Jack-Of-Smiles (Guide)

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Diamondsmall.png Early PoSI Content
Jack.png

This guide is meant to cover both An Annoyance to Jack-of-Smiles and The Jack-of-Smiles Case. An Annoyance to Jack-Of-Smiles is a quality, and The Jack-Of-Smiles Case is a major storyline. For the sake of simplicity An Annoyance to Jack-of-Smiles will be called AAtJoS and The Jack-of-Smiles Case will be called TJoSC.

An Annoyance to Jack-of-Smiles[edit]

This is an early game quality that has a few uses. Although it unlocks a few useful things, it is completely optional and you do not need it to progress in any way.

How to progress AAtJoS[edit]

There are only 2 ways to obtain this quality and both of them require rare successes, the percentages of which are unknown. Below is a table that shows the storylet and requirement to access it.

Storylet Requirement Dangerous Recommended
Get to your quarry before Jack-of-Smiles A Name Scrawled in Blood 3-5 58
Smiles! Put that man down! A Name Scrawled in Blood 4+ 77

It's recommended to try and get a high enough dangerous to complete the check 90% of the time, that way you'll be able to succeed the check 9/10 times, and possibly raise your dangerous to the next level. Out of the two storylets, Get to your quarry before Jack-of-Smiles is better for the following reasons: it has a lower A Name Scrawled in Blood requirement; it is a less difficult dangerous check; and it does not cause Wounds if you fail. However, Smiles! Put that man down! will also get the job done.

Benefits of An Annoyance to Jack-of-Smiles[edit]

There are a few benefits for having AAtJoS unlocked. The list of them is as follows:

A Warning[edit]

AAtJoS can go up to 4, but it is advised to only have it at 1. If you raise it to 3, something bad will happen.

Reaching AAtJoS 3, will present the storylet Mess with the Smile, get the teeth. You have no option but to proceed and doing so will lose you several faction favours and connected values. You'll lose one favour for the Bohemians, Constables, Criminals, Revolutionaries, The Church, and Urchins. You'll also lose -4 CP of Connected: The Widow. This is a one-time storylet, but there is no reason to get to AAtJoS 3 as you won't be getting very interesting text.

The Jack-of-Smiles Case[edit]

You can only start this story when you are A Person of Some Importance and On the Velocipede Squad.

There are two ways of joining the the Velocipede Squad:

Once you have become a Person of Some Importance and are On the Velocipede Squad, the storylet A Little Chat with the Inspector will unlock in Ladybones Road. You will need Watchful 130 and Dangerous 130 to obtain The Jack-of-Smiles Case (TJoSC) 1.

Progress by Seeking the Next Breakthrough[edit]

To advance, you must raise TJoSC to level 4. Every storylet needed to raise TJoSC can be found in Ladybones Road and requires the quality Seeking the Next Breakthrough on the Jack Case level 4 (10 CP) to advance.

The quality Seeking the Next Breakthrough on the Jack Case can be raised through either the Riding the Savage Cobbles carousel in Concord Square or through faction opportunity cards.

Concord Square, requires Riding the Savage Cobbles 7[1]
Card Action Challenge Success Failure
The Jack Case The hard way Dangerous 130 +5 CP  +20 CP  +3 CP  +2 CP 
The clever way Watchful 130 +5 CP  +20 CP  +3 CP  +2 CP 
Faction Opportunity Cards[2], requires 5 actions  
Card Action Reward
Burning Shadows: the Devils of London A friendly fang +20 CP  Every option gives +3 CP 
Whispers from the Surface: The Great Game Jack's books
Park and Palace: Society Jack's feeling posh
Court and Cell: the Constables Jack's leavings
The Demi-Monde: Bohemians The Jack-of-Smiles oeuvre
The Alleys of London: the Criminals Jack be quick +20 CP 
Gunpowder and Zeal: the Revolutionaries Jack and the candlestick
The Roof-Tops: Urchins Jack on the roof
Altars and Alms-Houses: the Church Saint Jack
Bandages and Dust: The Tomb-Colonies Jack in bandages
(requires 1 x Favours: Tomb-Colonies)
By the River's Side: the Docks Jack-of-Smiles is here!
  • +20 CP 
  • +1 CP 
  1. assuming success on 100% of checks, this will take 14 actions
  2. doesn't include Rubbery Men


Once The Jack-of-Smiles Case is raised to level 4, you are offered a choice on how to continue.

You can choose to continue doing More Detective Work, which will raise your TJoSC to 5. You will then need to continue to raise TJoSC two more levels in order to continue the story.

Alternatively, you can Become Jack, which will set your TJoSC to 7. This option costs 10 FATE.

Becoming Jack (FATE)[edit]

This section covers content that is FATE-locked, so per this Wiki's Content Policy, the covered content will not otherwise be included on the Wiki, and the guide may contain mechanical descriptions but not narrative content.

TJoSC will now be advanced through opportunity cards found in London. Once TJoSC has been raised to level 9, the story can be continued in Ladybones Road. This will require 9 card draws of the frequent card shown below.

Card Icon Frequency Action Result
Jack.png Frequent Bloodstain.png
Newspaper.png Standard Jack.png

Discovering Jack's Origin[edit]

Once you have achieved TJoSC 9, you will need to talk to the inspector.

To proceed, you will need to zail to Polythreme, either via your own ship or by booking passage on a steamer. Once there, you must participate in the Polythremic Promenade and reach COGNISANCE 12 twice.

Concluding the Case[edit]

You have three choices on how to proceed.

Destroy it[edit]

You can choose to destroy it, whereupon you can return to Ladybones Road and report back to the Inspector. You will gain +30 CP Making Waves, 5 x Favours: Constables, 3 x Favours: Society and renown with these factions. This will set TJoSC to 20, ending this storyline.

Leave it intact[edit]

You can choose to leave it intact, which will take you to Veilgarden, the Bazaar Side-Streets, and finally Your Lodgings. This will set TJoSC to 20, ending this storyline.

Once in your lodgings, you can choose to minimize the damage, which will net you 5 x Favours: Constables and +3 CP Renown: Constables, among other things. Or, you can choose to wash your hands of it all, which will net you +3 CP Connected: The Masters of the Bazaar, among other things.

Defeat Jack completely (FATE)[edit]

You can choose to defeat Jack completely. This option costs 10 FATE. You will gain +30 CP Making Waves, +1 CP Connected: The Masters of the Bazaar, Items worth 200 E , 5 x Favours: Constables, 3 x Favours: Society and renown with these factions.

Case Closed![edit]

Congratulations, you've finished the storyline. Unless Jack's Gone, this storyline will have no further ramifications. You can, however, reset this storyline in Send a Message to a Contact with Another round with Jack: turn back the clock! for 20 FATE.

Jack's Gone[edit]

If Jack's gone, there are certain ramifications to the rest of London. The following storylets will no longer be available:

It does, however, grant access to the Just a Knife tattoo at Millicent's Parlour during the Feast of the Exceptional Rose.