The Iron Jokers originally formed from Orlock transport workers and rig crews assigned to these routes. When supply contracts collapsed during a guild dispute several decades ago, the workers effectively became a gang overnight, seizing the cargo depots and transport gantries they once operated.

Instead of descending fully into outlawry, they evolved into a semi-legitimate cartel:

• They tax cargo movement
• Provide armed escorts for merchant guild shipments
• Run salvage operations in abandoned processing sectors

This gives them influence with both criminal factions and legitimate trade interests.