The black side of an elegant chess board lines the bottom of the Trump, her pieces arrange in daringly offensive position. The whites ranged against her reflect the careful attention to detail characterized by the man who put them there.
A large ornate lamp sends soft gold light flickering across tousled blonde hair and casts amber highlights in blue eyes. In good humor, Scipio leans back in the heavily padded chair. Wine goblet in one hand, he gestures out over the board with the other with a flourish. Idle pieces, taken equally from both sides watch silently. While on the board, the white bishop and the black knight square off.
The gesture and the gleam in his eyes seem to insinuate that, it's your move.
Argent a fess engrailed between 2 dolphins azure. (A white field. A scalloped blue line divides the shield. A blue dolphin is above and below the line. )
---When Shadows Fall Campaign
Scipio is one of the older third generation Amberites. The eldest son of Flora, he was and to a large extent still is a devoted son of his mother. He has had an interesting history. Being born and raised in Amber, he enjoyed life there as a Prince about town. A nasty incident with Fiona when he was ten help crystallize a phobia for magic. Although he is a ladies man, his longest relationship, a tragic one, was initiated when a certain young noblewoman of Rebma named Delphina turned the tables and courted HIM. If you like, you can read the story I wrote on their meeting.
It did not last, however. Not because she and Scipio did not get along--in matter of fact, it seemed that they were destined for each other. The problem was that Delphina's mother, Lady Anenome, absolutely refused her daughter the right to marry a "drylander"--even if he was a Prince of Amber. Eventually, after much wrangling, the issue was decided by Oberon, and against the couple. Scipio and Delphina's glorious affair ended.
As a result, though, Scipio's life was set. Flora took him with her into Shadow, and together, they found Earth, and Corwin. Scipio decided to never lose an argument again, and it was at this time that he started learning the art of diplomacy. When he finally returned to Amber, he enlisted in the diplomatic Core.
Life went well until tragedy struck. Scipio received word that Delphina had contracted terminal pancreatic Cancer. Going to her, he could only helplessly watch as she said goodbye to him, and died. Scipio's true love was apparently dead. Scipio fled into Shadow for years, refusing contact with anyone. He eventually returned to Amber, but was a wreck long thereafter. It also helped instill that streak of fatalism. After all, if the person who seemed to be the one for you was first denied to you, and then died in front of you, is the universe not a hostile place, then?
Life went on, though. Eric took control of Amber for a time, and Scipio was in his favor for a time, as his mother was. Eric supported Scipio's diplomatic career, as this story will attest.
Corwin returned, and the War with Chaos came. Scipio had a brief, intense affair with the enemy--one Laila of Hendrake. You can read that story, too, if you like.
After the War, Scipio continued his diplomatic skills, under the new King, Random. He has risen high in his estimation and it is in this role that Scipio usually finds himself in games and campaigns in which he is placed.
And you can also, if you like,read some of the logs from Scipio's greatest triumph as a player character--his original campaign. Read the Log of When Shadows Fall.