Blog, Jvstin Style

IMC 3: The Spy Report on Amber

MB&LK's Amber Bits: The Spy Reports

A Character Exercise devised by Meera:

As a GM: Create a spy report about the PCs for amusement's value or as a hand-out / party favour. (Heck, doing one about your players might be just as much fun, assuming they share your sense of humour.) What would a reporter find out? (Or a bard who wants to hear about their adventures?) Does your group belong in the Times or the Tabloids?

I've decided to to do this for Strange Bedfellows, and to make it easier in an ever-changing sea of cast, set it sometime before the events of the campaign. The conceit is that it is found following the "Shockwave Storm" whose plotline is nearly at an end.

My Lord Jesby,
The following incomplete document was found in some of the ruins of one of the Ways following a clean-up of the damage wrought by the Shockwave. Why this was never brought to the attention of the House Head, no one is certain. Its authenticity is somewhat dubious; its provenance unknown, its usefulness potentially infinite.
--Ulrich, Permanent Secretary to the House Head.

Toward a understanding of the Royale Family of Amber, with an especial regard toward their vulnerabilities and weaknesses, by Sartek Jesby, year of the Serpent (blurred out, the style suggests that it predates the ascension of Merlin I and postdates the Patternfall War)

Amber.

Despite the contacts grown in the wake of the War, we know little enough about them. I believe this was a fatal mistake, we relied too heavily on arrogance and a lack of intelligence before committing our forces into a campaign which led to such a disastrous end.

I have focused on the personalities of Amber, the family proper, rather than more immediate concerns of the layout of the Castle and such. My counterpart, as you will recall, is attempting to infiltrate the Royal Family in a more direct manner, his report will likely be far more detailed on these matters. I believe he was passing himself off as a lost family relative.
(Editorial note, my Lord, we know of no such Agent, nor who he is in that capacity if such an agent exists. Given the number of the recent generation, it is possible Sartek might not be lying--Ulrich)

Oberon's descendants can be divided by the parentage of their Dam. It is clear that in many respects, the children, and yea, the grandchildren are far more cleaving to the Maternal genes, rather than the Paternal. I am not sure if this is an intentional breeding program such as we have in the Courts, or if Oberon's flings were more random in nature. Textual evidence suggests the latter, but it is possible he kept such ideas to himself.

Of the lady Cymnea, Oberon had three sons, two of which are still living. Osric's fate is unknown, the histories are not clear on it. Of the High Judge's fate, no more need be said, his presence here is well known. The Lord Benedict was and still is the General of Amber, and any thoughts of a military attack on Amber must revolve around him. He has no known offspring.

Of the Lady Faiella, Oberon once again had three children. King Eric, the second King of Amber's death is well known and documented--and yet there are still thoughts about the circumstances surrounding it. I have come across a strange thing, a play of some sort lamenting his passing. I find this unusual and odd, although there is no talk of the "good old days" under his reign. He has a daughter, her stance on these matters unknown. There are rumors of a second daughter, here in the Courts. (One of the Hendrake vassals, it is thought--Ulrich) The legitimacy of his rule is also still in question to this day. The Prince Corwin, the Opener, much is known from our encounters with him during the War. He has several children, including Merlin Sawall, and Triton of Rebma. There is also some evidence that he had a daughter and that there were circumstances surrounding one of the outlier Lords and some sort of rite of passage on her part. Where she is, none seem to know. As for the Princess Deirdre, she fell into the Abyss, with Brand. She has one child, a son. He seems to take much after his mother, and the General, as well.

Clarissa's lot breaks the pattern of the first, as there are four children of the union. The eldest, Van, has absented himself from Amber for reasons that seem to stem around the divorce of his mother by Oberon. As of Fiona, Bleys and Brand, much has been written, and much known from their contact with us. Fiona is known to have now at least two daughters and a son, the latter has been seen as a guest of Helgram. Bleys' progeny is far less clear, for all of his prolific nature in bedding women. As for Brand, that, too, is unclear. We know of his son by the Lady Marsbane, as well as that of Jasra, and there is the young man, Kyle, who appeared in Amber after the war. There are possibly others. (We are not sure why he says this. Some hidden facet of knowledge?--Ulrich)

LLewella was the daughter of a Rebman Lady, we suspect it was the Princess Moins. The political shape of Amber is not entirely clear, it seems Rebma is part of a Commonwealth, the Kingdom owing some fealty to Amber. What Oberon set to accomplish by having a scion of his blood in the city is not known. Perhaps he expected Moins and not her younger sister Moire to succeed to the throne, and thus was trying to control the succession and bring it into the family line. LLewella has a daughter who seems of little consequence.

Dybele gave him a daughter, Florimel. We suspect she is more competent than she lets on, few of Oberon's children are entirely what they appear. She herself has two children, one of which is a swordsman and sorcerer, but he is rarely present in Amber.

Rilga's children seem the most interested in the day-to-day workings of the Amber Kingdom. Gerard is the current Admiral of the fleet of Amber, and his twin sons also play roles in Amber's strength. His daughter is apparently a bone of contention, taking far more after the redheads. Possibly there is more than meets the eye, here. Julian's defense of their great forest is well known. Of his own children, his son takes much after him; his younger sister is rarely seen outside of the woods. There are rumors she is of unusual descent. Caine appears to act as an intelligence service for Amber, his daughter roams shadow and reported to be dangerous to cross.

Of the lady Harla, and her children Sand and Delwin, there are few records. Their parting from Amber is widely thought of as acrimonious, and their shadow is barred to entry. I could not learn more of them, or if they have any children of their own.

Oberon begat a child upon a lady of the shadow Felis, Abast, and she rules along with her mother in that place. I believe she has a son, and said son has some back channels with members of the Family. He might be approachable given his tendencies and habits toward the opposite gender.

Paulette gave Oberon two children, the current monarch Random, and his sister, Mirelle. The sister disappeared and is presumed to be dead, although there are rumors she is near to or within the Black Zone. The Monarch has a son, Martin, not widely considered to be the heir at this time. We are surprised that there aren't more of his get, Random takes much after his father.

Of the man called Dalt, we cannot say if he is truly of Amber Blood as he claims. The matter of Deela is a twisted and turgid one, and I am aware there are links back to the Empire in her origins, but the story of his birth appears fabulous, to say the least. He will not likely be dangerous unless he pairs or allies with one of the members of the family.
(Editorial note: We see a possibility of an alliance for Dalt with one of Brand's sons, it would make a natural partnership and useful to us--Ulrich.)

I recommend further study of the family and its scions. Its latest generation, especially, seem to have the potential to change or alter Amber irrecovcably. It cannot be stressed enough that molding them to our ends could prove decisive if conflict occurs with Amber again.

As for myself, I will continue to observe as plan, and contact our inflitrating agent as necessity dictates. If you should need to, he should be reachable...

(Editorial note: The rest of the letter is unreadable and unsalvagable. As for the fate of Sartek, we do not know. It is possible that he himself tried to be this mythical second agent or that his Logrus Madness consisted of this delusion of a partner--Ulrich)

Posted by Jvstin at June 22, 2003 12:55 PM