PRELUDE.
Nearly 50 years have passed since the Patternfall War. Amber enjoys unprecedented peace and prosperity under the wise and benevolent rule of King Random. The armed forces under Benedict grew into a formidable rapid deployment force, and no enemy is foolish enough to cause any trouble. As the population steadily increases, there are talks of creating public education and health care systems. Some radicals among the King's advisors even try to push the idea of some sort of government-subsidized pensions to take care of older folks.
Everything seems to be in order, as Amber prepares to celebrate the King’s birthday. Of course, there are always those professing doom and gloom. Many rumors float around in taverns near the docks – the rough part of the city known as the Death Alley. There are talks that yet another offspring of Oberon has emerged in this or that Shadow and is leading a huge army of vicious dog-headed creatures to claim the throne. There are talks that Prince Brand and his half-sister Princess Deirdre are still alive somewhere in Shadow and will return shortly. As more wine is poured, it is whispered that Brand’s union with a Shadow witch had produced a hunchback daughter named Elektra, who was born bearded and already aged. It is further whispered that this grotesque creature is endowed with enormous powers and swore to destroy Amber to avenge the defeat of her father.
But in mansions of the nobles and in the Royal Palace,
high on the Mount Kolvir, these ridiculous rumors are heartily laughed at.
One lost count of false children
of Oberon, each impostor meeting untimely demise as soon as they manage to
set foot on any true reflection of the Pattern.
And while it is known to some
that Brand is indeed alive, he seems to enjoy his retirement in a remote
Shadow, never having returned to Amber.
As for Elektra... but who in the right state of mind is going to believe
these stories?
It is true that Lady Fiona - the utmost authority
on the Pattern - seems to be around much more than usual, spending countless
hours in conferences with trump artists, but there are matters of family
portraits being made. It is
true that candles burn late in King Random’s quarters, but this is doubtless
due to the upcoming celebrations.
So everything is quiet in the
kingdom of Amber...
