Shadow Geography

[weilide]

With the Golden Circle, Ygg, the Keep of the Four Worlds, the Dancing Mountains, and other things I'm sure I'm just not thinking of right now, it seems like Zelazny is suggesting that there are large features that span many shadows and, in fact, Shadow may have its own large geographical features (the Dancing Mountains seem like the prime example here) rather than simply being a big undifferentiated mass of potential parallel universes. It seems like there should be a lot of fun potential here: for example, (cribbing shamelessly from Dan Simmons' Hyperion Cantos), a meandering river that passes through many shadows, established inter-shadow trade routes along the lines of the Silk Road, etc. Has anyone worked along these lines?

[RPGPundit]

Certainly. In my game there are lots of shadow paths (particularly closer to Amber), that take the forms of great roads, rivers, ocean, etc.  
There's also the forest of Arden, which extends into countless forests throughout shadow.

RPGPundit

[Shoby187]

LOL, speaking of the Forest of Arden . . .

Just a few weeks ago my players met Arden. As in, I'm Arden and this is my Forest.

He is the most powerful Druid in shadow. So powerful that Fiona won't mess with him. (I use the idea that a Druid draws power from the living things in his forest, and The Forest of Arden is really big and really old).

I'm still trying to decide exactly who Arden is. So far my favorite idea is Dworkin's older brother!

[RPGPundit]

Ok, that's an interesting idea, but what does that do to Julian?

RPGPundit

[Shoby187]

Ok, that's an interesting idea, but what does that do to Julian?

Well, Julian still has a lot of interest in the forest and I see Arden living much deeper in the forest so I don't see them having a lot of contact with each other. Julian might not even be aware of Arden.

It was just an idea I had that I decided to use. He's a source of wisdom and knowledge when the players need it. I'm not sure if Arden would like Julian much anyway. I never really pictured Julian as a protector of the forest, its just his playground. Like he said:

"I enjoy slaughtering beasts, and I think of my family often . . ."

Doesn't seem like the attitude that a wise old druid would appreciate.

[Seanchai]

Ok, that's an interesting idea, but what does that do to Julian?

Make him a puppet? Co-conspirator?

Seanchai

[Ivanhoe]

In my campaign, Amber and Chaos are two poles. You can take many paths to go there and from every point in Shadow there will be a direction that gets you closer to one of these points.

I consider Ygg to be a focal point. Its shadow is the only shadow that is at the same distance from Chaos and Amber, so any traveler going from one pole to the other will pass near it.

Also, any place or object with enough substance within it projects some reflections in Shadow. Dworkin and Oberon have been living for very long and did a lot of things. Many places have acquired substance during these millennium. Some of these substance places may even be gateways to close shadow-reflections. As a GM, what is important, IMHO, is that you have an explanation ready about how the place acquired its substance.