a shadow of a shadow

ambercon 2010 :: the aftermath report

"(Martin's) got a bad case of 'God, Benedict is so awesome' and 'Dad, you suck.'" -- Gérard to Avia (from Changing Hands slot 7)

So a very nice Ambercon in Detroit, Michigan. Many thanks to all the GMs and Players who give of themselves so strongly. We win!

the brief reviews...

Agents of the Argent Rose (Arref game)
I note that this has become something of a family romp through a very broad canvas. Yet it satisfies in a way that a canon elder game through an earlier age in Amber might. We have the movers and shakers, the little games between the sibs and their pleasant conflicting motifs.

The asides and snarky wit of the cousins for each other is stronger than any plot.

Suffice, it may be that there is war between China and France coming, for the Imperial Princess returns to China, not chastened by the superior glory of France but inspired by the cousins to break her chains.

Oh, and Grandmama and Grandpere Corwin are speaking again. Separate bedrooms but very much in lust. Perhaps the world will be well, despite the loss of Cousin Max to vile Stigmatists. Farewell, Max, we shall all miss you.

Quotes at twitter #ambercons.


In the Lonesome October (Paul Vlamis game)
Full of win. Lovely reproduction of the original material with full props to Zelazny on charm and etiquette of the archetypes. I found the other Players full of wit and style with their unique sets of Hero/Villains. Smashing game. Yes, the Openers lost, just barely. Darn.

Major Hatreds/Petty Animosities (Madeline game)
Full of win. Random is a punk. Gerard is sly. Eric panics and kills Corwin on earth when the elders settle in to play family politics with Flora's plans in the middle east. Flora is dear. Fiona and Bleys are charmingly ruthless while Brand expounds and explodes in every direction.

Llewella: clueless as she misconstrues all events and tries an alliance with Random.

Oberon squashes Fiona/Bleys...and sets Eric on Brand's trail. Score one for Random and Flora and Gerard...the only ones to really come out well.

House of Midnight and Fire (Arref game)
Eric's plans to keep the throne surface twenty years after he is dead. Six very impressive scions of King Eric meet to discuss taking the throne back from Random. They bring secret weapons and plenty of guts.

But what's this? Instead of invading, they decide to personally scout the Amber situation. So they infiltrate and then charm their way directly to the Eternal City. They get sell-sword jobs and join guilds. They buy buckets. They get fed and get the inside scoop on the war with Chaos. They find out their father is a hero, who died defending the Realm.

They find out no one really understands how Random became king...but Gerard handed him the throne and there seems to be little conflict in peaceful Amber.

They pass through Random's security and at least one walks the Pattern. One gets thrown into the dungeon and quickly escapes. Finally they get an appointment with the King and have a dinner, meet the Queen and discuss current events.

Mordu (PC Paul Vlamis): "Worst throne war EVAR!"

Privately, the scions realize that they have a very very very good chance to kicking Random's ass right outta the country.

Then what? Very nifty game with good roles handled by all.

Clandestine Chronicles of the Cobalt Charter (Arref game)
Three new players came up to speed very well with my experimental premise that has now run some six times. A game completely at the mercy of the Players and their wit...this time around, three plots were handled well until Julia Barnes tripped into a trap of the Chaos Vendetta on her.

But the Players quickly regrouped to save the day. Kudos to those mad bad shadow folk in their defiance of the Poles of Reality. Maybe next year, Amber will have a reaction to Viral Unicorn Sightings?

Dashing Blades (Sol Foster game)
Ever wanted to swashbuckle in good ol' Amber before there was a Corwin? This game was a sweet play for me. Been hoping to see it play for a while. New guy (me) got a trifle enthusiastic and foolish trying to measure up to the Blades and their reputation.

Suffered minor wounds....a lot.

Changing Hands (Arref game)
Over fifty shadows essential to Amber's future well being? How do we know what Chaos might have done to them while Amber was under siege?

Send out the young amberites while the Elders wrangle a treaty. That's how.

Very awesome game with full PC wit on show. Infiltration. Shootouts. Magic. Poison. Cultists. Talking horses. Acres of flaming death. Shadows full of Black Grass. Beheadings. Science. Steam-powered tanks.

Lovely. Thank you for the great roleplay I saw in this game. I also appreciate the quotes listed at the link above.

Soft Cimmerian: Mirror Teeth (Arref game)
Quiet game of intrigue and relationships between 10 people (3 PCs this year).

Really indescribable here. My kudos to the Players. Very very cool.
I can say this: Guisels 3000 Amblerash 5

'Tis a fabulous way to end the convention.

2009 thoughts: slots and offerings

No seminar this year. Great fun, but poorly attended. My suspicion is that folks don't want to do such mental work on holiday.

Closing Con with a Rebman game maybe not wise. Was so terrific the first time I wanted to offer followup... and good chance on cast not returning. Always the culture rp to bring up to speed with Rebma. Con organizers advise: "do not make Players do work"

otoh.... Players often do work for my games


web site does not offer GM advantages for game preferences, wondering about that


Argent Rose looks like solid for slot one
Cobalt Charter should not move for slot five

have retired 'Five Sides' as I would think most have had chance to play it (ambercon only gets 100 people a year and I've done that game with at least 10 groups). Yes! Veterans of Five Sides now allowed to chat same.


all else subject to change




* lord, been so long that I've done manual html, I blew the link above

So thanks to community suggestions...

To Wed the Soft Cimmerian
( peek )

Last night the internet broke. Was too tired to fix it.

However, today we had the living room dormers fitted with blinds that match our existing stuff and work by remote control. Very cool, I think. The RFL says they work well. We lined up a series of small install tasks with the handyman: fall painting, install rear screen door, ceiling fans for the guest rooms.

And while I was tardy to work to give the installer instructs on the windows, I fixed the internet by sequencing the router a couple times.

On other business, liking the pbem 'Star Wars' stuff I'm getting.
Very.

If the Real were otherwise, I'd jump to three times a week, but that isn't going to happen.

OK, so I'm going to do the game.

And my assumption at this point is that I need to cut out most of the browsing time I do at theory, gming, message boards just to get some 'head processing room'. I need to un-clutter the 'back burner' of my creative mind.

So I'll be less comment-y for near future.
That is all.

So I'm working a second draft for the pbem rules and gamestart.
( use the click, Luke )

The best part of reading JK's livejournal, jhkimrpg, is the fact that he links off to many theory threads that prompt his thoughtful posts. That's a nice way to catch so many things I can't take time to read myself.

Social Interactions and Sublimation
I have been pondering some more about social contract and gaming.

Mother, May I? as a model for rpg style?
Uh, no.

But see for yourself at jhkimrpg

http://jhkimrpg.livejournal.com/30136.html

Having Asked: how much do you all like/hate doing the 'homework' of designing/selecting characters and getting the gist of the scenario from the GM?

It sounds like:

1. most folks would like the choice between pre-gens and BringYerOwnCharacters.
   
2. most folks would like the play system to have minimum tinkering
   
3. most folks would like the PCs to be essential to the plot
   
4. most folks would like backstory to be a quick kibbitz in the 10-15 minutes of slot-start
   
5. most folks would like more slots to have Independant story (and perhaps serial/sequence applies)
   
6. character quizzes are bad
   
7. prep time over 30 minutes is bad

Thoughts ongoing for a new campaign: TenFold Millennium

By the clocks of Science, there are only so many moments in the life of the sun. On the third planet from the star, intangible moments bring a rebirth and nine Riders awaken from the Long Dark. They have slept long enough to have forgotten their names and purpose. Power without purpose heralds the end of everything.
( Read more... )