[ADRPG] So... my evil twin asked me the unspeackable

[Guybrush]

First and foremost, as the polite gentlegeek I am, I would like to introduce myself to everybody. I am a rpg enthusiast and a second timer in the universe of Amber. I am currently reading the books and of course I like them a great deal (by the way I try to keep away form major spoiler regarding events happening after Random's coronation ). Basically I consider myself as totally, yet not completely, ignorant regarding the subtlety of the Amber universe and the eponymous RPG system. And now let's continue with the meat of the issue.

In the game my group and I are currently playing I am a bastard prince of Amber who learned shapeshifting in the hand of Suhuy. He have many connections inside the courts of chaos (paid with points) and he maintain a fragile posture between them and the royal family of Amber that only recently accepted him as one of their own. Obviously there is pressure form both side to clarify where his loyalty stand even if the war is over. I think I have managed to convince Amberites - or at least the PCs - that I tend for the most part to be in favor of Amberites whereas in fact I like the company of some handpicked individuals in both circles. I basically portray a false cold guy (-2 Bad stuff) ; I am fairly nice in action but I tend to be an deliberate jerk otherwise. This already ambiguous situation is over-complexified by the fact that my character have met some sort of a chaotic twin. The twin look exactly the same except he is a chaos lord (not a bastard mind you) and the current theory is that they are not linked by blood but either them or there respective parents are reflections of each other, just like Dworkin and Suhuy.

Still with me? Good. In the previous session something really interesting happened. See, I was traveling in the shadows shapeshifted as Coral in search of a troop of soldiers that were actually looking for the real one ; the idea was to intercept them. I can extrapolate my reasons if you wish but the actual end of the story is that I have found said troop... while simultaneously being found myself by my twin that was somehow looking for me. I have agreed to postpone my plan to hear what he had to say, I was not disappointed. Apparently he want to recover the jewel of judgment in order to give it back to the serpent, and for that he need the help of his trustworthy twin. But wait that is not it yet! It just happen that his highness king Random is currently missing and has conveniently left the jewel of judgment on a desk... in his room... and he left without locking the door. Right now you are telling yourself "how boy is he suspiciously careless", but wait I have not even started. A evil player borrowed it... gifted it to yet another player that finally wish to return it... she is very benevolent, kind, and overall trusty... she just lost her big 50-ish points creature and have no way of handling a combat against anyone semi-competent whatsoever for at least a full day... she has just walk the pattern and is perfectly exhausted. And best of all, she is on his way to Amber to eat a well deserved meal in the great hall... where we currently are with my twin, feasting upon a four horned antelope... with no idea of being right where we needed to be to produce hell of mess. Like some would say the planets just aligned perfectly.

For now my character had only agreed to invite his twin in Amber where he could reinforce his position as future ambassador of the chaos ; and for that he gave him a fancy looking dagger he keep calling "the chaos dagger". Of course I would not have go with the flow if I was not comfortable with the idea of helping him further than that in the near future. But the thing is, as far as my character is concerned the jewel is currently in the hand of Random, whom he isn't particularly found of. Needless to say as a respectable gamer I have portrayed my character accordingly, only taking into account the information he have. For him it is a matter of dealing a low blow to Random and earning some power doing so. As far as he know, there is absolutely no way it could ever backfire to his beloved friend ; in fact he probably would have ran to help her if only he knew she was in such a bad shape. To sum it up while he was completely fine to play his discrete part in the demise of Random who never ended to treat him like a Lunatic, he is not fine AT ALL to wound the only relative to ever show him true kindness.

So I came toward you not only to share a great gaming session but also to collect advices (if you somehow have some) to keep our hands clean - mine and the one of my bosom buddy - during the mess that surely will happen very soon.

PS : obviously I am confident none of my fellow players read this forum otherwise I would not have posted it there .

[Headless]

If you can get the jewel do it.  Wait have you walked the patern?  What about logours?  I would try to attune myself to the jewel, even if I was underpowered for it and risked destruction. Don't give it to the serpent. But then I like the status quo, if you do deliver the serpent it's eye, you should be the first champion of Chaos. Or quickly murdered.   Do you have an enemy you can plant it on?

[Guybrush]

Yes, I have walked the pattern that is why people assume I am part of the family. In fact I am now pretty sure my father was Eric. My character has 150 points (plus unspent XP), to be more precise I have :

• The pattern imprint (50pt)
• Shapeshifting (35pt)
• The support of house Amblerash ; my twin is part of that house (3pt)
• An artifact that grant me firearm resistance, psychic resistance, psychic camouflage, as well as allowing me to know the relative flow of time between Amber and the shadow I am currently in. (21pt)
• A currently missing friendly demon companion who seek creatures without the pattern imprint BUT with the blood of Amber, basically a bastard detector ; as a side note finding Coral and inviting her in Amber is the source of an argument between me and Random (8pt).
• Amber level in psyche (0pt)
• 3rd rank in strength (13pt)
• 2,5 rank in endurance (25pt) [but I am pretty sure the first is at 26 and our DM mainly use point and not rank so I consider myself to be good in endurance]
• Amber rank in warfare (0pt)
• Some bad stuff (-2pt)
• Some unspent XP (about 5 points)

He also have (not bought with points) :

• A deck of Trump mainly composed of the trumps of the elders, but I also have a trump of Merlin (stolen to Rinaldo), and a trump of one of the player (crafted by himself).
• A fancy looking dagger gifted by my evil twin (he called it "the chaos dagger")
• A diploma of oncology as well as a deep knowledge on how to heal shapeshifting diseases
• An alternate identity as one of the servant in castle Amber
• And last but not least, a wicked sense of humor, because no prince of Amber would be complete without it

As for my mortal enemies, no I have none that I can think of. To be fair I have just done something to deal with two of them so I am short of reachable enemies for the time being. I mean sure there is Fiona whose I plan to either make an ally or assassinate some day but she is out of my league. The best candidate would probably be the queen Moire who yelled at me when I proposed myself to grow an extra heart and transplant into her chest to cure her fatal disease but I don't know if that qualify as mortal enemy. She was incredibly rude but I have no desire to see her gone if that is the question ; plus she is the mother of a PC.

My current plan is to play a dangerous double game where I pretend to help my twin while in fact I give him false information to convince him to unfold his plan slower. In fact I kinda believe he wants the jewel to capitalize on the ongoing sickness of king Swayvill and size the throne for himself. I don't see how him becoming the new king of chaos will reinforce my own position... unless it is proven that as his reflection I would access the Amber throne as well. But then again I don't see myself as strong enough right now to hold the throne very long so it sorta feel pointless to work toward it. If I ever end up with the jewel in my possession I think I will try to see if some could use it to get Deidre out of the abyss ; she is considered as one of the main god in my maternal Shadow so it make sense for the character to want to check for himself what she is really all about.

So much puzzling considerations...

PS : What do you mean "plant it on" ?

[Headless]

Steel it. Attune your self. Give it to an ememy to take back to the courts.  Some them out to Gerald.  Either use a cats paws or make sure they die, preferably both.

[Arref]

I think you are being set up for a long fall.

Your background and stats are pretty impressive for a Chaosi, but you are very susceptible to Sorcery effects (and being schmoozed by a questionable Chaos Lord, who just happens to flatter you with physical and mystery threads.) The information you have been given about how vulnerable the Jewel might be is extremely suspect, and even if true, would constitute Treason to Amber, even if you have not sworn to the throne.

Walk carefully, and protect the friend you hold most dear, she is in danger.

[Guybrush]

Well, I am actually not a chaosian. To be more precise Amberites have accepted me into the family long ago (about 90 years ago) even if nobody seemed to agree on who my Amberite father may be. As for my personal opinion on the matter I collected a few clues and I came to the conclusion that Eric would be the most likely father for the character... and you know a dead person obviously cannot recognize his son so he would make sense . I have definitively cut some corner to sum my 14 pages of Background so sorry if you were confused by my quick summary.

As for your advice, he has been duly noted. Ironically that is more or less what I intend to do. The plan is to slow down my twin and protect my "cousin" (named as such providing Eric is indeed my father) from at least some of the trouble she will face. However I don't see myself telling her why I would think she is in danger or even that I am worried for that matter.

[Arref]

Forgive me if I offended by naming you chaosi, however, understand that your quick summary starts with shapeshift, special teaching from Suhuy, important friends in Amblerash, and balancing your friends from both sides. No harm intended.

Keep in mind that all Amberites are chaosi in the big picture.

That said, even if you are son of Eric, I think you need to take stock of your game situation as everything you have told us rings with chaosi politics and needs set counter to Amber and Order.
IMHO

[Headless]

Forgive me if I offended by naming you chaosi, however, understand that your quick summary starts with shapeshift, special teaching from Suhuy, important friends in Amblerash, and balancing your friends from both sides. No harm intended.

Keep in mind that all Amberites are chaosi in the big picture.

That said, even if you are son of Eric, I think you need to take stock of your game situation as everything you have told us rings with chaosi politics and needs set counter to Amber and Order.
IMHO

Actually,I agree.  Is there a bad guy?  Or a nemisis?  What's driving the plot?  Do the players get along?  Maybe too well?  You said you had no enemies?  

The DM might be setting you up, not for a fall but to be the nemisis.  What does you charcter want?  Shape shifting and pattern,  you would make a great bad guy.