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Message: <blockquote data-quote="kookalouris" data-source="post: 4501332" data-attributes="member: 23872">Thanks for all your replies,My apologies, my friends and I have watched the tivo-ed Presidential debate as an excuse to have a drinking game.  I am at least one rum-and-coke past any sense of real compostition and editing.  If anything is unclear or casually offensive (when I offend, I am usually quite deliberate about it), let me know and I will clarify and/or apologize tomorrow after the hangover...First, take what time you need with replies.  This game is like a slow-cooked stew, quality ingredients deserve the time to become more than the sum of their parts.  In all seriousness, I am constantly amazed how any game is a unique creation of its participants and as individual as irreplacable as anything I could name.  Please don't be worried about how much I ramble on.  I will write a whole page if one sentence will mean something to you.  The problem is I don't know which sentence will be the prize.At the pace we are going, I think I will be able to have detailed character creation details by next Sunday (one week after the initial welcome post) but let it take the time it will take.That said, I think I can hazard that your characters will be the last hope of a rebellion stuck on a mundane Earth similar to the one the players and posters reading know and live on.These questions will asked probably a few days from now, but let me get you thinking.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Who do you want to be your enemies (you can be unwillingly related to them, that is very 'Amber.')?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Who do you want to be your friends?</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">How much do we want to keep to established Amber continuity and when in that continuity do we want the game to happen?</li> </ul>With your mental fires stoked, let me continue on in the meantime...The premise of this game requires a powerful magic that makes Amber royalty consider themselves mere mortal youths.  For plot purposes...<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The magic is psychological, the character have all of their abilities but have repressed that knowledge.  They do have their FULL resistance against death and dying (although they might maintain stay in a purely psychosomatic coma resembling death).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The magic is not so inflexible as to allow the characters not to use their full Amber blood abilities to save themselves if that ALONE would make the difference between life and death.  If possible, the characters and onlookers will then quickly rationalize any supernatural evidence away, using subconscious shadowwalking if necessary.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The magic delusion will fade as the characters reach adulthood.  This cannot be stopped and wouldn't be, in any case.  It is necessary that the children remember who they truly are, just not YET...  Repeated evidence of Amber phenomena will only hasten this ultimate dispelling...</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">The magic is necessarily adjustable.  There are times when the intensity of the delusion may need to be changed (yes, there are rare times when seeming mortal and mundane can actually be an advantage).    The method of control can be used by practically anyone if they know how.  The Orphans will learn how during the course of the game and manipulate this magic for their own ends.  In the end, though, the magical glamour cannot last forever.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">To be adjustable, the magic could be...<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An item:  Perhaps a trump or ring or tattoo.  The power of the delusion would vary depending on the proximity of the item (or for, say, a tattoo, its condition and elaboration).</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A being or construct: say a retainer or familiar that needs to be near in proximity or affection (maybe both) to the character.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A location:  perhaps a pattern or homeshadow,  proximity to it is the strength of the spell.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A ritual:  a spell or poem, the occurence and detail of the ritual would be its strength,</li> </ul> </li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">Part of the magic would a compulsion to maintain the strength of the delusion for both the Orphan and unknowing onlookers.  The compulsion isn't irresistable but would seem to be such a minor and mundane desire that, short of knowledge of the magic, there would be no real reason to deny it.<ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">An item could seem sentimental, found by onlookers, they would feel a need to return it to its 'rightful' owner.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A favorite pet would generally be loved by the character and the pet would of course try and stay close to the character.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A location would be a favorite place of the character, where they might feel at home.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ul">A ritual could be a favorite song that the character's like to sing, for example.</li> </ul> </li> </ul>These are just possibilities and there could be different geases for each character.There is no direct precedent for such a plot device in the Amber books (that I can think of) so I am open to suggestions as to how the Rebels obtained such a power.  The Victors ignorance of the source, existence, and details of such a magic may be one of the Rebel's few much-needed advantages.  But the Victors learn quickly...I had hoped to explain how such a magic would affect Llewella, Princess of Amber, as an example.  But time and sobriety elude me, I will try to write more tomorrow.  As always, I value your feedback...</blockquote>

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