and faith. In order to protect their city from the eyes of the Gentry, the Lost have wrapped themselves in the magic of gambling, symbolized by the suits of the poker deck.

Helion was a tyrant, according to most Lost who lived in Vegas at the time of the Oktoberfest Rebellion, and no one wants that to happen again. In the wake of Helion's removal from power, the Lost have formed a system that they consider to be utterly fair. Many of the Lost's most important decisions are left to chance, including the decision of which court takes power each season. This leads to conflict and argument, but as long as it keeps the Gentry at bay, few are willing to rise up and change the way things work.

The Tournament of Aces

The most important decision in Lost Vegas society is that of "who runs the city this season." Interestingly, this is left mostly to chance. Every season, the Lost sponsor a Tournament of Aces, a competition in which the courts' best gamblers compete, and the winner takes city rulership for his or her court. The event is sponsored by a secret group called the House, which also chooses the game to be played and sets the ground rules for the tournament.

Each court has its own method for choosing its Ace, and a court's Ace is generally treated with a great deal of respect and deference, even given the position's lack of real power. Many Lost consider Aces to be beacons of good luck, while others do everything they can to avoid tarnishing or siphoning good fortune from the Ace before the tournament.

The Sheriff

The courts of Lost Vegas long ago saw a need for a "lawman," someone outside the court system whose job it is to keep order and clean up the messes that inevitably occur when dealing with a large number of people who are, by nature, at least a little bit insane. This falls to the Sheriff, a post that places a chosen Lost outside the system, giving him or her free reign to deal with whatever problems might arise.

The Sheriff has jurisdiction over everything that happens in Lost Vegas and is charged with protecting the Lost as much as he is with policing them. He is outside the power of Kings and Queens, and no court-based mandate can hold power over him. The Sheriff has the right to choose temporary deputies, who are empowered with the right to operate however they need to assist the Sheriff. The Sheriff's status outside the courts makes the post a lonely one, however, and few Lost give the Sheriff the esteem and respect he or she deserves.

The Sheriff is chosen every two years in a special election that is meticulously watched to make sure it is fair and democratic. In true gamesmanship, the loser of the election is elected the Fool.

The Fool

The candidate who wins the fewest votes in an election for Sheriff is named the Fool. Proposed as a way to counter the power of an overly ambitious Sheriff, the Fool's job is to do everything in his or her power to keep the Sheriff in check. Misdemeanors, pranks, and other small crimes are forgiven if committed by the Fool, but a Fool who gets out of hand is not above sanction by the ruling court.

In times when there was a truly compelling candidate for Sheriff, it's not unheard of for candidates to run specifically for the "office" of Fool. While the Court of Diamonds has never put forth a candidate for Fool, the Court of Spades almost always puts forth a ridiculous name and dashes that person's reputation on purpose for the chance to play the Sheriff's foil.

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