Call to the Kin of Bariman
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
