"Hey Murph."

"How's the project going?"

"Which one?"

"The Amber scorecard. You know, the one that people could use to keep track of all of the pissing contests with the kids up on the hill?"

"Oh, that. I had to quit and trash it. Things were changing so fast that I couldn't keep up. I'm not even sure who's in charge any more. There's a confusion of Ministers who have left but not resigned, unaccepted resignations, cabinet members who may or may not be cabinet members, and may or may not have criminal charges..."

"Anarchy, then?"

"Nah, anarchy would be better organized.."

"Too bad."

"Not to worry. I have a new project."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I'm even going to get the Wizards of the Coast to license it."

"Wow. Those guys are *everywhere*! What it called?"

"It's a new card game. I call it, 'Amber: The Confusion."

"Fitting title. Hey, the pictures even move!"

"Yep. Got a hedge mage to do that for me, as well as giving each card random abilities, and cards react differently, depending on who they're played against.."

"Really?"

"Yeah. Here's the Paolo card. When payed, there's a fifty-fifty chance that it either obliterates the opponents cards, or just makes a lot of cryptic pronouncements, leaving all of your cards and the opponent's cards hopelessly confused for a turn."

"Cool!"

"And the Nicolo card - it's deadly if your opponent has the Richard card and any female cards in play. The Nicolo card captures the female cards and the Richard card sulks, whines, and plays the piano for the next five turns."

"Wow. True to life."

"Yes, but the Richard card has a secret attack against the Colmar card. The Colmar card promptly becomes so enraged that it does nothing but curse at the Richard card and call it an idiot for the next two turns."

"Also true to life."

"And here's the 'Curse of Matthew' card. It can force opponent cards to unilaterally surrender and remove themselves from the game entirely."

"Hey, what's this one?"

"Don't touch it!!"

"Why - hey, that's King Jason, isn't it?"

"Yes, and that's why I don't want you to touch it."

"Why? What does it do?"

"I don't know, and I'm afraid to find out. It IS the Mad Monarch of Lupinia that we're talking about."

"Too true, too true. Still, it's pretty cool. A game of Amber: The Confusion might be a better way to keep track of actions up on the hill than your scorecard idea.

"Uh-huh. Scary, isn't it?

"Yep. Well, that's a pretty cool idea, Wally. You think you can get me a special deal once these go into production?

"Anything for a friend, Murph, anything for a friend."

"Thanks. Well, I gotta go back to work. Later, Wally.

"Later Murph."

"Amber" is copyright © Roger Zelazny; "Amber" the diceless RPG is copyright © Phage Press. No copyright infringement is intended.

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