This is Not a Love Song

A Game Run At AmberCon UK 1998


In this version of Amber, racked spells work at roughly power word level in Amber, but ritual magic is considerably more powerful there. However, it still requires Grand Sorcery in order to function. Items Empowered over the one point level have problems in Amber, though conferral of one point abilities does still work there.


THE PLOT:

After her suicide, Morganthe became a ghost, who wants to see Random suffer despair and death, as she did. Vialle, who as a minor noble (before her marriage to Random) was Morganthe's maid, has become possessed by Morganthe's ghost (after Vialle was married off to Random), unknown to anyone, especially herself and Random. Now she uses Vialle's body, at night, to do things. Morganthe doesn't like Vialle much, either as she has what Morganthe sees as her place. Morganthe's rooms, which is where she killed herself, were very haunted for a while; then it stopped as her ghost possessed Vialle.

After being married to Random, Vialle has had occasional night-time screaming fits and incidents of sleepwalking; she was not prone to these things previously, but this is not something known outside her family (who live in Rebma). Her sculpting is also something she learnt since marrying Random; she had no time before. Morganthe sculpted; Vialle's doing so is part of her being possessed by her ghost.

Vialle's mind has been getting stronger as the years have gone by (due to, in part, the responsibilities of being Queen of Amber). Within the next few years is will be strong enough to push Morganthe out, even unconsciously; now, if made aware of Morganthe's possession she is now strong enough to, eventually, push out Morganthe, though once she stops keeping her out there is, currently, little she can do to stop her returning while she sleeps etc. For this reason, which Morganthe has only recently become aware of, in part, Morganthe is acting now before Vialle pushes her out to dissipate away into nothingness.

There are treaty negotiations to finalise a peace between Amber and Chaos occurring soon, after years of occupation and guerrilla war in Chaos (there are rings of defences around the Courts because of this, centred around a fortress on the edge of the Abyss opposite the Courts). A delegation from Chaos will be arriving for this (this may follow a shift of power/a coup in Chaos, putting, for example, Dara and her faction in power). Corwin and Caine will be acting as hostages in Chaos while the negotiations take place; the Courts are really not very trusting of Amber (they did want Benedict as a hostage, but Random was not willing to go quite that far). Note that there is a castle etc. at Corwins Pattern too.

Random and Vialle, plus Fiona and Flora, have been working hard in preparation for the negotiations. Both have been looking a bit tired recently, Vialle especially (mainly because Morganthe has been using her body recently). The negotiating team is Random, Fiona and Flora. The negotiations will be in private (so PC's don't have to listen to NPC's talking amongst themselves).

It is winter in Amber; the nights are long, and snow is on the ground. It is a full Moon very soon; Tir-na Nog'th is expected to be up.


The Chaos delegation arrive at the very start; the PC's assemble as part of the group to meet them, along with Ambers negotiators. Full security is, of course, in effect. The Amber negotiators are Random, Fiona and Flora. Vialle is handling all the arrangements (as it's not deemed very security-conscious to have both Random and Vialle in private in the same room as potentially dangerous Chaosites at the same time).

The first conference room has been daubed with a slogan in blood by Morganthe; a hasty re-location to another nearby conference room will be needed.

When Martin was in Amber at one point, Morganthe, in Vialle, made contact with him, and over time has recruited him to her cause - she still loves him as her son, and he is still very dubious about Random despite Random's best efforts. The leader of the unrest in Amber is known only as 'M'. She is using royal funds to fund the unrest; this is traceable. They are now working together secretly to cause unrest in Amber, and embarrassment to both Random and Amber (Martin is in Amber secretly). Martin is also in league with Dara and her Chaosite faction - he sees better than Morganthe does how help is necessary for their work to be properly effective.

They have a number of plans to disrupt the proceedings:


Random asks the PC's for discreet aid in finding the vandals/troublemakers, discreetly, without causing problems for the negotiations.

Random could use the Jewel to bind or destroy Morganthe once she is forced out of Vialle.


MORGANTHE

In life she was impulsive, emotional, intuitive and unforgiving. She killed herself with poison, and left a note blaming Random for his abandonment of her. Now she is fixated, cold and very unforgiving. She cannot let go of her hatred (which was her love) for Random and all he cares for. She cannot believe that Random has changed at all since she knew him.

When possessing Vialle she can see (via some kind of psychic effect), and Vialle's physical statistics change to Morganthe's (higher) levels. Also she seems to change; become taller and more impressive. Her voice changes too; Vialle is softly spoken, while Morganthe is much more forceful.

Morganthe's old rooms (living room, bedroom, study, sculpture studio, servants quarters) in Rebma have been kept as they were, with a number of her sculptures about the place (with a 'M' mark on the base or whatever). People who visit will recognise these as identical in style to those of Vialle (this is impossible!). An empty pedestal in one corner held a bust of Morganthe herself, possibly taken by Martin. The rooms are in a position which corresponds to those of Deirdre in Amber.


MARTIN

When Martin was in Amber at one point, Morganthe, in Vialle, made contact with him, and over time recruited him to her cause - she still loves him as her son, and he is still very dubious about Random despite Random's best efforts. Martin is also in league with Dara and her Chaosite faction - he sees better than Morganthe does how help is necessary for their work to be properly effective. He has a Trump of Dara.

He has not sworn loyalty to Random.

He will answer Trump calls to him, but pretend to be either not in Amber, or in Amber (as he occasionally is) but being harmless and innocuous. There are potential problems if he is contacted too early; as long as the PC's don't know too much that's not too - he can just act dumb.

His quarters in Rebma are a set of guest rooms (but traditionally his); only a few books and clothes are there. Likewise with his rooms in Amber (also a set of guest rooms).


TRUMP SCRYING:

Will show Random, Vialle, The Tower.


PLAYER CHARACTERS:

Player characters are built using the following guidelines:

In order to give the PCs an idea that ghosts do exist in Amber, the one with the most Bad Stuff should have rooms which are haunted (and the ghost follows them about if they move).


THE ELDERS AND OTHERS:

Some are off preparing defences.


THE CHAOSITES:


SCENES:

  1. The PC's are summoned to Amber. May be aware of the impending Chaos negotiations. People arriving through the city may see graffiti, hear rumours that Random is going to surrender, etc.
  2. The Chaos delegation arrive (of the NPC's, Random, Vialle, Flora, Fiona, Gerard and Julian are there, plus an 'honour guard'). Introductions are made. The assembled people head for the conference room. Doors open. And there is the graffiti scrawled across the wall in blood. Everyone, including the Chaosites, see it. Minor panic and movement to a different conference room nearby. Random asks the PC's to look into who did the graffiti, and stop any further embarrassing incidents.
  3. Assorted things which can happen in any order:

To see what happened in the playtest of this game, go to the Diary of Khortez.

Go here for the playtest characters.


Back to my Amber Page.