Does your Amber end at Arden and the sea? In other words, do all paths to those places lead you to shadow? Or can one keep going in Arden or the Sea of Amber without crossing through shadow?
In other words, is Amber a limited area or is it a full-blown planet with lots of other places than what we see in the novels, places that Amberites can explore?
If so, then have you detailed any of these other places that are part of the world of Amber itself, rather than shadow?
RPGPundit
I've set up port towns down the coast, mining villages in the mountain ranges, a local nobility, all that jazz.
It's usually not very coherent though ... in part because I just fill things in as and when players want them. So, like, we'll have a very detailed understanding of the sleazy port city down the coast where the smugglers hang out, and where princes go to slum, but pretty much zero understanding of, say, the actual harbor-mastery of Amber itself.
I rarely create any of that unless a player asks about it, though occasionally a plot will use something like that.
It really depends on the tone of the game; I prefer the epic scope of the first series and those sorts of things don't figure in as often.
Same here.
I often had a very-well designed Arden, but nothing beyond it.
Quote from: RPGPunditIf so, then have you detailed any of these other places that are part of the world of Amber itself, rather than shadow?
I go with the players, at least to the extent of ignoring what they ignore. From campaign to campaign, I've filled in many other lands within the realm of Amber, almost all of which have a relationship to one or another of the Elder Amberites.
Erick
Quote from: Erick Wujcik...almost all of which have a relationship to one or another of the Elder Amberites.
Just found this is in "Trumps of Doom:"
Merlin, in conversation with Bill Roth:
Bill Roth: "You're the son of a Prince of Amber. What does that make you?"
Merlin: "You mean titles? I'm Duke of the Western Marches and Earl of Kolvir."
Bill Roth: "What does that mean?"
Merlin: "It means I'm not a Prince of Amber..."
For this, and many other reasons, I've always though that the Elder Amberites, along with their buddies (remember Lords Chantris and Feldane, who were with Random and Fiona at Patternfall?), had numerous properties in the larger world of Amber.
Erick
That sounds quite correct. Every prince would probably have is own properties as other lords may do. After all, Bayle's wine as to come from somewhere. But then it sometimes gets to big. After Arden, how far can you go in Amber? Is the sky of Amber full of Galaxies ? How big is Amber "the planet" on which the city is built. Why do TNT and Rebma only mirror the Castle then ?
Big questions.
In one campaign a friend who was mastering created a lot of realms in Amber. Staying in the Amber "shadow" you could go to these realms and reach them. Unfortunatly for the kings ruling there they were less real than the city of Random since they were far from the pattern.
Usually I don't go into such considerations. The city of Amber itself is needing à lot of attentions and I put most of my time into it.
Consider the premise of the Kingdom of Oberon being attacked from a kingdom accross the sea. This aggressior is not from shadow but from another continent on the one true realm. They raze the city and castle and physically take the pattern from the basement of the castle back to thier homeland. The players are called in to get it back.
Personally, I can't imagine Oberon ever engineering the Amber "world" to include such things.
I like the idea that one cannot leave Amber WITHOUT travelling in shadow.
Imagine a stack of tissues... perhaps a foot thick. Thin, malleable, spongy, soft. This is shadow. Now drive a staple through it, curled around on the far side, binding them together. This is the Pattern.
Near to the staple, the shadows are all very close together... very similar. You can't really be in one without being in all of them. This is Kolvir. Further out, they separate and differentiate.
This is the kind of world I envision Oberon creating.
Quote from: OthaPersonally, I can't imagine Oberon ever engineering the Amber "world" to include such things.
I like the idea that one cannot leave Amber WITHOUT travelling in shadow.
Imagine a stack of tissues... perhaps a foot thick. Thin, malleable, spongy, soft. This is shadow. Now drive a staple through it, curled around on the far side, binding them together. This is the Pattern.
Near to the staple, the shadows are all very close together... very similar. You can't really be in one without being in all of them. This is Kolvir. Further out, they separate and differentiate.
This is the kind of world I envision Oberon creating.
It's also mentioned that Chaos is very simular, the shadows blend together. Interesting theory anyway. :)
Quote from: OthaThis is the kind of world I envision Oberon creating.
Yes, supposing then that he was controlling everything which I doulbt.
In my 2nd campaign I had a NPC - Felina (not her true name) that was Guardian of the Forest Nedra (?titeg) I'm sure I'm not the only one to come up w/ that, however, to add flavor to the Amber world it should be populated by it's Dukes, dutchesses, Barons, high ranking clergy, etc. However I have it as if it is like Asgard, unobtainable unless the routes of shadow were known, guided through, or one of the power had the ability to do so. Forest Nedra simply continues past Arden, but is NOT part of Amber proper or it's central 'essence', it is a vast Shadow just adjacent to it. Also across the waters, just adjacent to Port Amber, I have a realm which is in the Golden Circle i created to be like a city of heroes. Conan, Zelliger, Aragorn, Thor, Whatever god-like beings/epic heroes want to can go there and have fun, drink, be merry, (Where's Mary?) adventure near-by, or get hired out, plot-threads abound. (ala D&D style). If you picture (as stated above in the other post) that Amber is inaccessible except for those ALLOWED or those WHO CAN, it doesn't matter how close you get to it. It's rules of travel allow for one extremely strong defense.
I came across a sourcebook for Llankmarr (AD&D) w/an awesome map and great ideas. this is the port city of the gods/heroes that I encorporated in it.
It has an awesome blank city map that you can fill in the blanks and use for reference. It also gives Amberites a nearby place (under the golden realm rules and loyal to Amber - but peopled w/the occasional NPC that may floor your lower to mid level PC) - (as many have thought, CAN Thor travel shadow? is he tough here AND there?) Yes in my campaign, and a horde or so of others throughout Shadow that would rather go to the 'order' side of things to adventure than Chaos.
Though it may shock & dismay your Amberite to get roundhouse kicked through a tavern wall, (depending on comparative stats) by some non-Amberite... it may fit the story better to know it was done by some NPC who turned out to be some epic Beowulf type. Doesn't mean he's better. Means he's a challenge, what's wrong? scared?
OK...
anyone want my list of Amber Noble Houses and breakdowns?
look for my Chaos houses posted in the Chaos thread. (Likewise I use the Stormbringer sourcebook for the part of the Chaos Black Zone.
(Man, I miss playing... come-on Chicago Amberites... where are you????!!!!