in the Shadow of Greatness: IMC :: the Pattern: failure or success?
The history and origins of the Pattern and the Logrus are one of the richest areas of Arref's Amber history. Mine is much poorer by comparison, but I do have a vision of how they came to be...
Like in Arref's universe, the Unicorn and the Serpent predate the Logrus and the Pattern themselves. However, our games take different tacks on why the Logrus was constructed, as well as the Pattern.
IMC, the Logrus was a bargain between the Serpent and the Thari-ians who had come to live at the edge of the Abyss. IMC, the Abyss is dangerous, but it is not malevolent. The Logrus was a bargain of power, giving the Serpent an environment in which it could comfortably live in our universe, and giving the newly minted Chaosians power over shadow, organizing the formless mass of shadows into a polar array around the Courts.
The Pattern was the Unicorn's attempt to get in the game. The Unicorn entered into the universe, and for lack of a better word seduced a briillant member of House Barimen. Furtively, Dworkin and his two children stole the Eye of the Serpent, for they were told it could be used to create something mightier than the Logrus, and the Unicorn wished hurt upon her old foe.
The creation of the Pattern was the result of this manipulation. And Chaos was angered, and has tried to destroy Amber, and regain the Lost Eye for its Sire, many times. Patternfall was the largest of these attempts and conflicts.
Even if Merlin and Random pledge peace with each other...the Serpent will never rest until it regains its Eye, and what was wrongly wrought with it sent back to the void.
Posted by Jvstin at December 18, 2004 10:15 AM