Ensemble: United Front

Game Start

In the FamilyLibrary of CastleAmber

PCs	NPCs
LadyCorradina	PrinceBleys
LordDiomedes	PrinceCaine
LadyMiho	PrincessDeirdre
LordObi	LordDrake (as a PC)
	PrinceEric
	PrinceGerard
	PrinceJulian
	LadyRosalind (as a PC)

---

It has been about 5 years since Oberon vanished and Amber is being run by a loose collaboration of his children in residence in Amber, among them Caine and Gerard who have taken charge of the navy, and Bleys and Eric who have split the administrative and diplomatic duties.

At this time, you are approached individually by a messenger telling you that the Elders among the Royal Family have called a meeting. This is not the first such meeting to discuss policy, but you are not generally involved. Nevertheless, your presence is required now.

When you arrive, you find Caine, Deirdre, Gerard, Julian, and Eric already there, along with your cousins. The room is on the second floor, well-appointed, with a side-bar already open. Caine is sitting in an easy-chair to one side of the window, close to the center of the room, and as is customary for these meetings there is no central table or desk. The other Elders are loosely arrayed around him.

Corradina leans against the back wall, intensely curious. The look she gives Obi on his arrival speaks volumes of her displeasure at her messenger cousin not having given her a prior heads up.

Obi's grin and slight shake of his head suggest that he was taken as unaware as she. He finds a seat on a couch near his mother and slumps into it, like a great cat lying in the sun. Dina's sure that he's more attentive than his posture seems.

Rosalind chooses the window seat. The window frames her nicely, and the foliage and stonework outside combine with the color of the sky to set off her dress and hair. It's also a fine seat for listening closely, but not so near to the center that it draws undue attention.

Diomedes finds a place, probably relatively close to Rosalind, and Miho if he can manage the double feat. He perches on a chair brought for the purpose, leaning forward slightly to listen with a bright look.

Miho finds herself a place near her father, perched like a slender shadow to her much larger parent. She nods to her cousins, aunts, uncles as they arrive, then listens with quiet intensity when the speaking begins.

As you make yourself comfortable, Caine glances round, "Well," he pauses, "shall we begin then?"

Deirdre looks a little uncomfortable, at which point, the door swings open and Bleys enters. Deirdre relaxes a little as Bleys makes his way jauntily into the room. He's wearing traveling gear and it's clear from the smudged dirt and mud that he's been riding hard to get here. Despite the appearance of his clothes, Bleys himself is unperturbed and even drops Rosalind a merry wink before continuing to the bar where Eric is currently pouring himself a drink.

Diomedes gives Bleys a smile upon his entrance, but looks past him, as if expecting, or hoping, for others to appear in turn.

"Another staged entrance, brother?" Julian quips.

Eric turns with a drink in his hand to regard Bleys as he approaches the bar. For an instant, it looks as though Eric will not move. Bleys keeps on coming. At the last second, Eric moves away.

After pouring himself a drink, Bleys turns and says to Julian, "It seems that my invitation to this happy little gathering was misplaced, and were it not for the assistance of our sister," he indicates Deirdre, "I might not have made it at all."

Deirdre inclines her head with a smile of acknowledgment.

Obi smiles at his mother's play in the great game a little suprised, as she wasn't normally so obvious with her hand.

Caine clears his throat, "Now that we're all here, let's attend to the business at hand." He turns to regard your generation. "It's been five years now since Dad vanished, and while the wolves aren't sniffing at our door, they're starting to gather. The dominion of Amber is being questioned. To this end, we have all agreed to make a concerted effort to find the King.

"We've decided that Deirdre, Bleys, Eric and Julian will tend to this matter by searching the Shadows for Dad. While they're doing that, Gerard and myself will stay here."

Gerard, sitting at ease with a large goblet of wine adds to his siblings, "Since you're all hie-ing off into Shadow, it also occurs to us that there's more than one of our relatives who is lost."

Miho cocks her head, attention upon her father.

Deirdre leans forward with a keen look of interest about where this is going. It is clear from the reaction of the other Elders that while the topic of this meeting was discussed in advance, Caine and Gerard just deviated from the script.

"Who?" Bleys asks outright.

"Corwin," Gerard states.

Bleys grins and knocks back his drink, listening. Julian frowns.

Corradina's brow furrows and it's clear this topic makes her unhappy.

"Another strong prince in the house might give certain parties pause for thought," Caine says with a satisfied smile.

"I thought we declared him dead," Eric says flatly, "no disrespect intended toward our niece." And all eyes glance toward Corradina for a moment.

Dina just shrugs with a dry grin for Eric and looks right back at the rest of them.

Obi watches the interplay with obvious concern for Dina.

Caine meets Eric's gaze with an unflinching one of his own, but before anything further develops, Gerard explains firmly: "We've never found a body and all of us who have tried have found some trace of our brother's Shadow. Julian and I came quite close once. Dad may have thought he was dead, but some of us don't agree."

Caine turns to the rest of his siblings, "Unless any of you have a pressing argument otherwise," and he continues without pause, "we want you," - he regards each one of the younger generation with a serious gaze, ending with Corradina - "to go out into Shadow to search for Corwin."

Dina looks back at him like he's a little nuts.

Diomedes' eyes blink rapidly as he regards Caine in complete surprise.

Miho only nods.

Obi grins, a spark in his eyes.


"That's impossible!" Julian snorts.

Deirdre looks sharply at Julian, then adds: "I'd like my brother found as much as anyone, but don't you think you're being overly optimistic of them finding him when we had no success at all?"

"I prepared a dossier of a place that was the closest we ever came," Gerard growls. "I planned on giving it to the kids before they left, and I'm still going to. That should help narrow their search."

At mention of this dossier Caine turns to look at Gerard, and this time it is he who is trying to mask his surprise. Gerard has apparently trumped everyone in the end.

Miho smiles, pleased with her father, and slips from her perch to stand with him.

With Gerard leaving no room for argument, and the roles of the other Elders already predetermined the meeting is quickly wrapped up as the others either agree or acquiesce. As the meeting breaks up and the Elders head out, characters have the opportunity to engage one or more of them in conversation.

Dina heads right for Gerard and that folder.

Diomedes watches Dina beeline toward Gerard and reacts by getting off his chair. "I think I need a drink after all." he says, giving interrogatory looks at any nearby cousins before heading toward the bar.

Obi nods agreement to Diomedes as he watches the run for the folder.


Rosalind departs with her father.

---

===Next
PrinceGerard, LadyMiho, LadyCorradina, and CaptainDrake - TheFolder
LordObi , LordDiomedes, and PrincessDeirdre - DrinksAndAssumptions
LadyRosalind and PrinceBleys - LeagueOfRedheadedGentlepeople