House Rules.

Please make my life easier by adhering to the following tenets: When posting a message to the GM or players, put TASTE as the first word in the subject box, followed by your character name and current thread. eg. TASTE: Merlin Throne Room. Always cc. me, the GM, when sending a message, no matter how trivial it may seem. The thread name will either be given or you name your own, for instance if you travel to a private shadow.

Your first submission should include a ‘Public’ and ‘Private’ description of your character. This will be how your character is perceived, and what your REAL thoughts and attitudes are. This is separate from the raw numbers, which I would like in a separate mail. As I receive the public descriptions, they will be posted on this website.

NPCs will also be on the website, so you can refer to them any time without asking me.

Note that by signing up for this game, players grant me the right to pass their e:mail address on to other people in the game. Periodically other players may join in, and their arrival will be announced in advance. I will not give out player’s e:mails as a matter of course, only when necessary as part of the game. All attempted contact should go through me first.

Please contact me at any time if you wish to withdraw from the mail group.

If a period of one calendar month elapses since the player’s last submission, I reserve the right to run that character as an NPC, until such time as the player sends another submission or expresses a wish to retire the character.

The writing of diaries is encouraged. Unless expressly prohibited, I will publish some of these diaries on the game web-page. These may be edited before publication. Diaries remain the property of the author, and will be removed if so instructed.

Introduction

“ Her name was Mauretia Iles, but she was known elsewhere as Lucretia, daughter of Caine. She had tired of her father’s playground of gunpowder and plot quickly after recieving a near fatal musket ball in the gut 100 miles off the coast of France. Instead she sought a fantasy realm where riches came easily to canny adventurers and streetwise magicians. There, in Aigrim, she met the fun-loving brigand who became her friend.

She must have seen a lot of herself in Alys - a young woman with a ready smile living on the fringes and taking a chance. But something was not quite right with Alys. Urged to danger by voices in her head, speaking in a tongue that was not her own, courting disaster with arcane powers. Yet Mauretia loved her.

So one day in their usual tavern, when Alys brought a jug of refreshment and a pair of empty glasses, Mauretia thought nothing of it to taste the drink set before her. Alys had already tossed off one measure, and was pouring another. “ This’ll give you a trip. “ She said, as Mauretia drained the glass. Next thing, the world went black.

The time after the pain from the blow of her head striking the table was misty and mystic. There was a duel in progress, a short stocky warrior in plate-mail with a rune-etched blade facing a mighty Kraken: it was an uneven contest. The beast tired quickly of playing with its prey, and summoned a mighty trident ablaze with magic. This, she knew, would be the mortal blow. Iron black as night splintered the warrior’s shield, and a cry split the air. Not that of a man, though. Mauretia run to the side of the falling duellist, oblivious to the laughing monster. She snapped up the visor as the light failed from Alys’s eyes.

As Mauretia cried out “why? “ the mist suddenly cleared, to reveal once more the towers of Aigrim. Yet now she stood alone on an empty beach. Bitter and gloomy, parted finally from her trusted friend, she returned to the old bar to drink a toast in silent mourning. That is the interesting part of my tale, for there, sat at her favourite table, sat Mauretia and Alys, in a state of drunken stupor. Shortly afterwards our paths crossed and I brought her here. Perhaps I left a shadow in the filthy gutters of that city, but what I brought back was real enough. The scions of Amber are tough, but seldom enjoy pain.

"A fine tale, eloquently told, “ said the red-haired Witch Queen from her distant throne. A shame she had not the constitution of us Elders, or she might have served us well, in time. Still, it is the elixir that interests me most. I want it found. See that it is."

He watched as the contact was broken, and the card in his hand became just pasteboard and a few deft strokes of colour. For longer than was necessary he studied the smooth lines of her face, the bright emerald of her eyes. Yet for all her beauty a mere drawing, a piece of card.

He preferred her that way. '

This is a game set in Brand’s Pattern Universe after Patternfall. 120 pt Characters, max +/- 5pts ‘Stuff’. No Logrus or ‘Courts’ advantages. There’s no auction, folks, so just send the numbers.

CONTACT: Alan Wake - ajwake@lineone.net