These are the answers to questions asked by the GMs as part of the character creation process for House of Cards.
1. How would Vere's life be different if he were the son of another Prince of Amber? Pick any other Prince and describe what Vere's life would be like if Vere were his son.
Had Bleys been the one to discover the Isles of the Dannan and wed The Lady Vere's life would have been very different indeed. Bleys would have fit into the Isles and the roll of Consort to The Lady as easily as Gerard; the Lord of the Sun is as much an archetype in the Isles as the Loyal Protector. But Bley's obvious brilliance and wit would have set the stage for an intelligent and scholarly son, and it's likely that Bleys would have supported Vere's desire for an education, while still insisting that he also learn the arts of combat and music.
While it's unlikely that Bleys would have been present any more during Vere's childhood than Gerard was, when he was there he would have set an example of total indifference to the rules that everyone else had to live by. Rules are for other people, not for Amberites. Vere would have grown up knowing that such mundane considerations as "that's not proper for a boy" simply didn't apply to him. In fact, Vere might well have come to support the strict gender roles in the Isles, since the fact that other men aren't allowed to become scholars makes him stand out all the more. And The Lady's casual assumption of her superiority, coupled with Bleys' perfect knowledge of his, would have led Vere to a natural feeling that he, too, is far above the common herd. Once he learned the truths of Shadow, Vere-Son-of-Bleys would have been quick to accept the idea that Shadows aren't "real" and can be used by Amberites at whim, a philosophy that Vere-son-of-Gerard regards with enormous suspicion.
So Vere's life would have been easier, his scholarship more advanced, and his self-confidence and self-assurance far higher had Bleys been his father instead of Gerard. And he would have been far less caring, far less concerned about the rights of all people whether they are "real" or not, and far less concerned about considering the morality and ethics of his actions.
2. What qualities does Vere seek in a lover/long-term relationship? How does the fact that he grew up in the Isles of the Dannan, with male-female relations so different from those of Amber, affect what he wants in a mate?
Vere's upbringing in the Isles has resulted in a serious split between what he believes that he wants in a mate and what would really make him happy. He sincerely believes that he wants a woman who will treat him as an equal partner in all ways, who will never consider him as in any way inferior, and who will consult with him in all matters and make decisions in partnership with him. But cultural upbringing is strong, and such a relationship would end up frustrating him enormously. He subconsciously expects women to make decisions, to be wiser and more knowledgeable, and only a woman who was strong enough and willful enough to court him and to rule him could become a long-term partner. But a relationship with such a woman would almost certainly provoke constant rebellion, as Vere sought to establish the equality that he so violently believes that he wants and deserves.
Probably the only relationship that would truly satisfy him would be with a forceful but considerate woman who did regard him as an equal, and who was willing to deal with his constant back-and-forth between unwillingness to make decisions and annoyance at being left out of the decision-making process.
Any woman attracted to him will discover that Vere is very high maintenance....
3. Vere has spoken of his desire to loosen the rigid male/female roles in the Isles. With the power of a Prince of Amber, he could certainly achieve this (save that his father actively opposed him). Would Vere do this and why or why not?
The fact that an Amberite can control Shadow in this way is something that Vere has only recently come to fully understand, and he is still wrestling with the moral and philosophical implications of this power. Do Amberites create Shadows, or do we find them? When we reshape one are we actually moving ourselves from one Shadow to another, or are we changing the very nature of the Shadow we are in? He's still dealing with these basic issues about Shadow and Reality and the resulting ethical questions that seem to him central to being an Amberite. Right now he would be very reluctant to make any such changes to the Isles; it seems to him to be a violation of the inhabitants' right of free will. Gerard has instilled in him a deep concern for the rights of others, and the duty of the strong to protect the weak. As he comes to a deeper understanding of the nature of Shadow, and resolves for himself some of the murkier philosophical questions about Shadow and an Amberite's role in creating and shaping Shadow, his reluctance to meddle may change. I don't know yet what answers Vere will arrive at, so I can't answer the question of what he may eventually decide....
4. Some members of the family speculate that it was his unquenchable thirst for knowledge that drove Brand to his attempt to reshape the universe in his own image -- "Knowledge corrupts, and absolute knowledge corrupts absolutely". How would Vere answer such an assertion?
Vere would answer this with one word: "Nonsense." Upon careful consideration he would add a second word: "Idiocy." Knowledge is a tool, and gaining knowledge is no more a cause of corruption than owning a sword causes a man to be a killer. He would go further: without sufficient knowledge one doesn't have the necessary tools to make the important moral choices in life. Ignorance leads to a lack of choices, and lack of choice precludes the ability to be a moral agent. Knowledge didn't cause Brand to attempt to reshape the universe; it merely allowed him the means to do so. Any claim the knowledge and the search for knowledge are to blame are the result of intellectual weakness on the part of the person making that claim. It is the same as claiming that because some men commit rape all sexual desire is inherently evil and corrupting to the soul.
It is not the desire for knowledge that leads to such evil; it is the desire for power. And such a man does not seek knowledge for its own sake, or for the love of knowledge, but for the purpose of furthering his desire for power. In fact, knowledge did not corrupt Brand; his corruption led to the misuse of the knowledge he had gained. And the only sin greater than the misuse of knowledge is the denial of knowledge to another.
5. Siege is "the perfect ideal of Dannan manhood" and Vere's closest friend. How would he describe Vere if he were being completely honest?
"Vere? You cannot find a more loyal friend anywhere, nor a more trustworthy man. His word is solid, he doesn't speak too freely, and he'll stand by your side to the very end. He is also an excellent person to speak with if you are ever concerned that someone may by lying to you. He has a truly astounding ability to understand the motivations and reasons behind people's actions. But don't think he's merely a thinker, he can be a grand fighter when he can be convinced into it. To be truthful, and this should go no further you understand, I am afraid that he thinks too much. He's always asking why, and always trying to figure out why we're being given certain orders, what the reason is behind what we're told to do, things such as that. Not really a warrior's place, you know. I put it down to all the reading he does. It isn't quite, well, manly, if you know what I mean. Still, he is the son of The Lady, and his father is a God, so I suppose the normal rules don't apply to him. He'll never catch a wife like that, though, at least not one who wants him for himself. Social climbers and politicos are the only ones who'll be willing to have a husband who questions her, and he's too much in love with love to be happy with one of them. Well, perhaps he'll wed a Goddess. Rules may be different for them, too. I trust I'll be best man at his wedding, and stand at his children's dedication to the Goddess."
6. List up to ten quirks Vere has.
1 – Vere will read anything. He loves reading, and he's one of those people who simply cannot resist reading when there are words in front of him. He will read a list of ingredients off a container of food, will page idly through a telephone book, and will automatically pick up someone else's private correspondence and start reading it.
2 – He has a tendency to pause for consideration before speaking. He likes to marshal his thoughts and present them fully formed.
3 – Vere puts great stock in politeness and proper manners. He will always strive for a polite response no matter what sort of provocation he's receiving. He won't openly contradict someone unless it's absolutely necessary, and if he ever feels the need to challenge someone to a duel to the death he will do it in the nicest way possible.
4 – While Vere is an excellent musician, and accomplished in a variety of styles, when he plays for his own amusement he usually plays shapeless music; sounds that are more purely emotive and expressive of what he's feeling at the time than related to anything approaching a melody.
5 – He enjoys watching other people, and will often spend long periods of time sitting quietly in a corner listening to a conversation and analyzing the subtext and emotional currents that accompany the words.
6 – There is no quirk number 6.
7 – At heart Vere is a romantic, he adores folk ballads, romance novels, and tear-jerkers of all sorts. He can be counted on to aid anyone with a romantic problem, to assist starcrossed lovers, and to be swayed by appeals to True Love.
8 – Despite his strong opinions and deep emotions Vere has learned an enormous amount of self control, and most of the time he will appear calmly unemotional.
9 – Vere takes his self-appointed role as "Speaker for the Dead" seriously, and if a spirit speaks to him he will always listen and consider its request. When passing a cemetery, execution yard, or other place of the dead he will usually take some time to walk through it slowly, in case anyone wishes to speak with him.
10 – Unless otherwise noted Vere is always unarmed. He will pick up and carry a weapon when he must, but he doesn't have any great liking for them, and will put it back down as soon as possible.