PBEM:: Amber (long) From: MARK%6194.decnet@consrt.rockwell.com ("6194::MARK") Date: Tue, 04 May 1993 07:40:00 +0000 Please do *not* respond here. Direct responses to: mark@gs1.cca.cr.rockwell.com I am starting a PBEM game based on Roger Zelazny's Amber novels using the unmodified rules (but not necessarily NPC's, series history and/or artifacts) of the _Amber_Diceless_Role-Playing_Game_ system published by Phage Press. I am looking for 5-6 additional players. (The _Shadow_Knight_ rules *may* or may *not* be incorporated in this campaign depending on 1. when they ever get published, 2. whether I can get/afford a copy of them, 3. if I deem them compatible with the campaign background I will be using and 4. player sentiments.) Relative inexperience with the Amber DRPG system is *not* detrimental to your chances of being selected as a player. (This will be the first Amber game *I* have game mastered. I have been game mastering for about 10 years using principally AD&D and Star Frontiers -no flames about T$R, please- and been playing wargames -personal favorites are ASL, 3rdREICH and SFB- for about 20 years.) The following are minimal requirements: 1. Players **MUST** be familar enough with the Amber character creation process to answer the required questions before the May 24, 1993 deadline and to intelligently participate in the Attribute Auction phase which begins on Tuesday June 1, 1993. 2. Players *should* have read one or more of the first five Amber novels in order to have a feeling for what a typical character in Amber is like. (Note: I reserve the right to alter characters, shadows, and even history as defined by the novels should I so choose in order to create a campaign which is both unique and contains surprises for veteran AMBER role-players.) (Knowledge of the second five novels is not only unnecessary, but may actually be detrimental if you rely too heavily on them.) 3. Hack-and-slashers and Munchkins should *not* respond. If these qualifications don't describe you, then *please* don't reply! If you would like to play, you must do the following four things: 1. Be willing/able to receive and respond to email once a week throughout the summer (and beyond.) Players will be expected to respond at least once a week. (You may respond more often than that, but I may not be able to return a reply more often than once a week depending on circumstances.) Players who fail to respond regularly will be emailed and asked to respond promptly. Repeated failure to respond to such requests may result in the player's character being removed from the campaign. 2. Send me your answers to *at least* the first ten questions below **NO LATER** than 9 AM CST Monday May 24, 1993. NO EXCEPTIONS TO THIS DEADLINE! (Don't miss the deadline in order to answer the remaining questions, though I would *like* to see as many of the optional questions answered as possible before the deadline date as well. You can always mail me the optional answers at a later date.) Answer the questions I have asked below from the standpoint of the *character* you would like to play. (Be careful what you write! I *will* hold you to your responses!) You are *required* to answer the first 10 questions. Answer as many or as few of the remaining questions as you wish. The more you answer, the better I will understand the background of the character you want to play and will (I believe) be able to devise a more interesting campaign involving things which you as players feel is important. You needn't be verbose (unless you feel like it,) but you *should* think carefully about your responses. 3. Write a description of what you would *like* to see in your character's background history. (No promises here, but I'll try to include as much as I can.) Discuss your character's skills, physical description, absolute age, non-trump powered possessions, etc. (the Character Freebies.) Don't include things that are classified in the rules as out of a player's control. **DO** include anything you feel that may be important or useful to *good* role- playing which is not specifically covered in the questions which follow. (Here's your chance to affect the overall campaign flavor!) 4. Append your reponses to the questions to your character background history and *email* both to me at: mark@gs1.cca.cr.rockwell.com I reserve the right to edit character backgrounds for balance. (I'll negotiate with you rather than simply pass out edicts.) If I recieve a response larger than the 3-5 players I feel I can respond to in a timely fashion at the moment, I will pick the players who submit the most promising looking characters from a role-playing perspective. Again I emphasisze that I don't envision this campaign as a hack-and-slash game. *Please* don't respond if that is what you are seeking! If I find I am able to respond to a greater number of players, I will open the campaign to admit additional players. First preference will go in such a case to those players who I was unable to accomodate initially. You *will* be notified by email no later than the Memorial day weekend as to the status of your application. All applications will receieve a reply. PLEASE *don't* inquire as to the status of your application before May 31, 1993! Players will be notified of the email addresses of other players when it makes sense in the game to do so. (I.e., if player A's character can't travel through shadow and has never met player B's character, neither will have the other's email address. Players will be asked to abide by the honor system and *not* compare email address lists with other players.) Once you have those addresses, I encourage you to correspond with each other as much (or as little) as you like to enhance the role-playing. Mark Harcourt [Please reply to the following questions as explained above.] REQUIRED ANSWERS - You *MUST* answer the first 10 questions as explained above. 1. Your character is plagued by a recurring nightmare/dream. Briefly describe the dream. 2. Your character has a quest or vendetta to fulfill. Describe it in as much detail as possible. 3. Describe first what you (the player) hate about your character. Then, what are the *big* reasons for other characters (not *players*) to dislike/hate your character? What little, minor bad habit does your character have that would annoy anyone after awhile? 4. What might provoke your character to murder (not avenge, not justifiable homicide) another character? a lie? an insult? something that causes him/her/(it?) to loose face in the sight of others? nothing? Might you have a different standard for Amberites as compared to non-Amberites? 5. Which self-improvement course does your character need most? a. Assertiveness Training b. Ten Steps to a New Love Life c. How to Win Friends and Influence People d. Organizing Your Life e. Getting a Life to Organize f. Etiquette and Diplomacy g. Understanding Others h. Knowing Your *REAL* Motives i. Overcoming ???? (fill in the blank, please) Why? Which course would your character be most qualified to *teach*? 6. Does your character use servants? If so, which is most trusted? most liked? most indespensible? opposite of these? Is any of them impossible to dismiss/get rid of? If so, why? 7. Every person has some possession or possessions which they consider special, sacred and/or treasured. What is/are this/these item(s) to your character? Describe how your character acquired it/them or why it/they came to be important. What would your character do/pay to regain/replace it/them if stolen, misplaced, or destroyed? (Do *not* describe any powers or attributes which you wish these items to possess. Please wait until after the attribute auction.) 8. Which best describes your character's idea of revenge? a. An eye for an eye b. Repayment with interest c. Off with his/her head! d. Turn the other cheek e. Something else In exacting revenge, would she/he/(it?) serve it up hot (i.e., as soon as possible after the offense, even if it meant great danger to your own character or less gratifying revenge), lukewarm (i.e., acceptable danger or mostly satify- ing), or cold (i.e., minimal danger with the maximum amount of gratification)? 9. Your character has a secret vice. Without getting graphic, name it. What would your character do to keep it secret if discovered by another? if it were publicized to others? 10. Your character has need of an *ordinary* beast capable of carrying both rider and normal provisions for a long journey, possibly even through shadow. Descibe the beast including kind, size, coloring, build, training, food it requires, equipment and temperament. OPTIONAL QUESTIONS 11. Your character gets into a discussion about death and dying. How would your character describe the perfect death? 12. Which would your character describe as the greater evil, murder of a non-Amberite, or maiming of an Amberite? 13. How does your character obtain clean clothes? 14. What does your character do for rest and/or relaxation? hobbies? 15. What was your character like at age ten (fifth grade?) Was your character a wimp? bully? nerd? snitch? klutz? comedian? liar? brat? angel? most/least favorite kid in the group?, etc. 16. How do you think your character's father would describe your character? How would that description differ from that given by your character's mother? 17. Describe the character's first hunt or fight. Try to make it as vivid as possible by including details of the character's age, training (or lack thereof), circumstances that led up to the character being involved in it, outcome of the event, how your character reacted, how it shaped or changed your character's life, etc. 18. Describe your character's first, or most memorable love affair. Include details such as a description of the object of the character's love, (*PLEASE* avoid erotica!) changes your character went through as a result of the affair, how it started, who fell first, how it ended (if it did), how significant others felt (feel?) about it, etc. 19. How would your *character* describe the ideal mate/spouse? Do *you*, the player agree? If not, how is your character mistaken? 20. From your character's viewpoint, is it better to be loved than feared in relations with family? Would the answer be any different with other groups of people? If so, who? 21. Upon returning to an inn that has housed you comfortably over the years, your character finds that the kindly family who runs it has recently been robbed, beaten up, and warned to close down. Do (it?)/he/she decide to track down the leader of the guilty band or leave the problem for the local authorities? If your character tracks down the leader, what does he/she/(it?) do then? 22. Describe your character's personal bedroom or suite. Is it located in Castle Amber? If not, where? Describe some details about the furnishings such as style, kind, quality, etc. Do you have a favorite activity and place where you conduct it in that room? If so, please describe. (No gutter-mind descriptions, please!) 23. A relative which your character respects but does not fear has comittted the same breach of etiquette three times by treating him/her/(it?) as an inferior in the presence of others by making demands of her/(it?)/him rather than requests. Furthermore, this same relative has criticized your character's performance on many occasions both in and out of (its?)/his/her hearing. What, if anything, would he/she/(it?) do? What might be the consequences you (the player) anticipate from your character's actions? her/(its?)/his lack of actions? 24. Your character is the butt of a practical joke. Does (it?)/he/she take it in good or bad humor? Would he/she/(it?) seek to get even? If so, would your character go beyond the practical joke stage? If so, how far might she/(it?)/he go? 25. What emotions does your character express in public amongst stangers? acquaintances? closest friend(s)? family members? Are there any your character would *never* express? If so, please identify which emotions and to what group(s) they would never be displayed. 26. Strange as it seems, your character find him/her/(it)self in need of the services of a hunter-killer beast from the realms of Chaos. Since it can take any form your character requests/requires, and would, in this case, at least, be somthing of a calling card, how would you (the player) like it to look? Are there any peculiar powers, attributes or qualities that you (the player) think the thing should have? Up