Editing Diners of Amber (section)

==='''Field of the Cloth of Gold'''===

[[File:Cloth of gold.jpg]]

'''''Ah, France'''''

The Field of the Cloth of Gold.   [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Field_of_the_Cloth_of_Gold#Consequences]]

This event was held in most Earth/Urth worlds at Balinghem – equidistant between Ardres in France and Guînes in the then-English Pale of Calais. It was a tournament field as part of a summit from 7 to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France.

As one looks through the deck one finds that King Random, ''certainly the Joker in King Oberon's Deck'', has chosen to include many opportunities for chivalric behavior.  Encouraging good behavior amongst his kin I believe.  Ask me about that later.  

Camelot, Avalon, The Stone of Skulls regions, the Dramaturge, Kizabat. Not to mention a number of places that just happens to have knighthood, such as Amber & Rebma, Diaga, Thulusia, Begma, Kashra.   Each gives it a different spin of course and its not always the central passion of the places. 

But if you contemplate this card, better be ready for the whole deal.  

This card functions in an unorthodox manner.  Its time relationship to Amber is about Twenty:One-Amber. (See [[Time Relations In Amber]])

This gives one 20 days to one in Amber.  Upon drawing the card one has a sense of the place and what is to be expected.  One can gaze into it.  When one steps forward, one can choose how much time there will be before the gathering of the Field of the Cloth of Gold. A day, a month, a year, 30 years, its the dealer's choice.  Once there the dealer and his entourage can not open a trump themselves to leave. They may not used shadow-walking powers. Nor can one teleport, beam up or otherwise escape under your own steam.  You may answer a Trump, and thereby escape, but otherwise he is there till July 30, 1520.  After that date the block on trump use is lifted.  Also, high level Sorcery is not available though several lesser forms of magic are.  

The point the creator of this card, presumably Dworkin, is making is if you want to be here, stay awhile.  Get the feel of the place and time.  

If you do leave this shadow by someone else trumping you, something weird happens to this shadow.  It freezes.  It does not begin moving forward till you return and continue.  After July 30, 1520, time moves normally.

I found this out when I first tried the card. On the time option I picked 30 years, not certain what would happen, not being well versed in the particular history of the region, and unable to Trump out.  However, I had spent time in the Crusades of this world and had a general idea of who was who on what side as things went.  Had spent some time in the Napoleonic Wars as well, so my knowledge of history was general.  I had not visited the War of the Roses at that time. 

Well, I was a Prince of Amber without Letters Patent in England or France.  So I went to Rhodes for a couple years, got Knighted into the Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of Saint John of Jerusalem. I had respected them in Jerusalem in another shadow. That it took some finagling to get knighted, considering it is no small tale.  Then I went to England as something of a high ranked Knight Errant.  I fought in the Italian wars mostly which I can tell you was a clusterboink of the first water but for a military prince of Amber they were jolly fun.  I knew little of the politics coming in, and being blocked from seeking information in a normal way I was forced to tough it out like mortals.   By 1520 I was in the retinue of Henry the Eight with an English Patent, familiar with King Francis, and had a squires and servants as befit a man of rank. 

Now as any knight, and most politicians will tell you, it wasn't all chivalry and flowers, granted favors.  But the cards does seem to deliver you to shadows where once the event begins, you are expected to be on your best behavior. 

It was a time of jousting, and courtly love, and intrigue and bad water.  It was delightful.  Longer then I expected since I was researching these cards at both Random & Dworkin's behest.  I spent 50 years in this world, nearly 2 years of time in Amber.  I lived here from 1490 to 1540.

A few days after the Tournament was over I was contacted by Benedict, looking in on me after such a long absence. He brought me to Amber.

When I determined the shadow my Trump was connected to was frozen, and I needed to return for a couple months at least to unfreeze the shadow, much to my surprise Benedict asked to join me.  When I prepared to return Benedict arrived dressed in the Horse and Kit of an Italian Condottieri, and took a single Amber silverwing to serve as my hired man.  At first this scared the ever-loving hell out of me, but in time I realized he was on vacation. We traveled together for 20 years, give or take a few separate excursions.  It was a strange and happy time, a carefree time, for we who had been taught not to get close to one's brothers. When we returned to felicity, we looked each other hard in eyes and shook hands.  I felt somehow forgiven.  I was sad to see our time there end, but there is no reprieve from duty.   

The pity is that once you leave, after JAugust 30, it won't deliver you to the same shadow.  It wants you to start in a new one.  I had to use the pattern to get back to the one I spent so long on.  If one speaks to men in my employ, you will find many came from here.  Including several currently serving in the [[Elite]].  I made a serious effort, suitable as a Prince of Amber, to bring them.  I fell afoul of the [[If I'd died without hope of grace clause]] But I accept the blame for that. 

So I said to ask me about Random's encouraging good behavior in his kin?  With King Random's permission I inform the holders of these decks, able to make them chime and open, what happened when I spoke to Random after I returned from the Field of the Cloth of Gold.  


<blockquote>
'''Random-"So Bleys, you attended the Field of the Cloth of Gold?  In the entourage of Henry no less.  How did you fare on the field?  

Bleys-"Truly? I was victorious, of course.  Though the mettle of the men surprised me. Did you think they could stand against a Prince of Amber? 

Random-"You kept faith, and left the field with your honor intact?" 

Bleys-"King Henry thought so"

Random-"Kneel, Prince Bleys.  *I knelt*  I include you in the Knightly Order of Gold, a Knight of the Gold Order of Amber".

Of the many things I never expected in my long life, it was crying while being knighted by Random.
</blockquote>


[[File:CoG1.jpg]]