The Game
Orphans of War
GM: Brian Dewhirst
Number of Players: 4 to 8
Game Type: ADRPG
GAME URL: http://users.wpi.edu/~dewhirst/Brian_Amber.html
Character Generation: As per website, based on 50 points.

You were always different than the other children as you grew to adulthood. Stronger, faster, smarter. Destiny was in your bones, power in your blood...but like many born to power, your strength was internalized deeply enough that it was less than unremarkable to you. There were mysteries, though...it started with vivid dreams. A man, his face as familiar to you as your own, yet a face without a name. He speaks, but his lips do not move. "If all goes well, I will see you after the throne is won, in a year's time..." It has been many years, almost more years than a youthful memory can recall, since you last saw your (true) father. Words spoken over a crib, or down into a face cradled tenderly in a father's proud arms...almost lost to the fragile nature memory. His face is a distant memory which haunts your dreams, but now it is time to claim your birthright... if you can.

In "Orphans of War," players will portray the "lost generation" of young Amberites whose Amber parents were killed in and around the events of Patternfall.


Important: An alternate chronology may or may not be in effect...but we'll probably throw out the "Merlin" books.
Character Generation

Characters will be built according to the ADRPG rules with 50 points, with no more than +/- 5 points of Stuff.
Players are discouraged from selling down attributes.
Warfare, Psyche, Strength, and Endurance is the most important attribute.
Attributes will not be explicitly ranked, but will instead be judged against an external standard in the GM's head.
Any item over 4 points should be discussed with the GM.

Characters will not start with Pattern, and will have spent their entire lives within a shadow or small group of interconnected shadows. Players need not pay for their home shadow.
Along with the character statistics referenced above, a character and home shadow abstract (not to exceed 250 words) should be included.
The game teaser above contains common thematic elements which all characters will have experienced, although they need not feature in the above abstract writeup.

Important points to include: The rough shadow magic level/ technology level of the home shadow. The tone of the shadow. What the character's home life was like, what it was that he did or does, etc. Subjective history should not exceed 50 years, and all characters will be in physically prime condition. (Premature graying etc. is always a possibility, of course). Descriptions, or a URL to a played-by are also appreciated.

Please state one of the following as a preferred Amber parent, along with a 2nd choice: (Corwin, Deirdre, Caine, Brand, Eric)
For the above history, bullet lists and timelines are word-count-thrifty ways of expressing your character's background, and their use would be appreciated by the GM.
Drafts of characters should be sent to dewhirst@wpi.edu, and approved characters should be done no later than one week prior to the game.
Parties not interested in generating a character prior to the game should email the GM indicating as much, and a pre-generated character will be provided.
An exemplar character follows:


Simone Templar
Attributes
Psyche [10]
Strength [10]
Endurance [10]
Warfare [19]
Stuff [0]

Items etc:
Extra-Hard Axe (of the wood-chopping variety, nominally) named "Patience"

Simone was born in a shadow which shares much in common with the post-Civil War Old West. Following the alcohol-induced deterioration and death of her widowed mother, Simone became a passionate (some would say zealous) member of the temperance movement. She quickly became fed up with the 'half-hearted' tactics of her peers in the movement, and soon moved on to moonlight raids on breweries and boardroom beatings followed by daring escapes. Later, she moved on to women's suffrage, and from there, to radical Liberal Socialism (Anarchism). When the revolution came, she was its leader. Simone is presently the first amongst equals in the anarchic commune which was once the American Breadbasket. Attempts by the East Coast to tame "the territories" were a bloody failure. In a few year's time, who knows...perhaps her whole world will be free.
Simone is most likely the daughter of Deirdre. (2nd choice is Eric).
Simone is played by Uma Thurman http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000235/