The Resistible Rise of
Magnus Matricide
An Interminable Opera in
an Indefinite Number of Acts, Scenes and Musical Interludes
Cast Actor
Abenalmao, Caliph of Abal,
Marshal of Chaos Wilmot Bragg
Abramelin, Archduke of Sawall Mandor
of Sawall
Arachne, Beldam of Ascaris Ariadne
of Ascaris
Art mac Daghda, Lord of Barimen Melvin of Barimen
Borman, Chairman of Karm Deling Frooki
Cleopatra,
Cymnea, Queen of Amber Cymnea of Ascaris
Dagobert, King of Lanfranc Kondo Javintorin
Endora of Helgram
Hess, Chairman of Karm Herman of Karm
Hinkon, Khan of Ku’urkil Hasdrubal Fantomay
Juan, President of Peron George Nonsuch
Lucanus, Kaiser of Diptera Clausun Nimitor
Magnus, the Young Pretender Norbert Crane
Meddle of Chanicut Onesipherous Marsh
Morwenna of Protean, High Queen of Chaos
Orderic, King of Lanfranc Homer
The Portent Phantom Darig
of Amber
Psychomorpha, Kaiserin of Diptera Sorashi of Amber
Renfrew, Pfalzgraf
of Zigo Hector
of Zigo
Reposh, Cardinal of Amblerash Pandit
of Amberash
Said of Abal Apok Lazario
Scanderbeg, Cardinal of Amblerash Victor Hulitt
Siegfried, Hochmeister
of Zephyra Zorn Capybara
Skuld: 3rd Norn
Titus XLIII, Earl of Groan Titus of Groan
Titus XLIV, Earl of Groan Titus of Groan
Titus XLV, Earl of Groan Titus of Groan
Titus XLVI, Earl of Groan Titus of Groan
Titus XLVII, Earl of Groan Titus of Groan
Tybalt of Karm Rikard of Karm
Urdr: 1st Norn Agnes Dilkes
Verdandi: 2nd Norn Vera Lynn
Yusuf of Abal Donatello the Incredible
Narrators and Rumours Dworkin of Amber, Suhuy of Winter
The
essence of theatre portrays the drama in prose and song but without magic to
provide the special effects. For example, the duel between
Actors
in italics have been brought from out of Shadow to play the various parts,
which is good, because part of the verisimilitude demands that when a character
dies on stage, so does the actor. Others are played by current members of the Thelbane typically portraying ancient members of their own
houses but some, such as Cymnea and
************
[
The
Master of the Revels, Laird Tobias of Unman, announces a Royal Command
performance of a new Opera, the Resistible Rise of Magnus Matricide – a fiction
but based on a true story. The High King acknowledges Tobias’ bow with a grunt
but seems deeply uninterested and soon falls asleep.
Act I
1)
Suhuy
and Dworkin open as rumour, speaking in prose.
Suhuy: ‘Elsewhere it is related how the traitor Dworkin with his son, Oberon, stole the Left Eye of the
Serpent and fled beyond the Far Realms to the ends of the Universe to create
Amber, in opposition to the Courts.’
Dworkin: ‘On learning of the theft of the Eye by
the Keeper, his kinsman, and of the death of Ismail
the Great of Abal, the greatest of the Rimlords and his personal friend, High King Daghda Barimen died of pure melancholy,
to be succeeded by Morwenna of House Protean. She,
vengeful Queen, ordered the hosts of Chaos to carry war to Amber, led by Abenalmao of House Abal, first
among the Rimlords, eager to avenge his progenitor.
Suhuy: ‘But Chaos was defeated, blasted by Dworkin’s Eidolon of Power, and the sad remnants of the
Chaos army routed back past Ygg…’
Dworkin: ‘…which is when and where
we begin our tale…’
2)
An ash tree on a blasted heath – 3 eyeless
crones crouch over some slaughtered animal.
All: ‘Fair is foul and foul is fair: hover
through the fog and filthy air.’
Urdr: ‘By the pricking of my thumbs,
Something wicked this way comes.’
Verdandi: ‘Magnus, that
shall High King be.’
Skuld: ‘Magnus, that
shall slay his Dam.’
Urdr: ‘Magnus, that shall
topple o’er
Amber from its lofty
perch.’
Verdandi: ‘Magnus, who dies thereafter.’
Skuld: ‘Slain by the hand of…
Urdr: ‘What? My ears, my brain amaze!’
Verdandi: ‘Skuld, it doth
not even scan!’
Urdr: ‘Sister, misread you the signs?’
Verdandi: ‘Mistook you the chaudron,
for
Some more wholesome tiger’s
part?’
Skuld: ‘Sisters, unfairly you do me down;
A tiger’s parts’ I know from
Other entrails; I read true,’
Magnus falls by Will’m’s
hand.’
Urdr: ‘Yet by Darig’s
knife he dies.’
Verdandi: ‘True – see how the liver lies.’
Skuld: ‘So how should we read such signs?’
Urdr: ‘Such a mess of offal? Not
I, tis
beyond this Norn’s ken.’
Verdandi: ‘But yet Magnus we must school;
And I hear his tread. Oh haste!’
Skuld: ‘Nothing say to
Magnus yet’
Til we these signs
unravel.
Of this speak not! – Soft, he comes!’
3)
Enter Abenalmao, Yusuf and Magnus, singing about the recent disaster. Yusuf and Magnus assure Abenalmao
that he could have done nothing more and without his personal valour there
would be none to carry word back to Chaos.
Magnus: ‘But what are these who await?
Seeming wither’d
and so wild?’
Abenalmao: ‘These sweet ladies be the Norns,
If my guess goes not awry
But soft, they speak…’
Urdr: ‘…Hail to thee,
Worthy Abenalmao,
who
Returns from war to reap the
Reward of your valiance
For House Abal
and yourself
By command of Chaos’ hordes’
<Urdr exuents left>
Yusuf: ‘Tis true! How
many great names
Might now lie dead ‘pon
the field
But for thy good leadership.’
Magnus: ‘In the Thelbane
are none of
More worth than Abenalmao.’
Abenalmao: ‘Kinsmen, your words are too kind
But let us hear the next Norn
For proffer’d wisdom
spurned
Is folly deep.
Soft, she speaks…’
Verdandi: ‘Yusuf! Of Abal, Caliph
After Abenalmao’s
raze.’
<Verdandi exuents left>
Abenalmao: ‘’Tis true! My
wish has been long
That you be Caliph after.’
<Abenalmao and Yusuf exuent right>
Skuld: (aside to Magnus): ‘All hail Magnus! That
shall be
King of Chaos hereafter.’
<Skuld exuents left,
leaving Magnus stunned…>
Aria by Magnus, he marvels at
the prophecy, hardly believing it possible that he might become High King, yet
recognising that in his veins runs the ichor of the
Yellow Emperor; he remarks that he will maintain a ‘fair face’ to Abenalmao for the moment, as evidently House Abal retains its position as the foremost House within the
Courts. He will keep his thoughts private but yet he will not be swayed from
his destiny.
Interval – A [Hugo escorts
Act II
1)
Abenalmao
comes before High Queen Morwenna: she asks pleasantly
for tidings of the War against the heretics, Abenalmao
blusters that at first the war went well, that he had pinned Oberon and Dworkin to a mountain fastness and laid siege, but then
allies appeared and took Chaos in the rear.
In a Herculean effort, Abenalmao managed to redress his battle lines to face the
newcomers from the Far Realm of Faerie and, though losses were great, the Fae were beaten off, but then the heretics wielded a new
power imbued within an Eidolon scrawn by Dworkin using the stolen Left Eye of the Serpent. The
energies of this Eidolon the forces of Chaos could not withstand. In vain Abenalmao tried to keep the troops in the field but none
dared face the fires of the Eidolon and Abenalmao had
no choice but to join the rout to preserve such as was left of the Queen’s
army.
The Queen asks after Titus, 43rd
Earl of Groan; Abenalmao replies that he died with
his troops, alas; then she asks after Tubal of
Gurney, Mercedes of Benz and Frolic of Utter, to each Abenalmao
replies that they died in battle.
Queen Morwenna: ‘How is it that all these great lords expired
In battle most valiantly but you,
My general, return to me unharmed?’
Abenalmao
now realises where this conversation is going. The Queen observes that a
general who ran from the field to save his hide would disgrace his house, she then dismisses him courteously before departing
stage left.
2)
Enter Magnus: Abenalmao
observes to Magnus that the Norns’ prophecy is now clear
and he shall have his reward for his valour on the battlefield, but he can redeem
his honour and ensure that House Abal takes no
censure for his failings; Magnus then gives Abenalmao
a vial of poison which he swallows after a moving aria.
3)
Magnus brings news of Abenalmao’s
death to House Abal; Fatima and Yusuf
sing a stirring duet about Abenalmao, Yusuf’s verses regarding vengeance and how the pursuit of
vengeance against Abenalmao’s nemesis (does he mean Amber
or the Queen?) will show the Thelbane that Abal is still worthy of respect; Fatima’s verses are more
measured and political, saying her priority is to work with the powers that be
to maintain Abal’s influence on the Rim; the House acclaims
Fatima as Calipha; Yusuf
kneels before her and swears fealty.
4)
Fatima seeks audience with Queen Morwenna in a conciliatory mood, promising undying loyalty
of House Abal, laying Abenalmao’s
suicide wholly on personal melancholy at his failure in the field; but the
Queen is no mood for conciliation and, breaking with tradition, inflicts
retribution on House Abal, breaking their power and demoting
them to the lesser houses, she dismisses the shocked Fatima from her presence
and forbids her or anyone from House Abal from
soiling the Rim with their stench.
5)
Yusuf and
Fatima intrigue over Abal’s lost Rimlord
status; Fatima swears vengeance upon Morwenna; Yusuf tells her he has a friend who is sworn to help Abal – enter Juan, President of House Peron, who swears
faithfully that he will bring about the fall of Morwenna
from her lofty arrogance and shall remember Abal’s
friendship after.
6)
The Council Chamber: the Queen’s action
provokes disquiet among the Rimlords, who argue that
none of them are safe from her caprices; Juan of Peron argues that she has been
driven insane by the unrestrained shiftings of form
practiced in House Protean and whips the other Rimlords
in to a frenzy; when Morwenna joins her Rimlords in Council she is murdered by her cabinet, with
the sole exception of Juan who alone puts his dagger away unblooded
– then all the 6 Rimlords in turn: Juan of Peron, Scanderbeg of Amblerash, Cleopatra
of Ophir, Orderic of Lanfranc, Titus of Groan and Siegfried of Zephyra sing regarding their hopes and aspirations, all
ending with the refrain ‘But who shall rule the Thelbane?’
Interval – B [Magdalene of House Karm visits the Sawall box and
receives rough treatment from Julian’s family –
Act
1)
Abstract scene: 6 Rimlords
play musical chairs, with each loser: Scanderbeg of Amblerash, Cleopatra of Ophir, Orderic of Lanfranc, Titus of
Groan and Siegfried of Zephyra, singing a bitter
aria, the refrain of which states they are struck down by Morwenna’s
curse for spilling the ichor of their High Queen, to
whom they had all sworn fealty. 1 survives, Juan of Peron, who goes straight in
to an aria in which he smilingly expresses his utter surprise at his
acclamation as High King of Chaos – among his policies, he states non-pursuit
of fruitless war against exiled houses, such has destroyed so many Lords and
Houses of the Thelbane.
2)
A duet between Fatima and Juan in which she
observes the sudden vacancies in the Rim, angling for Abal’s
restoration; Juan asks what Abal would do when
restored and Fatima replies that her entire house is passionate about renewing
the war against Amber, to avenge Ismail the Great and
vindicate Abenalmao; Juan smiles and sings a
seductive aria in which he uses many empty phrases to say very little.
3)
Juan appoints new houses to the Rim: Helgram and Chanicut, and among
the extant houses he warmly welcomes in particular Lucanus
of Diptera ‘For right well we know your mind and is
one with ours in desiring peace with Amber.’
4)
Debate among Rimlords:
2 factions, the Doves, led by Lucanus of Diptera, supporters of Juan’s negotiated settlement, and
the Hawks, led by Borman of Karm
and Victoria of Hendrake, who promote the
continuation of the war – the Doves are clearly ascendant and Borman observes that discretion shall be his watchword and
for now he will dissemble and make pretty words for peace, but that one day
House Karm shall make war on Amber and the heretic
city shall fall…
5)
Juan negotiates a peace with Amber: he
discusses matters with leading Rimlords: Borman of Karm, Lucanus of Diptera, who suggests Cymnea of House Ascaris, a Dipteran minor vassal house, as a potential bride for Oberon
– she and Dworkin’s brat, Oberon, knew each other
from youth and should prove amenable.
6)
Cymnea
takes a tearful leave for Amber, fearful of what to expect in the Ordered Lands,
she is accompanied by an entourage of Chaosites,
including several members of House Karm, including Borman.
7)
Yusuf enters
from left and confronts Fatima, to be joined by the rest of House Abal: with her policies in tatters and with no hope of
returning Abal to its rightful place she is given
poison by her house, which she takes after cursing her own house most
viciously, that they shall dwindle to nothing until finally snuffed out at the
hands of the blood of Amber; Yusuf is acclaimed
Caliph in her place.
8)
Yusuf intrigues
with Magnus, vowing that Abal will support Magnus as
High King if he will restore Abal to glory when he
comes in to his pomp; Magnus replies that Yusuf’s
pledge is intemperate as Juan’s position is strong thanks to his successful
negotiation of the Amber question, but yet the time may come when Magnus may
hold Yusuf to his word.
Interval
– C [
Act IV
1)
Borman
of House Karm returns from Amber, denouncing the
perfidy of Oberon who allowed his son, Osric, to
murder 3 members of Karm in Amber: Gustav, Anoxia and
Zane, Borman weeps an interminable dirge. Borman’s song creates a stir in the Thelbane
and there are calls for war against Amber again.
2)
Council Chamber: Juan talks with Lucanus of Diptera and other Doves;
he feels the situation slipping away from him and after they exuent he orders the assassination of Borman
by a Spandrel assassin.
3)
Queen Cymnea of
Amber returns to her old house of Ascaris with her
grandson,
4)
Queen Cymnea
intrigues within her house and within the Courts to foment war against Amber in
revenge for Oberon spurning her; she marries Art mac Daghda of House Barimen.
5)
Juan, feels his support slipping; with the
return of Cymnea he is faced with the overt
realisation that his peace policy with Amber (which is the man plank of his political
credibility) is failing; in an effort to bolster his authority he abruptly
sides with the Hawks, turning on the Doves, his old allies – he dismisses Lucanus of Diptera from his
presence.
6)
Lucanus
of Diptera, addresses Beldam Arachne
of Ascaris, warning her that he has long felt the
feebleness of her allegiance and recognises that her loyalty is wavering with Diptera’s disfavour, he demands she yields a hostage of
note; Arachne denies any disloyalty and offers
7)
In the throne room of Diptera
Cymnea prepares to give
Cymnea: ‘Now
Temper, and be slow to draw in this house.
Lest Ascaris be
the blood you spill.’
School’d and will fain Ascaris
to disgrace,
For it is as dear to me as Amber.’
<enter Psychomorpha and Lucanus>
Cymnea: <to Psychomorpha>
Kaiser and Kaiserin of Diptera,
Ancient and Foreboding; august mother,
I present
Finndo, by King Oberon of Amber.’
Psychomorpha: ‘
No ill; this house holds no hate for Amber.
As a mother shall I be to you, and
I shall ensure thou art school’d
in all things
Becoming a gentleman of
your blood.’
Psychomorpha: ‘Let him be given the lesser passwords
For Will’m of
Amber has our favour
And the freedom of our
House of Diptera.’
Lucanus: ‘And I, Kaiser of our House, swear this
bond,
This lad I shall preserve against all harm.’
Bond; I shall not draw my blade in rage
And your hospitality defile with
The innocent blood of
kind Diptera.’
<exuent Psychomorpha and Lucanus>
Cymnea: ‘Farewell, grandson! I would say ‘fear
not’, were
It not that I know your heart knows not
fear.
But should you sicken for the company
Of your kin, know that none loves you more
than
Your grandmother. Constant watch shall our House
Keep over you; soon we shall meet again.’
Blood of Amber, I will bear myself most
Straitly, that when you hear my name, you shall
Be proud to own Will’m
as your grandson.’
Cymnea: ‘Proud I am and prouder I shall yet be.
Go now, ere I disgrace us with a tear!’
8)
Juan sings a moving soliloquy about how he
has turned his old friends, the Doves, away but the Hawks refuse to countenance
his new, aggressive policies, so he finds himself friendless and alone, he
realises that he is no longer High King in anything but name – the Council file
in and he announces that his time is done and he intends to fall on his sword
to make way for a successor, but Dagobert of Lanfranc tells him to bide a while yet and the Rimlords will tell him when it is time for him to go.
9)
Magnus intrigues with Hess of Karm, successor to Borman:
Magnus: ‘Does Karm
still vengeance seek against Amber?’
Hess: ‘By the Serpent’s venom’d
fang, we do!’
Magnus: ‘And would you spite your old adversary,
Lucanus of Diptera?...’
Hess: ‘…You know it!’
Magnus: ‘Young
Ascaris’ loyalty to Diptera.
Yet he is allowed a long leash – it seems
My mother has a fondness for him – she
Calls him her page and likes to keep him near.’
Hess: ‘Heard I rumour that your ichor, in part,
Is Dipteran, yet
thy face shows it not!’
Magnus: ‘For such mercies small I thank the
Serpent.
Now young Will’m
may be found wandering
The halls of Diptera;
of subtlety
He has little. Were a tyro
from Karm
There encounter him, a duel could be
Contrived with ease… A dead Will’m, in part,
Would avenge your cousins slain in Amber
And ‘tween our
opponents drive a wedge.’
Hess: ‘But how might Karm’s
youthful hothead enter
Kaiser Lucanus’
vast and mighty halls?’
Magnus: ‘I am sure a son need have no reason
To meet his dam; while I with my mother
Am closeted, were said tyro in my
Train, he might take license to seek a fight?’
Hess: ‘Tis a good
plan! Karm has just the hothead;
Tybalt provokes many duels within
Karm, and is expendable. Very well!
It all shall be compassed as you suggest!’
10)
Magnus intrigues with Abramelin
of Sawall, Arachne of Ascaris, Dagobert of Lanfranc, Hinkon of Ku’urkil, Renfrew of Zigo and
Victoria of Hendrake – he will give all of them high
office once he is High King – again in prose,[ mainly because I didn’t have
time to put it in to something more extravagant].
Dagobert: ‘What of Diptera?’
Magnus: ‘Diptera will
not stand in our way’
Hinkon: ‘Are you mad? ‘Lucanus
hates your guts!’
Arachne: ‘Let us put it this way… We anticipate that
Diptera soon will not be.’
Renfrew: ‘If you can eradicate Diptera,
who are we to stand in your way? But I will be fascinated to see you
try…whatever the outcome’
<Magnus and Arachne
exchange knowing smiles>
11)
the court of Diptera,
enter Tybalt and
Tybalt: ‘
No better term but this: thou art a demon!’
Doth much appease my appertaining rage
At such a greeting. Demon am I none;
Therefore, farewell; I see thou knowest me not.’
Tybalt: ‘Boy, this shall not excuse the injuries
Osric did to Karm;
therefore turn and draw,
For I am sworn to spill
thy ichor red.’
His rage Tybalt
would run me through without
I parry, yet to slay him not I will
Assay, for the honour of
my sworn bond.’
<they fight, sparks flying from their swords
for a few minutes, Tybalt falling back two steps
before they both separate for a breath – it is of course play-fighting, not a
real duel>
Tybalt: ‘Someone has school’d
the boy well, I cannot
Pass him with the blade. But hark! The
sparks of
Our metal are seen and already our
Betters rush to intervene. Yet Will’m
Must die enow or
else I am foresworn.
‘Pon the Logrus shall I call, and in his
Mind, to hand betray and lead guard astray,
Let play the Tentacle Intangible.’
<Tybalt rips the cloth cover from his buckler to
reveal a riotous design in many colours of wavy stripes emanating from a central
eye>
I hear, yet none are here to speak; my
blade
Obeys not my will – Tybalt
breaks the code
And wields powers arcane! I must counter
With Amber’s Eidolon or be undone.’
<
Interval – D [Hugo escorts Constance and Darig for the final scene]
Act V
1)
Cymnea is
brought news of the destruction of Diptera by the
destructive energies of the Eidolon of Amber by Magnus and Beldam Arachne of Ascaris, who reports
that everything has gone to plan; Queen Cymnea
urgently asks after her grandson and Arachne replies
with a smile that
2)
With Diptera
destroyed, Juan is given leave to depart the High Kingship; in a moving aria he
mourns that he only tried to govern Chaos to the best of his ability to restore
its fortunes from the disasters of the Patternraise
War, then he falls on his sword.
3)
The Rimlords
elect Magnus as High King, who promptly names the new Rimlords
as Abramelin of Sawall and Arachne of Ascaris.
4)
In another moving aria, Yusuf
realises Magnus has betrayed him and House Abal,
Yusuf: Verily thou art true to thy name, easily
swayed.
[Augustus Swayvil
has apparently slept through the entire performance but at this he starts and
eyes the stage suspiciously – the mutter in the cheap seats confirms that they
understand that Magnus is meant to be Augustus of Swayvil
but it is not clear if Augustus realises this.]
Then House Abal slowly file in.Said passes Yusuf a vial of poison. As Yusuf
dies, convulsing, Said sings a jingoistic aria in which he offers to lead House
Abal to victory against Amber…
5)
Magnus is crowned High King of Chaos: in
his acceptance speech Magnus announces renewal of the War against Amber, and
that he has already negotiated an alliance with Hell and everyone erupts in
applause, heartily sick of Juan’s policy of appeasement; then Magnus calls for the
Norns to make prophecy about his reign and the 3 hags
from the first scene come before him to offer prophecy…
Urdr: ‘To Augustus
I, Urdr, say Long life; long reign; King from this
day’
Verdandi: ‘Verdandi sees
War, woe and pain but Amber falls within your reign’
Skuld: ‘Prophesie not
I, the last Norn; Skuld
yields to one yet to be born’
<The Portent Phantom descends from the
ceiling on a harness where spotlights illuminate him amidst smoke and glitter
bombs over Magnus on the stage throne.>
Portent Phantom:‘Magnus Matricide, King on High;
You gained your throne
through lie and knife.
But spurned are they who set
you high;
Unmourned is she who gave you life.
Long shall you reign while
justice sleeps;
Yet heavy weighs a stolen
crown.
Thy mother’s ghost unshriven weeps;
Your rule’s course lieth ever down.
So fear friends who now wash
your feet:
Yourself shall fall to knife
and lie
And in your dotage and
conceit,
Die with my dagger in your
eye!’
This
is the official end of the Opera – perhaps there might have been a closing
narration by Dworkin and Suhuy
or there might not, however events actually ended as follows…
The Portent Phantom hangs over the stage throne, suspended on
wires of course, facing the Royal Box. The High King has apparently
slept through most of the performance, but now the High King rises
precipitously in the Royal Box, flanked by close courtiers, including the
Vizier, and his guards,
Whone
(in Sawall box): “The
King rises!”
Augustus (in Royal box): “Give me some light!”
Vizier
Mantissa <clapping hands>: “Lights, lights, lights!”
Augustus: “No!
It did not happen that way. It is Lies!
Arrest
him! Vile slanderer! I’ll have his tongue!”
There’s
a general movement by some Demons toward the stage. At that moment there’s a
strange swhooshing noise and a misshapen black figure
descends from the roof of the Opera House, seizes Darig
from his harness, rips him from his harness and lofts him upwards screaming, “’Anctuary! ’Anctuary!”
The
Portent Phantom and the strangely misshapen black figure rise to the ceiling
where the generated mists conceal them and they vanish. The Vizier starts
quieting the King.