MR JUSTICE JOKER INTRODUCTION

Read the following aloud to the group

Aces, Kings, Queens and Jacks. I am the joker and it is time to begin our court of enquiry. As the card least changed from our origins within the tarot pack, I shall be directing the court proceedings. The King of Hearts has been killed. His body was found on waste ground halfway between the spade castle and the heart castle. He had been killed by a savage blow to the back of the neck which almost decapitated him. The murder weapon, a sword, was found by his body. As it is inconceivable that any of the spot cards committed this murder, I am convinced that his killer is one of the remaining eleven picture cards. And it is the purpose of this court of enquiry to discover which of these eleven suspects terminated his life.

The investigation will take place over three rounds. During those rounds questions will be asked of the suspects and enlightening answers obtained. Clue items will also turn up which may help to throw light on the mystery. And I can see in the public gallery various representatives from the Happy Families pack. It may turn out that these individuals have evidence to offer. Then, at the end of the game, I will give my verdict on who I believe killed the king.

Although not suspects, the aces of each suit are here to represent the interests of their respective king, queen and jack. The aces will be asking questions to hopefully unmask the killer. But first I am going to ask each ace to give the court an introduction to their particular suit. And I would like the Ace of Spades to begin.