Uneasy Lies the Head ... : Game Information

	It is a time before the founding of Amber. Events start in the Courts of Chaos where the Royal House of Devall has ruled since the founding of Thelbane, and you are one of the great, influential or mighty of the First Realm. You have risen to eminence through right of blood, treachery, political skill, survival of the Logrus, valour in battle, or the favour of the Divine Serpent.

	Character creation can be drawn from either of the standard rulebooks and is based on 300 points. As one of the wise or the mighty of chaos you may have any powers up to exalted (be inventive), so long as you can justify it. (Note, no Pattern based power is permitted - at best knowledge of the Pattern is only dark rumour, or fell prophecy). Items of power or minions will be judged for acceptance on submission. Certain of the available titles or ranks available in the game grant military might or political influence represented by troops with certain levels of skill or movement or secrets and blackmail that will be issued once character details are received.

	The following are a list of available positions of power in the Courts. Being an Account of Titles in Chaos The King, Chosen of the Serpent, Master of Thelbane, Son of Chaos - 10 pts He is the absolute ruler of the Courts of Chaos, first-born of Chaos, his rule was blessed by the Divine Serpent. Tradition and Law support him, might and power backs it up. For he commands the very energies of Thelbane, and under the commander of the Imperial Army, Twenty Legions of the Imperial Terror Guard to ensure no single House could hope to oppose his will. Yet in this time of uncertainty there are those who indirectly oppose the will of the crown and question the right of the Royal House to govern the affairs of the Courts. King's Son / Daughter - 5 pts The children born of the Kings union with the Royal Consort granted prestige and power over the subjects of the Courts in the Kings name. They are accompanied at all times by a Demon Guardian of tremendous skill that will live or die at the command of the child of the Blood Royal. There are still those House still loyal to the Throne that seeks the ear of the King through his offspring. They stand to inherit the Serpent Throne, though if the Royal House falls. Keeper of the Logrus - 5 pts A mighty Logrus Master, the Keeper is charged with the guardianship of the Logrus and the position carries tremendous political influence for it is the Keeper who decides who is ready to attempt to traverse the Logrus and become a true lord of chaos. Even with his approval, many who attempt the Logrus do not emerge intact. At any time there are a number of children of the various Houses studying under him. He has command of a Legion of Fanatical Demons, called the Hand of the Logrus who guard the secret halls of power. Lord of Logrus Mastery - 5 pts Among the most skilled of Logrus Adepts, he commands powers beyond the understanding of all but the greatest of the Logrus Masters. He commands a political mastery of Logrus as much as skill. Only the Lord of Logrus Mastery is permitted to link Realms or Ways to the Courts. Until recent turning a powerful position, but with the discovery of the newly formed Shade Realms beyond the fringes of the Void. High Priest of the Serpent - 5 pts The leader of the powerful Serpent Church, and voice of the Divine Serpent in daily religious affairs he commands the hearts of the peoples of the Courts, and holds great influence over the common demons of the hordes. After all, the Divine Serpent dwells in the Great Abyss and is the Living God of Chaos, who would not believe his word? He holds the relics of the faithful, among which the Great Trump of the Serpent. He resides in the Cathedral-Citadel of Serpents Spire and commands Five Legions of the Serpent Guard. His position is not as absolute as it once was. The faithful of the church demand revenge for the mutilation of the Divine Serpent and await a response, for now. Consort of the Serpent - 5 pts A High Lady of Chaos chosen as Consort she resides in the Chambers of the Serpent within Thelbane. Prolonged proximity with the Serpent, He that is Chaos Incarnate tends to have an affect on the mind and form of His Chosen. It is said that Prophecy and the Sight (perhaps partaking of visions of the Sightless Eye) have driven her mad. Keeper of the Lineage - Malia of Devall Perhaps the only apolitical in the Courts, and acknowledged the only truly neutral person in all of Chaos. The Keeper of the Lineage holds the bloodlines of the entirety of the Courts in her mind and knows the lineage of all beings touched. Said to be the greatest of Shape-shifters and of the first brood of the Serpent, the word of the Keeper is required to acknowledge any ascension within Chaos, whether of Birth, House or Throne. Mistress of Forms - 5 pts Among the most skilled of all Shape-shifters, commanding powers beyond the understanding of all but the Keeper of the Lineage. The Mistress of Forms holds title to Mastery of Shape-shifting and many Houses owe favours for various deeds that only the most skilled of shape-shifter can perform. At any time there are a number of children of the various Houses studying under the Shape-shifter Adept. Mistress of Trump - 5 pts Among the most skilled of all Artists, commanding powers beyond the understanding of all but the greatest of Trump Artists. Due to political influence the Mistress of Trump holds title to Mastery of Trump Artistry and many Houses owe favours for various deeds that only one the most skilled of that profession can perform. It is her responsibility to maintain and expand the Gates that link various public places in the Courts. At any time there are a number of children of the various Houses studying under her and the majority of Trumps in circulation are made by her or her students. Master of Sorcery - 5 pts Among the most skilled of all Sorcerers, commanding powers beyond the understanding of all but the greatest of workers of magic. Due to political influence the Master of Sorcery holds title to Mastery of the Arts and many Houses owe favours for various deeds, that one of the most skilled of that profession can perform. It is the duty of the Master of Sorcery to invoke any arcane judgements on behalf of the King. At any time there are always a number of children of the various Houses studying with him. Lord Artificer - 5 pts Among the most skilled of all Conjurers, commanding powers beyond the understanding of all but the greatest of workers of magic. Due to political influence the Lord Artificer holds title to Mastery of the Arts of Conjuration and many Houses owe favours for various deeds, that only the most skilled of that profession can perform. At any time there are always a number of children of the various Houses studying with him. First Battlelord of Chaos - 5 pts Supreme war master of Chaos and the acknowledged master of arms and strategy. Kings Champion and leader of the Dragon Host the elite fighting force of Chaos. The Host is the fleetest of military forces in the Courts, the most heavily empowered and also the smallest. Commander of the Imperial Guard - 5 pts High General of the armies of the crown, he commands the Legions of the Imperial Terror Guard in the King's name. Feared for the deadly skill and numbers under his command he implements the Kings wishes and defends the Courts from the Demons and Horrors of the Void. These troops are well equipped disciplined and trained. They have a tradition of victory. Commander of the Serpent Guard - 5 pts High Captain of the armies of the church, she commands the Legions of the Serpent Guard in the High Priest's name. A well equipped, allegedly ceremonial force, that guards the Serpent's Spire, and defends the faithful of the Church. High Chancellor - 5 pts Manages the daily affairs and running of Thelbane, arranges the King's appointments and priorities the decisions that the King signs off on. Commands the legions of servants and demons that maintain Thelbane. Keeper of Sheol - 5 pts The are those who through the ages have fallen from the King's Favour but whose political value have not quite ended. Political Prisoners, Demons and Lords that failed to fully master the Logrus, victims whose powers have gone awry. All are banished to Sheol, the living graveyard of Chaos a realm of gloom and twilight that inhibits the use of powers within it dark Ways. The Keeper of Sheol maintains the Prison of Sheol. Master of Demons - 5 pts Among the most skilled of Logrus Adepts, he commands powers beyond the understanding of all but the greatest of the Logrus Masters. He commands a political mastery of Logrus as much as one of skill. As Master of Demons, he is permitted to call forth from the Void new Breeds of Demons. Until recent turning a powerful position, but with the discovery of the newly formed Shade Realms beyond the fringes of the Void. Lord Inquisitor - 5 pts The voice of Church Law in daily religious affairs, he commands fear in the hearts of the peoples of the Courts. A new position created after the theft of the Eye he roots out Heresy, Corruption, and Disloyalty to the Serpent and is held in some favour by the Great Serpent. He resides in the Cathedral-Citadel of Serpents Spire and commands the respect of the Serpent Guard. He uses the faithful of the church demand for revenge, to strengthen her influence and his own power. Warden of Thelbane - 5 pts Independent of the Imperial Terror Guard, the Warden of Thelbane has sworn to defend Thelbane to the Great Serpent Itself. He commands a Legion of Wraith Guard that even in death are bound to their oath to the Divine Serpent. Head of Noble House - 5 pts A High Lord of Chaos, one who lineage can be traced back to the first born of the Great Serpent. The House holdings are one of the Realms that circle Thelbane. One Legion of highly trained and equipped House Guards defends the House. Head of House - 1 pts A Lord of Chaos, one whose lineage can be traced back to a Demon who successfully traversed the Logrus. The House holdings are a small Ways at the very edge of the Courts, it has not yet grown to the size of a Noble House realm. A small Demon Horde defends the Ways.

	Being an Account of Demonkind - what is commonly accepted Born from the random birthing of change within the Void, Demons are very definitely second class citizens, yet they are the servants, lovers, and cannon fodder that the various Lords of Chaos depend on. And rare it is to find a Lord of Chaos who does not have at least one demon as a grand parent though this is never mentioned in polite society. Any creature not descended of the Serpent is classed as a demon. However, there is an old law that any demon that survives the Logrus intact becomes a Lord of Chaos and is granted the right to found a House.

	Being an Account of the Genesis of Chaos - and the coming of the Enemy of Change, what is commonly known It is said that in the beginning all was Chaos, formless and ever changing. Darkness and Light boiled over the surface of the Void, Forms and Concepts exploded in to being or ceased in the waters of Chaos. And so it was that the essence of Chaos hovered over the surface of the Void. Now in the Heart of Darkness, the Abyss dwelt the Great Serpent. Begotten of Chaos, Spirit of Fire, Creation and Destruction slumbered in His Eyes. To Him are Dominion, Power and the Glory of Chaos. By His will he made the First Realm and set Thelbane at its heart, he gave form to Chaos and placed the Essence of Chaos, the Logrus at the heart of Thelbane. It came to pass that the Great Serpent brought forth children of Its blood that they might dwell in His presence and guard and partake of the Logrus that they might bring Form and Change to the Void in His Name. Now the Children of His Blood prospered and multiplied and in the passing of Ages the First Realm grew and changed and the Courts came to be. Great Islands of ever changing nature and form circled Thelbane, and the Children of the Great Serpent revelled in Chaos. In the Void beyond the Courts, life is more desperate, more brutal, more fleeting than anywhere. Every race and every creature is armoured, toothed, clawed, and of deadly cunning. Every weapon, every protection, every unearthly power and talent must be bettered daily, as, in the glorious desperation to survive there every other race and creature does the same. To fail once is to be extinguished. To stay the same is to be extinguished. In the void of chaos none but the fittest survive, and only by remaking themselves constantly. Even in paradise, there are those unsatisfied with the gifts and blessing bestowed on the children of the Great Serpents blood and so they seek greater challenges and strive to bring about change. To the Great Serpent, the Changer of Ways, such champions of Chaos are most beloved. Word has been whispered through the Ways of the Great Houses of Chaos, and the Halls of Power that some primal beast attacked the Great Serpent deep in the Void. In the titanic battle the Great Serpents eye, that which was the Left Eye of Creation, was torn from Its Form. In the cycle (year) that followed the theft of the Eye, there have been dreadful storms and reality-quakes that have shattered realms and cast holdings and Ways in to the Abyss. The Serpent has woken from its pain wracked slumber and circles Thelbane giving voice to His hate and rage for one of His children's children has gone too far and sought to bring forth unchanging Order to the Void of Chaos. The Void of Chaos has diminished and beyond lie dark and blasted realms torn forth from the upheaval of recent tunings. These Dark Realms partake of the stuff of Chaos and are mutable but more consistent in their themes than the First Realm. Demons, Primal forces and other beings abound. Shadows of Chaos exist in infinite variations, sprung full born from the stuff of the Void. There is pressure within the Houses to expand in to these new territories for resources, troops, and holding for younger sons and daughters, and there has been some unsanctioned expansion in to the new zone of realms that spread outwards from the Courts. Sixty turnings ago the King ordered Five full legions of the Imperial Terror Guard be sent out from Thelbane under the command of the High Lord Tarsin Devall in to the new Realms seeking a wound in the purity of Chaos, that was prophesied by the Consort of the Serpent. "Weep for the Forsaken One has scorned the Embrace of Mother Chaos and the Great Serpent our Father and laid down with the thrice-accursed Unicorn, Bringer of Stagnation and Entropy and brought in to being an abomination. Together with the Enemy of Change they struck a secret blow against our Beloved, the Serpent and corrupted the Eye of Creation. And the ages of our glory have ended with the shaping of a terrible Malice in whose Stagnant Heart lay the Sign of Order, Bane of Chaos." He has not returned and no one has been able to contact him or any in his command. Support for the King is in decline, there are whispers of treachery and plots within the halls of the powerful. Some seek the destruction of the new realms, and a restoration of the traditions of the Courts, others embrace the changes seeking advantage in the current upheaval and talk of civil war. Meanwhile, the King hunts for traitors and the first to feel his wrath and the might of the Imperial Terror Guard is likely to be the Once Noble House of Barimen. Or Perhaps, You.