Mine Fill of Blood and Glory - thanks to Dave de Jong
daviddejong (at) idirect.com

Like everything, this campaign started somewhere. In this case, it was with a scenario run by Dave de Jong called "Mine Fill of Blood and Glory" that our GM, Simone Cooper, played in at Ambercon in Detroit a few years ago. Here's a summary, stolen from the 2002 Ambercon UK game schedule:

Description: Pride, ruthless ambition, passion. Such are the meat and mead of Amber. But can your excesses have finally gone to far? Following one last indignity, the Pattern has seemed to withdraw from your appetites and pettiness, leaving your world to be torn apart by your baser instincts. Unable to escape, it looks that you are about to be called to task, unless ... maybe ... you can find a scape-goat. Drama for ruthless artists in politics and perception, and those interested in exploring our imperfections and vulnerabilities. Created and previously run at ACUS 2000, ACN 2001 and ACUS 2002 by David de Jong.

Characters: Manipulative, ambitious, tragically flawed elder Amberites only. Callous ruthlessness paired with well developed weakness is required. Virtuous siblings with a mind to oppose their darker twins will also be considered. Generation at the Con based on 150 to 250 points. No advanced powers, Pattern Imprint required. Items and various magics discouraged. Character creation will involve an attribute auction for the seven deadly sins.

This wonderfully conceived, tragic game thoroughly fleshed out the character of the Elders in an Amber multiverse that was slowly dying of their sins. Some of the elders, notably Benedict, were blind to their part in this; others sacrificed, grew, and changed enough to stave off the degradation of Amber. But the world they left behind was as changed as they were. Suddenly, the old order was broken, and there was room for new Powers and new ideas to take hold -- if only they had champions.

Winds That Will Be was intended to offer a new generation of young player characters the opportunity to become champions of their own futures and to explore the power of their own blood. A few took up that challenge, a few fell. None were unaffected. You can read their story through the game's Chronicles -- a sort of joke log kept by Todd Worrell, mainly for the purpose of reminding everyone each session what had come before. A more coherent (and very well-written) version of the story, also written by Todd, was laid out in Aedan's Journals, but of course this version only covers Aedan's side of the story and is wonderfully biased.

Inspirations

The tone and setting of the game were also inspired by two poems, "The World is Too Much with Us" by William Wordsworth and "The Second Coming" by William Butler Yeats; and by a Vedic creation hymn.

Because of the nature of the game, the plot, tone, and setting also came heavily from the PC's own influences and actions. I have to thank all of my players and the characters they became so vividly over the course of the campaign for their constant inspiration.

--Simone Cooper