The Unicorn

[Corambis]

Another alternative, although one that I am personally not too big a fan of, is that some or all manifestations of the Unicorn were created by the Pattern (sentient, as portrayed in the Merlin books), either as a Pattern-ghost of sorts or some other power manifestation.  As I said, I'm not particularly fond of this idea because I like the idea of an actual Unicorn in opposition to the Serpent, but you could argue that such a thing is possible.  Whether the Unicorn ever actually existed in such a scenario is another question; perhaps the Unicorn was just a ruse created by the Pattern to influence the world, while allowing it to keep the secret of its sentience.

Personally, I prefer the idea that the Unicorn was once an equal or near-equal of the Serpent that left Chaos for whatever reason.  I like the idea that she was mother to Oberon, although perhaps while in human form, and that, as others have suggested, she was later locked into Unicorn form.

-Corambis

[SunBoy]

Hehehe. Bump for the furry.

[SunBoy]

I think of the Unicorn as an avatar of some abstract concept of order, in opposition to the primal chaos. That's why the Pattern and the Logrus do not speak or show sentience until needed: they're not actually sentient, they're but tools of those primordial beings; and the Serpent and the Unicorn are their physical manifestation. The order-god-guy could have used the Unicorn as a messenger/muse for Dworkin, inspiring him to bring order to the creation.
I don't really like the idea of the snake and the horny horse sitting around Olympus Greek-god-like, I think the idea of abstract entities has more power. That puts Oberon, Dworkin and Suhuy as proper gods, which is also more powerful... and scary for players.

[gabriel_ss4u]

I like the idea the Unicorn and Serpent were once lovers.
One, betrayed by the other... and now it is more a grudge of passion than it is of necessity, though it is of both.
Whereas Dworkin & Suhuy were playing chess w/the character pieces... I see them 2 as pieces in the Unicorn's and Serpent's game.

[weilide]

If I recall correctly, the timeline established in the books seems to require the Unicorn to predate the Pattern by quite a well. I'm inclined to see the Unicorn as a separate entity, especially since the Pattern seems to have its own avatar in the form of the flaming woman, however simply as a thought exercise it's fun to imagine the Pattern manifesting the Unicorn and sending it back in time to aid in its (the Pattern's) own creation with a time loop similar to that with Benedict and his silver hand.

[Corambis]

I do prefer the idea of the Unicorn and Serpent as being very powerful and roughly equal beings, although perhaps not on the scale of the Greek gods.  But certainly godlike to our, and possibly the Amberite's, perceptions.  Then again, the typical Amberite could be considered godlike in power.

The idea of Serpent and Unicorn as being former lovers is certainly an appealing one, possibly with Dworkin creating a love triangle (if you believe Dworkin fathered Oberon through the Unicorn).  If the Unicorn and the Serpent were once lovers, one would certainly hope for the sake of the multiverse that they never reconcile...

[boulet]

There's another alternative that would paint a very manipulative picture of Oberon (ok nothing new there). What if the unicorn was just some ectoplasm Oberon shaped out of his own stuff, a bit like Corwin's birds after the escape from Amber ? There would have to be a motivation obviously. Maybe, just like Robespierre and other French revolutionaries, Oberon was afraid that within his new regime, his political project, lied the seeds of disharmony and discordance because of the alleged absence of a transcendental principle. Robespierre created the cult of Etre Supreme because the anti-clerical tendencies of sans-culottes worried him and he believed it would lead to amorality. So maybe Oberon has created this state religion out of nowhere, it wouldn't answer very well the Serpent/Unicorn dualism though. It makes for a very Marxist interpretation of Amber's ontology but I could play this flavor for one campaign.

[SunBoy]

I like that. Yeah, really. Doesn't fit at all with the second series, though (I'm not saying that's good or bad). Though it fits great with him being the "Child of the Unicorn", you know, every king in Europe was hand-picked by Gawd, Pharaohs were grandsons of the sun, as were the Incas... Yup. It makes for a very dark, scheming Oberon. Nice, mate.

...........................

Edit: Or maybe it does fit with the Merlin saga, if Oberon's alive and kicking and it was him who directed the Unicorn into the Undershadow and stuff... even darker. Groovy.

[gabriel_ss4u]

The idea of Serpent and Unicorn as being former lovers is certainly an appealing one, possibly with Dworkin creating a love triangle (if you believe Dworkin fathered Oberon through the Unicorn).  If the Unicorn and the Serpent were once lovers, one would certainly hope for the sake of the multiverse that they never reconcile...

Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!


(boulet, that is a worthy campaign, Connecticut is not in my backyard though. lemme know if you run it... and don't let the players read the thread.)