A Funeral in Chaos

Phase I of the Amber campaign, Home from the Hill

“Enemy citadel, conquered nation, trap, ancestral home… We shall see. There is a faint flickering from battlement and balcony. We may even be in time for a funeral.” Corwin at the end of Courts of Chaos

The Battle of the Abyssal Plain and entry to the Courts of Chaos: this is the first session, in which our heroes win a great battle against horrendous odds but are forced to take refuge in the Courts of Chaos, the denizens of which seem to have expected them… Here are their personal accounts: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

So This is Chaos: in which our heroes meet several important players in the Courts of Chaos, and a couple not so important, and they glimpse the beginnings of plot: Constance; Darig; Havelock; Margrath; Sorashi; William (Havelock’s is incomplete). And here’s an interesting conversation in which Constance convinces Dara of the true nastiness of a daughter of Julian.

A Day at the Races: the cousins see some of the sights of the Thelbane and are entertained at a formal race meeting in the Zoodrome, during which envoys are conversed with, wagers won and lost and history is glimpsed: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

Animal Crackers: the victors of the Battle of the Abyssal Plain are honoured with twin paintings commissioned by Pfalzgraf Wherren of House Zigo but another attempted assassination, this time on Sorashi, heralds dark machinations and, as the family and House Zigo gather for the formal unveiling, it becomes evident that Amber is threatened by a conspiracy seeking to manipulate Time-Past-and-Present and the very fabric of Reality itself: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

The Alhambra: in the aftermath of the fight in the Duomo, Delwin lies critically injured, tended by his sister, while Havelock learns of Iconic Age Writing from House Cyril and everyone else explores the Alhambra, a residence inherited by Sorashi thanks to her coup-de-grace to Calipha Zilaph, late of House Abal (only 3 diaries as William was not present for this session and Darig lost his notes): Constance; Margrath; Sorashi.

A Knight at the Opera pt1: Delwin dies but finds time for a last chat with Margrath, but unfortunately precedence and chronicity govern funerals so Delwin joins the queue headed by Oberon; Cymnea engineers William eavesdropping on a meeting between her, Caine and Benedict; Mandor hands out knighthoods for everyone but then comes the bad news – by Royal Command everyone must attend the Opera; with this threat in mind the cousins scout out the Opera House where Sorashi, Margrath and Dirk encounter a demon called Hugo and William and Constance converse with Brand, or perhaps his ghost… alternate reality… or something; then Darig visits Cymnea, Isis tells William he’s to be haunted by a long-dead woman (insectoid thing) that he can barely recall but who claims to be his adoptive mother; finally Constance, Margrath and Havelock descend on House Hierophus to discuss dreams, Trump and Dream Trumps, where Dworkin descends on them to gift Havelock with a fresh trump of Benedict “Be careful, still wet – use it wisely!”: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

A Knight at the Opera pt2: Strange portents – Constance dreams of Julian; Margrath and Sorashi have a dream of each other, in which they resurrect Deirdre, and on waking find this to be true; all the cousins are inaugurated, ordained, initiated or inundated in to their respective knightly orders, discovering many things, some of which may prove useful; Ibemo asks to travel with Margrath when he leaves the Courts; William and Darig spar with Benedict before visiting Brú na Bóinne, they find it besieged by countless demons but by their trusty blades they save their house of origin; all but Havelock (busy with his easel) attend a feast to mark Lady Zae of Zigo assaying her heritage, attended by both the quick and the dead; suspicions grow that House Karm harbour dark designs on Julian and more than one cousin plans to free him by force-of-arms; there is much discussion of metaphysics and a peculiar ritual, before something horrifying consumes Zae, to the accompaniment of Dworkin as the insane organist: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

We also have Havelock’s Inception in to the The Illustrative and Insinuative Order of the Inconscient Brush in 6 chapters: A Reading & a Journeying; Knight Takes Pawn; Childe Havelock to the Dark Tower Came; A Dream Within a Dream; A Good Smoke & The Incident; Consequences. Thrill to see Havelock nearly destroy himself and the entire Order with an injudicious touch of Pattern, for which he is rewarded by promotion to Ultimo Praeceps.

A Knight at the Opera pt3: And so at last we come to the Opera itself. For their respective parts check out the diaries: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William; but here’s the full text as used in game – much, including all of Acts II and III were done in précis but crucial scenes, mostly (but not entirely) involving our heroes, are given in full (with deepest apologies to Tim Rice and Shakespear).

After the Fat Lady Sings: Darig takes his ease in sanctuary in the Duomo while crowds of the curious queue to see the spectacle; romance blossoms between William and Rachael, or perhaps the next best thing; Constance catches Morgenstern; Havelock paints portraits; Margrath meets Anansi and Sorashi finds out how useful earrings can be; plans are afoot to free Julian from House Karm: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

Duck Soup: Dreams seem to be catching: Constance dreams of Llewella, Sorashi of the Phantom of the Opera, Margrath of Delwin, William of his mother and Havelock of dragons; Mandor gives Darig his pardon; there is a general discussion regarding how to ‘storm’ Castle Karm; William takes Rachael on a date and both learn something more about each other; Margrath receives begging letters from several houses before repairing the Alhambra for Sorashi; Melvyn wins a duel, after assiduous coaching: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

Karm Before the Storm: everyone decides to go to Brú na Bóinne and forgo sleep – hence, no dreams; they all make plans for the rescue of Julian from House Karm; Constance chats with Flora and Bleys before cutting a deal with Lord Torc; Darig and Havelock visit the Hall of Memories; Darig tutors his children; Sorashi joins Margrath to learn of unsettling news regarding malevolent watchers, then Suhuy arrives to oversee her besting of the nasty thing in the basement – go Sorashi! – William confuses the Order of the Lugubrious Vendetta with philosophy but Rikard agrees to let him and others in through the back door into Castle Karm; finally Constance, Havelock and William beard Oggil in the Boardroom and Karm implodes on their Chairman – once he’s voted out of office William and Havelock terminate his appointment with extreme prejudice: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

There’s a subsequent conversation between Constance and Julian in the Alhambra in which she brings her father up to speed regarding current affairs – anyone who wants to know Julian’s take on things, or Constance’s view of her cousins, should read this.

Come As You Are: Amongst sundry other goings on, the family is invited to a family dinner to celebrate Melvyn assaying the Logrus – where Oberon puts in a possibly final appearance: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

Constance attends a clandestine meeting of the Interminably Lachrymal Order of the Deniable Moth in 4 easy chapters: Ariel, Ubermeister, Nachtherrin and Kageorgis.

And Sorashi is given a guided tour of the Alhambra, meets a lot of demons and is not eaten by three visitors, pt 1: Asfar, Iblis, Kirgiz and Zuby; pt 2: Rama, the Coronet of Nasr and Saturday.

The Grand Ball: At the Grand Ball, first Oromiel announces forthcoming nuptials; then there is justice – House Spandrel is exiled, House Spectral is exiled and Constance executes Celadon of Spectral. Then the Amberites are all presented to High King Augustus Swayvil, who regretfully dies when Darig knifes him in the eye – everyone seems perfectly happy with this, except for Benedict (and possible Augustus).

Then there is dancing, lots and lots of dancing: Cymnea suggests a possible way to reconcile Benedict and Darig, leaving it in the hands of Havelock and Despil; Fiona arrives with her horse via Havelock’s trump; Cracks in Reality give concern to many, even more so when Havelock’s reading of the cards reveals what’s really happening.

And there’s poetry, lots and lots of poetry: Constant Daughter, The Ginnungspa, Akira’s Curse, Fiona’s Elegy to Oberon and Delwin – Sorashi nearly loses her eyes thanks to a death curse by Akira Tono of Sundiata, but is nobly saved by a liquid Melvyn, still assaying the Logrus; Constance inflicts revenge on Laird Tobias of Unman, blowing away his Glamours and permanently scarring him with a ring of cold iron.

And there’s death, lots and lots of death: High King Augustus, Akira of Sundiata, T’Mer and Rolovians of Jesby expire in full view while several others are heard to have passed this mortal coil elsewhere and earlier deaths on both sides are remembered – rumour has it that Augustus may have ordered the death of Sorpovin of Jesby as a lesson to others (see ‘Ubermeister’ for the truth) – but the ball is ‘perfectly safe’.

And there’s politics, lots and lots of politics: Mandor plots and schemes and even has a close ally assassinated to promote his candidate for the throne, but his plans are ruined by metaphysics and the ambitions of House Alhazred; Cymnea gives William the engagement ring given to her by Oberon, for him to give Rachael; Brand tells Constance that only Julian can save him but he offers the Jewel of Judgement and a Pattern Blade in return; Oromiel tells William she’s glad he’s taking Rachael from the pollution of the Thelbane but bids him beware of Heaven, Hell and the ‘Angel of the Darker Draught’; then House Alhazred frightens four recalcitrant Rimlords into supporting Mandor after all – so he has a new Royal Coalition, now all he needs is a candidate – “Where in Amber is Merlin?”

And there’s Darig, lots and lots of Darig: having assassinated the High King, he receives a death threat from Benedict, is sent back in Time by Alhazred’s unclean magics to make his prophecy at Augustus’ funeral, as a practical joke by Yog-Sothoth is cast even further back in time to save Oberon with two well-placed knives in the back of Ismail of Abal but miraculously Dworkin throws him back to the present day to arrive with a bump at the Clock of Doom, together with an eyeless Lord Melvyn.

Diaries: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William

And you can read how Constance has a spectacular falling-out with her dad in After the Dance was Over but nonetheless learns of the circumstances of her arrival in Arden, cold iron and Brand’s Pattern blade. Anyone who wants to know exactly what makes Julian tick should read this. Tickets for the forthcoming duel are currently on sale at the Thelbane ticket office – bring your own popcorn.

Stop Press! Havelock gives Constance some last minute coaching for her forthcoming duel and reads how it will turn out in his cards.

Monkey Business: Julian beats Constance in their duel, leaving her with a cut on her cheek. Then everyone arrives at Vanguard, home of House Sawall, for the great unveiling of Mandor’s candidate to be the next High King of Chaos. Suddenly, two dozen Chaots gatecrash the throng with an excellent battle-plan that fails to cope with Benedict, Corwin, Bleys, William, Darig, Havelock and Belissa of Hendrake, together with 2 Pattern blades, 2 other mystical weapons and a were-tiger (Sorashi in fine form).

House Zero is annihilated, Pandit of Amblerash and three Chanicut tritons captured. Mandor blames his father, the Archduke Gramble, for betraying the family. Then everyone gets fed, Corwin showing particular voracity. Merlin emphatically declines to be High King, leaving Mandor at square one regarding a candidate for the throne – then several of our heroes suggest Melvyn…

Diaries: Constance; Darig; Havelock; Margrath; Sorashi; William.

A subsequent conversation between Sorashi and Deirdre, focussing on their future in Amber and the deaths of their respective fathers – a glimpse at Deirdre’s thinking machinery.

Long Live the King: William escorts Cymnea for a last visit with her husband before the funeral. But they find the honour guard messily slain and the flag-draped coffin stolen. Cymnea lets rip a seriously nasty curse, “Whoever did this thing, however far they run, however deeply they hide, whatever powers they call to protect them, they shall die! They will die in an agony of horror and pain. Their faces shall be burned from their bones. Their life essences will drain from their worthless carcases. And whatever pathetic remains left will be cast into the Void without ceremony or ritual.”

Summoning Constance and Sorashi for their scouting abilities and Darig and Havelock for their more thuggish skills, they set out to reclaim the body of Amber’s late King. There’s just time for a last romantic farewell between Oberon and Cymnea under Kabinett’s huge moon (probably stolen from somewhere) before the Kunstkabinett grotesques carry Oberon’s coffin back to the Royal Chapel. Then everyone attends the coronation where Melvyn, reluctantly, accepts the Crown as is acclaimed High King of Chaos.

Diaries: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William; (despite Slim being unable to make this session Margrath nonetheless provides a diary entry describing a dream, possibly intimating current worries on his mind). And here is what happened when Constance sat for Merlin to paint her trump.

A Cure for Melancholy: Margrath’s sorcerous duel proves devastatingly one-sided, Aelfric of Taud (experimenting with a novel mantis-like form) collapsing as Margrath’s summoned Ty’iga possesses him just as his venomation spell reaches climax. Aelfric is carried off, green and twitching.

Oberon’s funeral leaves everyone in a sombre mood but the wedding between Rachael and William proves a cure for melancholy – to borrow Constance’s turn of phrase.

As the young newlyweds enjoy their first night of marital bliss, the family and the Amber Expeditionary Force ready themselves to leave the Thelbane for Ygg and all points orderly.

Diaries: Constance; Darig; Margrath; Sorashi; William – and here is the Trump reading done by Havelock as a wedding present to William and Rachael.