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Can we get PDF versions of the pocket editions? The form factor of the pocket edition would fit on my tablet easier without having to zoom around.Pocket editions are simply scaled down versions of the full size book, without any layout change. So a "PDF" of it would be... the same PDF zoomed out. :X Thanks, I was hoping they were laid out differently not just smaller. Makes total sense there wouldn't be a different pdf then. I shall grumble about my bad eyes now :)
Good luck with the move. I'll check back in a month or so.
I'm willing to keep playing and understand how life can get busy.
Eztil watches and listens. Maybe the visions and memories that guided him here were inspired by one of the powers in this room had a hand in that for some purpose. "I walked here through a path of blood, pain, and death. But that is the only path I have known since... "
Eztil looks at the chair reserved for him curiously for a while before bowing to those he had not met yet "Eztil, pleasure to meet you all. My seating here does come as a surprise Chaney. Once, many years ago, I was a noble and someone must believe I belong to this house" He gestures with a hand to the gathering "By far the most pleasant gathering I've been to since those days."
"Sounds to me more and more like you've got a family reunion on your hands. Same thing happened to me, actually. Out there in Shadow, I mean." Looking around at all the familiar faces "I certainly was coached to know many of these people, and some that are not. Combined with being told I'd be presented as a peer, being at least distantly related to the ruling family does seem likely." "Family castle back in Scotland, on the books as my great-great-grand-pappy's. Course that wasn't quite true, but it was in the family, and it did lead me here eventually, so all's well that ends well, right?" He swallowed and gave the sorcerer another smile. Eztil returns the smile but it is somewhat shadowed "Not all paths to a good ending are pleasant but they can make one stronger for the journey. The biggest question for me now, is who arranged for me to be here?" He sips his drink and watches the other guests for sign they are interested in him or wish to speak with him. Should they be half as skilled at the game as my parents, it is unlikely I'll know of their interest unless they wish it.
Eztil looks around the room curiously then says in an even tone. "Many of these faces I know from tales and the portraits in Castle Dracenberg. Random, I didn't know he was king so did not connect the two. General Benedict, Gerard the Mighty, Sorceress Fiona, Lewella who dwells beneath the sea, Admiral Caine, and the lovely Florimel. It is clear now, that many of the fairy tales I was told as a child were about this place." He helps himself to a drink "Maybe I'm in the right place after all... but I do not see my parents or anyone I knew in person."
Aztec names are custom made to cause linguistic agony. I added the dashes to make it easier :)
"I've known people with dozens of concubines, but not multiple wives." he pauses "There is a difference in rights and responsibilities." Turning to Roy he shrugs "The name could have been assumed but it is the only one we went by until I was sixteen. The town and castle both got their name because the family lived there. Still my parents did travel, often without me." "I too would like to see if there is any reaction from the name." he adds nodding to James.
"I am not, to my knowledge, a relative. Possible though. My parents did travel through shadow and said I would be presented here as one of the peerage but nobody has heard of the von der Drachenburg's" He smiles when Roy mentions there were no hard feelings "Good, they picked the wrong day and person for extortion. I understand my actions were somewhat extreme for Amber, but I did offer to pay a blood price to their family after I sold my necklace." "I can't say I blame you about the Sheriff position, I'd not like such a job myself."
Eztil gives Roy a short bow "We have met before but I was not so well dressed or clean. Some of your wharf rats tried to rob me after I finally made it to shore following the Snap Dragon's sinking. I was maybe a little exuberant in defending myself." He was splattered from head to toe in their blood and was wearing only the cloak from one of the dead. His only other possession was a rather large necklace of gold and turquoise. When asked how he dispatched of the gang in such a bloody fashion, his answer was simply "Sorcery". "The judge released me the next day after reviewing the gangs increasingly violent history." Peering into the council room and it is clear this isn't a simple meeting "To be honest, I don't know why I was invited to this meeting. At best I thought I'd speak with the chamberlain and then review the list of peers to see if I could find any mention of my family."
@Chaney, was that supposed to go in gameplay?
Introduction made in the other gameplay thread. I don't know who Eztil's parents are and if the Amber parent would have used their real name, so I'm being deliberately vague and Eztil didn't mention his parents names. If his parent is in the room when they arrive... well he is schooled enough to control his reactions, but still.
"The von der Drachenburg family was minor nobility in a distant shadow so it is no surprise you have not heard of them. But I was told when I was younger that I would be presented here as a peer so I thought that my parents had some interaction with this court. I was ..." he stops to think for a moment "lost for a time declared dead. So I have come here to find if any of my line still survive." Shrugging off dark memories he continues "As for a title, they would have little meaning here but I'm known as Eztil-tlatia-teotl, Nahualli of the House of Razors, once Varick von der Drachenburg." he gives a short bow "Eztil is the use name I've gone by for some time. Pleased to meet you James." Translations: Eztil-tlatia-teotl roughly translates backwards as "god of burning blood" and Nahualli is an aztec sorcerer
I'm fine with that James. The invitation from the "chamberlain" could have just indicated the room/time where the big meeting is instead of a separate one at the garden. Parent working behind the scenes to keep things moving. Edit I just added a retcon for the letter to meet at the place/time for the big meeting with Random. Eztil wouldn't have thought anything of it.
I was thinking it was earlier than the council meeting, but right before the council meeting could work well and shortcut a separate meeting in the gardens. All for short cutting stuff to get to the meat of the council meeting. What if his parent was waiting on the council meeting and looks over to see their dead son? Or they had already scouted out Eztil and saw it was apparently dead son and arranged for him to arrive? Eztil doesn't look quite like he used to, but parent could have recognized aura or something. Still some explaining to do.
My intention was to have it be a separate meeting as I didn't think my character would have directly been invited (totally my fault for my background). Figured his parent arranges the invite and the position either publicly or secretly once they know he is alive. You taking him to the odd meeting place gives me a chance to interact and for your to become suspicious. Figure his psyche stands out in some way to say "hey this guy is no normal shadow dweller" at which point people become suspicious of him usually. Plus there is the whole bloody mess he left in the alley... it was deemed an act of self defense but they weren't sure how he did it.
For Eztil, I was waiting on the flashback thread. Does he meet a parent, are parental machinations behind the scenes, or get invited in another way. James could find out he is a sorcerer, suspect he is family due to something Eztil says, etc. and just invite him along. For now I can just assume he is somehow invited and will be at the council chamber. He would be introduced as just Eztil or maybe "The Sorcerer Eztil" if a title is insisted upon. Sometimes you need to give the herald something to work with.
Often wonder how much members of the Amber family resemble one another. In one of my games we assumed a family appearance passed on from Oberon's side of the family. One game had a joke we all looked and posed alike... mainly because we had the same artist do all the trumps and everyone separately described their character in a similar pose (everyone was pointing off in some direction).
Its up to V.K. if his Amber parent wants to reveal themselves. They might just be quietly arranging things behind the scenes. Eztil, as Varick von der Drachenburg, was thought to be dead and now someone comes around asking about the Drachenburg family (he looks different than the lost 16 year old boy). The parent would probably want some answers. Possible the parent knew he was alive but he was in a prison shadow that makes people appear to be dead by trump and other means. Would require a pretty good reason (or a total dick of a parent) to have left a kid where he was.
Yeah, I don't know of any better way. Maybe a link on the campaign info page to any sub pages so we can find them later.
He passes the invitation over "This is just an invitation from the chamberlain." The letter grants Eztil entrance to the castle with instructions to meet in Faiella's Garden at 11 bells. Odd place to meet a man who has his own office. Looking carefully at James "Although if you are related to the Drachenburg family we could be cousins. I was told I'd be presented here as a peer one day. Of an allied shadow I could guess. But without reviewing the rolls or finding my parents alive, I have no proof."
Posted in the flashback thread.... interesting its basically a separate campaign. Wish they allowed multiple rooms/threads in the one campaign. Bit more used to RPOL than Piazo for online games.
Eztil gives a short bow to the new arrival and allows himself to be led inside. "I was summoned to speak to the chamberlain. My hope is I could be allowed to review the roll of peerage to find mention of the Drachenburg family." While the young mans voice is friendly enough, being near him makes one feel as if someone walked over your grave. "You may call me cousin if you wish, but I know not why you would."
A young man, dark of hair and skin wearing loose fitting black clothing with red and turquoise patterns, sat cross-legged on the floor with hands on his knees breathing slowly. The room itself contains nothing more than small bed with a backpack at its foot. The mans eyes open revealing haunted jet black irises. He smoothly rises, and exits the room locking it behind him. In short order, the man walks down the stairs into common room of The Viridian Rose. There are a few patrons already down for breakfast, so the staff is bustling about. After he sat with his back to the wall and near the kitchen door, the waitress goes and gets the innkeeper who reluctantly approaches the young man. "Any messages for me?" asked the young man in a neutral tone. For a moment the innkeeper is frozen in place by the younger mans dark gaze "Y-yes m'lord, you got a message from the castle." the innkeeper nervously answers. "Just Eztil is fine..." he waves one of his hands in the air cutting off the frightened innkeeper "... no matter. My message?"
"I will be back later today." He turns and walks to the door, looks around outside, then exits the building somehow leaving the common room seeming brighter than before. 'Weeks since I got off that ship and finally my request was granted to look at the roll of the peerage to see if I can find the Drachenburg family.' He looks up at the castle looming over the city. 'The vision guided me true and you were right mother, all roads do lead to Amber. Some just take longer than others.' After a bit of a walk, Eztil arrives at Castle Amber. The gate guards' grips on their weapons unconsciously tighten as he approached though the most dangerous thing on him is a simple dagger with a bone white hilt. "I've been granted an audience with the chamberlain." He holds out the letter for one of the guards. Eztil looks up at the castle while the guards look over the letter and recalls how he arrived in the city ... Night shrouds the Amber port in darkness. The sound of the waves mixes with the laughter from nearby bars. A hand thrusts up from the water near a pylon and a naked man begins climbing up onto the dock. For a time he rests before climbing to his feet and shambling toward the distant lights. "Well, well lads what do we have here?" men step out of an alley between warehouses to block the mans passage. "Seems like someone had a bit too much to drink and went for a swim." there is rough laughter then one of them notices something around the sodden man's neck glinting in the light and mutters "a fine bit of sparkle around his neck though" The leader looks back at his lads and smiles "Well me and the boys will be taking that necklace of yours ..." whatever he was going to say is cut off as the bedraggled man looks up through his hair. "No I think not." ... The town guard was near The Crusty Barnacle when he heard the screams and immediately he ran in their direction pulling out his truncheon. When he arrived at the warehouses, he heard boxes falling in an alley and slowly approached to investigate. In the shadows could be seen several bodies lying on the ground while someone crouched over them with a cloak billowing out behind them "Alright now stand slowly and hands in the air!" The guard raises his lantern and nearly drops it with a gasp as it reveals the alley has been painted in blood. A naked man stands up covered from head to toe in blood and drops a cloak he was pulling off of a corpse. He raises his hands slowly. "They tried to rob me..." The man peers at the uniform "officer" Eventually the guards let Eztil go as those that accosted him were a known gang of robbers. -----
James checked in at the mirror, nodded at his reflection (thankfully back in the proper colors after a steady uniform of black), and left for the Palace. As was his habit, he Trumped directly to his rooms there and then stopped by the nearest stationed guard to let them know he was in. Family etiquette required each to announce their presence to the Guard if the regular doors were not used, to prevent any 'mistakes'. Looking relieved, the guard said, "Sir, I'm glad you're here. We have a 'disturbance', a, a 'special guest', you could say, at the front gate that may require a Family member." "Very well, I'll walk by. As back up, of course." Turning back to the guard, "And let His Majesty know I've returned." "We have seen him before sir, claimed to be a shipwreck survivor. Ran into a bit of trouble with one of the former gangs on the wharf." "Former gang or former period?" The guard nods twice. "I see." James walks quickly to where the visitor, dressed in his colors, waits with the guards at alert. Hmm, There's something about this one, something either dark or, more likely, familiar. "Pardon all, perhaps I can help?" "Sir, you await entrance? Have you been summoned on this day?" The senior guard shows the invitation bearing the Seal. Seeing only the Seal and making a quick assumption, James speaks, "Well, Cousin, if I may call you that, come with me." He turns, with the expectation that the man will want to speak privately, and misses the guards' reaction to 'Cousin'.
Viscount, James and I can continue our meeting in the flashback thread. It could be the day of the grand gathering or earlier. Maybe he has time to meet with whomever arranged for his invitation or not. I'll be able to post something substantial later tonight. Have to take the wife and kiddo to the inlaws in prep for construction on the roof of our house tomorrow. Kiddo has some anxiety issues and can't be here for a couple days.
Posted hooks for anyone who is interested in having some interaction over the past week about Eztil's claim of a shipwreck or his time in the local prison. Or meet him at the gate. He has a legitimate invitation from the"chamberlain" (who may have been ordered by someone else) to come to the castle.
Looking up a the castle Eztil remembers how he arrived here... Night shrouds the Amber port in darkness. The sound of the waves mixes with the laughter from nearby bars. A hand thrusts up from the water near a pylon and a naked man begins climbing up onto the dock. For a time he rests before climbing to his feet and shambling toward the distant lights. "Well, well lads what do we have here?" men step out of an alley between warehouses to block the mans passage. "Seems like someone had a bit too much to drink and went for a swim." there is rough laughter then one of them notices something around the sodden man's neck glinting in the light and mutters "a fine bit of sparkle around his neck though" The leader looks back at his lads and smiles "Well me and the boys will be taking that necklace of yours ..." whatever he was going to say is cut off as the bedraggled man looks up through his hair. "No I think not." -----
"Alright now stand slowly and hands in the air!" The guard raises his lantern and nearly drops it with a gasp as it reveals the alley has been painted in blood. A naked man stands up covered from head to toe in blood and drops a cloak he was pulling off of a corpse. He raises his hands slowly. "They tried to rob me..." The man peers at the uniform "officer" Eventually the guards let Eztil go as those that accosted him were a known gang of robbers. ----- James checked in at the mirror, nodded at his reflection (thankfully back in the proper colors after a steady uniform of black), and left for the Palace. As was his habit, he Trumped directly to his rooms there and then stopped by the nearest stationed guard to let them know he was in. Family etiquette required each to announce their presence to the Guard if the regular doors were not used, to prevent any 'mistakes'. Looking relieved, the guard said, "Sir, I'm glad you're here. We have a 'disturbance', a, a 'special guest', you could say, at the front gate that may require a Family member." "Very well, I'll walk by. As back up, of course." Turning back to the guard, "And let His Majesty know I've returned." "We have seen him before sir, claimed to be a shipwreck survivor. Ran into a bit of trouble with one of the former gangs on the wharf."
I'll put up a post shortly James. Could draw in one or more of the admirals since he will claim a shipwreck. And Roy was acting sherif.
I had considered changing the nature of my arrival from disembarking from a ship to crawling up on the docks in the middle of the night after his ship sank and getting arrested and tossed in the drunk tank. Yeah he has that kind of life. It would rewind slightly before he goes to the castle but give him an opportunity to meet a few people. While nobody (including Eztil) knows he is an Amberite he does have the reality of one.
Glad you are back Nikolas. Looking forward to more of your tales. ----- Something about Eztil is a bit disturbing... an aura of menace that he cannot shake despite being quite polite.
A young man, dark of hair and skin wearing loose fitting black clothing with red and turquoise patterns, sat cross-legged on the floor with hands on his knees breathing slowly. The room itself contains nothing more than small bed with a backpack at its foot. The mans eyes open revealing haunted jet black irises. He smoothly rises, and exits the room locking it behind him. In short order, the man walks down the stairs into common room of The Viridian Rose. There are a few patrons already down for breakfast, so the staff is bustling about. After he sat with his back to the wall and near the kitchen door, the waitress goes and gets the innkeeper who reluctantly approaches the young man. "Any messages for me?" asked the young man in a neutral tone. For a moment the innkeeper is frozen in place by the younger mans dark gaze "Y-yes m'lord, you got a message from the castle." the innkeeper nervously answers. "Just Eztil is fine..." he waves one of his hands in the air cutting off the frightened innkeeper "... no matter. My message?"
"I will be back later today." He turns and walks to the door, looks around outside, then exits the building somehow leaving the common room seeming brighter than before. 'Weeks since I got off that ship and finally my request was granted to look at the roll of the peerage to see if I can find the Drachenburg family.' He looks up at the castle looming over the city. 'The vision guided me true and you were right mother, all roads do lead to Amber. Some just take longer than others.' After a bit of a walk, Eztil arrives at Castle Amber. The gate guards' grips on their weapons unconsciously tighten as he approached though the most dangerous thing on him is a simple dagger with a bone white hilt. "I've been granted an audience with the chamberlain." He holds out the letter for one of the guards.
Eztil will just be arriving in Amber driven by visions, memory, and a search for his lost family. Don't know who his Amber parent is but maybe they arrange his position in the castle to keep him around.
Sad to loose them if they don't come back. Especially Alric since he drove up the price of Psyche :)
I found it helpful to think of what Eztil would be skilled at. Yeah, I hate it when my posts are eaten. Piazo's forums are a bit unstable at times.
Eztil is skilled in numerous types of magic including something akin to Civil Engineering plus another for being an Artisan. If you need a giant pyramid built with intricate carvings, he can build it for you. Also Akashic Engineering ... which is something like programming astral space in his first home shadow. He is also skilled at surviving in dangerous and environmentally unpleasant hell-holes. Called that skill "Dungeoneering" because Xenoarcheologist or Tomb Raider didn't quite fit. Eztil is a focused fellow, magic nerd, and under a century old. So there really isn't that much breadth to his skills.
I collected all the stories thus far.
Welcome back. Glad your trip was safe and hope you had fun.
Viscount said he had to work overtime this week due to a vacation on the weekend... plus maybe he had to help with his dad.
Sorry James. I'm at my personal limit on bad stuff and can't think of any special cards I'd want to make it worth the extra debit.
Are there other benefits to having a deck bought this way that I'm forgetting? Its overall cheaper to buy a deck named and numbered than each of us buying a deck. Plus, technically the only people who can pay points for trumps are people who have the power. Which I suppose is why the book suggests a trump person could buy them this way for their friends. The GM could allow people to buy a deck themselves for 2 points that they could always find with the caveat they can't add trumps to it unless they are found. If we have to go through James to do anything, since they're his items, I don't think it's worth it for me. That's not even worrying about trusting him, just the convenience factor. After all, I wouldn't have the trumps, so it wouldn't be easy to get in touch with him. :) I suspect that Eztl will often loose things he doesn't pay points for left and right. So there would be a good chance James would have to re-deliver or remake the cards occasionally if Eztil can't find them. Either that or Eztil buys a shadow where he can leave the trumps and teleport there when he needs to use them. Or give James something Eztil can use to contact him. "Ah James, would you mind carrying this?" Holds up a really creepy looking red and black spider. "If I loose the deck you so kindly provided, the spider will tell you." At which point the spider appears to nod. :)
Due to bidding too much and stubbornly holding on to my original concept, I'm pretty low on points. Really shouldn't have bid on the position, but I really wanted something to tie me to Amber. Let me see what the GM says about sharing the cards and my character... what's one more point of bad stuff I suppose. Universe already has it out for me and people might think I'm Crazy McEvil
My wishes for your father's speedy recovery. And good luck with the play.
Hope everything is ok Take care of your family.
No. Healing others requires Advanced Shapeshifting, Sorcery (maybe), or Artifacts. Most amberites are the equivalent to a doctor and pretty hard to kill.
I would guess there would be several technological anachronisms and the best of civilizations that had plumbing (Romans, Indus Valley, Greeks, etc); definitely not the actual middle ages. The amberites are used to luxuries and sanitation. The visual guide just left me with the impression of a standard middle ages world. Its a joke in my head due to the visual guide coming out while I was playing an amber game. Most GMs have made the castle actually impressive and Amber not have sewage tossed into the street.
I can get taking game off hard mode. "But the bathrooms man!"
My PMs have mostly been about the details of finishing the character. Now I need to go design some spells so Viscount has more things to review ;)
Trade and wealth are purely for the common folk. Anyone who has walked the pattern can take a short walk and fill their pockets with gold and gems. The real reason to control the seas is political power. I think I was turned off about living in Amber proper by the visual guide which sows the castle as a mostly normal castle... so tiny tiny rooms. From mt vision of an ideal almost fairy castle I found myself imagining a real world one complete with chamber pots. But I'd definitely go on the shadow vacation :) Edit: Indoor plumbing is the minimum I'll accept, real or not
Amber is where the Pattern is and the Pattern is the source of the family's power to walk through shadow (it created it after all). There are enemies out there who want that power or to destroy it so it must be guarded (Moonriders of Ganesh almost destroyed Amber). But you don't want to sit there all alone on top of a magic drawing, so you build a city. The city has people who are probably more real but they still aren't family. Those people need to eat and as Nikolas said "gods don't deliver groceries" so you setup trade routes with nearby shadows. Marjana is probably right about basically wearing a groove. I've never really bought into the "amber is more real so I want to be there" maybe you get a bit jaded going to one sex shadow after another and want some challenge so there is that. But Oberon basically twisted his children into infighting for the throne because it was better they fought each other than him. Problem is an immortal ruler isn't ever going to make a prince a king. I think setting up the shadow kingdoms was something to do. But there are indications some of those kingdoms helped Amber in times of need. Also it is clear that some things (like the Riders) were around before the pattern. Seems unlikely that the pattern created everything.
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