DECLINE AND FALL

An Alternate Amber, by Iain Walker, Used With Permission.

THE SETTING

This background assumes that everything in the first four books of the Corwin Series happened more or less as described. Time-lines diverge, however, in chapter 2 of 'The Courts of Chaos':-

After Dara arrives in Amber and tells her story, Corwin Trumps through to the Primal Pattern, grabs the Jewel of Judgement from Oberon, and tries to repair the Primal Pattern himself. In this version, he makes it onto the Pattern, but something goes wrong - he dies in the attempt and his body is consumed by the damaged Pattern. [In 'The Courts of Chaos' he is stopped before he gets onto the Pattern.] Oberon is able to recover the Jewel from the where Corwin fell. The only witnesses to this are Oberon (who never speaks of it), Dworkin (since vanished) and Fiona (who has provided the only account of what happened). Oberon then orders an attack on Chaos, and the final Battle of the Black Road War takes place by the Abyss. At the climax, King Swayvil meets Oberon in personal combat, at which point Brand intervenes, snatching the Jewel while Oberon is distracted. Brand is engaged in a sorcerous duel by Fiona, whereupon Caine, back from the dead, pops up and shoots him. Brand, and the Jewel, topple into the Abyss.

Oberon kills Swayvil, and the forces of Chaos are routed. Oberon marches into the Citadel of Chaos and declares himself King, by right of blood and conquest. The noble Houses of the Courts accede with varying degrees of reluctance. Swayvil is given a lavish funeral, befitting his rank, and Oberon is crowned. The rest of the Family mill about in some confusion - it is clear that Oberon now intends to reside in Chaos, rather than return to Amber. Oberon warns them that the Pattern cannot be repaired, and the Amber must be abandoned. He offers his children a choice - either remain with him in Chaos as members of the new Royal House of Oberon, developing their shape-shifting potential and eventually walking the Logrus, or return to Amber and wait for it to fall apart. Benedict and Caine elect to remain, but the others, initially led by Fiona, return to Amber along the Black Road. There they discover that the damage to the Primal Pattern is indeed spreading, slowly but perceptibly. Oberon then contacts them and tells them that in view of their decision, he is appointing a Regent to rule Amber in his stead - Gerard. There are a few muted protests (not least from Gerard), but no-one risks defying Oberon openly. Fiona begins research, hoping to find a way of repairing the Pattern without the Jewel.

From this point onwards, the offspring of the Elders (i.e., the PCs) start turning up.

At first, the continued crisis ensures at least a surface unity. The first person to break ranks is Dierdre - she openly blames Oberon for Corwin's death, and for abandoning Amber to its fate. Caine, who often acts as Oberon's emissary to Amber, discovers evidence that she is plotting to seize the throne of Amber for herself, and intends to overthrow Oberon in Chaos as well. She flees into shadow, and Gerard, on Oberon's orders, pronounces her guilty of treason - the sentence is exile, her life being forfeit if she returns to Amber and likewise if she turns up in Chaos. No-one else has stuck their necks out since.

Over the years, the blight on the Pattern worsens, and begins to affect Amber itself. The reflected Patterns become noticeably harder to walk, and shifting Shadow is also more difficult. Shadow paths within the Golden Circle become unreliable, and Shadow Storms grow in frequency. The influence of the Black Road spreads further into Arden, and begins to stain the slopes of Kolvir. Amber City and Amber Castle start to decay, slowly but surely. Rebma is similar affected, although Tir-Na Nog'th appears to be unchanged. The inhabitants of Amber start leaving, and those that remain become gaunt and pale. Twisted creatures from Shadow and further afield infest the countryside, and have even established a presence in the ruins of the abandoned areas of the city.

Most recently, a heretical offshoot of the Church of the Unicorn has arisen amongst the surviving populace - known as the Denomination, it believes that since the Pattern was drawn in Family blood and was despoiled by Family blood, then obviously only the spilling of more Family blood can repair it and save Amber. They have been driven underground in Amber itself, but are flourishing in the Golden Circle Kingdoms, who not unreasonably are afraid that when Amber falls, so will they. The Golden Circle has largely ceased to exist as a political and trading alliance, since Amber is too weak to keep them in line, and the shifting Shadow paths have played havoc with trade.

Amidst all this, Gerard does what he can to be a fair and just ruler. He obeys Oberon's orders (usually relayed by Caine), but does not always enforce them beyond the bare minimum of compliance. Thus when Oberon ordered Amber's armies to be disbanded (save for the Palace Guard), Gerard ensured that this was done - but he has also turned a blind eye to individual Family members who maintain their own armed forces outside Amber. But he, like his brothers and sisters, knows that the Kingdom is dying, and that in the end he is simply an ineffectual caretaker, presiding over Amber's ruin and dissolution.

Meanwhile in Chaos, Oberon has consolidated his rule. He has taken a Queen, Liegeia, formerly of House Usherbal, and already they have a son, Prince Valdemar. He has also formally adopted Merlin, Corwin's son by Princess Dara. The Courts, despite losing the War, have recovered swiftly, and have grown in strength under their new King. Chaos is now the dominant force in Creation, and more and more Shadows are falling under its influence with each passing year...

NOTES

The guns and gunpowder of Avalon have been destroyed by Oberon's order - indeed he turned up in Amber (the only time he has returned since being crowned in Chaos) specifically to oversee their destruction. There are rumours that one or two Elders managed to steal some samples, but no-one is admitting to it.

The Pattern Room in Castle Amber is now heavily guarded, both inside and out. Even Amberites eventually learn.

THE REST OF THE FAMILY

Benedict - now resides in Chaos, as Oberon's Lieutenant. Rarely visits Amber, but for some reason will have sent any of his children there rather than bring them to Chaos. It is rumoured that he is planning to marry a lady of House Hendrake. It is not known if he has assayed the Logrus yet.

Bleys - turned up for the final battle against Chaos with some highly useful reinforcements. Since then he has spent a lot of time out in Shadow, ostensibly on errands connected with Fiona's research. However, most people assume that his army is also out there somewhere, waiting until it is needed...

Brand - dead in the Abyss, taking with him the Jewel of Judgement, which he grabbed from Oberon during the final climactic battle with Chaos.

Caine - now resides in Chaos as a member of House Oberon. Is occasionally sent by Oberon as an emissary to Amber. As with Benedict, any children of his will have been placed in Amber and will have walked the Pattern, even though he himself is believed to have walked the Logrus.

Corwin - died attempting to repair the Primal Pattern. According to Fiona, the only witness to this event other than Oberon and Dworkin, his body was destroyed completely.

Dara - now a highly influential member of the Royal House of Oberon. She has returned to Amber once, to show her son Merlin the spot where his father died. She is close to Benedict and Martin.

Dierdre - an exile from Amber, she currently rules Shadow Elscar, on the edge of the Golden Circle. If she has any children, they will be in Amber as nominal hostages, although Gerard will have placed few if any restrictions on them (rumours speak of a deal made behind Oberon's back). Recent attacks on the occasional traffic along the Black Road have been blamed on her.

Dworkin - last seen (again according to Fiona) at the Primal Pattern when Corwin attempted to repair it. He has since vanished completely.

Eric - died in Amber's defence during the Battle of Kolvir.

Fiona - has been working flat out studying the damage to the Primal Pattern, and to find some way of repairing it, or at least halt its decline. So far she has been unsuccessful. Or so she says - there are rumours that she is biding her time, intending to create her own Pattern when Amber's fails, a charge she vehemently denies. Recently survived an assassination attempt by persons unknown.

Flora - "The state of this place is disgusting - I'm not staying her a moment longer." Keeps saying this and decamping to Shadow Earth, keeps coming back. Possibly afraid of being trapped there when the Pattern finally gives up the ghost. Has recently developed a number of connections in Chaos, and many suspect that she is intending to break ranks and settle there permanently.

Gerard - a reluctant Prince Regent, but a fair ruler. Not that he gets much respect for this - most of the rest of the Family just ignore him, and only Julian has offered him any real support. Frustration at the impotence of his position has made him somewhat short-tempered of late, but he probably remains the most open and approachable of the Elders.

Julian - spends most of his time in Arden defending it from the almost constant stream of Chaos and Shadow creatures that wander in along the Black Road. He is hampered in this by having to station most of his Rangers in Arden's shadows, due to Oberon's edict. Occasionally turns up in Amber to lend Gerard his support.

Llewella - ventures out of Rebma occasionally, acting as the undersea Kingdom's representative in Amber, which generally means passing on Moire's increasingly desperate pleas for progress on the Pattern-repairing front. Still somewhat distant from her brother and sisters (especially, of late, Random), but members of the younger generation will find her a lot more approachable.

Martin - generally avoids Amber, partly because of quarrels with his father over the latter's treatment of Vialle, but also because of the antics of the Denomination, in whose theology he is enshrined in a highly significant role... Has visited Chaos once or twice, but seems to have no inclination to settle there. More likely to stay in touch with his cousins (the rest of the younger generation) than any of the Elders.

Merlin - lives in Chaos as Oberon's adopted son, but is occasionally seen in Amber. Friendly, but has obviously has a rather sheltered upbringing. Still eager to find out more about his true father.

Random - having backed Corwin, only for his ally to fall at the last hurdle, Random has gradually drifted back to his old habits - drugs, drinking, drumming, hang-gliding and, well, womanising. His marriage to Vialle, despite its auspicious beginnings, has not surprisingly suffered as a result.

Vialle - the nearest Amber has to an official hostess. Few people have much stomach for balls and banquets these days, but Vialle perseveres regardless, trying to encourage some semblance of life within the decaying Castle. She has stuck by Random despite the considerable strains he has placed on their marriage.

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