![[UNICORN]](../Graphics/Icons/unicorn.gif){kind=icon}
Nikrowd, a shapeshifter, trump artist, sorceror, and lunatic
Martin, a prince of Amber
Mikele, a lord of chaos, also cousin to Martin
Charon, a former prisoner in Amber, also, a redhead
Captain of Finndo's palace guard (Capt), a lackey
Dworkin, creator of Amber
Katarina, a princess of Amber and knight errant
Keverian, a lord of Amber and Katarina's cousin
Dalamar, a diplomatic attache from Chaos
Felicia, a lady of Amber, trump artist, and redhead
Torquil, a true Amberite, Felicia's cousin, also a redhead
A manticore
Dworkin's Study. To the left is a door leading to the hallway. To the right are a kitchen, a closet, and a heavy wooden door.
Mikele sits in a chair, Martin lies unconscious on the sofa, Nikrowd sits in a comfy chir racking spells; Charon is in the kicthen, making soup.
[Sound effect, stage left: A knock at the door.]
Mikele picks up Martin and moves to the heavy wooden door. Charon appears in the kitchen doorway, watching.
Nikrowd-as-Dworkin opens the door, revealing a number of armed guardsmen, including the Captain of the Guard.
Nik: Did you bring the mail?
Capt: (to Mikele) You can come with us now.
Mika: No.
Capt: I'll have you know, I'm authorized to perform executions on the spot if you don't comply.
Mika: I'll make a note of that.
Exit Mikele, with Martin, through the heavy wooden door.
Nik: (to Captain) How rude! You will regret such inappropriate behaviour.
Exit Nikrowd-as-Alien, stage left, past the captain of the guard..
Nik: (off stage) Hah! I am invulnerable. Take that! And that!
[Sound effect: Battle ranging in a hallway.]
Enter, the captain of the guard.
Exit Charon, in flurry of magic and soup. Enter the manticore.
The other side of the heavy wooden door: a long narrow hallway with an even heavier wooden door at the far end and several closets.
Mika, carrying Martin (unconscious) opens the even heavier door, back tracks to the closet and steps inside with Martin.
[Sound effect: A splash and a scream.]
Enter, the captain of the guard.
Capt examines closets, finds them all empty, and walks to the far end of the hall.
Exit Capt, through the even heavier wooden door.
Enter, from the wall, Mika and Martin (unconscious).
Mika gently sets down Martin, tiptoes over to the even heavier wooden door, closes and bars it. Mika picks up Martin and both exit to the study.
Dworkin's study. On the floor is a great deal of soup and a (now dead) manticore. Sounds of battle can still be heard faintly from the hallway.
Enter, stage right, Mika and Martin.
Enter, stage left, Nikrowd-as-alien, covered with blood.
Mika and Nikrowd look at each other and the manticore.
Mika: Well, so much for Charon.
[Sound effect: a dragon roar, a scream and a thump.]
Nik: What happened to the Captain?
Mika smiles.
Dworkin's Study
Enter a collection of PCs: Mikele, Martin, Keverian, Katarina, Nikrowd, Torquil, Felicia, Dalamar.
Directly in front of the door to the hallway is a rearing manticore (stuffed), and the usual collection of slightly battered funriture, perhaps a little cleaner than usual. On the coffee table are a number scattered pages.
Felicia: What are those?
Mikele: Some describe how to get blood out of furniture (oops) and the others tell how to sew two pieces of fur togther so the seams don't show.
Enter, stage right, Dworkin.
Mikele: Ah, sorry about the mess the other day.
Dworkin: You kids never clean up after yourselves.
Nikrowd: I like what you've done with the manticore.
Dworkin: Yes, it came out rather well, didn't it?
The Royal Palace of Rebma
Torquil, Dalamar, Felicia, Nikrowd, Keverian, Katarina, Mikele, and Martin are seated discussing what should be done with the One Spikard.
Nikrowd: Okay, so nobody likes any of the options so far.
Katarina: We could give it to Dworkin.
Dalamar: Why not someone in Chaos?
Mikele: Because there's no one in Chaos we trust with that much power.
Dalamar: And you trust Dworkin?
Katarina: It's more that I don't think it significantly adds to his power, and so, it doesn't affect the balance of things.
Nikrowd: Exactly.
Dalamar: Well, how do we know he'll even want it?
Felicia: Well we can ask him.
Enter Dworkin, via trump.
Felicia: If we give the ring to you, will you keep it safe and not let anyone else have it?
Dworkin: If I had it, I wouldn't let anyone else have it.
Felicia: Yes. Yes. That's what we want. We're going to give this to you.
Dworkin: (to Dalamar) I'll trade you a stuffed manticore for that.
Dalamar: Thank you very much. We'll get back to you later. You can go now.
Exit Dworkin, shrugging.
Dalamar: You want me to give this to him? He's a lunatic.
Torquil: No. He has contempt for you. That's not the same thing.
Dalamar: I'm not going to give this to him.
Torquil: Then what are you going to do with it?
Dalamar: You all really think I should let him have it?
Torquil shrugs.
Nikrowd: I can live with that.
Keverian: That's the best idea I've heard.
Felicia: I guess.
Mikele: Sure.
Martin shrugs.
Katarina: Yes.
Dalamar: The rest of you aren't going to let me walk out of here with it, are you?
Keverian: No.
Others nod in agreement.
Dalamar: Well, then I guess I don't really have any choice, do I? Call Dworkin back in.
Enter Dworkin, shrugging.
Dworkin: What do you kids want now?
Dalamar: What will you give me for this?
Dworkin: I'll trade you a stuffed manitcore for that.
Dalamar: No, I don't think I'm interested in that. What else do you have?
Dworkin: How about whatever is on the top shelf of my closet.
Dalamar: Will you give me a Logrus sword or a Pattern sword?
Dworkin: I'll give you a teapot.
Dalamar: The teapot and a Logrus sword.
Dworkin: The teapot and a whole bag of tea.
Dalamar: The manticore and the whatever's on the top shelf.
Dworkin: All right.
Exit Dworkin.
![[TARA]](../Graphics/Icons/tara.gif){kind=icon}