Reality and Rule (Inactive)

Game Master Viscount K

The Eternal City of Amber grows concerned about the growing disturbances in the Shadow realms, and King Random summons the true sons and daughters of Amber home for a grand conference on the threat.


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Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2

At this point, unless I missed it somewhere, I do believe the only notice for Endurance I'm missing is Marjana.


Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2

Endurance
“There's really nothing quite like someone's wanting you dead to make you want to go on living.”

The royal family of Amber has always been notoriously, famously, even legendarily hard to kill, or even just force to pause. Yet even among them, one has always been tougher than the others: until now...?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
7th: Eztil, 1
6th: James, 3
5th/4th: Chaney and Marjana, 6
3rd: Alric, 10
2nd/1st: Roy and Nikolas, 36
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Well, this could be interesting. Apparently both Chaney and Marjana bid the same 6 points to split 4th place! How very unusual, but perhaps there won't be too much chaos since it's a lower Rank...oh. Wait.

Roy? Nikolas? To your corners, gentlemen.


Male Human (Illuskan) Gestalt (Dervish Defender Warder/Knife Master UnRogue) 3

Two ties. Now that is unusual. I'll also note how our top dogs went just beyond my ability to bid without going into Bad Stuff....No further bidding on my end.


Give me a bit of time to finish up the tale of Nikolas and the Curse of the Setting Sun, but I believe it will justify a bid of 50.


Endurance was my first love in reading the Amber Diceless rules, probably because it was Corwin's attribute in the books.
For the Merlin books, sorcery and shapeshifting became an important factor, making psyche seem important, but with endurance powering psyche for both, endurance still seems pretty important.

Let me look at my points again.


Male Amberite

No more bids for Eztil


Another legend . . .

Nikolas and the Curse of the Setting Sun:

Nikolas strides the world as a god, but though he bears the blood of his godly father, he is mortal and can die.

The battle of al'Gameer left Nikolas at his knees and vulnerable. Though foes surrounded him in a pile of meat and viscera waist-deep, wounds cut deep in his chest and back. It was then his brother, unnamed, for Nikolas would never dignify his existence, struck a cowardly blow. A rainbow nimbus surrounded him - the sign of communications from the heavens or hells.

Distracted by the wails of the dying, Nikolas answered the call and was frozen by the power of the sending.

"Nikolas! Ha! Father sends his regards." The voice of the Unnamed was joined by his presence. Clad in armor as grey as his soul, a chain clamped on his wrist bound to a rune-carved stone the size of a man's torso. "The chain you gifted to me so long ago will now be yours. With a swing, the stone flew like the head of a flail through the air to land in a spray of blood at Nikolas' side. Nikolas reacted instinctively away from the stone and the Unnamed pressed his hand to Nikolas' forehead. Runes flashed, surrounded and sank into the weary warriors skin.

"The stone is yours! Or it will be! And when you are finally chained, as I have been for so long, it will drag you back to Arden to face Father's justice and," the last delivered in a whisper, "I will be sure your death follows soon behind."

The Unnamed then stood and gloated, "When the last light of this world's setting sun leaves you in darkness, the spell will be complete. You will be bound for three days to suffer torments from me, then the stone steals you to your doom."

Nikolas looked to the last sliver of the sun at the horizon and knew he had but moments of freedom left. "Brother, as always, your bravado is your weakness. If you could only have remained silent, my escape would have been impossible."

With those words he leapt to his feet and sprinted toward the setting sun.

The Unnamed laughed at the heels of his swift brother. "Distance will avail you not. The stone will call you back no matter how far or to what shadow you run!"

Nikolas did not answer and was soon out of sight. Darkness fell, and the Unnamed cackled with glee. But his laughs drew silent as the chain on his wrist did not break and reform around his brothers arm. Confusion marred the brother's already ugly face further. Night passed; day came, and still the spell remained incomplete. The sun reached the western horizon again and was moments from disappearing a second time when Nikolas arrived, this time from the east.

Sweat, poured from his body, his feet bloody from running, but his speed did not slacken. He ran directly toward the stone and as he passed, struck a blow against the Unnamed which tumbled the godling to his back. Nikolas did not stop and disappeared from sight to the west just before the sun delivered its last light.

"How?! The spell is flawless, how is he still free?" fumed the Unnamed.

A second day passed, exactly as the first, and it ended exactly the same way. Nikolas ran in from the east, struck a single blow against his brother and disappeared to the west just before the sun disappeared into darkness.

A third day passed, and after spitting a tooth into the now maggotty corpses surrounding him, the Unnamed grew worried, because the next sunset would call the stone to Arden and it was still bound to his wrist instead of Nikolas'. He spent the day entire examining the spell, which should have bound his brother three times over, but still stubbornly clung to him. He found no flaw and as the day came to an end, fear gripped the Unnamed's heart, for he knew his father tolerated failure poorly.

The sun was a sliver at the edge of the world, and the Unnamed began to fade as the stone slowly dragged him to the high heavens. Nikolas appeared once again from the east, blood and sweat leaving a damp trail behind him. He collapsed in exhaustion at the Unnamed feet just as the rainbow light poured from the stone to surround the bound brother.

The Unnamed shouted in anger and fear as he disappeared. "How?! The spell should have taken you!"

Nikolas raised his head to the spot where his brother once stood. "Foolish brother, this world is round. I ran beneath the sun as it traveled around Mist, so that's its final rays never left me. Three days I ran, long enough for the stone to take you before your spell could take me." then he lay his head on the battlefield and slept, for even Nikolas can grow tired.


Male Amberite

I really love your stories Nikolas; it makes me root for you to succeed.

But the foolish noob in me make me want you to pay for it.

I bid 55.


Hmmm. Nikolas and The Siege in Darkness . . . Nikolas and the Feast . . .
Nikolas and the Djinn's Riddle, maybe? Though that is really more a Psyche story.

In any event, I'm glad everyone likes the stories. Bid of 58.


Male Amberite

I had one about sinking to the bottom of an ocean, and having to walk out, but I couldn't get it to quite come together properly, so instead I'll just bid 59.


Male Human (Illuskan) Gestalt (Dervish Defender Warder/Knife Master UnRogue) 3

Well, well, well, my math says this will soon become very interesting.


I was going to start bidding, but we've moved beyond my means. Roy stands at 36.


Male Amberite
James of Amber wrote:
For the Merlin books, sorcery and shapeshifting became an important factor, making psyche seem important, but with endurance powering psyche for both, endurance still seems pretty important.

Endurance is definitely important but the powers generally indicate Amber Endurance is sufficient. Sorcery and shape shifting both basically say you are limited in how often you can shift and how many spells you can cast if you have less than Amber rank. Power Words even indicates its more tiring than Sorcery because it uses your energy and not environmental magic levels.

Most of the writeups of Merlin have him with Chaos ranked endurance... probably why he doesn't shift form much. The potential for endurance section indicates that anyone with Amber rank can fight for 24 hours straight while Corwin could do it for days. 24 hours of continuous fighting is incredible, there is a reason boxing rounds are 3 minutes.

Edit: Also Fiona and Brand's writeups generally have Amber or not much Endurance.


62!

Never seen Endurance go for more than Psyche before . . .;)


Male Amberite

"I have a story for you."

The Shadow warped. Where once had been a tavern wall, with the children of Amber boasting of their deeds naught but a pace hence, melting panels gave way to a stone cavern, their waxy drippings forming ancient stalagmites. A weathered man stood before the gathered company, enormous beard nearly reaching he ground from his position hunched over a cane, gnarled hand gripping the handle tightly as he imposed his Will upon the Shadow.

No mere Shadow-dwellers were the Amberites, and they knew at once they had not moved. Yet neither did the man appear to have walked the path of Shadow to seek their counsel; it was as though he had brought the Shadow to himself.

"When you were naught but seeds ripe for planting, I came upon a Shadow far from the comforts of Amber. Upon this world, in days ancient before my arrival, the people had erected a great stone..."

The Stone:

For centuries since, the stone stood, monument immemorial of lost days. The people of the world grew, and aged speciously, soon advancing beyond the dreams of their ancestors. Marvelous technology flourished across the land, machines and people becoming the new nature. Racial memories kept the stone alive, and as the peoples forgot much of their past, content to dally in the luxuries of their time, the stone was unmolested, built around and preserved.

Yet as children are so wont to do, the people of this world grew arrogant, cocksure in their superiority and the righteous progress of their machines. They had raped their planet of every resource, eradicating all life but their own; in a breath, their machines had to turn elsewhere for power, harvesting the energy of their star. As the people grew, they built a massive dome around their planet, starving any chance of new life forming as they blocked out the sun. The planet was an eternal winter, but the people lived on in their homes, kept warm and fed by their machines. The stone bore the brunt of the climate with gall, and while primitive structures and mountains alike succumbed to the death throws of the ecosystem, the stone remained stalwart, keeping its constant vigil.

Time wore on, and the people grew weary of their world. They moved onward, colonizing the rest of their solar system, without a thought of the home they left for dead. For great eons, their civilization flourished, yet the people did not. Never learning from their past, they continued to ravage all resources they touched, until in a last, desperate hour, they turned to the mechanisms of their star. In their audacity, they tried to tap the very core for energy.

The resulting explosion was felt in Shadows far distant, their star obliterating all trace of their society in its fiery eruption. The planetary system was devastated; what had not been simply vaporized was rent asunder by the powerful waves of energy, scattering debris across their galaxy.

A neighboring civilization, more astute, had also taken to the stars, and witnessed the explosion as a marvelous spray of color across their skies, a new beauty in their lives. Later, they sent exploratory craft into the region, studying the phenomenon with acute interest.

It was there, amidst the rubble of what had been greatness, that they found a curiously shaped chunk of rock. It appeared to have been deliberately carved; their scientists speculated it may have been some monolith from a lost civilization that had once populated the desolate system. Astounded, they took the artifact to their home, and erected it in a place of honor at their capital, a monument immemorial of lost days.

64. Bring on the Bad Stuff.


Alric of the Purple Nacre wrote:


64. Bring on the Bad Stuff.

Okay, 65.


Well, I think we're finding out who's the stubbornest.

Which matches nicely with Endurance.


Now I'm mostly just wishing I'd bid higher for Strength. Oh well.


Male Amberite

You have the points to buy up Roy!

Or sweep all of the positions of power ;)


Roy MacArran wrote:
Now I'm mostly just wishing I'd bid higher for Strength. Oh well.

Funny, I was just thinking I wish I'd put a few less points into Warfare . . .


Male Amberite

Both are in bad stuff as far as I can figure. Who is willing to take the most? Alric can sell back warfare...

Edit: never seen a war for endurance


Male Amberite
Nikolas of Green and Crimson wrote:
Okay, 65.

"And on I read until the day was gone; and I sat in regret of all the things I've done. For all that I've blessed, and all that I've wronged. In dreams until my death I will wander on."

67.

Edit: Don't think those lyrics are right, but I don't have the album jacket.
...do they still put the lyrics in the jacket?
...do they still make jackets?


I must admit I don't understand getting 2nd in Psyche and then spending enough on Endurance that you can't afford any powers to use your Psyche with.

Edit: Other than basic Pattern, of course.

Also. I'm not joining this madness- no further bids.


Just to formally state the obvious: I am not even considering getting into this.

And come on guys, keep going! You're already past the high Psyche and Strengths bids. 8 more points to tie the Warfare cost. It's absolutely worth it. Fight for days. Wear down your enemies. Regrow limbs.


What can Bad Stuff do to someone with such durability? Surely it's worth the costs! Will you really let dominance slip by for a few measly points?


Alric of the Purple Nacre wrote:
Nikolas of Green and Crimson wrote:
Okay, 65.

"And on I read until the day was gone; and I sat in regret of all the things I've done. For all that I've blessed, and all that I've wronged. In dreams until my death I will wander on."

67.

Edit: Don't think those lyrics are right, but I don't have the album jacket.
...do they still put the lyrics in the jacket?
...do they still make jackets?

&@$! It. 70


Male Human (Illuskan) Gestalt (Dervish Defender Warder/Knife Master UnRogue) 3

See, now, James m'lad. This is your chance to shine. Make them pay for second and third place with Bad Stuff and see how well they survive without powers. You got the points, use it to hit them where they hurt.

The Attribute auction is war, son. Make sure they knew you were here.


Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2
Eztil of Obsidian and Turquoise wrote:
Both are in bad stuff as far as I can figure.

Eeeheeheeheehee

I am deeply amused that all of you are helping do my job to egg them on, for the record.


Male Amberite

It is war, and if I'm not mistaken, there were only us two left.

But then there was one; I'll stand at 67.


Male Human (Illuskan) Gestalt (Dervish Defender Warder/Knife Master UnRogue) 3

Why, that makes Nikolas the most dangerous person of our generation.

EDIT: I'd not face him with anything short of a pole-arm, anyway.


Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2

There is a total of one person who could even begin to challenge Nikolas' toughness, at this point: James, are you sure you stand pat? You could outbid him by several points and still have almost as many points as anyone else, for the record.

Your choice, of course, but can you afford to let one of your siblings claim Dominance in two separate Attributes? Not to mention the benefits to yourself - don't ever underestimate Endurance.


Without reserve, it can be said that Attributes are the rock upon which characters are built.

Given that Viscount has said, if I understand him correctly, a number 1 attribute can be bought later by spending only 5 more points than the present holder paid, it seems to me that Roy could spend the 11 points necessary to take control of Strength (it would cost Eztil 44 points to do the same thing or me 45 or Marjana 34).

Roy wrote:
Now I'm mostly just wishing I'd bid higher for Strength.

(If it were important that no one person held Dominant in more than one attribute.)

Even if this could not be done until we get the opportunity to spend experience, either of the 4 of us could bank the points for now as Good Stuff.

For me, my understanding is that, while it is attributes which are the rock upon which a character is built, philosophers have advised us that it is a lever which can move the world, while scientists tell us that tool use separates sapients from beasts.

I'm saving my points for levers and tools.

No bid.


Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2

And there we have it for Endurance. Before we move on, I would like to point out very quickly that you may not bid up over a Dominant rank at character creation, regardless of points spent. Only during in-game advancement is that at all possible, and also, a Dominant rank can never be stolen without spending more than the usual extra five.

Unless that changes James's bid, we shall hear if anyone (James or Alric) are selling down their Attributes, and move on to the auctions for the Positions of Power.

Here, in its entirety, is the breakdown for the Attribute Auction.

The winners of each, the most visibly powerful of the current generation, are:
First in Psyche: Eztil of Obsidian and Turquoise.
First in Warfare: Chaney Grimson.
First in Strength and Endurance: Nikolas of Green and Crimson.
First in Hidden Power (Remaining Points): James of Brown and Silver.
------------------------------------------------------------------
As for the Positions of Power:
A few key differences to remind you of before we begin.

1) All Positions will be auctioned at the same time.

2) Only the winner of a Position need pay the points.

3) No secret bids necessary - first bid first serve. Please don't edit your posts after the fact, if you posted the wrong thing just post again (you're on the honor system here).

Any further questions on the Positions before I open the bidding?


No change in bid (that was mostly smack talk).

Also, no selling back attributes for me.


Male Amberite
James of Amber wrote:
I must admit I don't understand getting 2nd in Psyche and then spending enough on Endurance that you can't afford any powers to use your Psyche with.

I didn't understand it either until the story of the stone (which I liked). Alric's mind is sacrosanct and he recovers from things quickly... a resilient survivor.

Nikolas is tough as hell (strength) and recovers quickly. More dynamic and action oriented than Alric but both are in for the long haul.

James of Amber wrote:
(If it were important that no one person held Dominant in more than one attribute.)

Scariest character in one of the games I was in was #2 in everything... wasn't until it was all over we realized that.

James of Amber wrote:
I'm saving my points for levers and tools.

I do like the fun levers and tools available.

-----
Tomorrow, when I'm not driving the family around and suffering from an internet outage, I plan to write a sorcerer's duel vignette.


Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2

Alright, ladies and gents, unless some question or other brings things to a screeching halt, the auction for the Positions of Power begins at approximately 7:30 AM PST (that's 3:30 PM GMT) this morning, 2/8/2016. I say approximately because it begins once I post saying we begin. After that, whoever posts first gets precedent from then on.

Do remember, you are allowed to bid on multiple Positions at once; e.g. "I bid 3 for North Admiral and 7 for South", or "I bid 2 for all Positions."

One more time, bear in mind that more Positions means more responsibility, and there will be consequences if you don't meet those responsibilities. However, the power and authority associated with those Positions should more than make up for your obligations. Still, a character taking all Positions would be a damn busy person.


Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2

Hey, guys - I've received a couple of messages from people who are worried about their character's backstory not being compatible with already having Positions of Power. My answer: Don't worry about it.

If you can't reconcile your character having already earned a Position, that's fine - either we'll work out how it could have ended up in your hands, or it will ever-so-surprisingly find its way to you in game. Now, that's not to say another player or person couldn't finangle it away from you after that fact (at which point we would see about refunding your points eventually), but you will at least end up with it firmly in your control (no tricks or advantages set against you) shortly after play begins. One way or another, reality will fit the numbers you throw at it, at least at first.

On the other hand, if you don't see your character as being the kind of person who would accept such a position, that's another question entirely. Authority in Amber is not lightly granted or easily kept, so don't try and acquire a spot if you don't want it.


It should come as no surprise, but I'll make it official. No bid from Nikolas in the positions of power auctions. (I know we haven't started yet, but I didn't want to slow it down if I need to be away from the Internet when it happens.)


Male Human (Illuskan) Gestalt (Dervish Defender Warder/Knife Master UnRogue) 3

was waiting on the Viscount


Male Amberite
Chaney, Grimson wrote:
was waiting on the Viscount

Oh, were they supposed to be secret initially, like the attributes? Oops, I thought it was just open funness.


Alric of the Purple Nacre wrote:
Chaney, Grimson wrote:
was waiting on the Viscount

Oh, were they supposed to be secret initially, like the attributes? Oops, I thought it was just open funness.

Either way, those are my openers then, unless I've also missed something else that'd disbar me from bidding on 'em.

Other than you not having any points? :)

I suppose once you're in bad stuff, why not keep digging.

But yeah, they're open bids.

We were just waiting for the official opening post from the Viscount.


Male Amberite
Viscount K wrote:
Alright, ladies and gents, unless some question or other brings things to a screeching halt, the auction for the Positions of Power begins at approximately 7:30 AM PST (that's 3:30 PM GMT) this morning, 2/8/2016. I say approximately because it begins once I post saying we begin.

Oh, I read this completely differently.

Actually, I didn't read the times, I just skimmed through everything!

It's not too late, I can delete it; it's not fair otherwise. Sorry everyone; I have the day off, so I just kind of rolled over and read these before actually waking up.

Edit: Gone. We'll just pretend that didn't happen ;)

Good to see everyone here; good morning and all that!


Male Amberite

There is only so far you should dig in the bad stuff graveyard. Of course strife makes for an interesting story.

Edit: I don't mind a point or two of bad stuff but 5 is too much (depending on GM)... 10 is right out.


Eztil of Obsidian and Turquoise wrote:

There is only so far you should dig in the bad stuff graveyard. Of course strife makes for an interesting story.

Edit: I don't mind a point or two of bad stuff but 5 is too much (depending on GM)... 10 is right out.

I don't know, Endurance + Bad Stuff means you don't die, it just hurts a lot. All the time.

Of course, my 1st rank Endurance character in another game started dead and buried and he wasn't even a Bad Stuff character.


Hyperactive Lazypants Bard 2

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand begin!


Male Amberite

1 in each of the Admirals, and 1 in Forest Ranger.


Male Human (Illuskan) Gestalt (Dervish Defender Warder/Knife Master UnRogue) 3

1 for sheriff and 1 for captain


Male Amberite

On a note of Trump, if no one ends up taking Artistry, do Trumps not exist?


I could see Random looking at a young man such as myself, who offers his service to the Crown, and deciding some seasoning in the capitol would do him good.

(With senior men to assist, of course.)

2 for Sheriff.

Alric wrote:
On a note of Trump, if no one ends up taking Artistry, do Trumps not exist?

If the series is canon, then they must exist.

They seem to be too important of a tool to be ignored.
As to who made them? And who would make them for the new generation?
The Merlin series mentions them being made by those trained in Logrus or Pattern.
And mentions Merlin, Rinaldo, even Random as making them; though Merlin also mentions thinking he could recognize the work of the various people capable of making them (and being wrong).
(Also, the Merlin books contents are not completely canon.)

Also, they are listed as an example of an artifact.

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