AA (Alternate Amber) - It's Amber...sort of (i.e. Ambermaniacs).
EL (Elders) - Characters will be Elder Amberites from the books.
FF (Freeform) - A game run in near real time, does not have 'traditional'
game structure.
KF (Kid Friendly) - Game is appropriate for younger players.
NA (Non-Amber Game) - Game does not take place in the Amber universe and is
completely unrelated to Amber.
NC (New Campaign) - The start of a new game that will continue at future
conventions, usually with the same players.
OC (Ongoing Campaign) - A continuing campaign played from year to year,
usually with the same players.
SM (Seminar) - Event is a discussion of a specific topic, not a game.
SR (Series) - A series of separate, self-contained adventures, set in the
same universe, often with different players.
SW (Shared World) - Characters are from existing or defunct campaigns but
their histories are modified so that they are all part of the same universe
and are usually familiar with each other.
TW (Throne War) - Everyone tries to kill each other or form alliances to
attain a goal.
UC (Unique Characters) - Characters are created specifically for this game
world, as opposed to being from existing or defunct campaigns.
XO (Crossover) - Characters are from existing or defunct campaigns and
arrive from different universes with their history intact.
Description: A Fables/Amber crossover.
The Amberites are used to being the most powerful beings in the universe, now another group is rising to challenge their power. The Shadow beings from all over the verses have begun to believe in other fantasy creatures so strongly that they have become more real than the Amberites. Now the elders have decided to wipe out the Fables. Can you survive?
Play as your favorite character from fiction, no knowledge of the Fables comic series needed.Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters created at Con, but you should e-mail a concept to GMs before.
Character Generation: At Con.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Sean McCabe, Matt Andrews
Description: Select poems by Jonathan Swift
The Lady's Dressing RoomFive hours, (and who can do it less in?)
By haughty Celia spent in dressing;
The goddess from her chamber issues,
Arrayed in lace, brocades, and tissues.
Strephon, who found the room was void
And Betty otherwise employed,
Stole in and took a strict survey
Of all the litter as it lay;
Whereof, to make the matter clear,
An inventory follows here.
And first a dirty smock appeared,
Beneath the arm-pits well besmeared.
Strephon, the rogue, displayed it wide
And turned it round on every side.
On such a point few words are best,
And Strephon bids us guess the rest;
And swears how damnably the men lie
In calling Celia sweet and cleanly.
Now listen while he next produces
The various combs for various uses,
Filled up with dirt so closely fixt,
No brush could force a way betwixt.
A paste of composition rare,
Sweat, dandruff, powder, lead and hair;
A forehead cloth with oil upon't
To smooth the wrinkles on her front.
Here alum flower to stop the steams
Exhaled from sour unsavory streams;
There night-gloves made of Tripsy's hide,
Bequeath'd by Tripsy when she died,
With puppy water, beauty's help,
Distilled from Tripsy's darling whelp;
Here gallypots and vials placed,
Some filled with washes, some with paste,
Some with pomatum, paints and slops,
And ointments good for scabby chops.
Hard by a filthy basin stands,
Fouled with the scouring of her hands;
The basin takes whatever comes,
The scrapings of her teeth and gums,
A nasty compound of all hues,
For here she spits, and here she spews.
But oh! it turned poor Strephon's bowels,
When he beheld and smelt the towels,
Begummed, besmattered, and beslimed
With dirt, and sweat, and ear-wax grimed.
No object Strephon's eye escapes:
Here petticoats in frowzy heaps;
Nor be the handkerchiefs forgot
All varnished o'er with snuff and snot.
The stockings, why should I expose,
Stained with the marks of stinking toes;
Or greasy coifs and pinners reeking,
Which Celia slept at least a week in?
A pair of tweezers next he found
To pluck her brows in arches round,
Or hairs that sink the forehead low,
Or on her chin like bristles grow.
The virtues we must not let pass,
Of Celia's magnifying glass.
When frighted Strephon cast his eye on't
It shewed the visage of a giant.
A glass that can to sight disclose
The smallest worm in Celia's nose,
And faithfully direct her nail
To squeeze it out from head to tail;
(For catch it nicely by the head,
It must come out alive or dead.)
Why Strephon will you tell the rest?
And must you needs describe the chest?
That careless wench! no creature warn her
To move it out from yonder corner;
But leave it standing full in sight
For you to exercise your spite.
In vain, the workman shewed his wit
With rings and hinges counterfeit
To make it seem in this disguise
A cabinet to vulgar eyes;
For Strephon ventured to look in,
Resolved to go through thick and thin;
He lifts the lid, there needs no more:
He smelt it all the time before.
As from within Pandora's box,
When Epimetheus oped the locks,
A sudden universal crew
Of humane evils upwards flew,
He still was comforted to find
That Hope at last remained behind;
So Strephon lifting up the lid
To view what in the chest was hid,
The vapours flew from out the vent.
But Strephon cautious never meant
The bottom of the pan to grope
And foul his hands in search of Hope.
O never may such vile machine
Be once in Celia's chamber seen!
O may she better learn to keep
"Those secrets of the hoary deep"!
As mutton cutlets, prime of meat,
Which, though with art you salt and beat
As laws of cookery require
And toast them at the clearest fire,
If from adown the hopeful chops
The fat upon the cinder drops,
To stinking smoke it turns the flame
Poisoning the flesh from whence it came;
And up exhales a greasy stench
For which you curse the careless wench;
So things which must not be exprest,
When plumpt into the reeking chest,
Send up an excremental smell
To taint the parts from whence they fell,
The petticoats and gown perfume,
Which waft a stink round every room.
Thus finishing his grand survey,
Disgusted Strephon stole away
Repeating in his amorous fits,
Oh! Celia, Celia, Celia shits!
But vengeance, Goddess never sleeping,
Soon punished Strephon for his peeping:
His foul Imagination links
Each dame he see with all her stinks;
And, if unsavory odors fly,
Conceives a lady standing by.
All women his description fits,
And both ideas jump like wits
By vicious fancy coupled fast,
And still appearing in contrast.
I pity wretched Strephon blind
To all the charms of female kind.
Should I the Queen of Love refuse
Because she rose from stinking ooze?
To him that looks behind the scene
Satira's but some pocky queen.
When Celia in her glory shows,
If Strephon would but stop his nose
(Who now so impiously blasphemes
Her ointments, daubs, and paints and creams,
Her washes, slops, and every clout
With which he makes so foul a rout),
He soon would learn to think like me
And bless his ravished sight to see
Such order from confusion sprung,
Such gaudy tulips raised from dung- Jonathan Swift
Even Celia has her uglier, more memerable movements. Alas, so too does Amber. This is a visit to the dark, smelly side of that beautiful city. Characters comprise a most "retched hive of scum and villiany," that the rest of the city would sooner see hanged. No royal blood, no coddled upbringing, just the rough streets and Bloody Bill's.
Its a rough world on Amber's backside, and only the smartest survive. (Yes, characters may die.)
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters are "normal" citizens of Amber. Have 0 points with attributes ranging from -25 (human) to 200 (Gérard's strength). All levels below zero are allowed (not just human and chaos). No major powers. No artifacts. Stuff limit 5.
Players are encouraged to be in contact with the GM, but are not required.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 0 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): John Czarnota
Description: A nation attacked...A government in denial...A populace mislead...A civilization on the brink of destruction. While humanity's hope wanes, they come forth to stand against the darkest night. Their origins unknown, their motives suspect, and their methods questionable. Will they fall victim to utter lunacy, or survive to see the light of dawn? Once again, it is up to a group of remarkable individuals, to try to set things right. Previous players (and characters) are welcomed, as well as new players.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters are historical or fictional personalities (examples: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle or Sherlock Holmes), which were alive around 1894 and would be initially willing to offer their services (their motives and actions may be suspect, though). This is not intended to be a very historically accurate game; the truth can be stretched for dramatic effect, therefore almost any person is possible (with a few exceptions). Please contact me with your character ideas.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 0 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Jack Schleick
Description: Le Cygne, canny veteran trader on the double-dozen seas, caught in a black rain, was tossed far from the trade lanes. Having lost her Captain-Owner and marooned her first mate (for shooting at the rest of the crew), the remaining few sail on, hoping to find a clue to bring them safely back to Amber.
After nearly losing the ship to the fleet of the man with the Horn, the crew is relieved to sail into what appears to be a peaceful tropical harbor. But when night falls, the full moon is broken and strange fires appear in the jungle. Where has Le Cygne landed this time, and what will it cost her to leave?
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Ginger Stampley, Michael Croft
Description: "Once upon a time, as far north as north can go, there lived the greatest people that this world will ever see. They are gone now, destroyed just as the world destroys all beautiful things. All that remains are these moments we call memories, moments frozen from the flow of time."
Polaris is a game of chivalry and grand tragedy, of starlight and madness, of knights fighting against the demons they are doomed to become. There is no GM; the players take on different responsibilities as the game progresses. One of the best games published in 2005.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Warning: dice are involved! Well, one die. But it plays like a diceless game anyway--you'll see....
Notes: We will not break for food--bring your own or use those coupons.
Character Generation: At Con.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Seth Blumberg
Description: As Lord Findal ne Marble was finally dealt with by the Knight of Reflections. His allies still remained, some of them known some of them not. A gathering of knights, some known some not, is called to try and deal with the last Lord Findal's allies or at least -- stop what they are doing.
Of course, there is War in the Courts in more then one Reflection, Primal Amber was destroyed as was the original Courts of Chaos -- much to the relief of the Fey who still remember the War, which they lost -- 10,000 years ago.
Mechanics/Restrictions: You can if you wish build a power of your choice, which of course is the Power of your Reflection. A Reflection is like having an Amber game based on Eqyptian -- there is one in my game -- Thebia, its Order based Power is the Great Constellation and instead of an Unicorn, you have Ra -- the Firy Wing god.
Characters need to be generated before game, so that I can approve any new powers and such. If you are from the original Courts of Chaos, you had to have escaped before it was destroyed.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 350 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Dawn Greenlee
Description: Dark / Grim -- Non-Amber
ShadowWorld is a diceless roleplaying game based in our world, except that, under the facade of media, politics, political correctness and 'reality' there is an Underworld where strange things happen: psionic powers, ancient secrets, dark conspiracies that are hidden from or dismissed by the general public. The players are psionically gifted operators of a secret organization sent on a mission.
Though an ongoing world setting, it is an episodic campaign: new players are welcome.
The setting is current day, real world, except that there have been more open acts of terrorism: gas attacks, explosions, and even neclear tactical weapons have been used by varied terrorest organizations around the world. Quebec, Ontario, and the provinces east of it became a country, and, with Cuba and Ecuador, formed a Commonwealth, recently joined by Vanuatu, after a bloody uprising. In the last 12 months, a series of religiously tinted major acts have reshaped the world, causing an intensive and extensive backlash against religions and religious expressions.
CONTENT WARNING: ShadowWorld involves many adult themes, in particular, if you take (your) religion seriously, playing ShadowWorld likely is not for you.
For (much) more detail, see http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/.
Mechanics/Restrictions: You can play any character with regards to background, skills, etcetera, as long as your background makes you suitable to be recruited by a US-based organization. Your character will have one or more psionic powers. You can find the rules for these at http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/files/shadowworld_corerules_r8v3.pdf. You have fifteen (15) points to create your character's powers.
If the kindly GM does not get any character updates he asks for by the weekend before the Con, you won't be able to play.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Will start on time. Will run late.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 15 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Edwin Voskamp
Description: The wind. A gentle breeze that brushes by one, carrying smells of other places to stir the imagination. Or a gust that pushes a ship into harbor. Or a blow of magnitude to destroy. It is many things. What if you start hearing sounds on the wind, imperceptible at first, but growing with magnitude? Do they bring joy or sorrow?
Mechanics/Restrictions: No exalted powers. Will take characters from various corners of the universe. Powers different from the books must be run by me first.
Notes: Depending on time we arrive, it may start a bit late.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 150 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Rae H. Williams
Description: You suspect you are being manipulated by others, but you've played along. The others seem...questionable at best and outright psychotic at worst. Even if you do team up, in which direction will you be led?...and by whom?
Players please contact GM with any PC data, motivations, schemes, etc. you have in mind (especially to let him know that you will be coming). Contact GM up to two days before the Con via e-mail: qwyllysh@verizon.net (new from last year), or phone (304) 685-6480.
Mechanics/Restrictions: This installment of our comic book genre role playing in a dice free story telling environment (using the C.A.P.E.S. game system, online rules at: http://home.att.net/~georgeandrachel/capes/ch101.htm) is still expected to be lighthearted and a good time, but not a comedy. Hero and villain PCs are both still encouraged. This is still NOT an Amber game.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): George Gitari
Description: King Oberon is missing and presumed dead. Prince Eric is Regent and Defender of the Realm. For the first time in history, the eternal city will have a new King. But there are dark threats and old ghosts on the horizon....
Mechanics/Restrictions: All past and present IMiA/LTiA players welcome. Here's an extra opportunity to promote your agenda and shape Amber to your liking.
Notes: May end late. More action, treachery, and violence.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Kit Kindred
Description: The ruling of monarch of the seelie court rules supreme over the land of Arcadia for six months of the year. As both king and queen, he/she is truly the one person who exemplifies the qualities of the seelie fae and while the summer court reigns, Titania the Sixth is connected more deeply to the land and its well-being than anyone else.
As a new summer approaches, it already appears that it will be another poor harvest. Each year has been worse for the last 50 years, ever since. Whispers at court hint that Titania's own unhappiness is the fault and that if the cause of the king/queen's melancholy is not found soon, Arcadia will be left in an eternal winter. The royal pleasure chambers have been well-stocked with every entertainment available in an attempt to ignite the Titania's fire, but it will take more than anyone in the Seelie court could ever imagine....
Restrictions: Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): James Arnoldi, Jennifer Zimmerman
Description: France. The year is 1923. An age of wonder and contentment has come upon the world. The modern vision of great bards like Jules Verne has begun to see realization. The world hub for artistry, genius, and innovation is the banks of the river Seine. Paris.
You have been asked to attend the grand spectacle of a double wedding of the Grand Duchesses Olga and Tatiana of Russia. Private purpose, insure that Stigmatist radicals do not interfere with this international event.
Your mission, keep the peace and support the young democracy of Russia. The Argent Alliance, the honor of your family, and innocent lives may hang in the balance.
Mechanics/Restrictions: PCs must be from "Argent France" built for 80 pts. Characters submitted to GM prior to convention can be built for 100 pts. Note special costs for some powers at web site: http://home.comcast.net/~arrefmak/zsar.htm.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100 points
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): R.F. McCaughey
Description: Interns from Buckaroo Banzai famed "Banzai Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Strategic Information" are on a training mission off of New Guinea when a mysterious plague strikes. Can Team Banzai save the village and their companions before time runs out. Can they solve the mysteries of the Screaming Jungle?
Mechanics/Restrictions: Basic character statistics and abilities will be pre-generated using the Storycard System (which debuted at Ambercon 2006 in "Demon Under Glass"). The rules and the pre-generated character concepts can be found at http://www.digitalindalo.com/storycard. Players who make arrangements in advance with the GM, however, may have input on specifics of their characters, or even swap out for one of your own design. Please keep in mind that the characters are from the Banzai Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Strategic Information, and should be appropriate to that organization. Players from "Curse of the Screaming Jungle" held this Ambercon may play the same characters from that adventure in "The Banzai Archives: The Boys from Springfield" which takes place two years after "Curse" (you will also have some extra perks for your character).
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): David McCreless, John Lees
Description: A Dashing Blades of Amber Adventure.
An invading army threatens an idyllic small town vital to the defense of Amber. Their only hope is a small group of the swashbuckling Royal Blades.
This is a standalone game in the Dashing Blades of Amber universe. Both newcomers and players from the other Dashing Blades game are welcome.
Mechanics/Restrictions: See http://ralf.org/~colomon/amber/dboa.html for full rules and info on the setting.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 11 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Sol Foster
Description: While Principle Oberon is away at an unusually long conference, discipline at Amber High is starting to slip. The teachers are holing up in their lounge, avoiding anything but the minimum of class time. The students are forming into factions over the race for student council, who would be best to lead the team against crosstown rival Chaos High, or just about anything else that comes to mind. The janitor is muttering about something strange in the basement.
Join in the unpredictable goings-on as Amber meets Teenagers From Outer Space (http://www.talsorian.com/tfosindex.shtml)!
Mechanics/Restrictions: Play as re-themed Elders or as other students. Returning characters from prior chapters are welcome. Rules will be sent prior to the Con.
Character Generation: At Con.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): Jack Gulick
Description: On the run from the Mexican Army, you cross into New Mexico territory, the gold in the chest wears heavy. The weather takes a terrible turn and you seek shelter in the mountains near Santa Fe. As darkness and the blizzard falls, in an almost ghost town built on the side of the mountain, you arrive at an old hotel, something other than the cold causes you to shiver as you enter. The hiders from the storm look you over and eye your chest. The storm is about to start. Are you ready for it?
Once Upon a Time in the West is a game which draws upon Spaghetti Westerns for its inspiration. It's all about who has the fastest gun, the toughest mind and the strongest will. Life is cheap in this world and death can be had for the price of a bullet. Sometimes the toughest person you have to face is yourself. Remember this as you sign up, and bloody fun will be had by all.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Once Upon a Time in the West will be played using the Dust Devil rules. Character creation will be at the Con or via e-mail before. Some knowledge of the rules will help play go smoother.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Tymen VanDyk
Description: Diceless RPGs are most often gaming by adults for adults. Players often want to explore difficult and taboo subjects: sexuality, realistic violence or abuse, religion, politics, etc. Sometimes these issues can be dealt with in a way that satisfies everyone, sometimes gaming groups fall apart as a result of the tension.
How does a GM create compelling storylines for adults? Can we tell dark stories without going too far? If you had a past disaster, how would you handle it differently now? This will be a workshop on both effective narrative strategies and interpersonal relations.
PLEASE NOTE we start the seminar at 10:00. Sleep in and come ready to share ideas.
Notes: 10am start time.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): George Gitari, Rachel Holmberg
Description: "Something's awry in the castle. There seem to be a lot more mumblings about Random having completely lost it this time. Other than that, everyone seems to be keeping the details rather hushed. All I know is that I am supposed to keep some Trumps handy in case I need to fetch something. What in Pattern's Name could I get that no one else could come up with?"
...And so it begins.
This is an experiment with some new technology. Those who've experienced "Shards" in 2005 or 2006 will notice some similarities, but this will be way cooler.
The game will be designed to be played without live action GMing. It will be available to the general public after the Con. Should anyone want to schedule this into their Con experience and not be able to fit it into their schedule, we can accomidate or provide information about the technology required to play it at another time, or maybe in another location entirely.
Notes: Dress for <gasp> being outdoors. The "Gameboard" will cross over 50 miles round-trip. Transportation is provided for up to 5 players. Players with GPS Enabled PocketPC devices are encouraged to let us know in advance so we can share some software to make the experience even more enjoyable.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Ben Fogt
Description: Lent has just begun, but the powerful merchant-city-state of Venice is far from quiet contemplation. Bartolo's life blood still soaks the cobbles before the Basilica di San Marco. His assassin, the pride of House de Leander, has fled into the night, the crime a direct violation of papal decree. His House, Cornelius, calls out for vengeance, even as it braces itself to weather the gutter-bred forces that he formerly held in iron-fisted check. De Leander as well has accounts to reckon. Wherefore lies their stolen daughter?
The balance of power between the two leading houses is lost, and the contention of those mighty titans threatens to draw all of Venice down with it. The Church and the Doge press to keep the sanctity of the holy days observed, and to stem the further flow of blood. However, voices pleading forbearance and calm are drowned out, and all know that the loudest hue will be the cry the council hears. What will your voice call for?
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players may be returning characters from Ambercon 2005's "Remember We All Must Die," or other members of Venice's many layered society. New players welcome, as well as new characters for returning players if they so wish. Unlike in the preceding game, new characters may be of House de Leander or other parts of Venetian society instead of just House Cornelius. PCs will be represented using variant core attributes (Empathy, Prowess, Resolve, and Wits), and sub attributes that will represent familiarity, skill, resources and reputation in different aspects of Venetian society. Conflict resolution will use the same "Key Word" mechanic, based directly on player narrative.
Notes: Continues in slot 3, will break for lunch.
Character Generation: At Con based on 60 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): David de Jong
Description: The Corporation has developed a weapon that will kill all Amberites. You have banded together to see to it that this does not come to pass. To ensure a vested interest in the outcome, all characters have Basic Pattern for free. *eg* This will be run as a "ship in a bottle" episode, largely confined to the high-tech Shadow it's set in, as the Shadow is Real enough to resist gross manipulations of its reality. Using Trump, Logrus, Conjuration, and Advanced Pattern to bring things to you, however, is blatantly encouraged by the local physics (and the GM). A taste for movie violence is recommended, but the killing of children is discouraged.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Contact the GM for house rules on Exalted Powers and the price structure for Innate Abilities.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 200 points.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): David Vandenabeele
Description: Seven military months ago, the CSS Apogee, a military cruiser tasked as a border system picket along the contested zone between Confederated Space and the Warlord's Quadrant, took fire in a confrontation with a fleet controlled by one of the local Space Lords that have expanded their reach into the CZ.
Since that time, a major expeditionary force was mounted to recover select members of the Apogee's crew compliment, resulting in the return of 15, including a recognized interstellar living national treasure. The action of the force resulted in the virtual extinction of major Warlord's clan, and an expansion of military conflict into the region.
The situation threatens to expand into established Confederation Space, jeopardizing several key systems. Still, 60% of Apogee's specialized compliment remain missing and presumed living and the Apogee's mission objective, to recover information about the contested systems and develop information regarding the Warlord's technologic base, remains unmet.
Your team has been assembled to do Search and Recovery in the contested system.
Objectives:
Develop information and intelligence related to the Warlord civilization and technologies.
Recover Apogee's personnel.Mechanics/Restrictions: This is a diceless variant of the old Space Opera system. If you have access to original materials you may use them in character creation; however, all characters must conform to the modified rules set that will be posted and made available to players prior to sign up. Character generation MUST occur online prior to the Con. Players will be permitted to interact in online forums prior to engagement and deployment in the face to face game for team formation and information sharing.
Prior players from ACNW are welcome, game events will occur in sequence after those events.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: This game will run in slots 2 and 3. You DO NOT need to play in both slots...I will work out a way to accomodate players in game who choose to play in only one slot.
Character Generation: Before Con.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): Stephanie Itchkawich
Description: Dworkin is the court sorcerer to the throne in Thelbane, where Swayvill rules. Every year, in the spring, the court sorcerer is called upon to take the scepter, with the Eye of Chaos at its top, and perform the annual ceremony. It is accomplished by walking an intricate path in the Ways of the Logrus. This ceremony has been performed for thousands of years. It is said to be unchanged from the days of the first Emperor of Chaos.
In the process of performing the annual ritual, Dworkin begian to notice discrepancies between the most ancient texts of the ritual to what is being performed today. Over the next few years, he continued to study the differences and made a startling discovery. Apparently the will behind the scepter is every bit as important as the actual steps. While no damage has been done, it seemed that the unchanging realms of Chaos were not as unchanged as its people believe. When reading the ancient texts, he learned that over time small changes have taken place in Chaos.
Several years into his studies, Dworkin was informed by Oberon Barimen, a member of Dworkin's house who was employed as a member of the Emperor's guard, that he was being watched in regards to his studies. A few days later, it was reported that young Oberon had been killed while on a training excursion. No one seemed to know anything of his last minutes and Dworkin's movements are being shadowed. The Emperor assigned him a court appointed trainee to learn the ways of the ritual.
This was unheard of! Historically, the court sorcerer chose his/her own apprentice. After three more deaths occurred in rapid succession to junior members of his house, Dworkin decided he had to disappear. All were very logical, explainable deaths. But there had been too many too soon, especially as he was being watched. Dworkin warned those family members loyal to him. Then, on the night of the annual ceremony, he locked his apprentice away and led his family to the edge of Chaos.As Dworkin reached the edge of Chaos, he continued to walk, and as though it had always been there, a path opens before him over the Edge of Creation and he led his family and closest friends across it. He held the scepter before him and seemed to concentrate as he walked.
Mechanics/Restrictions: The players all will start out Loyal to House Barimen and the Head of House, Dworkin Barimen. You need not be Dworkin's descendant to be a member of the house. All players will need to provide at least two paragraphs about their character's interests, hobbies, fields of study, affairs, fears, hopes and dreams (etc.) with your character information.
Character Creation Guidelines:
85 Point Characters (Limit of 5 Bad Stuff) No Pattern, Jewel or other Amber-oriented abilities.
Advanced Powers available after GM conference and approval.
Free Shapeshifting for all players.
Logrus is limited to 2 players. You must be a Logrus Priest-Novice to take it and it is limited to the first 2 players who request it. In this cosmology, Shadow travel is not known of in the Courts of Chaos. Instead Logrus is focused on the molding of reality in a number of ways.Players should contact the GMs with an initial character write-up at least 2 weeks prior to the Con.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 85 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Jarrod Van Kirk, Jeremy Zimmerman
Description: What can I say? This will be the 10th year of a 5 year campaign, and the players still haven't found the original plot. Is there a plot? Sure, but I've had more fun detouring from it with what the players have done. See you there!
Notes: Continues in slot 3, we'll probably order out again.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Rae H. Williams
Description: Power corrupts, Ultimate powers destroys - Can the grandsons and granddaughters of Oberon survive Reynard, the ultimate Tyrant.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level:
GM(s): Michael Kucharski
Description: Multiverse? What multiverse? What sane person could ever believe that just by stepping into a metal carriage with no windows, you might be transported to an entirely different universe - I mean really! (Otherwise known as modern day Earth with some weird things going on.)
Mechanics/Restrictions: Existing characters are always welcome to return - new characters start on modern day Earth, somehow connected with either FBI or British army special operations, and characters are generated prior to the Con using a quiz I will send out. The system is originally based on Amber DRPG, but in the form I use, it is a rules free environment.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: This scenario is different to the ones I will be running in slots 7 & 8 - players are welcome to sign up for any or all.
Character Generation: Before Con based on special points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Timothy Hart
Description: Imagine that you have mixed lineage from both Amber and the Courts of Chaos. You are a candidate for the throne of the second most powerful kingdom in the universe. There are only a few candidates before you, and many behind you. There have recently been a number of accidents, duels, and assassinations. The crown appointed Black Watch is keeping an eye on your every move to protect you from assassins (and to stop you from becoming an assassin yourself).
Your competitive younger brother who has often tried to kill you has started acting friendly. He is dating one of your spurned ex-girlfriends. Your best friend (who hasn't tried to kill you in a while) is dating a demon and hasn't noticed yet. He is married to the woman you currently love who has an extremely powerful artifact embedded in her eye socket. Your manipulative mother and step-brother are determined to see you on the throne. They suggest you spend your last days of freedom lying low. Your best friend suggests a night out on the Courts of Chaos instead. You have a rebellious streak.
What do you do?
Previously run at Macquariecon 1999, Australia.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Pre-generated characters will be provided based on 200 points.
Luke, Merlin, Jurt, Julia and Nayda.Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Mike Walker
Description: (An Elseworlds Adventure.) Since 1921, the Arkham Asylum for the Criminally Insane, has been one of the leading treatment centers for many advanced forms of psychosis. Despite a poor track record of inmate escapes, Arkham Asylum is the home of many of the most dangerous supervillians of all-time and is one of the few facilities prepared to handle the special needs of some of the superpowered inmates like Dr. Victor Fries (a.k.a. Mr. Freeze). Arkham's newest arrival may doom the entire world.
The inmates of the south wing have been hearing voices but only one has been able to find a way to answer the voices. Following their directions, he has released the great old one who slept beneath the asylum and his cackling laughter is only drowned out by the screaming of those who look upon the new arrival's terrible visage. As the insanity of Arkham spreads, can even the combined might of the world's greatest sorcerors and superheroes stop the apocalypse released by the Joker?
Mechanics/Restrictions: In this combined world where both DC and Marvel comic characters exist, players may play almost any superhero or villian. Players must e-mail the GM before the Con with their choice of character.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): James Arnoldi
Description: Where Am I?
-The Complex
What do you want?
-Information....
Whose side are you on?
-Ours. We want information...information...information
You won't get it!
-By Hook or by Crook, we will....That is more or less the story for all of the incoming members of the Complex, an isolated community which some of the players will have entered quite recently while others have been residing in for some time. But even the most intricately designed prison/resort on the planet can have a little downtime...with all the intrigue and mayhem that entails (old fogies like me may notice that there is a startling similarity with the Complex and the Village from "the Prisoner"...if so, report to Hospital on No.2's orders).
"Downtime" uses the Storycard System, details (including character profiles for pre-generated characters) can be found at http://www.digitalindalo.com/storycard.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters will be pre-generated using the Storycard System (which debuted at Ambercon 2006 in "Demon Under Glass") and will be based on fictional characters from sci-fi movies. Short bios will be made available to all players and characters will be assigned on a first-come first-served basis. Players who wish to add details to their characters and/or wish to make alterations however (including swapping out a character for one of your cherished favorites) may be able to sway No 1...I mean the GM.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): John Lees
Description: Prince Corwin lives and leads an invasion fleet against Amber. Prince Gérard deploys the Southern Fleet away from Amber and the coming conflict. Prince Caine prepares the Northern Fleet to engage the enemy and defend the realm.
What will you do?
Mechanics/Restrictions: PCs are non-Royal Amberites/Chaosians. They are exceptional persons serving in Amber's fleet or having business on a ship of the line. Characters might be officers, crew, ship's surgeons, ship's sorcerers, intelligence agents, or diplomats. E-mail the GM at kitkindred@gmail.com for character creation guidelines. Characters must be created and submitted to GM before Ambercon.
New and returning players welcome!
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Kit Kindred
Description: Random rules in Amber, Merlin reigns in the Courts and the multiverse is stable and quiet. Now is the time to form closer ties to the other side of reality. A small group of Amberites have been invited to spend some time in the Courts of Chaos. You may see this as an opportunity to learn more about your heritage, improve your skills, make new friends and increase understanding between people; or it might be just an opportunity. On the other hand, you may wonder why Random selected you for this trip.
Mechanics/Restrictions: This game is open to Amberites who have not spent significant time in the Courts. Characters are limited to 200 pts, but a strong concept and well-known background are more important than points. You need not submit your character before the Con, but if you do we will have more time to think up interest ways to 'entertain' you.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 200 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Linda Duncan, John Czarnota
Description: We will play a game using the Engle matrix (http://www.io.com/~hamster/englematrixgames) system. In a normal role-playing game, players say what they do, and the GM tells them what happens; in an Engle matrix game, the players say what they do *and* what happens - the referee decides how likely it is, based on what's already been established, and a d6 determines whether it actually happens. We'll add a few twists to make this work a little smoother.
At the beginning of the slot, players will vote on the scenario, which could be anything from space opera, to Lovecraftian horror, to Amber.
Mechanics/Restrictions: This is nothing like ADRPG. Just think about the kinds of games/settings you might enjoy. I'll ask you to nominate a few scenarios, and you'll vote on what to play; with the flexibility of the system, we can probably accomodate everyone's wishes.
Notes: Has a slight chance of running a *little bit* late.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): John Nienart
Description: Dad - mayor of Amber County and a right bastard, God rest his soul - done gone and died without leaving a will. It's up to you and your good-fer-nothin' brothers and sisters (legitimate and otherwise) to figure out what to do with what he left behind: the homestead, the hundred-acre tobacco farm...heck, damn near all of Amber County. (Not to mention crazy Grandpa Derkin - but the less said about THAT, the better.) As you all gather together for the first time in decades, will you fall to the same old bickerin'? Or will you band together to protect farm and family from your longtime rivals, the Moonrunners of Gwinnett County?
Players portray Amber elders recast as drinkin', spittin', cussin' good ol' boys and gals in a real-world setting. Characterizations are based on the descriptions found here: http://www.spatzel.net/alfrey/amber/nine_rednecks_game.html. The game will be system-light, with more emphasis on role-playing than on special powers: these Elders may be a little quicker and smarter than those around them, but in Amber County, that ain't sayin' much.
Mechanics/Restrictions: No Pattern, Trump, or Shapeshifting.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Karen Alfrey
Description: Lent has just begun, but the powerful merchant-city-state of Venice is far from quiet contemplation. Bartolo's life blood still soaks the cobbles before the Basilica di San Marco. His assassin, the pride of House de Leander, has fled into the night, the crime a direct violation of papal decree. His House, Cornelius, calls out for vengeance, even as it braces itself to weather the gutter-bred forces that he formerly held in iron-fisted check. De Leander as well has accounts to reckon. Wherefore lies their stolen daughter?
The balance of power between the two leading houses is lost, and the contention of those mighty titans threatens to draw all of Venice down with it. The Church and the Doge press to keep the sanctity of the holy days observed, and to stem the further flow of blood. However, voices pleading forbearance and calm are drowned out, and all know that the loudest hue will be the cry the council hears. What will your voice call for?
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players may be returning characters from Ambercon 2005's "Remember We All Must Die," or other members of Venice's many layered society. New players welcome, as well as new characters for returning players if they so wish. Unlike in the preceding game, new characters may be of House de Leander or other parts of Venetian society instead of just House Cornelius. PCs will be represented using variant core attributes (Empathy, Prowess, Resolve, and Wits), and sub attributes that will represent familiarity, skill, resources and reputation in different aspects of Venetian society. Conflict resolution will use the same "Key Word" mechanic, based directly on player narrative.
Notes: Continues from slot 2, will break for lunch.
Character Generation: At Con based on 60 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): David de Jong
Description: Pemberton University, 1919. Dr. William Appleby-Jenkins has returned from the Levant with a most interesting specimen--such a shame about his mysterious death. Such a shame, also, that a soul-eating telepathic insect from beyond the depths of time has chosen Pemberton as the place to start its conquest of the world.
A giddy, grisly, Lovecraft-inspired black-comedy romp through academia, The Shab-al-Hiri Roach is the only game that asks you whether you'd swallow a cockroach if it meant you'd get tenure. No GM--players take turns framing scenes. One of the best small-press games of 2006.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Warning: dice involved! You'll enjoy it anyway. Trust me.
Character Generation: At Con based.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Seth Blumberg
Description: Welcome to the latest installment in the Random Gambling series. Queen Vialle is hosting this year's Royal Poker Game, as King Random is still recovering from the events of last year. The site is the same - that pit called Basin City in the Shadow that twists but will not bend. As you Trump in, you all feel the same foreboding. Perhaps the rumors are true. Perhaps Brand is alive in this ancient fragment of the Real....
Mechanics/Restrictions: Contact the GM for house rules on Exalted Powers.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 200 points.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): David Vandenabeele
Description: Seven military months ago, the CSS Apogee, a military cruiser tasked as a border system picket along the contested zone between Confederated Space and the Warlord's Quadrant, took fire in a confrontation with a fleet controlled by one of the local Space Lords that have expanded their reach into the CZ.
Since that time, a major expeditionary force was mounted to recover select members of the Apogee's crew compliment, resulting in the return of 15, including a recognized interstellar living national treasure. The action of the force resulted in the virtual extinction of major Warlord's clan, and an expansion of military conflict into the region.
The situation threatens to expand into established Confederation Space, jeopardizing several key systems. Still, 60% of Apogee's specialized compliment remain missing and presumed living and the Apogee's mission objective, to recover information about the contested systems and develop information regarding the Warlord's technologic base, remains unmet.
Your team has been assembled to do Search and Recovery in the contested system.
Objectives:
Develop information and intelligence related to the Warlord civilization and technologies.
Recover Apogee's personnel.Mechanics/Restrictions: This is a diceless variant of the old Space Opera system. If you have access to original materials you may use them in character creation; however, all characters must conform to the modified rules set that will be posted and made available to players prior to sign up. Character generation MUST occur online prior to the Con. Players will be permitted to interact in online forums prior to engagement and deployment in the face to face game for team formation and information sharing.
Prior players from ACNW are welcome, game events will occur in sequence after those events.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: This game will run in slots 2 and 3. You DO NOT need to play in both slots...I will work out a way to accomodate players in game who choose to play in only one slot.
Character Generation: Before Con.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): Stephanie Itchkawich
Description: What can I say? This will be the 10th year of a 5 year campaign, and the players still haven't found the original plot. Is there a plot? Sure, but I’ve had more fun detouring from it with what the players have done. See you there!
Notes: Continues from slot 2, we'll probably order out again.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Rae H. Williams
Description: You are a magnificent failure. Unique. Unencumbered. Once you were a promising candidate for the Logrus and real power, but the Logrus trials crushed your dreams and you never essayed. Many of your peers are dead. Younger scions of your House hold commanding positions now.
You exist in the edge-weave of your extended family ways. The Elders of your House leave you to your own devices, and you have used the decades to acquire interesting skills behind your adroit social facade.
Now in secret you are elected into an impossible mission for a powerful trio of Houses.
Your mission, overcome the Black Watch and the Thelbane Guard to kill King Swayville before he unbinds the PatternFall Treaty and plunges the weakened and divided Courts back into war with Amber. Or die this same night under the broken sky.
Mechanics/Restrictions: PCs must be from Chaos built for 70 pts. Characters submitted to GM prior to convention can be built for 100 pts. No Logrus, no Pattern.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): R.F. McCaughey
Description: Far from Amber and the Courts of Chaos; deep in infinite Shadow, there is city called Shadowcross. A peerless nexus of primal realms. The Sovereign has heard of Amber, but she has little concern for a distant kingdom with only two ambassadors to the Council of Realms. Many come to Shadowcross seeking power, wealth, or knowledge. Many find their dreams, will you?
Campaign allows players to create and design powers. The Game Master is open to new and unusual character concepts and ideas. Characters may be from other sources using a shared world style of integration, or may be uniquely created for this campaign.
New players should contact the GM before the convention with a character concept. The GM will also be available for an hour before the game, and at the beginning of slot 2 for anyone who wants to work out a character then. Character creation may include power creation.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Pattern and Logrus are distant powers, and therefore somewhat weaker than usual. All characters must possess some means of traveling through Shadow.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 150 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): David Blackwell
Description: Through the grimy window of the party store I can see the neon red and green sign of The Melon Patch. It's not as bad as it was. Don't get me wrong, it's still the ugliest striped building on the planet, complete with an eight foot tall Barbie doll painting on the side holding her melons. The number of used condoms and syringes laying around the whole area has gone way up. Still, I don't get so dizzy anymore when I go past it to get to Danny's. And it's closed during the day on Mondays and Tuesdays, so the boredom and lust aren't pouring out all over all the time....
"Snnnnk--ak, ak, *cough*"
Oh, crap, Mrs. Stefani is getting mad. You can get away with hanging out in the air conditioning for about fifteen minutes before she starts trailing you and making those gross sounds draining her sinuses. I grab a push up from the freezer case and go up to the counter. I'd rather have a drumstick, but then I wouldn't have enough to come again tomorrow. She stares down my nervous smile with a sneer, but I don't mind. Her and the store are dark and dusty, cool and safe. During August in Ypsi, when it's 89 degrees with enough humidity to make you feel like you're breathing through a wet wool blanket, that's enough.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Zero Movement is a Tarot-based RPG of urban occult revolution created and written by Nick Fortungo. The players are high school students with some supernatural ability who are surrounded by urban decay. Contact me by phone or e-mail before the game. I need a character concept so I can fit you into the world and write up a character sheet. The beta version of the game may be downloaded for $5.00 at pixiedustgames.com, but foreknowledge of the rules is not required or expected.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Rachel Holmberg
Description: Not everyone seeks the crown for themselves. Some seek more, others less. Come play a Thronewar with a difference, with several different possible motivations for each classic Amberite. Play the children of Oberon -- Caine, Corwin, Bleys and most of the rest of the brood -- in a not-quite Amber in which the elders birth order and basic personalities (as interpreted by the players) are from the books, but their interrelationships with one another are formed by a Pit of Vipers style system of gifts and curses. As the elders fall, the ranks of the enemies of Amber will swell.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Character statistics will be pre-generated, using the Amber Diceless Roleplaying System, the personality should be in keeping with the books...at least externally (so that the Machiavellian Llewella may simply seem disinterested or the stoic Caine might use a crusty layer of cynicism to hide the heart of gold underneath). Each player will have a secret "victory condition" which may involve taking the throne for themselves or helping secure it for others, keeping it from someone else or staying away from it at all costs. Players will also have the opportunity, if eliminated, to take on the role of one of the enemies of Amber.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: May run late.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): John Lees, David McCreless
Description: You are a warrior. You remember your mother only in dreams, a warm shoulder to sleep on, an encircling arm. These are dreams you'd never admit to your companions in this cold world: what's left when the only life that's worth a cent is hidden behind ten layers of biofilters and radiation screens. You make your living scavenging that life, fleas on the great towers.
Some say it would have been better if you'd lost the war. Some say this hell is a judgement, offering a way to see the Truth. Some say heaven's inside, and if you're good enough, you'll get in. If that's the case, you've seen heaven _and_ hell, and there's nothing left to hope for.
Today, someone arrived from the Outside. Healthy, whole, and more important, ready to deal.
Setting: The year is 175. The place was called Saltton, but as it's all that's left of the world, you just call it The Dome.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Character Instructions: Characters are young adults, making up a gang that rules the open end of an abandoned train tunnel. They will be created on 50 points using the Amber system. Players who sign up for this game should be ready to use e-mail to coordinate their character development with the other players to create an effective gang.
Loners do not survive in this world.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 50 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Simone Cooper
Description: "Why are there so many songs about rainbows
And what's on the other side?
Rainbows are visions, but only illusions,
And rainbows have nothing to hide.
So we've been told and some choose to believe it
I know they're wrong, wait and see.
Someday we'll find it, the rainbow connection,
The lovers, the dreamers and me."Kermit the Frog, "The Rainbow Connection", from The Muppet Movie
When a young princess falls from a prismatic rainbow in the sky, the peaceful muppet kingdom of Embria is thrown into confusion. She claims to be Alanna, crown princess of the mythical realm of Amber, and in hiding from her wicked Aunt Fiona. Alanna brings knowledge of a reality beyond Embria, and her arrival poses a number of questions. Is the wise King Kermit actually a puppet king, controlled by dark and secretive forces? Are unseen hands manipulating the destiny of every muppet in Embria? Is it possible that they are all only a figment of someone else's twisted imagination? And if so, does freedom lie on the other side of the rainbow?
A humorous look at the nature and perception of reality....
Previously run at Phenomenon 2000, Australia.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Pregenerated characters will be provided based on 120 points.
King Kermit, Prince Robin, General Sam Eagle, Lady Piggy.
And special guest star Princess Alanna.Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Mike Walker
Description: The PCs are talented mortals who are the trusted agents of the King of Sable - soldiers, diplomats, merchants, investigators, etc. - chosen to help in the smooth running of the Kingdom, and to thwart the plans of Sable's age-old enemy, the Reich, and any other threats to the Kingdom which might arise.
Returning characters from any iteration of the Sable Game are welcome.
The game website is available at: http://www.sable.org.uk/.
Players are requested to contact the GM in advance to deal with character creation.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters should be built on 70pts, but with all stats starting at Chaos. Partial buy ups and buy downs are possible. Existing characters can add points to reach the 70pt total if they so desire.
Most Powers are available - although not full Pattern or Logrus - and an alternate form of magic is available. No constructs. Other items will need to be cleared with the GM.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: May run late.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 70 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Trish Hart
Description: Dark / Grim -- Non-Amber
ShadowWorld is a diceless roleplaying game based in our world, except that, under the facade of media, politics, political correctness and 'reality' there is an Underworld where strange things happen: psionic powers, ancient secrets, dark conspiracies that are hidden from or dismissed by the general public. The players are psionically gifted operators of a secret organization sent on a mission.
Though an ongoing world setting, it is an episodic campaign: new players are welcome.
The setting is current day, real world, except that there have been more open acts of terrorism: gas attacks, explosions, and even nuclear tactical weapons have been used by varied terrorest organizations around the world. Quebec, Ontario, and the provinces east of it became a country, and, with Cuba and Ecuador, formed a Commonwealth, recently joined by Vanuatu, after a bloody uprising. In the last 12 months, a series of religiously tinted major acts have reshaped the world, causing an intensive and extensive backlash against religions and religious expressions.
CONTENT WARNING: ShadowWorld involves many adult themes, in particular, if you take (your) religion seriously, playing ShadowWorld likely is not for you.
For (much) more detail, see http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/.
Mechanics/Restrictions: You can play any character with regards to background, skills, etcetera, as long as your background makes you suitable to be recruited by a US-based organization. Your character will have one or more psionic powers. You can find the rules for these at http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/files/ shadowworld_corerules_r8v3.pdf. You have fifteen (15) points to create your character's powers.
If the kindly GM does not get any character updates he asks for by the weekend before the Con, you won't be able to play.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Will start on time. Will run late.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 15 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Edwin Voskamp
Description: "This shadow hanging over me
Is no trick of the light
The spectre on my back will soon be free
The dead have come to claim a debt from thee."Once upon a time, you worked the seas, moving cargo from Bombay to London, Cairo to Java. Sometimes the work was simple trade, other times as privateers. That was, until that fateful night so terrible, you counted yourself lucky to have survived. You retired from the sea, the huge fortune so divided giving you a comfortable living. Now several land-bound years later, the few remaining crew are called together for a meeting. The dead have a score to settle, and it's time to find a way out for everyone, or perish one by one.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Setting: sixteenth-century Earth.
Notes: May run late.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Kristen Schleick
Description: A beautiful night in Amber. Stars bright in the black...uh, purple...uh, green sky. Tir-na Nog’th shining...no, Rebma dripping in the sky. Bad dream, or worse reality.
The time is before Corwin's return. Okay the description doesn't say much, but it's in the works.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Actually, I'm more interested in what powers and/or artifacts you want than a point distribution (although I will limit some things). I'm not fond of exalted powers, especially at this time in Amber's history. Chaosian Elders are available also (meaning ones from the books). And having the Jewel of Judgment is out of the question.
Notes: We may have a slightly late start, because I'll be picking up my husband at the airport, and, unlike Amberites and Chaosians, I can't control weather or traffic in this Shadow.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 200 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Rae H. Williams
Description: The Dreaming City is about to explode! The city has always had a problem with gangs. A feud between a particular gang of Satyrs and a gang of Elves has a history dating back to the 1940's. Rumbles between rival gangs have been a far too common sight in the alleys of the city and it only gets worse every year. However, when a charismatic leader gathered the gangs together, things were bound to get worse. His dream of the gangs working together is now as dead as he is and gang violence has broken out all over the city. A west-side gang known as The Warriors seems to have the key to stopping it all....
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players can contact the GM before the Con to create new characters or there will be pregens available at the Con. Returning players can play their previous characters with additional bonus points.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 120 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): James Arnoldi
Description: The latest mayhem in this far-future Amber campaign centered on House Corwin.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Cliff Winnig
Description: Far from Amber and the Courts of Chaos; deep in infinite Shadow, there is city called Shadowcross. A peerless nexus of primal realms. The Sovereign has heard of Amber, but she has little concern for a distant kingdom with only two ambassadors to the Council of Realms. Many come to Shadowcross seeking power, wealth, or knowledge. Many find their dreams, will you?
Campaign allows players to create and design powers. The Game Master is open to new and unusual character concepts and ideas. Characters may be from other sources using a shared world style of integration, or may be uniquely created for this campaign.
New players should contact the GM before the convention with a character concept. The GM will also be available for an hour before the game, and at the beginning of slot 2 for anyone who wants to work out a character then. Character creation may include power creation.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Pattern and Logrus are distant powers, and therefore somewhat weaker than usual. All characters must possess some means of traveling through Shadow.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 150 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): David Blackwell
Description: Through the grimy window of the party store I can see the neon red and green sign of The Melon Patch. It's not as bad as it was. Don't get me wrong, it's still the ugliest striped building on the planet, complete with an eight foot tall Barbie doll painting on the side holding her melons. The number of used condoms and syringes laying around the whole area has gone way up. Still, I don't get so dizzy anymore when I go past it to get to Danny's. And it's closed during the day on Mondays and Tuesdays, so the boredom and lust aren't pouring out all over all the time....
"Snnnnk--ak, ak, *cough*"
Oh, crap, Mrs. Stefani is getting mad. You can get away with hanging out in the air conditioning for about fifteen minutes before she starts trailing you and making those gross sounds draining her sinuses. I grab a push up from the freezer case and go up to the counter. I'd rather have a drumstick, but then I wouldn't have enough to come again tomorrow. She stares down my nervous smile with a sneer, but I don't mind. Her and the store are dark and dusty, cool and safe. During August in Ypsi, when it's 89 degrees with enough humidity to make you feel like you're breathing through a wet wool blanket, that's enough.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Zero Movement is a diceless role playing game about urban decay and the occult created by Nick Fortungo. In this ongoing campaign, the characters are high school students from Willow Walk High School with some supernatural abilities.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Rachel Holmberg
Description: For the first time in its long history, Amber will soon have a new King. But even as Prince Eric's coronation day draws near, Prince Bleys and Prince Corwin lead inhuman forces against the eternal city.
Notes: Will probably run late and will have more violence and less socializing. Not every character may get out of this one alive.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Kit Kindred
Description: The PCs are talented mortals who are the trusted agents of the King of Sable - soldiers, diplomats, merchants, investigators, etc. - chosen to help in the smooth running of the Kingdom, and to thwart the plans of Sable's age-old enemy, the Reich, and any other threats to the Kingdom which might arise.
Returning characters from any iteration of the Sable Game are welcome.
The game website is available at: http://www.sable.org.uk/.
Players are requested to contact the GM in advance to deal with character creation.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters should be built on 70pts, but with all stats starting at Chaos. Partial buy ups and buy downs are possible. Existing characters can add points to reach the 70pt total if they so desire.
Most Powers are available - although not full Pattern or Logrus - and an alternate form of magic is available. No constructs. Other items will need to be cleared with the GM.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: May run late.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 70 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Trish Hart
Description: First year, the players freed Eric and imprisoned Corwin. Fiona killed Moire and someone returned the Eye of Serpent/Jewel of Judgment to Chaos. Second year, the players spent time in a maze world, thanks to some caskets that were delivered to Amber. Third year, there were a bunch of duplicate Elders running around.
Part 1 was based on "MacBeth." Part 2 was "The Merchant Of Venice." Part 3 was "The Comedy of Errors." Part 4 is based on another Shakespeare play, but you'll have to guess which.
Mechanics/Restrictions: No exalted powers. "Different" powers must be cleared through me first. Amber or Chaosians welcome.
Notes: We can either take a break or bring lunch. I'll probably have leftovers from the day before for myself. I can run whoever is around through lunch, if others want to break.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 150 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Rae H. Williams
Description: The Cobalt Charter binds them in Blood.
It is a group of women that meets in a masked and hidden place under the turnings of a broken sky. Born in many Shadows, they come together under the Very Watch of great kingdoms to work their Secret Will upon Shadow.
Having agreed to their Will, they act and suffer no man or god to stand in their way.
http://www.skyseastone.net/itsog/shadows/003001.html
Mechanics/Restrictions: Build a female character of the Cobalt Charter for 50 points. Your Player Character may not have Pattern or Logrus.
Build also the "mission" your PC will bring to the next Charter meeting in a description to convince your fellow Sisters to work their Secret Will. Do not exceed 250 words with your mission description.
If your "mission" includes an Antagonist, build that person for 100 points and briefly describe them for the GM.
Information to the GM by e-mail before the Con. Don't sign up if you can't do the preparation, please.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Will break for lunch.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 50 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): R.F. McCaughey
Description: Dark / Grim -- Throne War
The storm stands above you. The deluge leaves no room for picturesque or pithy sentimentality, no "nature's tears", and interspersed with the rain is an energy far deadlier. Reality sheds its skin as it is stripped to the bone by the cruel indifference of the storm.
And in, what was, the center of it all, they lie in state, Merlin and Random, icons in their person of their realms, the remnants of their existence are all that anchor reality...and that influence is fading faster as the universe loses its sanity, light itself becomes incoherent, and reality loses focus.
And by them both, a woman gently weeps.
The thrones stand empty, a mere matter of a few steps and the matter seems urgent. Having seen the ending of a King, are you willing to venture on a beginning?
Mechanics/Restrictions: This is an Amber based scenario which takes place after the deaths of Merlin and Random.
Heir and a spare...literally. Players are requested to envision both an Amber based and a Chaos based character. I will be choosing a mixture of characters for start of play and I'd like to have some options in balancing characters from both ends of reality. This also provides the players with an option in case one of their characters gets dead very early in the scenario...I MAY be persuaded to let you have a second try with the spare character.Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 225 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Stephanie Itchkawich
Description: "Alright, listen up. The 196,833 universes that make up the multiverse stand poised to collapse, resulting in the end of all existence, everywhere, as we know it. We're stuck here at the mo, so we need you fine people to go out and save the day.
"That said, can I get anyone a beer?"
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players are asked to portray characters from settings that have a parallel universe element. Star Trek, Sliders, Stargate SG-1, comic books, etc. They must be canon characters from those settings. You can be Picard. You can't be the character you played in the last Star Trek RPG you were in.
There are no numbers for character creation. Players will be asked to provide a description of their character as well as answers to a quiz provided by the GM. Very powerful characters might be nerfed in order to fit the overall powerlevel of the group. So if the group of characters consists of the crew of the USS Enterprise and Galactus, Destroyer of Worlds, then Galactus will not be quite as effective as he might normally be.
The other stipulation is that your character should be willing to be hired, convinced or threatened into working to save the universe.
Some settings may have special restrictions. For example, royals from either end of the Amber Universe are not allowed. The only Amber characters available would be the non-family members: Bill Roth, Julia Barnes, Jasra, Frakir, and so on.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: We will break for lunch.
Character Generation: Before Con.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Jeremy Zimmerman
Description: The Silver Road now extends from Amber into Shadow, turning the Golden Circle into more of a teardrop under the benevolent rule of King Brand the First. Fiona has declared against the King of All Reality, perhaps provoked by the price placed on her head by the Crown. Where will the surviving Elders throw their weight? More importantly, where will you?
Mechanics/Restrictions: Rules for Exalted Powers and unusual innate abilities available by request. Eight point qualities for items available with approval and suitable back-story.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: We may carry the game to a local restaurant if hunger overtakes us, but I'll most likely be bringing snacks to play through.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 250 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): David Vandenabeele
Description: [This game is a revival of Mike Sutton's classic scenario - "Shard" run in circa 1994.] (Veterans of this scenario please don't ruin the surprise...)
You are sure it was important - why can't you remember?
You are sure you are important - why can't you remember?
Theres a definate reason you can't remember - why can't you remember?Psychological probing, Amber sized egos and one of the more bazaar places in the multiverse, Memory Lane, meet in this classic scenario.
Characters are created during play in a unique "secrets" based system.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Character creation at Con - part of scenario. Almost anything goes...
Character Generation: At Con based on 200 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): John Czarnota, Ben Fogt
Description: At the end of dinner, Dworkin, who had surprised all by attending in the first place, seemed to wake from his usual haze and spoke to you, the assembled get of Oberon, his conversational tone oddly lucid, for him at least:
"Yes, it's about time you should start on the creation of worlds." He stopped to tug distractedly on his wispy beard.
"That none of you have advanced enough Pattern yet means we shall have use the Jewel...though you'll all have to ignore the unavoidable lynch-pin interactions with reality." He glared about the table almost comically, fixing his gaze on each of you in turn with great earnestness. "You're all capable of that, no?"
"We'll start with the use of avatars as anchor points and prime movers in the creation of a reality matrix. Remember, reality is driven by perception - the bricks and mortar of the world will be the projection of the experiences and beliefs of the people in it. What your avatars represent to the population will drive the world."
He widened his eyes dramatically at that last statement, then collected three different desserts and started to shuffle out of the dinning hall, calling back over his shoulder, "Find me at dawn, on the morrow."
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players will only nominally be Elders to establish pre-existing relations and fallback lines of communication. Stats for you as Elders will be incidental. Assume a level playing field in terms of psyche, Pattern abilities and attunement to the Jewel of Judgment.
You will play primarily through the construction of avatar personas that will form the pantheon of iconic forces in the eyes of the inhabitants of the world you will shape. Interaction will be at the level of symbols, metaphors, modes of application of your purviews, and affinity to the wants and needs of the people. You will develop, compete, and co-operate to become the principles that frame or even dominate their worldview, attempting to strike a balance between imposing definition on that view, and responding to changes in their society and their awareness, moulding your metaphor to their evolving needs, as the society matures down through its ages.
There may be some pre-existing structure to the society and its growth, a manifestation of the stamp of reality on the Jewel. Or perhaps the imprint is the other way round?
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Will break for lunch.
Character Generation: At Con based on 200 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): David de Jong
Description: Dark / Grim -- Non-Amber
ShadowWorld is a diceless roleplaying game based in our world, except that, under the facade of media, politics, political correctness and 'reality' there is an Underworld where strange things happen: psionic powers, ancient secrets, dark conspiracies that are hidden from or dismissed by the general public. The players are psionically gifted operators of a secret organization sent on a mission.
Though an ongoing world setting, it is an episodic campaign: new players are welcome.
The setting is current day, real world, except that there have been more open acts of terrorism: gas attacks, explosions, and even nuclear tactical weapons have been used by varied terrorest organizations around the world. Quebec, Ontario, and the provinces east of it became a country, and, with Cuba and Ecuador, formed a Commonwealth, recently joined by Vanuatu, after a bloody uprising. In the last 12 months, a series of religiously tinted major acts have reshaped the world, causing an intensive and extensive backlash against religions and religious expressions.
CONTENT WARNING: ShadowWorld involves many adult themes, in particular, if you take (your) religion seriously, playing ShadowWorld likely is not for you.
For (much) more detail, see http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/.
Mechanics/Restrictions: You can play any character with regards to background, skills, etcetera, as long as your background makes you suitable to be recruited by a US-based organization. Your character will have one or more psionic powers. You can find the rules for these at http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/files/shadowworld_corerules_r8v3.pdf. You have fifteen (15) points to create your character's powers.
If the kindly GM does not get any character updates he asks for by the weekend before the Con, you won't be able to play.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Will start on time. Will have a short lunch to get food to eat while continuing the game.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 15 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Edwin Voskamp
Description: You have only a memory of intense, penetrating pain...
...of searing flames and of falling...
...and then total oblivion...And yet you wake.
You are now naked, in pitch blackness...
...with no memory of what you may have been...
...or your connection to the others sharing in your predicament...
...and the only clues to your identity are your physical features...A shared journey of self-discovery...
Mechanics/Restrictions: You choose only what your character looks like.
Your character is suffering from amnesia and has no idea of potential skills or powers.Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: We will break for lunch.
Character Generation: Before Con based on special points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Mike Walker
Description: You knew nothing of the Black Road. Amber and Chaos were just words to you, and war was a purely human evil that waxed and waned with the tides of history.
That was before the barriers finally eroded away, and the darkness that waited outside Earth's understanding boiled through. In the first waves of insanity and violence, memory of human war was wiped away. More than half of the world's population was destroyed before any resistance could be organized. A few pockets remain untouched...a reminder that there's still something worth saving.
You are among the few extraordinary men and women who might make a difference.
It's 2007. Welcome to Hell.
Mechanics/Restrictions: 20th Century Earth-based characters or Chaosian travellers to be created with a total of 50 points, up to 5 points of which can be in skills. More specific skills beat more general skills, but have fewer applications. For example: the character with 3 points "I am a top sprinter" is better at running fast than 3 points "I am a top athlete." Skill plus stat, properly applied, beats an equal amount of pure stat.
No powers except basic shape-shifting; no artifacts. Maximum 5 points Stuff either way.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: This game will start late, at 11 a.m. Players should bring their own food or be prepared to break only briefly.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 50 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Simone Cooper
Description: Have you ever wanted to pity fools? Do you have a strange attraction to duct tape? Does a black talking car fill you with glee? Ever wanted to play your favorite tv action hero of the 80's? Now's your chance! Mr T. Kitt. Macgyver. Magnum PI, they're all here. The time is...well the 80's.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): Sean McCabe
Description: "You are surrounded by beauty, by intrigue, by danger, what more can a man want?" -- Aramis
The Musketeers must once again defend France from evil villains, nefarious plots, beautiful women, and darkest sobriety.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters are Musketeers in France of Shadow Earth. Contact the GM for character creation guidelines. Characters must be created before Ambercon.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: There will be a short break for Musketeers to find food and wine.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Kit Kindred
Description: The Silver Road now extends from Amber into Shadow, turning the Golden Circle into more of a teardrop under the benevolent rule of King Brand the First. Fiona has declared against the King of All Reality, perhaps provoked by the price placed on her head by the Crown. Where will the surviving Elders throw their weight? More importantly, where will you?
Mechanics/Restrictions: Rules for Exalted Powers and unusual innate abilities available by request. Eight point qualities for items available with approval and suitable back-story.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: We may carry the game to a local restaurant if hunger overtakes us, but I'll most likely be bringing snacks to play through.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 250 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): David Vandenabeele
Description: The Children and Grandchildren of Brand must discover and deal with the secret of the Abyss.
Notes: GM plans to break for lunch.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level:
GM(s): Michael Kucharski
Description: High School for Super Humans.
Character Generation: At Con.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): Karen Alfrey
Description: The Amber Department of Homeland Security, formed in response to a new manifestation of the Black Road and incursions of Order disrupting malcontents from Partial Pattern Shadows, has been tasked to investigate and generate a strategy for protecting Amber and her citizens from the depredations of these rogue Pattern States.
You will be given virtually unlimited authority and carte blanche authorizations in whatever approach you select to confronting these threats and have been promised complete support from conventional Amber military forces by the King.
The Courts of Chaos, have also pledged their fully and somplete cooperation for your activities in accordance with existing treaties and established custom. They have publicly decried these events and made public statements of support for Amber in her time of need.
Restrictions: Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 175 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Stephanie Itchkawich
Description: Return to earlier times, when good King Oberon ruled over the growing trading port of Amber, and His Majesty's handpicked guard, the Royal Blades, kept the peace. A royal kidnapping threatens to leave the city in chaos. Can the King's men, paragons of honor and swashbuckling elan, work together with Benedict's Lancers to set things right?
Mechanics/Restrictions: Full rules and background at http://ralf.org/~colomon/amber/dboa.html.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 11 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Sol Foster
Description: Since your uncle Gérard became Regent, you and your cousins have faced the Amberite mercenary Dalt twice: once in Begma and once in Eregnor. Now rumor places him among the legendary horsemen of Kashfa, advising Prince Zalim, erstwhile claimant to the throne of Eregnor. Meanwhile, your old friend Count Orlowski of Begma seeks the return of his niece's child, whom you believe to be Dalt's.
Both of them want revenge, and the third time may be the charm.
Can you stop Dalt? Can you foil the machinations of Orlowski? And can you find out who the mysterious redheaded man is, and whether he's friend or foe?
Returning players may re-use their characters from previous games.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Our character generation rules for this game can be found on these two pages:
http://www.whiterose.org/twiki/bin/view/Cons/EqualizerCharGen
http://www.whiterose.org/twiki/bin/view/Cons/AmberCharGenRules.Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 120 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Michael Croft, Ginger Stampley
Description: Hunter Rose, Grendel, has been dead ten years, but for half those years the stories didn't stop. A relative in Atlanta, a couple of kids in Detroit, hell, a whole group of otherwise sensible beat cops from Chicago, all caught up in the myth of Grendel. Murders, links to syndicates, bizarre gangland hits followed in their wake.
There is nothing worse for a profiler than a charismatic killer. Sure, they make careers -- when you get 'em. The ones that don't make the papers are the endless months of false leads, false arrests, false hopes. And even if you get the guy, the killing doesn't stop. That's only cured by time...you gotta hope people grow out of it.
You gotta hope people forget.
Set in 2007, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A., just at the point when the craziness began....
(Game based on characters from Matt Wagner's original Grendel comic, Grendel by John Gardner, and versions the Grendel and Beowulf saga; familiarity with any version may be interesting, but is not required.)
Mechanics/Restrictions: Law enforcement types, people who work with the police, old enough to know the Hunter Rose Grendel stories. Successful character types include police detectives, beat cops, attached FBI agents, etc.
Characters will be developed based on a questionnaire. Please DO NOT sign up for this game if you will not be able to create and submit your character in advance by e-mail.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Game may run late.
Character Generation: Before Con.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Simone Cooper
Description: With the end of the Patternfall War, a great many Chaosian refugees turned to Amber for a new homeland. With the treaties signed, King Random accepted many thousands into Amber, granting them full citizenship. With this development, the Weir petitioned for citizenship of their own, bringing a second feared minority amidst Amber natives. Every faction has its goals, its dreams, and its desires.
Amber has weathered some difficult transitions in the twenty-two years that King Random has held the throne. As post-war peace with Chaos continues to hold, Amber's citizens have learned to live with the immigrant shapeshifters in their midst. Similarly, acceptance of Amber's Weir citizens is growing, although some still mutter darkly about the murders committed by rogue pack members two years ago.
The city newspaper reports that the King of Chaos has died. The royal house of Amber prepares to take leave from the castle in order to attend the funeral, leaving only Prince Gérard behind. As the first snows begin to fall on Amber, strange occurrences begin.
Originally run at ACNW 2005.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Jennifer Zimmerman
Description: The Justice Legion is the premier super-team, its roster composed of the world's mightiest heroes. Long have they striven to keep the citizens of the world safe by standing for truth, justice, and honor; however, there are some jobs that, while necessary, cannot be associated with the heroes in whom the public has placed their trust. These are handled by lesser-known and, in some cases, unacknowledged, members of the Justice Legion Militia. Create 150 pt. characters, hero or villain, before the game.
Notes: May run an hour maybe two or so late. Not past three.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 150 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): John Schippers
Description: Rebman Intelligence division 6 returns to Ambercon with a tale from ages past.
Once again Queen Moire has called upon her Secret Service to sort things out. But will even the elite agents of Gemini Section, licensed to kill or be killed in the line of duty, be able to stop a scheme this far-reaching? Players should create 57-point characters who are agents of the Rebman Secret Service (RI6), without Pattern Imprint or Logrus Mastery. Some knowledge of the post-Patternfall Amber game setting will be helpful, but a working knowledge of James Bond will be more helpful. Players are encouraged to contact the GM before the Con.
Mechanics/Restrictions: PCs are not royals. No Pattern, No Logrus.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 57 points.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): J.P. Brannan
Description: Return of the game without a plot! Your character, at the height of all the intrigue and infighting of your campaign, is given a respite when you discover a door in the Hall of Mirrors within Castle Amber. Enter and converse with others from other universes, and don't worry about being railroaded into the GM's plot...there isn't any.
Notes: Players are encouraged (but not required) to contact the GM before the game with character information.
Character Generation: Before Con based on any points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Paul Vlamis
Description: According to the oldest children of Oberon, the Faiella-Bionin was constructed in a single night.
No one knows how this monumental engineering feat was accomplished by Queen Faiella, except that she had secret relationships with strange allies in Shadow. Now the land bridge to Rebma is failing.
Only thirty percent of Rebma's inhabitants are actually able to survive the watery depths because of their Athanor heritage. If the bridge fails, it is expected that almost seventy thousand people could perish.
Evacuation has started. There may be nine hours before tragedy fully strikes. The PCs must discover the secrets of Faiella and her phantom engineers as quickly as possible or join the almost impossible task of saving the strongest allies Amber has.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Pre-gens, system may vary from Amber DRPG standard. GM prefers Players select Elders before game start and e-mail request to include 'why' that Elder.
Oberon is King. Lora is Queen. Delwin and Sandmorel are teens. Elders chosen are all those older than Delwin and Sand. Finndo and Osric are dead.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): R.F. McCaughey
Description: You want to know if you are dreaming. I can assure you that you are not. Why, then, are you here? You are here because of the tower.
You've seen the tower in your nightmares. The sight of it fills you with dread. Do not try to deny this. I can see it in your eyes. You know your fate is tied to it. Are you meant to destroy it or will it destroy you?
The people you see around you are from other worlds. Some of their worlds are similiar to yours. Others would be completely alien to you. They have all seen the tower as well and are here for the same reason. Together, we will find this tower. Together, we will unlock its mysteries...or die trying.
Mechanics/Restrictions: You can play almost any character from any setting imaginable in a setting that is a mixture of Michael Moorcock's Multiverse, Zelazny's Amber and Stephen King's Dark Tower. Recreate your favorite fictional character, a favorite roleplaying character from previous games, or that one character you've never before been able to play!
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 200 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): James Arnoldi
Description: Oberon used up the lives of his first set of sons and daughters, will this next bunch suffer the same fate?
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level:
GM(s): Michael Kucharski
Description: How will Amber react to the civil war in Daphne's realms?
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Cliff Winnig
Description: Ongoing Campaign set in an alternate Amber.
Notes: May or may not run late. As always, we'll see when we get there. :)
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Michael Deneweth, Ben Ekdahl
Description: Year 12, Da-da-da-dummmm. Players should contact GM at least 48 hours before the Con (if they have not already done so). He lost a bunch of notes (again) and would like a brief recap of what you remember as having happened last time. Most importantly, if you can not attend (all or part) please let GM know ASAP (he promisses not to make a big deal of it like last year).
You can give me your thoughts before the Con by e-mail or phone: qwyllysh@verizon.net and (304) 685-6480 respectively.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): George Gitari
Description: ShadowWorld is a diceless roleplaying game based in our world, except that, under the facade of media, politics, political correctness and 'reality' there is an Underworld where strange things happen: psionic powers, ancient secrets, dark conspiracies that are hidden from or dismissed by the general public. The players are psionically gifted operators of a secret organization sent on a mission.
Though an ongoing world setting, it is an episodic campaign: new players are welcome.
The setting is current day, real world, except that there have been more open acts of terrorism: gas attacks, explosions, and even nuclear tactical weapons have been used by varied terrorest organizations around the world. Quebec, Ontario, and the provinces east of it became a country, and, with Cuba and Ecuador, formed a Commonwealth, recently joined by Vanuatu, after a bloody uprising. In the last 12 months, a series of religiously tinted major acts have reshaped the world, causing an intensive and extensive backlash against religions and religious expressions.
CONTENT WARNING: ShadowWorld involves many adult themes, in particular, if you take (your) religion seriously, playing ShadowWorld likely is not for you.
For (much) more detail, see http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/
Mechanics/Restrictions: This is a non-standard format ShadowWorld Mainline game. Do not select this game without talking to the GM beforehand.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Game will run late.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Edwin Voskamp
Description: The Anglo-French Angevin Empire is, by grace of God and His Majesty King John IV, the most glorious and just civilization Earth and Man have ever known. Yet, enemies within and abroad, mundane and magickal, overt and insidious struggle to corrupt the Empire and bring harm and ruin to its many subjects.
Now, the fate of the very Empire itself rests on detecting friend and foe at a most momentuous gathering at Chinon.
Adventure and intrigue in the world of Randall Garrett's "Lord Darcy."
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players should be familiar with Randall Garrett's "Lord Darcy" stories. Characters will be pregenerated. Players who make arrangements in advance with the GM may have input on specifics of their characters.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Kit Kindred
Description: Multiverse? What multiverse? What sane person could ever believe that just by stepping into a metal carriage with no windows, you might be transported to an entirely different universe - I mean really! (Otherwise known as modern day Earth with some weird things going on.)
Mechanics/Restrictions: Existing characters are always welcome to return - new characters start on modern day Earth, somehow connected with either FBI or British army special operations, and characters are generated prior to the Con using a quiz I will send out. The system is originally based on Amber DRPG, but in the form I use, it is a rules free environment.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: This scenario is different to the ones I will be running in slots 3 & 8 - players are welcome to sign up for any or all.
Character Generation: Before Con based on special points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Timothy Hart
Description: Out of a ruined hotel in Paris comes a single phrase: "The Boys from Springfield." Who are they? What are they? Can they find the missing Buckaroo? Your Blue Blaze Team from the Banzai Institute will have to dodge Death Dwarves, outfight Bravos and trash the assorted thugs of the World Crime League in order to find out.
"The Boys from Springfield" uses the Storycard System, details (including character profiles for pre-generated characters) can be found at http://www.digitalindalo.com/storycard.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Basic character statistics and abilities will be Pre-generated using the Storycard System (which debuted at Ambercon 2006 in "Demon Under Glass"). Players who make arrangements in advance with the GM however may have input on specifics of their characters or even swap out for one of your own design. Please keep in mind that the characters are from The Banzai Institute for Biomedical Engineering and Strategic Information and should be appropriate to that organization. Players from "Curse of the Screaming Jungle" held this Ambercon may play the same characters from that adventure in this one, which takes place 2 years after "Curse" (you will also have some extra perks for your character).
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: While this game is related to Davod McCreless' "Curse of the Screaming Jungle" there is no need to sign up for both unless you'd like to work with the Blue Blaze Irregulars twice.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): John Lees
Description: A comet soars high over the Earth, bathing everyone and everything on it in radiation. After it's gone people begin to exhibit strange powers and abilities. Some can fly, others can move objects with their mind. Some have super strength, others are invisible. You are these people. There is only one problem, someone is killing such powered people. Will your new-found powers help you survive in this strange new world?
Mechanics/Restrictions: 100 points. No Merlin books.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Sean McCabe
Description: In the century since the Fae opened the gates of Murias to mortals, "Alchemist's Row" has become the financial center of the city. The most important companies in the city have offices in the skyscrapers, as well as the most powerful sorcerors. So, when a mysterious castle suddenly appears on top of the ruins of a recently demolished hotel, there is no doubt that a major new player has arrived in the city.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players may contact the GM before the Con to generate new characters using the Dreaming City rules or pregenerated characters will be available at the Con. Returning players may return with the same character and additional points.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 120 points.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): James Arnoldi
Description: Prince Charming, Mayor of Fabletown, has a mission for you. Rogue Fables have stolen a powerful magical item. Charming needs you to retrieve the item and capture the theives while keeping the Mundys unaware of the existence of Fables. You will play Fables, characters from fairy tales and classic children's stories living in a modern world that doesn't know you exist. All Fables are very hard to permanently destroy as long as people continue to believe in them. Other than that the characters will have powers based on their abilities in the stories they appeared in. All Fables have amnesty for crimes commited before coming to the Mundy lands so storybook villains and heroes may work together. Non-human player Fables will have magic to permit them to pass for human. A (mostly) serious game. Happily ever after encouraged, but not guaranteed.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Players strongly encouraged to contact the GM before the convention with a list of 3 different characters you would like to play from 3 different stories. GM will provide character stats. Players who do not contact the GM will be given a Character that the GM finds amusing. Characters will have wildly different power levels, but all characters will have the ability to contribute to the story. Some characters may be given magical items from the Fabletown armory at the discretion of the GM. Familiarity with the Fables comic not required. Some characters, especially PCs, may differ from the comic book versions.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Lorraine Donaldson
Description: Mystery and missing information dominate this puzzle. Why is everything in Castle Amber so quiet? How have you woken in a room you can't recognize? Where is everyone? Why can't you remember? In fact, who the hell are you?
Roleplay from scratch a must. Can you start with nothing and come out all right? Pregen characters given at game start. Please, no players who have tried this scenario.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters given out at game, first come, first served.
Notes: The game does usually run shorter than 5 hours. We can start later if folks like to sleep in.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): R.F. McCaughey
Description: If you were a prince of Amber, and could seek any world out of an infinity of Shadows, where would you go? Long ago, each prince of Amber used the Pattern to traverse the myriad Shadow worlds, eventually coming to a place of his desire that matched what was central to his personality and character. Some came to rule, some came to serve, some came for adventure, some came to escape, but each eventually found a world that he could call...home.
This is the fourth of a series of adventures set in the Shadow worlds sought long ago by the princes of Amber, each one a reflection of the ideals and aspirations of the prince who imagined it into existence. Players in "Nine Princes in Shadow" series play denizens of a Shadow world that at one time or another was visited for an extended period of time by a prince of Amber. Each adventure is separate from the others in the series, and you do not need to have played in other installments to sign up for this event.
Long ago, a band of seafarers were visited by a powerful king from a distant land, who asked them to take care of his young son and teach him what he needed to know to be a man and possible heir. Thus began the education of young Caine, as administered by the merriest band of rogues and cutthroats that ever sailed the infinite seas!
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters are to be created by e-mail prior to the Con. Information for character creation is found at http://www.freewebs.com/9princesinshadow/.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Mike Manolakes
Description: Next installment of the "Price of" series.
Last year, the curse was broken, an unhappy demon was sent back into the Abyss, and all is well with the multiverse. As the multiverse is perfectly at peace, nothing untoward could ever happen again...or not.
Several "side" plots of yesteryears combine with new Elder mischief to create the mess du jour. What does this have to do with you and your history, or for that matter, the price of tea in China? The unrelated events fit together, somehow, and you are in the midst of them, along with a healthy dose of Machiavellian politics thrown in for good measure.Mechanics/Restrictions: Bring existing character with lots of history, strong characters and histories are the core of this game, some time coordinating histories will occur before the Con. 200 pt. max, though stats aren't accented.
Notes: Game tends to run late by an hour or two.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100-200 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): John Czarnota
Description: Wanted: highly trained consultants, with skills in infiltration, surveillance, computer security, and disguise. Requires overseas travel. Foreign language skills encouraged, particularly Eastern European. Gear will be provided by the employer. Submit resume and references to the following e-mail address: zedcompany@gmail.com.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Earth setting. Create characters with regular skills (not supernatural powers) in addition to the Amber stats. Use a minimum of 40 points in stats and 40 points in skills, with 100 points total. Max good/bad stuff of 5 points.
Example: my driver has a Psyche (15), Strength (5), Endurance (5), and Warfare (15). She also has specialized skills like Talented Driver (40 pts), Fire while Driving (10 pts), and Specialty Mechanical (10 pts). The better you describe the skills, the more likely they'll work as you desire. Contact GM if you have questions.
Characters must be submitted before the Con for GM approval. No submittal means you get a pregen.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Points will be lost for late arrivals. Make sure to check out of your hotel room prior to game time, and bring lunch with you if needed.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Kristen Schleick
Description: Go out in a blaze of glory, as Bleys leads his elite guard down the Black Road to join in the Patternfall War.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Sol Foster
Description: Next installment of the "Price of" series.
Last year, the curse was broken, an unhappy demon was sent back into the Abyss, and all is well with the multiverse. As the multiverse is perfectly at peace, nothing untoward could ever happen again...or not.
Several "side" plots of yesteryears combine with new Elder mischief to create the mess du jour. What does this have to do with you and your history, or for that matter, the price of tea in China? The unrelated events fit together, somehow, and you are in the midst of them, along with a healthy dose of Machiavellian politics thrown in for good measure.Mechanics/Restrictions: Bring existing character with lots of history, strong characters and histories are the core of this game, some time coordinating histories will occur before the Con. 200 pt. max, though stats aren't accented.
Notes: Game tends to run late by an hour or two.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100-200 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): John Czarnota
Description: Multiverse? What multiverse? What sane person could ever believe that just by stepping into a metal carriage with no windows, you might be transported to an entirely different universe - I mean really! (Otherwise known as modern day Earth with some weird things going on.)
Mechanics/Restrictions: Existing characters are always welcome to return - new characters start on modern day Earth, somehow connected with either FBI or British army special operations, and characters are generated prior to the Con using a quiz I will send out. The system is originally based on Amber DRPG, but in the form I use, it is a rules free environment.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: This scenario is different to the ones I will be running in slots 3 & 7 - players are welcome to sign up for any or all.
Character Generation: Before Con based on special points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Timothy Hart
Description: -You're sixteen!
-Your parent's are at a conference in Georgia!
-The party of the year is happening tonight!
-Everyone who is anyone will be there!
-What are you going to wear!?This will be a game of Best Friends. You can find more information here:
http://www.rpgnow.com/product_info.php?products_id=7418Stolen From Book:
So, what's this [game] all about?
Well, it's a role-playing game about being a girl.
Yeah, everyone plays a girl. If you're not down with that then just put Best Friends back wherever you found it and walk away. No hard feelings, eh?
So, still here?
OK, it's a game about being best friends and all the little hatreds that best friends have for each other.
Oh, I know. You're gonna say that y'all get along just peachy. Well, that's fine too. No one said any of this was true.
But, between you and me: it probably is.
Anyway, you and some friends all play girlfriends and try to do stuff together while secretly hating each other. And getting little frissons of excitement out of getting one up on your best friends.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Beginner
GM(s): Lee Bynum
Description: In this latest sequel to "Dude! Where's My Jewel of Judgment" the students of Amber High are travelling to the deepest darkest depths of Shadow, that's right, Earth!
Mechanics/Restrictions: Funny game, characters are based on Elder Amberites and high school Stereotypes ie: Benedict the AV Geek, Corwin the Ambigously Gay Drama Student, Fiona the Goody Two Shoes, and of course Random and Gérard the two stoner dudes.
Players must have e-mail access.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 100 points.
Play Level: Intermediate
GM(s): Sean McCabe
Description: The members of House Llewella reside in sprawling compounds throughout the Coral Circle Shadows. Most are fiercely protective of their privacy and, seeing as the House is renown for Trump Mastery, they have the Trump-tech to back it up.
So when a prominent member is discovered dead in his own home with the security system in lockdown, the obvious questions are who did it, why...and how?
Mechanics/Restrictions: Characters will be provided.
Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Paul Vlamis
Description: "Long live the Queen." This campaign is set at the very beginning of Amber with the players taking the roles of the first six children of Oberon. George Gitari will be playing Oberon in his sole responsibility as co-GM. Characters will be generated at Ambercon using a variant auction and character creation system. For more information, go to http://oberonschildren.homestead.com.
Notes: Would like to start an hour early to create characters. Will also be available during slot 7.
Character Generation: At Con based on 100 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Scott Piippo, George Gitari
Description: Win a war, lose a kingdom....
The royal family of Amber has finally defeated its greatest enemy, the Courts of Chaos. The Unicorn has selected Random to be the new King, ending the constant family bickering over the succession. The mad brother Brand is now presumed dead. The royal family return triumphantly to the homeland only to discover that both Castle Amber and the Pattern are missing!
It seems brother Gérard has carelessly misplaced them both....
This is a prequel to Sorcerer of Avalon from last year, though it's not necessary to have played in that game.
Previously run at Phenomenon 1997, Australia.
Mechanics/Restrictions: Pre-generated characters will be provided based on 400 points.
Benedict, Bleys, Caine, Corwin and Fiona.Character Generation: Pregenerated.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Mike Walker
Description: Dark / Grim -- Non-Amber
ShadowWorld is a diceless roleplaying game based in our world in May, 1941, playing operators for a recently formed, unusual branch of the Special Operations Executive. They are sent out to interrupt the nonstandard research and development efforts the Third Reich is performing: black magic, psionic powers, ancient secrets, dark conspiracies that are hidden from or dismissed by the general public. The players are operators of the SOE, with magical, psionic gifts or mutations, sent on mission into occupied Europe.
It is a serial campaign: a series of missions that can be played independently in an ongoing world setting. You don't need to do any preparation or play more than once, but the more you put in, the more you get out of it.
Note that this setting shares game mechanics, but no cosmology, history, or anything else with the 'Mainline' ShadowWorld campaign.
CONTENT WARNING: ShadowWorld involves many adult themes, in particular, if you take (your) religion seriously, playing ShadowWorld likely is not for you.
Mechanics/Restrictions: You can play any character with a background, skills, et-cetera, that makes you suitable to be recruited by the SOE, an English organization (e.g. resistance, intelligence, military, et-cetera).
You must be able to pass for a German in the more selective of its armed forces (e.g. blue-eyed, blond-haired, physically well), and not only speak German like a native, but have an understanding and appreciation for Germany and its culture (e.g. exchange student, German nanny, et-cetera).
Your character will have one or more psionic powers or mutations. You can find the rules for these at http://mainline.shadowworld.org/forums/index.php?f=2. You have four (4) points to create your character's powers.
If the kindly GM does not get any character updates he asks for by the weekend before the Con, you won't be able to play.
Players must have e-mail access.
Notes: Will start on time. Will run late.
Character Generation: Before Con based on 4 points.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Edwin Voskamp
Description: An artifact was found by a group of players who decided to play a bit with it. The results were a cross between "Pleasantville" and abuse of a remote control. Why is magic still going nuts?
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Rae H. Williams
Description: Social gathering for players and lurkers of the House of Cards PBeM. We will not play, but plot discussion is welcome!
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Any
GM(s): Ginger Stampley, Michael Croft
Description: "Texorami was a wide open port city, with sultry days and long nights, lots of good music, gambling around the clock, duels every morning and in-between mayhem for those who couldn't wait." -- Random, Sign of the Unicorn
The Black Sands have been quiet for some time. It's time for a celebratory shindig. In Texorami, that means drinking, gambling, fighting, and perhaps most importantly, music....
http://home.comcast.net/~arrefmak/tladit/
Notes: May run late. Nothin' new there.
Character Generation: Non-Applicable.
Play Level: Advanced
GM(s): Doc Kindred