Aife

Colors: Indigo and Black

Trump: Aife has two known Trump images, depending on you're background. A family trump drawn when she was very young and a current trump from Chaos.

Amber: She is a girl around 16 years of age, light brown hair cut at the shoulder. She wears an elegant dress of indigo and black fit for a dinner party, yet with her right hand she balences a longsword point down on her index finger. Face forward she regards you with a mischievous grin. Despite all this, her eyes are what catch your attention, so dark you cannot tell where iris and pupil meet.

Chaos: A tall pale woman with long brown/reddish hair that seems to ripple like fire if you stare too long. Her clothes are indigo, and she wears a black iron breastplate bearing the symbol of her father, a prismatic hammer. Bearing a mischievous grin she holds a broken lance in her right hand and a withered flower in her left. A large round ring of lapis lazuli is on her left index finger. Her dark eyes are her most noticable feature, as they seem to hold no color but the darkest black. Unforgettable and cold.

Public History:

Aife is the only daugher of Lucien and his wife Inixia, who was of Chaos to those in the know. Born and raised in Amber, most of her relatives remember her as a young troublesome girl who was always playing pranks on the servants and family. At the age of 12, her parents were rumored to have been killed in a far off shadow by agents of Chaos. These rumors were then substantiated when Benedict took Aife in as a ward to raise like a daughter.

The years from then up to her disappearance were spent the way most expected a ward of Benedicts to be spent, under martial tutalage and constant training. So entusiastic was her persuit into the ways of battle, that Aife was thought to be promising as a future general and weapon master much like her guardian. Although it was a stretch to think that the king truly thought of the girl as a daughter, most accepted that he, at least, thought of her as family. Whether this was positive or negative is up to debate, but when she was kidnapped before her 18th birthday(the day she was to walk The Pattern) it is said that the king was in a rage not unlike that of his fathers.(this was not said aloud)

To those of you with connection to the Courts of Chaos, Aife spent the next part of her life under the watchful eyes of her mother Inixia, the recently returned Lord of Chaos presumed to have been killed with Lucien. Her father, still by all acounts dead, had left her a terrible blade called Sgathaich. Many citizens of Chaos where actually quite surprised to learn that Lucien even had a daughter as the only topics he ever brought up in the courts regarded his craft. It was quetly joked that with the love and time he put into smithing he couldn't have had time to make a daughter with his wife and that Sgathaich was his real child.(this is also not said aloud).

Artist Notes:

Regrettably, Ghen-Ki told me that he envisioned Tilda Swinton as the character after I’d begun work on the Trump, so I didn’t use a picture of that enthralling actress. The photo I’d started with, however, was an enchanting and lyrical portrait from, of all things, a site selling wedding dresses. It grabbed me immediately (or I grabbed it) because it actually shows up on the first page of a Google image search for “redhead.” What made it perfect was the model’s hair, which put me in mind of the fire imagery in the trump description. This Trump actually took the longest: I did extensive "hot wax coating” to make the dress indigo, and to make the bodice look somewhat like an iron breastplate. I was particularly pleased with the hammer symbol on the breast, and the lapis lazuli ring I dropped in – on the correct figure, I might add. Filling the left border with the flames from the To Dance With the Devils web site’s background finished off the Trump nicely.

Artist Notes:

This was the first Trump I did for the game, since I like starting with my own characters to kind of set the tone – and to make the most mistakes on, so that those I do for others are even better. I found a great shot of armor from the video game God of War II (an appropriate source), but finding good pictures of Michael Clarke Duncan proved more difficult than I had thought. I finally found one that could work, but then re-discovered the difficulty of putting photos of real people together with drawn art. I worked for a looooong time trying to make the two look like they went together, playing with gamma correction and highlights. What finally made it work as well as it does (you be the judge) was sharpening the photo to a high degree, thus mimicking the more simplistic edges of a line drawing.

Personal Symbol: Silver Wing on a Blue Field

Colors: White, Blue and Gold

Trump Description: (Gizette is openly represented in the Family Trump deck as, at one time, anyone might need to call on her services.)

I couldn't help but chuckle at the next card. Gizette always had that effect on me. A bright laughing girl, Gizette's blue eyes seemed to twinkle with the laughter that was always part of her life. Her blonde hair was cropped short, exposing of her heart-shaped face and mischevious smile to all the world.

The painter had caught Gizette in one of her rare still moments. She sat upon a fine white mare, reins held loosely and confidently in one gloved hand and I remember that Julian's little sister boasted that she could ride any mount ever bred with the exception of the Mighty Morgenstern. She hadn't been proven wrong in my memory.

Gizette wore a vest of sapphire blue with gold piping over a peasant blouse of whitest linen. One shapely leg clothed in matching sapphire blue trousers showed against the horse's saddle. Brown leather gauntlets and boots folded back at the knee completed the attire of Oberon's premiere courier.

Public History:

Gizette was born between Julian and Gerard and, like her brothers, had a strong sense of duty and responsibility toward Amber. Whereas Gerard was Admiral of the South Fleet and Julian was Warden of Arden, Gizette was Oberon's personal courier.

From an early age, Gizette proved to be a girl in motion. Nothing could keep her still for long. She was in the saddle by five and riding full sized warhorses by nine. After fairly running the Pattern at 22, Gizette proved to have an affinity for hell-riding that was unmatched in her family. With her older brother Benedict's tutelage and her own tendency to race through Shadow whenever possible, Gizette soon became quite the expert hell-rider.

Her legacy within Amber, though, is that Gizette founded the Écurie des Champions, the Stable of Champions or more familiarly, L'Ecurie at the tender age of 60. This enormous compound just outside of Amber city proper houses the finest mounts from all of Shadow. While there is a distinct tendency toward horses and other equines, dragons, running birds and reptiles, dolphins, enormous battle cats and other beasts are not neglected either.

In the distant past, when Gizette was actually in Amber, she was most often to be found at L'Ecurie, caring for the stock, trading horse-stories with the staff, riding some new resident or just in general having a good time.

However, even then Gizette was not actually in Amber often. As Oberon's premier courier, Gizette was most often off on a mission. And as such had an astonishing familiarity with Shadow, the Golden Circle and other areas of the King's interest, including the occasional visit to Chaos. When not carrying message for the King of Amber, Gizette was always willing to lend her services to those of her siblings she favors. Gizette, then and now, would far rather be in the saddle and riding than any other thing one would care to name. Sex does not head her list.

Except in one instance. Extremely discretely -- as it would have meant both their deaths under Oberon's reign -- Gizette had been carrying on a centuries long affair with her half-brother Bleys. They were extremely careful to only meet in Shadows far from Amber, and to maintain a cool mien toward one another while in Amber itself.

Gizette didn't have to work to keep a cool mien toward Bleys' full siblings, considering both Brand and Fiona too much work to be around. Her other siblings don't seem to bother her much at all, something she shares with her brother Gerard. Siblings she has carried messages for in the past include her own full brothers, of course as well as Benedict, Finndo, Osric, Llewella, Eric, Dierdre and Caine. Corwin just seemed a little creepy to her and Gizette didn't enjoy Florimel's eye-rolling at her boyish attire.

At one time, Gizette's pride and joy had been the Ailes Argentées. A gift to her from her brother Julian, the master conjurer, the Ailes Argentées were a plain golden kirtle most of the time. But when Gizette truly needed to make speed, two enormous silver wings unfurled from her back and the girl became a lightning angel of velocity. Gizette was no more discrete about the nature of the Ailes Argentées than Corwin was concerning Grayswandir or Julian was concerning Morgenstern. The Ailes Argentées were a part of her and who she was.

All that has changed.

After Gizette's notorious behavior during the Affair of the Rose, her situation in Amber has changed dramatically. Still known for her rather... impetuous kidnapping of Oberon’s last Queen and with her relationship with Bleys out in the open, Gizette has chosen to make herself scarce within Amber. Despite the fact that it was she who first hailed Benedict as King, Gizette has never felt the temptation to put herself under his rule.

Shortly after Benedict's Coronation, Gizette left Amber, returning to Chaos to remain by her recovering beloved's side. That was a very long time ago and Gizette has not been back since.

Those with Chaosian connections may have been able to learn more about Amber's missing courier. Gizette remained by Bleys'; side in House Courvalis for the centuries it took him to recover to consciousness. Despite numerous invitations and attempts, she did not participate in the social life of Chaos. Though perhaps her extensive exposure to Lord Merganthe showed, because as the centuries turned onward the naive daughter of Order began to have less and less trouble with the wild environments of Chaos.

Once Bleys recovered enough to leave his stasis chamber, he and Gizette set up an independent living situation - a situation that eventually led to a House that Bleys chose to call Candent.

While Gizette was never a key player in the House's formation or it's subsequent politics, she was not completely absent either, notably treating the whole thing as one of beloved's hobbies. But an interest she didn't share.

The early days of the House were characterized by fiery battles and equally hot reconciliations between the two. After their first tumultous century together, Gizette and Bleys seem to have settled upon a relationship that works for them both.

Gizette's wandering nature remains strong and the Princess is often off in Shadow, learning new skills (usually involving some combination of vehicles or mounts and speed) or doing whatever she wishes, while Bleys remains in Chaos, learning new skills (usually involving some combination of higher powers and politicking) or doing whatever he wishes. And if either of them have relationships when apart, well... that's when they're apart.

When Gizette returns to Chaos, whether for a day, a month, a year or a decade, she is Bleys'; Lady and he is her Lord and the two are the center of House Candent. Together.

So far that seems to be working admirably.

Artist Notes:

This was the second Trump I did for Devil King, and the second Trump of Gizette I’ve ever done, since I did one for To Dance With the Devils. I liked this picture of Kirsten Dunst – she looked older than the photo I used for Gizette’s first Trump (because she is), she exudes the bubbly Gizette personality, her eyes are fabulous, and she has the short hair that Leslie insists is still the character’s hair style. That hair caused a lot of work, because the original photo had wisps of blonde hair going everywhere. My original attempt to put a rainbow-like Chaosian sky in the background failed miserably. Then I found these great paintings of wings (which I turned silver) to use as a background, and they are the element of the Trump with which I am most satisfied. I tried several things with the shirt to make it look more Amber, but couldn’t, so settled for adding a horse pattern to indicate Gizette’s history as a courier. It all worked, after a fashion, but I still don’t think this is the best Trump possible. If time allows, I may attempt a new version later.

Artist Notes:

How do you create a trump for a character whose main element is, “she’s mysterious”? Well, it helps if you have a well-written, evocative description. (Check.) It really helps if you stumble upon the perfect photo. (Check and mate.) The photo was so ideal, so close to how I imagined Mike’s description, that I agonized over how I could possibly manipulate it to improve it – let alone without ruining it. Fortunately, we had already played the first session, and I discovered that Sakura was a shape-shifter, and favored an equine form. There was a long search for a workable horse drawing or photo, which I ended up colorizing green. Some work with flood fill, and the result was the Trump of a woman looking equal parts wood nymph and horse spirit – someone you could easily believe was a forest-dweller with many forms.

Colors: Green and white

Trump: Actually, I don't think there are any trumps of Sakura. But if there were one, it might be something like:

A teenaged girl of 16, hair cut artlessly short and adorned with flowers and leaves. Simple white dress. Long limbed and delicate; thin to the point of looking starved. Large brown eyes eyes staring questioningly out of the card, an unsure smile.

Public History: Unknown. Sakura is a secret. Mysterious...

Trump: Drawn before his falling-out with Caine and his personal travels in shadow, this trump (and its description) is old.

Solomon is a young lad of no more than 18 years. He is dressed meticulously in navy slacks, a navy, long-sleeved, double-breasted coat, and pristine white gloves. He stands at attention and seems to tower above you, tall and lean, as his cerulean eyes stare, placid and unemotive, through you.

Public History: Solomon, at the time just another hand in Caine's fleet, attempted to mutiny at the age of 16. The mutiny wreaked havoc on the fleet and in order to avoid further loss of numbers Caine agreed to duel Solomon for control. Solomon was defeated that day, but realizing Solomon was his son, and seeing in him a valuable, yet dangerous asset, Caine spared Solomon's life and placed him as second in command.

At 18 Solomon was taken to walk the pattern. Immediately after returning to the sea, Solomon again challenged Caine for leadership of the fleet and again lost. This time Solomon chose to leave instead of resuming second and went to find his way in Shadow.

Recently Solomon has returned to the vicinity of Amber with a pirate fleet to prey on trade in the Golden Circle.

Artist Notes:

I originally did some work on a photo of Russell Crowe from “Master and Commander,” but there were several issues: I was afraid he would be too recognizable; he looked to old for Caine’s son; and I imagined Solomon more swarthy (despite that his description doesn’t mention hair color). Then I found this great shot of a young Ioan Gruffudd as Horatio Hornblower. It seemed to have the perfect expression: the naval officer about to mutiny. Other than that history, I didn’t really have a hook for this Captain (pun intended). So, I decided to use an element out of the first session, and put in a horde of demons behind the ship. Who knew it was so hard to find a picture of a horde of demons? I ended up creating a few of my own, using the profile from the Babylon 5 “Shadows” and some demon eyes. I tried overlaying one like a mask, showing that Solomon had fallen under Julian’s sway – but I had to settle for knowing that his cerulean eyes line up with those of the demon right behind him.

Artist Notes:

For some reason, this was the easiest Trump of all. Perhaps the fact that Andi e-mailed me a site with some great pics of Joaquin Phoenix, and the sword that the character used, got me on the right track immediately. It went very quickly from there, even though I did something new: I used my beloved flood fill to help alter the cut of the character’s clothing. It worked remarkably well. The black jacket was like a blank canvas, and although it’s not a perfect look (I would have preferred a mail vest, or some more folds showing on the shoulders) it turned out fairly unique and even believable, as if Thomas were wearing a sleeveless wool coat over a mail shirt. The sword fairly dropped into his hand as if he were meant to wield it. I struggled to find a way to work Eric’s red in with the black, then came across a shield on an SCA site that I colorized – and voila! (Oh yes; if you look closely, you can see I gave him gray eyes. This was not the only Trump where I had to change eye color.)

Thomas looks to the viewer of the card with little expression, caring little for the lack of charm in his trump portrait. His hair is the color of night like his father's and his eyes are a pale shade of gray. He sits stiffly, seeming to be recovering from his wounds from a battle. He wears a heavy greatcoat reinforced with woven plates, which covers a chain shirt and red tabard. A silver sword rests at his side.

Personality:

Thomas is a gruff man, wanting to be left to do his work for the crown and be at peace. He typically seems aggravated, but has been known to have some moments of sympathy and compassion.

Public History:

Son of Eric, Thomas was raised in shadow and brought to Amber when he became of age to walk the Pattern. He spent several years in Amber learning the ways of the court and military, having natural talent from his father in battle and accepting additional training from Benedict. During Thomas' stay in Amber, a plot was revealed that Eric was attempting to amass an army to attack Amber. Eric was imprisoned, and soon after Thomas joined the military. To this day Thomas is an important enforcer of King Benedict's reign.

Artist Notes:

I had decided on Hugo Weaving as Benedict even before I remembered he played Elrond in LOTR. Then I found those wonderful images, including one of Elrond leading the elven army, and shouting his bloody head off. I duplicated the rank of soldiers as a background, added a layer of shouting Hugo, and dropped a Jewel of Judgement in on his necklace. Getting the right balance between that layer and the sitting pose took some doing - I wanted it to look like Benedict was attacking, but also shouting in his more placid self's face. The rose in the corner is thematic, and also practical, since the sitting photo didn't quite extend to the border. I was rather pleased with the finished product: Benedict shown both as the concerned king, and the bloody, screaming revenant he becomes when betrayed.