Introducing Karlsen

Triton wrote:

Winnow wrote:
I didn't say it was a compelling argument. I said "I think."

You and straw men are well acquainted.

Straw men? Is this always how you react when you lose a debate?

No, this is how I react when someone mischaracterizes what I have said. It's understandable, to a certain extent, in oral discussion. It's not something that I will ignore when it's plain in print. I said (wrote) what I said.

However, I do want to apologize for being snippy. I have had a particularly bad week.

See, I'm not really an Amberite in real life.

I think it's unfair to say I mischaracterized a multipost discussion because the last post had the words "I think" in them. But I'll accept that I misunderstood the intent of your posts.

I hope your week gets better.

Ok I put a thread in the other forum about my deck building game. If David can put it so only players, he and I can see it I will put my ideas there. Been playtesting and the mechanics seem to work well. I think the deck composition needs some work though.

Happy Birthday Karlsen!

Thanks! Been ok, had to work though. We will have the party on the beach on Saturday. Picnic lunch with the family and a few beers. Should be a great time.

Well here it is! David stil veto or amend it but he tenatively approved it earlier.

Karlsen is actually Kai Shen but the slavers never could pronounce it correctly so they changed it to Karlsen but I will start at the beginning.

Karlsen was born to a scullery maid that had a fling with a visiting dignitary (an Amberite) and got caught in a family way. She resisted all attempts to marry her off (she couldn’t bring herself to settle for anyone else after that) and raised Kai Shen by herself.

After a hard childhood he signed up on a ship as soon as he was old enough. He traveled with trading ships until one day he was cast adrift by pirates. He was the sole survivor and had horrible scars from the ordeal. He put on a mask and then asked the Shi GaoGui {10th level noble} for a warship. He gave him the smallest ship in his navy and a commission but he had to raise and pay his own crew.

After many hunts he built up a small personal navy hunting pirates and appropriating their ships and wealth. He singlehandedly made the northern sea safe to sail. When a war started in the south the Emperor sent for a levy from the Shi GaoGui.

Kai Shen persuaded the Shi Gaogui to only send a token force which he was forced into leading as part of the bargain. As Kai Shen forsaw, (he knew whom the Emperor fought), the Emperor lost and the army and navy were decimated. Kai Shen was captured and sold into slavery. When he was sold they removed his mask and his scars had all healed and his face was whole again. He had seen this but kept his mask to hide it because he didn't want people to think he was a demon.

Kai Shen was made to work in a smithy because of his immense strength and endurance on the bellows. After years of service there he learned the art of the smith and he discovered he could craft mazing masterworks, but hid the ability from all but his teacher a master smith.

When a master clock maker made a masterpiece for the Warlord that owned Kai Shen, now Karlsen, he asked for a slave to help him in the forge. He was given leave to pick any he desired because the Warlord was distracted by the intricate clock. He chose Karlsen and they were forced to move to a land far away, because while honor bound to his word the Warlord wanted Karlsen back. There they became amazing partners and the wonders they created are still revered today.

When someone from Amber came to tell Karlsen of his heritage he couldn’t believe it. He and the Amberite(s) stayed up late with the clockmaker talking of what was Karlsen’s destiny.

The next morning Karlsen woke and went out of the house. He found the clockmaker dead in his favorite chair looking to the East. The clockmaker left a note for him expressing his happiness with Karlsen finding out about his destiny, but unable to bear with the thought of not being with him and equally unable to bring himself to hold Karlsen back from his destiny for he knew he was too old to travel. It was easier to end his long life on a happy note and be able to watch over Karlsen from beyond.

Karlsen then went to Amber and in time walked the Pattern. Since then he has buried himself in his workshop in the city of Amber. He makes fantastic devices, partially mechanical, partly mystical, part pattern, part Trump. Sometimes he takes long journeys to investigate some phenomena.

Currently he owns a large workshop in the Smith’s district and the bar next to it. He has a small army of employees that make a majority of his products, including some of the finest mechanical clocks ever made. His bar is a working man’s place that he and any guests can go and have a quiet drink. He only goes by Karlsen nowadays. He is known to buy Magical, mechanical or Trump artifacts.

(This bit is up to the players obviously but I have been lurking enough I think I have a feel for the characters) Aiden and Winnow are the only ones of the current generation that know his whole story. Aiden because Karlsen has him find things for him. Winnow because he likes to spar with him because he doesn't have to hold back. They also both like coming to his bar for beer. Other people who reside in Amber will know who he is but little more as he doesn’t go to the Castle unless asked by Vialle or one of the elders.

Presume he asked to be kept confidential and out of things until now, which is why Winnow has not mentioned him. After all, a man has a right to his privacy and if the Elders haven't pulled him into the situation until now, who is Winnow to bring it up?

In fact, we can retro-declare that Karlsen was also involved in making Winnow's armor as well as Julian. Perhaps Julian did the hardest bits and Karlsen did the basics.

Though, you really have to question the wisdom of the elders who would choose to send the Kier into diplomatic missions, and leave Karlsen in town.

PM me with any thoughts about how Karlsen and Mint would know one another. Karlsen would not have to hold back if sparring with Mint either for what that is worth. Indeed he might learn something.

Kierenne wrote:Though, you really have to question the wisdom of the elders who would choose to send the Kier into diplomatic missions, and leave Karlsen in town.

I believe the "third mission" was invented so that they didn't need to send the Kier on a diplomatic mission.

If the elders trust you then they let you go do your own think like Karlsen, Reena, and Aiden. If you volunteer like Triton, Winnow, and Mint you can get assigned to real missions. If they don't trust you then the word missions becomes a codeword for babysitting.

Kierenne wrote:Though, you really have to question the wisdom of the elders who would choose to send the Kier into diplomatic missions, and leave Karlsen in town.

Maybe they WANT to stir the opponents up. Maybe The Kier are stalking horses.

Or judas goats.

Even a loose cannon may prove useful if properly deployed.

Mint wrote:Even a loose cannon may prove useful if properly deployed.

As Winnow is attempting to prove even now.

Welcome Kai Shen. When I saw the master clockmaker reference I was going to suggest that he is probably someone Aiden would have dealings with, but I see you beat me to it. In addition to finding artifacts and such for Karlsen, I would suggest that Aiden also facilitates the sale of his mechanical and magical works by spreading word of them to potential interested parties, if you wish.

BTW what is the name of your shop and bar?

Mint wrote:If the elders trust you then they let you go do your own think like Karlsen, Reena, and Aiden. If you volunteer like Triton, Winnow, and Mint you can get assigned to real missions. If they don't trust you then the word missions becomes a codeword for babysitting.

Heh codeword. It's probably best if Random hides the babysitting locally from now on. The Kier aren't really safe to be left alone representing the kingdom's name out in the world.

Glad you're in the game, Kai Shen artificer! If you want to work on a backstory with Reena send me a PM.

Well after some thought here is what I come up with.

The Clockworks - A large stone building in the smithing district. The ground floor is a factory for producing clocks, sextants, compasses and other complicated mechanical devices. In the back is a full foundry that only in in full swing when Karlsen has a big project going. In front on the second floor is his personal workshop where he draws up plans, paints, and builds wooden mock ups of his devices.

The Quitting Time - a small cozy bar next to The Clockworks. Large booths along the walls and a few tables in the center of the room and a small platform in one corner. There are also several private rooms upstairs for dining. In the back is a kitchen to prepare bar fare and not much else.

The Clock Shop - A small shop of clocks and other mechanical devices along Merchant's Row. Run by an old spinster who has a mind of a steel trap and can pinch a penny till it bleeds. She also haggles like a arab caravan master. Above the shop are Karlsen's living quarters when he doesn't just sleep on a cot at The Clockworks. There is also a shop for objects of Magic and Power in the basement, though she only sells those things to elite clients.

Thanks very much for the second warm welcome! Trying to wade through it all.

Mint - From your writing it sounded like you spent more time out in Arden than in Amber. If you spent time sparing with Winnow then he certainly would have introduced Karlsen to Mint and they would surely have all sparred together and she would know him well. If she takes the time to come have drinks down at The Quitting Time then she would know his whole story also.

Winnow - I thought that would be an obvious tie in, but didn't know how you came about your armor so I didn't want to speak for you.

Karlsen has been up to his eyebrows in projects lately (some for the elders) so he has been too busy to help out to this point. Now he has reached an end to his projects and is ready to do a bit of adventuring.

By the way, he now goes by Karlsen. Very few know that his first name was Kai Shen. He has closed the book on that part of his life and moved past it.

Karlsen wrote:Mint - From your writing it sounded like you spent more time out in Arden than in Amber. If you spent time sparing with Winnow then he certainly would have introduced Karlsen to Mint and they would surely have all sparred together and she would know him well. If she takes the time to come have drinks down at The Quitting Time then she would know his whole story also.

Mint certainly does spend more time in the Arden than Amber, but she has been in known in Amber for 5 years compared to Winnow's 1 year. Mint and Winnow have never sparred together although they both look forward to the opportunity soon.

How long ago did Karlsen come to Amber?

If he arrived within the last year then he and Mint have probably barely met. She had a busy year. If he has been in Amber at least 6 months or so then Mint almost certainly has a Trump of him. She would have called or visited him in the days before the party to ask if he had encountered any Crimson Unicorn Trumps or symbols.

If he arrived at least 2 years ago, but less than 5 then he and Mint would have had the chance to talk as she's fairly social and not averse to drinking. She would have at least offered to spar with him if he seemed reasonably skilled. She also would have shown him some of the clockwork devices from her home Shadow of Iv. If he knows anything about making a spell storage device she would be interested in acquiring one.

If Karlsen arrived in Amber more than 5 years ago he may well be one of the first members of the family that she met in Amber. When she first arrived she visited a number of local bars asking questions about the local royalty. Given the prevalence of clockworks in Iv, Mint would have found a bar next to a clock factory interesting.

Karlsen has been in Amber since just after Patternfall, almost 10 years. I missed the cronology of when people arrived so actually Mint probably introduced him to Winnow, not the other way around. Still trying to get my head around all the details.

Now lets see how David weaves me into the plots...

Mint wrote:If he knows anything about making a spell storage device she would be interested in acquiring one.

Wouldn't it just burn your chaps if Kierenne knew Conjuration and Sorcery, and so could create spell-stacking objects?

Karlsen: Sent you a PM

Kierenne: Not especially. Mint doesn't want anything from Kierenne. If Kierenne baked Mint a cake, Mint would check it for explosives. What else is a frenemy for?

Although Fergus doesn't know Karlsen at game start I suspect that he'd have alot to talk about with Karlsen. Looking forward to meeting him in game.

Yeah I think it will be interesting. I see Karlsen has come from what we would call a practical engineering approach and worked through the mechanical to the artistic end of engineering. Fergus seems to have started with the theoretical end, is dabbling in the practical applications of the theories, and will head somewhere interesting when he collects more data.

Fergus will have to come up with some some serious gold to afford all the goodies he will spot at The Clock Works. LOL.

By the way does anyone know if Amber uses paper money or gold? I don't remember any of the books saying one way or another.