Editing Interregnum and the Repair

The Interregnum and the Repair refer to the two periods that occurred after the death of Eric.

=='''Interregnum'''==

The ''''' Interregnum''''' is the period starting at the death of King Eric on the slopes Kolvir and ending when Oberon sent his children to fight the Battle of Patternfall while he attempted to repair the damaged primal patter.

King Eric had been directing the battle from the slopes of Kolvir and was repeatedly overrun.  In the end he made extensive use of the lightning powers of the Jewel of Judgment to attack ground forces and the power to nullify sorcery. Wounded, and dying, the forces of Amber were saved by the sudden arrival of Prince Corwin with a force of assault weapon armed infantry.  Dispersing the gunnery infantry troops was the final straw that forced Chaos to retreat to the Black Road. Eric then died a hero's death on the Kolvir, surrounded by nobles and royals.  Eventually he gave corwin the jewel, explained how to attune oneself to it, and died spending his death curse on the foes of Amber.

Corwin's forces gave him a powerful bodyguard force and his siblings essentially gave command of Amber to him. Unofficially Corwin is considered by court historians to have served an unofficial Regency and is listed as Regent in the Line of kings. (Despite Corwin having crowned himself briefly during Eric's coronation.  See [[Corwin's Short Reign]]. He oversaw the aftermath of the battle and dealt with the defense of Amber and was essentially acknowledged as King of Amber.  Yet during the month after the battle Corwin had not been crowned.  The Black Road war was rushing on and Corwin had a series of his own troubles as detailed in his chronicles.  

Suddenly Oberon returned to Amber. His adventures are chronicled in Corwin's Chronicles.  Obviously everyone saluted and let him take over.  

He organized things and got the forces of Amber attacking the Black Road with orders to follow it to the Fane of Zilla. He sent Corwin to the Abyss the long way.  He then went to attempt to repair the pattern.  His last act before making the attempt was to summon Osric and Finndo from their places in shadow to Amber.

===Oberon's Last Court===
The last court of King Oberon was a small one with a few members of the family and court who had not already been given orders.  The galleries were filled with courtiers, guards, castle staff. 

Oberon spoke quietly with a small group.  Prince Arloxedra, Prince Osric, Prince Finndo, Lady Elayne, Lord Truman, Allen Dormain-Kingdom Herald,Honosal Moir Tral-Ambassador of Rebma,  [[Dame Margot]], Dart of Hale, Ivor Venway-Chief Priest of the Unicorn, Ciprian Vitalijus-Chief Librarian, Paris Ashlurian-Mayor of the City of Amber, [[Tyler Smials]], [[Lady Ain Breakwithe-Smythe]], Dworkin, Lady Vialle-Prince Random's wife, and three unknown people.  Three Elites and three soldiers were also present. 

He spoke quietly to them and they responded in course.  He handed the Crown of Amber to Dame Margot, the Scepter to Allen Dormain, his signet ring and the seal of Amber was given to Tyler, and a red jewel to Prince Finndo.  He then knighted the three soldiers and raised them to the Elites. 

Exiting, he turned to Arloxedra and in the hearing of all told him to stay in the Library. 

After that he, Dworkin, Ivor, Osric and Dame Margot left the throne room Oberon was not seen again till he was placed on the caisson and taken to the Courts of Chaos.

=='''The Repair'''==

The <big>'''''Repair'''''</big> refers to 13 months of existence from the time the Carriage of Oberon left Amber to go to the Courts of Chaos and when King Random and his entourage arrived home in Amber.  During this period was a wave of hysteria, euphoria, indulgence, fatalism, suicide, and behavior often referred to as ''"What i did during the Repair."''   Sometimes people who lived through the time are called '''''People of the Repair.'''''

The Black Road war was won, <span style=color:red><big>''maybe''</big></span>, not <span style=color:green><big>''certainly''</big></span>, and Amber was safe as far as direct military attack from Chaos as far as most were concerned, <span style=color:red><big>''maybe''</big></span>, not <span style=color:green><big>''certainly''</big></span>.  There were spare war bands, detached units of chaos allied forces, and lone warriors of Chaos still in and around the shadows of Amber for years after the war.  Such forces are called <span style=color:green><big>''Discarded Forces.''</big></span> {See [[Discarded Forces]]}}

King Eric was dead. Prince Corwin, serving unofficially as regent had disappeared and seven days passed during which the residents of Amber could feel the forces of Creation being called upon in unknown rituals in unknown places.  The existence of the Primal Pattern and its connection to Amber were state secrets at the time.

Once the wave of creation occurred in the east waters, and spread west eventually racing the Abyss at the Fane of Zilla there was a great deal of mirth as well as uncertainty.  As euphoria over surviving the end of the world, <span style=color:red><big>''maybe''</big></span>, spread there was much frivolity.  There was some work done to repair the damage done the week before. 

While many examples from popular culture can be found it is the occurrences in the Castle Amber that have become part of the of popular legends.  

*Dworkin, revealed as Oberon's father, led the funeral carriage with Oberon's body to the Courts of Chaos.

*Few of the Family members remained in Amber, rather then going to the Battle at the Abyss.  Known remainders were Prince Arloxedra, Son of Eric & the arguably still Crown Prince of Amber, Lord Martin, Son of Random & soon to be Crown Prince, Lady Elayne, daughter of Florimel, and Prince Osric & Prince Finndo.  

*Prince Osric and Exiled King Finndo turned up without warning, established themselves in their apartments, and did little other then socialize. Both had been thought dead for over a thousand years. They had no official rank except as princes.  While they were sociable to others they spent much of the time yelling at each other in unknown tongues.

*Crown Prince Arloxedra was essentially the highest ranking person with orders from Oberon left in Amber.  He had been told by Oberon to stay in the Library. 

*Prince Arloxedra and Lady Elayne are known to have walked the pattern during this time.  Love stories of the gentry claim they made love on the pattern itself.

*It is rumored that several important prisoners escaped the dungeons of Amber. 

There are many questions regarding the behavior of people during the '''Repair'''.  Many people have different explanations but the most commonly accepted one is that the powers required in repairing the pattern were active during this time and the Pattern may have been '''''Wild'''''.(See [[Flavors of the Pattern]]) A state where the pattern actively generates and manifests its own powers before settling into a normal state of powers.

It should be clear though that the Interregnum refers to the short few days when Corwin was Regent and then Oberon returned as King, unofficially.  The Repair refers to the time after the repair of the pattern and before the arrival of King Random.

The Repair was a time of extreme uncertainty.  The primal pattern was unknown except to a few.  The war was going on but the victor was uncertain and popular belief was that Amber would fall to the forces of Chaos.  Many of the most powerful people in the realm had gone off to fight the war in unknown shadows and the royalty was gone.  One King had returned, another had just died.  The man who would be king had left on an important mission.   
A king out of legend long thought to have perished returned.

So who was in charge? 

The 13 months were a time in many ways without rules.  People went about their lives dreading the coming of doom but in the end people had to eat.  The fishing ships went out to sea and brought in the catch of the day. Babies were born because regardless of politics their time was due.  Bakers in the [[Rue Fanasal]] had people to feed so they baked every day.

Civic organizations took over repairing the damage caused during the War.  
*The North Riding Committee took over repair of the north wall.  
*The [[CCC]] at [[Brightedge]]  rebuilt the Great Southern Gate.  
*The [[Fish Hall]], an social association of fisherman and their family similar a union, took over repairing the docks although there was not much war damage to them.  There was an accumulated level of wear and tear to them over the centuries. The region was known for its hovels and nooks and trash piles.  The Fish hall took to tearing down hovels and relocating families living in them to repaired apartments in the Harbor district. THey came into conflict with the Clemens family that had a stake in the harbors remaining as they were.  Because of the mania of the Repair the Clemens family backed off after a few violent encounters with the members of the Fish Hall.  

The city of [[Garn]], that had become so important to the war effort during the year the forces of Chaos were in Amber, started building and repairing as soldiers came to recover there.

In the Castle, despite the presence of Prince Osric and King Finndo, most of the actual day to day survival in the city and even the kingdom of Amber fell to the control of the senior member of the Amber Castle Staff, [[Dame Margot]].  She was a pillar of strength but even pillar have cracks.  One crack lead to the [[The Court of Queen Margot]]

[[File:Greenwhitedrapedsword.gif]][[File:Greenwhitedrapedsword.gif]]


===[[The Court of Queen Margot]] or ''''' The Reign of Queen Margot''  or '''Who was in Charge during the Repair?'''===
Soon after the carriage of King Oberon went west, many people panicked.   Drinking was rampant as people felt as if the universe would end.  Pyrotechnics filled the night sky as the pattern generated them in its own energy.

There are stories about Dame Margot drinking heavily and declaring herself Queen of Amber, wearing the crown of Amber and drinking from a gallon jug of Bayle's Gin.  She apparently lead a court of castle staff declaring themselves dukes and barons, and elderly knights.

This incident has been seen in the popular literature as a epic tale, and has been made in to fanciful tales, morality plays, songs, ribald fireside stories and other tales as a time of whimsy under a fun but insane queen.

The date of the event is uncertain but what is clear is it occured in the first month.  Margot ruled for one year, though her authority had more to do, they say, to the remaining people in the castle mainly being staff members.
[[Dame Margot]] does not speak of this time and wise people do not mention it to her.

However, aside from the popular tales and ribald accounts the reality is that she oversaw things far beyond her authority with the help of her staff and Prince Arloxedra and Lady Elyane.

There is a rumor that Prince Arloxedra and Lady Elyane also wore the King and Queen's crowns, though the both vigorously deny this.

[[File:Greenwhitedrapedsword.gif]]
===='''The Musical'''====
The musical '''"The Reign of Queen Margot"''' by Prince Bleys of Amber is one of the most popular productions among the gentry of Amber.  It has a dozen songs that are commonly sung by everyone from children of the citizenry to the staff of the castle.  
*The song '''"Haul Away"''' is sung in the play by sailors of the merchant navy left behind by the royals to die, glorifying Queen Margot's role in saving the fishing fleet.  It has since been adopted by the sailors  of the merchant ships.  It has a cadence that matches the effort to raise or lower sails.
*The song '''"Little Ones"''' is sung in the play by Queen Margot to a group of orphans as she feeds them a nighttime snack and sings them to sleep.  It has  since become a very common lullaby. 
*The song '''"Chainmail Leggings'''[[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Chainmail_Leggings]]" is sung in the play by soldiers too infirm or elderly to go with the army of Amber to fight at Patternfall as Queen Margot implores them to live up to their oaths and rise from their sickbeds to defend the castle.  It has become popular as a tavern song.
The song '''"Coming of the King"''' sung in the play by the whole cast has become the Theme music for King Random.  Even King Random likes it.  During the song Queen Margot leads the ''People of the Repair'' in laying down their titles gained from her and swearing fealty to the king.

Prince Bleys and Dame Margot have agreed never to discuss the play between them again.