"...So announce deceit and sing o' shame,
Since words belong to the Jack O' Names…"
-Trad. Children's rhyme.
All of the Jacks of Moonflight are strange and esoteric beings, but even among them the Jack O' Words and Names is a unique entity. On one level it takes the role of Moonflight's record keeper and librarian, on another, it is the records and history of Moonflight. History has the weight of fate and destiny behind it, when enough of it gathers it can be crushing. Moonflight is the eternal city and the weight of its history is too much for even the strange and awful Jacks of Moonflight, such that it forms an almost parasitic relation ship with the courtiers, offering terrible power for a short time, and at an absolute price. The fae that make the deal to become Words and Names are always consumed, simply another passage of a past that will become history and in time legend, the entity that is the true Jack O' Words and Names cares little, remaining always, ravenous, watchful and eternal.
The design of the Jack O' Words and Names is based on Anglo-Saxon church images of acanthus leaf jack-in-the-greens. These Pagan to Christian figures represent both power and the suffering and torment of being overwhelmed by that power. Perfect for Words and Names, overtaken by a power of history that they can never hope to control or possess.
In gameplay the Jack O'Words and Names is a card drawing power house, with hand extension and
manipulation capabilities. In the early game its market contains few low price cards and requires foundation cards but once established it can draw
and play at a hugely increased rate and by the 'turn' will have experienced a few rounds of true power. If the opponent is unable to keep the market turning, the avalanche may become unstoppable.
After the turn Words and Names has lower scoring cards and relies on holding more of them than other Jacks, thanks to their hand extension abilities. Their card trashing targets their entire hand, making their end game about editing, controlling and adjusting their hand as the Jack struggles to remember exactly what they need to forget.