Editing Call to the Kin of Bariman

'''''Current State of Affairs. 

''The Story as told, during an interlude in the Library of Amber by Arloxedra, to cats and kin.



'''Well, its a tale worth telling.  First of all, Oberon was not wild about bringing his children here.  He pit the elders against each others in the hope that the strongest group, that cooperated best, would be the most likely to rule well.  A strange point of view.  However, Oberon set a powerful destiny trap like a rushing river to keep certain elders from being part of that contest.

'''So in Amber you had Benedict, Corwin, Gerard, Caine, Fiona, Flora, etc,etc.. the others he all but banished, in my opinion, as unworthy.  Oscric, Finndo, Borlak,  Orosala, the monsters,  Giovanni, and a host of others, were left in shadow, deemed unworthy.  He had 47 children we know about and only Eric is dead.

'''A few had been brought to Amber, acknowledged, and then left of their own free will and for their own reasons. Delwin & Sand were born in shadow, raised there and brought to Amber by Oberon as adults.  Ill-treated by the others, they left when their mother aged poorly.  Elfwine had lived in shadow for centuries but handled certain royals poorly.  He disappeared with Dworkin and never returned.  

'''Evelyn is said to have been frail, sad, and reclusive, even in Amber.  She spent her time in the forests, where she made friend with the deep Fea of Amber.   She and Corwin were close, traveling in shadow together, but in time she did not return.  Nina and Emile were brought to Amber when Julian and Gerard were young and the four had some adventures together.  Then one day they were gone.  This much I know of them from reports and stories of the time. 

'''The stage was set for the battle royale and when the war came it spiraled out of Oberon's control.

'''So Patternfall comes and it all plays itself out.   Oberon goes into the Tomb of the Ancestors of Darkness and Random gets his chair. 

'''In the early days after the Patternfall War the new king of Amber had to learn to do a dozen things at once and found he needed help. He convinced his sister Florimel to tend to the nobles and the newly arriving dignitaries flooding in to swear fealty and meet the new king. They all seemed buy town houses in the city. When they came to court they came brought chests full of formal wear and eligible daughters with an eye on Martin. 

'''Next he coerced Benedict into accepting the role of Marshal of Amber. He ordered Benedict to expand the standing army and to develop technological defenses. That's how we got a Star Fleet.

'''He put Gerard in charge of the Navy, with Caine as his third in command. That Caine was really the Spymaster of Amber was one of the worst kept secrets in the kingdom.

'''He became a very active monarch and he used his siblings to help improve many aspects of the city, kingdom and empire of Amber.  

'''His well known renovations included indoor plumbing, magical street lighting, puzzled stone roadways.  The roads were transformed by the creation of Mandalay so that wasn't his doing.

'''Time went on  Merlin having come to Amber after Patternfall, went out into shadow to gain a liberal education and while doing so met Luke, known as Rinaldo, son of Brand.  They had some adventures..

'''Dalt turned up, a son of Oberon and Delee the Desecratix, a friend of Rinaldo's.

'''Benedict and Gerard ran across Borlak deep in shadow, and reminded Random of him.

'''Coral, the daughter of a Begman noblewoman, surprised Merlin by walking the pattern. She was a by-blow of Oberon's, apparently his last.

'''Chaos sent Despil, the son of Dara and Gramble Sawall, to Amber as the Ambassador of Chaos and his brother Jurt, followed him and started running a dive bar in the city. Despil quietly informed the King of a collection of Hendrake nobles, descendents Benedict, of which Dara is one.

'''Suspicions arose that Osric and Finndo might not be dead, and this reminded many people that two of Oberons oldest children were alive as well, Cymnea, and Orsolla.

'''And of course it was well known that Delwin and Sand were somewhere in shadow, avoiding the whole lot of the kinship. Though Benedict had found a son of Delwin's, Vance, who had a love of baseball, military endeavors, going fast & flying things.

'''Lastly, Rebma sent their new Ambassador in the person of the dapper Rene Mior Royi, who happened to be the son of Corwin and Moire.

'''Random told a small gathering about his own full siblings, Mirelle and Giovanni. This caused Gerard, Caine and Julian to bristle when they were reminded these two probably still lived. They did not say why but it is known that the sons of Rilga have little reason to loveRanom's mother.

'''When in exasperation Random asked, rhetorically, how many children did Bloody Oberon have? Dworkin calmly answered 47. Random took Bleys and disappeared into shadow, telling the court he was going out to get a drink.

'''his was Random's first long vacation from the Throne.  Almost a year in Amber.  He refused trump calls so efficiently that suddenly they were being answered by Lady Carly, his Trump correspondent.

'''What happened on his return is documented in several places but the story is essentially the same in them all. 

'''When he returned in the 20th year of his reign he called a family meeting and included several of the oldest family retainers such as Dame Margot, Duchess Solange Charenton, Lady Ain Breakwithe-Smythe, Hymal Urien, as well as William Roth (newly created Counsel to the King), and of course, Queen Viale.

'''The family assembled, including such as Llewella, Merlin, Martin, Rinaldo, Dalt, and myself. 

'''Random was clearly pissed when he arrived.  He came in dressed in his finest royal robes, wearing the state jewels, the coronation crown, Oberon's blade, and the Jewel of Judgment.

'''Bleys, clearly drunk and nervous, was dressed in his finery as well. Before him glowed the Sign of the Pattern, visibly present, an act so unprecedented among sorcerers who usually leave their Sigil invisible. Freshly hung spells shimmered in the glowing frame. Sorcerers with the talent to tell which spells hung in the frame saw that they were strong dueling spells.

'''Dworkin took a seat quietly in a high balcony, smoking a long pipe.

'''Random announced a decree to the assemblage. He demanded that all those of the line of Bariman, descended from Dworkin, through Oberon, would come to court and make themselves known. Those who wished to be in the king's good graces and remain in fealty to Amber would write an Article of Submission. Those who did not wish to write such an article were welcome to go about their business but the King would meet them and know them. 

'''He looked at his siblings and said, "Olly Olly Oxen free. All come home. Bring your children in. The time for hiding them is over. Hiding them was necessary before but now its simply too dangerous not knowing who is out there, perhaps keeping a dark hatred for Amber. I consider them a clear and present danger to the security of the realm. You will tell me of your progeny and we shall discuss how to proceed with them."

'''He turned to Bleys and said unequivocally. "Do it."

'''Bleys walked up to Julian, placing the glowing sign between them and said, "Julian of Amber. Do you know of any children of the blood not in Amber?" 

'''He did. His own son Duncan who had been secretly raised in Arden. He also knew of Eric's son Derek, deep in shadow.  He believed Eric had another son as well. 

'''Fiona was next, though she flirted with raising her own sign briefly, she demurred. She admitted to having a son named Marke and a daughter Emma.  She admitted to knowing where several others were. Doria, a daughter of Benedict; Dashel, a son of Finndo, and Galvar, a son of Osric. She also knew where to find Sand and Delwin, Orsolla, Evelyn, and Josef.  Delwin had a son and Sand had a daughter, though she had not met them.  

'''Bleys admitted he had a son.  He also knew something of Benedict's children with Lintra; Maylon, Doria, & Desri though they lived under other names themselves.

'''Flora fainted, but no one was convinced. She revealed that she had bore a son named Zachary and fathered a daughter named Elayne. She explained that she had learned to shapechange in her youth but had kept the skill a secret.  Fiona remarked that her having such a skill was remarkable and unexpected.  Soon after this Flora began teaching shapechange skills to siblings who had thought little could be learned from her. 

'''Gerard had children of course and trumped Truman in on the spot.  

'''The evening went on and more names were given. Lists were compiled.

'''In the end Random sent Bleys and Gerard and Caine out to collect the Kin of Bariman. This did not endear him to his siblings.  

'''Sheepishly, and not without a fair bit of worry, his siblings brought their children to court. 

'''Random met them, assigned Fiona to over see their magical instruction, Gerard to over see their martial training, and Bleys, despite his adamant and ultimately pointless refusals, was to be who the Cousins sought out with questions of other natures. 

'''In time Random swore them to Amber, saw that they assayed the Pattern, gave them a set of his new Trumps, and wished them well on their adventures.  

'''Yet since the initial call, more children keep coming in.  



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Below is the version of this page from a previous game.  Things change as the cast changes.

'''The [[Jeweled Road and the War of Balance]] campaign begins at the celebration of the 70th year of King Random's reign.'''

''Here is how it begins.''

----


Random made a call from the throne that all members of the royal family would be contacted and brought to Amber.  

He was tired of being surprised.


----
In the early days after the Patternfall War the new king of Amber had to learn to do a dozen things at once and found he needed help.  He convinced his sister Flora to tend to the nobles and the newly arriving dignitaries flooding in to swear fealty and meet the new king.  They all seemed to come bringing chests full of formal wear and eligible daughters.  

Next he coerced Benedict into accepting the role of Marshal of Amber.  He ordered Benedict to expand the standing army and to develop technological defenses.  

He put Gerard in charge of the Navy, with Caine as his third in command. That Caine was really the new Spymaster of Amber was one of the worst kept secrets in the kingdom.

He became a very active monarch and he used his siblings to help improve many aspects of the city, kingdom and empire of Amber. 

Then Merlin, having come to Amber after Patternfall, met Rinaldo, the son of Brand in shadow.  

Dalt turned up, a son of Oberon and Delee the Desecratix.   

Benedict and Gerard ran across Borlak deep in shadow.  

Coral, the daughter of a Begman noblewoman, surprises Merlin by walking the pattern.

Chaos sent Despil, the son of Dara and Gramble Sawall to Amber as the Ambassador of Chaos and his brother Jurt, followed him and started running a dive bar in the city.  Despil quietly informs the King of a collection of Hendrake nobles, descendents Benedict, of which Dara is one.  

Suspicions arose that Osric and Finndo, Benedict's full brothers,  might not be dead, and this reminded many people that two of Oberons oldest children were alive as well, [[Cymnea]], and [[Orsolla]]. 

And of course it was well known that Delwin and Sand were somewhere in shadow, avoiding the whole lot of the kinship. 

Lastly, Rebma sent their new Ambassador in the person of the dapper Rene Mior Royi, who happened to be the son of Corwin and Moire.  

He told a small gathering about his own full siblings, Mirelle and Giovanni. This caused Gerard, Caine and Julian to bristle when they were reminded these two probably still lived.  They did not say why[[...]] 

When in exasperation Random asked, rhetorically, how many children did ''Bloody Oberon'' have?  Dworkin calmly answered 47. 

Random took Bleys and disappeared into shadow, telling the court he was going out to get a drink.


----
In the 20th year of his reign Random called a family meeting and included several of the oldest family retainers such as Dame Margot, Duchess Solange Charenton, Lady Ain Breakwithe-Smythe, William Roth (newly created Counsel to the King), Hymal Urien, and of course, Queen Viale.

Clearly pissed, he came in dressed in his finest royal robes, wearing the state jewels, the coronation crown, and the Jewel of Judgement. 

Bleys, clearly drunk and nervous, was dressed in his finery as well.  Before him glowed the Sign of the Pattern, visibly present, an act so unprecedented among sorcerers who usually leave their sigils invisible.   Freshly hung spells shimmered in the glowing frame.  Sorcerers with the talent to tell which spells hung in the frame saw that they were strong dueling spells.

Dworkin took a seat quietly in a high balcony, smoking a long pipe.

Random announced a decree to the assemblage.  He demanded that all those of the line of Bariman, descended from Dworkin, through Oberon, would come to court and make themselves known.  Those who wished to be in the king's good graces and remain in fealty to Amber would write and ''Article of Submission''.   Those who did not wish to write such an article were welcome to go about their business but the King would meet them and know them.  

He looked at his siblings and said, "Olly Olly Oxen free.  All come home.  Bring your children in.  The time for hiding them is over. Hiding them was necessary before but now its simply too dangerous not knowing who is out there, perhaps keeping a dark hatred for Amber.  I consider them a clear and present danger to the security of the realm."

He turned to Bleys and said.  "Do it."

Bleys walked up to Julian and said, "Julian of Amber.  Do you know of any children of the blood?"  He did.  His own son Duncan who had been secretly raised in Arden.  He also knew of Eric's son Derek, deep in shadow.

Fiona was next, though she flirted with raising her own sign briefly, she demurred.  She admitted to having a son named Marke.  She admitted to knowing where Eric's son [[Arloxedra]] was.  She admitted to knowing where several others were.  Doria, a daughter of Benedict; Dashel, a son of Finndo, and Galvar, a son of Osric.  She also knew where to find Sand and Delwin, Orsolla, Evelyn, and Josef.   

Flora fainted, but no one was convinced.  She revealed a daughter named Elayne and a son named Zachary. 

The evening went on and more names were given.  Lists were compiled.  

In the end Random sent Bleys and Gerard and Caine out to collect the Kin of Bariman.  This did not endear him to his siblings.  

Soon Random announced that he had a list of nearly every Amberite he could track down.  And in time he would meet them all. 


----
50 years have passed.  

Every decade Random calls a gathering of the Kin.  At this gathering new kin are recognized and introduced.  The Tree of Amber is bearing fruit. 

----


The [[Jeweled Road and the War of Balance]] campaign begins at the celebration of the 70th year of King Random's reign.

Further reading-[[Dalt at the Gates of Dawn]]