Merdoc LeFey

Normally after a long day with the master at arms you want nothing more than a hot bath and a hot meal, preferably alone, but tonight your mother has requested your presence at dinner. When you enter the dinning hall you see that the two of you aren't the only ones dinning this evening, not unusual, but tonight's guest is. The long brown hair the cold eyes that don't miss anything, they only belong to one man. It has been about ten years since he came to your home and told you about the worlds beyond, the pattern, Amber, and now here he is again, Benedict.
"Merdoc, normally I make it a policy not to interfere with the lives and choices of family member, but Random has decided that all those who share our blood and our power need to come together. Think of it as a 'family meeting' for us with power."

I am leery of Benedict's sudden presence in my home, but my courtly training keeps me from showing my surprise. I know that I can question him more later and that he is a rather punctual man. "I have only respect for you Benedict. I know that you would not interfere with my life if it was not important. Bid me time to clean myself and put on fresh cloths. I will meet you in the stables in half of an hour."
When I leave the hall, I shift shadow slightly to a very close shadow where there is a hot bath waiting for me in my room with fresh cloths and dress armor already laid out. I scrub the days work off of my arms and body then don the fresh garments. I call in a servant to help with the armor then shift back to my Avalon to meet with Benedict in the stables.

As you enter the stable, you notice a slight shimmer in the air. Unfortunately as you round the corner to Benedict's position he covers the trump in is hand and places it back into the deck on his hip.
"It is good to see you again Merdoc, even if the circumstances are less than ideal. Before you ask, Random has sworn me to secrecy. I can not give you any more information about what this meeting regards untill we are in Amber. If you have any other questions I suggest you get them out of the way before we leave. We are going to have to move quickly to reach the castle in time and I don't want to waste time riding with inane prattle."

As I strap on the saddle to my horse I ask, "You can keep your secrets, but what can you tell me about what's going on?"

Random feels that he has found another "cousin" for you. Ever since the emergence of Rinaldo and Merlin, Random has grown quite conservative towards family relations. Even since your discovery he has tightened the reins on the offspring of his siblings in order to prevent another hidden feud from surfacing at an inopportune moment. Therefore whenever they find someone in Amber or shadow that bears a resemblance to the family or displays traits unique to us we gather to test them and their alliance to the crown and the pattern.
As luck would have there has been one living in the city right under his nose for years that has just now come to light and he wants us all, your generation included to witness the trial.

Hmmm. I see. Why call a full on family reunion just for some recently discovered cousin? There had better be something else going on to make this worth getting the family together.

"I'm not allowed to comment on anything else at present. Plus, this new cousin may be an ally. How can you say no to a potential ally."
Over the course of your conversation, you notice the scenery turning and twisting in the special way that only the family can. Shortly you reach the castle and are greeted by your aunt Florimel who takes you up to your chambers and tells you that dinner will be served shortly.

"Aunt Florimel, have you met this new cousin of mine, or know anything about him? I am wondering how closely related he might be to me." I ask as I open the door to my room.

I acquire a basin of warm water from a servant, and wash off the dirt from the ride from my face and armor. Due to the cold winds blowing in from the sea, I remove the steel plates of my armor, leaving the under layers of light chain and leather, and don one of my silver and blue woolen tunics. Then I hang my dress armor on one of the three mannequins in room. I pick one of my dress swords and a dagger from the weapon braces on my wall and hang them from my belt. Finally I check my overall appearance in the mirror in my room and prepare to head to the waiting room outside the dinning hall.

On your way there you hear the bustle of Flora moving some one through the castle.

Ahhh, well nobody knows that I was about to step into the waiting room. I might as well see who Aunt Flora is guiding through the castle. I will use my tactical knowledge to figure out where Flora is going and place myself in an intersection along her way.

You see her conversing quietly with a redheaded stranger. Their conversation concludes quickly and he enters a the small dressing room that they had been standing in front of.

I make my way back to the waiting area for the family gathering.

After a brief time a servant comes to your door and leads you to he main dinning hall. As you walk through the door, you notice a strange redheaded boy sitting at the head of the table at the kings left hand.

Is this the same redhead boy that I saw walking with Flora?
Hmmm a redhead, probably a descendant of Clarissa's brood.
Can I sense if he has walked the pattern?

I will take my seat at the appropriate time, such as after the king has told us to take our seats.
Who am I sitting next to and across from?

no he hasn't

your call jockey for position like anyone else

Random stands at the head of the table and announces that dinner is ready to begin and that everyone should find a seat.

I take a seat between Julian and Benedict.

Julian, intrigued at your presence at the table gives you a slight nudge.
"Who do you think this one belongs to? We still haven't pinned down you father, and this whole mess is getting a little uncomfortable for me. How can we protect ourselves from hidden vendettas if we can't even keep track of who's out there breeding?"

"Well uncle, how can I have a vendetta if my father has not been pinned down? As long as you keep the enemies of Amber from crossing your forest, I do not see my self plotting any vendettas against you Julian." Turning to my other side, "As for you Uncle Benedict, how is your current campaign faring? Who is it that you are slaughtering this time? I can never keep track. You seem to change wars more often than Gerard breaks the door to his room."

"My campaigns are none of your concern. They are noting more than shadow affairs to test out some ideas I've been having. This peace that we are in right now will dull the mind and the arm if we do not stay prepared."

Random stands at the head of the table.
"I'm sure that many of you had to travel some distance to be here tonight. To you I offer my sincerest apologies. Joining us tonight is a young man from about town named Juki. He has displayed many feats of strength and stamina about town lately and I believe him to be of our blood. Before proceeding I would like to offer an opportunity to all present. If the boy seated next to me is yours or if you are familiar with his mother speak now and we may all go about our business after the meal is over"
The room grows silent as family members look around wondering if on of the others will rise to claim the boy. None do.
"If he belongs to non of you here tonight then we are left with only one recourse. This evening, after we have enjoyed this lovely meal, we shall all descend the stairs and Juki will attempt to navigate the Pattern."

You had better keep your mind as sharp as your sword uncle, or somebody else will have to take valuable time away from their plotting in order to come to Amber's aid. Now it seems we have a better subject to ponder the parentage of. How many relatives do we have with red hair like that?

Ha! The day my brothers and sisters have to set aside their schemes is the day that this glorious city will fall. Only the members of Cassandra's clan had red hair Fiona is with Mandor, so the only possible parents are Bleys or Brand. I can't read any features that narrow it any further. He obviously spent little to no time at all with his father and has no idea what is waiting for him downstairs.

As dinner winds down to a close, Random stands at the head of the table straightening his clothes. “I know that we are all excited to meet our new nephew/cousin, but it is time to head downstairs and put young Juki to the test.”
With a few mutterings and murmurings, everyone gathers at the door to the dining room and sets off down the halls of the ancient castle. As you wind down the halls and pass by chambers the air and mood of the group becomes solemn and tense. Julian and Fiona make occasional statements about items hanging on walls or tell stories about events that happened in various rooms. Finally the procession reaches the top of a tall staircase, the bottom so far down that you can’t see it form the top.
The journey down creates a new definition of the word silence. As each floor passes the temperature drops and it becomes darker and darker. After what feels like an eternity, you all reach the bottom and grab lanterns that hang on hooks before moving down an ominous hallway. A feeling begins to creep into your bones. Power, you realize, true power lies in these dungeons.
Random stops and opens the door to a chamber that has an eerie blue light shimmering under it. “Juki, I will tell you what we were all told at one point. In this room lies the pattern. It is the source of our families strengths and once you have transversed it you will gain dominion over the shadow realms, and we will know once and for all that you are of our blood, for those not descended from our line may not set foot upon it without being destroyed. The task will challenge you physically and mentally, breaking you down and rebuilding you in the pattern’s image. Of all the advice that I have heard given over the years there is only one piece that is truly vital: Keep walking. Now, step forward and claim your birthright.”