B.T.V. -- Session 03 Interlude: Before the Keep of Amber

The formative stage was complete.

Selidor's work stood on what had been a place of seething chaos. He moved off, beckoned for a quiet aside by his father, Gerard, King-in-waiting. Others of the family gave them a time alone. Others had questions for Gerard. Important ones but all knew that some things must come first. Blood demanded it and the men and women of Amber were not so old as to not remember this. The others moved together, speaking in practised words of times before and things to come. At one point, as the 'Eye of the Seas' rose abovce the horizon, a silence descended on them all. They stood looking at the new castle that was to become their patrimony.

Nature had changed within the confines of the shallow waters, now named the Barimen Sea. The word Barimen was old. It came by way of another formation, that of a family born at the outset of the creation of Men. Some have suggested that the name comes from the rearrangement of the letters within it -- Barimen becomes 'in amber' -- another way of saying, Immortality.




The elder men of that time were, in their birth, the best of their kind. They were created with the last of their creator's power. Saved by him until all others had left for their destined homes among the gods. These were the Final Men of Lored Man. The first created was the solitary, Absolom. Last of all came Lored Man's principal family, the Barimen. Gerard was was the first, Oberon was second. These two brothers were greatly different. Gerard looked on the worlds of the gods as wonders to be discovered. Oberon looked on the creation of Humanity as his thing to discover. In their difference the fate of many works were decided. Much of this lies in the past. Presently, only Gerard stands to discover more, freed by his son Selidor's action. Oberon is locked within an amber cell. Immortality is no blessing for those imprisoned. It can be a curse even for those who are free.




On the hunt, of that first evening, on the shores of the Barimen Sea, Julian, Finndo and Osric took it in turns to outline their more recent doings. There was in their tellings an ease which struck the fourth member of the hunting party as that only blood-tie could give. Asher Zi was aware he hunted with men of another kind. A type the 'easterners' of his world could have only imagined might ever have been real. His world had only small uses and great disrespect for humanity. Their words to one another ended with Finndo recounting his latest adventures on Axildusk. He made several mentions of Selidor. Asher noted Finndo did not bring his name into these events at all. He might never understand these men if Finndo, who Asher would ever know the longest, was anything like the rest of his brethren.


Osric said, "Who is this Asher then? If he is with you and the new sorcerer of Amber, why does he not receive a word in your tale of this land?"

"I like to save the test 'til last."

"I have travelled within this Axildusk too, Finn. What does he have that the other men of this place lack? A drifter is odd but not unique. Are the spectres of Adrilankha so much worse than those of the other places here?"

Julian said, "He's handy with his rifle. That is all I need to care about tonight. Osric leave off your search for betrayers. The eve is fine, the hares are caught, Oberon is safely dispensed with and here you are looking for a reason to spoil our windfall and our landfall."

"Easy to say, master of the hunt. You have never cared overmuch about anything that matters. I am not you."

Finndo said, "Calm both. I am only reluctant to mention this man as I am not sure yet who he might be. I have seen something in his eye, as he looked on Gerard for the first time. You will recall how men out of Shadow would get when seeing Oberon for the first time? It was like this. Ask Asher about it and he will tell you that Gerard made him think about things other than of this world. Odd, as he has no knowing of these other places. No man of Axildusk has ever considered that there might by such places. Only the gods and their dire enemy the jenoine are thought to live beyond the seas' depths. Gerard brought upon Asher, a dawn of understanding of the potential of men to be more than poor relations to their many masters here and the heights men might aspire to."

The other men of Amber looked at Asher expectantly. Asher said nothing. Finndo's words felt right but he hadn't thought them nor had he done more than marvel at the gifts of the two he had been with.

Osric said, "You are to be accorded a place with us it seems. Watch you don't bugger it up."

Julian said, "Might I prevail on you to tell me what Gerard seemed to be when you first saw him?"


Asher said, "A king to all men. Which is very strange. No such ruler would be permitted by the empire."

Finndo said, "A king to all men. I must order a quarryman to lodge a sword in a stone. Gerard may need to prove the place Asher has suggested for him."

Julian said, "Finndo, seal your off-hand mouth or it will feel the back of my gauntlet. It was a time of greatness, even if it was ever a lost cause."

Osric said, "Here and now, a throne of men might be what is needed to shake the dust off this decrepit empire. I worry that we might be undertaken in the undertaking."

"Both are possible. We will need to make certain our efforts are winning ones."

Julian said, "Asher, can you cook at all? A traveller like you, must have some skill? I fear if we ask the ladies to prepare our meal we will be for it."


Asher said, "I can manage but I wouldn't say it will make you forget better meals."

Julian replied, "Too bad. It's when a squire came in handy."


Finndo smiled and Osric asked why.

"I was just considering asking our sisters to prepare the meal. Who do you think would deal the first foray and at which of us?"

Each looked at one another as if silently drawing straws. Asher's smile lasted longest. The other three men nodded at him.

"You'd be the only one not to suffer greatly." said Finndo

"Mind you don't suggest it -- unless you're a gambler..." said Osric.

"... and a tremendous runner." added Julian, while his hounds salivated. Asher knew they wanted the hares they had chased down. He still didn't feel comfortable in that knowledge.



The four men made their way back to a new fire along the Barimen coast. On the way, they spoke of Axilduskan things while Julian's hounds played with Asher's lyorn, nipping at its heels and receiving the same in return. As they came closer to where they had left the rest of the family, they saw the fire burned upon a raised set of cairn stones, at what would become a small village in a time to come.