Game Book for Trading Pawns
GAME BOOK FOR TRADING PAWNS
"To villany most naked, and unholiest writ, Borquist of the Void does not admit. Ashen House of Helgram, a durance most vile, has seen fit to work its wile! In pursuit of the most amazing prize, Dara of Form seeks your eyes. Inky Amblerash proves its sight, and invites you all this blue‐moon night."
With thanks to the Evil Hat crew who left some of their game book design items on the web, so that I didn’t have to do everything from scratch. Table of Contents Statistics – Ranks ...... 7 List Of Items (Quick) ...... 8 List Of Powers (Quick) ...... 9 Spell List (Quick) ...... 10 Flag Colors ...... 11 Players’ Schedule ...... 12 Game Sequence ...... 13 Game Play ...... 14 List Of Items (Descriptions and Original Holders) ...... 15 Power List (Descriptions) ...... 18 Spell List (Descriptions) ...... 23 GM Events ‐ Cymnea ...... 25 GM Events – Lajos ...... 25 GM Events ‐ Tacian ...... 25 Other NPCs ...... 26 GM Complications for PCs ‐ Cymnea ...... 27 GM Complications for PCs ‐ Lajos ...... 28 Initial Tolerance Chart ...... 29 House Influence List ...... 30 GameBook Description ...... 31 Statistics ‐ Points ...... 32 Cast List ...... 33 Lord Bances of Amblerash, High Priest of the Serpent: Court of Ink ...... 34 Bances – Statistics ...... 34 Bances ‐ Goals ...... 34 Bances – Roleplaying Notes ...... 34 Bances – Story ...... 34 Bances – Relationships ...... 35 Bances – Powers ...... 37 Bardesanes, Serpent of Chaos ...... 38 Bardesanes – Statistics ...... 38 Bardesanes – Goals ...... 38 Bardesanes – Roleplaying Notes ...... 38 Bardesanes – Story ...... 38 Bardesanes – Relationships ...... 39 Bardesanes – Items ...... 40 Bardesanes – Powers ...... 40 Borquist, Poet of the Court, Pit‐Diver, Court of Entropic Void...... 41 Borquist – Statistics ...... 41 Borquist ‐ Goals ...... 41 Borquist ‐ Roleplaying Notes ...... 41 Borquist – Story ...... 41 Borquist ‐ Relationships ...... 42 Borquist – Items ...... 44 Borquist – Powers ...... 44 Prince Corwin of Amber, master of the Pattern, Opener and Captive ...... 46 Corwin – Statistics ...... 46 Corwin – Goals ...... 46 Corwin – Roleplaying Notes ...... 46 Corwin – Story ...... 46 Corwin – Relationships ...... 47 Corwin – Items ...... 48 Corwin – Powers ...... 48 Queen Cymnea, once Queen of Amber, of the Court of Ink’d Darkness ...... 50 Cymnea – Statistics ...... 50 Cymnea ‐ Goals ...... 50 Cymnea – Roleplaying Notes ...... 50 Cymnea – Story ...... 50 Cymnea ‐ Relationships ...... 52 Cymnea – Items ...... 53 Cymnea – Powers ...... 53 Dara, Daughter of Lintra, Initiate of the Logrus, Initiate of the Pattern, Duelist of Chaos ...... 54 Dara – Statistics ...... 54 Dara ‐ Goals ...... 54 Dara – Roleplaying Notes ...... 54 Dara – Story ...... 54 Dara – Relationships ...... 55 Dara ‐ Items ...... 56 Dara ‐ Powers ...... 56 Prince Delwin of Amber, Skin Scryer of the Court of Ink ...... 58 Delwin – Statistics ...... 58 Delwin – Goals ...... 58 Delwin – Roleplaying Notes ...... 58 Delwin – Story ...... 58 Delwin – Relationships ...... 59 Delwin – Items ...... 60 Delwin – Powers ...... 60 King Lajos the Lichbane of the Court of Ashen Night ...... 61 Lajos ‐ Statistics: ...... 61 Lajos ‐ Goals ...... 61 Lajos ‐ Roleplaying Notes ...... 61 Lajos – Story ...... 61 Lajos – Relationships ...... 63 Lajos ‐ Items: ...... 63 Lajos ‐ Powers: ...... 63 Duke Mandor of House Sawall, Aspirant to the Court of Form and Substance ...... 65 Mandor ‐ Statistics ...... 65 Mandor ‐ Goals ...... 65 Mandor – Roleplaying Notes ...... 65 Mandor – Story ...... 65 Mandor ‐ Relationships ...... 65 Mandor ‐ Items ...... 66 Mandor ‐ Powers ...... 67 Prince Martin of Amber, Heir‐Apparent to the thrones of Amber and Rebma, Representative of the Under‐Interests ...... 68 Martin – Statistics ...... 68 Martin ‐ Goals ...... 68 Martin – Roleplaying Notes ...... 68 Martin ‐ Story ...... 68 Martin ‐ Relationships ...... 69 Martin – Items ...... 70 Martin – Powers ...... 71 Rhanda, Shroudling of the Court of Ash ...... 72 Rhanda – Statistics ...... 72 Rhanda ‐ Goals ...... 72 Rhanda – Roleplaying Notes ...... 72 Rhanda – Story ...... 72 Rhanda – Relationships ...... 73 Rhanda ‐ Powers ...... 74 King Rinaldo of Kashfa ...... 76 Rinaldo ‐ Statistics ...... 76 Rinaldo ‐ Goals ...... 76 Rinaldo – Roleplaying Notes ...... 76 Rinaldo ‐ Story ...... 76 Rinaldo – Relationships ...... 76 Rinaldo – Items ...... 77 Rinaldo ‐ Powers ...... 77 Sophia the Moon‐Touched, Symbol of Amber ...... 78 Sophia ‐ Statistics: ...... 78 Sophia ‐ Goals ...... 78 Sophia ‐ Roleplaying Notes ...... 78 Sophia – Story ...... 78 Sophia – Relationships ...... 79 Prince Tubble of House Chanicut, Lord of Chaos ...... 81 Tubble – Statistics ...... 81 Tubble – Goals ...... 81 Tubble – Roleplaying Notes ...... 81 Tubble – Story ...... 81 Tubble – Relationships ...... 82 Tubble – Items ...... 83 Tubble – Powers ...... 84 Tacian, Ruler of the Court of Void ...... 85 Tacian – Statistics ...... 85 Tacian ‐ Goals ...... 85 Tacian – Roleplaying Notes ...... 85 Tacian – Story ...... 85 Tacian ‐ Relationships ...... 85 Tacian – Items ...... 85 Tacian – Powers ...... 85
STATISTICS – RANKS
Name Psyche Warfare Strength Endurance Bances 2 11 12 2
Bardesanes 8 1 2 12
Borquist 4 12 10 3
Corwin 12 7 9 1
Dara 9 5 6 6
Delwin 5 6 4 9
Mandor 6 3 3 11
Martin 7 4 7 5
Rhanda 11 2 5 4
Rinaldo 3 9 11 7
Sophia 1 8 8 8
Tubble 10 10 1 10
LIST OF ITEMS (QUICK) SCALE OF THE WYRM (BARDESANES) BRAND’S BLACKENED SOUL (BORQUIST) MANY THINGS (BORQUIST) OBERON’S HORN (BORQUIST) GREYSWANDIR (CORWIN) RING OF CAPTURED LIGHT (CYMNEA) PRINTED GRIMOIRE (CYMNEA) UNRAVELLING KNIFE (DARA) HEART OF VORMAX (DELWIN) SOMETHING ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE, ENTIRELY UNLIKE REBMAN SALT‐TEA (DELWIN) GOOD, OLD‐FASHIONED TRUMP DECK (DELWIN) AMULET OF HEART’S BLOOD (LAJOS) SPIKARD OF XIUHCOATL (MANDOR) POLISHED BELLYSCALE MIRROR (MANDOR) REBMAN PALANTIR (MARTIN) AMBER STATUS (MARTIN) POCKET FULL OF SUNSHINE (RINALDO) POCKET NINJA (RINALDO) SNAKE CHARMING FLUTE (TUBBLE) BLOOD HOMUNCULUS (IN A JAR) (TUBBLE) GOLDEN BRIDLE (TUBBLE) HORRIBLE ASSORTMENT (TACIAN)
PROP LIST
LIST OF POWERS (QUICK) Bances – Protection of the Tree [protection from Abyss] Bances – Words of the Book [sorcery]
Bardesanes – Serpent’s Wisdom [see one future] Bardesanes – Dragon’s Wrath [game‐ender blast of fire]
Borquist – the Epithet [power words] Borquist ‐ Ode to Change [polymorph] Borquist – The Stench of the Pit [abyssal radiation]
Corwin – Master of the White Spiral [special Pattern] Corwin ‐ Opener of the Way [Opener]
Cymnea – Ink’d Darkness [signs of madness] Cymnea ‐ the Blotted Page [change one event]
Dara – Strike of the Snake [first strike] Dara ‐ Initiate of the Web [sorcery, Pattern]
Delwin – Shaman of Ink [totemic image] Delwin ‐ Initiate of the Ghost City [ghost‐proof, Pattern]
Lajos –Call of Blood [cure/wither] Lajos ‐ Call of Night [true death]
Mandor – Tears of Silver [sorcery] Mandor ‐ Initiate of the Tendril [logrus]
Martin – Initiate of the Mirror’d Hall [mirrors] Martin ‐ Closer of the Way [Closer]
Rhanda – Bearer of the Shroud [shroudling shapeshift] Rhanda ‐ Blood‐Called [blood magic]
Rinaldo – Pattern’s Beloved [protected by Pattern] Rinaldo ‐ Son of His Father [changeling’s choice]
Sophia – Blessings on the Horn [knight] Sophia ‐ Way of Order [magic‐null]
Tacian – Lord of Void [immunity] Tacian ‐ Obliteration of the Mark [undo blessing/curse]
Tubble – Ty’iga’s Breath [puppetmaster] Tubble ‐ Blood of Kings [touch of kings] SPELL LIST (QUICK) Assess (Detect attribute) Psy+ Attract (Illusion) 1 minute, Psy Aura of Majesty (Illusion) Psy, 1 minute Chatterbox (Speak to‐‐) 1 minute, Psy Cloak of Darkness (Invisibility) 1 minute, Psy/War Test Copy Spell (Sorcery) Psy+, Immediate Curse (Evoke) 1 Minute Psy+ Deflect Magic (Evoke) Psy Contest Detect Falsehood (Psyche) 1 Minute, Psy Distraction (Illusion) 1 Minute, Psy contest @‐2 Enhance Attribute (Evoke) 1 Minute, Psy vs Att Rank Fear (Illusion) 1 minute, Psy+ Imbroglio (Psyche) 2 minute, Psy+3 Intoxicate (Poison) End+2 1 minute Kinetic Push (Evoke) 1 minute, End vs Str Contest Lift (Pickpocket) Psy vs War (Hide) [versus] Lightning Bolt (Evoke) 1 minute, Psy + End ‐1 Magic Messenger (Illusion) 1 Minute, Psy Paralyze (Evoke) Psy+2 1 minute Poison/Antidote (Conj) 2 minute, END+2 Salve (Minor Shapeshift, cure wounds) 1 minute, END+ Sanctuary (Pocket Shadow) 2 Minute Psy/End‐1 {Arms Length} Set Mark (Lynchpinesque) 1 minute, detect by War/Psy Short Term Memory Wipe (Psyche) 2 minute Psy+2 Suggestion (Psyche) 1 minute, Psy+3 Turn Into Duck (Force shapeshift) 1 Minute, PSY+2 Unravel Enchantment (Subtle) X Minute, Psy or Real Power
FLAG COLORS
PSYCHE REDUCTION ‐ Orange PSYCHE INCREASE ‐ Red
WARFARE REDUCTION – Orange WARFARE INCREASE ‐ Green
STRENGTH REDUCTION ‐ Orange STRENGTH INCREASE ‐ Blue
ENDURANCE REDUCTION ‐ Orange ENDURANCE INCREASE – Yellow
BLESSING – Blue CURSE ‐ Orange
PLAYERS’ SCHEDULE
TIME EVENT 9:30 am - 10:15 am GM's introduction and last minute analysis. 10:15 am - 10:30 am Arrival at the Cathedral of the Serpent [Chaos] 10:30 am - 10:40 am Lajos’ Welcome Speech. 10:40 am – 11:00 am The Items Collected 11:00 am - 12:30 pm Inspecting the Merchandise 12:30 pm - 1:45 pm (lunch time) 1:45 pm - 2:00 pm The Auction Begins. 2:00 pm - 2:20 pm Item One. 2:20 pm - 2:40 pm Item Two. 2:40 pm - 3:00 pm Item Three. 3:00 pm - 3:15 pm The Opener. 3:30 pm - 4:00 pm Payment and End Game. 4:00 pm - 4:30 pm Post-game wrap-up. (Optional.)
Notes:
‐ This schedule is not exact, it is only the loosest planned sequence of events. It may change drastically based on things that do or do not happen.
‐ There is an hour and fifteen minutes built into the schedule for lunch. You are encouraged to get lunch and bring it back to eat, so that play can continue; the lunch time represents time spent browsing the items brought to auction and meeting the other interested buyers.
‐ Rhanda is Lajos’ bodyguard. She is responsible for scheduling Lajos’ time, so you must negotiate with her in‐character to obtain an audience with Corwin. You may also negotiate amongst yourselves, in‐character, to swap audience times and so forth.
‐ Any of the Courts’ royalty are likely to hold private audiences during the latter half of the browsing period, at the discretion of the GMs, based on their desire to have a chance to eat lunch, and the in‐character events of the earlier portion of the session.
GAME SEQUENCE
‐ Hand out character booklets, items, spells, flags, and nametags.
‐ Explain character booklets. ‐ First page contains the game's schedule. ‐ Inside back cover contains the list of spells or powers your character has. ‐ Back cover describes the Courts and the NPCs. ‐ First page of booklet has your stats, goals, and roleplaying tips. ‐ Next is your character history. ‐ There will be one or more blank pages for notes.
‐ Explain that some characters may have mutually contradictory information, and when this happens, this is deliberate. Heck, some characters may know more about other characters than they know about themselves. This is also deliberate.
‐ Explain game schedule.
‐ Explain character death. “In the event you die, are lengthily incapacitated, or do something that takes you out of play for a long period of time, you can be given another character (to the extent we have spare characters) or other responsibilities.”
‐ Begin game.
GAME PLAY
- Spells are one time use items, except for those in Cymnea’s Grimoire, or if Rhanda’s power is activated and she can feed on someone else.
- Spells can be renewed or traded out during the lunch time.
- Spells will cost a rank of Endurance and Psyche during casting, Endurance to renew after, but a rank of Psyche to maintain except where the description notes otherwise.
- Burning Endurance ranks is bad – you get them back at 1 per minute at rank 6 or higher, 1 per 2 minutes at rank 7 or below. If you burn them all, you’re unconscious for minutes * endurance rank, plus five.
- You are a member of a Court because you owe something to the Ruler of that Court. If you pay off that debt, you can choose to become independent.
LIST OF ITEMS (DESCRIPTIONS AND ORIGINAL HOLDERS)
THE SCALE OF THE WYRM (BARDESANES) You don’t lose these unless you are injured or choose to give one up. What can they do? Depends on the mage, depends on your investment. Belly scales make for good scrying pools or made into armor, scales from your back are sharp and good to be made into weaponry, and of course, all of them can be used to enhance magic.
BRAND’S BLACKENED SOUL (BORQUIST) He hid it, you see, like any good Helgram could tell you. Hid it inside a phoenix’s egg, one that has been incubating in the Abyss. You’ve taken it away from him on one of your dives, but it’s possible that someone would pay a pretty, pretty penny (all shiny and new!) for this trinket.
MANY THINGS (BORQUIST) All minor items, including a crown of thorns, a big thick book in a tiny capsule, a forgotten word, a long‐ lost friend in a bottle, and a ship with black sails. Things that have ended up in the Pit that you found.
OBERON’S HORN (BORQUIST) Things change while they’re in the Abyss. They become more like themselves and less like everything else. Which is why you got this. You’re pretty sure the dead unicorn was Oberon. Smelled like him. Had his pretty hands.
GREYSWANDIR (CORWIN) Oh, you don’t think you could leave him behind. Well, I mean, sure, it’s anthropomorphizing a sword, but there’s reasons for this. He’s part of you, now. Part of your Pattern. Silver and myth baptized regularly in blood. Unfortunately, he’s all you have, so you don’t want to trade him away. He’s feared by the Chaosians, though. No one has taken him from you for a reason. You don’t know if just a nick from the blade will make your opponents go up in ashes, but you sure act like it will.
THE RING OF CAPTURED LIGHT (CYMNEA) This is something you were granted from the Queen in Tir when you were Oberon's wife, and have kept it since. It has the essence of many sacrifices in it, all honourable, noble knights who got themselves killed for you or a higher cause. It brings light to any darkness, and can cure blindness or madness. It could kill vampires. It can inspire. Every usage of it has it lose souls, however, and the light in it begins to dim. (Figure three usages per game.)
THE PRINTED GRIMOIRE (CYMNEA) While you have your book, you have the following spells: Aura of Majesty (Illusion) Set Mark Attract (Illusion) Detect Falsehood (Psyche) Chatterbox (Speak to‐‐) Poison/Antidote Suggestion (Psyche)
THE UNRAVELLING KNIFE (DARA) Also known as the Knife of Madness, there were some psychopathic gods woven into this blade. The problem is, while as a knife it cuts, what it actually does is unpredictable. If it "cuts" an active spell it might unravel it safely or it MIGHT EXPLODE.
THE HEART OF VORMAX (DELWIN) It cost you, yes. But you have the creature’s heart, and there are definitely things that might trade for it. You are aware that one might take it in order to resurrect the beast, but more likely, it is a thing of power and there are many who could use it for their own purposes.
SOMETHING ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE, ENTIRELY UNLIKE REBMAN SALT‐TEA (DELWIN) You don’t believe anyone actually LIKES Rebman Salt‐Tea, but this, which could pass for it, possibly, except that it’s drinkable, is an interesting substitute.
A GOOD, OLD‐FASHIONED TRUMP DECK (DELWIN) It’s funny, but you have one of Dworkin’s own. Most of the people who were interesting in it are dead now, and it only goes up to you and Sand. (No Gerard, Florimel, or Random.)
THE AMULET OF HEART’S BLOOD (LAJOS) Allows the wearer to mimic the power of another for a little while... provided they have a heart.
SPIKARD OF XIUHCOATL (MANDOR) This is a ring made of a turquoise snake, hungry for the hearts of others. It turns into a snake of fire upon command, and you believe that it somehow controls time around it, but that’s a chancy subject to test. It can also control alligators, and it lights up in the dark, but only during the first hour of twilight.
POLISHED BELLYSCALE MIRROR (MANDOR) This is a scale of the Serpent...well, here’s the interesting part. It’s a scale of A Serpent, but not necessarily The Serpent, a question that you would really like to answer. It makes a functional mirror, and can be stretched to any size.
REBMAN PALANTIR (MARTIN) Distant Gaze: A palantir can be used to scry to distant places. Unlike a Trump, the ability has no concentration time‐it works instantaneously‐and the images revealed are as if the wielder is standing there himself. Distant Gaze also confers true seeing upon the wielder with no range limitation. (You know that unfortunately, this means the wielder is subject to gaze attacks and mind‐affecting effects from the destination of the viewing as well as any effects that directly affect the soul.) Window to the Soul: By focusing on a single being instead of an area, the wielder of a palantir gains information Visions of Truth, Visions of Past and Future: As a standard action, the wielder initiates a vision that shows him both the past and the possible future of one object, person, area or event.
AMBER STATUS (MARTIN) You have the ability to grant a status as per the King—a “friend of the realm,” or you could exile someone, or a pardon, or some other such bureaucratic nonsense. In fact, we think this is so silly, we offer you this times two!
POCKET FULL OF SUNSHINE (RINALDO) This is a handkerchief that contains sunlight from above the Primal Pattern. Once released, it lasts about 15 seconds.
POCKET NINJA (RINALDO) Woot! It’s a small ninja that fits in your pocket. Take it out and throw it at someone and it becomes a life‐sized ninja that attacks.
SNAKE CHARMING FLUTE (TUBBLE) No, truly, this is for Bances. After all, it isn’t right that the Serpent jerks the man around like a puppet. Perhaps it is time for Bances to call the shots instead. A little bit of cajoling magic tuned to the reptilian brain. Maybe the Serpent has a sense of humour.
GOLDEN BRIDLE (TUBBLE) This was intended for Queen Cymnea, a beautiful, light golden bridle for her ridingdactyl, like a beam of sunlight in the air. Surely, it’s made for something with such a long...beak.
A BLOOD HOMUNCULUS (IN A JAR) (TUBBLE) You came across this unusual thing and thought it might amuse King Lajos. It’s still very sentient, and you’re not sure what kind of blood it’s in, but you’ve also not quite wanted to let it out.
HORRIBLE ASSORTMENT (TACIAN) This is a horrible assortment – the skull of the baby Deirdre didn’t have in the Abyss, an eyepatch for the Serpent that sees the places in‐between, and anything horrific you can whip up from available props left over. POWER LIST (DESCRIPTIONS) BANCES: Protection of the Tree: You hung from the Tree, and were granted some protections from the Serpent who hung there with you. In this case, your tattoos of the Serpent’s scales become infused with power, and you are thus immune to abyssal energies, as well as minor sorceries. This does take a moment to draw up. Please place the orange flag on your badge while it is active. It takes one rank of your Endurance to maintain. BANCES: Words of the Book: While you hung from the Tree, the Serpent whispered words to you of spells you could cast. You have written these words in invisible ink upon your skin each time you have studied them. It takes an hour to re‐scribe, but currently you have these six spells ready.
BELISSA: Cloak of the Wraith: The Minobees had a pact with the demons, and their trade centered around artifacts. Not all the artifacts were physical objects; your mother, when she was denied Lintra's place in the war, made another choice to further the goals of the Courts. Your ability to make yourself insubstantial does reduce your Strength (please put the Orange Flag on your nametag) but it does mean you are invulnerable to any physical attacks. BELISSA: Touch of the Spectre: This is the true secret of the wraithkind. It is not the fact that one no longer exists in the physical realm, but that one can absorb much of the spiritual. When this is activated (please contact a GM) and the touch is successful, Belissa can choose to do one of the following: 1) Drain: Absorb health from another character. 2) Steal Memories: Absorb a spell (destroying its usage for that character) or gain a truth (a character goal) from another character. 3) Cold Touch: Place a mark on another character. Belissa can only have one mark going on at a time, but she can determine where that person is in whatever form they have and if she focuses on it, she can use it as a 'delayed Drain' later on within the game.
BARDESANES: Serpent's Wisdom: You can utilize your abilities to see through time (if your ability to see through space is somewhat hampered by the loss of an eye) to a possible future or a past event. You need to focus on that person, however, and it may be noticeable and may leave you vulnerable to certain powers or even physical attacks. Of course, you’ve got the warfare advantage. You can determine a secret Goal, or a potential future of how an event would play out past this night. BARDESANES: Dragon's Wrath: You are a dragon, man. The Dragon. The Dragon of which all others are but Shadow, and you can even say that without irony. You could destroy this place and all within it in flame, or poison, or even in elemental energy from the Abyss itself. It is a potential game‐ender, so it will take a minimum of 45 minutes to set‐up in real time, and, well, we’re going to pretend there’s physics involved so if you abort, the energy has to go … somewhere. Could you aim it at just one person? Sure. But it’s big, and it’s obvious, and there are things (and people here) who could hurt you. Still, don’t forget you’re a dragon. A combination of blood and passion.
BORQUIST: The Epithet: This is the ability to create Words of Power, the true ability of a Poet. This is effectively infinite Power Words, but it still depends on your Endurance level. Remember that they all work on the spark/snuff level, and that obviously, you don’t have Pattern or Trump powers. BORQUIST: Ode to Change: This is Circe’s spell (as well as many others). It must be spoken, and it must rhyme, and there are defenses against it, but the well‐crafted ode will shift the recipient into something more, ahem, form‐fitting? Please indicate to a GM the use of this power. It is a magical power, not a power of shapeshifting, and will be resisted as per magic. However, please remember that you leak abyssal energies, and the GMs are fond of the Pratchett laws of story, so if it amuses us, it might be more possible than the “rules” allow. BORQUIST: The Stench of the Pit: You have spent many years building an immunity to iocane powder. Oh, and the energies of the Abyss. Unfortunately, the Abyss is somewhat “radioactive,” so your mere presence is Chaotic and may interfere with any and all powers (save for those who are similarly immune). Boy, wouldn’t it be nice to know if you’re a good stuff or bad stuff character?
CORWIN: Master of the White Spiral You are probably the person with the most actual mastery and knowledge of how Pattern works and how it is created besides the other person who made one… at least, you would be… in Amber. Over here on this side of the universe, who knows what others know? All you know is that you dream of this white spiral, this strange Pattern that is now in your blood, of your blood, and you’re not sure what it can do, or why it doesn’t work here. You just know the power is available to you if you can make the connection. CORWIN: Opener of the Way You are an Opener, and that seems to mean something in Chaos. Your sword opens rents in Chaosians, although some are more scared of it than others. (They bleed fire. How weird.) From what you’ve gained from listening, they expect that you can open ways between, well, the strange Shadows of Chaos, and that here where the veils between worlds are thin, you’re a serious threat. Of course, the last (and only) thing you remember opening was a big black road that split through from Amber to the doorway to Chaos itself. That took a curse that possibly had its effect on you as well.
CYMNEA: Ink’d Darkness (NPC) I am tempted to tell you that this is the power to turn into a squid, because, in a way it is. You have the ability to create blindness. It can be done subtly, or you could do it like the Necronomicon—have someone read something that drives them mad. Or draw a symbol that changes them. This is a sorcerous ability to draw wards, sigils, or signs of madness. CYMNEA: the Blotted Page (NPC) Truth is where you find it, but you can also use words to entrap and entwine. You can use this to erase things, and forget things that have been printed into history. You can use this to rewrite one event that happens. Not keep it from happening, but change it significantly.
DARA: Strike of the Snake You may not have the highest warfare in the room, but you are the fastest to get the first hit, and the first hit is poisoned. (This is more a metaphorical power.) Now, remember that "poison" is a loaded term. Chemotherapy is a form of poison. DARA: Initiate of the Web: You've not only got initiations into the Pattern but also have mastered the Logrus. Advantages? Not a lot in this particular setting. It helps though in that you're also a sorceress. Spells: Turn into Duck Copy Spell Cloak of Darkness (Invisibility) Kinetic Push Lift (Pickpocket) Short Term Memory Wipe
DELWIN: Shaman of Ink You have learned how to go past the literal image and into the power of the image, so you may have a trump or tattoo of a bear and thus can call up the strength of a bear, or perhaps its fur to keep you warm, or its hibernation to let you sleep at night. It does, however, require you to draw literally upon yourself in blood‐ink, an ink which requires sanctification to remove. DELWIN: Initiate of the Ghost City You have the ability to take Trumps apart; but the persona within each still has to go somewhere. This is one of the places ghosts come from. You can speak to ghosts, and the undead, and are largely ‐ if not completely ‐ immune to their powers.
LAJOS: Call of Blood (NPC) Everything you’ve ever drained is linked to you, by your will. It’s a linkage that you can destroy. However, it also means that you can give or take life from something you’ve tasted. (Depending on their resistances, of course, it can cure or wither.) LAJOS: Call of Night (NPC) This is your ability to cause the true death. You’ve never tried it on anything Real, and it requires complete darkness to use. (You will need five minutes game time, uninterrupted to draw up Darkness.)
MANDOR: Tears of Silver These are the actual name for your “silver balls.” Really. The spells you currently have floating around in the Tears are as follows: Short Term Memory Wipe (Psyche) Assess (Detect attribute) Sanctuary (Pocket Shadow) Copy Spell (Sorcery) Magic Messenger (Illusion) Distraction (Illusion) Imbroglio (Psyche) MANDOR: Initiate of the Tendril You have been touched by Sawall’s Sigil, the Logrus, and you can draw upon its tendrils.
MARTIN: Initiate of the Mirror’d Hall You got your Pattern Degree in Rebma, but you're also a master of mirrors. You're not supposed to be, since it's not taught to men, but Llewella secretly made sure you knew how to protect yourself from the assassination attempts. You don't even like looking in mirrors anymore, but you can still call up the last 24 hours of images in them, reflect spells through them, lock them from being used as portals, and make yourself not show up in them. MARTIN: Closer of the Way As Corwin is an Opener, so are you a Closer. You see openings and have a tendency to say, like a grandmother, "That shouldn't be open," and shut the door. Chaos is like a place of punishment for this mindset.
RHANDA: Bearer of the Shroud The Shroud as a power can be called up in three different ways. The first is as a defense; you can leave images of yourself, pale shadows that look like you and can lead pursuers behind. This requires a lot of you, though, mentally and physically. A discipline of this is called Shadow Casting, where you leave enough of a piece of your psyche behind to fool pursuers. The second is for transportation. You won't likely be using this one tonight ‐ the Cathedral has no mirrors. The third is to use the Shroud to change what you look like. Unlike shapeshifting, you wear the Shroud to take the image of someone who has been in a mirror. You have an image trapped of Lajos, of Corwin, of Cymnea, and one of Borquist. It won't hold up to psychic probing, and they're a use‐once item. "Resume True Form," however, does nothing to it. RHANDA: Blood‐Called You can work blood magics ‐ willing or unwilling blood feeds the Shroud. You've been fed on Dragon blood ‐ it has given you additional strength and stamina, but your interest in trying other types of blood for strength is piqued by this event. Blood Spells: Poison/Intoxicate Enhance Attribute Cloak of Darkness – invisibility to any one type of Attraction/Distraction sampled blood Paralyze Fear
RINALDO: Pattern’s Beloved (NPC) Since your lovely (lonely) wife took the Jewel (damn that Dworkin!) your connection to Pattern has changed – you’re supercharged with Reality. Spells hardly ever affect you – compulsions never… but even minor shapeshifting is hard, and demon binding is worse. RINALDO: Son of His Father (NPC) You have the Changeling’s Choice here – go the route of your Father, the Living Trump, or your Demon Mother.
SOPHIA: Blessings on the Horn You can temporarily 'knight' an individual, giving him or her a bonus to Psyche as well as increased speed and invulnerability to magic. You can also choose to heal someone from the clutches of death, but you can only do this once per game. (Including yourself ‐ to your best knowledge you cannot be permanently killed...but lately you've begun to doubt.) SOPHIA: Way of Order Magic nullification (existing spells are temporarily suppressed, and new ones cannot be cast, within the circle whose diameter equals the span of your arms).
TACIAN: Lord of Void (NPC) You claim the Abyss as your demesne. You are unaffected by others’ powers. TACIAN: Obliteration of the Mark (NPC) You can remove any blessing/curse on anyone simply by paying attention to it.
TUBBLE: Ty’iga’s Breath At one point, you were exposed to the Abyss, like all children of true nobility. Exposed to prepare them against the energies of entropy, to keep them strong. Some die in that exposure. Others attract...things… parasites. You have one within you, a demon called a Ty’iga. Most of the time she is quiescent, but she has taken possession and prevented you from accomplishing some of your bloodier goals. You know she wants a permanent body, and you know she loved Helena as much as you did… perhaps in order to devour the Minobee’s soul. Now you seek a way to destroy the creature within you, but while you can work with her, you can send her out temporarily to paralyze or even possess those of lesser will. TUBBLE: Blood of Kings You truly have the Blood of Kings in your veins, and this gives you the abilities of Kings. You can heal, like a true King can. You can geas one of your subjects. You can feel your lands as if they were extensions of your own body, provided the rite is done. You can recognize your blood in others, and the items that belong to the kingdom.
SPELL LIST (DESCRIPTIONS) Assess (Detect Attribute) Requires a Psyche advantage for subtlety, otherwise, it can be resisted.
Attract/Distraction/Suggestion/Fear Anyone with a lesser Psyche will be lured to (or away from) the spot or suggestion of your choice. Can be cast on items, maintenance requires Endurance rank per five minutes.
Aura of Majesty Anyone with a lesser Psyche will think you’re the veritable bee’s knees. Um. Requires Psyche and Endurance rank to maintain.
Chatterbox (Speak to‐‐) Languages spell, allows you to speak to anything, including inanimate objects, requires Psyche to power.
Cloak of Darkness (Invisibility) Lasts for one minute per Endurance rank being burned; takes a Warfare test against your Psyche to determine unless you’ve been Marked.
Copy Spell Immediately upon the casting of a spell, a sorcerer with Copy Spell can, if they have equal or greater Psyche, save the spell for later.
Curse /Bless Minor enhancements of Stuff. Since Stuff is invisible, it is up to the GM as to how this plays through for a character. No maintenance cost as it’s a one‐time action.
Deflect Magic Requires a Psyche contest with the caster. If won, can be deflected away (to no one) or at someone else, requiring yet another Psyche contest with the victim. Cannot be mirrored to original caster.
Detect Falsehood This is actually conversation‐length, and it is only detected if the Psyche rank of the victim is higher than the caster’s.
Enhance Attribute Works for one minute, lose Psyche ranks for other Attribute ranks in a 2:1 ratio.
Imbroglio Requires at least 3 ranks of Psyche over the victims for subtlety, otherwise they can tell there’s a spell effecting them. Imbroglio has the people involved all saying and responding as if everything was done in the worst possible way.
Kinetic Push Endurance rank versus Strength contest, this is the “Force Push” effect.
Lift (Pickpocket) / Hide Psyche versus Warfare contest to hide or pickpocket an item.
Lightning Bolt Requires Psyche over Endurance (‐1 rank) – does significant damage, mostly showy.
Magic Messenger One statement can be sent to anyone. It costs a rank of Psyche to make it anonymous.
Paralyze Lasts one minute, requires a Psyche rank at least two levels higher than the person you are attempting to paralyze.
Poison/Antidote/Intoxicate Usable on one item or individual. Individual makes resistance via their Endurance versus caster’s Psyche. Requires a two minute casting time.
Salve Cure wounds, based on endurance – rank per minute for full healing.
Sanctuary (Pocket Shadow) Lasts for two minutes, takes Psyche to cast, Endurance ranks to maintain at 2 per minute additional.
Set Mark Allows caster to target immediately the mark they’ve set, one mark per caster, Psyche/Warfare can detect it. Caster cannot lose person unless mark is erased.
Short Term Memory Wipe Requires at least two ranks of Psyche higher, can wipe up to the last two minutes of events as if they did not happen to the victim.
Turn Into Duck This spell turns one person into a duck for one minute, if you have a psyche rank at least two higher than the person upon whom it is being attempted.
Unravel Enchantment (Subtle) X Minute, Psy or Real Power This can unravel an enchantment upon an item or a person. Takes a Psyche of equal or greater rank, or a Real Power, takes as many minutes as psyche rank of spell caster. GM EVENTS ‐ CYMNEA
You might remind the Amberites that you were once their Queen, and still deserve a modicum of respect. After all, Oberon’s dead…you’re not. And while he may have annulled your marriage, it does not mean your power was annulled in any way.
GM EVENTS – LAJOS
Would it be better for the Courts as a whole to have an Emperor who is undead? No worries then about him or her being poisoned or assassinated.
GM EVENTS ‐ TACIAN
Pick fights with those who have secrets.
OTHER NPCS
NPCs will be played by any available GMs who are not currently in events with others. Potential NPCs who may need to be played
The Order – If necessary, any of Bances’ Priests who are also available in the Chapel, same with demonic acolytes, or the Tree itself.
Trump Contacts – If requested, any of the Amberites can have trump decks. Delwin’s is special in that it only has up to the time Sand and he left Amber and has a number of the dead/missing brothers and sisters. Depending on why they’re being contacted they will be able to offer advice or confirmation, but not be available to come through…
GM COMPLICATIONS FOR PCS ‐ CYMNEA
Listen to them. Ask questions. Pointed questions. You’re a Queen – act like it.
Lajos has a thing for Rhanda. Or is it vice versa? Make her uncomfortable.
Any killings need to be punished. Any attempts maybe even more so.
You’re here to score points off your fellow monarchs. Try to make sure they lose what they want, and gain what they don’t. GM COMPLICATIONS FOR PCS ‐ LAJOS
Listen to them. Ask questions. Pointed questions.
Rhanda is your assistant. Make her uncomfortable.
Demonstrate during the auction reasons why Corwin is unsafe to keep.
Any killings need to be punished. Any attempts maybe even more so.
Lajos can instruct people to keep Mandor away from him, as he finds the man tedious.
INITIAL TOLERANCE CHART
B a B B R B r o C C D M M R S T T e F G G L i a d r o y D e a a h S o a u l i i r a n n e q r m a l n r a a p c b i o l y j a c s u w n r w d t n n h i b s n v l o l e a i i e a i o i d d i a l s a a l s d s n s n a n r n a a n e a o e t s Bances X 0 ‐1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ‐1 ‐2 ‐1 ‐2 2 ‐1 0 1 0 1 ‐2 Bardesanes 1 X ‐1 2 ‐2 1 1 ‐1 ‐2 0 0 1 ‐2 ‐1 1 1 ‐1 0 1 1 Belissa ‐1 0 X 0 0 ‐1 ‐2 0 1 1 2 1 ‐1 0 1 0 ‐1 0 ‐1 1 Borquist 1 1 ‐1 X ‐2 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 ‐2 0 0 0 Corwin ‐1 ‐2 ‐1 ‐1 X 2 2 ‐1 2 1 1 2 ‐2 2 0 ‐1 ‐1 2 ‐2 ‐2 Cymnea 1 1 1 1 ‐2 X ‐2 2 1 ‐2 0 1 0 2 0 0 1 ‐2 ‐2 ‐1 Dara 1 ‐1 1 ‐1 1 1 X ‐1 ‐2 2 0 1 1 2 ‐1 ‐2 ‐1 0 ‐1 0 Delwin 1 1 1 ‐1 ‐2 1 ‐1 X ‐2 ‐1 0 0 ‐1 ‐1 0 1 2 1 1 0 Fiona 1 0 0 ‐1 1 0 ‐2 ‐2 X 0 ‐1 1 2 1 0 2 ‐2 0 0 0 Gilva ‐1 0 2 ‐1 1 ‐1 1 ‐1 0 X 0 ‐2 0 0 0 1 ‐1 0 1 1 Gryll 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X 0 0 0 0 0 0 ‐1 0 0 Lajos ‐1 1 1 1 1 1 1 ‐1 1 ‐2 0 X ‐1 ‐1 2 ‐1 ‐1 ‐1 1 ‐1 Mandor 1 ‐2 0 1 1 1 1 0 2 0 0 0 X ‐2 ‐1 ‐2 0 0 0 0 Martin 1 1 1 0 1 ‐1 2 ‐2 1 1 ‐1 ‐1 ‐1 X ‐1 ‐1 1 1 ‐1 ‐1 Rhanda ‐1 1 1 ‐1 ‐1 0 ‐1 0 0 1 1 2 ‐1 ‐1 X 0 0 0 0 0 Rinaldo 0 ‐1 ‐1 1 0 0 ‐2 1 2 0 0 0 ‐2 ‐2 0 X 1 1 1 1 Sand 1 1 1 ‐1 ‐2 1 ‐2 1 ‐1 1 0 1 ‐1 1 ‐1 1 X ‐1 ‐1 1 Sophia ‐1 ‐1 ‐1 ‐2 2 1 0 1 2 ‐1 ‐2 ‐1 ‐2 2 0 2 X 0 1 Tacian ‐1 2 ‐1 2 ‐2 1 ‐2 ‐1 1 2 0 1 ‐1 ‐2 0 1 ‐1 0 X 1 Tubble ‐2 1 1 1 ‐2 0 ‐1 0 ‐1 1 0 0 2 ‐2 0 0 2 0 0 X ‐ totals 0 4 3 1 ‐6 8 ‐6 ‐4 7 3 ‐2 6 1 ‐1 3 ‐3 0 ‐2 0 12
HOUSE INFLUENCE LIST
Bances, Borquist, and Cymnea have membership in House Amblerash. Bardesanes, Corwin, Martin, Rinaldo, and Sophia should be considered “independents.” Rinaldo has membership in House Sawall if he chooses his Father’s way. Dara has membership in House Sawall and dual membership in House Hendrake. Mandor has membership in House Sawall. Rhanda is an honorary member of House Sawall, although it was only extended by Suhuy and not the rest of the House. Lajos has membership in House Helgram. Tubble is a member of House Chanicut. Tacian is a member of House Jesby. Delwin should be considered a member of House Barimen, although the House does not traditionally exist anymore.
Amblerash and Ink are fairly close. Jesby and Void are close. Barimen and Ink were close. Chanicut has no official affiliation. Helgram and Ash are close. Sawall and Ash like each other. Hendrake has no affiliation except that they’ve some interest in Void.
Then since no Muse hath been so bold / Or of the later, or the old / Those elvish secrets to unfold / Which lie from others' reading / My active Muse to light shall bring / The Court of that proud Fairy King, / And tell there of the revelling: / Jove prosper my proceeding! / - from Michael Drayton’s “Nymphidia” (1627)
The Court of Ashen Night—King Lajos
The Court of Ashen Night is a collection of those drawn to that which lies in wait for all; the barrows, the decrepit mounds, and the black hills. The Shroud lies heavy over these shadows, and those who seek the silence and solitude of the hunt flit like mists across this land. Many of House Hendrake and Chanicut, warriors and diplomats, have found succor here, and their Ways are not far from the forever Night of Lajos’ quiet rule.
The Court of Ink’d Darkness—Queen Cymnea
The Court of Ink’d Darkness are the ones drawn to law and the possibilities of word and line. All are Marked and the Queen alone knows the meaning and Pattern of those under her care. Houses Jesby and Amblerash, artists and scholars both find solace in Ink’s rule, and often owe favours directly to its Queen.
The Court of Entropic Void—Tacian Abhorrent
The Court of Entropic Void takes in all, and asks nothing in return, for the Abyss does not give. Tacian Abhorrent serves the Primal Chaos, and in that, all fear. Sawall owes much to this Court, as do Helgram and once upon a time, Swayvil. They seek the return to the time before Shadow, and that of structures of the mind and will before those born of reflection and desire. GAMEBOOK DESCRIPTION As is done traditionally on the night all moons turn blue, the Courts of Chaos assemble. The Court of Ash, the Court of Ink, and the Courts of Form and Void, as populated by the Houses of the Thelbane. Rumour has been vicious, saying that there will be a gift exchange this year, and that it is none other but the wicked Opener as prize.
With Swayvill's health failing, this could change the balance of power significantly. Anyone who is *anyone* should decide to be there.
Set vaguely in a more fey Courts of Chaos, about the time and events of "Prince of Chaos." The main event is held in the Ways of Amblerash, on one end near the Cathedral of the Serpent. Characters will be pregenerated. Each character belongs to one of the four Courts of Chaos. The Ash Court, the Court of the undead, those who wear the Shroud, the Ink Court, those Artists and poisoners, the Court of Form, traditional allies of shapeshifters and duellists, and the Court of Void, pit divers and ty'iga. They may also belong to Houses ‐ the Houses are bloodline and political entities within the Courts, but while each Court has its allied Houses, multiple allegiances are quite common.
Don't worry, there's cheat sheets included.
This is a LARP event wherein every character will have an interest in the disposition of of a particular prize, and their own goals to pursue politically with the other players. Four GMs will be on hand as NPCs and to help resolve any potential conflicts, as well as stir the pot up as necessary.
Possible Characters: Court of Ash: Rhanda, Belissa Minobee, Gryll
Court of Void: Gilva Hendrake, Poet Borquist, Prince Tubble of Jesby
Court of Form: Mandor Sawall, Fiona Barimen, Rinaldo
Court of Ink: Lord Bances, Sand, Delwin
Other Interested Players: Corwin of Amber, Sophia the Horned, Bardesanes, Martin of Amber
The most important power is knowledge. The deadliest weapon is truth. STATISTICS ‐ POINTS Name Psyche Warfare Strength Endurance Total Bances 90 50 21 89 250 Bardesanes 71 101 64 14 250 Borquist 84 43 35 88 250 Corwin 45 69 36 100 250 Dara 70 73 60 47 250 Delwin 80 70 62 38 250 Mandor 79 79 64 28 250 Martin 76 74 50 50 250 Rhanda 46 80 61 63 250 Rinaldo (NPC) 89 56 34 46 225 Sophia 101 60 49 40 250 Tubble 65 52 99 34 250
CAST LIST
Lord Bances of Amblerash, High Priest of the Serpent: Court of Ink
Bardesanes, Serpent of Chaos
Borquist, Poet of the Court, Pit‐Diver, Court of Entropic Void
Prince Corwin of Amber, master of the Pattern, Opener and Captive
Queen Cymnea, once Queen of Amber, of the Court of Ink'd Darkness (NPC)
Dara, Daughter of Lintra, Initiate of the Logrus, Initiate of the Pattern, Duelist of Chaos
Prince Delwin of Amber, Skin Scryer of the Court of Ink
King Lajos the Lichbane of the Court of Ashen Night (NPC)
Duke Mandor of House Sawall, Aspirant to the Court of Form and Substance
Prince Martin of Amber, Heir‐Apparent to the thrones of Amber and Rebma, Representative of the Under‐Interests
Rhanda, Shroudling of the Court of Ash
King Rinaldo of Kashfa (NPC)
Sophia the Moon‐Touched, Symbol of Amber
Tacian Abhorrent, Ruler of the Court of Void (NPC)
Prince Tubble of House Chanicut, Lord of Chaos LORD BANCES OF AMBLERASH, HIGH PRIEST OF THE SERPENT: COURT OF INK BANCES – STATISTICS Psyche: 2nd Warfare: 11th Strength: 12th Endurance: 2nd
BANCES ‐ GOALS • Earn a favor from your patron, the Lady Cymnea. • Support a candidate for the Thelbane. • Secure the Unravelling Blade. • The Powers are antsy – find out why.
BANCES – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You are generally eloquent, but you think before you speak because while you’ve seen much in your lifetime, you are nonetheless basically good‐hearted. • Your role is crucial to maintaining good will between the Abyss, Thelbane, and the Serpent. As such, it has generally fallen to you to try to be a voice of reason and fairness. You are usually the practical, sensible one.
BANCES – STORY Before Amber, before Chaos, even before the Thelbane, there was the Serpent.
He’s a nice fellow, actually. He calls himself Bardesanes these days, some kind of little in‐joke on his part that you don’t quite get, but he’s not the same as he used to be. Losing an eye will do that to a man, they say, and to a creature that encompasses the universe in some metaphysical fashion, it’s not just something you use to see through. You don’t know the whole story. Has to do with one of the High Priests before you, a man named Dworkin, and betrayal. Betrayal on both ends, you know. Bardesanes whispered that much into your ear before he changed the subject. He regrets. Regret will change a creature, too. There’s something called the Beloved, and Dworkin held that role. Lover's quarrel or something, maybe?
Not all High Priests take the Tree seriously. When it told you to hang from it, you listened, though, and the Serpent came, like the Tree promised. Your view of the universe isn’t what the lords of Amblerash tell you it is. There’s a tree, and a couple of islands on a sea of night. It’s very quantum, very prone to interpretation, and not just like the Ways that are bound to a master or group. And recently, well, something Corwin did kind of shook things up. There are three Trees now, although only one has roots that dangle in the Abyss, thank goodness.
When Lajos told the Brethren what he was offering for auction, your blood ran chill. Wait, that’s a metaphor in this case. You knew he was playing with fire, figuratively and literally. You also know what he sold for it, and that didn’t make you comfortable either. The Unraveling Knife. The pit divers call it the Knife of Madness. It was made of the old gods, the ones they gave to the Abyss when the Thelbane was raised, that mass sacrifice over the pit of Souls, all of them given to the Serpent. Bad times, man. Along with the rings and the crown, all of them lost in the battles for succession, unless Tubble knows where they are. It takes the blood and the binding to use them right, and you know that crazy Amberite, Brand, didn’t have it. (And he took your best acolyte, Jasra, as a wife, too.) You might be the only one who could do the binding. The only one who knows the rite. Well, except the Serpent, and the Serpent’s sons, Lajos and Suhuy.
Oh dear. And maybe Mandor or that Amberite witch, Fiona. Who knows what Dworkin taught her? Better count that old reprobate, too. Too many people to keep a secret, that’s for sure.
You’re the host of the soiree tonight. The Cathedral of the Serpent is your home away from home Ways, as they say. The windows of the main chapel are set to colors across the light spectrum, both visible and invisible. The two windows next to the Tree are your escape routes, as always, one to the Chapel within Amblerash, the other to the Fields of Thelbane. You know the password to activate the gates. Let’s hope you won’t need to use them.
You know there’s going to be a few people here looking for the answer to the Throne problem. There’s no easy solution. With Swayville out of the way, Tubble is the obvious choice. Problem is, he wants a return to the martial methodologies, and he isn’t pro‐mystical solutions. He’d build up technological Shadows and start a campaign of aggression in the realms. You’re not sure how close his allegiance to Void is to Tacian or to the principles; destroy Order, return to Will.
Your Order (heh, little pun there) is oriented against that. The Living Void has its proponents, of course, but the House Amblerash, the Court of Ink, and the Order of the Serpent are all opposed on record. No one wants to go back to the days of the Old Gods. No one sane, that is.
Of course you’ve read the guest list. Sanity was not one of the factors required for an invite.
This could be a long night.
BANCES – RELATIONSHIPS Bardesanes: The Serpent, a wily, rascally old god. You could call it a friend, but you’re left with very mixed feelings about the beast.
Belissa Minobee: The Minobees traffick’d with demons, and were never subtle about their failure to be concerned with the consequences. Belissa is one out of the mold.
Borquist: Those that dive into the Abyss do not return. That is the law. The law, however, seems to be more of a guideline. Whether an extended stay in the Abyssal territories has truly addled his mind, Borquist is one of those guys you’re kind of fond of, all things considered.
Corwin of Amber: He’s a tool. Well, yeah, granted, but he’s also one of the most feared of the Princes of Order, having some of the older powers about him. If he is truly an Opener, no cage should be able to hold him… nor the Abyss. Best to stay on his good side.
Cymnea: One always makes nice to Queens. Behind all that snark is a vast well of power. You are always polite to her. You can't watch this woman without thinking of a mountain lion she‐cat ‐‐ dangerous, when provoked, and quick to pounce. She used to be very concerned about her children, too, but the only one left is Benedict of Amber, Dara's grandfather.
Dara: Of course, Dara is Cymnea’s grandchild, and yet, Dara is certainly an heir‐apparent to the Throne of Form and Function, should she wish it. She’s deadly, sweet, smart, and feisty. The kinds of things you can admire, but around which you should never drop your guard.
Delwin: It is not common knowledge that there is a Delwin‐sect. You know, and the Order does, but it is not encouraged, these personality cults seeking favor from the Amberites. He is a fellow of the Court, the Queen’s wizard, truly, and a man of many subtleties.
Fiona: The only woman of Amber who has right of refusal, they say. Powerful, dangerous, and she makes people uncomfortable. Just like her mother, Clarissa did.
Gilva Hendrake: A Chaos Warrior, she’s leader of the most feared team of Hendrakes, and yet, she used to have a soft side, maybe even kindness in her heart. What happened?
Gryll: A demon. Pah.
Lajos: They call him the Lichbane, and yet, his creatures fear and love him in equal amounts. He is disturbing.
Mandor: Why Suhuy likes the boy is unfathomable. If there was anyone you'd nominate as “worst for the Throne,” it would have to be him.
Martin: You’ve heard of the underwater realm and all the women in power there. It’s like living in Hendrake. You kind of like the chutzpah the boy has in being here at all.
Rhanda: Shroudlings don’t belong in this universe. She makes you nervous.
Rinaldo: If he’s his father’s son, you want nothing to do with him. If he’s his mother’s, he might be worthwhile.
Sand: She makes you uneasy, but only because there’s a killer somewhere in her smile.
Sophia: You don’t know her. Is she an Amberite?
Tacian: Friendly enough for an anarchist, you suppose.
Tubble: Unlucky enough to be born Crown Prince, and a prat. Why Tacian puts up with him… well, maybe there’s blackmail involved.
BANCES – POWERS Protection of the Tree: You hung from the Tree, and were granted some protections from the Serpent who hung there with you. In this case, your tattoos of the Serpent’s scales become infused with power, and you are thus immune to abyssal energies, as well as minor sorceries. This does take a moment to draw up. Please place the orange flag on your badge while it is active. It takes Endurance to maintain.
Words of the Book: While you hung from the Tree, the Serpent whispered words to you of spells you could cast. You have written these words in invisible ink upon your skin each time you have studied them. It takes an hour to re‐scribe, but currently you have these six spells ready.
The Serpent’s Tongue (detect lies) The Serpent’s Hiss (send a magic message)
Mark of the Snake (set a ‘mark’ on Sanctuary of the Serpent (protection from someone) physical and magical damage)
Aura of Majesty (draw magical and physical The Serpent’s Scorn (curse) attention to yourself in positive ways) [illusion]
BARDESANES, SERPENT OF CHAOS BARDESANES – STATISTICS Psyche: 8th Warfare: 1st Strength: 2nd Endurance: 12th
BARDESANES – GOALS • ∙ The Unraveling Knife must be destroyed before it can be used against you. • ∙ You need to decide if Rinaldo needs to be destroyed or nurtured. Is he the new Beloved? Are you ready to step down and let a new Serpent be born? • ∙ You’ll never have Corwin, but try to make sure none of the House of Void get him – they’ll use him to open the Abyss. That would be Bad. • ∙ There needs to be an heir to hold the Thelbane. Choose one, and promise him (or her) power. It worked for Swayvil.
BARDESANES – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You are the Serpent of Chaos, a Void Dragon on the inside. You’re extremely powerful, but you have rules that define what you can do in this place. The more you affect things, the harder the rules bind you. • You’re not aloof, entirely, but having worshippers changes someone. You start wanting to be what they want you to be. They’re trouble, but you get very lonely. • Yeah, you still love your sons.
BARDESANES – STORY It’s lonely being the Serpent. You miss Dworkin. You might even forgive him. Of course, you kind of want your eye back. There's a missing dimension to your sight, and while it has made its mark on the universe, the wisdom you've gained is probably something like, “Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice...” So you don't even let Bances close, and he's High Priest of the order you put together back when the whole godhood thing was fun.
I mean, you're not some kind of ironic hipster god. (Not like some you could name – that Merlin's on the cusp of it, and he's annoying.) You're not vaguely absent and sort of motherly a la Her. Sophia. The one who stole Dworkin from you. No one but the weird ones follow the rites anymore. Too many of your children (in a caretaker sort of way – Lajos and Suhuy of Sawall [*] may be your actual sons, but you keep that quiet) are turning to cults without understanding how they work. They don't get the rules.
You change what you worship. Once you were a primal force, a Void Dragon that spanned the worlds, feeding on the entropy of the universe. Not a lot of variation, maybe, but you tasted all sorts of life. You spent unknowable time defining red from blue, and the taste of the demons and Shroudlings who escaped from the Elsewheres and the Beyonds. Bound by the rules of a new universe, bound as you are by rules of state and what your worshippers say you can and cannot do.
The old gods were sacrificed, placed into the keeping of the Houses. To Helgram went the Knife. To Amblerash went the Ring of Justice, the pendant that now holds your Eye somewhere in Order. There were other rings, and of course Swayvil got the Crown and Sceptre. The old gods, distilled into items, their bodies thrown into the Abyss. Who would want to replace them? And that's what it all comes down to, doesn't it? Who gets away with breaking the rules? Mandor. Mandor, Suhuy’s pride and joy. Good thing he’s been kept in ignorance, bad thing is he knows it. Good thing no one likes him enough to talk. Bad thing is, he’s probably figured it out.
And then there’s the eye. It’s not that you don’t talk about it, but you know it’s found a new home. Rinaldo’s wife, Coral [*]. Why did Dworkin do it? Was it in order to free you of the responsibilities? Was it to free him of the responsibilities?
Is Rinaldo the new Beloved? The anchor, the connection between the Beast and the Being: the Beloved. As Dworkin was to you, as Mandor may be to Suhuy, as Rhanda wishes to be to Lajos… as Dworkin was to Her. Does Rinaldo know what’s happening to his wife? That she’s turning into a Serpent?
Or something different, with the blood of the Unicorn...of Her… there. Who knows. The Players are changing.
Corwin’s one of the last with the old Blood. Dara purged it from Merlin, and Deirdre and Eric are dead. There used to be many more Openers, those who could walk between worlds even in the days of Void. Does anyone know Cymnea is one as well? Is that why Oberon shunned her?
This gathering becomes more interesting as the players are revealed.
BARDESANES – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: He’s a priest. Of you. Member of an Order of fellows who actually care about the balance of the universe. Great guy. You taught him a few tricks.
Borquist: Borquist is awesome! Crazy, but awesome.
Corwin of Amber: An Opener. A pain in the tail.
Cymnea: An Opener. A pain in the tail, but an old one who knows that if you can’t close a door, it is better not to leave the welcome mat there.
Dara: A useful tool.
Delwin: He’s spent too much time exploring the things he shouldn’t have.
Lajos: Oh, what a boy!
Mandor: Avoid him at all costs. He’s the kind of person who looks at you as if he’s seeing you taken apart in pieces and sold to the highest bidder. You wouldn’t put any of that past him.
Martin: A Closer. If an Opener’s bad enough, a Closer who’s been marked by the Unravelling Knife is trouble squared.
Rhanda: Cute Shroudling girl. What’s there not to like?
Rinaldo: You could find a worse midwife to a new universe.
Sophia: Her. Her horned‐iness. Someone call a lion to chase her, ‘kay? You and your kind once raided their rosegardens, and ever since, it has been war. A tiresome one that neither of you can win.
Tacian: Madness takes many, many forms. Tacian’s an affable one, for sure.
Tubble: He’s subtle. You like that. He’s also being played by Mandor.
BARDESANES – ITEMS
THE SCALE OF THE WYRM You don’t lose these unless you are injured or choose to give one up. What can they do? Depends on the mage, depends on your investment. Belly scales make for good scrying pools or made into armor, scales from your back are sharp and good to be made into weaponry, and of course, all of them can be used to enhance magic.
BARDESANES – POWERS Serpent's Wisdom: You can utilize your abilities to see through time (if your ability to see through space is somewhat hampered by the loss of an eye) to a possible future or a past event. You need to focus on that person, however, and it may be noticeable and may leave you vulnerable to certain powers or even physical attacks. Of course, you’ve got the warfare advantage. You can determine a secret Goal, or a potential future of how an event would play out past this night.
Dragon's Wrath: You are a dragon, man. The Dragon. The Dragon of which all others are but Shadow, and you can even say that without irony. You could destroy this place and all within it in flame, or poison, or even in elemental energy from the Abyss itself. It is a potential game‐ ender, so it will take a minimum of 45 minutes to set‐up in real time, and, well, we’re going to pretend there’s physics involved so if you abort, the energy has to go … somewhere. Could you aim it at just one person? Sure. But it’s big, and it’s obvious, and there are things (and people here) who could hurt you. Still, don’t forget you’re a dragon. A combination of blood and passion. BORQUIST, POET OF THE COURT, PIT‐DIVER, COURT OF ENTROPIC VOID BORQUIST – STATISTICS Psyche: 4th Warfare: 12th Strength:10th Endurance: 3rd
BORQUIST ‐ GOALS • Prevent Tacian from getting either the Unravelling Knife or the Opener. Either would be bad (in an Egon sense of the word) for the worlds Borquist has grown to love. • The Serpent is here—find out what it wants, and maybe it will grant you a boon. • You have a unique item to trade. What might you get for it? Your very own Corwin to dunk into the Abyss? Does he come out dipped in caramel? • Brand wants to punish his family...does that include his son?
BORQUIST ‐ ROLEPLAYING NOTES • Borquist is evocative, eloquent, and occasionally entirely off his rocker due to the abyssal energies he’s soaked up. Sometimes he’s manic, sometimes he ebbs like a particularly morose tide. • Borquist knows secrets, but the only reason he’s good at keeping them is because no one knows what he’s talking about (until later.) • Borquist is a loyal member of the Court of Entropic Void, not because of its aims, but because of its people.
BORQUIST – STORY Once upon a time, things made sense. When the branch broke, the cradle fell and out came Chaos, hatched from a Serpent’s egg. The milk tooth never did fall off, and the new Serpent has wings.
You know what happens to Baby Unicorns. They get pushed into the rift, and their bridges come falling down, falling down, all the Patterns falling down, my fair phoenix. No, that’s not the song the Riftlords sing.
It’s lonely without the voices, but sometimes it’s safer to have the hear and now speak rather than the echoes of maybes. There’s a ghost city in Amber, their pale moon shadow of the Pit. Brand’s talked of it many times.
And he’s handled you his soul. He’s talked about revenge and regret, and reunion and reanimation, and rigor and ridiculousness.
His sister’s no matter. Silent, sullen, strange. She plots, she plans, she frets, she furies. Never give up! Never surrender! Never return from the darkness, never remember! A life of drifting in memories, can’t be good, no need to dream, not that one should.
You thought of fishing her out instead, a sister for a brother, wouldn’t that mess with their heads!
Your King is gone, no one stands in his place. All the horned horses and all the angry young men couldn’t rain, rain, go away, come again? A throne stays empty, winter is coming, can you hear it little man, can you hear the drumming?
Oh, the voices.
Once you stood under three suns and sang a verse that turned your enemies into snakes and a Saint took a pickled pepper and piped them away into the space between air and darkness. The place where the spiders come from, their twinkling eggs in the night sky.
Except where Lajos comes from, and there is mist and things missed all the time. He’s very little temper for mischief, and even less for rhyme.
Cymnea likes your words, and sometimes she puts them into books. You should get them back someday. Words written are trapped, you see. Fluttering from pages only she can Open. You know what she is. You can see her keyhole. Shhh! Don’t tell. She’ll send you to Mandor.
Mandor, who once treated you to a place inside his silver balls. Silver balls, it’s Serpent time in the pretty. A meal and a warning. Stay away, be warned! That one means you harm!
Bances is a safe storm in a harbored resentment for nights perched on the branches. Your demon friends think he’s the enemy, but you know a friend when you don’t forget one. He gave you something once, ah yes, and you forgot it. Oh well. He knows the Serpent well, and since you and the Serpent are good buddies, you should be able to rely on Bances. He might be able to help you sort out what you’re here for. You crafted the announcement. You sent out the word for Lajos.
Oh, it’s because of Tacian. A favor you owe your Keen. Your Quing. You’re loyal, royal, toil, soil, quadruple word score.
Once upon a time, things made sense.
After tonight, will they ever make sense again? There’s words you could say. Words you could remember. The Knife is here. The Opener is here. So is your Keen of the Void.
Oh, things could go very wrong, very wrong indeed.
BORQUIST ‐ RELATIONSHIPS
Bances: Dowdy young man, these priests these days. What kind of fellow spends days on the Tree and yet doesn’t pluck out his eye and kiss the girls with blueberry crumbcake on his lips? No, wait, that isn’t how the story goes. It doesn’t even rhyme! But Bances does… with, uh, Frances. And dances. Hmmm. Anyway, as much as he should belong to Void, he belongs to Ink. Maybe we should find out if they want to trade. We could use a funny hanging priest. I bet they’re great canapés. Maybe that’s not the word either. Oh dear.
Bardesanes: Silly, silly, pumpkin eater, had an Abyss that couldn’t keep her. Had hair like midnight, eyes like shale, here and there he slithered, and lost a scale.
Belissa Minobee: Oh, Belissa, Belissa, it rhymes with Melissa, and even though you’re fair, your desire is evil, your heart is black, and you’ve got whiskers on your mare. That’s a metaphor, man. It’s cool. You wouldn’t get it.
Borquist: Borquist is awesome! Crazy, but awesome. Oh wait, this is me. You. Someone important, if we can only focus on who...
Corwin of Amber: Open, shut, open, shut. Open, open… snap, snap, shut. That’s how Corwin counts women...by their legs. Ooooh. Snap.
Cymnea: Touched power once, power twice, closed her eyes, took no advice. Inky darkness, blackest night, so fierce she is to avoid the fight. Sweet on Lajos, sweet on kin, no wonder the trouble she finds herself in.
Dara: Call me out for a duel? Did I say something wrong? Was it in a sonnet, or was it in a song? Tsk, tsk, silly girl, lost your man, and lost the world.
Delwin: A skin, a skin, to put yourself in! Is his sister his greatest sin?
Fiona: Brand wants her dead, hair like red, why they dread — she’s got eyes for bed! Wink‐ wink, nudge‐nudge, say‐no‐more… because she’s the type to even the score.
Gilva Hendrake: Gilva, GILVA HENDRAKE, Duchess of a wild frontier. Wants the world to end in heartache, should just lean back and enjoy a beer.
Gryll: Gry‐ell? Grill? Who named him anyway? Llyrg. Llyrg is good. He’ll always be Llyrg to me. We’ll always have Paris. I’ll be back. Conjunction‐junction, what’s your dysfunction...
Lajos: La‐la‐la‐la‐jos! Ba‐dum‐ba‐bum. [does a little dance] King of silence, king of death, king of stealth, catches your breath.
Mandor: Hate him, you hardly hmet him! Remove the pudding!
Martin: Oh, a fine, fine man, yes, he can, be King someday if not in another way. Driven here by voices, you see, the knife stole his breath, the sword is the key.
Rhanda: Pretty little Shroudling, quiver, quiver! See how she makes the grown men shiver, shiver! Licks her lips like lightning, very very frightening… whee!
Rinaldo: The torrid love triangle, the seldom missed, the Bermuda shorts, the sudden twist. No, no, that’s like as if he used to give you wedgies in the old days.
Sand: Sand and Brand, and hand and band, and and and and and and…
Sophia: She looks familiar, vaguely familiar. Almost unreal, yet… it’s too soon to feel...yet.
Tacian: King or Queen, or mighty strange thing, the Void has stared back at him. Or her. And neither found the other wanting.
Tubble: Rhymes with trouble. Also, bubble. And rubble. Hmm. There might be something to that.
BORQUIST – ITEMS
BRAND’S BLACKENED SOUL He hid it, you see, like any good Helgram could tell you. Hid it inside a phoenix’s egg, one that has been incubating in the Abyss. You’ve taken it away from him on one of your dives, but it’s possible that someone would pay a pretty, pretty penny (all shiny and new!) for this trinket.
OBERON’S HORN Things change while they’re in the Abyss. They become more like themselves and less like everything else. Which is why you got this. You’re pretty sure the dead unicorn was Oberon. Smelled like him. Had his pretty hands.
MANY THINGS All minor items, including a crown of thorns, a big thick book in a tiny capsule, a forgotten word, a long‐lost friend in a bottle, and a ship with black sails. Things that have ended up in the Pit that you picked up.
BORQUIST – POWERS The Epithet: This is the ability to create Words of Power, the true ability of a Poet. This is effectively infinite Power Words, but it still depends on your Endurance level. Remember that they all work on the spark/snuff level, and that obviously, you don’t have Pattern or Trump powers.
Ode to Change: This is Circe’s spell (as well as many others). It must be spoken, and it must rhyme, and there are defenses against it, but the well‐crafted ode will shift the recipient into something more, ahem, form‐fitting? Please indicate to a GM the use of this power. It is a magical power, not a power of shapeshifting, and will be resisted as per magic. However, please remember that you leak abyssal energies, and the GMs are fond of the Pratchett laws of story, so if it amuses us, it might be more possible than the “rules” allow.
The Stench of the Pit: You have spent many years building an immunity to iocane powder. Oh, and the energies of the Abyss. Unfortunately, the Abyss is somewhat “radioactive,” so your mere presence is Chaotic and may interfere with any and all powers (save for those who are similarly immune). Boy, wouldn’t it be nice to know if you’re a good stuff or bad stuff character? PRINCE CORWIN OF AMBER, MASTER OF THE PATTERN, OPENER AND CAPTIVE CORWIN – STATISTICS Psyche: 12th Warfare: 7th Strength:9th Endurance: 1st
CORWIN – GOALS • You would like to go home. o You would like to know where “home” is.
• You would prefer that no one buy you, and that you get out of here without losing anything, including your pride.
• You’d like the dreams to stop.
• You’d like to make out with a girl who isn’t going to turn out to have horns and want weird Chaos babies.
CORWIN – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You’re Corwin of Amber. Lover, poet, warrior, Prince of the Universes. You don’t need to swagger— you’ve been a King and turned it down. • You’re in a rough spot. You don’t know what’s happened at home since you were imprisoned, The last time you lost your memory and left Amber for a few years, it sucked and almost ended the universe. • You’ve still got as many grudges against your family as you have love for them.
CORWIN – STORY Oh, Corwin.
There you were, telling your story (alright, with a few embellishments) to your son, Merlin, on a hill near the Abyss on the Fields of Thelbane. (They’ve actually got a pretty embroidered name and history, something about the bloodletting of the Old Gods, but you only picked that up during your most recent incarceration.) Merlin’s listening, and it’s important that he does. Someone’s got to know you did the right thing, especially him, so he doesn’t do something mega‐stupid and try to go rule Amber.
Of course, you’ve taken your read of the boy, and your gut says you’re going to have to kick him outside and make him play in the sunshine. Meet girls. This is a nerd you’re looking at, and your reflex would be to kick sand in his face if he was anyone else’s kid. He’s kind of got that something, though. That something Random had, and it bothers you.
Dara comes up, maybe to listen for a while, maybe to offer you an apology. She passes you a wineskin, and, well, that’s when things go screwy with your perceptions.
You spend a long time in darkness.
Every time you say, “Never again,” you decide. Of course, what’s the point in saying, “Never again say `Never again’?” That’s getting pretty tautologically weird, even for you.
There’s just one problem. One little problem.
You can’t use Pattern.
Oh, yours is there. The one you blazed in screaming white and rose petals? The one that haunts everything you do as soon as you close your eyes? The sights and sounds of Paris, the dance floors of gold and emerald, the Amber you remembered it should be, the tree by the river… they’re there. They just don’t synchronize with your universe anymore.
So when Dara traded you to Lajos, you tried to make your escape anyway. Knocked people over, left Chaosians blazing in the hallway, watched as the creature hiding behind the black eyes laughed at you when you nearly tumbled into the Abyss. Or lowercase ‘a’ abyss. Whichever.
Lajos is a fine fellow. Knows a lot about the workings of the universe, even if he’s more fascinated by the other side … the one that isn’t life. He reminds you a lot of Vialle, actually, the blind girl that became Queen. If Lajos is blind, it’s because of what he knows rather than what he doesn’t know.
He kind of scares you when you’re not putting on the Prince face. It’s not his taste for blood— you get blood. Blood is important. It’s not his taste for pain. Pain’s a currency, too. Not what you like to trade in (you’re more a pleasure sort of guy) but you get it. The problem is, he understands true death. Death on a level that’s beyond any coming back, beyond any rebirth, beyond anything etched in your genetic code. And he laughs and says that it doesn’t exist.
Unless he wants it to. You’re afraid he’s close to that level, and then, things will change. Because from what you remember, the things you talked to the old man Dworkin about, before there was Amber, there was Void. And Void and Chaos and Entropy all allowed for life. Spontaneous, unordered life, arranged only by the amusements and desires of Will.
And now that there is Pattern, there is Order.
And death. What have you done?
CORWIN – RELATIONSHIPS Dara. You never understood her, you know. She came to you out of nowhere at a strange time in your life, she lied to you, you became lovers, she walked the Pattern, and she vanished. She used you.
Delwin, man, you haven’t seen her or Sand in ages. Problem is, they’ve gone completely native.
“Bardesanes,” eh? You know that Snake.
Cymnea…oh, yeah, you can see a lot of her in Benedict.
Sophia…so… beautiful. And familiar. Maybe family, but probably worth a roll in the hay.
Tacian, he…she… one of the Voiders. Dara’s explained that they’re the ones behind the war. They want the Pattern destroyed.
Tubble. Can’t trust a wannabe King, now, can you?
Martin! Martin? What’s he doing here?
Mandor. Jerkface. Dating your sister Fi, last you heard. Huh. Thought she had more taste.
Borquist showed up while you were a prisoner. He’s seriously insane. You don’t know what role he plays in the universe, but if he’s in charge of anything, Chaos is even more mad than you thought.
Bances is one of the priestly types. Priests in Chaos worship the Serpent, or the Unicorn’s foe. He’s in charge of them, but they were anti‐war, so he’s probably OK.
Lajos, well…
Rhanda is nice. She invited over some hot chicks to keep you company, but they were all succubi. Is that a plus or minus against her?
CORWIN – ITEMS
GREYSWANDIR Oh, you don’t think you could leave him behind. Well, I mean, sure, it’s anthropomorphizing a sword, but there’s reasons for this. He’s part of you, now. Part of your Pattern. Silver and myth baptized regularly in blood. Unfortunately, he’s all you have, so you don’t want to trade him away. He’s feared by the Chaosians, though. No one has taken him from you for a reason. You don’t know if just a nick from the blade will make your opponents go up in ashes, but you sure act like it will.
CORWIN – POWERS Corwin – Master of the White Spiral You are probably the person with the most actual mastery and knowledge of how Pattern works and how it is created besides the other person who made one… at least, you would be… in Amber. Over here on this side of the universe, who knows what others know? All you know is that you dream of this white spiral, this strange Pattern that is now in your blood, of your blood, and you’re not sure what it can do, or why it doesn’t work here. You just know the power is available to you if you can make the connection.
Corwin ‐ Opener of the Way You are an Opener, and that seems to mean something in Chaos. Your sword opens rents in Chaosians, although some are more scared of it than others. (They bleed fire. How weird.) From what you’ve gained from listening, they expect that you can open ways between, well, the strange Shadows of Chaos, and that here where the veils between worlds are thin, you’re a serious threat. Of course, the last (and only) thing you remember opening was a big black road that split through from Amber to the doorway to Chaos itself. That took a curse that possibly had its effect on you as well.
QUEEN CYMNEA, ONCE QUEEN OF AMBER, OF THE COURT OF INK’D DARKNESS CYMNEA – STATISTICS You are an NPC. You should not be getting into conflicts with the PCs, however, should they attempt to utilize a spell against you, your ranks are as follows:
Psyche: 4.5 Warfare: 9.5 Strength: 12.5 Endurance: 9.5
CYMNEA ‐ GOALS • Get Corwin in your debt. • Get the Unravelling Knife out of Dara’s hands. • Convert someone to join the Court of Ink.
CYMNEA – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You are sharp of wit, sharp of tongue, and not particularly tolerant of the shortcomings of others. • You are almost always calm, collected, and self‐possessed. You possess both self‐ confidence and boldness. • You are unabashedly ambitious for yourself, your Court, and your children. You do not lose ‐‐ you merely suffer temporary set‐backs.
CYMNEA – STORY Before Oberon, there was your father, Yad, Librarian of the Word. You grew up confident, competent, well‐schooled in the arts of rulership, in politics, in strategy, and in magic. You learned the value of knowledge, and the art of cultivating languages and information that would someday be useful to you.
Then Dworkin inscribed the Sigil known as the Pattern, and everything changed. Symbols were no longer changeable without changing their meanings. You stole from your father's castle to see this Pattern, and you found your way barred by a stranger.
He was not a fair man, but he had Form and Function. He was not a man of words of beauty, but he was curious and strong. You had met his like, and yet, something about him was different. He was not one of the struggling lords of the Living Void, finding the new rules too much, choosing instead to dissolve in the Abyss.
His name was Oberon.
He was there night after night, preventing you from learning the secrets of the symbol behind the Pattern. Night after night you were distracted farther and farther back, until you realized the island was growing, that it was spinning its own Reality about it. Forests, seas, mountains, a castle of spires and gold.
And Oberon, too, spun his own reality about him. What was annoying became attractive. You went to him with an offer. A thought, bringing your stamp on his new world. A new world of knowledge, a place where words and language would be true and meaningful.
He accepted, with one caveat. You would write a book, a collection of stories, ones told by his father.
Dworkin, once Beloved of the Serpent.
Thus, you became his Queen.
Did he ever love you, or you him, even all those years ago? You are not certain. What is certain is that he needed you.
You bore him three sons, Finndo, Osric, and Benedict. The first two Oberon chose for himself. The third you Marked for yourself. Fairy gifts they were called, and feared. You wanted him to be great.
Feared. Why would gifts of magic be feared?
What kind of people were these that Oberon brought to the world that they did not have other forms, that they did not know words to be magic? What kind of people would tame the elements without asking permission of the spirits that lived within? What kind of people would build ships of dead wood to sail on dead seas?
You began to disagree over matters major and mundane. His eye wandered. You knew of his little affairs, but did not interfere; it would have served no purpose, nor did he care of your occasional indiscretions. Not until Takkin Karm made a fool of himself for love of you.
We know how that turned out, with two of your sons dead, and Oberon abandoning you for Takkin's daughter Faiella. "All's fair in love and war," he said, looking at you. He winked.
Dworkin's hand on your arm kept you from plunging the sun into the sea and bathing the new world into darkness. The last words on the Book of the Unicorn, "And so they returned to the lands beyond, wiser than before," were for you.
Your father dissolved in the Pit, so you raised a new Court of knowledge. Ink'd Darkness. Your sun, your Oberon, no longer shines. Matters at court occupy your attention. You have sharpened your sorcerous talents, though rarely is such raw exercise of power required. You outwit and outmanuever your opponents, and enjoy each little game of intrigue as it comes to you. You have your own agendas, and you pursue them as suits you.
You are the Queen. You perform that role with great skill.
CYMNEA ‐ RELATIONSHIPS Bances: He's a gentleman, and that's always refreshing. He's always polite, however, and that makes him… difficult to read. It's always the quiet ones, isn't it?
Bardesanes: It might not be accurate to say that you *like* Bardesanes, but you know what he *is*, and it's a personal policy not to cross entities in that power bracket. You're smarter, though.
Borquist: “Poet” and “Pest” have a goodly number of letters that are the same. The truth is, he’s hard to trust not because he’s hard to understand but because you don’t have the same motivations. He’s Linear A, and you’re used to working with Cretan heiroglyphs.
Corwin: Pah. One of the children of that irritating Faiella woman. You've never understood all the posturing over Eric vs Corwin ‐ they were more or less carbon copies, weren't they? To see him actually up for sale is amusing, at most; but Random likes him. To see him off to someone who likes him even less than you do would suit your purposes nicely; to have Little King Random owe you a favor has its own uses, however.
Dara: Spoiled brat? Breeding project gone awry? Pawn with delusions of grandeur? Oh, why choose ‐ when all three shoes fit, grow her another foot. She took advantage of Benedict and has damaged your family name.
Delwin: Lovely Delwin, always entertaining. He's more than just a pretty face, too. It's a shame his sister is so irritating, but you never seem to mind Delwin coming around. He has learned not just how to put ink onto skin, but how to make it sing and dance for you, or rather, tell you the future.
Lajos: A rival King, more powerful than he pretends. You have looked into his eyes and seen that which slithers behind them. He’s...a lot like Oberon, your ex‐husband, really. Something about him.
Mandor: Truth to tell, you have no strong feelings about Mandor one way or the other, which you think drives him crazy. Perhaps that's one reason you've resisted developing any.
Martin: He shows proper respect, and he cares for his family. In many ways, he's the great‐ grandchild Dara will never understand the concept of. Oh, he's not actually your descendent, to be sure, but you care about him nevertheless, even more than you intended.
Rhanda: A Shroudling with far too much power in Lajos’ court. Not that you would dream of telling him how to run his kingdom, but why have something so close to your neck that salivates at the chance to bite it?
Rinaldo: Another pretty one, although a bit more aware of it than Delwin. He's hard not to like; he's impossible to trust.
Sophia: Bardesanes’ nemesis. Or his friend. You know what SHE is, too, and that policy about not crossing powerful entities? Oh, in her case, you might just make an exception.
Tacian: It. How does one rule a bunch of anarchists? Perhaps by being crazier than the rest, but if that’s Tacian’s place, he’s crazy like a fox.
Tubble: Ah, Tubble reminds you much of your son Finndo. So predictable, so angry. Is he the best to capture the Throne? His only rival, Prince Tmer, stabbed in public. His alternative, Merlin, son of Corwin and Dara. Really, something must be done.
CYMNEA – ITEMS
THE RING OF CAPTURED LIGHT This is something you were granted from the Queen in Tir when you were Oberon's wife, and have kept it since. It has the essence of many sacrifices in it, all honourable, noble knights who got themselves killed for you or a higher cause. It brings light to any darkness, and can cure blindness or madness. It could kill vampires. It can inspire. Every usage of it has it lose souls, however, and the light in it begins to dim. (Figure three usages per game.)
THE PRINTED GRIMOIRE While you have your book, you have the following spells:
Aura of Majesty (Illusion) Attract (Illusion) Chatterbox (Speak to‐‐) Suggestion (Psyche) Set Mark Detect Falsehood (Psyche) Poison/Antidote
CYMNEA – POWERS CYMNEA ‐ INK’D DARKNESS I am tempted to tell you that this is the power to turn into a squid, because, in a way it is. You have the ability to create blindness. It can be done subtly, or you could do it like the Necronomicon—have someone read something that drives them mad. Or draw a symbol that changes them. This is a sorcerous ability to draw wards, sigils, or signs of madness.
CYMNEA ‐ THE BLOTTED PAGE Truth is where you find it, but you can also use words to entrap and entwine. You can use this to erase things, and forget things that have been printed into history. You can use this to rewrite one event that happens. Not keep it from happening, but change it significantly.
DARA, DAUGHTER OF LINTRA, INITIATE OF THE LOGRUS, INITIATE OF THE PATTERN, DUELIST OF CHAOS DARA – STATISTICS Psyche: 9th Warfare: 5th Strength: 6th Endurance: 6th
DARA ‐ GOALS • Come out on the winning side. • Know everything. To act with intelligence, you must know the situation fully. • Make Corwin need you. • Trade away the Unravelling Blade. • Get support for your choice of Emperor. • Kill the Unicorn.
DARA – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You are coolly regal, bearing yourself with dignity. You are strong‐willed, have a mind of your own, and are every inch the Queen Amber should have had. • You are deeply conflicted between your relationship with Corwin and your love and loyalty for the rest of your family. • You enjoy gamemanship. You enjoy throwing little wrenches into other people's gambits to see how they react. You especially enjoy discomfitting Corwin and your family.
DARA – STORY
Do not work spells of love. So you'd been warned, which meant, of course, "work spells of love, only don't tell us," because that's what you think when you're being told the rules, because you're young and that's when you learn the rules, long before you have the experience to obey them.
But then, you learned so many interesting things. They say a dilettante is someone who claims an interest in the arts but does not have real commitment or knowledge. You know the true dilettante is the one who learns everything, and doesn't focus on being the best at any one thing.
Because you can be the best at everything.
You see, Cymnea didn't realize when she gave Benedict his fairy gifts that they would go through his bloodline.
All that success, into you...and now your son.
Except for the doom.
Whether it was the inevitable outcome of such gifts, or a flaw in Cymnea's design you were never able to determine. But you can see your doom, you wear it like a skin around you, like your death is but a touch away.
Since the knife, it's only gotten worse.
Oberon believed in you. He trusted the blood of Chaos for its strength. He said that, you know. He practically gift‐wrapped Corwin for you and said, "Here's some lovely manflesh. Enjoy!" See, that would MEAN things in Hendrake.
Om nom nom.
The Unravelling Knife. An un‐maker. A knife made of old gods woven into steel. They said the knife would cause madness. You did not believe them. What is madness to one who has shared the Logrus?
Madness is when you lose control, and you are no longer yourself.
Perhaps, that is also doom.
You want to get rid of the knife. You had hoped to destroy the doom on yourself, unravel it. But now it's done something to you. Hopefully it hasn't really injured your mind.
In the meantime, you've found out that Mandor has been helping Tubble gain the throne. You thought he'd been helping you with Merlin, but now he's betrayed you. The whole assassination of Tmer came too close to fingering you as the culprit.
Good thing you got Corwin out of there when you did. Originally you didn't intend to kidnap him... you wanted to make him see reason. Who chooses a king because some beast points its horn at him? He should have been King.
And that beast should have been killed, like anything else that comes out of the Abyss still breathing.
DARA – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: Useful, but his heart's in the right place. That means he's only useful as long as he thinks he can trust you, and as long as he doesn’t move his heart.
Bardesanes: Has far, far too much power. Shouldn't he share?
Borquist: Borquist is unreliable. His sanity ebbs and flows like the tide; the Truth should not be mutable.
Corwin: Oh, rarely have you found a tool more manipulable than Corwin! He believed your lies, and then your apologies, and your betrayals shook him to the core... but he has a soft spot for you still. If he's really up to buy? You want him back. It would be a shame to let something so fun fall into anyone else's hands... And if you tell him you saved him, he'll believe you. Again.
Cymnea: Your many‐times‐great Grandmother. You don't have a lot to do with each other, really, but she's a powerful player of politics. Maybe you should be better about keeping in touch?
Delwin: He talks up his independence, but you think he’s still essentially an Amber‐Loyalist.
Lajos: Why did he want Corwin?
Mandor: Mandor is a rival, but usually it's a friendly rivalry. Of course, you snickered along with everyone else when he first revealed his Big Silver Balls.
Martin: Martin...you like Martin. Knows how to treat a lady, but somehow, he doesn't strike you as a simple tool. It's a little disconcerting, actually.
Rhanda: A sycophant, and a Shroudling Wait, wasn’t she the one that Merlin was interested in? Maybe there is more to her...of course, it wouldn’t be the first time your son’s made a mistake. Especially about a woman.
Rinaldo: A liar and a schemer, who has too often tangled up your lies and schemes. You know how he thinks, because you think that way, too ‐ you wouldn't trust him with a ten foot scorpion.
Sophia: Anything that comes out of the Abyss still breathing should be killed. You stand by the statement.
Tacian: Anything that comes out of the Abyss still breathing should be killed. You stand by the statement. Still. Alas, Tacian has proven tougher to kill than you expected.
Tubble: You don’t want a mediocre king. Or one who doesn’t happen to be your son, really.
DARA ‐ ITEMS
THE UNRAVELLING KNIFE Also known as the Knife of Madness, there were some psychopathic gods woven into this blade. The problem is, while as a knife it cuts, what it actually does is unpredictable. If it "cuts" an active spell it might unravel it safely or it MIGHT EXPLODE.
DARA ‐ POWERS Dara – Strike of the Snake You may not have the highest warfare in the room, but you are the fastest to get the first hit, and the first hit is poisoned. (This is more a metaphorical power.) Now, remember that "poison" is a loaded term. Chemotherapy is a form of poison.
Dara—Initiate of the Web: You've not only got initiations into the Pattern but also have mastered the Logrus. Advantages? Not a lot in this particular setting. It helps though in that you're also a sorceress.
Spells: Turn into Duck Copy Spell Cloak of Darkness (Invisibility) Kinetic Push Lift (Pickpocket) Short Term Memory Wipe PRINCE DELWIN OF AMBER, SKIN SCRYER OF THE COURT OF INK DELWIN – STATISTICS Psyche: 5th Warfare: 6th Strength: 4th Endurance: 9th
DELWIN – GOALS • Convince Martin to give you amnesty. Rebma or Amber—you really don’t care which. • Steal Cymnea’s grimoire to give to Rinaldo, like you promised his father • Convince Borquist to fish Deirdre out of the Abyss. • Get the Unravelling Knife, preferably to use on Mandor.
DELWIN – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You remember what your father said about fratricide. This is why it’s so important to get amnesty before you explain what happened.
• You get a little obsessive about things. This is what allows you to make Trumps so quickly, but it can also require all of your attention.
• You recently had to kill your twin sister; you might be a little off‐kilter.
DELWIN – STORY Before Chaos, there was your father Oberon. He was strong. He was mighty. And if the Houses of Chaos went to war against each other, what did it matter? He was still Oberon, son of the Unicorn.
Then Brand came. He wanted… well, who knows what he really wanted. He permitted Chaos’ army to pass through the lands of Amber. He summoned you. He asked you to do something about the Unicorn ‐‐ permanently.
You had joined the Court of Ink early upon your and your sister’s arrival in Chaos. Cymnea, at least, understood why it is you may not have wanted to be around your father. It was she who took your Trump theories and encouraged you to make them writ in flesh.
A lot of Chaosian ritual revolves around the Abyss. It is both taboo, and necessary. You thought you handled the Abyss rather well, from your time walking the Pattern in the Tir. Much like Tir’Na, there are things that walk through the Abyss. Powerful things. And ghosts.
You and your sister thought perhaps raising a ghost out of the Abyss would help bypass Amber’s protector. Turns out, there are nasty things in the Abyss. One of whom you met ‐ Named Vormax, Stealer of Forms. Possibly some kind of Ty’iga gone horribly wrong. You thought you had it under control...until it disappeared.
First, Vormax took over Borel, who promptly got himself killed, by Corwin, if you recall correctly. You almost had him trapped then, but Brand got in the way ‐ wanted things done *his* way. You laid low throughout the whole drama at the Pit, and then you realized where Vormax had gone.
The only advantage is that Sand didn’t know it was coming, and at least you avenged her at the same moment she died.
You have Vormax’s heart now. It’s contained.
You’re almost *positive* it’s Sand it was in, and not you.
DELWIN – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: Bances is a decent guy. Good head on his shoulders, and generally helpful. You’re not close, but he seems OK to you.
Bardesanes: As deific figures go, the Serpent isn’t so bad. Again, not close, but he’s never, like, done anything to you.
Borquist: You liked him until you realize he goes surfing with creatures like Vormax every day. How do you know he isn’t one of them?
Corwin: You know those people that you hate with the burning intensity of a thousand suns? Corwin might not be one of them, but he sure does rub you the wrong way. Smug jerk. You don’t buy the whole `oh he’s so much nicer now’ bit at all.
Cymnea: Cymnea’s alright, for a Queen. Gets a little more terse when Sand is around, but you think it’s probably, you know, a girl thing. Not that you’d call either of them “girl” where they could hear you. ...Which might include in your head. Cripes.
Dara: She’s like...a villain. From the stories. One of the ones who gloats too much. You have a hard time taking her seriously enough to consider her a threat, but she’s certainly not one of the good guys.
Lajos: The Courts of Chaos are all odd places. Lajos likes his dark and lonely. Dead. For all that, he’s a lively fellow, with a sense of humour, if a bloodthirsty one.
Mandor: Mandor is one of those smug little rich kids who always had everything and doesn’t know that anybody else didn’t. He thinks he’s one of the hottest sorcerers going, and of COURSE he’s good, but you’d like to know what he’d be if he hadn’t had all the best teachers growing up.
Martin: On a personal level, he’s not too bad. But he needs some backbone, learn to stand up for himself. Until then, he’s too risky to get close to.
Rhanda: Adores Lajos—it’s obvious in everything she does. On the other hand, he doesn’t deserve her. If Sand and you hadn’t been, well, the way you were, you might have made a move on her.
Rinaldo: What can you say? He’s Rinaldo. When he isn’t Luke. Or Lord Reynard. Or one of his other aliases. He’s fun to hang out with, but does anybody really know him?
Sophia: When you were a kid, the Unicorn was something like a goddess. Not exactly, but something like. It’s a hard feeling to shake.
Tacian: The Lord of Vormax and things like him. Entropy and Void. Who claims the Abyss as personal demesne. He’s scary.
Tubble: Emperors come and go. Oh, true enough, they don’t do it with the same frequency here that they do in Shadow, but the principal is the same. It’s not what you’re here for.
DELWIN – ITEMS
THE HEART OF VORMAX It cost you, yes. But you have the creature’s heart, and there are definitely things that might trade for it. You are aware that one might take it in order to resurrect the beast, but more likely, it is a thing of power and there are many who could use it for their own purposes.
SOMETHING ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE, ENTIRELY UNLIKE REBMAN SALT‐TEA You don’t believe anyone actually LIKES Rebman Salt‐Tea, but this, which could pass for it, possibly, except that it’s drinkable, is an interesting substitute.
A GOOD, OLD‐FASHIONED TRUMP DECK It’s funny, but you have one of Dworkin’s own. Most of the people who were interesting in it are dead now, and it only goes up to you and Sand. (No Gerard, Florimel, or Random.)
DELWIN – POWERS Delwin – Shaman of Ink You have learned how to go past the literal image and into the power of the image, so you may have a trump or tattoo of a bear and thus can call up the strength of a bear, or perhaps its fur to keep you warm, or its hibernation to let you sleep at night. It does, however, require you to draw literally upon yourself in blood‐ink, an ink which requires sanctification to remove.
Delwin ‐ Initiate of the Ghost City You have the ability to take Trumps apart; but the persona within each still has to go somewhere. This is one of the places ghosts come from. You can speak to ghosts, and the undead, and are largely ‐ if not completely ‐ immune to their powers.
KING LAJOS THE LICHBANE OF THE COURT OF ASHEN NIGHT LAJOS ‐ STATISTICS: You are an NPC. You should not be getting into conflicts with the PCs, however, should they attempt to utilize a spell against you, your ranks are as follows:
Psyche: 5.5 Warfare: 10.5 Strength: 9.5 Endurance: 8.5
LAJOS ‐ GOALS · Sell Corwin for what offer amuses you the most. · Prevent the Unravelling Knife from falling into the hands of a ruler of another Court. · Convert a member of another Court into your own (includes turning them into the Undead.) · Entertain the thought of overthrowing your Dad. You’ll need the assistance of at least one other ruler.
LAJOS ‐ ROLEPLAYING NOTES • Your help has a price, but your general veneer of friendliness rarely turns into direct threats. Why would it need to? • You are the master of a greater power. You do not forget this, and though you do not expect to call upon it for trivial affairs, you do not hesitate to use it if required. • You try to avoid risking your own skin in physical confrontations, whenever possible; that’s why you have minions. You and your family have hidden secrets. • For all that he’s a deposed god, your Dad still loves you.
LAJOS – STORY Your father was the World Serpent, a Dragon of the Living Void, a creature that crawled out of a hole called the Abyss and then took control over a large territory of worlds of will and dream.
Needless to say, he had big ideas for his sons.
Then his Beloved, a man named Dworkin Barimen[*], stole his left Eye, and used it in a rite that changed everything. From Entropy and Void came Form and Function, and the many Shadows, the worlds multiplied. No longer did the World Serpent threaten the same way, able to swallow the dreams and wills of others. He was reduced, diminished.
Your older brother, Suhuy of Sawall [*] is the creator of a living talisman, an inner madness (called “the Logrus”) that links what is left of his Serpent nature and utilizes that ability to walk through the worlds like the children of Dworkin do. He is, in some ways, reduced, diminished.
You are the King of Ashen Night. Your worlds lie in Eternal Darkness. Their denizens fear you and love you in equal measure. You are a scholar of death, and the foremost in knowing the difference between it and life, and the very large grey area between that is your playground.
You know the price for life, and the price for death, and the bloody coin used to pay both.
You held the Unravelling Knife, given to you in exchange for a secret about a place where four worlds collide by a man named Brand[*], from a place called Amber. An island in the seas of night, given fire, lightning, blood, and song, and thus, life. You remember how it screamed in the night, as Dworkin gave it his own blood, and was thus, in some ways reduced, diminished. But not you. Not until you choose your Beloved, and your great work. You are close, you know this. You have almost found the line, the fine line between living and dying, and once you have, you will master it. No longer living in half‐worlds, you can give your Shroudling and demonic friends the way back home. You can live and die and live again as amuses you. For, you see, your father, your brother, and Dworkin, they made their great mistakes in sacrifice.
You plan on having all sacrifices belong to you.
It’s a work in progress. In the meantime, the Opener has been fairly useless. He’s leered at the women and failed to escape the men. (And beasts. And things without name that lurk in your shadows.) He no longer amuses you. Oh, contrary to the “big and scary” aura you project, you are amused easily. That’s why you suggested to Tacian to let Bances craft the invitation. You knew the invites would all end up in the right ears, that of the interesting people.
It means your father will appear. You made sure that the other one, the Unicorn, would also show up. And the one who bears the Knife now, who gave you Corwin. You don’t want the Knife back—let it work its madness on some other fool.
The Knife, after all, is dangerous. It could undo what you have wrought, wielded by one with the right combination of traits. It could even hurt you.
Rhanda is here, as she always is. She’s the most loyal of your Shroudling guards. She is fed on a diet of Dragon blood, after all. She seems fairly immune to Corwin’s gaze. She says Corwin’s smarter than you think he is, but what of it? What can Corwin do to stop you now?
On second thought, perhaps you should save some True Death for him.
Cymnea’s here, of course. You didn’t think for a moment she’d fail to make it. And Tacian, of course. Tacian’s interested in everything. You didn’t expect the little expedition from Amber. Martin, really. Prince of two Kingdoms, maybe it’s a slap in your face that they sent him. [Note to self… kill Random.]
This should be a good party. Rhanda doesn’t think so, but she’s a bit of a spoilsport. She likes things organized, and she’s done you a great bit of good. You’ve kind of put her in charge.
Oh, and Rinaldo. Maybe he should have the Knife, since it was his father who gave it to you.
You’re rubbing your hands together in glee. So much fun, so much pain to visit on them all…
LAJOS – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: A Priest of Your Father’s… he’s also acting as Regent, and thus, could be convinced to possibly take your opinion towards who might make an excellent Emperor. If you had one.
Bardesanes: Your Father/Mother, progenitor. Dad’s gender slips sometimes depending on the mood he’s in for the century.
Borquist: He’s amusing. You like him.
Corwin of Amber: A nice houseguest, a bit of a lech.
Cymnea: On the cusp of greater power, she could teach you a lot about being a ruler.
Dara: Ambitious. She keeps putting her son above her in the quest for the Throne, but wouldn’t it be amusing to suggest her instead?
Delwin: A traitor to Amber, why expect him to be anything else to Chaos?
Mandor: Dangerous. Removed himself from the succession. Don’t trust those who claim they don’t want power.
Martin: Out of his league, out of his depth. Pretty boy.
Rhanda: You’ve fed her once or twice just to see what she made of it. You like her—she’s smarter than the average succubus, and not out to vamp you.
Rinaldo: You can see what your Father thinks of him…
Sophia: Her. Your father’s rival, not what she pretends. A warrior. A killer.
Tacian: Not the anarchist everyone suspects.
Tubble: To be King, would he destroy everything? Would you respect him more if he was or wasn’t willing to do so?
LAJOS ‐ ITEMS:
THE AMULET OF HEART’S BLOOD Allows the wearer to mimic the power of another for a little while... provided they have a heart.
LAJOS ‐ POWERS: Lajos: Call of Blood Everything you’ve ever drained is linked to you, by your will. It’s a linkage that you can destroy. However, it also means that you can give or take life from something you’ve tasted. (Depending on their resistances, of course, it can cure or wither.)
Lajos: Call of Night This is your ability to cause the true death. You’ve never tried it on anything Real, and it requires complete darkness to use. (You will need five minutes game time, uninterrupted to draw up Darkness.)
DUKE MANDOR OF HOUSE SAWALL, ASPIRANT TO THE COURT OF FORM AND SUBSTANCE MANDOR ‐ STATISTICS Psyche: 6th Warfare: 3rd Strength: 3rd Endurance: 11th
MANDOR ‐ GOALS
• Get support for your candidate for the Throne.
• Gain knowledge. Specifically, knowledge of the true nature of the items and individuals here within the auction.
• Find a sacrifice to sanctify the Spikard you have.
• Get an audience with the Serpent. Get the means to kill it if you can.
MANDOR – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You’re getting over a bad break‐up. • You removed yourself from the procession of inept fumblers attempting to take the Thelbane. That doesn’t mean you don’t want it.
MANDOR – STORY You are not sure if it's hard for people to keep secrets or just easy for you to find them. It's a game, you know, all a game. And a secret that's told to anyone else is no longer a secret, just a piece of gossip to pick up and pass along when it's found. It's a whole system of currency, feeding into an illuminati of power through information.
You would admire Cymnea if she had taken the opportunity to improve her demesne to the whole of the written word, and not just what qualifies as "ink." Such descriptive titles, all feeding into the power of names. Really, they should have known better.
Of course, so should have Fiona. You've been dumped before, though, and by better.
Um, even you wouldn't tell that to her face.
Wow, the things you could tell about the people in this room...
[the rest of this was written in longhand – we would be glad to have a transcription from the player!]
MANDOR ‐ RELATIONSHIPS Bances: Bances is a true gentleman. He plays the games, and he plays them well, but he also plays them *fairly*, and you respect that.
Bardesanes: Some people have power because they worked for it. Some people have it because other people worked for it. Bardesanes? Just kind of IS power. There’s something very wrong about that kind of power walking around with a personality behind it; it should be taken apart and used for people who know what it really means.
Borquist: You’re not sure you’d call him a `friend’, but he’s someone you can work with.
Corwin: You remember him from the War, and Fi was fonder of him than she often realized, in your opinion. He might’ve made a good King, actually, but there’s no real story between you two.
Cymnea: You two are top players in several of the same fields ‐ it breeds a mutual respect that at least matches the rivalry.
Dara: For what she is, Dara did a good job. She almost took it. You can’t completely shake the impression that she’s a construct whose purpose has passed, though. Maybe she’ll find a new one.
Delwin: Delwin who? Oh, yes, one of the Amberites who came to the Empire early. Well.
Lajos: A pretender to power, who should have grown up past the goth stage.
Martin: You remember what you’d thought at the time was a purely theoretical discussion with Fi about the power of blood and the underlying blood in Power. You’d never heard of Martin at the time, so you can’t really claim credit for the idea of stabbing him, but having met him since, you still think it was a good one.
Rhanda: You once led a Guisel to a whole family of Shroudlings. Like a laser through butter, but alas, they eventually subdued it. Shame. You like Guisels better.
Rinaldo: Why do people *like* this man? He’s a snake‐oil salesman. He has at best a smattering of real power, whether politically, mystically, or any other‐ally. The rest is all bluff. And the worst of it is, everybody KNOWS.
Sophia: You’re not really sure who she is. And that in itself is unusual.
Tacian: He’s a pitdiver who has lost track of his own reality. Or hers. You know, you were never quite sure.
Tubble: You’ve given him some awfully good advice as to how to take the throne. If Merlin really used the spikard he had, he could take Tubble...you think.
MANDOR ‐ ITEMS
SPIKARD OF XIUHCOATL This is a ring made of a turquoise snake, hungry for the hearts of others. It turns into a snake of fire upon command, and you believe that it somehow controls time around it, but that’s a chancy subject to test. It can also control alligators, and it lights up in the dark, but only during the first hour of twilight.
POLISHED BELLYSCALE MIRROR This is a scale of the Serpent...well, here’s the interesting part. It’s a scale of A Serpent, but not necessarily The Serpent, a question that you would really like to answer. It makes a functional mirror, and can be stretched to any size.
MANDOR ‐ POWERS Mandor – Tears of Silver These are the actual name for your “silver balls.” Really. The spells you currently have floating around in the Tears are as follows:
Short Term Memory Wipe (Psyche) Assess (Detect attribute) Sanctuary (Pocket Shadow) Copy Spell (Sorcery) Magic Messenger (Illusion) Distraction (Illusion) Imbroglio (Psyche)
Mandor ‐ Initiate of the Tendril You have been touched by Sawall’s Sigil, the Logrus, and you can draw upon its tendrils. PRINCE MARTIN OF AMBER, HEIR‐APPARENT TO THE THRONES OF AMBER AND REBMA, REPRESENTATIVE OF THE UNDER‐INTERESTS
MARTIN – STATISTICS Psyche: 7th Warfare: 4th Strength: 7th Endurance: 5th
MARTIN ‐ GOALS • You want the Unravelling Knife. You still ache where it touched you. Perhaps it can be used against others? • Rescue Corwin. Yeah, yeah, but Dad wants him back home. Really, last time Corwin left Amber for too long Bad Things Happened. • On that matter, it’d be a good idea to scope out Amber’s influence on this side of the Great Divide. • Check on Rinaldo, make sure he isn’t playing his father’s game.
MARTIN – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You hurt. It’s like a constant burning pain all up and down the diodes of...sorry. Your left side. • You are, for lack of anyone better, heir to the Throne of Amber. You won’t let anyone push you around. You can’t. Showing weakness could destroy you. • The thought of the assembled nobility here makes you way far out of your depth, at least mystically speaking. On the other hand, you dealt with the intrigues of Rebma, a court of backstabbing women. This is nothing. You’re used to having the least power in the room.
MARTIN ‐ STORY Hate. It burns in your soul. It sustains you each day.
Vengeance. You dream of it. You lust for it. But it is a cold lust. You bide your time against the day when it shall be yours.
The problem is, the person for who you hold these feelings is dead. More than dead, he’s gone into the Abyss, and you can’t let go.
Maybe it’s the ache in your side. Oh, everything is healed, they say. The healers in Rebma, with their warm webbed hands, smiling over you like you were still their piece of meat. (“No more,” you remind yourself. “My father’s a King.”) The healers in Amber, cool and distanced. “There’s no signs of anything.” That meant, “It’s all in your head.”
Funny, you’ve never heard your aunt Fiona say that.
You were still young. Maybe that’s your excuse. But when your Uncle Brand spoke with you, you were so eager, so naïve, so…
You were with your Uncle Gerard and the remnants of Amber’s army, at the foot of the mountain that night when they returned. Battle‐wearied, bruised, bloody, and victorious. “Brand was no more,” his death curse unspoken. All at the loss of your Aunt Deirdre, and your Uncle Corwin who loved her, well, he did not come back.
And your father was King. For nearly a century, you have ostensibly been in training for your father. You have been allowed your teenage indiscretions, you can dress all in black ‐‐ in gowns, even, stick a metal stud or six in your head. You appear at court functions, murmur the appropriate words, and use the excuse of your being different (whether it’s because of Rebma, or because of the knife) to absent yourself from all felicity.
It is a living death.
You’re sick of women, sometimes. Your father has never required you to go back down Below. Your Aunt Llewella loves you, loves you too much to ask for you. Your Uncle Benedict watches you.
He knew what it meant when the invitation came. “Corwin,” was what he said to your father. And then he looked at you.
Unfortunately, with the absence of Bleys and Fiona from the court, someone was needed to attend for Amber to this council. To this Auction. This task has fallen to you; it is your duty to pay the price for Corwin, to placate lords who once warred against your father, and to try to be pleasant about the entire thing. You must attempt not to allow your resentment to seethe beyond your control, and you must take advantage of the opportunities that all this presents to you.
And Brand’s son is here.
Perhaps he will do for vengeance.
MARTIN ‐ RELATIONSHIPS Bances: You’ve vaguely heard of him as being a decent fellow.
Bardesanes: No idea who this is.
Borquist: It was his invitation that Benedict received. Besides that, and that he did it in rhyme? You’re fairly clueless.
Corwin: Ugh. No, no, really, he’s helped out a lot, and you know that your Dad relies on him. Needs to update to an electric harp, though.
Cymnea: Old, old, OLD school.
Dara: OK, yes, the rumors are true. You and she did have a “thing”. You didn’t know who or what she was then, you didn’t know she had a “thing” with Corwin... but she did teach you quite a bit about war, and love, that Benedict certainly didn’t.
Delwin: Heard the name. Not expecting much of an uncle’s felicity...unless it’s one of those uncles like Brand.
Lajos: Powerful enough to restrain Corwin. Treat him with caution.
Mandor: You met him once. Fiona was kind of sweet on him. Fiona’s not sweet on anybody. That’s kind of creepy.
Rhanda: Seems to be Lajos’s Alfred. Much cuter than Alfred, though.
Rinaldo: Tried to kill Merlin because Merlin’s Dad killed his Dad. His Dad tried to do what to you, again? ...Still, in fairness, he let the vendetta go, and seems OK apart from that. If you’re going to be better than them, you have to give it a chance.
Sophia: She seems familiar. You hope she’s not from Rebma somehow.
Tacian: He’s like one of the Rimlords. Dude, there’s such a joke in that.
Tubble: He’s...some Chaos guy, right?
MARTIN – ITEMS
REBMAN PALANTIR Distant Gaze: A palantir can be used to scry to distant places. Unlike a Trump, the ability has no concentration time‐it works instantaneously‐and the images revealed are as if the wielder is standing there himself. Distant Gaze also confers true seeing upon the wielder with no range limitation. You know that unfortunately, this means the wielder is subject to gaze attacks and mind‐ affecting effects from the destination of the viewing as well as any effects that directly affect the soul.
Window to the Soul: By focusing on a single being instead of an area, the wielder of a palantir gains information
Visions of Truth, Visions of Past and Future: As a standard action, the wielder initiates a vision that shows him both the past and the possible future of one object, person, area or event.
AMBER STATUS You have the ability to grant a status as per the King—a “friend of the realm,” or you could exile someone, or a pardon, or some other such bureaucratic nonsense. In fact, we think this is so silly, we offer you this times two!
MARTIN – POWERS Martin – Initiate of the Mirror’d Hall You got your Pattern Degree in Rebma, but you're also a master of mirrors. You're not supposed to be, since it's not taught to men, but Llewella secretly made sure you knew how to protect yourself from the assassination attempts. You don't even like looking in mirrors anymore, but you can still call up the last 24 hours of images in them, reflect spells through them, lock them from being used as portals, and make yourself not show up in them.
Martin ‐ Closer of the Way As Corwin is an Opener, so are you a Closer. You see openings and have a tendency to say, like a grandmother, "That shouldn't be open," and shut the door. Chaos is like a place of punishment for this mindset.
RHANDA, SHROUDLING OF THE COURT OF ASH RHANDA – STATISTICS Psyche: 11th Warfare: 2nd Strength: 5th Endurance: 4th
RHANDA ‐ GOALS • You are effectively security for this session of court. It is your responsibility to make sure that no one steals Corwin, and no one makes trouble for your King. • There has to be a way to become Lajos’ Queen. The position has been open too long, and he’s been too preoccupied with his special Sacrifice project. • Find a perfect fit for a new Shroud—there are a great deal of powerful people here who may be good to have in your repertoire.
RHANDA – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You're a Queen of a forgotten, forbidden people. You may act the bodyguard, but that is just a role to forward your intentions. • Your people have enemies beyond the Abyss. The Opener is a threat to your people, but you also have promises to keep. You're conflicted emotionally for this. • You have a feeling you could probably take on just about anyone in this room, at least in a swordfight.
RHANDA – STORY When you arrived, Lajos was living in a hut. A very large, carefully built, magnificently defensible royal hut, to be sure, one with an excellent view, situated to perfectly protect anything within it like a fortress ‐‐ but a hut, nonetheless. Your king should not have to live in a hut. You suggested Lajos build a proper palace. He wasn't entirely sure why you wanted it, but then he expressed his power. Now you live in a tomb.
It’s a step up, actually.
Other little innovations you’ve offered have been more successful. It is always night here, and the Shroud wraps through the land like a ribbon whipped by the wind. You never go hungry, because the land touches every place where mortals stumble into the darkness. You have found your people homes, and they see you as Queen in this exile, from the places they were before.
Queen in all but name, because Lajos will have no other share his title.
Unfortunately, of late, you have heard more and more rumors of hunters, and even a couple of outright deaths amongst your nightkin. Lajos finds the hunters amusing, and even grants them the occasional cloth of sunlight.
You read Lajos’ notes. He’s a clever one, but your kind has survived by being more clever still. You have found that he has gained power from these deaths.
That someday, if his plans bear fruit, he will gain power from all deaths.
Better to be Queen than dead.
In the meantime, you have made yourself useful, realizing that Lajos is not the kind to want the simpering buxom succubi, but a strong, practical person. The first is food. The second can find a place here, in Ashen Night. The first, well, Corwin’s been kept entertained.
Why Lajos traded the Unravelling Knife for the Opener, you’re not sure. You’re glad to see the Knife of Madness gone. It spoke to you with words from gods happy to promise you everything they thought you wanted. You are not sure what an Opener is, but it’s some kind of old magic regarding how to get to places that, well, you guess they’re magically locked for some reason. Of course, such places were usually used as prisons for your people, but Corwin seemed less interested in freeing the Shroudling kind.
It got a little weird for a bit when you realized that it was his son, Merlin, that was your first love, your first attempt at a Shroud. Until your mother interfered. You still look through to Merlin now and again, including asking for his help against a Guisel. Lajos wouldn’t have understood. Dara would have bound the mirrors against you.
Good thing she’s the one who got the knife. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer person.
That’s a lie. Plenty of people are nicer. But that’s one dysfunctional family.
The Shroud still whispers to you in this place. It is all that remains of the fabric of what your people had been. Sometimes it gets wrapped up in the tail of what you believe to be a giant Serpent, and once it was ripped by the horn of what you have found is called a Unicorn. But, tattered though it may be, it is your people’s power. It is what binds you together. You still live in the darkness behind mirrors.
It means you’re not alone, even though you’ve come to this place to guard Lajos’ interests. Even against himself, if necessary.
You know many of the players, but you’re not sure of the game. There’s politics involved, and the Throne has not been kind to Shroudlings, putting them on the same level as the displaced demons. You’re quick though, very quick. And smart. Your people have survived, and you will continue to survive.
RHANDA – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: He’s sycophantic. You work for Lajos as an assistant, guard...and aspire to be Queen. Bances makes his father into a deity, and is still content to serve as priest. You wonder what his dreams might be, then.
Bardesanes: Lajos’s father; he, like you, tends to want whats best for Lajos, but that doesn’t mean you always agree.
Borquist: A tool of the Courts. You did check to make sure he wasn’t really a Guisel, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t in league with them. Perhaps he’s been corrupted by them in the Abyss?
Corwin: Dangerous to you, your lord, your people, and yet something about him is attractive still.
Cymnea: That ring of hers worries you.
Dara: You can’t trust anything that has been under the influence of the Knife of Madness. Your parents feared Merlin to be a vampire, by which they meant something that drains the life out of those around them... much better attributed to Dara.
Delwin: Lajos really hasn’t had much experience with him, so neither have you.
Lajos: Your Lord, not yet your Master. You have tasted his blood once or twice, and he keeps a stable of interesting creatures for you, but you have not really understood him.
Mandor: Another of the Shroudling families once attempted to wrap the Shroud around him. That did not end well, and your lord destroyed the lich that resulted.
Martin: Did the Amber King send him as an appetizer? Or to whine and cry that Amber should have Corwin back because he belongs to Amber?
Rinaldo: He grew up in the Courts, but who is he representing? His own interests?
Sophia: What is it? It’s not... like the others.
Tacian: A beast in better man’s clothing?
Tubble: Subtle, you sense the movements of many behind his sudden appearance on the scene.
RHANDA ‐ POWERS Rhanda – Bearer of the Shroud
The Shroud as a power can be called up in three different ways.
The first is as a defense; you can leave images of yourself, pale shadows that look like you and can lead pursuers behind. This requires a lot of you, though, mentally and physically. A discipline of this is called Shadow Casting, where you leave enough of a piece of your psyche behind to fool pursuers.
The second is for transportation. You won't likely be using this one tonight ‐ the Cathedral has no mirrors.
The third is to use the Shroud to change what you look like. Unlike shapeshifting, you wear the Shroud to take the image of someone who has been in a mirror. You have an image trapped of Lajos, of Corwin, of Cymnea, and one of Borquist. It won't hold up to psychic probing, and they're a use‐once item. "Resume True Form," however, does nothing to it.
Rhanda ‐ Blood‐Called You can work blood magics ‐ willing or unwilling blood feeds the Shroud. You've been fed on Dragon blood ‐ it has given you additional strength and stamina, but your interest in trying other types of blood for strength is piqued by this event.
Blood Spells: Poison/Intoxicate Enhance Attribute Cloak of Darkness – invisibility to any one Attraction/Distraction type of sampled blood Paralyze Fear
KING RINALDO OF KASHFA RINALDO ‐ STATISTICS
Psyche: 3rd Warfare: 9th Strength: 11th Endurance: 7th
RINALDO ‐ GOALS • Find out from someone who understands the Eye what is happening to your wife. • Decide if you are your father’s son or your mother’s. Either will have repercussions here. • What is the source of power in each of the Courts? Your father had ideas. Knowing is half the battle. • What is a “Beloved” besides a term of endearment?
RINALDO – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You’re Rinaldo. Charming, slippery, whimsical, loyal, always aware of the wind and whether or not you should know a hawk from a handsaw.
RINALDO ‐ STORY You’re Rey Lukas, rules‐lawyer of improbabilities. You’re actually the Rinaldo in the story I wrote about Coral and the Eye, except I will rewrite it and tame my commas. http://www.alkime.org/mtfierce/blogarchive/amber/dreams_hatching.htm
You’re an NPC.
RINALDO – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: Never bombastic, Bances is probably sick of being the peacemaker. Your mother was one of his acolytes once upon a time.
Bardesanes: You don’t know the name, but what other one‐eyed powerhouses slum in Chaos? Odin?
Borquist: Likeable fellow, but your Dad feared him and really, all the Void‐kin.
Corwin: Does “Opener” actually mean “guy who stumbles into trouble far above his level?” You know he wouldn’ve killed your father… but Merlin’s nice enough… for an idiot savant.
Cymnea: Old school? She was a Queen before they had a word for it. You can see where Benedict got it from.
Dara: Bah. Interfering wench. Still, she’s got guts and a modicum of style.
Delwin: You like him and Sand. They just never fit the Amber Oberon wanted – made homes here instead. Hey, where’s Sand?
Lajos: That old ghoul? Dragonsbreath and bloodwine… he’s like out of a Ravenloft novel.
Mandor: Fi says they’re splitsville. How does Mr. Suave handle being dumped by a girl? Martin: Heck of a place to be – Rebma still hasn’t figured out the succession, so he’s on the hook for both thrones unless Vialle pops something out.
Rhanda: Merlin’s ex‐girlfriend? Tempting. Coral might give you a Look, though.
Sophia: You’ve got a guess.
Tacian: A Chaosite. Who knows? Void‐kin. Stay away from him. Her. It. Weirdos.
Tubble: Too nice a kid for this crowd. Just cros, “C’mon if you think you’re hard enough,” y’know?
RINALDO – ITEMS
POCKET FULL OF SUNSHINE This is a handkerchief that contains sunlight from above the Primal Pattern. Once released, it lasts about 15 seconds.
POCKET NINJA Woot! It’s a small ninja that fits in your pocket. Take it out and throw it at someone and it becomes a life‐sized ninja that attacks.
RINALDO ‐ POWERS Rinaldo – Pattern’s Beloved Since your lovely (lonely) wife took the Jewel (damn that Dworkin!) your connection to Pattern has changed – you’re supercharged with Reality. Spells hardly ever affect you – compulsions never… but even minor shapeshifting is hard, and demon binding is worse.
Rinaldo ‐ Son of His Father You have the Changeling’s Choice here – go the route of your Father, the Living Trump, or your Demon Mother. SOPHIA THE MOON‐TOUCHED, SYMBOL OF AMBER SOPHIA ‐ STATISTICS: Psyche: 1st Warfare: 8th Strength: 8th Endurance: 8th
SOPHIA ‐ GOALS • Protect Martin. Whichever way he chooses, for Rebma or Amber, you failed him once. • Make up your mind about Rinaldo...or kill him. • Bardesanes is here. The new Serpent will be of your combined blood...but does the universe need two snakes? • Corwin will need to choose a Beloved to protect his new Pattern. Teach him what it means.
SOPHIA ‐ ROLEPLAYING NOTES • The Amberites are your children, but you've always observed them from afar. • You have never been full of tears, or hunger, or the fear of dying. You cannot weep, and if you can want, it is only to do your purpose. The true effect of what Brand did to Martin is that you learned to regret. • And it was written in the Book of the Unicorn, “Then what is magic for?" Prince Lír demanded wildly. "What use is wizardry if it cannot save a unicorn?" He gripped the magician's shoulder hard, to keep from falling.
[The wizard] did not turn his head. With a touch of sad mockery in his voice, he said, "That's what heroes are for."
SOPHIA – STORY There is a place of beauty, a place of roses made of moonlight, and it is cold under the stars. There is very little color, for all is white and silver. Then the Stallions came, with their tri‐ coloured horns, red at the tip, black in the middle, white at the base. And their entrance devoured stars and left a rift in the worlds.
And some, hesitantly, nervously, followed the Stallions after they left Chaos within the rosefields, and some even explored the rift defiantly, and some found there were Serpents amongst the Stallions, and some made war.
And white horns ran red with blood, and children were born with the carbuncle, and some were lost in the Rift, and to paradise is often brought change. The Sin‐you say it is no longer paradise, and the Karkadann find paradise where they can. Where there are differences, though, you found there was potential.
Or was that the wizard's saying? The wizard who came upon you when you were collapsed from combat with the Serpent who laughed? The wizard who tore out his heart (metaphorically) as he tore out the eye of the Serpent (literally), and though he did not love you, gave you refuge on an island in the sea of night?
And was it love or mutual need that once he drew the sigil, the magic of Form and the definition of function, pulled you together, both injured, both different from what you started?
You could not return to Paradise.
You fled. You fled for many years. Did Dworkin pursue you? He was willing to raise your mutual child. He brought forth a great forest to hide you, and a sea to touch upon the shores of the dragon's spine he called mountains. He loved you with his lands, he had listened to you with the moon.
And your child had children. Could he love? You had not been sure. You had not been sure until the end, when you found he could die.
Do not think of that. Before that, there was the one. The one so like your Dworkin, who called you in your place, the Grove. Who attempted to seduce you. Who learned things about the Rift. Brand. Who then took the Knife and stabbed one of your other children. One you saved, but was it too late?
You have been hurt, but pain is transitory. You have been hurt, but death is nothing you could fear. You are immortal.
Your children are not.
Death. Death and love. The Beloved. Dworkin explained it. The Beloved is the anchor between personality and the dissolution into deification. The Old Gods did it through sacrifice. The energy of death to maintain their selves. There's another way... the best way to do it is through love.
Dworkin was the Serpent's Beloved. Taking its eye... that diminished the Serpent. No longer so far on the edge of deification, it has taken a name. Bardesanes. It calls you Sophia. You are fine with that. Sophia it is.
Are you also diminished? That you feel, now, for your blood? You see Coral, Rinaldo's wife, and wonder what will be born of your and Bardesane's blood. A new Serpent?
Or was this what Brand thought in the birth of his son. A Phoenix?
SOPHIA – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: A High Priest of the Serpent. Honestly, why does Bardesanes encourage them?
Bardesanes: The Serpent. You have hurt each other so many times over the years that who keeps track, and yet, you wonder why.
Borquist: You don’t like him, but you have one thing in common—you’ve both been in the Pit.
Corwin: A true tale of redemption. Or true enough, in any case. Before his long disappearance, you’d never have shown yourself to him; since, you’ve done it several times. That makes him part of a very small group.
Cymnea: She thinks politics are important, which is kind of cute; but her loyalties are purer than she lets on.
Dara: A misguided child, still.
Delwin: One of the lost ones. Perhaps there’s a hope of bringing him home?
Lajos: Son of the Serpent, and still untested.
Mandor: Mandor is a corruptor, whether he means to be or not. That which he touches, withers; it is in his nature. There’s a tinge of pity to your feelings about him, but mostly, you would protect what you care for against him. Clarissa’s children would never have strayed so far, had they not listened to his advice...
Martin: He’s one that you care for; you would shield him from harm. As you have done before, though it would surely surprise him to know it.
Rhanda: A Shroudling girl. Huh. Weren’t they all killed by Guisels?
Rinaldo: Another one that you count as Yours ‐ whether or not he counts himself so. He considers himself a Trickster, you know, but when pressed, his heart is pure.
Tacian: A Chaosite. Who knows?
Tubble: A Chaosite. Who cares?
SOPHIA ‐ POWERS: Sophia – Blessings on the Horn You can temporarily 'knight' an individual, giving him or her a bonus to Psyche as well as increased speed and invulnerability to magic. You can also choose to heal someone from the clutches of death, but you can only do this once per game. (Including yourself ‐ to your best knowledge you cannot be permanently killed...but lately you've begun to doubt.)
Sophia ‐ Way of Order Magic nullification (existing spells are temporarily suppressed, and new ones cannot be cast, within the circle whose diameter equals the span of your arms). PRINCE TUBBLE OF HOUSE CHANICUT, LORD OF CHAOS TUBBLE – STATISTICS Psyche: 10th Warfare: 10th Strength: 1st Endurance: 10th
TUBBLE – GOALS • Become King. Stab, seduce, do whatever it takes. You have the blood of Kings, and that’s how it’s proven. • Break the Ty’iga’s curse. Someone has to have something that will do it. • Try to trade for the implements of the Houses. The old magical things that used to belong to royalty alone. • You need the assistance of one more Court to convince the Riftlords of your prowess. Lajos, Cymnea, or if you can raise one of the others to the Court of Form, that should do it.
TUBBLE – ROLEPLAYING NOTES • You have a Ty’iga who has decided you make a good home. Ty‐ty is very annoying, and may sometimes say things that you don’t want said...aloud. • Forget the stats—sure, there are people who are smarter, and tougher, but you have what it takes to be Emperor. • You’re not afraid. You belong to this group as a peer. Don’t let anyone give you trouble.
TUBBLE – STORY The rivalry between the Houses has never been so fierce as it was between Jesby and Hendrake. Until that fateful day that you met Helena Minobee, as Minobee’s house was attached to Hendrake. She filled your heart with the kind of feelings you had to shapeshift away or lose your artistic detachment.
In secret, you courted her. You thought you had won her heart. You made the deepest, most binding promises to each other, in front of the Abyss. There was no question but that you wished to make her your wife.
And the war came. And Helena was a warrior, a fierce one, and Lintra Hendrake was as well. A “special mission,” you heard. You know who it came from—the dirty old men of Helgram, always wanting to understand the forces that had protected the new Power, the one that forced you away in pain and shame. The Court of Form and Function reborn into a thousand, thousand worlds, all full of echoes and an island named Amber at its center, at its pole. Helgram wanting the power of Form as its own.
And Lintra Hendrake killed Helena Minobee in a duel. Lintra Hendrake, Duellist to Swayville, fought your love for the honor of seducing one of Amber’s blood and taking advantage of the Opening of the Way.
And Swayville laughed, delighted.
He had to go.
Your movement through the ranks has been quiet, subtle, careful, arranged in part due to your friends, like Mandor of Sawall, also no fan of the House of Swayvil. You are not fond of mages, but you recognize their usefulness, and he has given solid advice.
You have lived the life of one who has been re‐made by Form. When the old Lords chose to dissolve rather than face a world where things remained, well, things (and didn't turn into other things... let's just say language was evolving too and leave it at that) you took on the challenge. Chanicut, the household in which you were made was a noble one. You had been given to the Abyss, and you had been found to possess a personality, a will to resist it.
Well, at least one. That Ty'iga thing is kind of awkward. You call it Ty‐ty because that annoys it. And don't forget how adolescence works with something else in your head thinking your secret rutting thoughts.
Perhaps that is why Tacian promotes you, having one of its Creatures in your body. If only it would leave for good… maybe Tacian has an answer. Of course, you’ve never been sure if it was a sign of weakness that you were possessed in the first place, which is why you’ve never asked before now.
Tonight a lot of movers and shakers will be about, and maybe you can get the right kind of appreciation to convince Bances to just choose you. Or maybe you’ll end up knifed like Tmer. Really, look at this lot. Merlin didn’t even bother to show up.
On second thought, do you really want to be Emperor if these will be your subjects?
On third thought, yeah. Yeah, you do.
Of course, maybe Ty‐ty’s thinking that, too.
TUBBLE – RELATIONSHIPS Bances: He would be a good influence to get on your side. Alas, when you were younger you were a bit of a prat, and he took the brunt of your aggravation against authority. Now he’s regent, and really the guy you have to impress.
Bardesanes: Can’t place him. He’s got to be someone important to be here, but you don’t know who he is. Unfortunately, if he isn’t a mover and shaker, he isn’t worth your time.
Borquist: One of the rules you’d like to make in your new regime is to kick out the laws against harming bards. Sure, Jesby has had a great number of poets, all annoying.
Corwin: He’s the Opener. The Enemy. He humiliated all of the Courts. His head would make a nice decorative piece on a mantle somewhere, though, with those pretty eyes of his, wouldn’t it?
Cymnea: She’s a political player from way back, and still holds her influence. Use her if you can; forget her if you can’t.
Dara: Would her support help make you King?Undoubtedly. Is it worth the cost of having to put up with her? … … ...You’re thinking about it. Too bad her son is #2 in line. Plus, she is now the Duellist. You might have a grudge.
Delwin: One of Them. Oh, some of your people celebrated the idea of Them “coming back to the fold.” Most figured them as spies, and thus they’ve had to prove themselves. You could go either way...but would he perhaps be being groomed for King of Form and Function? Could you push this one way or another?
Lajos: Not high on your list of possibilities for support. Too independent, too self‐important. On the other hand, if he’s going to forward anyone for the Throne, you want it to be you.
Mandor: You don’t know why he’s so disliked. Sure, the phrase should be “thick as magicians” rather than “thick as thieves,” but just because he’s significant in that world and not as a general of some dull‐witted Hendrake warriors just sounds like envy to you.
Martin: Who?
Rhanda: Shroudling. Starting to get pretty uppity, those folk. Why haven’t we wiped them out?
Rinaldo: Ahhh. His mother was Jasra. Wondered where that bit of sweetmeat had wandered off to, yeah. Doesn’t look like her at all. Well, he’s got her smile.
Sophia: Where did Lajos get some of these people?
Tacian: When you were a young lord of Chaos you made a foolish pledge, yes, because of a woman. That woman.. Tacian accepted it. That makes you part of Tacian’s Court, officially. Tacian’s never asked anything of you, but there’s...something to it. Something you owe Tacian. You know this in your blood that there are consequences. You are honourable. You will pay when it comes time.
TUBBLE – ITEMS
SNAKE CHARMING FLUTE No, truly, this is for Bances. After all, it isn’t right that the Serpent jerks the man around like a puppet. Perhaps it is time for Bances to call the shots instead. A little bit of cajoling magic tuned to the reptilian brain. Maybe the Serpent has a sense of humour.
GOLDEN BRIDLE This was intended for Queen Cymnea, a beautiful, light golden bridle for her ridingdactyl, like a beam of sunlight in the air. Surely, it’s made for something with such a long...beak.
A BLOOD HOMUNCULUS (IN A JAR) You came across this unusual thing and thought it might amuse King Lajos. It’s still very sentient, and you’re not sure what kind of blood it’s in, but you’ve also not quite wanted to let it out.
TUBBLE – POWERS Tubble – Ty’iga’s Breath At one point, you were exposed to the Abyss, like all children of true nobility. Exposed to prepare them against the energies of entropy, to keep them strong. Some die in that exposure. Others attract...things… parasites. You have one within you, a demon called a Ty’iga. Most of the time she is quiescent, but she has taken possession and prevented you from accomplishing some of your bloodier goals. You know she wants a permanent body, and you know she loved Helena as much as you did… perhaps in order to devour the Minobee’s soul. Now you seek a way to destroy the creature within you, but while you can work with her, you can send her out temporarily to paralyze or even possess those of lesser will. [I was supposed to put in that Tubble was pretty sure he could do this now even without Ty‐Ty, but I missed this bit… it didn’t come up, but it could have.]
Tubble ‐ Blood of Kings You truly have the Blood of Kings in your veins, and this gives you the abilities of Kings. You can heal, like a true King can. You can geas one of your subjects. You can feel your lands as if they were extensions of your own body, provided the rite is done. You can recognize your blood in others, and the items that belong to the kingdom.
TACIAN, RULER OF THE COURT OF VOID TACIAN – STATISTICS You are an NPC. You should not be getting into conflicts with the PCs, however, should they attempt to utilize a spell against you, your ranks are as follows: Psyche: 2.5 Warfare: 12.5 Strength: 3.5 Endurance: 6.5
TACIAN ‐ GOALS
You win by default. If you get the Opener or the Knife you get to destroy the universe! Yay! Well, that wily King Random sent off his Closer son, Martin, to prevent you from doing exactly that.
TACIAN – ROLEPLAYING NOTES
You are Haskill to Borquist’s Sheogorath. Or Vice Versa.
TACIAN – STORY
Hahahaha.
TACIAN ‐ RELATIONSHIPS You are less than fond of Bances, Belissa, Delwin, Mandor, and Sand. You really do not like Corwin, Dara, and Martin. You are fond of Cymnea, Fiona, Lajos, and Rinaldo. You very much like Bardesanes, Borquist, and Gilva.
TACIAN – ITEMS
HORRIBLE ASSORTMENT This is a horrible assortment of things you find in the Abyss, your own collection of flotsam and jetsam – the skull of the baby Deirdre didn’t have in the Abyss, an eyepatch for the Serpent that sees the places in‐between, and anything horrific you can whip up from available props left over.
TACIAN – POWERS Lord of Void – you claim the Abyss as your demesne. You are unaffected by others’ powers.
Obliteration of the Mark – you can remove any blessing/curse on anyone simply by paying attention to it.