Concept idea:
A "homebody" Amberite. Was born in the city and was told of the horrors and such things about the Shadow. Has never left the main city, he works at the local herbal shop as in inspiring alchemist.
Hrm. Possible, but tricky for several reasons.
One of the few caveats for this game is that you definitively are part of the royal family. You would be hard pressed to maintain a humble presence in Amber itself.
A son of Amber, too cowardly to use their birthright and sample the infinite delights of Shadow for fear that something out there might best them...? Hard to swallow. Not to mention, it's unlikely such a person would then participate meaningfully in the adventure to come. A homebody Amberite is possible, but I find one who has stuck around due to fear a word idea.
On the recent auction questions: yay, I love it when other people answer questions correctly! Thanks!
A note that I wanted to emphasize: bidding in the initial auction is the only way to ensure you can get a decent rank without bidding a ton of points. You are never allowed to buy up secretly in increments, you must equal one of the existing bids. Also, I should point out that even the lowest Ranked position is significantly more capable than regular Amber rank. Also also, it is impossible to claim the coveted Dominant rankings without bidding openly (at creation, anyway). The First rankings, to quote one of the books, aren't just better, they are superior, and that kind of power is hard to conceal.
Archus, I can totally see smaller groups not having the auction work out. It sorta kills the competitive spirit when there's nobody to compete against.
Anyway, more on that when we get started. For now, let's try and focus on getting out those writing samples- er, concepts.
So it is not the "atypical" RPG game where I start from humble beginnings then. Would it be the opposite? Where I want to venture out into the shadow and take it all in? The crunch seems fairly understandable, bid even if it is 1 point so I don't completely SUCK.
I guess I am having a hard time with the "behind the scenes" logistics? Any help or direction I can be pointed in?
Thanx in advance and sorry for all the questions :)
'Humble' isn't really in the Amberite dictionary, no. You're one of the preeminent beings in the universe, so even relatively humble is still probably pretty confident.
Most folks, newly earning the ability to walk in Shadow, definitely do put it to use, heading off to luxuriate on their own personal harem planets or whatever pursuits interest them most for a good long while.
And you definitely don't have to bid at all - even basic Amber rank is still damn impressive. Unless you actually sell down for more points, you'll do just fine against regular opponents.
Edit: ninja'd! Jeff has the right idea.
We're certainly gonna try and get the live portion together, but ultimately, reality may well tell us no.
Sadly, people getting in a bidding war is a reality of this that we just can't avoid, but I'm not too worried about it. It's a thing that happens live anyway, so let's simulate that paranoia and speed!
My character idea thus far. I'll write up a full background sometime.
Name: Eztil
Titles: Blood Mage, Shaper, Skindancer, Survivor of Razor House, Death to Hun-Came
Colors: Obsidian, Carmine, Turquoise
Symbol: Aztec Symbol of Creation on an obsidian disk. The inner spirals are carmine and the outer spirals are turquoise.
Trump: Sitting in lotus position at the center of his symbol wearing an obsidian organic looking jumpsuit with undulating patterns of carmine and turquoise
Personality: Intense, obsessive, hardened, but without malice (unless you are a demon from Xibalba)
Where are you from?
Xibalba is a prison of blood, bone, and flesh ruled by fear and pain. I was not born to that world but I was lost there for a lifetime and the memories of a home in a fairy castle are little more than a dream to me. In Xibalba I first hid from and then fought Xiquiripat ("Flying Scab"), Ahalpuh ("Pus Demon"), and a host of other demons while trying to save the mortals they treat as little more than pets or cattle. On occasion I had less hostile relationship with demons or mortals of the world. Down to the heart of the underworld I traveled to eventually win my freedom and come... I suppose you could call Amber home.
Xibalba is a world of blood magic, biotechnology, and demons that draws upon the bloodiest myths of Central America and the works of HR Giger. The world is a living prison and at its heart is a Broken Pattern (or static logrus). Before Xibalba he lived in a renaissance era world of clockwork magic when not travelling with his parents and has has recently traveled across shadow to Amber to claim his birthright.
How old are you?
I am not exactly sure how old I am... a few mortal generations. But the mortals of Xibalba do not live long.
What are your interests?
I am a student of blood magic, shaping, and other mysteries. One day, when my skills have grown strong enough, I will return to Xibalba and remove the stain of its existence from shadow.
Eztil's mystic skills meant his survival and he exhibits a similar level of obsession that Benedict does toward the art of war.
the "homebody" type, it might make more sense as a scholar type? Too busy researching things for all that tedious shadow walking and stuff.
A homebody type could also be someone who took a more active role in the defense of amber (the city, world, and golden circle). The various positions of power @Viscount will auction certainly would give a character the investment to stick around.
So it is not the "atypical" RPG game where I start from humble beginnings then. Would it be the opposite? Where I want to venture out into the shadow and take it all in? The crunch seems fairly understandable, bid even if it is 1 point so I don't completely SUCK.
Nope, even the younger generation of Amberites are basically demi-gods. One arm throwing a couch, fighting a small army single handed, etc. are all in the realm of possibility for us.
I guess I am having a hard time with the "behind the scenes" logistics? Any help or direction I can be pointed in?
The Chronicles of Amber Wiki pages
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Chronicles_of_Amberhttp://chroniclesofamber.wikia.com/wiki/Chronicles_Of_Amber_Wiki
Shadow Knight, the supplement to the Amber RPG had a good plot summary too.
A bunch of stuff.
Not a bad start. We'll talk about parentage and whatnot when we begin.
Think I'll be working on a child of one of Amber's princesses and one of Grimjack's incarnations.
As in John Gaunt/James Twilley/one of the clones?
Are you saying someone other than me remembers that comic?
Also Cynosure/Amber makes an in-ter-resting mix.
Very in-ter-resting.
Hey guys, if you're looking for a solid character concept example for this game, take a look at what Archus has put together a few posts up. Very nicely done, my compliments.
Think I'll be working on a child of one of Amber's princesses and one of Grimjack's incarnations. Old John having been mentioned in one of the books as a useful agent and all.
Edit: heh, might even pick up one of them thar PRGs Lord Phaeton was draggin about/
Sounds interesting, but be aware I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. That's no bar to doing it, though! Just don't presume I have any knowledge whatsoever about your source material.
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Think I'll be working on a child of one of Amber's princesses and one of Grimjack's incarnations.As in John Gaunt/James Twilley/one of the clones?
Are you saying someone other than me remembers that comic?
Also Cynosure/Amber makes an in-ter-resting mix.
Very in-ter-resting.
Yep. Possibly another incarnation of him, since his fate was tied to Cynosure and he had other reincarnations not explored in the comics. Either way, it's a tie-in I have fun with.
Quote from Grimjack Wiki page:
In the fourth chapter of his 1986 Amber novel Blood of Amber, Zelazny introduced a character named "Old John". Old John, who works as an emissary for the King of Amber, is described as having a "nasty-looking scar running both above and below his left eye" and a "nasty grin", wearing a dark feathered hat.[20] Zelazny, a fan of the Grimjack series since its premiere issue,[14] later contributed the introduction to the Grimjack graphic novel Demon Knight. In the short story "The Shroudling and the Guisel," published posthumously in Amberzine #8, Zelazny refers to Grimjack by name: "I stood among the grave markers of unknown mortals—Dennis Colt, Remo Williams, John Gaunt—and swore to be her champion if ever she needed one." This story was later reprinted in the Zelazny collection, Manna from Heaven.
Sounds interesting, but be aware I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. That's no bar to doing it, though! Just don't presume I have any knowledge whatsoever about your source material.
Grimjack is essentially a mercenary for hire who lives in a world that considers itself (mistake, obviously) to be the center of the multiverse; Cynosure, a place where dimensions meet and mingle, where the rules of physics can change when you cross the street, where greedy corporate police clash with mercenary armies. Here, John Gaunt, veteran of the Demon Wars, the second best warrior ever to rise from the Cynosure Arena, plies his trade from Munden's Bar.
He's worked for all sorts of critters for reasons mostly his own. Apparently King Random was one of these people.
Grimjack's soul is tied to Cynosure in an unknown fashion, and because he rejected heaven in order to save his friend from his reanimated corpse, his soul returns as long as the city lives. He's had many incarnations over the centuries; the ones me & Cornelius and a scant few others know about are John Gaunt, his clone Jack Chaney, and a reincarnated version of Grimjack by the name James Twilley.
Grimjack has had many lovers, but truly only one love, a woman he considers himself to have utterly failed.
His first son was manipulated into hating him, and died at his hands.
He's a man who carries scars from lifetimes worth of suffering and cruelty, but maintains a personal code above everything else, and I want him to have been my character's pa. :)
Archus => Eztil Hunting for the right avatar.
@Reckless I've read the Grimjack series. Even played in a game long ago using a shareware game called "Grimrules" by someone. Hard to find that sucker now other than in my archive.
Okay, so going off of Archus's template up there (I do like that a lot, makes things easier to get started), here's a brief writeup of my idea. Let me know if it doesn't work or needs any changes or additions--there is more to it in my head, I just need to work it out to make sense on paper.
Titles: The Scotch Death, Bearer of Twelve Lives, Sorrow of the West
Colors: Dusty brown, Steel gray, Copper
Symbol: A silhouette of a pistol and knife crossed over a sun pattern, the rays of which are bullets
Trump: Roy is leaning back, almost falling, with both revolvers drawn, in a duster and Stetson hat, firing his guns while taking fire in return. The whole image is washed in a sepia tone, except for the splashes of bright red showing where almost a dozen bullets are hitting the man.
Personality: Ambitious, driven, a man of action but not of wanton violence
Where are you from?
The first time Roy MacArran "died" they assumed he'd come back Harrowed--the dead folks what ain't done livin' yet. Everyone in town watched him get filled with lead by the Hollis gang, and Big Bill Hollis himself put two shotgun barrels to Roy's chin and pulled the trigger. When a man gets as many bullets in him as Roy did that day, he doesn't get up and keep on living. But that's just what he did--as Big Bill and his boys found out when Roy kicked in the door of the Top Hat Saloon with a pair of irons in hand. A few minutes later, he walked out leaving behind an empty bottle of scotch and fifteen dead men.
But Roy knew he was something more than just a dead man walking. For one thing, he didn't have a demon inside him trying to wrestle control away. For another, he was pretty sure he'd never actually died that day. Course, he just took it in stride and spent the next few years cleaning up the frontier, even got himself a posse of his own. Bounty hunters and guns-for-hire, they were, led by the Scotch Death himself.
It wasn't until long after civilization came to the West--'til Roy's friends and way of life had all but died out--that he started digging deeper into his past, inklings of Fate and Chance driving him on. And when the trail ran cold at his great-great-grandpappy's castle back in Scotland--ran cold right at the chest in the attic with notes and letters Roy knew were meant for him--well, that's where the real story of Roy MacArran began.
Roy is originally from a Shadow that represents the alternate Earth found in the Deadlands setting from Pinnacle Entertainment, a Weird West where magic and monsters roam alongside cowboys and Indians. He spent decades there, making a name for himself and figuring he was just one gifted, supernatural gunslinger among many. But when he finally discovered his birthright as a scion of Amber, he started using his newfound abilities to accomplish even more. By walking through the Shadow, he was able to visit other worlds and continue pushing himself. Most recently, he's returned to Amber itself, where he's spent the better part of the last two decades learning about the true life that awaits him and the challenges presented here.
How old are you?
Since Roy's spent most of his time in Shadows at least somewhat similar to Shadow Earth--although he's never actually visited that precise place--he's able to figure his approximate age fairly closely to around a century. Give or take a few years.
What are your interests?
You can take the Amberite out of the Wild West, but Roy's proven hard to shake from his roots. He still has a thirst for justice and gunplay, although it's been tempered somewhat by his travels and doings since those days. The intrigue and subtleties of Amber aren't beyond Roy by any means, at least on a good day, but he prefers even a stealthy plan that directly strikes an enemy to the political machinations of others. Despite his age, Roy is still in many ways a fairly young Amberite, and while not hotheaded or quick-tempered, he's definitely a doer, even when he has to put on his thinking cap.
Name: Chaney
Titles: Grimson, Dancer Reborn, Duke of Eachester, Lord Protector of Cynosure
Colors: Black, gold, red
Symbol:Gold demon badge with a red feather
Trump: A man of indeterminate age with bright red hair and dark grey eyes wears a dark leather trenchcoat, under which a black shirt with red buttons stretches across a well-muscled chest and abdomen. Golden tan trousers whose legs are stuffed into black leather boots complete his wardrobe, while a cutlass and pistol complete the ensemble.
The man peers out over a balcony of a skyscraper overlooking an impossible city whose technology and architecture seems as varied as shadow itself.
Personality: Loyal, stubborn, willing to do what it takes to get the job done, rebellious against authority figures
Where are you from?
Chaney was born in a shadow favored by his mother, who raised him in quintessential Amberite fashion to be a true prince of Amber, but in his rebellious teenage years, he made his way to Cynosure. The city molded him in unexpected ways, and, aside from Amber, Cynosure is his home.
How old are you?
Chaney is several centuries old, the immortal son of two immortal parents. He has spent most of those centuries in shadow, but has accumulated at least a few decades in Amber as well/
What are your interests?
Chaney is interested in Amber's politics as a result of mellowing of opinions about his mother's own ambitions. He is interested in exploring and preserving Shadow, and in fighting the "demons" of Chaos and their influence on Shadow. He has a good mind for strange physics, economics, technology, and politics. He plays the violin, but not for audiences.
Nice work, guys. I like where you're headed. Couple things.
Loup Blanc/Roy: First, Roy is sounding very cool (love Deadlands), and sounds like a natural candidate for Sheriff of the City or maybe Warden of Arden. You should be aware, though, that guns are, at best, difficult to come by in Amber. Or more accurately, guns that work are. I can't remember if I brought this up before or not, but in Amber, where physics are at their most 'pure', many technologies from elsewhere in Shadow (notably, gunpowder) are rendered inert. In essence, most things beyond the medieval level don't get the job done, which is the main reason most Amberites carry swords for their weapon work.
It has been proven that there is a way to make firearms of a sort work, but the knowledge of how is a closely guarded secret. In essence, if you want Roy to be carting around a gun in Amber, you'd probably have to either go on a hunt in game, or invest some points in an Item.
Reckless/Chaney: Just to clarify - you were raised in the court of Amber and went out to Cynosure?
Another roll call! Separated into complete submissions, concepts, and interest.
Loup Blanc, currently submitting Roy of the Gray and Copper, a lawman from the Weird West who has recently learned the wilds are weirder than he ever thought.
Cornielius, currently submitting James of the Brown and Silver, who was once James Willys from an uncommon Shadow Earth.
Archus Madwand, currently submitting Eztil of the Obsidian and Turqouise (or Black and Blue if you like, :p ), who walked unfamiliar paths through Shadow to escape a living hell.
Reckless, currently submitting Chaney of the Red and Gold, heir to the heritage of two centers of power.
Gilthanis, working on a plan for an Amberite less interested in Shadow-walking than pursuing their own interests.
thejeff, working on an Amberite noble from the Golden Circle, long suspected to be a bastard of the royal family.
The Doomkitten, I do believe may have ceased paying attention. Boo.
Fiendish Zen, still mysterious.
Yttriumdervish, haven't heard from you for a while - still interested?
Did I miss anyone?
I was definitely considering putting any extra points I had (or saving some points) towards applying for one of those positions, yeah. I wasn't sure how guns would work, but I took a look at the mechanics basics link someone posted earlier and I am planning on spending on a couple items...
On the topic of Items, I'd also like to double-check: Item expenditure would be the appropriate place to "build" a single follower for Roy? Not so much an ally, and I'm not planning on having him follow Roy into battle on a regular basis or anything, but a sometime companion who can do other things for him.
Yttriumdervish, haven't heard from you for a while - still interested?
Sorry, I've been diving into the wikis, trying to compile something that makes a bit of sense.
I'm thinking: Alric of the Purple Nacre (is that too complicated a color? I can pick two "normal" shades if it is.), born of Amber, who has spent considerable portions of his life walking through Shadow.
Matters of note concerning Alric - On Earth (the Earth, can I do that?), he spent several centuries consorting with poets of some renown, inspiring them with tales of his family, particularly Oberon. From "Les Prouesses et faitz du noble Huon de Bordeaux" to "A Midsummer Night's Dream", Alric prompted the rise of the "king of the Faeries" to a global entity, spanning numerous genres and years of literature.
Taking the lineage further into Shadow, Alric discovered and adapted the Realm of Fairy, a metaphysical "plane of existence" for the beings of Oerth , where he lived as a Seelie Prince, abducting mortals for times of merriment and feasting, while further spreading the name of Oberon.
One particular shadow terrified Alric greatly; that of the Dark Tower. Exploring and observing the worlds contained within, Alric was alarmed by the "stacking" nature of reality of this place. He shadowed the legendary Roland Deschain through multiple instances of his life, watching as he was forced to repeat his actions for an eternity with only minimal variations. One instance of the boy Jake, in particular, struck a chord in Alric: "Go then. There are other worlds than these." Though the boy was clearly not of Amber, his understanding of the True Universe was astounding, and Alric began to question his fundamental beliefs.
Holing himself up on a barren world, Alric sat in contemplation of Amber, the Shadow, and his role in it. Countless aeons passed, until he was called to return to Amber; the man who left, however, was no longer the one who returned.
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Reckless/Chaney: Just to clarify - you were raised in the court of Amber and went out to Cynosure?
Correct. Basically went to Cynosure "rebelling" and looking for his father and fell in love with the city's differences from the totality of experience he had had up to that point, and then spent quite a bit of time in Shadow.
I figured I'd leave it a bit loose on who his mother was for now. Certainly Fiona or Flora are the obvious choices, although maybe he's the product of someone in Merlin's generation instead.
@ Loup Blanc: Yes, Items is the section for building your very own little friends. And/or pets (of particular interest, horses).
As for the rest of it, you seem to have the basic idea down. We'll need to assign a point cost to making your gun(s) function in Amber and/or throughout Shadow, but it shouldn't be too expensive.
I'm thinking: Alric of the Purple Nacre (is that too complicated a color? I can pick two "normal" shades if it is.), born of Amber, who has spent considerable portions of his life walking through Shadow.
Eh - it's not so much that it's too complicated, really, so much as it's not really a formal thing (I've just been phrasing it as such because I think it sounds neat): they're just the colors that your formalwear tends to be in and what you might put on your personal flag. If you like shiny purple, go nuts.
I will have to bow out, but may follow once it gets going as I think the story narrative will be interesting :). If things change will let you know but count me out for simplicity sake.
Eh - it's not so much that it's too complicated, really, so much as it's not really a formal thing (I've just been phrasing it as such because I think it sounds neat): they're just the colors that your formalwear tends to be in and what you might put on your personal flag. If you like shiny purple, go nuts.I'm thinking: Alric of the Purple Nacre (is that too complicated a color? I can pick two "normal" shades if it is.), born of Amber, who has spent considerable portions of his life walking through Shadow.
@ Loup Blanc: Yes, Items is the section for building your very own little friends. And/or pets (of particular interest, horses).
As for the rest of it, you seem to have the basic idea down. We'll need to assign a point cost to making your gun(s) function in Amber and/or throughout Shadow, but it shouldn't be too expensive.
I've seen guns made like this:
Damage 2 or 4Shadow Manipulation 1 or 4
For 1 point it creates bullets that work in the shadow you are in. 4 points the gun shifts reality so the bullets it makes/uses work... sometimes the GM wants to make you pony up more to work everywhere than just the 1 point.
Oh, just decades? Then shrink all of my text wall time tables a bit, since time's not all wonky on Earth in relation to Amber.
I think you got the message though. Does it make sense? I'm really interested, but I'm afraid I'm going too far with what I think they can do in Shadow. Or maybe it's just what I would want to do in Shadow, vs what the author felt would be good story!
@ Loup Blanc: Yes, Items is the section for building your very own little friends. And/or pets (of particular interest, horses).
As for the rest of it, you seem to have the basic idea down. We'll need to assign a point cost to making your gun(s) function in Amber and/or throughout Shadow, but it shouldn't be too expensive.
I've seen guns made like this:
Damage 2 or 4
Shadow Manipulation 1 or 4For 1 point it creates bullets that work in the shadow you are in. 4 points the gun shifts reality so the bullets it makes/uses work... sometimes the GM wants to make you pony up more to work everywhere than just the 1 point.
Sounds pretty good to me. I would be inclined to go with the 4 cost for Shadow Manipulation, as guns (especially the decent revolvers I expect you'll be toting) are a pretty massive edge in any combat somewhere that doesn't ordinarily have firearms. Notably, Amber itself.
Oh, just decades? Then shrink all of my text wall time tables a bit, since time's not all wonky on Earth in relation to Amber.
I think you got the message though. Does it make sense? I'm really interested, but I'm afraid I'm going too far with what I think they can do in Shadow. Or maybe it's just what I would want to do in Shadow, vs what the author felt would be good story!
For reference, looks like I was being a bit conservative with my time estimate. Corwin was on Earth for approximately four hundred years, from about 1600 to the modern era.
I did get the basic plan, yes, or at least I think I did. It mostly makes sense, although it diverges a little from the book's timeline. That's fine, for game purposes, details of the novels are a little fluid. The general shape is still there, but we can bend things from time to time as necessary for character development.
Something that occurred to me today I don't think I ever actually said, although it's been in my head since day one: I do not demand or expect anyone to be familiar with the rules at all, in any way. It is my intent to help guide anyone who does not know the system through creation and the basics of play as best I can, focusing on letting you get your roleplay on while I make the gears run smoothly behind the scenes.
Alright, folks, one last call:
If anyone new pops up, feel free to post things until the end of Monday, but be aware I'll be deciding players based on what you currently have presented by then.
Everyone, do you have anything else to add, or questions to ask, before then?
Alright, ladies and gents, what with no activity here in over 24 hours, I begin to grow bored, and I have to assume some of you feel the same! With that in mind, let's do this thing. Ladies and gentlemen, the new royalty of Amber:
Roy of the Gray and Silver, played by Loup Blanc.
Eztil of the Obsidian and Turqouise, played by Archus.
Chaney of the Red and Gold, played by Reckless.
James of the Brown and Silver, played by Cornielius.
Alric of the Purple, played by Yttriumdervish.
You folks, please report to the discussion thread, where we will get the auction started shortly.
Everyone else who expressed interest, thanks for your time, we'll see you on the other side. Keep following and/or refining your characters if you like; it's a little tricky to add extra players in once things have gotten rolling, but not impossible.
Anyone who finds this recruitment after the fact, I invite you to do the same - there's nothing wrong with springing a surprise family member on the unsuspecting public players. Such a character would not be eligible to take a Dominant ranking or one of the Positions of Power, at least at first, and would probably have a few less overall points, but they would have the major advantage of no one knowing any of their capabilities, as well as a few extra options available to them.
Alright, folks, one last call:
If anyone new pops up, feel free to post things until the end of Monday, but be aware I'll be deciding players based on what you currently have presented by then.
Everyone, do you have anything else to add, or questions to ask, before then?
Ahhh! Just saw this. I ran a three year campaign in the early 90's and never got to play myself. Is it too late to join in?
Hair bleached almost blond, skin burned to charcoal, vivid green pierced from beneath a tattered hood. It hurt to return at His bequest. The trees of Arden flowed to each side, dusted by the sands and spray of Mist.
Even as it grew closer, the Pattern pressed on Nikolus' mind. Mist was torn, but in time he would find another. His long exile, self-imposed, ended only by the shadows being ripped from beneath him. Then upstart Uncle, named for the Courts he likely served, sent . . . a missive. A demand? A request. The two events must be related. The only thing never to be found in Shadow is a coincidence.
Go ahead and keep it coming, Dolarre/Nikolas. If you can get in a submission similar in format and/or level of content to the submissions from Eztil/Archus, Chaney/Reckless, and Roy/Loup Blanc above before people finish their initial bids for the first Auction (something I don't really expect for a day or two), then I'll totally consider adding you to the initial roster.
If you can't make it before things move on, I'll still consider adding you to the secret roster, as discussed in my last post.
A bit more about Nikolas
Those who remember tell of the Arden's second winter. Until that day, Nikolas, like his father Julian, kept away from the courts of Oberon. He attended the required functions, always two steps behind and to the right of his father's shoulder. If possible, he spoke less than his notoriously taciturn and moody father, but it was obvious. The boy was a reflection, a shadow as it were, of the older man, like Remba to Amber, magnificent maybe, but always less and defined in all things by Julian.
His youngest uncle made sure he remembered.
"Nothing more than a clone. When he walk the Pattern, we'll see him melt away to the shadow stuff he is." was a common quip as Random tried to get the boy to react. Even after Nikolas proved himself, the jokes from Random and his toadies compared Nik to a slice of Julian's flesh (often graphically describing from what part it had been sliced) given the curious ability to walk on its own. "A shame, Julian never taught it to speak."
Nikolas seldom reacted, his dark complexion hiding his feelings; if he indeed had any.
But that day Nikolas stood before the court alone. And this time, Julian spoke willingly. Nikolas was to receive his own hunt. The responsibility of the Eastern Woods, that part of Arden furthest from the City and the Castle, was to be his forever. He earned it from years of of loyalty and stoic service, a gift from his father, a lesser Arden for a lesser Julian. At the gracious words, Julian's face revealed at last a hint of pride at his creation.
Nikolas stepped forward spear in hand to accept his badge of office, but as the medal left Julian's hand, Nikolas snatched his back at the last moment, and it fell to the floor with a clang that echoed throughout the silent room. Nikolas' face creased in a rictus of fury.
"Never!" And his spear tip sliced the air, just grazing Julian's hand where the badge of office lay just moments before. A thin red line appeared in its place.
"I am not you, and was never yours. And now you know, and all those here know as well. Hide that in your trees, father."
And with that he ran, and after a few seconds seconds of stunned silence, Julian gave chase.
No one saw the hunt, but Julian returned empty handed. The Arden's lush foliage died that day, and a second winter gripped the forest.
Nikolas returned only twice since then, summoned by some eldritch means. Each time he rode in on an elk, in defiance and in contrast to Julian's hunt. Neither the father or son speak of that day or the reasons or emotions that informed that day in court while Nikolas remains in Amber.
Hey, do I still have a chance too? I was down with a cold this weekend and had no creative energy to spare.
Here's an up to date version.
Titles: The Raven Princess, The Morrigan
Colors: Purple & Gold
Symbol: Raven
Trump: On a rocky cliff looking out over the sea, a woman stands caught in a graceful pose that could be a step in a dance or in a fighting stance. The slim rune-marked blade in her hands suggest the latter. Long black hair flows down her back and the rich gold and purple silks she wears seem to follow her movement. There is a smile on her lips, but it doesn't reach her cold, dark eyes.
Where are you from?
Born in the Golden Circle Shadow of Alhambra, an Arabian Nights/Moorish Spain kind of place. A daughter of the royal family there, her mother died in childbirth? Her father always suspected she had betrated him, for his daughter resembled him not at all and it had been a loveless marriage. When Marjana grew up stronger and tougher than any of her peers, the rumors grew that some Prince was her real father. In her teens, driven by abuse, neglect and raging hormones, she ran away, sneaking into a ship on a trading route to Amber and made her way to Tir on a moonlit night and stepped onto the Pattern there, little caring whether she lived or died. Somehow she survived and vanished into Shadow.
How old are you?
A few centuries. Long enough to have gotten over the worst of her upbringing and learn much of the world out in Shadow. She's studied in more advanced Shadows, but is always drawn back to the more medieval ones. She's ruled Shadow kingdoms and lost them. Had lovers and lost them. Made enemies and killed them - mostly.
What are your interests?
She's always kept an eye on Alhambra, cultivating contacts and agents there, though she's kept a low profile. This also gives her a distant source for rumours of Amber itself. She's long been torn between seeking her heritage directly and feeling that family is dangerous and that Family the most dangerous of all. When she does make contact, winning herself a place will vie with discovering and dealing with her real father as a priority.
Beyond that, she's ruled kingdoms and has little desire for more Shadow rule at the moment. She's spent the years splitting her time between a quiet retreat and explorations into some of strangers Shadows out towards Chaos.
I've got a few other ideas for some of the Shadows she's spent time in and a few dangerous things she's run into out in Shadow that could come back to haunt her if they strike your fancy. I'll write those up when I get the time, assuming you like the character enough.
And here are some particulars in the format used above.
Name: Nikolas
Titles: He who walks in Mist, Scion of the East Forest, Wolfslayer
Colors: Green, trimmed in silver and Crimson
Symbol: An elk, draped in a wolf pelt
Trump: A young man with shoulder length sun bleached hair and a dark, almost black complexion, stares out with intense green eyes from under a tattered green hooded cloak trimmed with silver and red. He leans on a red tipped spear with a black haft. A capped cylindrical case is strapped against his back. The clothes under the cloak are dark and loose fitting. Sandals leave his feet open to the elements.
Behind him surf pounds against a rocky beach and a sleek single masted ship sits at the horizon.
Personality: Reserved and stoic, with bouts of unexpected explosive emotion.
Where are you from?:
Much of Nikolas' formative years were spent in Arden. After the incident with his father, he wandered shadow for 50 years before settling into Mist, where he explored and manipulated for most of a century and a half.
How old are you?
Nikolas has experienced about 320 years, still young by Amberite standards.
What are your interests?
Nikolas' primary interest is in not being Julian, but in search of that goal, he has explored sailing, shepherding, and wandering in general.
Huh. Well. Color me surprised to get two more that interest me. Nice mix of mystery and detail, both of you.
Go ahead and report to the discussion thread.
I found this whole thread a little late, but am posting up an idea in case you find you want/need an extra player somewhere down the road. I can supply a more detailed concept and background upon request, just PM me if/when you're interested. I've owned the main rulebook for going on 20 years but have never actually played, and I'm familiar with the first five books but haven't read the following five Merlin ones.
Name: Vincent
Titles/Alias: The Lord of Dust, the Forlorn, the Aged Child
Colors: Light Grey and Copper Red
Symbol: A sandlark (see below) with a horizontal hourglass symbol on its shell.
Trump: A serious-looking older man dressed in a long grey Inverness coat with eyes downcast, standing in a featureless desert beneath a pale yellow sky. In his right hand he holds an hourglass, the top half of which is full but the bottom half of which is broken, the sand trickling out into the desert winds. A strange creature with coppery red wings, half scarab, half moth, alights on his left shoulder.
Personality: Somber, patient, and cautious; slow to judge and slow to trust.
Where are you from?
My home is dust, destroyed by my own arrogance and folly; I ruled there as God, and I believed its destruction to be the end of all things. Then I was summoned to Amber, where I was told that only it was the one, true world, and all other mere Shadows. If this is so, then should not my pain, my regret, be but shadows as well?
Vincent was either born in Shadow or abandoned there at a young age, on a wilderness world with nomadic Iron Age peoples who knew nothing of Amber. The only real threat facing these people was a floating behemoth which consumed all it passed over and which they worshiped as a god. Vincent spent centuries devising a method to slay this beast, yet when he succeeded, he soon learned that without it the world’s ecosystem was unsustainable. For over a thousand years he watched as all life died out and the mountains and seas turned to dust. Needless to say, this outcome made him a bit glum; all that survived with him was a single “sandlark,” a hardy creature native to the world’s harshest deserts which resembles a cross between a moth and a scarab. At the pinnacle of his despair he was brought to Amber, where he learned of the nature, though not the details, of his lineage, and of the Pattern and Shadows.
How old are you?
I lived a thousand years before my hubris doomed my world, and after the last child died I lost the heart to count years any longer; for what does time matter when there is no future?
Subjectively, Vincent is roughly 2,500 years old; he is ignorant of his true Amber age.
What are your interests?
I once presumed to know how the Universe functioned, but perhaps absolute Truth cannot be known, for even we men and women of Amber are not truly gods. Yet within the Pattern lies the basis for all we know as reality, and through its study, I seek to gain as much understanding as I can. I have no wish to repeat my mistakes.
Vincent is near obsessed with the Pattern and its function, to a degree that other Amberites may even find unseemly.
Thanks for your interest! The game is full up just now and we're in the midst of the Attribute Auction, but I'll keep you in mind for later. You'll be at a mild disadvantage having not participated in the Auction, but you'll have the added freedom of being totally secretive. Feel free to pay attention to our Discussion thread. If you'd like to dot Gameplay, feel free, but please delete the post if you do.
Thank you, I have in fact been following the auction the past few days while I came up with a character concept. If you don't mind, I plan on lurking about regardless of whether or not a spot opens up just to see the game in action.
Don't mind at all, enjoy.