Editing Diners of Amber (section)

=='''<big>Bleys' Introduction</big>'''==
By Prince Bleys of Amber.   January 7, 5250

<Font Face="Lucida Calligraphy"><Font Size ="3">'''Random is a funny kind of guy. No one disputes that. One need only ask Brother Ben how he feels about being Marshal of Amber to get a sense of what a swell guy Brother Random is. As is said in shadow, a picture is worth a thousand words. Good thing because Ben does not seem to say much when asked. A picture is far more expressive.

So what kind of expression do I set pen to page to provide? What kind of picture will I paint of our beloved monarch King Random I of Amber? How do I go about telling you the reader who steers the ship of state and yet keep myself from being sentenced to the bilge pumps of said vessel?

<big>'''''Let us take a look at the pictures in King Random's Deck!'''''</big>

The deck you most likely hold, unless my dear kinsmen read this and peruse their own deck, was the creation of the US Playing Card Company, Detroit, Michigan. Trust Random to get his printing done out of the country. What with all those hard working native playing card makers starving in the alleys of Amber.
By
For shame, sire.

I must admit that it is a clever trick that even these mass produced trump knock-offs occasionally grow new cards, change card names or images, or magically change font, numerical value, and card back designs from time to time. Random always was a tricky guy. An especially tricky thing happened soon after the original decks were handed out to the kinsman and non-magical cards were produced. Not only did the deck mysteriously generate new images of Amberian origin, but also several trumps of Mandalain and Chaosian origins appeared. Dworkin has stated that no card has been included without the king's approval despite the artist or realm of origin. They all come before his perusal and approval.

I suspect Dworkin is trying to encourage tourism or militarism. It might be worthwhile to examine who owns the hotels and diners near the point of arrival the new trump display. The reason I suspect Dworkin is that ol' granpappy cornered me and told me that from time to time I would be required to create new comments on newly added cards. 

I told him that to do so would defeat the reason I did the first article called the "Diners of Amber." 

His response was, "Tough shit, Kid. You gonna cross me?"

No, Grandfather, I am not.

Let me state for the record that I painted fully half of the original landscapes. Merlin, Dworkin, Fiona, Caine, Vance, and Delwin painted the rest. Merlin tells me that the trumps with Chaosian title bars came from his personal trump deck. Dworkin claims to have done the ones with Mandalian title bars. Dworkin's manipulation of shadow and the pattern caused the vast array of duplicates to appear for the travel ease of the cousins.

Perhaps in due time I shall apply myself to a commentary on them, as well as my beloved siblings. Fiona tells me that writing may wash away the angst I feel over my own grief. Really, sister dear? Perhaps I will start with you when the time comes.

As Corwin once said, "Come whisper me your objections."

But what does this have to do with the Diners of Amber?

Well, the Trumps of Amber are available at any of the more trendy places. I picked up the set I am examining at one of those nasty green coffee bars that seem to be popping up everywhere. We didn't have coffee bars when Oberon ruled. We had coffee shops that served breakfast eggs and potatoes swimming in bacon grease with black coffee you could float a nail on and you paid in silver or you got spit in your drink next time and you liked it. For those of you keen on details my favorite place was Aunt Galiray's Vale. It was near the castle road and served a meal an Amberite could really dig into. Corwin and I once left food on our plates. Those were the days. I hear Galiray is living in Garn now. Her vale is a Starbucks. How the mighty have fallen.

Speaking of which, these cards.

Pull out your own set and we'll go over them together.

King Random's Deck comes in two parts. Major Arcanum and Minor Arcanum.

The Major arcanum is further divided it to places and people.  The place cards open portals for transportation if used by my kinsman.  The family cards represent the members of the House of Amber or the lineage of Dworkin Bariman, previously a Lord of Chaos and a mental patient, recently revealed as sire of our line.  We happy kinsman may use these cards with each other for communication, transportation, and as Brand proved, assassination of both characters and personages.

For those of you playing games with these, the Major Arcanum is good for Assassin's Gambit, Dangealri and Firs. It also has its uses for fortunetellers and real estate agents. Every place in the deck has raised its property values. Some have raised their prices. The lower arcanum is a typical playing deck. Four suits numbered 1 or ace to King, passing through nine, ten, Page, Knight, & Queen on its way. There is no Joker in the deck. That was simply too good a jab to make at any one member of the royal family and despite voluminous advice on that matter Random thought it prudent not to single anyone out. For that I guess I do owe him a nod of gratitude. Aficionados of card games play either 52 card or 56 card Poker, Tonk, Canasta, Gin, Balru, or Hand's War. The pages taking the roles of wild cards where needed. I prefer the 56-card versions myself. I like a game with an element of uncertainty. Go figure.

But I digress.

The deck betrays Random's love of food, cards, and his hate of horses.

Herein submitted,

Prince Bleys of Amber

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