ARGENTIUM

An Alternate Amber, by Iain Walker, Used With Permission.

Home Up Site Map

This Page is divided into the following sections:

 Historical Background
 Subsequent Timeline
 The Realm of Argentium
 Politics in Argentium
 The Church of the Unicorn
 The First Families
 The Rosa Argenta
 The Silver Circle
 The Courts of Chaos
 The Place
 The Inhabitants
 The Houses of Chaos
 The Rest of the Family
 Other NPCs of Note

Click on the section headings to return to the top of the page.

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Following the events of 'The Hand of Oberon' - Oberon sends everyone off to invade Chaos, while he
and Dworkin remain at the Primal Pattern. Corwin is sent off through Shadow, receives the Jewel and,
fearing that everything is lost, inscribes his Pattern. Brand steals the Jewel, and Corwin pursues him to
Chaos, arriving just in time for the stand-off on the edge of the Abyss. Brand overpowers Deirdre using
the Jewel and attempts to hold her hostage, but is engaged in a sorcerous duel by Fiona, while Corwin
attacks him via his own attunement to the Jewel. Deirdre breaks free, whereupon Caine, back from the
dead, pops up and shoots Brand. Brand, and the Jewel, topple into the Abyss.

A funeral procession then emerges from the encroaching Reality Storm - but it is Oberon who leads it,
and it is a dead Dworkin lying on the bier. Benedict, with the aid of Bleys' reinforcements, has routed
the Chaos army, and Oberon orders that they be pursued into the Citadel of Chaos itself. There, on the
steps of Thelbane, King Swayvill of Chaos rallies his troops and meets Oberon in personal combat.
Oberon kills Swayvill, and the forces of Chaos surrender.

Oberon tells his children that the Primal Pattern, along with its reflections, Amber, Rebma and the
Golden Circle, have all been destroyed. This seems to be true, since everyone (except Corwin) has lost
their Pattern imprint. All those left behind - Gerard, Martin, Vialle - have perished. He hints that
Dworkin decided at the last minute to revert to Plan A and destroy himself and the Pattern with it.
Oberon now declares himself King of Chaos, and the noble Houses of the Courts accede with varying
degrees of reluctance. Dworkin and Swayvill are given lavish funerals, their bodies cast into the Abyss,
and Oberon is crowned. He invites his offspring to join him in Chaos as members of the new Royal
House of Barimen. Random refuses - he cannot accept that his wife and son are dead, and sets out
along the remains of the Black Road, against Oberon's advice. Llewella, feeling much the same about
Rebma, accompanies him. The other Elders, still shell-shocked by Amber's destruction, mill about in
some confusion. The last of the Reality Storm dies away, leaving an apparently intact realm of
Shadows beyond Chaos. The Black Road has now vanished. Corwin realises that his own Pattern has
replaced Amber's as the opposite pole of Creation. He offers his siblings an alternative, to walk his
Pattern instead.

In the end, all his siblings accompany Corwin back through Shadow to his Pattern. With them travel
over twelve thousand members of Amber's armies from the Battle of the Abyss, mainly from
Benedict's, Bleys', Dierdre's and Julian's troops. En route they find Random, half-dead, marooned in
Shadow by the breaking up of the Black Road. He became separated from Llewella, he tells them, and
they try - and fail - to contact her via her Trump, before progressing on to the new Pattern. When they
arrive after nearly a year of travel, they find that a city already exists there - it is called Argentium, and
the inhabitants have been awaiting the return of Corwin for many centuries. It resembles a cross
between Amber and 19th century Paris, and is already a well-established trading nation with links to
neighbouring Shadow via a network of Shadow Paths. The other Elders walk his Pattern, while Corwin
decides what to do with his new realm. Having already refused one crown, he is reluctant to declare
himself King of Argentium, despite the clamours of the populace and the urgings of some of his
siblings. Instead, he accepts the title of Lord Protector, and invites the other Elders to sit on a nine-
strong Council that will oversee the growth and development of the new realm.

SUBSEQUENT TIMELINE
Although Argentium seems to have a history going back at least several centuries, years are numbered
from the arrival of Corwin and his siblings, known as the Restoration. This is also an effective "After
Patternfall" chronology.

1 -8 AR The Elders start to explore and open up Shadow Paths around Argentium, leading
to diplomatic and trading links with neighbouring Shadows and a number of minor wars.
Shadow Albion, a powerful steampunk-style trading nation which dominates the seas
around Argentium, takes the opportunity to carve itself a few more colonies, and several of
its targets appeal to Argentium for aid. Corwin is reluctant to engage in a major conflict, but
when Albion starts impounding Argentium's trading vessels, war is declared. Argentium's
navy is still weak, but Albion is eventually defeated in a series of land battles and sues for
peace. Argentium gains a number of Shadow realms as dependencies and protectorates.

9 AR In an attempt to stabilise the region, the Silver Circle is formed, a trading alliance
modelled on Amber's Golden Circle. Initial members are Argentium, Albion, Talos,
Greyfell and Janath, but other Shadows soon join. The alliance is not a military one, but the
treaty does include a non-aggression clause.

12 AR In Chaos, Oberon marries a Lady Iorgana of House Helibore. Corwin, Benedict,

Caine, Flora, Fiona and Bleys attend. Deirdre, Julian and Random remain in Argentium.
Corwin meets with his son Merlin. Rumours speak of an attempt to assassinate Bleys, but
this is unconfirmed. Flora remains in Chaos for a while after the others have left, returning
several months later.

17 AR Catullus becomes High Priest of the Church of the Silver Rose, the highest spiritual
authority in Argentium, and transforms it into a renewed Church of the Unicorn.

22 AR Flora gets herself appointed Ambassador to Albion, and starts to make the Shadow
her own. Around the same time, Julian settles in Shadow Vithir, an Arden-like Shadow
guarding the eastern approaches to Argentium. Within a year, he has married Macha, Queen
of the Faery inhabitants of the Shadow.

28 AR Bleys and Fiona discover the Keep of the Four Worlds, a Shadow Nexus seemingly
left over from Amber's Universe. They make the place their base for exploring Argentium's
Shadows.

31 AR By now, only Corwin and Deirdre play any real part in running Argentium, so
Corwin suggests that the realm needs a monarch after all - Deirdre. There are some
objections (not least from Deirdre herself), but in the end she is crowned. Oberon is invited
but does not attend. All the Elders swear allegiance to Deirdre as Queen of Argentium. Not
long after the coronation, an attempt is made on the new Queen's life. Deirdre takes care of
the dozen assassins herself, but the originator of the plot remains unknown.

35 AR In Chaos, two of the Noble Houses, Hendrake and Usherbal, rebel against Oberon's
rule. Oberon crushes the uprising, but House Usherbal holds out in its Shadow realms,
under siege. Oberon summons Benedict to Chaos to break the siege and House Usherbal
falls. The remnants of the rebel Houses flee into Shadow. Benedict remains in Chaos at
Oberon's Court.

43-4 AR Corwin goes off into Shadow for over a year, exploring. Not long after his return,
he vanishes from his chambers in the Royal Palace. All attempts to contact him fail, and
search parties turn up nothing. There are riots in the city when the news leaks out, but
Deirdre confronts the rioters in person and manages to defuse the situation. But in the
aftermath, the Rosa Argenta begins to develop as a major political force.

45 AR Benedict returns to Argentium when he hears of Corwin's disappearance, but is

questioned by Deirdre about his activities in Chaos. She basically accuses him of being
more loyal to Oberon and Chaos than to her and Argentium, whereupon Benedict departs in
a huff and settles in Shadow Dumnonia instead.

45-50 AR Deirdre begins to make her mark as Queen, appointing a Council of Ministers to
replace the now completely defunct Council established by Corwin. Both indigenous nobles
and nobles originally from Amber are represented. She also appoints Random as Governor
of Port Royal and Head of the Merchant Navy, passing over the more qualified Caine. At
around the same time, the Church of the Unicorn becomes more politically active after
acquiring two Silver Circle kingdoms as vassal states, willed to them by their rulers.

52 AR Ships from Argentium, Albion and other Silver Circle Shadows go missing in the
inter-Shadow trade routes. They are traced to a hitherto unknown and uncharted land-mass
which seems to be warping the Shadows paths around it. Landing parties do not return,
except for one led by Caine, who reports that the continent is somehow alive. The Shadow,
dubbed Cernothia after some inscriptions in ancient Thari that Caine brought back with
him, is subsequently quarantined. Random misses the crisis due to his search for Vialle and
Martin, and Deirdre is obliged to dismiss him from his post and appoint Caine instead.

59 AR Revenge attacks by the remnants of Hendrake and Usherbal on Benedict in

Dumnonia. Deirdre sends troops, but they turn out not to be needed. However, fences are
mended between her and Benedict.

65 AR A singularly unpleasant plague sweeps the Silver Circle, decimating several

Shadows. It even takes root in Argentium itself, but burns itself out quickly. It is traced to
one of the survivors of Caine's landing party on Cernothia. Other members of the party are
quarantined. Caine, after a showdown with Deirdre, walks the Pattern instead, to cleanse
himself of any lingering influences. Shortly afterwards, Cernothia is discovered to be
moving, slowly, through Shadow. A permanent watch is placed on the Shadows around it,
and the quarantine zone is adjusted accordingly. However, the plague remains endemic in
several Shadows.

73 AR Diplomatic tensions rise after several Silver Circle Shadows protest against Albion's
slave trade. Flora ignores Deirdre's communiqués, but receives the envoys of the protesting
kingdoms herself, and within weeks Albion's Parliament outlaws slavery and the slave
trade. Albion's navy starts policing the Shadow paths for slave ships, impounding them and
liberating their captives. Flora's political influence grows.

79 AR The Basilica of the Pattern in Argentium is broken into by an armed gang. None of
the malefactors survive the attentions of the Lady, the ghostly guardian of the Pattern, but
one of them appears to have been a shape-shifter. Deirdre enacts a law banning all acts of
shape-shifting within Argentium - only Julian's and Macha's intervention on behalf of the
Faery shape-shifters of Shadow Vithir prevent a witch-hunt against shape-shifters in
general.

84 AR The Turane Riots. Renard Turane, radical politician and editor of the Argent
Standard, publishes an article accusing Deirdre and Catullus of having killed Corwin. A
former member of Deirdre's bodyguard has provided seemingly incontrovertible testimony.
Argentium descends into anarchy for almost nine days before order is restored. Deirdre
gives an impassioned speech to a joint session of the Estates Noble and Common protesting
her innocence, which is widely if not universally accepted. The bodyguard subsequently
admits to being pressurised by a mysterious stranger called Knossos, and recants. Catullus
tries to arrest Turane, but Turane escapes, killing several members of the Cathedral Guard.
He remains an outlaw.

86 AR The present day. The after effects of the Turane Riots are still dying down, and
 Deirdre is having to tread more carefully than usual on her subject's sensibilities. News has
recently arrived from Chaos that Oberon has had a son by Queen Iorgana, Prince Severin.
There are various rumours doing the rounds: Cernothia is on the move again and heading
straight for Argentium; Renard Turane's followers are sabotaging Argentium's new
underground railway; Princess Lyan of Chaos, Oberon's eldest daughter by Iorgana, has
asked Deirdre for political asylum; tensions between Albion and Khmun over the slave
trade are about to spill over into war; Corwin has been spotted as the strong-man in a
travelling circus; and so on.

THE REALM OF ARGENTIUM

The City of Argentium (population 685,400) sits on a broad, fertile plateau bounded to the south and
west by a large and somewhat swampy valley, and to the north and east by mountains. The River
Lorraine falls from the distant mountains and winds through the centre of the city, eventually cascading
over the lip of the plateau and flowing down the valley to the sea some twelve miles away. Port Royal,
Argentium's trading and naval port, lies where it meets the ocean. Other landmarks of note include the
Jackal's Caverns, a network of caves beneath the Cascades, and the Giant's Head, a tavern in the valley
named after a giant fossilised skull protruding from the nearby marshes.

The city itself has a layout broadly like that of late 19th or early 20th Century Paris, but the architecture
is more varied, incorporating Classical, Gothic, Renaissance, Ottoman and medieval styles. It is
dominated by the Royal Palace, a vast sprawling construction on the east bank of the river, but also
extending to the islands in its centre (basically, for those of you who know Paris, imagine a complex
extending from the Palais du Louvre in the west to the Hotel de Ville in the east, and south into the
river to accommodate the Palais de Justice and Notre Dame). This is the residence of the Queen and
Royal Family (whenever the latter actually turn up), and also the seat of Argentium's government and
bureaucracy. The Royal residences are on the islands in the river; the governmental parts on the river
bank.

Corwin's Pattern lies within the grounds of the Palace in a large Gothic construct known as the Basilica
of the Pattern, a quasi-religious edifice raised by the inhabitants of Argentium on an island in mid-river,
long before the return of the Elders. This corresponds roughly to Notre Dame in Paris. It is the most
heavily guarded building in Argentium, and no-one is allowed inside without Deirdre's permission. It
also seems to have an in-built supernatural guardian of its own, a spectral figure known simply as the
Lady, who tends to respond to break-ins with lethal and mysterious force. Beside the Pattern grows a
tree - of sorts. Corwin recalls that just before he drew his Pattern, he planted a staff cut from a sentient
piece of lumber called Ygg. This tree however is a tall (100 feet, brushing the ceiling of the Basilica)
crystalline dendrite which flickers and glows with the same blue-silver energy as the Pattern. And like
the Pattern, only Amberites can touch it and live. Fiona has theorised that the original sapling was
somehow real enough to survive contact with the Pattern as its roots spread under it, but that it has
subsequently, somehow, become an extension of the Pattern itself. Like Dworkin's former construct,
Corwin's Pattern casts three known reflections: Muitnegra, the City Amongst the Clouds, Brigadoon,
and the Twilight Demesne of Tara-Nar in Vithir.

The physical laws of Argentium are somewhat different from those of Amber. For example, gunpowder
works in Argentium (black powder firearms are standard military issue), although more advanced
explosives do not. Technology in general is equivalent to the 19th Century on Earth, with steam-power,
gas lighting and rudimentary forms of electricity. Nothing more advanced than this seems to work,
though. Transport is mainly horse-drawn, although steam- and clock-work powered gurneys are
currently fashionable. Argentium is a non-magickal environment, which means that although Cantrips
work, it takes Advanced Rituals to bring off anything more sophisticated or longer-lasting.

The inhabitants of Argentium are tougher than your average Shadow-dweller. A typical citizen is either
Chaos- or Amber-ranked in all statistics, and some individuals may have ranked statistics (although
usually in single figures).

POLITICS IN ARGENTIUM
Fraught. Before the arrival of Corwin and the other Elders, Argentium was an oligarchy, run by the
noble families and trading houses - the state was united and prosperous, but still subject to all the
faction fighting that an oligarchy implies. Now Argentium is a monarchy, but if anything the faction
fighting is even worse. The indigenous nobility resent the new Amberite nobility who turned up with
the Elders, the Amberite nobles look down on the indigenous nobles, the Church of the Unicorn has
become a major independent political force, and within each group rivalries abound. Basically, the
Elder Amberites do not have a monopoly on intrigue. Their own disunity, and the fact that they have
tended to concentrate on carving out their own little fiefdoms in and around Argentium has not helped
matters much either.

Deirdre is a reasonably popular monarch, but her position is far more precarious than Oberon's ever
was. For a start, she is a relative newcomer to a realm with an established political culture which was
not of her own devising, and as such, certain compromises are forced upon her if she wishes to avoid
alienating the bulk of her subjects. Secondly, she rules essentially because Corwin said she should, and
it is known that there are elements (and not just amongst her siblings) who have other ideas about the
occupancy of the throne. Her main trump card (as it were), is her control over the Pattern, but while this
has so far sufficed to keep her siblings in line, it cuts little ice with the populace in general.
Consequently, she has to maintain a political balancing act that would have been inconceivable in
Amber under her father. She is not, in short, an absolute monarch. She rules with and through a Council
of Ministers, a cabinet that takes care of the day-to-day running of the kingdom, but she must also take
into consideration the views of the two Assemblies, the Estates Noble and the Estates Common, which
represent the interests of the aristocracy and the mercantile class respectively. Whereas in Amber,
Oberon's word was law, Deirdre frequently has to negotiate with her own subjects to get what she
wants. So far her semi-constitutional approach has maintained the good order of the state, but it is clear
that this order is at best an unstable equilibrium. The problem is, attempting to establish a more
centralised and autocratic rule would probably be the best way of tipping things into anarchy.

The main political factions in Argentium are:

THE CHURCH OF THE UNICORN

The official religion of Amber, and now the official religion of Argentium, was brought to
the realm by the current Cardinal-Archbishop Catullus (according to the history books), or
by Unicorn working through Catullus (according to the Church). On joining the pre-
existing Church of the Silver Rose (which venerated Corwin the Creator and taught a rather
volatile mixture of chivalric ideals and moral pragmatism), he formed the Order of the
Unicorn within its ranks. Within a few years, the Unicorn faction dominated the Church,
and Catullus took over. He thereupon declared that the entire history of the Church to date
had been merely a preparation for this moment, and that he had been charged to reveal that
Lord Corwin had been guided to create Argentium by his patron deity and the deity of
Amber, the Unicorn. Henceforth the Church would be known as the Church of the Unicorn,
with Corwin (he was careful to add) venerated as the Champion of the True Goddess.
Corwin, who seems to have found the old Church more embarrassing than anything else,
said nothing. Most people took this as a sign of approval, and so accepted this reordering of
their religious lives. Those who didn't carried on with the old rituals in private, and a few
malcontents banded together to form the movement now known as the Rosa Argenta (see
below).

The Church of the Unicorn's teachings emphasise duty and obedience, especially towards
the Church and the State. It has grown in power until it is now virtually a state-within-a-
state, with its own armed forces (the Cathedral Guard are the only troops allowed to bear
arms in Argentium itself other than the Royal Guard and the City Watch). Its estates are
second only to those of the Throne, and its vassal princes now rule three of the Silver Circle
Kingdoms. It is also widely believed that the Holy Office runs its own spy network and
secret police. Most of this has occurred since Corwin's departure.

THE FIRST FAMILIES

Several nobles of Amber fought at Patternfall, and those who accompanied the Elders to
Argentium were rewarded with lands and titles with which to re-establish their Houses.
Most of them have exploited their connections with the old Amber and with the Royal
Family to make themselves an elite within Argentium's nobility, a fact much resented by the
pre-established aristocracy of the city. They tend to support Deirdre, although it is
suspected that a substantial minority of them would prefer another Elder on the Throne,
someone who would put the natives in their place and turn Argentium into a New Amber,
restoring the Good Old Days once and for all. Many First Families have close links with the
Church of the Unicorn. Their informal leader is Duke Amarind Chantris, formerly one of
Oberon's finest generals, now Dierdre's Minister of Defence. Elders associated with the
First Families include Julian and Flora.

THE ROSA ARGENTA

Name given to a loose alliance of groups who want to return Argentium to the old ways that
prevailed prior to the arrival of the Elders (a rather different conception of the Good Old
Days from that of the First Families). They are made up of militant followers of the old
Church of the Silver Rose, members of the original aristocracy who resent the
disproportionate influence of the First Families, a handful of Corwin loyalists from the
ranks of Amber's surviving soldiery who distrust the other Elders, and various professional
malcontents. It is a common belief amongst many of them (particularly the religious die-
hards) that Corwin has been made away with by the perfidious Amberites so that they could
impose their own regime. Their attitude towards Deirdre varies - some profess loyalty to
her as Corwin's anointed Queen, and believe that she would look favourably on their cause
were she not deceived by her advisors, while others believe her to be the most perfidious
Amberite of all, suspecting her of manoeuvring her way to the Throne and then
disappearing Corwin. As a political grouping the Rosa Argenta is less effective than the
First Families, not least because of a tendency to squabble amongst themselves. No Elders
are admitting to having anything to do with this faction, although both Bleys and Caine are
supposed to have discrete links with them.

THE SILVER CIRCLE

A trading (but not military) alliance modelled on Amber's Golden Circle. Currently
numbers about 35 realms. Argentium is the focus of the alliance, but does not dominate it to
the same extent as Amber dominated the Golden Circle. However, Deirdre has hit on the
idea of admitting Argentium's vassal Shadows, her colonies and protectorates, as fully
fledged members to add to Argentium's clout. This has not gone down well with some of
the independent members, particularly Albion, but so far nobody has been prepared to go to
war over it. Significant members include:

 Albion - Steam-punk Shadow very much like 19th century Britain, whose iron-clad
dreadnoughts still dominate the shipping lanes of the Silver Circle. Moderately
magickal, allowing its inhabitants to create a fusion of magick and Victorian
technology that makes it the most technically advanced society in the Silver Circle.
Its main exports are textiles, steel and metal-ware and engineering expertise. A
constitutional monarchy, Albion is in theory ruled by a Parliament under a King, but
the King is mad, and both the Crown Prince and the Prime Minister are Flora's
lapdogs.
 Greyfell – This Shadow is secretly ruled from behind the scenes by the vampires,
werewolves, faeries, and mages of popular mythology, and sometimes more overtly
through their human proxies. Greyfell's local year is A.D. 1876, and the
predominant vampiric faction is the Camarilla, comprised mostly of the Brujah,
Gangrel, Giovanni, Kiasyd, Malkavian, Nosferatu, Toreador, Tremere, Tzimisce,
and Ventrue clans. Opposing the Camarilla for dominance is the Sabbat, largely
comprised of the Assamite, Harbingers of Skulls, Lasombra, and Ravnos clans. The
werewolves – the Garou, in their language – have largely aligned themselves with
the Camarilla out of necessity, while the Black Spiral Dancers frequently align with
the Sabbat.
The roads and sea lanes through Shadow that link Greyfell to the rest of the Silver
Circle and Argentium lead to and from Venice, home of the Giovanni and Rosselini
families. The streets and canals of Venice are almost always host to one festival or
another, the largest, of course, being Carnivale. Bleys and Fiona have links to the
Giovanni family.
 Janath - rich agricultural Shadow, known as the bread-basket of the Silver Circle.
Interested mainly in trade, its inhabitants are recognisable by their stocky build and
(dyed) multicoloured hair. Main exports are foodstuffs, but expect to bargain hard.
 The Shadow is non-magickal.
 Khmun - quasi-Egyptian desert realm tracing its history back even longer than
Argentium. Renowned for its ziggurats and a largely incomprehensible pantheon of
overlapping animal-headed gods. Highly magickal, its main exports are gold,
sorcerers and (unwillingly) architecture. It is involved in a long running dispute with
Albion regarding the removal of various statues, temples and tomb artefacts during
Albion's occupation several decades ago. It is also one of the few slave-owing
societies in the Silver Circle, and Albion's recent conversion to the anti-slavery
cause has only exacerbated the friction. The native inhabitants, the weseru nefer, are
beautiful golden-skinned hermaphrodites, although the majority of the working
population, the baku, are slaves or the descendants of slaves from neighbouring
Shadows.
 Talos - non-magickal Shadow consisting of towering mountainous islands in a grey-
green sea. Its pale, albino inhabitants live inside the mountains, but are also a
seafaring culture, with small, fast boats carved from a kind of self-regenerating
pumice stone. After Albion and Argentium, they are the main ocean-going traders of
the Silver Circle. They have few natural resources of their own, but are expert
gatherers of intelligence, and are always ready to sell information. Caine,
unsurprisingly, has close links with this Shadow.
 Vamatbhara - Proud and independent jungle kingdom, frequently at war with
Albion, only recently tempted into the Silver Circle alliance. Anti-magickal,
Vamatbhara is known for its warriors and its erotic art. Its main exports are coffee,
hardwoods and gems. And erotic art. Its inhabitants are dark-skinned humans,
except they have six arms.
 Vithir - Heavily forested, highly magickal Faery Shadow, home to Julian. The Faery
inhabitants seem to have some limited Shadow-travelling powers, and their Wild
Hunts frequently draw complaints from neighbouring Shadows. Few exports other
than medicinal herbs, Faery gold and illusion-casting Sidhe, but strategically
important.

THE COURTS OF CHAOS

This is what you know of the Courts of Chaos, picked up mainly from conversations with the Elders.

THE PLACE

A realm of instability, of barely substantial fragments of Shadow in constant turmoil,

flowing together and twisting apart, a place of endless possibilities and a goodly number of
impossibilities as well. The beginning and the end of Reality, a seething storm of Creation
and Destruction. At the centre of all of this - if it makes sense to speak of a 'centre' - is the
Abyss, a bottomless chasm where rage the most primal forces of Chaos, and where Space
and Time, Substance and Shadow, cease to exist. It was into this void that Brand and the
Jewel of Judgement were last seen disappearing. Floating above the Abyss is a vast black
Citadel, the seat of the Noble Houses of Chaos.
THE INHABITANTS

Nothing recognisable as a living being should be able to survive in Chaos - however,

certain creatures with sufficient innate Reality to survive the constant flux do dwell here,
and the most intelligent and powerful even prosper. And among them are those with the
strength and the intelligence not merely to adapt but to mould that environment according
to their Will - these are the Lords of Chaos. The natural form of a Lord or Lady of Chaos is
demonic - however, they often adopt a human form in social situations, the shapeshifter's
equivalent of peace-binding a sword. This is supposedly easier for some Chaosites than for
others, and the convention is far from universal. Chaosites are stronger, tougher, faster and
more altogether more powerful than your typical Shadow-dweller, but not quite to the same
extent as Amberites.

THE HOUSES OF CHAOS

There are seven Noble Houses of Chaos, plus House Barimen, the Royal House. There is a
considerable degree of intermarriage between them, and all are considered part of the Royal
Dynasty. This is what you know of them:

 The Royal House of Barimen - one of the oldest Houses, now restored after tens of
thousands of years of exile. The House is made up not just of Oberon and his
descendants, but also descendants of the old pre-Amber House Barimen who never
left. They are magickally powerful, and apparently nearly all Trumps Artists in
Chaos are Barimens.
 House Cenobia - the shunned House - students of pain who go in for cosmetic body
mutilation.
 House Chloris - very old and politically influential House with ancient ties to
House Barimen.
 House Fengyre - recently elevated House with a long tradition of scholarship.
 House Helgram - experts in Shadow manipulation and magick.
 House Helibore - rather shadowy House that has gained prominence from the
marriage of Lady Iorgana to the King.
 House Imbrex - the most militarily powerful House now that Hendrake have left
the Courts.
 House Rathrune - recently elevated House, supposedly strong in magick.

And, although now exiled and longer recognised as part of the Royal Dynasty, the two
Rebel Houses:

 House Hendrake - formidable warriors; apparently only a few of them were

capable of attaining a truly human form.
 House Usherbal - expert shapeshifters, able to mold living tissue (not just their
own) into any form they choose.
 The two elevated Houses, Fengyre and Rathrune, were previously land-owning families
with distant blood ties to the older Noble Houses. Oberon granted them titles and elevated
them to Noble status to replace Hendrake and Usherbal.

THE REST OF THE FAMILY

Benedict - Tired of the disunity amongst his siblings, he has retired to a Shadow called Dumnonia,
apparently a substitute for the Shadow Avalon where he settled before Patternfall. He turns up in
Argentium occasionally. Acts as Argentium's occasional envoy to Chaos, when such is needed. Distant
from most of the rest of the Elders, but seems to have no particular likes or dislikes.

Bleys - Has set up camp with Fiona in a very old Shadow Nexus known as the Keep of the Four
Worlds, which is believed to have survived the destruction of Amber's Pattern. Turns up in Argentium
quite frequently, apparently to socialise, although he is rumoured to be involved in the city's politics
much more deeply than he appears. If he retains any of his old links with Chaos, he is not admitting to
them. Seems well disposed towards most of his siblings, although this is not always reciprocated
(especially by Julian).

Brand - dead in the Abyss with the Jewel of Judgement.

Caine - Governor of Port Royal, and thus responsible for Argentium's merchant fleet, appointed
reluctantly by Deirdre after Random proved useless at it. Divides most of his time between the Port,
and his ship The Barracuda. His poor relations with Deirdre mean that his naval and intelligence-
gathering skills are not always put to best use, but he is said to have a private spy network even more
extensive than those of Argentium and Albion. Seems to get on well with Julian and Flora, though.

Corwin - Missing for the past 40 odd years, presumed alive, on the grounds that if he were dead, bad
things would have happened to his Pattern. However, Fiona has speculated that the mutual dependence
between Dworkin and the original Pattern was a deliberate augmentation, and that both Corwin and his
Pattern might in fact be able to survive the destruction of the other. Consequently, he may be dead after
all. Rumours abound as to his possible whereabouts: he may be a prisoner of someone seeking control
of his Pattern and/or Argentium (Deirdre and Fiona and Bleys are the most frequently accused); he may
be a prisoner in Chaos; he may have gone into seclusion; he may have gone mad, like Dworkin, and be
wandering lost in Shadow ... The list goes on. Before he disappeared, he seemed to get on fairly well
with all his siblings, but was closest to Deirdre, Random and Fiona.

Dara - High-ranking member of the Royal House of Barimen in Chaos, mother of Merlin. Turned up in
Argentium once, many years ago, as part of a diplomatic delegation following Corwin's disappearance.
She has not been back since. Rumour has it that she parted badly with Corwin in the immediate
aftermath of Patternfall, although she is supposed to be fond of Benedict. There is also a vague rumour
that she also has another son, this time by King Oberon.

Deirdre - Queen of Argentium, and a rather good one at that, learning quickly from her early mistakes
and managing not only to hold the realm together but also to increase its power. However, her position
is not wholly secure, and she is not universally popular, two facts of which she is all too aware.
Consequently, she tends to reward loyalty very well indeed, but the Unicorn help you if you cross her.
She distrusts most of her siblings, especially Caine, Bleys and Flora, and has largely lost patience with
her one true ally Random. She is particularly paranoid about threats from Chaos, and seems convinced
that Oberon is plotting to undermine her. She is at least careful (now) to avoid alienating Benedict, and
seems to have an on/off friendship with Fiona.

Eric - Died defending Amber just before Patternfall.

Fiona - Has set up camp with Bleys in a very old Shadow Nexus known as the Keep of the Four
Worlds, which is believed to have survived the destruction of Amber's Pattern. Spends a lot of her time
researching the new Pattern and exploring its Shadows, but also sometimes accompanies Benedict on
his diplomatic missions to Chaos. Gets on well with Bleys, occasionally with Deirdre, and is generally
sarcastic to everyone else. Was close to Corwin before he disappeared, though.

Flora - Officially, Argentium's Ambassador to Shadow Albion, but in practice she now rules the
Shadow in all but name. Consequently, she effectively controls most of the sea trade of the Silver
Circle. She seems to have flowered within the new dispensation, and has carved out a niche for herself
where she wields considerable power. Relations with most of her siblings are middling to good, except
for an ill-concealed and sometimes bitter rivalry with Deirdre.

Gerard - Almost certainly died when Amber fell. Certainly un-contactable since.

Julian - Has settled in the Silver Circle Shadow of Vithir, a densely-forested place that resembles (he
says) Forest Arden. He has re-established his pre-Patternfall role with some success, guarding
Argentium's eastern approaches with a new body of rangers. He has married the Queen of Vithir,
Macha, with whose Wild Hunt he frequently rides. Close to Caine, well-disposed towards Fiona,
Benedict and to a lesser extent Random, cool towards Deirdre and Flora, dislikes Bleys.

Llewella - Lost in Shadow without a Pattern imprint after Patternfall; no-one has been able to contact
her since.

Martin - Almost certainly died when Amber fell. Along with Vialle, the object of Random's desperate
and seemingly doomed search.

Merlin - High ranking member of the Royal House of Barimen in Chaos, son of Corwin and Dara. And
that's about all anyone knows of him. There are some rumours that Oberon would like to see him on the
throne of Argentium rather than Deirdre, a position for which he is not wholly unqualified.

Oberon - King of Chaos, former King of Amber. Under his rule, Chaos has grown more powerful than
at any time since the creation of Amber, and he shows few signs of wanting to slow the process. His
children in Argentium seem to regard him with a mixture of awe and fear, and in some cases (Deirdre
and Random especially) not a little dislike. His own attitude towards the offspring who refused to join
him in Chaos is unclear, but does not seem wholly favourable, although if he is close to any of them, it
is Benedict. He is married to Iorgana, a former Lady of House Helibore, by whom he has two
daughters, Princesses Lyan and Chloris, and a son, Prince Severin, who is still only a child. It is also
rumoured that he has another son by Princess Dara, name unknown.

Random - Driven and embittered, still searching for his wife and son. Rarely in Argentium, and when
he is, is usually drunk. Used to be Governor of Port Royal, but since he was hardly ever there, Deirdre
was forced to give the position to Caine instead. Close to Corwin (before he vanished), Deirdre (who is
now thoroughly sick of him), and Julian (oddly enough, since they apparently did not get on at all in
Amber). He has not been seen in Argentium for months.

Vialle - Almost certainly died when Amber fell. Along with Martin, the object of Random's desperate
and seemingly doomed search.

OTHER NPCS OF NOTE

Prince(ss) Atensare - "Divine Child of the Horizon of the Sun, Blessed of the Goddess Nektamte,
Speaker of Wisdom, Crusher of the Enemies of the Eternal Lands." Ambassador of Shadow Khmun. An
almost disagreeably perky individual who has taken the opportunity of his/her diplomatic posting to
throw off the shackles of Khmun's ritualistic society and live life to the full. Also a highly skilled
necromancer, with four ghûls as bodyguards.

Sir Richard Burton - Albion's Ambassador. Known mainly as an explorer and scholar, and rumoured
in particular to be a master of disguise. He is not thought to be one of Flora's stooges, but although
easily distracted by expeditions and rare books, he has proved too effective in his post to be easily
replaced. He has accompanied Random on a couple of the latter's Amber-quests.

Cardinal-Archbishop Catullus - Head of the Church of the Unicorn, and one of Deirdre's chief
advisors. From relatively humble beginnings as an army chaplain with Amber's forces at the Battle of
the Abyss, he has risen to become Argentium's spiritual leader. He is probably the second most
influential individual in Argentium itself, after Deirdre. A consummate political schemer, even Caine
seems to respect him.

Duke Amarind Chantris - Former Amber noble and one of Oberon's finest generals, now Dierdre's
Minister of Defence. Informal leader of and spokesman for the First Families. Dour and humourless,
but a strategist every bit as astute as any of the Elders.

Countess Jalynne Corbier - One of Argentium's indigenous nobility, the acceptable face of the Rosa
Argenta. She and Deirdre are quite close friends, much to the disgust of the First Families. She is
known to hate Cardinal Catullus, and the two of them seem to spend an inordinate amount of time
trying to discredit one another.

Lord Ybold Feldane - Former Amber noble, member of the First Families. Quiet and bookish by
temperament, he has appointed himself the official chronicler of Amber, and is the Honorary President
of the recently established Museum of Amber History. He used to accompany Random on his trips in
search of Amber, until he got half-killed by a Cthulhu-spawn in what Random thought were the ruins of
Rebma (they weren't). Paradoxically, he is said to be a psychotic berserker in battle, with over seventy
Chaosite heads to his credit, including the former heir to House Imbrex.

Duke Edouard Jenner - member of the indigenous nobility and head of one of the oldest trading
families in Argentium. He is Deirdre's Minister of Trade and Finance, and as such is also indirectly
responsible for the secretariat of the Silver Circle Alliance. A sharp-tongued fellow, he is a genius at
making money, and he knows it.
The Lady - A ghostly, silvery apparition who haunts the Basilica of the Pattern. No-one seems to know
precisely who or what she is, since she never speaks, but the records of Argentium suggest that she has
always been there. Some say Corwin created her, others say she is the dryad of the tree that grows
beside the Pattern. She seems to act as some kind of guardian of the Pattern, since people who try to
break into the Basilica seem to end up dead in mysterious and unpleasant circumstances.

Macha - Faery Queen of Shadow Vithir, wife of Julian. Her aversion to iron means that she is rarely
seen in Argentium. Those who met her remember a tall, aloof woman with long black hair, a fondness
for music, and a tendency to change into a raven when angry.

Lady Esmerelda Richter - Captain of the Cathedral Guard, the Cardinal's private army, and one of the
most feared fighters outside the Royal Family. Previously one of Benedict's elite officers, she is a little
too good at her job, and is responsible for the Guard's general reputation for ruthlessness and a
tendency towards overkill.

Lord Rein - Former Amber noble, also Deirdre's Poet Laureate. Technically a member of the First
Families, but his centuries-old friendship with Corwin has stood him in good stead with the indigenous
aristocracy, and he seems to spend a lot of his time trying to keep the peace between the various
factions in a "Can't we all just get along?" kind of fashion. Consequently, he has also ended up as
Deirdre's most trusted diplomatic envoy.

Renard Turane - Political agitator and outlaw. The unacceptable face of the Rosa Argenta (and
thoroughly disowned by Countess Jalynne and the rest of the acceptable face), wanted for treason and
the killing of several of the Cathedral Guard. Something of a folk hero in certain quarters. Lady Richter
has vowed to bring him in, dead or ... well, dead.

Lucinda Rosselini - not exactly Shadow Greyfell's Ambassador - something to do with her being an
exile, possibly. But she is the Rosselini family's most visible presence in Argentium. A pale, intense
young woman with black-streaked silver hair, she spends a lot of time hanging about at Court. It is
generally accepted that she is a spy, and not a very good one at that, trying to worm her way back into
her family's good books. A favourite Court game is inventing conspiracies to mislead her, but a lot of
the Elders for some reason seem to take her seriously...

Racial Packages
Vampire (25 points)

Enhanced Sensorium (10 points)

Regeneration (only with blood, 15 points)

Loses powers in daylight

Ghoul/Revenant (20 points)

 Enhanced Sensorium (10 points)

Regeneration (only with Vampiric blood, 10 points)

Werewolf (15 points plus Lycanthropic Shapeshifting)

Enhanced Sensorium (10 points)

Extra Hard Claws (5 points)

Faerie (10 points)

Enhanced Sensorium (able to see Sorcery, 10 points)

Powers
Vampiric Shapeshifting (30 points)
Prerequisite: Vampire or Ghoul/Revenant Racial Package

The vampiric Shapeshifting power is more powerful but more limited than the Chaosian power. While
the vampire has the ability to assume only a handful of forms, he can change very swiftly, adopting one
of his defined forms in only a few seconds. He can also hold an assumed form without needing to
expend effort or concentration to keep it, although his body always returns to its natural form at local
dawn in Amber, of course, there is no dawn.

The greatest practitioners of this ability are undoubtedly fierce Rilga's offspring. Wily Caine is believed
to have made a number of extraordinary innovations with this power, Gérard's great black bear form
has dominated more than one battlefield, and Julian sometimes appears more comfortable as an animal
than as a man.

Attributes. As in Amber DRPG, Endurance is important to this power, as changing forms puts the body
under a great deal of stress. Psyche also influences how quickly the change takes place, as this power
has a little in common with Magic.

Blood Use. More than any of the other Powers listed here, Shapeshifting taxes a vampire or ghoul's
supplies of blood. The GM should keep an eye on how often a character shapeshifts; a vampire or
ghoul that changes too often and casually will find himself needing to feed very frequently.

Mortal Form. A vampire's features are only slightly different from how they appeared in life, but that
difference can be important (see The Becoming, and Stuff and Appearance). This power allows the
vampire to temporarily force blood back to his cheeks, smooth out angular features and restore
functions like pulse, breathing and even sweat and oil production on the skin. While in this form, the
vampire overcomes the Mark; he will seem mortal, even to close medical scrutiny.

Animal Form. All vampires with this Power have at least one animal shape they can assume, and some
have many. The number and manner of forms a given vampire has appears to vary, although it may be
that more come with time and experience. The bulk of vampires have two animal forms, usually a wolf
or black dog for fighting and a bat or crow to spy and escape; some have three or more, but the limit
appears to be about half-a-dozen forms. Dworkin left his mark on this Power: students find his
preferred forms of wolf, dog, bat, crow, toad, and rat come quickly to them, while other shapes are less
common and harder to perfect. It would be very unusual for a PC to have more than one form not
chosen from this list, although the GM may allow a player to pay extra points for greater versatility.

Dispersed Form. One of the most remarkable aspects of Dworkin's research was the ability to take a
non-solid form, suited for escape or concealment. Dworkin himself assumed the form of a cloud of mist
or dense gas, and the majority of shapeshifters in Amber have the same ability; but Caine is rumoured
to be able to change himself into a pool of water, and Julian changes into a murder of crows. In any
case, a vampire in dispersed form must remain more or less in one place, as the shapeshifter who
allows himself to get too scattered becomes confused and unfocused, and risks losing consciousness. If
a vampire reforms with part of himself missing, he is injured and will need to heal. Dispersed form has
no special resistance to fire or sunlight.

Horrific Form. This is the form in which the vampire does battle. Each Horrific Form is a unique
nightmare with a bestial, though wholly unnatural appearance. Some have pale, stretched skin; others
lumpy and discoloured. Some become short and malformed; others spindly and grotesque. The claws
and fangs are exaggerated, and some gain spines, wings, or long, lashing tongues. In this form, the
vampire becomes immensely strong and fierce, with an arsenal of contact weaponry, and mentally all
but incapable of withdrawing from conflict.

Shapeshifting Blood Powers

The following are among the better-known powers to have been derived from the study of magical
Shapeshifting and of the Blood Pattern. To learn one of these powers, the student will have to fulfil the
pre-requisites, then persuade someone who already knows the Power to pass it on. Rilga and her
children are great masters of Shapeshifting, but renowned for their secretive, self-sufficient natures.
Failing that, he can attempt to research the power himself or any other application of Shapeshifting and
Blood but this will take a great deal of time.

Mimic (10 points)

Prerequisites: Vampiric Shapeshifting and Vampire Racial Package

A couple of shapeshifters in Amber have developed this power, which is credited to Caine.
Mimic draws on the sympathy between body and blood; a shapeshifter with this Blood
Power can transform his appearance to that of any person or creature from whom he has fed
in the last three days and nights (or the equivalent passage of time, in sunless Amber). The
power only bestows the subject's appearance, not his memories, personality or abilities.
Caine is rumoured to have devised a more advanced form of Mimic, allowing him to
imitate anyone from whom he has ever fed, and anyone who has taken the Communion.

Infect (10 points)

Prerequisites: Vampiric Shapeshifting and Vampire Racial Package

 The ability to modify others by feeding them your own blood is usually credited to Julian,
who is believed to have created Morgenstern and the Hellhounds this way, and may have
used a similar power to have created the stunted, dark-loving trees of Arden. When a
vampire with Infect feeds his blood to a mortal, he becomes partly vampiric, with increased
physical strength and speed, rapid healing and agelessness. Some develop fangs and claws
and even weak forms of some of the Powers. They also become hungry, pursuing vampire
blood fanatically; this addiction only fades gradually after the subject has returned to
normal humanity. They are not unusually affected by fire or sunlight and sustain stabbing
attacks to the heart much as anyone does, and they still need to eat mortal food.

This change has to be continually fuelled with fresh doses of the creator's blood, albeit
much less frequently than a vampire feeds; if the blood supply dries up, the subject
gradually returns to what would be his natural, unprolonged age. Julian is sometimes
believed to be able to enact more significant change, altering the appearance and nature of
those who have fed off him.

Fascination (30 points)

Prerequisite: Vampire, Ghoul/Revenant, or Faerie Racial Package
Fascination is less about influencing or gaining control over another being's mind anyone who can
enter into a mind-to-mind contact can attempt that so much as the range and subtlety of actions the
vampire can take upon making such contact. The powers below allow the vampire to inspire a range of
feelings and responses, to confuse and disorient, and to erase or alter memories.

The family's mistresses in the use of this power are Faiella and Dybele. Faiella has used this power for
millennia to enter and twist the minds and hearts of her conquests, focusing on one individual at a time.
Her creations never felt a great need to master this power; perhaps memories of being its victims
haunted them. Dybele, on the other hand, makes use of this power chiefly to sway and control crowds
and social contexts. Her daughter, Florimel, has followed in her footsteps, and both are believed to
keep ongoing subtle influences and alliances in and around Amber's Court and the Crimson Circle.

Attributes. Psyche is by the far the most important attribute in using this power.

Inspire Awe. The most elementary ability bestowed by the Fascination power. With this power active,
the vampire appears to fill the room with his presence. He seems larger, stronger, and nobler than
anyone else there, and that impression will colour everyone's responses to him, usually favourably. The
effectiveness of this power is based on the vampire's Psyche; the sense of grandeur will accompany him
even if his Psyche is weaker than every else's in the room, but they will be aware that it is not true
greatness, rather a magical trick. The particular sensation created is moulded by his self-perception and
Stuff: a cruel or callous character will cause discomfort and fear, whereas a humanitarian or leader will
inspire pride and admiration.

Control Emotions. Through mere speech, the vampire can sway his audience's feelings, choosing a
sentiment to amplify, dull, or alter at whim. This effect takes more time, between several minutes and
several hours depending on the vampire's and victim's relative Psyches and how pronounced an affect
is being attempted, throughout which time the vampire must be able to speak and be heard clearly. The
chosen emotion can be greatly amplified, or dulled to near-oblivion, although this power cannot
fabricate an emotion the subject did not feel at all, nor can it totally squash a genuine sentiment.
Feelings can be altered subtly, though, turning love into lust, or self-respect into conceit.

Confuse. A vampire with this power can bewilder and distract the mind of any subject within line of
sight. A victim of this character loses his sense of time and direction, and gets lost and disoriented
easily. His concentration and memory slip as well; he becomes unable to keep track of what he's doing,
and forgets all but the most pressing or important details of the things that are happening to or around
him. The effects fade after the victim leaves the vampire's line of sight, although how quickly depends
on their relative Psyches.

Mesmerise. By locking eyes with him and engaging in Psychic combat, the vampire can paralyse his
subject, forcing him to put all his concentration into the duel and neglect the material world. This effect
is ended when the Psychic duel is resolved or either the vampire or subject are attacked. The effect is
also spoiled if the vampire moves to attack his victim, although the vampire's allies may move freely.
Once the first blow has landed, though, the effect is also broken.

If the vampire wins the duel, he can control his victim verbally, giving him directions that he will
follow, zombie-like, until the eye contact is broken. The vampire can also achieve the following other
effects.

Implant Suggestion. During the mesmeric trance, the vampire can issue one or a small handful of
orders that will, once the trance is broken, remain in the victim's subconscious mind. The victim will
have no recollection or awareness of the orders, so a trigger has to be defined, such as "when you
encounter a one-eyed man, tell him that Comatus is dead," or "when you hear the words 'the Unicorn
lives,' immediately return to Amber." How long the suggestion remains effective, and how compelling
it will be, will depend on the vampire's Psyche; issuing more than one order will also water down the
power's effectiveness. Note that it is very difficult, with this power, to make someone take an action
that is entirely against his nature.

Control Memories. Gaining access to the memories of a mesmerised victim is easy enough, as he can
be ordered to describe them; in the hypnotic state induced by the power, he can remember even obscure
details. With this power, the vampire can also manipulate them, wiping memories out or inventing new
ones. The authenticity of new memories depends on how detailed the vampire's description of them is;
if he only has time to specify sketchy details, the victim will flesh them out himself, but may get
confused if pressed. This may also happen if the memories are very out of keeping with the victim's
personality.

Fascination Blood Powers

Following is the most common Blood Power associated with Fascination; several of the more
experienced manipulators in Amber use it to keep control of their servants. To learn this power, the
vampire needs to meet the pre-requisites, then find someone to teach it to him. Although widespread, it
is a dangerous Power, and its would-be student may have a difficult time finding a teacher. As with
other powers, the vampire may also attempt to research it, or another application, herself.

Enthral (20 points)

Prerequisites: Fascination and Vampire Racial Package

 With this power, the vampire is able to mingle her power over the minds of others with the
gift of blood. The subject of this power, who must have drunk some of the vampire's blood,
becomes loyal and subservient, and can even be affected by some mind-control powers at a
great distance. The blood may be taken willingly, or somehow given to the subject by force
or ruse, but will only enslave the subject with one feeding if the vampire has a significant
Psyche advantage. Otherwise the vampire may need to contrive to feed her subject on two
separate days, or even three: this power will take affect, regardless of Psyche or power, if
the subject has fed from the vampire on at least three separate dates. The victim of this
power is called a thrall. The following affects can be used on a thrall.

Program Thrall. As Implant Suggestion, above, but the vampire can give the commands
by mere speech, with no need for a Psychic duel; the commands can be as many and as
detailed as she wishes; and the victim may be aware or ignorant of them as she wishes. This
power may also be used to make the thrall act against her nature.

Summon Thrall. The vampire may call her thrall to her at any moment and, wherever in
Infinite Shadow he may be, he will rush to her side. If there is a barrier in his way he will
use any resources he has or can acquire to get around it, and if he is unable to get to her
(stuck in a different Shadow without the power to leave it, bound or on the wrong side of a
barrier, etc.), he will get as near to her as possible and become either despondent or frantic,
aware that he is needed but unable to get where he must go.

Telepathic Connection. Without the aid of any magic or Trump, the vampire can
communicate with her thrall. The form of this communication depends on distance and
Psyche. A weak link over most of Infinite Shadow may only permit the vampire to send and
receive broad emotions and crude impressions, while a strong Psychic link within a single
Shadow will allow them to conduct a silent dialogue, and even share senses. As long as the
vampire is able to speak coherently through the link, any Fascination powers can be used
on the thrall this way.

Beast-Mastery (25 points)

Prerequisite: Vampire, Ghoul/Revenant, or Faerie Racial Package

Beast-Mastery is the skill of manipulating animals singly or en masse by appealing to them on an

animal level. Vampires leave a part of their humanity behind when they undergo the Becoming; they
are made into predators with little recourse to reason when confronted with issues of self-preservation
or desire. This art exploits that, presenting its subjects with a dominant beast that appears to offer little
tolerance for challenges to its authority. Few vampires in Amber have even taken the effort to learn this
power, but its undisputed expert is Julian, the Master of the Hunt. Aside from the loyalty of his
favoured creatures, Morgenstern and the Hellhounds, he is aware, and the master, of almost every wild
creature that makes Forest Arden and the other surrounds of Amber its home.

Attributes. As the use of this power entails an authority challenge between the vampire and his subject,
it is highly dependent on Psyche.

Beast-Speech. The earliest stage in the development of this power has the vampire learning how to
communicate with any animal. This is chiefly Psychic in nature, amounting to a form of telepathy, but
the vampire must use some form of verbal communication, whether speaking in a human language,
imitating the noises normally made by the animal, or using some other, stranger, way to speak. This is
an underestimated ability, since the ubiquity of animals make them excellent spies; their usefulness, of
course, is limited by their ability to understand what they see. Communicating with an animal does not
lend it special intelligence or insight.

Summon Animals. While one or two mundane animals may offer little threat to a serious enemy,
especially a supernatural one, a great many of them may eventually overwhelm even a determined and
powerful foe. By loudly crying out in the voice of the species she is trying to call, the vampire can
summon to her side a number of animals of that species. This is constrained by availability; standing on
a crowded modern street corner, a vampire could readily summon hundreds of rats, but would have
little success calling on lions. The success of the power also depends on the vampire's Psyche.

Command Animals. The essential use of Beast-Mastery is controlling animals. Without this power, a
vampire is limited to commanding beasts one at a time, touching or meeting gazes with each in turn;
the Beast-Master may simply speak to beasts and her commands will be obeyed. The effectiveness of
this power depends on the vampire's Psysche and the number of animals she is attempting to master.
One animal can readily be given relatively complex instructions, forced to disobey its nature or issued a
command that will endure for a day or more after the vampire leaves its presence, but a vampire that
seeks to do the same to larger numbers of creatures will prove less effective unless her Psyche is
respectably Ranked.

Animal Spy. If an animal's effectiveness as a spy is limited by its intelligence, the simple solution is to
use its appearance to conceal the vampire's own consciousness. A Beast-Master who has defeated an
animal in a Psyche contest generally a trivial task can use its senses as his own, spying through its eyes
and ears as it goes about its business. He cannot completely control the animal once it is out of earshot
(although see Bind Familiar), but he is able to steer its urges, generally to make it move where he
wishes so that its perceptions are useful to him. There is also some danger to this power: the vampire
may end the effect at any time, but if the vessel is killed while he is looking though it, or he remains
within its senses past local dawn, he will temporarily lose a sense for a while, struck generally blind or
deaf, but sometimes losing another sense. This effect usually only lasts a few hours, but can endure for
days, or rarely longer.

Beast-Mastery Blood Powers

Following is the most common Blood Power learned with Beast-Mastery; while the power is not
pursued by many as closely as by Julian, those who do study the control of animals can all see the
virtue of a close, loyal pet or animal servant. To learn this power, the vampire has to meet the pre-
requisites, then find a teacher. While those who know it are unlikely to fear much from passing it on,
the difficult part would be finding the teacher in the first place. As with all Blood Powers, the vampire
could also research it, or another application of Blood Power and Beast-Mastery, himself.

Bind Familiar (10 points)

Prerequisites: Beast-Mastery and Vampire Racial Package

This power echoes Enthral, allowing the vampire to create a slave with his blood. To create
a familiar, the vampire has to feed the animal from his blood. The familiar will become
 more intelligent, cruel and fierce, and will be its creator's fanatically loyal servant.
Presumably, as with its sister power, two or three feedings may be needed to bind a
particularly strong-willed animal, but this will rarely be at issue.

The vampire may use the following abilities with respect to his familiar:

Program Familiar. This power is similar to the Fascination power to Program Thrall. The
Beast-Mastery power to Command Animals is limited by the relatively short-term
memories and attention span of animals; it is difficult to give an order that the beast will
obey for more than a day or two. This power overcomes that limitation: the vampire can
issue on ongoing command, or one with a condition that may not be met for some time, and
as long as the animal remains bound (typically months or years after the last feeding of
blood), the direction will remain as fresh as though it had been given a minute before.

Summon Familiar. This power is identical to the Summon power a master of Fascination
may use on his Thrall, allowing the vampire to call his animal servant to his across any
distance in Shadow. As with that power, summoning a familiar does not give it any special
ability to travel between Shadows, or through any other barriers, to get to the vampire.

Telepathy with Familiar. Again, this power is identical to the one learned as part of the
power to Enthral, and allows the vampire to communicate with his animal servant across
any distance in Shadow. As with that power, the detail of the communication is dependent
on the distance in question and the Psyche of the vampire. The vampire may use any Beast-
Control power through this link that the level of communication available allows him to.

Possess Familiar. A more potent version of the Animal Spy power, this ability enables the
vampire to place his own mind within the familiar's body, taking it over as his own. In this
state, the vampire has all the animal's physical abilities at his disposal (he can fly if a bird,
breathe water if a fish, and so on), and is effectively a living being, with no special
susceptibility to fire or sunlight and no extraordinary strengths.

This power is limited by the animal's survival, and by the dawn. The vampire can safely
end the possession if he physically returns to his body and allows his persona to return to it;
but if he leaves his animal vessel prematurely, or the vessel is killed, or he remains in the
vessel past local dawn (in Amber, of course, there is no dawn), the possession ends and he
slips into unconsciousness or coma. This state does not usually last longer than a few
minutes or hours, but on rare occasions, the vampire can remain unconscious for years.

LYCANTHROPY
Cost : 10 points
PREREQUISITES : Endurance of at least Chaos ranked, Werewolf Racial Package.
The power possessed by were-creatures, such as Eric's Wier (or Wiermonken), werewolves, were-tigers
and so on. It is a specialised and limited form of shapeshifting where the lycanthrope has only three
possible forms - human, a specific animal and an intermediate form halfway between the human and
animal forms and possessing the abilities of both (such as animal senses), albeit at a lower level.
The version of lycanthropy which is described here is most like that from Russian mythology and
folklore. That is, the lycanthrope is not constrained to change at the full Moon (or whatever the
equivalent may be for a given shadow) and is not in any other way linked to the lunar cycle, does not
suffer from any animalistic urges while in animal form (is in no danger of 'losing themselves in the
beast', does not regenerate damage any faster than normal healing, and is not especially vulnerable to
silver.
The lycanthrope's animal form is essentially an Amberite-level version of whatever animal it may be,
with all normal animal abilities, senses and so on. Depending on the form of the magic a lycanthrope
who is also a Sorcerer may find their magics very constrained in animal form.
The intermediate form will have reduced levels of the abilities of the animal forms, but also crude
hands and so on from their partially-human shape. The power as it stands must be acquired all at once.
Precisely how this occurs is left for the player and GM to decide. Any infection by lycanthropy which
relies on local shadow magic is unlikely to affect Amberites, and in any case will be lost upon shifting
through shadow. I would personally consider it more likely that an Amberite-blooded person would
acquire this power from having a parent who is also a lycanthrope, but if an alternative story works,
then use it!
This power can act as a stepping stone to full shapeshifting, although it would probably be harder for
the lycanthrope to learn full shapeshifting than a non-lycanthrope, because of their being closely tied to
one specific form.

Variations on the Power:

It is possible that a lycanthrope may be different to that described above (perhaps more like a
'traditional' lycanthrope). In that case the following modifiers could be applied:
 If the lycanthrope also has supernaturally fast healing and regenerative powers (equivalent to
normal shapeshifting healing), then that adds 5 points to the cost of the power.
 If the lycanthrope can only be hurt by silver weapons, then that adds 10 points to the cost of the
power.
 If one's power is linked to the lunar cycle so that one must turn into one's animal form at full
moon, and one also loses control of oneself, becoming more animalistic in nature, then that
reduces the cost of the power by 5 points.
Note that regardless of any modifiers and so on which may be applied to power must still be
learnt all at once; if one has the basic 10-point lycanthropy, one cannot suddenly 'learn' how to
become invulnerable to all but silver weapons!

Fae Rites of Power

by Arref Mak

Prerequisite: Faerie Racial Package

O ld and strange to the ways of men, the Fae are not often seen by civilization. They remain easily out
of the reach of all but the very arcane traveler.
The Fae races follow their own Rites of Power. The Fae study and group these Rites by Arcane Paths.
A theme runs through a Path and mastering 3 or more Rites in a single Path means the practitioner has
made a Commitment to the Path. Once Committed, they may not have more than one Rite of each other
path. Total basic power is therefore 7 Rites. The strongest blend of Rites below Commitment to any one
Path would be 6 Rites, 2 from each path.

Rites cost 3 points each. Each basic Path would total 15 points for the 5 Rites.

The Green Path - Fae can smell magical workings

 Forest Flit - moving through heavily planted areas as if the vegetation were ephemeral. Ground
tracks are still made. Fae has normal weight.
 Green Tower - making a domain from the wood. Modest changes can be made each day. The
new domain will require stewarding, lest it fall back to wild.
 Breath of Green - forming an arcane link to another living thing, such that full empathy
exchanges between the two. May also be used to induct another creature to other Green Rites
temporarily.
 Tricking Green - exchange properties between flora. Make edible any of the natural floras of the
locale.
 Wood Fellow - spirit form to occupy an existing natural vegetation/animal of the locale. Normal
senses are maintained.

The Silver Path - Fae can see magical workings

 Star Dance - starlight as a medium of variable density, from slippery slopes to prison bars. The
more elaborate the manipulation, the longer the crafting. Basic geometry requires only a
moment's thought.
 Silver Lake - any found water holding the Sky's image is useful for healing and sustenance.
Water equal to weight is sufficient for regeneration. Health gain persists unless magically
countered.
 Silver Glance - visual senses range across the sensitive spectrum and gain reflective defense. No
psyche attacks through the practitioner's eyes are possible.
 Star Kiss - spirit form to ephemeral. May alter form before returning to normal. Mass may not
increase from normal.
 Between Stars - Invisible and silent while in open starlight. Starlight falls vertically and
buildings shield from it. Normal clouds do not stop starlight.

The Black Path - Fae can feel magical workings

 Cavern Canter - moving through ground as if the earth were ephemeral, this includes crafted
stone, earth and wood. Senses may penetrate as well.
 Dark Crafting - reworking, twisting, and repair of items. What was once is whole again.
 Root Bound - items of earth may be bound together and/or to earth again. Includes worked
items.
 Black Anger - waking the spirit of the earth. Endurance determines size of spirit.
 Black Speech - waking of items or animals while speaking to them. Psyche determines size of
spirit.
Advanced Fae Powers

Once the Fae practitioner has the full 7 Rites mastered, they may define up to two completely
new Rites for their committed Path. This would be 9 Rites and total of 27 points.

Once the Fae practitioner has the advanced 9 Rites mastered, they may define one completely
new Path, which represents a unique theme not covered by the Three Paths. This would be 10
Rites and total of 30 points.

GM should encourage the Unique Path as something directly related to the Character's growth.

Fae Rites can be taught to the magically inclined, but some Fae blood is required to follow even a
single Rite.

Fae Rites are magical and may be disrupted by counter magic. Some Shadow environs do not
support Fae magic.

Amber Sorcery
by Martin Terman
NOTE: This is a repost of a series of essays which were posted to the Usenet newsgroup
rec.games.frp.misc in September 1992. The original posts may be available from archives as parts
I , II , III , IV , V , Appendix. There is also an introduction, and later comments. Martin Terman
also posted a later system which ranks sorcery as a trait itself.
I. Shadow Magic
II. Pattern Powers
III. Shadow Magic
IV. Pattern vs. Logrus
V. Spell Creation
Appendix: Shadow Nature

Amber Sorcery: I. Shadow Magic

I am working out a new system that captures the books a little better, as well as my own views
on the system. There are some inconsistancies with regards to magic use and Amberites. Aside from the
redhead trio, it looks fairly obvious that none of the rest of the princes and princesses have any magical
abilities. However, Corwin does use magic at one point, and was reputed to be a sorceror when he was
in charge of Avalon.
To balance out these conflicting ideas, there are two breeds of magic. One is Shadow magic,
that is, magic that is purely indigenous to that particular Shadow. This magic drawing on the magical
energies of that Shadow, is fairly simple to work, especially for someone who is of a higher reality.
Unfortunately the magic only works in that particular Shadow and Shadows close by to it. Then there is
high sorcery, which works everywhere and is loosely affiliated with the flow of energies between the
Logrus and the Pattern. Tapping into these powers at the base level can be done by anyone, but requires
some connection to a primal source in order to be a full magician of the art, such as the Pattern, the
Logrus or the Broken Pattern.
In order for a particular effect to work across all Shadow, to the places of Amber and the Courts,
a spell or artifact needs a power that works across all Shadow, which means either the Pattern or the
Logrus to form the powering effect. In general, its easier to inscribe the Pattern on an object, as its a
fixed inscription, than to create an effect that moves and twists on the object like the Logrus. A magic
sword may function in Avalon, but it needs the Pattern like Greyswandir if its going to be potent
everywhere beyond that of an ordinary sword.
Corwin, I postulate, was a sorceror of the magic of Avalon. That explains why he used a spell to
attempt to drive off a demon, but at no other time ever tried to use magic for anything no matter how
trivial. He could use it there, because he was sufficiently close to his Shadow of Avalon for the magic
to work. Elsewhere, he knew his magic wouldn't do anything, so he didn't bother using it at all.
Why was he a sorceror there and not of Pattern magic? Well, Amberite magic is a lot harder
than that of magic to a particular Shadow. Corwin threw that spell at a demon by just invoking words
from memory, while Merlin when preparing his magic had to work out lynchpins, hang it in his Logrus
vision, and worried about the spells going stale. Whenever powers involving the Pattern were invoked,
there was generally a nasty drain of energy involved. Presumably Avalon's magic was easier to access.
Not to mention the odds that Avalon's magic was less secretly guarded, or at least easier for Corwin to
discover. One can intimidate a shadow wizard into giving lessons, but Dworkin or Oberon is another
story.
To this end, if a player has a Shadow that she/he spent points on, then that player can have the
option of being a full fledged magician in that realm. After all, if it was a high-tech realm, there'd be no
problem of the player using high technology in that realm. Of course, none of this magic will work
outside the Shadow, unless you were nearby. (GM options if there are separated Shadows where this
magic will work)
There is evidence that high sorcery is a universal system of magic that works across Shadow, as
Julia and Merlin, of the Broken Pattern and the Logrus traditions use the same spell to unstick statues
of Sharu and Jasra respectively. Also the magic ritual used on Jurt is the same as the one used on Brand.
However I postulate that each spell ultimately takes into effect one of the primal sources, or an echo
thereof. Merlin recognized the spell, but it need not have been identical. In a battle its hard to tell.
The problem with this magic system is that doing anything takes a lot of time and effort and
you'd better either have the spell prepared in advance with lynchpins or be out of sword range for a
good chunk of it. Out of swordreach a person with prepared spells can take out a swordsman. Within
sword range, it works the other way around. Magical items and creatures don't quite have that problem,
on the other hand, they have to be created by an expert, which is why there are so few of them.

Amber Sorcery: II. Pattern Powers

What can a Pattern initiate do? Quite a bit, if the Amberite in question is prepared to pay a little
(or a lot) of energy to accomplish the specific result. Walking through Shadow is the simplest uses of
power. It takes minimal training to accomplish, and indeed is the simplest of Amber powers.
The next simplest step is to use the Pattern to disrupt a Logrus based effect, such as Corwin
cutting a path across the Black Road by holding the Pattern in his mind and pitting it against the Road.
Essentially, that is all there is to the effect. One uses the Pattern as a focus for the mind and throws
willpower against the effect until it goes. Its not easy for a well-entrenched effect, but it is possible.
Going on, bending Shadows over time to ones will is also possible. Longer term the buildup, the
stronger the effect can come. Special properties of the Shadow can be bent and exploited spectacularly,
but that requires a full knowledge of the Shadow. Oberon bent Tig'n'roth into a time loop intersecting
with Amber in this way, using the fact that fragment of Shadow was slightly adrift in time. But that also
required exact knowledge of how to bend it, and he isn't around anymore to explain how he did it.
After that, instruction is required as well as experimentation. Building Trumps is one of the
simpler effects. One creates an image of the person or place that one wishes to reach and then inscribes
the Pattern on the card in such a way as to connect the card to the target. Inscribing the Pattern is the
trick, and while it isn't terribly hard once one has learned how to do it, manipulating Pattern forces is
the key.
An advanced effect of Pattern powers, that can only be learned with a lot of time and study, and
requires a good background in Pattern sorcery, is advanced Pattern scrying and movement. These two
are where one searches through Shadow while staying in one place, studying through the Pattern.
Objects can be fetched to and from the target Shadow. Brand was reputed to have this power, and
Oberon used it to send Corwin away at one point. Pattern Sorcery is a prerequisite for this particular
power.
Pattern Sorcery can be learned, but its not as easy as could be liked. As with Logrus magic
portrayed in the books, its a long series of gestures and incantations which can be reduced to a few key
words. The more key words, the less chance the spell has of accidentally going off on its own. The spell
can be hung in the personal vision of the Pattern, to be recalled at a later date. Pattern spells go stale a
lot less quickly than Logrus spells. On the other hand, they're a pain to create in the bargain.
Additionally, as with the Logrus, one can use the Pattern symbol to see mystic forces around the
person.
Pattern magic is especially good at transportation and at scrying through Shadow, since these
are effects that minimally disrupt Shadow and are simple rearrangements of what is. The latter is
especially good, as the Pattern is in some ways the epitome of information and collecting information is
very simple with it. All spells which are these two effects have minimal energy consumption for that
very reason.
Pattern spells to create objects usually don't operate off of creation. Instead the objects are
summoned from Shadow. Since all objects that can be imagined exist in Shadow, and the spell would
define such an object, the spell works as a Shadow walk in reverse. Pattern magic is good at
summoning things. Destroying things is harder. Usually one summons a destructive effect and hopes it
will obliterate the target. Sending someone to a destructive Shadow is also a good possibility.
Pattern initiates grow in power over time. Being initiated with the Jewel of Judgement will
speed the effect up, and allows greater refinement and control of powers. In general, players will rarely
hit limits that only Jewel initiation will allow to happen, usually there'll be Dworkin or someone else
around to do the effect. There is no Advanced Pattern Initiation, rather as time goes on, the difficulty of
wielding Pattern effects, like Shadow walking, becomes easier. The effects also go faster if the same
amount of work is invested.
Pattern Powers: (in order of purchase)
Pattern Initiation
Shadow Movement
Chaos Effect Disruption
 Shadow Bending
Create Trumps
Pattern Sorcery
Shadow Scrying, Advanced
Shadow Movement, Advanced

Indented powers are simple enough that a few minutes instruction is sufficient to tell someone how to
use the powers, and naturally derive from the Pattern power above it. Other abilities have to be
purchased in the order they are listed, because each new ability rests on the former.

Amber Sorcery: III. Logrus Powers

Logrus powers outside of magic aren't very well displayed. However they do exist. Logrus
powers generally involve the destruction of something, the warping of an existing object, or the
creation of something out of primal chaos, using the Logrus as the faucet. Control of the faucet, as well
as what you do with the results, is the harder part. Logrus powers are dangerous, and losing control of
the effects is quite possible unless you're careful.
Sorcery in general is a lot safer, though not quite as convenient, which is why sorcerers abound
at the Courts. Also, reality is loose enough to make sorcery possible without initiation into a primal
force. Reality is tight enough at Amber that you need some sort of connection in order to make it work.
Logrus powers divide into two segments. One is the summoning of chaos energies to either be
unleashed as a destructive force, or molded and warped into some creature or object to be used for
something. The other aspect is to take an object and distort it into something else.
Distortion is the more common usage, generally because primal chaos is rather dangerous stuff.
Shadows near the Courts can be altered without any need for Logrus initiation. Away from the Courts,
you need to walk the Logrus, though as always, the closer the Shadow is to Amber, the harder it is to
manipulate and there will be a fadeback result unless one is extremely close to the Courts. At the
Courts, Shadow can be easily manipulated and turned into private dwellings and so forth. There are the
technicians that Merlin mentioned who perform this function routinely, and aren't even Logrus initiates.
But only a Logrus initiate can summon chaos to mold people and objects or to create or destroy.
Warping objects and people is possible. Its sort of like Shapeshifting applied to other people,
and it is fairly tricky, being a combination of one's own shapeshifting powers and the power of the
Logrus. Difficulty is proportional to the resistance of the object, the similarity of the object or person to
the target form, and the level of detail required. Resistance is encountered in certain objects, who will
naturally recover given time from the effect.
Anything associated however remotely with the Pattern has this effect. An Amberite would
gradually restore over time, partially due to the regenerative powers, but also due to the Pattern image
within the Amberite shaking off the chaos. If the Amberite actually formed the image of the Pattern
mentally and poured power into it, it could get nigh impossible to make a change in the person. Objects
like Greyswandir and Pattern Trumps have similar resistance and bend-back.
Shadow manipulation/warping is used to allow people of chaos to travel through Shadow. The
Black Road is a key example of how this may be done. The black threads that transported Merlin to the
Courts are the most common example of how such travel is effected. The threads are ribbons of chaos
material which bend and distort the Shadow, allowing travel between different Shadows. Such threads
don't last terribly long, especially past the halfway mark between Amber and the Courts, but they aren't
too hard to make. Only an expert, a master of the art can create a thread remotely, like laying down
track. Most people have to create the threads as they travel through Shadow. Its a lot harder than
Shadow walking, and requires more effort.
Chaos bombs are simple to make. One summons primal chaos and lets it annihilate the area. It
requires great effort of will to contain the destruction. Any initiate of the Logrus can also try to contain
the destruction or aid to it. An Amberite can also try to contain the destruction by summoning the
Pattern. The Pattern initiate actually has the easier time of it. Logrus masters can also try to throw bolts
of chaos energy at things, but against an Amberite, this is can be of limited utility. Especially if the
Amberite is braced with the Pattern, resistance is possible.
Creating objects and creatures out of primal chaos is the hardest bit. Usually its just easier to
find a demon of the appropriate type and bind it to service. On the other hand, good help is hard to find
and occasionally specialized service is needed. Also, the more powerful the servant needed, its easier
just to create something loyal to you. Creation is an imperfect art, one never gets exactly what one
wants, and so even if the job is successful, the GM can alter details to make the creature more
individual.
All of these effects sound wonderful and great. There is a danger though. If the Logrus magician
fails in controlling the chaos, then the chaos turns on the summoner. This could mean that the magician
gets warped, or gets blown to pieces by the very chaos bomb they summon, or the creation turns on the
creator. Unless you are walking the Pattern, failing in a Pattern power can result in exhaustion and
slight injury (not to mention a massive migrane) but not in death. Sorcery is popular because despite
the difficulty in setting it up, its less likely to blow up in your face. Considering how dangerous sorcery
is when a spell is botched, this says something about the dangers of the Logrus.
The order in which they are learned isn't terribly difficult. First comes sorcery, or it usually
comes first, as its safer and the Logrus isn't needed. After sorcery comes Shadow alteration in the
Courts. Since the fabric of reality is so thin there, Logrus initiation isn't needed. Anywhere outside the
Courts and you need to walk the Logrus at some point. After the Logrus one can be taught to make
chaos bombs, which are simple summoning of chaos without any attempt to control it. Constraining a
Logrus bomb is what takes the training. Burning black threads through shadow comes at this point,
then the use of primal chaos to create specified objects and things comes next, with alteration of
objects, in some way the hardest of the lot, comes last. Progression after that is merely making more
complicated effects of the basics.
Shapeshifting is needed to walk the Logrus, there is no way around that. The thing alters enough
that one needs to constantly change in form in order to make it through the thing. The Logrus is also
sufficiently disruptive that it has the usual purification effects on the person traversing it, though the
walker will also be totally unbalanced when finished walking it. Logrus walking is something done
only a few times in one's career, unlike the Pattern.
Logrus Powers:
Shape Shifting
[Logrus] Sorcery[1]
Shadow Alteration[2]
Logrus Initiation
Summon Chaos
Create Threads
Create Trumps[3]
Create Objects/Demons
Warp Objects/People
Indented powers are powers that are simple enough to learn that they come automatically with the non-
indented power above.
[1] Sorcery isn't required for any of the following powers, but many advanced applications of various Logrus powers
require sorcery for full exploitation. Not everyone at the Courts learns sorcery, but its fairly common.
[2] It is possible to walk the Logrus without Shadow Alteration power, but that power is a prerequisite for creating
threads to pass through Shadow. Also as noted, sans Logrus, the power works only at the Courts.
[3] Creating Trumps is a post-initiate power, but it isn't required for the following powers. Sufficient instruction is
needed that it is a power in its own right, but not uncommon.

Amber Sorcery: IV. Pattern vs. Logrus

The Pattern is neither a creator or a destroyer. It is a manipulator and rearranger of what is.
Additionally, it can act as reinforcement of what already exists. With the Logrus, one is capable of
incredible acts of creation and destruction. In contrast, Pattern powers work easiest when altering little
as possible. Shadow walking is one of the least draining uses of the Pattern, because nothing is really
changing in Shadow except the location of the person doing the walking. Trumps also change little, so
they are easy to use. With Logrus powers, often the trick is not to have a warping effect on the
environment, or to restrict the effect to only the desired result.
Both the Logrus and the Pattern have effects of altering what is, but they take completely
opposite approaches to how to accomplish the result. While the results may appear similar, the causes
are quite different and have important consequences thereof. Where a Logrus magician summons up a
storm cloud out of nothing, a Pattern magician would simply alter the weather step by step until a storm
cloud appeared. Or would find a storm cloud somewhere in Shadow and bring it in to where it was
desired. Pattern initiates can alter the time streams of a Shadow and work subtle manipulations on it as
well. Note that they are not creating or destroying anything, they are merely shifting around what is.
Logrus powers have a warping effect, but that is quite different than what the Pattern does. The
Logrus takes the natural pattern of things and forces it into a new alignment. The Pattern alters the
natural pattern of things and lets the balancing forces themselves shove everything into a new pattern,
or takes the specific effect looked for, and restructures everything so that the desired effect is a natural
consequence of the system. This approach has advantages and disadvantages.
The disadvantage is that its a lot harder. The Logrus magician merely has to create a storm
cloud with lightning ready. The Pattern magician has to restructure local weather conditions so that a
storm cloud with lightning forms. The Pattern magician has a huge expenditure of forces to achieve the
same effects as the Logrus magician. This difficulty explains why Pattern magic isn't all that popular.
On the other hand, the Logrus magician's cloud can be distrupted easily once the supporting
force for it is removed. Or the Pattern magician can try to reimpose order which would demand that the
cloud not exist. The Logrus magician has to actually go and suppress the Pattern cloud, and that
suppression could be disrupted. The Logrus magician could summon up a major disruption which
would mess up the cloud and most things in the area, but the point is Pattern generated effects are a lot
harder to destroy than Logrus effects.
In general, given a Pattern effect versus a Logrus effect, the Pattern effect will generally win,
however the Pattern effect will take a lot more energy to create. Unless one has something like the
Jewel of Judgement or a spikard for a power supply, effects will be more subtle and less showy than
their Logrus counterparts in magic. Logrus magicians in the short term can do quite a bit, but in the
long term results, the Pattern magic will last. (unless you've nuked an area with primal chaos....)

Amber Sorcery: V. Spell Creation

Every spell is broken up into two parts, a power supply and an effect. The power supply tends to
be ignored a bit, but is quite important. Unless one has a spikard or some local external power supply,
powering a spell from the caster's energy can get quite draining after a while. Especially for an
Amberite magician, who has to deal possibly with the draining effects of the Pattern. Chaosite
magicians have it slightly easier if their spells deal with Chaos energy, which they can draw from the
Logrus, but to manipulate it requires a separate power supply as well.
The powering of a spell can occur at two times, at spell creation and at spell invocation. In
many cases, the two are at the same time, unless the caster stores the spell for later usage. There are
advantages and disadvantages to either side. A spell that is pre-powered, ready for casting will decay
much faster than a spell that is powered at the time of invocation. On the other hand, the caster doesn't
need to worry about tiring out in the middle of a duel of magic. Tiring out and then resting or tapping
into a power source to hang powered spells is a good concept, but spell staleness becomes an issue.
Batteries fade out if not used in a while. Spells are the same, only faster.
External power supplies can be used for magic. The Keep of Four Worlds is a good example of
something that is used purely for external magical energies. The Keep has the problem that if you aren't
at it, you can't tap into the power source. Its a great place to live, but you lose the advantages of the
place when leaving it. There are various magical sources in Shadow. Most of these places require some
work or attunement in order to tap into them, and the generic rule is that anyone can tap into them, so if
you wander to a place to recharge a lot, someone else can discover that place and use it too.
Magical items can be used to channel power from such places into the bearer. A spikard
functions this way on one level, but has a lot of additional help. The creator of a spikard went out and
found lots and lots of places like the Keep and created lines to the places that flow into the ring. The
advantage is that the source of the magic becomes more secret as you have to have the item in order to
seriously trace the line of magic back to its source. The disadvantage is that if you lose the item, you're
in trouble.
The other alternative is to gather up magical power from an area or from a living creature. The
latter is sacrifice and the former covers a more generic class of magical ritual. Both of these are rather
awkward and aren't used all that much by initiates of the primal powers, who prefer Shadow sources
for power supplies. Or using personal energies, as they are much stronger than your average shadow
magician.
A character wishing to have a Shadow power supply must buy a Shadow and then spend
additional points to specify that the Shadow has a magical source. More points spent, the stronger the
power is. The character need not tell anyone else about the power supply, though it may be hard to
conceal the fact if the character uses it a lot. The points may be reduced if the power is specified to be
specific to a certain type of magic, such as fire magic, or scrying. The more specific the power gets, the
cheaper it becomes.
In order to have a magic item that taps a Shadow power supply, it is necessary to buy the
Shadow as well. Spikards aren't purchasable by players for the reason that they are worth more points
than the players can reasonably spend for a single item. Having an item means the character doesn't
have to go near the Shadow itself or have a Trump of it or anything similar, making the use of the
source by anyone else extremely difficult. It could even have things like a poisonous atmosphere and
other properties that would make going to it dangerous. However, it must be reachable by sorcery and
Shadow walking and Trump. The blockages needed to stop those powers would also sever any
connection between item and its power source.
In any case, the power supply has to be specified at the time of spell creation, either at time of
casting or invocation, where the power is coming from, external or internal. One that's done and the
spell is cast, it cannot be altered. Power cannot be fed into an existing spell unless the spell specifically
allows/requires power fed into it periodically. Once the power supply is determined, the amount needed
is determined from the spell creation process itself.
Creation of a spell is a lot more complicated than figuring out how to power it. Power can be
the more critical problem, but the options are a lot simpler. The system for spell creation works on the
principle that given enough time, a magician can be able to create any type of spell, as opposed to
being limited to a known grimore of spells. Of course, a magician can't create time travel spells because
of a lack of power over time, but would be able to come up with a spell to turn a prince into a frog, to
be broken by a kiss, or create a fireball.
Spells can incorporate primal powers like the Pattern and Logrus, and anything that can be
accomplished with those powers can be used in a spell as well. Of course, one needs to be an initiate of
those powers in order to invoke them. There are certain limitations. Shadow walking via spell wouldn't
be possible, since its a continuous process of visualization, but a spell to duplicate a Trump movement
is possible, or a spell to try to bend a Shadow, though the spell would need an incredible power supply
to work in any decent amount of time. A spell to gradually alter a Shadow over time would work.
Corwin's blood curse helped twist Shadow to let the Black Road through.
Spells that work across Shadow, or alter the nature of the Shadow they work within, need one of
the primal powers in order to function. It can be the Broken Pattern, but still it needs some connection
to the generators of Shadow to work.
Spells are first categorized by their main result, the basic objective of the spell, broken down
into one of several categories, listed in order of decreasing Order and increasing Chaos:
Communication scrying, communication, detection
Transportation translocation, shadow-walking
Alteration rearranging the components of one thing
Transformation turning one thing into another thing
Creation/Destru
something into nothing, or vice versa
ction
In general, the less a spell alters what is going on, such as the transfer of information that the
Communication class is, is the easiest for the Amberite, since nothing is changed. Chaosites find it very
very hard to do any sort of information magic. Its easier to alter something to a determined quality
rather than to determine the innate quality.
Transportation is less easy, but since it is merely alteration of location, it isn't terribly difficult
either for the Amberite, though near the Pattern it gets very very hard. Chaosites have to use the Black
Road, which is Transportation via Transformation of a path through Shadow. It gets messy.
Alteration is merely mass translocations and is of average difficulty for either order or chaos
magicians, since the former has to worry about large levels of change, and the latter have to worry
about getting all the changes done correctly. A lot of magic falls into this category. For example, most
bolts of mystic power are simply alteration of energies from a stored source to a bolt aimed at someone,
as are a lot of magical shields as well.
Transformation is not only where something is rearranged, but transmuted in the process. Chaos
people find this sort of magic fairly easy to do, but Amberites find it very very difficult. Of course, the
former do shapeshift all the time, so it would seem natural to them. Note that most magical energies
being turned into other forms of energies do not fall into this class, transformation of raw magic power
into power of another type is a freebie that any magician can do for no cost in complexity.
Creation/Destruction is extremely difficult for anyone but a full fledged Logrus initiate or
someone using chaos derived magics. Amberites find it near impossible. Its easier for them to find what
they're looking for in Shadow and simply bring it to them.
I get around the Logrus tendril search/move effect by claiming that Zelazny wasn't trying to
create a unified system, he was trying to tell a story. This system only requires minor mods of the actual
events in the stories.
Spells can combine types, such as the creation of the Black Road, which is Transmutation and
Transportation, since it alters a chunk of Shadow, and extends it through different Shadows. The more
types, the harder the spell gets.
A subclass of type is whether the spell is physical or mental. Of course, a spell can be physical
and mental, but that's effectively like combining different types. The difference between physical and
mental is whether it goes against Constitution/Strength/Warfare (depending on the particular type of
physical spell) or against Psyche. Mind control is Transmutation/Mental. Locating Greyswandir in a
distant Shadow is Communication/Physical.
Complexity is another feature of a spell that determines the difficulty in coming up with it and
with the base energy cost. For example, transforming something into a lump of granite is a lot easier
than turning it into a painting. Transforming it into the Mona Lisa is harder, and making it a perfect
copy is harder still. Likewise, detecting iron is easier than detecting iron swords and a lot easier than
looking for a specific sword. (Greyswandir would be easily detectable under "Pattern-based objects")
The last two features of a spell are Range and Area. These affect, of course, the distance that a
spell works over. For determining range when working across Shadow, use hellriding time, assuming
that the person can move at top speed, and its purely the rate of altering the Shadow around the person.
Area ranges from point to Shadow. In theory, one could increase the area across all Shadow, but
even the Pattern would have a headache on that one, and for the most part, even transforming part of a
Shadow drains Chaosites and Amberites. In practical terms even, only the area around the caster is
doable in a short period of time. If one cares to spend more time, it becomes easier.
So a spell designer works out exactly what the spell will do in practical terms. Special effects
are a freebie on this one, feel free to make the spell look neat so it can be given an impressive name.
Type or types, subtype or subtypes, complexity, range and area. Sum these up to get the basic cost of
the spell, and then determine strength of the effect.
Now some tradeoffs can be made. The power needed to generate the spell and the complexity of
the spell can be traded off. That is, one can increase spell efficiency at the price of being more complex
to cast, or one can waste power and get the spell castable. Similar results go for casting time. This fact
is why a good Psyche is needed for magic. The smarter you are, the sneakier your spells can get. Its
also why having a source like the Keep of the Four Worlds is handy, you can get sloppy and just burn
power in wasteful magic.
Amber Sorcery: Appendix: Shadow Nature
Shadows do exist, and they can have unique properties. It is best to view them as images
superimposed on a more fundamental reality, with the Pattern and the Logrus residing on two points of
this fundamental reality. The Logrus throws out random power, and the Pattern stabilizes it into ordered
Shadows, all sitting on top of this more fundamental reality. Few people are actually aware of this more
fundamental place, with exceptions like Dworkin and perhaps Suhuy. Merlin has recently become
aware of this place, having been dragged in there.
Shadows can have many properties. There are places where magic does not work, including
even the sorcery of the Pattern and the Logrus. It is well known that there are places where Trumps do
not operate, where Shadow Walking is impossible due to darkness or chaotic conditions that fail to
allow for shifting of the environment.
There are no primal Shadows, just Shadows closer to a primal power than another, with the
exception of the Primal Reality, which, while existing, can be only reached with great difficulty and
while there, one is totally cut off from both powers. It also can't be manipulated in any way except the
normal sense. All in all, its not a fun place to visit, though it might be a great place to imprison
somebody.
Near Amber, reality settles into fixed patterns and doesn't tolerate disruption of the laws easily.
This reason is why Shadow walking is so hard near Amber. The movement of a person through Shadow
is minimal disruption, but near Amber, the Pattern holds everything so firmly one must struggle against
even it to move from one Shadow to another since that isn't in the natural accordance of things. Logrus
initiates have a hard time moving near Amber and are stuck on the Kolvir itself unless they have trump.
One can't burn a thread out of there unless the Shadow is malleable to the effect, and Amber isn't.
Near the Courts, one has the opposite problem. Shadow walking in the Courts is tricky since
everything alters too abruptly to allow for shifting. There are no "near but infintesmally different"
shadows in the Courts, so you need to trump or walk along special paths. On the other hand a Shadow
Technician could make a path through the Courts easily enough. Of course, some people may not want
a path built through their areas. All in all, the Courts are confusing.
Given the way Logrus and Pattern initiates move through Shadow, there are subtle differences.
Pattern people in general have it easier, as they can just envisualize their destination and then walk to it.
Logrus people burning a path don't have that flexibility. They can burn a path to an established Shadow
found or scryed by someone, such as Shadow Earth, but finding a Shadow Earth identical in all ways
but slightly different is beyond their control. They'd have to burn a path to a quite different Shadow
instead.
So while an Amberite walks to a Shadow until she or he finds the one wanted, a Logrus
initiate goes for a rough approximation, then starts to bend and distort the place. Of course, this is
hard anywhere away from the Courts and the neighboring lands, so most of the members of the
Courts stay in that area. Also, unless the bending and distortion has been in place for a long time,
there will be a tendancy for a Shadow away from the Courts to snap back. So the hapless Shadow
Alterer has to put a lot of effort into it and stay there some time.
“Shadowmastery”
by C.C. Roth

“Fortunately, the stuff of Shadow is so docile at this end of reality

that it can be easily manipulated by a Shadowmaster—who can stitch together
their fabrics to create a Way. Shadowmasters are technicians of locally
potent skill, whose ability derives from the Logrus, though they need not be
initiates.”

--Merlin, from Prince of Chaos

The Courts of Chaos are an ancient place, pre-dating not only Amber but all of human history by so many thousands of years
that it truly boggles the mind. For countless generations, the royal families of Chaos have plotted, schemed, and conspired here, making it
a hotbed of intrigue and danger. Surely, any person of consequence in the Courts needs a refuge, a place where he or she can relax away
from the reach of enemies… but there are many families within the Courts, and most of the choice real estate was claimed long ago.
Hence, the Shadowmaster’s Guild came into being.
Shadowmasters specialize in the creation of Ways. Simply stated, a Way is a place where several Shadows are altered so that
they intersect and connect, forming a single united realm where one or more worlds existed before. Most Ways are complicated places,
comprised of secret passages between dozens of different worlds; Merlin describes his Uncle Suhuy’s castle as “places from all over
Chaos and Shadow, stitched together in a crazy-quilt pattern of Ways within Ways.”

Purchasing Ways

Ways can be purchased with character points, just like any other Shadow Realm. However, there are a number of requirements
that must be met before it can be considered a “true” Way.
First, the Way has to be in close proximity to the Courts of Chaos. Shadows close to the ‘Amber’ side of reality just don’t
respond well to Shadowmastering technique. Therefore, a character buying his or her own Way must spend at least two points for the
“Basic Shadow Type,” making it a Shadow of the Realm or a Primal Plane.
Second, Ways are by their very nature difficult to navigate. The passages between worlds can be located within ceilings, floors,
walls, or hidden within articles of furniture. These openings are not at all obvious to the casual observer, and are generally quite difficult
to locate if you are not sure of their exact location. For this reason, any decent Way needs to have a minimum of two points invested in
“Shadow Barriers,” giving it Restricted Access. Of course, there is nothing to stop the Way’s owner from spending four points to make it
Guarded, but this is more a matter of taste than anything else.
Last, due to their crazy patch-work nature, Ways are really collections of multiple Shadows. The owner of a Way must pay a
cost multiplier of [*2] to reflect the fact that these are really Named & Numbered Shadow realms that have been stitched together.
Of course, a full-fledged Shadowmaster could create his or her own set of Ways in the Courts without paying any points at all
for them. Like any other item or creature that has been Conjured out of Shadow, however, the Ways would then be subject to loss or
destruction by other parties. Only by paying the listed amount can the character guarantee that personal Ways are solely under his or her
control.

Basic Shadowmastery

20 Points. Or 10 Points, if the character is already an initiate of the Logrus. [Although Merlin states that all initiates of the Logrus are
automatically members of the Shadowmaster’s Guild, Logrus Mastery does not necessarily confer the full training and experience which
this Guild offers to its members.] Characters must have a Chaos Devotee or Shape Shifting to purchase this ability, as some degree of
Chaosian blood is an absolute prerequisite for Shadowmastery.

Building Ways. The character can locate “stress points” in adjacent Shadows that ca be linked together, forming a passageway between
the two realms. By linking a number of such Shadows together, the character can create full-blown Ways, suitable for habitation by
ranking members of the Courts.
 To determine the length of time required to construct a set of Ways, first add up the point cost that would be assigned if the
character were to purchase the Ways as a personal Shadow [see “Purchasing Ways,” above]. This total would then be subject to a cost
multiplier of some type, usually from one to five, reflecting the complexity, style, and general quality of the work performed; the result is
the total number of weeks required to build the desired set of Ways.

Demon Bargaining. Using the normal Shadow Knight rules for dealing with demons [pp. 198-99], the character can offer his or her
skills with Shadowmastery as a “chip” for haggling over demonic servitude. Most demons would jump at the opportunity to inhabit their
own fortified halls of power near the Courts of Chaos, giving Shadowmasters added leverage when dickering with demon-kind.
Keep in mind, however, that some demons are Shadowmasters in their own right. Although the Shadow Knight rules for
“Demonic Shadow Manipulation” clearly state that “few demons with Shadowmastery have the skill to assemble a Way,” they do leave
the possibility open. The character’s ability as a Shadowmaster would be useless to that rare demon capable of creating its own sets of
Ways!

Travel Through Shadow. A Shadowmaster is capable of locating “thin spots” in certain Shadows that can be opened, permitting access
to the Shadow beyond. In a pinch, Shadowmastery can be used to travel through Shadow, though there are a number of reasons why this
is a less-than-ideal method of Shadow locomotion.
First, the Shadowmaster has no clear way of knowing what awaits him or her “on the other side” in neighboring Shadows.
Using Shadowmastery to travel through Shadow is akin to wandering, blind, with no sense of where one has been ad no clear idea about
where one is going. This method of travel is often fraught with peril, and more than one Shadowmaster has perished after “stepping
through” to an unknown plane.
Second, it takes time for the Shadowmaster to explore a new Shadow, looking for stress points to manipulate. After entering a
new Shadow, the character might have to spend weeks looking for the “next” opening… or the character might stumble across one in a
matter of minutes. More than one Shadowmaster has entered a new Shadow in hopes of quickly moving on, only to waste valuable time
looking for the correct passage point; Shadowmasters in this predicament often wind up having to back-track to the original Shadow,
starting out all over again in their search for a new route.
Last of all, and perhaps worst of all as well, Shadowmastery doesn’t work all of the time. It certainly doesn’t function very well
far from the Courts, and it won’t work at all within the vicinity of Amber. It also won’t suffice if another character has spent points for
Control of Contents for the Shadow in question, and has decided that Shadowmastery doesn’t work in his or her realm. And
Shadowmastery is decidedly one of the “lesser” powers, subject to interruption by exposure to Pattern, Logrus, or Trump; even other
“lesser” powers such as Power Words, Sorcery, and the like, can thwart it.
Shadowmasters with another means of getting around in Shadow generally use Shadowmastery as a back-up, or a last resort. Of
all of the methods of Shadow-travel in the Amber Diceless system, Shadowmastery should remain the slowest, hardest, and least reliable
(in keeping with the Power’s low points cost). However, there may be times (such as the Pattern-Logrus Conflict) when an alternate
means of travel through Shadow can be something of an “ace in the hole.”

Spell Racking. If a Shadowmaster with Sorcery wishes to do so, he or she may rack a single spell on a “stress point” in Shadow. Since
stress points are places where two or more Shadows border each other very closely, the Shadowmaster can keep the spell racked from
either side of the stress point (in either Shadow). However, the spell will only stay racked at this specific location, and will not be
maintained if the sorceror departs that location for any reason. Also, since these stresses are imperfections in Shadow, spells racked there
have a tendency to deteriorate over time. The status of spells racked upon such a stress point can be monitored through the modified use
of the “Checkspell” lynchpin described on page 15 of Shadow Knight.

Membership in the Shadowmaster’s Guild. The character is a full-fledged member of the Guild, an organization that carries some
clout within the Courts. While membership within a Major Family of the Courts is a more certain (ad more time-honored) road to
political influence, the power wielded by the Shadowmaster’s Guild is always available to Shadowmasters without any familial
connections.
Additionally, few place anywhere—whether in Amber, the Courts, or distant Shadow—are safer than this organization’s
Guildhall. Fortified by countless Guild members over the millennia, the Hall is all but impervious to frontal assault, and has so many
means of possible escape (via its many, many interlocking Ways) that it would be nearly impossible to trap somebody within its walls.
Guild members have a certain loyalty to one another, and, while it is unlikely that a Guildsman would risk his life recklessly for
another member, it is certain that he or she would offer assistance to a fellow member in need. Thus, the Guildhall is a source of potential
allies, if a member plays his or her cards right.

Advanced Shadowmastery
30 Points. Or, 10 points of the character is already a Basic Shadowmaster. [Logrus Initiates gain no additional discount—beyond the 10-
point reduction already allowed under Basic Shadowmastery—when purchasing this level of mastery.]

Reduced Time for Way Construction. The character is an acknowledged master at creating new Ways, and can accomplish this feat in
less time. Instead of weeks, Advanced Shadowmasters measure the length of time for Way creation in days.

Way Scrying. The character is able to “peek” through stress points in Shadow, and is able to see what is awaiting him or her on the other
side. Not only does this make Shadowmastery a safer (if not necessarily faster) means of travel through Shadow but it can also provide an
excellent means of spying upon unsuspecting relatives…

Destruction of Existing Ways. The character can “disconnect” a Way, effectively splitting the two Shadows from that Way asunder. To
use this ability, the character must be at the actual juncture between the two Shadows. This power may be used on a Way even if another
Shadowmaster originally created it.
If another Shadowmaster is present, and is actively struggling to keep the original Way open, resolve the conflict as a Psyche
versus Psyche struggle.

Way Traps. Once a character has located a “stress point” in a Shadow where Shadowmastery will function, he or she may attempt to
maneuver opponents into contact with it. The Way can then be opened briefly, causing the foe to “fall through” into a neighboring
Shadow.
It is always possible to prepare the neighboring Shadow ahead of time, so that a hostile reception (r prison cell) is waiting on the
other side…

Way Intuition. The character understands, intuitively, how Shadow-stuff “flows” through a given Way, and can instinctively find his or
her way through the Ways of a Noble House of Chaos. All but the most cleverly-hidden Shadow passages within a Way will be obvious
(or at least detectable) to the player character.

Improved Spell Racking. The Shadowmaster can now rack Named & Numbered spells upon a Shadow stress point, provided that he or
she remains within its general vicinity. Spells racked in this manner are still subject to degradation over time, however (see Spell
Racking, above).

Shadowmastery Defense. Shadowmastery can be brought to mind by Advanced Shadowmasters to provide a very limited degree of
Psychic defense. While Shadowmastery is weaker than (and therefore useless against) Pattern, Logrus, and Trump, it is perhaps
something akin to Broken Pattern in terms of its overall value as a means of protection.

Shadow Vibration. In any Shadow where Shadowmastery functions, the character can “vibrate” Shadow stress points, causing that
entire Shadow to resonate slightly with Logrus energy. While this vibration has little or no effect upon the Shadow itself, it can be
detected within a radius of several adjacent Shadows t anybody who is actively using Logrus- or Pattern-sight. More than one
Shadowmaster has used this trick as a means of communicating across Shadow.

Conclusion

I hope that these rules are helpful to your campaign. Shadowmastery, as described in Prince of Chaos, is an intriguing capability,
although it shouldn’t amount to anything more than a “lesser” ability in the Amber Diceless Roleplay system. I always felt that
this power should have been covered in the basic rulebook, but I hope to have corrected this omission in a way that will be helpful
to other GM’s.
Amber: Shadow Binding and Superheroics
Posted on March 2, 2009 by Thoth

Personal Realities in the Amber Diceless RPG:

While every amberite knows that “the rules”, including basic natural laws, change as they move
from shadow to shadow, few have recognized the basic contradiction this implies. Biochemical and
bioelectrical systems are incredibly delicate; a tiny fraction of the alteration which halts the simple
combustion of gunpowder is more then enough to kill instantly. Despite this, creatures and people
regularly transverse shadow unharmed. Even more oddly, while medicines and such often malfunction
if taken oustide their original shadows, they never do anything odd when you move through shadow
after taking them. Once poisoned, drunk, drugged, or high, you stay that way no matter where you go.
Most amberites simply accept this, dismissing the chemical implications with their usual
pragmatism. In reality, the explanation is relatively simple. Every living creature maintains its own,
personal, internal “reality”. While this does not extend beyond themselves, it does suffice to keep them
alive in weird realms – although even apparently identical creatures from different shadows may
respond very differently to the same substance or force. A creatures internal reality even extends to
cyberware and such, provided that such implants are fully enclosed in living tissue (those with
advanced pattern or logrus mastery can “bridge” small gaps). There is, of course, a problem with this.
Characters from amber or chaos have internal realities that don’t support high tech devices. To use
cyberware, such a character must “adjust” his internal reality, a difficult process. In effect each piece of
cyberware costs points. Advanced (and thus powerful) pieces are more difficult to adapt to, and so cost
more points. Most pieces of cyberware cost from 1 to 5 points, depending on what they do (In most
cases, the cost can be approximated by use of the rules on constructing artifacts). Note that creatures
from appropriate shadows need not “pay” for cyberware, its already attuned to their personal reality.
While such items work almost anywhere on the internal level, those with external effects are more
problematic – unless backed by the will of an amberite.
This takes us to Shadow Binding. The “Blood of Amber” is powerful; the mere presence of an
amberite can strengthen a shadow, and eventually make it cast shadows of its own. Shadow Binding is
usually found among the “unknown bastards” of Amber, those who are born and grow up in a particular
shadow. Ignorant of their heritage, they accept the shadow as “real”, and unconsciously use their latent
power to imbue it with the energies of the pattern.
If introduced to shadow travel, such characters can draw on this energy reserve, letting them
“ignore” the local rules in favor of those of their home realm. They can use their home realms tools,
powers, and magics almost anywhere – although places of true reality such as Amber proper or (to a
lesser extent) any primal plane, are a considerable strain. Obviously, Shadow Binding can’t be “picked
up” after character creation, or taken more then once.
The cost depends on what the user’s home realm permits. The more it allows, the more difficult
it is to impose its laws on another shadow. The homeworld of a shadow binder is always a “primal
plane”, highly resistant to pattern, logrus, and manipulations by it’s “owner” – who has, and can have,
no special powers over “his” shadow; Shadow Binding is dedicated to maintaining, not controlling,
Shadow. As with the true pattern and Dworkin, Shadow Binding will attempt to protect its user, but it is
far weaker. The “cost” of shadow binding can be determined as follows;
 +12 to +36 points of “Good Stuff”, only works in critical situations, 1/4′th cost (3 to 9 points).
  A Primal Plane and a Sphere of Secondary Shadows (6 points). No “degree of control” is
available – but the user may add Shadow Barriers as desired (0 to 4 points). The characters
position “in” the shadow is variable, but he must “fit in”; he grew up in the shadow and belongs
there. While his superior talents may give him many options, “god” is not likely to be one of
them. The character must fit into his environment.
 The Tools and Powers available from a particular realm are rated in each of five basic
categories: Magical Powers, Invoked and Spiritual Powers, Psionic and Innate Powers,
Technological Devices, and Bestowed Powers. The ratings include Little or None (No cost),
Limited (5 points), Moderate (10 points), Advanced (15 points), Heroic (20 points), and
Superheroic (25 points). The exact parameters of each category should be established in
cooperation with the GM, but it might be wise to “set up” the characters powers under another
game system.
 Fortunately, the character need only pay for powers that he or she can use, he or she need not
strain to impose laws permitting the use of powers or forces he or she does not control.
 “Bestowed” talents can include the ability to transverse or manipulate shadow – either as
devices do or as a sort of minor version of pattern or logrus. Such talents always work best in
the primal planes secondary shadows and are much weaker elsewhere.
 If a Shadow Binder ever opts to walk the Pattern, the points devoted to Shadow Binding will be
transferred into Pattern Powers. If his or her home shadow is destroyed, despite it’s “primal”
status, the effects can vary. Some Shadow Binders absorb the energies into themselves, and are
– at least externally – unaffected. Some must seek out a similar realm and adopt it to regain
their abilities. Others either transfer the points into more generic abilities or walk the Pattern. In
most cases the choice should be left up to the player – although the character is perfectly
welcome to agonize over such changes and the loss of their home.
And now, for more fun, lets translate some comic-book characters. As it happens, these are what
would now be considered fairly “classic” versions of these characters, as most of these notes go back
quite a few years. These translations also assume that Amber characters are innately on the superheroic
scale, as was discussed in the previous entry – and you’ll note that most of them don’t cost that many
amber points…

Doctor Strange:
 Psyche 25, Endurance Chaos, Strength Human, Warfare Chaos (Net -20)
 Shadow Binding:
 Good Stuff +12 (Critical Situations only) 3
 Superheroic Magic 25
 Primal Plane and its Shadows 6
 Mystic Barriers to Entrance 2
 Eye Of Agamotto:
 Trump Image (Realm of Agamotto) 1
 Exceptional Psychic Sense (Light of Truth) 4
 Able to Mold Shadow Creatures 2
 Cloak of Levitation:
 Resistant to Normal Weapons 1
 Able to Mold Shadow Stuff (Gravity) 1
 Net Cost for Doctor Strange: 25 points.
Thor Odinson:
 Psyche Chaos, Endurance Amber, Strength 30, Warfare Chaos (Net 10)
 Mjolnir:
 Deadly Damage 4
 Able To Mold Shadow Stuff (Air and Weather effects only, drastic effects) 2
 Combat Reflexes (Wielded at Amber rank) 2
 Contains Named and Numbered Trump Images 2
 Dense Flesh (Resistance to Firearms) 2
 Net Cost for Thor: 22 points.

Adam Warlock:
Psyche Chaos (25), Endurance Amber, Strength Amber, Warfare Amber (Net -10)
Soul Gem:
Stupendous Psychic Power (Soul Vampire, versus chaos psyche or less, ranked psyche) 8
Transfer Quality (Psyche) 5
Able to Mold Shadow Creatures 2
Contains a Trump Image (Pocket Realm) 1
Cosmic Energy Absorbing Cell Enclaves:
Able to Mold Shadow Stuff (Cosmic Power, permits; Flight, Life Support, Energy Bolts,
FTL Travel, and Light Generation) 4
Transfer Power 10
Resistance to Firearms 2
Transfer Quality 5
Bad Stuff: -2
If still in charge of marvel universe add a personal shadow with control of time flow. +3
Net Cost for Adam Warlock: 25 points, 28 with shadow.

Thanos:
 Psyche Amber, Endurance 20, Strength 22, Warfare 3 (Net 45)
 Cosmic Energy Absorbing Cellular Augmentation:
 Able to Mold Shadow Stuff (Cosmic Power, permits: Life Support, Energy Bolts,
Energy Deflection, Teleport Portals) 4
 Transfer Power 10
 Invulnerability to all Conventional Forces 4
 Transfer Quality 5
 Power Words (Psychic Disruption, Pain Attack, Chaos and Pattern Negation, Process Surge) 10
 Bad Stuff: -18
 While he had agents, they were never reliable, and so cannot have been bought with points.
 Net Cost for Thanos: 60 points

Captain America:
 Psyche Chaos, Endurance Chaos, Strength Chaos, Warfare Amber (Net -30)
 Shield:
  Impervious to Damage 8
 Double Damage 2
 Powered By Trump 4
 Combat Mastery (Wielded at moderate rank) 4
 Motorcycle, Van, and Assorted Equipment 8
 Good Stuff 16
 Net Cost for Captain America: 12 points

Silver Surfer:
 Psyche Chaos (see powers), Endurance Human (see powers), Strength 24, Warfare 8 (Net -3)
 Silvery Coating:
 Invulnerable to All Conventional Forces 4
 Regeneration / Life-Support 4
 Transfer Power (Regeneration) 10
 Tireless, Supernatural Stamina 4
 Transfer Quality (Stamina) 5
 Able to Mold Shadow Reality (Cosmic Energies) 4
 Deadly Damage (Level of Cosmic Energies) 4
 Surfboard:
 Mold Shadow Stuff (FTL Flight, Phasing) 2
 Contains a Trump Image (Hyperspace Portal) 1
 Psionic Cellular Augmentation:
 Extraordinary Psychic Sense (Life Detection, Postcognition, Telepathic Communication,
Control of Board) 4
 Transfer Quality (Ex Psychic Sense) 5
 Bad Stuff -4
 Net Cost for the Silver Surfer: 40 Points
Now, within their specialities, any of those might be a challenge – or at least a noteworthy obstacle – to an Amber
character, but they’re really no match for them in general. Of course, compared to a normal human being, they’re fairly godlike.

TRUMP TAROT
Expanding on a Concept by Jane Winter

Cost : 20 points
PRE-REQUISITES : Basic Trump Artistry, Mind-Affecting Sorcery (Grand or a Specialised form).
This very likely unique power relies on creating 'tarot' cards with Trump/Reality-affecting Power in
them, using a combination of Trump and Magic to tap into the flows of forces and influences which
affect a persons actions and behaviour. They are not Trumps, but bear a great deal of resemblance to
them. Once created, combinations of cards can then be laid to affect events and people in seemingly
minor ways at crucial times - for example, laying cards for strife and quarrelling in appropriate relation
to two people, or the Lovers likewise. It could be used to affect attitudes, negotiations, whatever.
Like Trumps, the power can work across shadow barriers, but the maximum range at which it can
affect a target is limited by the Psyche of the user. The speed at which the power affects the target, and
how effective it is, is a function of the relative Psyches of the user and the target; the power can affect
beings whose Psyches are higher than those of the person using the power, but in this case it is a much
slower and harder process than if the user has a Psyche advantage.
The power requires something which links what the user is doing to the intended target(s). These divide
into essentially three levels:
 At its most basic, and hardest to use, level it requires that the user has a psychic impression of
the target(s) and simply concentrates on them.
 An easier approach is for the user to centre the layout of the cards on some item with a link to
the user. The most obvious is a Trump or Trumps of the target(s); an item closely associated
with the target (for example an item for which they have paid points) is another such thing.
 The most ideal link is an item especially created for the purpose, about which the tarot layout is
centred. This would probably take the form of some kind of Trump Powered effigy of the target
(not unlike a Voodoo doll), made to enhance the effects of the cards upon the being it represents,
and containing a bit of that beings personal reality.
There is no feedback from the power to the user, so they will not know whether they are significantly
affecting the target unless they have other means of obtaining that information.
It is possible that a Trump artist whose Psyche is higher than that of the user may be able to detect
something if the power is used on them, or in their vicinity. However, unless they are already familiar
with this power they will have a very hard job determining what it actually is. Likewise a sorcerer with
mind-affecting powers may also be able to detect the use of this power, but because it is a far more real
ability than Sorcery it is much harder for them to detect this power than for a Trump artist, and as with
a Trump artist detecting this power, unless the sorcerer is already familiar with it, they will have a very
hard job working out what is actually going on.

Note that this power has not, as yet, been play-tested, so I have no idea how balanced, or
otherwise, it may actually be.

The power divides into the following sections, which must be brought in order:
SENSE TAROT POWER (5 points) - This part of the power allows the user to sense the use of the
power of the Trump Tarot in their vicinity. Of course this is not much use if they are the only
person with the power, but... It also, if developing the power oneself, allows the user to sense the
flows of forces and influences about a being into which this power allows them to tap.
CREATE CARDS (5 points) - At this stage, the user has developed sufficient mastery to
allow them to create Trump Tarot cards. Each card takes as much time to create as creating
a Trump of an unwilling target with a Psyche equal to the person with the power, and must
be a single influence (such as The Lovers, Death, The Tower etc.). These cards do not go
cool when concentrated upon, but are as resilient as normal Trumps. A Trump artist may be
able to sense some kind of Trump-like power in them.
USE CARDS (10 points) - At this point the user has become both sufficiently attuned
to the forces they are learning that they can actually use the cards to influence people
and events.
It is possible that Sorcery and/or Empowerment could be used to create items with similar powers to
these. However, they would not work across shadow barriers, and would be far less effective against
real beings, especially when they were (for example) using the Pattern.

TRUMP VOODOO
Inspired by conversations with Jane Winter

Cost : 85 points in Total

PRE-REQUISITES : Basic Trump Artistry.
An initially unique power using Trumps as the subject of Voodoo-like rituals to cause effects in the
people portrayed. It may seem to be a little expensive, but it does, after all, make up a power allowing a
person to produce a number of powerful effects in a target from the other side of the multiverse.
This usually requires a Psyche advantage to be effective and undetectable; without one it takes much
longer to be effective. The normal Sense Trump ability can detect that it is occurring (with a Psyche
advantage on behalf of the sensor, usually the victim or someone in their vicinity), but cannot tell what
it is (other than some kind of Trump effect).
The power divides into a number of paths, all of which can be bought separately.

Note that this power has not, as yet, been play-tested, so I have no idea how balanced, or
otherwise, it may actually be.

AFFECT DREAMS
Cost : 25 points
READ DREAM (5 points) - the practitioner can both detect whether the target is sleeping, and if
so can observe them from outside. This only allows one to gain an overall impression of the
nature and subject of the dream, but not its details.
ENTER DREAM (5 points) - this allows the practitioner to both enter the dreams of others
as a passive observer (who seems part of the dream to the dreamer), and also to interact
with the dream-world, but only in its own terms. This means that the practitioner can be
affected, and harmed, by the dreams they enter if they should turn against them. The more
the practitioner does this to a particular victim (without their knowledge), the easier it
becomes, as the practitioner becomes more and more accustomed to the targets thought
processes.
CONTROL DREAM (5 points) - the practitioner can take control of the dreams of the
subject and twist them in any way they please, into anything from dreams of bliss to
hideous nightmares. In general (unless the practitioner has a great Psyche advantage
over the victim) this cannot cause the dream to 'jump' into the desired state but must
 gradually mould it from its natural state into that desired.
TRAP IN DREAMS (10 points) - The practitioner can make dreams so intense, vivid
and self-sustaining that the subject simply cannot wake themselves up (even if they
want to; whether they do depends on the nature of the dream, of course), even after
the practitioner leaves their dreams. It is possible that the victim may be awakened by
the actions of others, but how easy this is depends on the Psyche advantage the
practitioner enjoys over their victim.

AFFECT HEALTH
Cost : 25 points
SENSE STATE OF HEALTH (5 points) - the practitioner can sense the state of health of the
target; this includes both any injuries or diseases from which they are suffering, and (with a very
great Psyche advantage) the mental health of the target. This may even show up mental and
physical health problems of which the target is unaware.
ACCELERATE HEALING (10 points) - this allows the practitioner to channel life energy
from themselves into the target, accelerating their natural physical healing processes. How
long this can be sustained for, and how much effect it has, depends on the Endurance of the
practitioner. It is possible for the practitioner to kill themselves by doing this. Note that
because of the way this ability works, the practitioner cannot use it to heal themselves, only
others, and it only works on living things.
CAUSE DAMAGE (10 points) - this allows the practitioner to disrupt the life force of the
target in any of a number of ways, causing injury, or even death. This can be by affecting a
specific part of the target ('sticking pins into' the Trump, or exposing the Trump to fire), or
simply draining or damaging their life force. This is the most tiring part of the Affect Health
part of Trump Voodoo. How quickly damage can be inflicted depends on the relative
Psyches of practitioner and victim, and on the Endurance of the victim. This ability can be
used to cause damage to unliving subjects.

AFFECT LUCK
Cost : 20 points
SENSE LUCK (5 points) - the practitioner can sense how 'in tune' with the world the target it, i.e.
how lucky (or otherwise) they are. This effectively allows the practitioner to determine the level
of the target's Stuff, after an amount of time depending on the difference in practitioners and
targets Psyche.
AFFECT LUCK (10 points) - this allows the practitioner to affect how lucky (or unlucky)
the target is. How much time and effort this takes depends on the relative Psyches of
practitioner and victim. With a reasonable Psyche advantage this allows the practitioner to
adjust the Stuff of the victim at the rate of roughly one point of Stuff per hour. However,
this power cannot take a victims Stuff beyond the limits set for the game setting.
AFFECT REACTIONS OF OTHERS (5 points) - this allows the practitioner to affect the
'persona' the target projects, making others react either positively or negatively to them.
 Precisely how much effect this has depends on the relative Psyches of those the victim
meets and the Trump Voodoo practitioner, so a victim of this is much more likely to find it
affecting the reaction of shadow dwellers than (for example) Amberites. Depending on the
precise results of this, it can be either good or bad. How much time and effort this takes
depends on the relative Psyches of practitioner and victim.

AFFECT SPIRITS
Cost : 15 points
COMMUNICATE WITH SPIRIT (5 points) - the practitioner can create Trumps of spiritual
entities which could not normally be communicated with via Trump (such as ghosts, Ty'iga or
whatever), and use them to communicate. To someone without this power, the Trumps remain
useless (though they can be sensed as being Trumps). The exact types of spiritual entities which
can be summoned depend both on the game setting, and the practitioners knowledge and power
(Psyche).
SUMMON SPIRIT (5 points) - this allows the practitioner to summon a spirit entity by its
Trump. This requires a Psyche advantage. Depending on the nature of the spirit (and the
Stuff of the summoner) it may or may not be coherent, communicative or co-operative. For
potentially hostile entities, it may be wise to prepare a containment of some kind before
performing the summoning.
CONTROL SPIRIT (5 points) - this allows the practitioner to bind, contain or dismiss (exorcise) spiritual entities.
Binding them allows the practitioner to effectively enslave the spirit to their will; containing it prevents it from
moving outside proscribed limits (this can be either effectively permanently, or until some condition is fulfilled)
and dismissing it forces the spirit away, either destroying it or simply making it unable to return to a given area.

Power Words
Here’s a list of a couple of hundred Power Words for the Amber Diceless RPG. Most of this
particular list was originally associated with a set of Great Weapons – each built on about 30 points –
some of which were available during the initial attribute auction. Even if youdon’t play Amber, if you’re
looking for some odd effects to enhance your combat abilities, there’s probably something here.
Ability Analysis: Gives the user a fair idea of what a creature is like and what its capabilities are.
While this works quite well on most creatures, any link with a primal power tends to obscure the
results. Using it against an amberite / lord of chaos usually limits the results to generalities, perhaps on
a scale of 1 to 5, for characteristics and powers. It will, at least, tell you what the target is good and bad
at. It also allows you to recognize anyone you’ve analyzed before.
Absolute Command: Allows the user to impose his will on inanimate objects through raw psychic
power. While exhausting, the user can issue brief (one or two word) commands and have them obeyed.
The effect is virtually instantaneous, commanding a statue to “walk” is fairly useless – commanding a
stone wall to shatter, explode, or open is another matter.
Abyssal Disruption; This dangerous power word does not attempt to nullify abyssal forces, instead it
disrupts the wielders control over them. Usually this lets them dissipate via annihilating chunks of the
surroundings, but skillful timing can backlash them upon their user. With poor timing, the power words
user may still be in the area affected – although the results are rarely as bad as being hit with a properly
focused attack.
Access Trump: Allows the user to bypass the nuisance of actually pulling out a trump and
concentrating on it. Instead, he can simply “access” any trump image in the immediate area, trumping
himself through or contacting the subject without preamble or delay. While this word can be used on its
own to expedite travel, it can also be combined with other, relevant, power words.
Adapt/Repair Tech: This word lets the user engage in “instant tinkering”, making minor repairs,
rearranging functions (What do you mean you’re going to rewire the sonar set into sonic masking
device ?), and even (most importantly), adapt devices to the local natural laws. While this is very
useful, it is limited by the degree of change necessary, the size of the device, and what- ever special
restrictions local natural law imposes. A realm where combustion is impossible makes attempts to get a
flamethrower to work fairly futile. Similarly, attempts to turn a sonar device into a jammer, a sonic
blaster, or even an ultrasonic cleanser may work – but trying to turn it into a warp-drive unit is
hopeless.
Analyze Style: This word lets the user try to spot a “weak point” in an opponents style, anticipate
special moves, and get a “feel” for how he fights. This can be roleplayed out or simply treated as a
modest (say five point) bonus to the users warfare rank that only takes effect when a fight goes on for
several minutes. This is only usable for the duration of a fight, afterwards the opponent will learn to
compensate for whatever you found this time, although this usually creates another flaw for you to
analyze.
Auric Disguise: This word can be automatically used whenever someone attempts to scan, probe, or
otherwise analyze the user. Such probes will give back whatever information the user desires – whether
true, false, or some mixture of the two. It is commonly used by shape- shifters to conceal their real
persona and by the more paranoid amberites and lords of chaos to conceal their true powers. The word
is not infallible, exceptionally skilled or powerful “scanners” can partially penetrate its screen, while
anyone can attempt a contest of will to actively look for more accurate information if they suspect that
something is wrong.
Auric Transfer: While this word isn’t 100% effective, it can transfer much of the impact of a blow or
energy of an energy-based effect “through” the user, mimicking the easy transfer of force and energy
through water. If the user isn’t currently in contact with anything that he can transfer the force or
energy to (or prefers not to) it can be transmitted over the swords trump link.
Beastmastery; The Beastmasters Word projects the users psychic power in a field tuned to the minds
of animals and animalistic beings, either in a radius or directed against an individual target. This
automatically sets up a mindlink with the target creature(s) and allows the user to deal with a group en
mass and with individuals at a substantial bonus (around +10 psyche). Creatures owned by other
amberites/lords of chaos cannot usually be turned against their masters – but can be dismissed or made
to “sit it out”.
Bergenholm Field: This doesn’t really reduce inertia to zero, merely to about .00001 of its usual value.
As far as most people are concerned, the effect is pretty much the same (although scientists may
disagree). This is useful if the user is being subjected to some great impact – and doesn’t want to be. As
the field extends around the user in an aura, it makes it much easier to push aside air (or water), vastly
increasing the speed at which any form of propulsion can drive the user.
Berserker Shift: Allows the user to shift points from his endurance to his strength and warfare. While
this can be very useful it comes with the usual “problems”; inability to retreat or use tactics, ignoring
pain and injury, attacking allies, etcetera. The major advantage is that subtracting, say, twenty points
from endurance adds twenty points to both strength and warfare.
Binding Command: An enhanced version of “suggestion”, this word allows a victor in psychic combat
to install lasting compulsions and “simple” behavior patterns, an effect similar to classical hypnotism
and posthypnotic suggestion.
Binding Field Control: Allows the user to manipulate his own personal intermolecular binding fields,
either damping or amplifying them. “Damping” them transforms the user into a cloud of “mist”, while
amplifying them vastly increases the users natural toughness, reducing the injuries caused by impacts
and most weapons by two levels. Either effect can only be maintained briefly, as the strain on the users
body is terrific.
Bio-Focusing: Allows the user to focus and project the energies of his body, albeit with a range of less
then ten feet. Such energies include neural bioelectricity, metabolic heat, and muscular force. Damage
is usually roughly equivalent to that inflicted by a strength rank equal to the users combined strength
and endurance – but the form may differ radically.
Blood Link: This exotic power word uses a portion of the targets blood to establish a magical link,
capable of transmitting an attack, spell, or noxious effect of whatever sort to the unfortunate victim.
This word can usually be invoked up to three times before the “blood sample” is exhausted and needs
to be renewed. The link can be used to transmit a “blow” or energy discharge, magic, power-based
attacks, an evocation, other power words, or just to locate the target. Due to the use of the victims
blood such links are very difficult to block or to defend against.
Channeling: Allows the user to transmit some power or effect over a psychic link, just as spells can be.
The power used may be a power word, pattern energy, or any of a wide variety of other things. In each
case it can either be channeled through the “target”, allowing him to use the power as if it were his
own, or into him as assistance or even as an attack. If used as an attack, the victim, just as with spells,
has no defense.
C’hi Focusing: These words are designed to focus the users “C’hi” and “channel” it into a variety of
feats. The result is highly “individualized”. Two characters using the the same procedure (word) can,
and usually do, wind up with two entirely different results. Those who take this word are therefore
entitled to “develop” one special c’hi-based “stunt” of their own each time this word, or a variant
thereof, is taken. The nature, and precise effect, of any one “stunt” is a matter for the user to negotiate
with the GM.
C’hi Spiral: Generates a spiraling energy “discharge” from the users palms. The exact shape is
determined by the position of his hands, but the primary division is between inspirals and outspirals.
Outspirals are “whirlwind” attacks on everyone caught within them, while an inspiral generates a
focused needle of enormous force. Both work in exactly same way if used with a weapon.
Circle Of Despair: This specialized empathic “broad- cast’ draws on the powers of true darkness,
generating a field of negative emotions so powerful that those in it will often simply allow themselves
to die of thirst or exposure if the effect is maintained. Victims will eventually recover if the user
chooses not to maintain the effect, but the process will require some time, as “shadows” of the despair
this projects tend to linger. Note that the user is not immune, and will probably need a fairly high
psyche to muster the will to stop.
Cloak Of Fear: Allows the user to radiate an aura of overpowering fear, ranging from cruel authority
to the subtle chill of creeping horror or the pure emotion of primal terror itself. While this is most
effective versus creatures with weak psyches, it has some effect on any creature who beholds the user.
It is commonly used to “reinforce” illusions or attempts at intimidation.
Cold Resistance: Is fairly self-explanatory. Unlike most defensive power words, this one continues to
work for a considerable period of time. If linked with some form of innate (or conferred) resistance, it
makes the user essentially invulnerable to the effects of cold.
Combat Intuition; This curious psychic discipline puts the user “in tune” with the immediate
environment – an effect allowing him to react without conscious thought to any attack or threat. In
effect it boosts the users Warfare attribute to equal his psyche, if that happens to be higher. Sadly, this
can only be maintained for a few seconds, so the users timing must be good to avoid having a skilled
opponent simply fall back before this surge of effort.
Command Demon: Allows the user to impose a “geas” or long term command / compulsion on any
“spirit” that he defeats in psychic combat. Up to three commands may be imposed after defeating the
spirit, but must be ranked in by priority to allow conflicts to be resolved.
Command Spirit: Lays a single task on a spirit. While this only works on spirits released from the
blade, it is pretty much infallible with them. Due to the power of darkness backing the command, the
same command word can be used several times on an individual spirit.
Corrosion: This word is essentially a variant on the “Entropic Bolt” describe below, with the provisos
that it tends to affect surfaces first and is slightly less effective against inanimate objects, but slightly
more effective against flesh and living creatures.
Darksight: Lets the user see in the dark as if it was broad daylight. This handy talent supersedes
lighting conditions ranging from the dimness of twilight to the unnatural, more then total, penumbra of
the darkforce itself. Note that merely having this word suffices to see through any darkness you are
“generating”, it only needs to be used actively when you want to see through another characters
darkness effects.
Detection Screen: This “word” allows its possessor to “cloak” him- or her- self against most forms of
super- normal detection, including magic, psyche, technology, and the primal powers. Sadly, it offers
no protection against ordinary, unaugmented, senses, and isn’t fully effective against the primal powers,
although it helps a lot. Any “direct” probe with one of the powers will penetrate the screen, but will still
be a bit blurred. Any general “scan” of an area is, however, very likely to overlook the user. While it is
proof against items such as cameras, motion detectors, radar, and mystical analogues thereof, it leaves a
detectable “blind spot” on the psychic level, which may alert those characters with high psyche ranks.
Detoxification: Neutralizes poisons, drugs, and toxins, whether they have been introduced into the
body or are somewhere in the immediate area. This includes most of the “recreational substances”,
including alcohol. This word is most effective if applied to the target in its concentrated form but works
fairly well even after the target substance has been injested.
Dimensional Stabilization: Prevents the user, and anyone else in the immediate vicinity, from
departing via any of the usual means of shadow travel. This includes trump travel, teleport spells,
shadow walking, pulling yourself out with a logrus tendril, abyssal portals, and pattern travel. While
the users may be able to “solve” the problem of the words interference – it takes time. The word can be
applied to a single target at range if the user so desires, but in this case there is no area effect. The target
may be the user himself.
Dispel Elementals: Disrupts or banishes beings based on one of the four classical elements, and may
work on those of light, darkness, and such as well. Whether or not this is true, it can readily banish
anything up to a dozen or so classical elementals.
Disrupt Psyche: Temporarily lowers a targets psyche, reducing it by about 15 points (25 vrs named
targets). While this effect only lasts for a few moments, it can be a tremendous help in critical
situations.
Disrupt Spirit: Disrupts psychically-based creatures of all sorts, including psychic constructs and
ghosts. It has some effect on demons, but these usually manage to pull themselves back together in
minutes.
Disrupt Technology: Generates a radiating “pulse” of energy that disrupts technological devices,
usually on a more or less permanent basis. The exceptions are for those items that were “paid for”, or
which were a fair distance away when this word was used.
Distraction: This curious word “conjures up” a brief delay, granting the user a few moments to come
up with something else, recover, try to talk, dive through any handy aperture, or whatever. What form
the delay takes varies drastically, as the word takes advantage of the local possibilities ranging from
triggering explosions to simply causing a moments doubt in the targets mind. It becomes less and less
effective if repeatedly used in any single situation as the best delaying possibilities are used up.
Dominate Sea-Creatures: This word is closely related to the beastmasters word but only affects
creatures of the sea. Due to this specialization, the psyche bonuses are increased by 20 points.
Duplicate Spell: Allows the user to analyze any spell he sees used or overhears – deducing the basic
formula and procedure and so acquiring the spell for his own later use. Unlike the usual guesswork
method of duplicating someone elses spells, this is entirely safe.
Earthsense: Allows the user to “sense” things of the earth or which are in contact with the earth,
anywhere within several miles. Note that, the greater the area so surveyed, the more specific the user
has to be. It also helps if your target is unique or very large. It can also be used to track things, as long
as the trail remains earthbound.
Electrokinesis: A fairly straightforward telekinetic effect capable of generating, redirecting,
scrambling, and deflecting electrical energies. While the user can produce impressive voltages, the
amperage is a bit low for most purposes. It is extremely handy for directing (or deflecting) lightning
bolts, manipulating devices, and assaulting peoples nervous systems, a tactic usually resolved by
comparing the users psyche with the psyche plus endurance of his opponent. Note that losing this
contest doesn’t indicate a failure to harm the target, it merely indicates a failure to kill or knock him out
outright.
Empathic Bolt: Lets the user “send” an overwhelming burst of emotion, sufficient to dominate the
emotional responses of those with low psyches for a considerable period while even those with higher
ranks will respond for a few moments.
Empathic Sending: Lets the user generate an emotional broadcast, inflicting an emotion on his targets,
with- out a psychic link. While only an overwhelming psychic advantage can allow the user to
completely control the emotions of the target(s), even a greatly inferior one can influence them. Unlike
most power words, this word is exceptionally subtle, practice and ingenuity helps.
Energy Channeling: Allows the user to “redirect” and channel energy, of whatever type. This can be
used to redirect incoming energies or to channel energy out of some concentration of it, such as a fire
or storm. The effect only lasts for a few seconds, but this is often sufficient.
Energy Parry: Deflects or negates almost any energy- based attack including lasers, plasma beams,
and other high-tech or magical annoyances. The overall effect is to add about 4 points to the users
existing defenses, armor, or whatever. As this gives a base of “Immunity to Conventional Weapons”
without additional defenses, it usually suffices.
Energy Transfer: A more specialized variant of “Auric Transfer”, limited to energy, but offering nearly
100% effectiveness. The user can either allow the energy to transfer through or discharge it into some
object with which he is in contact.
Engineering: Gives the user an intuitive understanding of the local laws of physics and how they
interact with device design. This in turn allows him to readily analyze or design devices for the local
conditions. It also enhances his ability to actually build devices as he will intuitively understand the
steps necessary and the problems involved.
Enhance Tech: Temporarily boosts the performance of a technological system, either as a unit or with
respect to a single aspect of its operation. Thus all aspects of a cars performance (E.G. speed,
acceleration, braking, and mileage) could be slightly boosted – or one aspect could be boosted a great
deal. Like many other words, this one can be “maintained” – at the cost of devoting part of your
attention to it, an annoying distraction.
Entrancement: Induces a momentary hypnotic trance in anyone looking at the user. While this is a
relatively “light” trance and cannot be invoked during combat, it may suffice to let the user duck
through a door, stick something in a pocket, palm something, or trade a fake gem for a real one without
being observed. While this can be used to stimulate “disappearing”, the user will need good reflexes.
Alternatively, the user can seize the chance to make a brief verbal suggestion while his victims are
momentarily receptive. Suggestions must be brief (a maximum of six words), simple, and relatively
innocuous. “You should all kill yourselves” will never work, but “It’s time for lunch” very well might.
Entropic Bolt: Also known as the “Word of Unbinding”, this word acts to disrupt the energy balance
within an item, structure, material, or creature. The effect is truly dramatic if the target contains a great
quantity of bound-up energy, since it will often be explosively released, but even an “uncharged” target
has plenty of molecular bonds to be disrupted.
Envenomment: Creates a sorcerous “elemental” poison, either as a coating on a weapon or an
“injection” into whatever the user touches. While the exact effects do depend on the element chosen
and the users tastes, the end result is always the same, death or injury. Unlike a conventional toxin, this
stuff is independent of the vagaries of shadow. It works everywhere. They’re also very difficult poisons
to treat, resistant to ordinary antitoxins and countermeasures. Those with decent End ranks will usually
survive, but the effects are highly debilitating in any case. Just for the record, a water venom either
liquefies or freezes tissue, fire withers or induces terrible fever, earth petrifies the victims flesh or
liquefies his bones, air disrupts the central nervous system or induces “the bends”, and exotics, such as
wood, shadow, light, and collapsium, have very very strange effects.
Environmental Compensation: Lets you cope with exotic conditions and environments without
hindrance. If you happen to be underwater, this word will let you move and see normally, in a cavern it
would enhance your senses to the point where you could function normally, and so on. It will only
compensate for, or adapt you to, the normal conditions for the local environment. Unless the user has
shapechanging it’s also limited to relatively minor variations on the users basic pattern. A Mammal will
remain a mammal, and so on.
Environmental Field: Creates a “bubble” of a safe and comfortable environment around the user that
can stand up to most ordinary environments and reduces the effects of extreme ones. For example, it
can easily shield the user against the heat, flames, and smoke of a house fire but wouldn’t work very
long in a blast furnace or near the surface of a star. Once invoked, the field decays gradually, but is
generally good for 5 to 10 minutes.
Evaluate Opponent(s): Gives the user a “fairly good” idea of what he’s up against, whether on an
individual or on a battlefield level. This usually includes some notion of what the opponents attributes
are like, what kind of weapons he’s carrying, and whether he has any of the major powers.
Evocations are a class of power word only available to those with some form of trump powers and a
fairly high psyche. An evocation creates a temporary trump link to some powerful “entity” in shadow,
allowing the user to tap some of that beings power for his own use. Sadly, the link is purely psychic and
too tenuous to transmit “primal” powers – restrictions that limit evocation to magical energies. As
“raw” magical power is useless to anyone except mages (who can get their own), Evocation is
commonly used to tap into more specialized sources, already attuned to a particular type of magic, so
that most of the work of spellcasting is already done – the user can simply provide the finishing touches
and turn it loose. The process is exhausting, both physically and psychically, is limited to “quick and
dirty” spells of limited power and sophistication, requires a different word for each “field” of magic, is
blocked by barriers versus trump, is limited by all the usual defenses versus magic, and can be blocked
like other power words – but also requires little magical skill, is quick and easy, and is fairly flexible.
Evocations need not be adapted to the magic of the “local” shadow, since the spell is actually cast there,
it happens automatically. Sample evocations include:
 Dreamweaving: Covers telepathic and purely mental magics, such as Psychic Charging,
Glamours, Hypnotism, Psychic Illusions, and Mental Shields.
 Eldritch Force: Covers magical energy constructs, such as Force Shields and Bolts, Mystic
Chains, Walls, and so on, as well as simply Disrupting/Dispelling Magic.
 Element Mastery: Covers the “manipulation” of the four classical elements; Fire, Air, Earth, and
Water. It does not cover alchemically-related forces.
 Enchantment: Covers Enhancing and Binding spells, as well as Attuning things to permit easy
manipulation via other powers – most commonly by his high psyche.
 The Holy Blaze: Covers the magic of Purification, Light, and Solar Forces. Unlike the principle,
and despite the name, the Holy Blaze has few positive spiritual or intellectual aspects.
 Living Forces: Covers Biomanipulation, the magics of Life, Healing, Death and more subtle
effects based on the control of the body and metabolism. Sadly, these are limited by the “quick
and dirty” aspect of evocation.
 Nightweaving: Covers the magics of Darkness, which includes those of Deception, Illusion, and
Negation. As with the Holy Blaze, Nightweaving covers only a few of the spiritual and
intelectual aspects of the principle.
 Northern Winds: Covers the many magics of Winter, Necromancy, and simple Destruction as
well as those of Ice, Blizzard, and Freezing Winds.
Fast Shift: Momentarily boosts the users metabolism, subconscious rate of subjective time, and control
over his internal processes. The net effect is to accelerate shapeshifting by a factor of between 60 and
120. While this effect only lasts for a few seconds, the user can accomplish up to “five minutes worth”
of shapeshifting in those two to three seconds.
Fire Merge: Allows the user to temporarily merge his body with living flame, becoming a sort of fire
elemental. While in this form he can fly, hurl bolts of fire, project and shape the flaming corona he
radiates, and otherwise make like the “Human Torch” (any of them) from the comic books. Only quasi-
material at best, the user is pretty much immune to mundane physical assaults and (obviously) totally
immune to flame and most energies.
Flame Scrying: Allows the user to employ the “second sight” through a flame, peering clairvoyantly
into any point within nearby world(s), gaining a vision of some specific person, demanding a survey of
the area around any flame, seeking the future thru an obscuring screen of symbolism, or revealing the
major influences acting on a situation. Sadly, the second sight is a quixotic and unpredictable talent.
Symbolism can intrude on the simplest of visions, although it is far more likely to intrude on visions of
people, the future, and “truth”, then it is to intrude on simple clairvoyant and survey effects.
Flare: Generates a terrific flash of energy designed to temporarily overload the senses of those around
the user. This resembles a peculiar combination of a sonic boom, a huge flashbulb, a blast of odor, and
a psychic scream. The overall effect is, to say the least, most disorienting. At a minimum it usually
provides several seconds worth of distraction or cover.
Focus Energy: Concentrates energy from the immediate environment. The energy must be present to
be focused, this power word does not create it. Like “thrust”, the duration can be extended, at the cost
of weakening the effect.
Force Field: Channels the users own internal energies into a fairly powerful force-field aura – although
any determined clash will soon deplete its energies. This word can tap into whatever other talents the
user has, hence a character with trump or pattern could generate a trump or pattern based force field.
Fugue: Creates a time-distortion field, “stretching” .01 seconds into several seconds. While this has
many applications, it only affects the user and his property, thus the vastly “increased” inertia of
everything else tends to limit its utility. For example, a human body will seem to “weigh” many tons,
and have the toughness of solid oak.
Force Lens: Serves to focus and concentrate available forces and energies, ranging from light to
gravity. The word can either be used to focus the force from a wide radius into a modest radius or be
used to focus energy from a small area into a narrow beam. Neither version is 100% efficient, but the
narrow beam version comes a lot closer then the area effect.
Focusing: Lets the user “channel” his total energies into a single supreme effort, although the effort
will leave him completely exhausted thereafter. The effort can be sustained for a maximum number of
seconds equal to the users endurance rank number. If it’s maintained for less then a second it merely
leaves the user tired and weakened (temporarily subtract ten points from the users total until he gets to
rest – weakening his most expensive powers and attributes first.
Forgery: This handy word allows the user to “commit” instant, and virtually perfect, forgeries,
impressing the desired form directly on the paper (or any similar material) without the necessity for
ink, seals, or any other appurtenance. The nature, and contents, of said forgery is up to the user – but
need only be specified in general terms. Any necessary specifics are provided by the power of the word
itself.
Gate of Death: This dangerous word allows the user to open a “portal” into the realms of the dead –
granting true death to the undead, rest to unquiet spirits, and a chance to return to any spirit with
“unfinished business” whom the user names. This is all well and good, or at least fairly safe. The peril
lies in attempts to compel unwilling spirits to return. Such attempts open the way for anything that
wishes to enter the realm of life, from ancient malevolent spirits, to creatures of the realm of death,
nameless and unnatural things that have never knwon life, that cannot be slain since they do not live
now, emissaries of the realm of dust. Such creatures can be defeated – but each requires a unique
approach – and all are capable of permanently draining away a portion of any power turned against
them. They do seem to have some relationship to the forces of the abyss, but instead of mere
destruction, from which new creation can come, they embody annihilation, the final end of life and
power.
Ghost Strike: “Transfers” an attack thru a projection or into the basic structure of an intangible
opponent, allowing the wielder to injure those beings who refuse to meet him in straightforward
physical combat. It is usually applied to a weapon, the effects of the attack are as usual for the weapon
involved.
Grant Substance: Gives a spirit a quasimaterial form of “ectoplasm”, allowing it to use whatever
physical and quasi-physical abilities it possessed in life, without giving up its natural ghostly “powers”.
In this case, the “ectoplasm” is made up of quasi-material darkness.
Guide Matter: Channels or redirects any matter which is already in motion. It can be used against a
single target or against a “flow” of smaller items. Against a “flow” the effect persists for a few (psyche)
seconds, against larger items it only lasts for an instant. The total mass manipulated is limited by the
users psyche.
Heart Seeking: Raises the damage done by a weapon by two ranks, such as from “double” to
“destructive”, but only works against a particular type of target. Such a category could include; “Pattern
Ghosts”, “Dinosaurs and large Reptiles”, “Dragons and Serpents” or even “Lords of Chaos”. The exact
limits or any category, and those categories which will be allowed to begin with, are up to the
individual GM. Alternatively, the GM may choose to raise the category of the actual injury by two (see
the basic amber rules, pages 97 to 100).
Increase Damage: Boosts a weapons “damage rating” by one level, such as from “double” to “deadly”.
This is far less effective then just buying a weapon that does “deadly” damage since it does not increase
the weapons “advantage rating” to that of the superior weapon, due to the intermittent, “unattuned”,
and basically “clumsy” nature of the effect. GMO; This word may increase the weapons damage rating
by two ranks versus a particular type of creature, depending on the power source of the weapon. In
particular, magical weapons versus magical beings, and trump powered weapons versus abyssal beings.
Inflict Shapeshift: Allows a character with standard shapeshifting to shapeshift others as per the
advanced ability. “Advanced” shapeshifters can use this word to shapeshift willing characters quickly,
or to transform them regardless of resistance if they are surprised or otherwise distracted or they are in
“intimate” contact with the user.
Inner Light: Generates a terrific, blinding, “shield” of light around the user and amplifies the effect of
the next word that he employs. Channeled into a weapon, it causes it to shine blindingly, making it
difficult for an opponent to keep track of it, and often producing a strobe-effect illusion of multiple
weapons. It’s often followed by Kinetic Aura.
Inspiration: Channels a surge of trump energy out to anyone who with a psychic link with the user – in
this case the wielder and those shadow creatures it compels to obey. This energy surge effectively
“heals” wounds through the “Cuts, pricks, and strains” level, negates fatigue, and momentarily boosts
the recipients abilities by about five points.
Invoke Shadow Storm: This dangerous word feeds a huge surge of power into one side or the other of
the usual balance between order and chaos in any particular place, triggering a shadow storm. While
usually small and self- limiting, such storms sometimes expand uncontrollably, feeding on some natural
imbalance to become full-scale storms raging across shadow. Even self-limiting storms may grow
indefinitely if the invoker continues to feed power into them. Such storms can transform, transport, or
otherwise assail anything within them, although any character feeding power into one will be
surrounded by a small “dead zone” until he stops.
Item Disruption: Disrupts artifacts and other devices, either permanently (in the case of unpaid-for
devices) or temporarily (for those that have been paid for, and so are “linked” to their wielder). It can
be directed against a specific device or against an area, in which case it only affects unpaid-for devices.
Kata: This useful word allows the user to combine up to three additional power words as one “action”.
This can greatly increase their effectiveness, at the price of extremely rapid exhaustion of the user.
Kiai; This terrific yell can not only startle and deafen your opponents, it can also hurl them back,
channeling the users strength into a powerful “sonic” shockwave. Oddly, yelling a word beginning with
a vowel generates a directable, conic, shockwave, while a word beginning with a consonant merely
radiates out spherically.
Kinetic Aura: Generates a telekinetic “vector field” around the user. While the fields basic structure
must be relatively simple, the user can adjust fine details at will. It can be maintained, but this requires
quite a lot of concentration. It’s not the most powerful of attacks, but it has a variety of defensive uses
and is useful against a crowd. It also offers a selection of interesting possibilities if combined with a
weapon or weapons.
Kinetic Damping: Closely related to Kinetic Transfer, this word drains kinetic energy from everything
in the vicinity, including the air. The overall effect is to slow everything except the user, giving the air
around him the consistency of molasses and making projectiles virtually ineffective. It can also be
directed against a single target at range, slowing it instantly.
Kinetic Imbuement: Transfers kinetic energy from the sword to any object within a few feet, hurling it
with enormous force. While this is often used to accelerate arrows and such to supersonic speeds, more
spectacular tricks are possible (parrying speeding trucks, hurling a sphere of air at 20 miles a second,
and using a tank for a fastball). Note that without such a source, the effect is limited by the strength of
the user.
Kinetic Transfer: Allows the user to transfer kinetic energy (and momentum) between objects in the
immediate vicinity, normally within a few inches of his skin. In the case of the sword, it uses
“localized” trump links to extend this effect to the immediate vicinity of its bearer. It also commonly
uses this word, and its basic trump link, to become an immovable object, imbued wuth an effective
inertial mass of several trillion tons.
Law Distortion: This useful word taps into the power of any shadow the user has made a “part of
himself” by paying points for, projecting its “natural laws” in an aura around the user. While this does
not override the local laws, it does provide an alternative. Within the aura both sets of laws are equally
valid, the powers and devices of both worlds will function normally. Sadly, this is an extremely
exhausting effect to maintain for long. Trying to maintain the effect at range makes the strain even
worse.
Leadership: This word imbues the users orders with a carrying quality which allows them to be clearly
heard across a noisy battlefield, at least by those whom the user is addressing. No one else will hear
them. This quasi-telepathic talent has the side effect of imbuing the users orders with enormous
authority, allowing him to easily seize command of any force currently lacking clear orders, in disarray,
or otherwise undirected. It may even allow him to walk into the commanders office/ post and simply
seize command, provided that his basic warfare rank is fairly high, and that he’s on the same side.
Magic Focusing: Allows the user to “refocus” a spell after someone uses Magic Negation to disrupt it,
which can be very handy for the user and a nasty surprise to the person with the negating word.
Magesword: This handy word allows the user to use an “invasive” spell on a target without need for a
psyche battle provided that the spell is ready to be released and that he has just inflicted a wound with
the sword. If so, the spell can be released through the blade and directly into the victims body,
bypassing their normal resistance.
Mask Spell: Unlike most power words, this one is very “quiet”. It not only “cloaks” itself, it cloaks
other spells released at the same time. In effect, it allows the user to release (or cast) a spell without
obvious gesturing or gathering of energies, and without alerting anyone in the area who happens to be
using the pattern lens, logrus vision, or merely has a very high psyche. It even extends to concealing
the spells source and/or target, provided that the spell itself doesn’t make it obvious. Fiery bolts leaping
from the users fingers to hurl themselves against a target are pretty obvious, a hypnotic spell is less so.
Manipulate Flame: Extends the swords power to “mold” flames in shadow to Amber and the Courts.
There are no other effects, unlike the similarly-named words which allow the user to manipulate fire on
their own.
Masters Parry: Allows the user to make an impossible parry or dodge, blocking or evading a blow that
by all reason should have inflicted a grave wound. While this maneuver becomes less and less effective
each time it is used against any single opponent it always suffices to reduce the injury taken by at least
one level. (Pg 97)
Metabolic Control: Allows the user to manipulate his metabolism and biochemistry, to the point of
being able to “tailor” enzymes and pheromones, compensate for almost any toxin, drop into
hibernation, adjust to hot and cold weather, heighten resistance to disease, and accelerate healing. The
problem is that this requires trancelike concentration, careful thought, a through knowledge of
biochemistry on the part of the user (and at least basic familiarity with it on the part of the player).
Mindblock: A total psychic block, boosting the users psyche by around 40 points for defensive
purposes, but making it impossible for a user to engage in any other psychic activity.
Mindcloud: Generates a “field” of psychic “fog” which cloaks the user and, to a lesser extent, the
surrounding area. Like all power words, the effect is governed by the users psyche. Creating a
mindcloud will “blur” the psychic senses of those with higher psyches, allow the user to conceal
himself entirely from those with equal or lesser psyches, while those with drastically lesser psyches
(Human versus Amber+, Chaos versus High Ranked) will be unable to detect the user by simple
physical means, let alone by psychic ones. – Gifted with a mysterious ability to cloud the minds of
men. Who knows what evil lurks in the hearts of men ? The Shadow knows! (This digression brought
to you courtesy of Radio Classics.
Mind Link: Sets up an instant “psychic link” between the user and any target either within line-of-
sight or whose location is known with reasonable precision. The effect is roughly equal to the standard
“magical” mind link used by magical devices and creatures. As such, a power defense (logrus, trump,
or pattern) will suffice to block contact in most cases.
Mist Tentacles: Lets the user generate “tentacles” made of mist – but powered and directed by his
psyche. These are essentially extensions of the user, parts of his aura given form by psychokinesis. The
effect is to give the user a set of ectoplasmic appendages, with a strength equal to his psyche. Since the
tentacles are only quasi-material, they are immune to most attacks – but do count as a touch for the
purpose of using other power words, making psychic contact, or whatever.
Mold Life Force: This word is normally used to allow the horn to “mold” creatures in seconds rather
then in minutes or hours, allowing the bearer to simply blow a “call” on the horn, and have his
creatures arrive at its end. It works best with creatures the user has called before, and requires a
different call for each type of creature. Due to these limitations most wielders will only be able to
“summon” a dozen or so kinds of things at a moments notice.
Multitasking: Lets the user “concentrate” on several things at once. While his performance will be
slightly degraded (by about 20%), he will be able to perform up to seven tasks at once for short periods.
He will also be able to perform up to three tasks at a time with no noticeable hindrance for periods of
up to an hour.
Nightmare Visions: This psychic assault “attempts” to unleash the targets unconscious fears and
terrors. While a reasonably effective tactic in isolation, the effect gains power as the user gains a more
through knowledge of his target. Use of this word grants a temporary +15 point “advantage” in psychic
combat, increasing to +20 against a casual acquaintance, +30 against close ones, +40 against those
you’ve spent lots of time mindlinked with, +60 against those who have permitted a full open mindlink
in the past, and +120 against those who’s minds have been subjected to a through telepathic study.
Nights Illusion: This word taps into the “deceptive” qualities of true darkness, channeling it into
master- level, and potentially lethal, illusions. Possessed of spiritual, intellectual, and physical aspects,
such an illusion is quite capable of inflicting lethal psycho- somatic damage and is virtually
indistinguishable from reality. They can be revealed as illusions, and there- fore rendered virtually
harmless, by appropriate power word, by the powers of light, and by any psyche or power based
attempt to probe for that specific information.
Note Of Shattering: “Tunes” the horns “deadly” sonic field so that it only affects a particular category
of targets, such as ’swords”, or “wood”, or “all metallic objects”.
Nova Flare: Channels the users total energies into a single pulse of enormous power, summing the
many hours of hard effort it would normally take to fully exhaust an amberite or lord of chaos into a
fractional second, a single surge of effort. While this is normally used in combination with some form
of energy tap, it can be used in other ways.
Nymic Awareness: This weird “word” is only available to those with trump energies available, since it
draws on closely related forces. A character with this word is automatically alerted when his name is
mentioned, and may eavesdrop on the speaker(s) by concentrating on the conversation. Sadly, the user
can only eavesdrop on the parts of the conversation that involve him. Note that the users name need not
be mentioned for him to listen in on such conversations if he is concentrating at the time – his affinity
to his name merely serves to alert him to the opportunity.
Nymic Tracking: Allows virtually infallible tracking, as it gives the user an excellent idea of the
current location of anyone he spends some time thinking about, by focusing on their personal aura. If
the user would rather follow their trail he can “focus” on the traces of their personal energies that are
left whenever they touch anything. The first application can be foiled by barriers against magic, the
second by the use of items that confer “psychic neutral”, a power which prevents energy leakage.
Opening: The word of opening can undo locks, shatter seals, reopen collapsed passageways, even
breach walls and open tunnels through rock or even (if temporarily) through water.
Palm Force: This “word” channels an energy pulse down the users arm(s). This can either be
discharged as an energy bolt or be “recirculated” to boost the power of the users next “word” (by
holding the palms together). With good timing, it can be used in conjunction with a palm strike,
boosting its impact tremendously. If the user is holding a weapon of any kind, the energy pulse will be
focused into it, boosting the users “effective warfare rank” by 10 for a few seconds.
Password: Allows the users vague mutter to be heard as whatever the appropriate countersign,
password, or authorization is.
Pathlore: Is essentially a specialized psychic probe which traces/explores/examines paths and tracks,
whether ordinary or intershadow. It gives the user the name of the path (if any), its “destination”, the
location and nature of any barriers along it, and a wide selection of other pieces of information as the
GM desires. It also makes the user nearly immune to getting lost, since it provides a basic “picture” of
the route.
Penetrate Barrier: Allows the user to breach “Shadow Barriers” against passage, although such
barriers will swiftly renew themselves. Bypassing a barrier usually includes bypassing any guardians as
well, as these are (of course) set on the normally-possible routes. This word can be countered by a
shadow “owner” who observes the effect on his barriers, but not until then.
Penetrating Blow: Allows the user to cleave through “ordinary” materials (Stone, high-tech alloys,
wood, and anything else nobody’s paid points for) almost without resistance. He can cut stone as easily
as soft clay or flesh – an effect achieved by allowing molecular bonds to “flow” around the point of
contact. It can be used to gouge out handholds in a cliff, to punch holes in a brick wall, or to slash open
battleship armor. In any case, it’s very impressive to watch.
Phase: Makes the user briefly intangible, an effect which lasts for a maximum of (psyche) seconds.
While “phased” the user is virtually immune to physical, and most energy, attacks, and can “pass
through” solid objects without hindrance.
Phasing Strike: Allows the user make a single attack which ignores the effects of armor and arcane
defences provided that he 1) does so at an appropriate dramatic moment, 2) announces his intentions
loudly, and 3) can reasonably claim to be acting in the name of “justice” or to avenge someone else.
(Sword flashing in a lethal arc, he drove the evil Sir Loris into the corner; “You can retreat no more Sir
Loris ! Now you shall pay for the foul murder of the Lady Devorah !”. With a crackle of arcane energy,
he plunged his suddenly incandescent blade through the villains upraised shield and breastplate,
piercing him to his very heart ! With a look of utter disbelief at the failure of the dread protective
enchantments upon his armor, Loris measured his length upon the floor, his dying curse frozen upon his
bloody and twisted lips). Variations on this word include any other set of conditions that the GM
decides to permit, a simple armor-piercing variant which only reduces the opponents defenses by one
rank, and one that only lets the strike pass through mundane armor and any ordinary objects that things
that happen to be in the way.
Photon Conversion; Allows a shapechanger with “photon transformation” to shift part of his mass into
energy, using shapechanging to keep it under control as it is, at least until released, still a part of him.
Photon Transformation; Allows a shapechanger to change his body into a field of electromagnetic
energy, which can then be manipulated via “shapechanging”. The user can return to material form at
any time, although this form can be maintained indefinitely. Like other power words, the effect can be
extended to anything the user has paid for with points.
Presence: Temporarily imbues the user with an awesome force of personality, capable of forcing any
character of lesser psyche to consider carefully what he/she has to say, while even those of equal or
slightly superior psyche are likely to hesitate briefly. Characters with vastly inferior psyches may even
follow commands, run, faint, or surrender (as seems appropriate). Note that presence affects everyone
who hears the user speak but “friendly” characters are more likely to be encouraged then they are to be
adversely affected.
Psychic Blast: Allows the user to generate and project a “charged” mental bolt, which strikes on both
psychic and physical levels. The physical portion strikes with a strength equal to the users psyche, the
psychic bolt strikes normally. The real advantage lies in the fact that the physical portion acts as a
carrier – hence no pre-existing psychic link is necessary.
Psychic Bolt: A straight-forward telepathic assault, designed to stun or injure the target. If “fired” over
an existing mental link it intensifies and focuses the users power, however it can be launched at any
visible target without a link, but without benefit of amplification.
Psychic Equivalence: This curious “word” gives an item a psychic aspect to match its physical one,
whether as weapon, defense, or tool. If a weapon, anyone who is in psychic contact with the wielder is
close enough to be attacked. Similar rules govern other gear.
Psychic Form: Temporarily converts the “user” into a psychic energy field. While intangible in this
form, and so able to pass thru most defenses, the “user” is also unable to actually harm anyone,
although he can induce a sever neural shock. This effect, while momentary, is about equal to inflicting a
similar wound. If you “cut off” someone’s head with a psychic energy field he will certainly convulse
and probably black out for a moment or two.
Psychic Illusions: Allows the user to generate telepathic illusions, projecting whatever he envisions. If
used against a specific victim, these illusions can do psychosomatic damage if a mental attack
succeeds, used against a group they are realistic images, but nothing more. In either case, the duration
is brief unless the user concentrates on maintaining them.
Psychic Reflection: A fairly obvious power word that allows the user to “reflect” a psychic attack,
turning it back on the attacker. While this effect diminishes with repetition, the user may be able to gain
a large, if short-term, advantage by “augmenting” the reflected attack with his own psychic energy. If
hopelessly out- matched, it’s probably best to save this word until an opponent is “closing for the kill”
and most of his power is focused on attacking. While you may not be able to “follow up”, he, she, or it
will probably have too big a headache to prevent you from getting away.
Psychic Shield: A straightforward psychic defense, a psychic shield is essentially a delaying maneuver
that frees the user to focus on attack or on something else entirely for a minute or so. A more subtle
application leaves a small portion of the users mind exposed while “screening” the rest, creating the
illusion of success for a psychic attacker or would-be mindraper. In this fashion the user can give the
attacker true, false, or mixed information as he desires.
Psychic Venom: This nasty word is closely related to “Envenoment” – but its toxin affects the victims
mind, rather then his body. The venom induces fear, despair, depression, brooding, forgetfulness, and
uncertainly, on a level that may well suffice to induce suicide. Even if the users psyche is sufficient to
allow resistance, the effects will debilitating on the psychic level for a considerable period. More
subtly, the victim may not even realize the source of this depression and malaise for a lengthy period.
Psychokineses: Allows the user to channel his psychic energy into a brief telekinetic burst. While the
users control is relatively crude, it suffices for simple PK bolts, repulsive fields, grabbing things, and
throwing things around, with a Str equal to the users psyche.
Psychomantic Focusing: Concentrates the users mental and physical energies, channeling them into a
variety of psychic feats. Sadly, flexibility comes at the cost of power. The user can psychokinetically
move items of up to about a twenty pounds, clairvoyantly scan places up to a few hundred feet away,
light a campfire, generate a force-bubble sufficient to keep the rain off, and do a huge variety of other
things – all trivial. This can be useful in practice, but only if the user is clever.
Purging: Generates a “surge” of trump energy within the users body. While this has some minor
effects, its primary purpose is to drive out intruding energies and substances. Secondarily, the surge
tends to “rebuild” the users body to some degree, at least enough to halt blood loss and do a little
patching. While it lasts, the surge is roughly equal to using “trump defense”. This word can be applied
to someone else via mindlink.
Purification: Purifies liquids, removing contaminants and fractions as the user desires. It can even be
used to remove poisons – but cannot be used to harm someone by, say, removing all the salt from his
body. Combined with “waters of cleansing” or some such material drawn from the sword, this can be
extended to cleansing such things as curses, possession, and mental effects.
Purifying Flame: This word allows the user to attune flame to a particular target or class of targets,
such as a particular class of poisons, zombies, or anything else he desires. Once attuned, the flame has
no effect on anything else, even passing harmlessly through such objects and persons as may be in the
way. It can even be used to, for example, “burn” poison out of someone’s system without otherwise
harming them, although it may look both spectacular and fatal.
Ranged Blast: Allows the user to make a ranged attack with the blade. This mystic projection is
equivalent to a normal attack – save that the effects of other power words used at the same time are
drastically lessened and that such attacks leave no apparent woumd.
Reabsorb Spirit: Compels a released spirit to return to the blade. Like “Compel Spirit”, this only
works on spirits that have been released from the blade, but is pretty much infallible with those. Due to
the spirits natural resistance, each reabsorption requires another variant of this word.
Recognizer: Allows the user to memorize a characters “style”, the various subconscious mannerisms,
movement patterns, and intangibles that convey identity below the level of mere dress, voice, and
physical form. The user can readily penetrate any ordinary physical or magical disguise (Wait! – That
limping hunchback in the alley! He arrived yesterday as the high priest of Bandara!) and basic
shapeshifting. Those using “shapeshift persona” are harder problems, the user will know that
something is wrong but is unlikely to be able to “recognize” the underlying character. Note that this
word only allows the user to recognize characters he’s seen before – it doesn’t necessarily tell him their
real identity.
Reconstruction: Allows the user to “summon”, or even “recreate”, any artifact that he’s made “a part
of his portfolio” by paying for. It channels a terrific surge of trump energy into the artifacts “pattern”
imprinted within the user, either “drawing in” the original item or simply creating another from the
energy matrix. In either case the strain on the user is terrific, but in the case of total reconstruction it’s
nothing short of absurd, temporarily reducing the users endurance level by 20% of the point cost of the
item(s) recreated. As a final note, this word can only be used on items that are at least partially paid for,
and actual recreation is limited to whatever has been paid for. Things which haven’t been completely
paid for will exist as partial versions.
Reflection: A fairly straightforward word, used when an attack is coming in. The word reflects all
forms of energy, including kinetic, back on their sources. This is reasonably effective against lesser
attacks, but is fairly easy to overwhelm – unless backed by some other force. It’s also of limited use
against subtle effects such as hypnotic spells. It works nicely on lasers and bullets – but catapult
missiles and charging elephants are pushing it a bit and it has no effect on things like nerve gas.
Reflective Shield: Raises a barrier designed to turn energies back upon themselves, providing a
defense (or even a sort of offence) against many attacks. While a certain advantage does accrue to a
defense, the rather “generalized” nature of the shield tends to weaken it. The shield only affects a single
“form” of attack at a time. A shield can be maintained for several seconds, say against an avalanche,
but the effort is exhausting and leaves the user open to other assaults.
Reflect Spell: Allows the user to turn spells back on their caster if they are a) individually targeted, and
b) directed by the casters warfare. While this can, and does, include most simple energy bolts and other
basic attacks, it will not work on spells that target areas, attack indirectly, or which take the user by
surprise.
Repulsion Field: Creates a powerful “repulsion field” around the users palms. If they are turned
towards an opponent it repels incoming attacks, and may drive him back. Held at right angles, it can
reflect or redirect incoming forces, while holding them together channels the field into a beam of force.
If used in conjunction with a weapon the field is focused “through” it. While this prevents the use of
the “right angle” trick noted above, it greatly increases the impact of a successful attack.
Reveal Fate: Reveals the major “influences” that are affecting a character or item – although it often
does so in a symbolic or dreamlike fashion. Such influences usually include any of the elders who are
manipulating the target, intriguing members of his own generation, and anyone else who is trying to
manipulate him or who has some sort of “string” on him. At best this informs you of who is fooling
around – save for vague symbols, it never reveals what they’re up to. It will reveal if the target is
afflicted with a destiny or curse.
Reverse Combat: lets the user fight in unconventional positions without penalty, such positions
include when the opponent is behind you, when you’re lying down, or when you’re swinging from a
chandelier.
Runic Endowment: Allows the user to create minor and (very) temporary “artifacts”, worth up to four
points, by simply touching the item to be enchanted and imprinting a rune upon it. These enchantments
last anywheres from seconds to an hour (as the GM feels appropriate), but are enormously draining to
create and maintain.
Scrambler Pulse: Generates an energy pulse that will temporarily disrupt electrical, electronic, high-
tech, and bioenergetic systems. While the effect on biosystems is limited, a specific target can be
“stunned” briefly by the disruption of his central nervous system. Items of technology have no such
protection, and can be burned out or disrupted until readjusted or repaired.
Secure Link: “Seals” a trump, psyche, or magical link so that no one else will be able to “listen in” on
the conversation with whoever’s on the other end. The power of this word can be overcome, but this
produces enough interference with the link to make it quite noticeable.
Seeking Spell: Allows the user to imbue a spell with the ability to “seek” a named target, adding a
“keyed” energy field to the structure of a spell. Such spells can be evaded as usual – but will turn
around and come back to try again until somehow nullified, permanently blocked, or their power
dissipates, a process that can require anywhere from seconds (a lightning bolt) up to an hour or so (a
simple hypnotic spell).
Selective Targeting: Allows the user to exempt up to a dozen people, animals, or things, from the
effect(s) of an area-effect spell. It can be very handy when you want to get the guards but not the
prisoner, and so on.
Self-Healing: Does a quick job of “patching” a users injuries, allowing him to continue functioning for
the moment. Actual recovery is only slightly accelerated, but the full effects of wounds are delayed at
the cost of increasingly rapid exhaustion. This can be used to allow the user to survive poisoning long
enough for it to be expelled from or dissipated by his system.
Set Wards: Creates a basic set of magical wards that draw on whatever power the user has access to.
Pattern is a common choice, but trump, logrus, or simple magic all have their advantages. A set of
wards is immobile, but provides a fairly good, basic, defense against all forms of intrusion. Any really
determined attacker can break through by merely applying enough power, whether on the physical level
or the supernal but this usually delays them for long enough for the user to get ready. Wards are always
especially effective against power(s) which are opposed to the energy used to set them up.
Shadowmeld: Merges the users body with the substance of darkness, making him a living shadow. In
his quasi- tangible form the user is highly resistant to physical harm and can merge invisibly with a
shadow, making him almost impossible to detect. He can even teleport from shadow to shadow. While
this normally only has a range of a few blocks, with Soulcutters limitless tap on the “darkforce” to back
it up, the range is planetary – if only within one dimension.
Shapeshift Blood: Essentially, this word substitutes for “conjuration” for the purpose of conjuring
“items” from the users blood, and for that purpose only. While this can be very useful, it’s also a terrific
drain on the users vitality. Each use of this word temporarily drains three points from the users
endurance unless he has access to some other source of raw vitality. These “lost” points will return, but
only at a rate of about one point per day.
Shapeshift Gear: Lets the user transform his gear as he shapeshifts himself. While organic material
may be incorporated into the user, inorganics can only be re- shaped to suit the new form. The effect is
achieved by channeling vitality through the user and into the stuff, giving it sufficient temporary “life”
to shapeshift.
Shattering Strike: Boosts a weapons damage rating by two ranks, such as from “double” to
“destructive”, but only works against barriers and walls, things that stand still and let you hit them Jest
right.
Shift Path: Lets the user manipulate “shadow paths”, making slight changes in their routes or
destinations. Using this power the user can add or eliminate various barriers, divert travellers to a
similar, but slightly different, shadow destination, get people lost, and even open a route into a
barriered shadow – maybe. Pathways tend to gradually revert to normal unless a power such as pattern
imprint is used to fix them, lots of people travel them, the changes are quite minor – or the user
concentrates on maintaining the change. Pushing a path through someone’s shadow barriers is
extremely obvious, automatically attracts any available shadow guardians, takes enormous
concentration, and will quickly collapse. It can also be blocked once the shadows owner observes this
word in action.
Sonic Cone: Projects the horns deadly sonic field in a cone, affecting all those within it.
Spell Adaption: Lets a mage “fine-tune” his spells as he releases them, making minor alterations to
suit his current needs or adapting them to fit the magic of the local shadow.
Somatic Control: Lets the user manipulate his bodies gross physical processes – including such items
as his blood pressure, heart rate, skin temperature, hunger, and oxygen demand. While any shortfalls
can be supplied by psychic means, this is a stopgap measure at most and can only be maintained for a
few minutes. This can be used for a wide variety of yoga tricks, to slow bleeding or to accelerate
healing, to fake being dead, and so on on its own, combined with metabolic control it allows the user to
manage a wide variety of further tricks.
Sphere Of Defense: Allows the user to defend against multiple opponents without penalty. While
maintaining this whirling guard is very tiring, it also allows the user to attack everyone around him at
one-half of his basic warfare rank provided that his basic rank is above the zero-point amber level. In
either case, it also offers the user protection from standard hand missiles – such as daggers, arrows, and
crossbow quarrels.
Sphere Of Power: This power “word” can either extend the effect of some specific power “out” in a
radius or it can extend the effects of a device and (if they’re in the device) / or a set of power words
similarly. Thus a device which does “deadly damage” and contains a set of power words could either
do damage in the radius or extend its power words over that radius. The user may leave a “hole” in the
center of the area if desired, and words that affect a target at range will have a radius effect around that
target. Other precise effects vary with the words or powers extended.
Sphere of Privacy: Channels the users trump energies into a low-level “jamming field” which
interferes with attempts to spy on the user and his general vicinity with trump or any of the powers
trump conflicts with. This isn’t powerful enough to block any form of attack, but has little effect on
ordinary or technological methods of spying, although it will make it impossible to just listen in from
more then about thirty feet away. Items such as planted microphones, laser pickups, and people hidden
inside the field work perfectly. The only other problem is that maintaining the jamming field requires a
great deal of power, limiting other activities while it’s in use.
Spirit Summoning; This useful word enables the user to call forth the “spirits” (if any) of an area –
and ask them to perform some simple task. The problem is that some places don’t have any spirits and
those that do are not necessarily cooperative. Some, say the spirits of a haunted graveyard, may be
downright hostile. In any case, the user is relying on charisma/luck to get them to serve, hence “good
stuff” is very helpful. The user will normally be most comfortable with some particular type of spirit,
choosing a speciality when he acquires this word. Related words allow the user to extend this power to
major or distant spirits, compel reluctant or hostile ones, dismiss them, and to feed them the power to
produce major effects. Alternatively, the user can simply draw on his own spiritual energies,
temporarily reducing his reserve of “good stuff” or increasing his level of “bad stuff” to achieve similar
results.
Spirit Summons: Allows the user to call up a “demon”, a creature of chaos or order from far beyond
the usual limits of shadow available to material characters. The “spirits” so summoned are immaterial
entities and have their own, innate, magical powers. Sadly, the summoner does not have any special
method of compelling them to his will, and so will have to rely on bargains, psyche battle (and maybe
the “command spirit” power word), or spells of compulsion. Note that this is different from “spirit
summoning”, which calls on local spirits.
Steal Spirit: Drains a creatures psychic essence into the blade. This can be done at range against a
human- level psyche, on inflicting a wound versus a chaos-level psyche, or upon slaying an amber or
higher psyche.
Stress Perception: Allows the user to “see” the spots where stress is concentrated, pick out the “key”
stone in a wall, and locate the best places to break things. If you want to collapse a building with a
single blow, this is extremely handy, since it allows you to locate the appropriate place to strike. It also
allows you to know if you have enough power available, as some items are pretty tough even at their
weakest points.
Subdue: Converts the damage from an attack to a non- lethal form, allowing the user to render his
opponents unconscious rather then inflicting any serious injury. The special effects may vary but the
overall effect is quite simple: The users blows are fully effective for all intents and purposes save that
of inflicting serious long-term damage. Any injuries he inflicts prove to be superficial but are as
effective in subduing opponents as if they were “real”.
Summon (Device): This useful word allows the user to “call” an item to him, teleporting it across
shadow or through virtually any barrier, provided that he or she has paid the points for it. Those
“primal” items which can only be “attuned”, and not bought, can be summoned only if the user has
some special link with them. They also cannot be called if they are in the possession of another attuned
user. Thus Corwin or Dworkin might be able to learn to summon the Jewel of Judgement because
they’ve used it to create a pattern, but not even they could summon it away from another initiate.
Summon Totem: Summons a totem spirit, an incarnation of the qualities and magics associated with a
particular animal type. The user can either ask the spirit for a favor or draw it temporarily into himself,
fusing with it for a period of time. While this gives the user the power to “control”, “speak” with, use
magic involving, transform into, or draw on the powers and instincts of the appropriate animal type it
also makes him bestial, gives him animalistic features and instincts, and other- wise attunes him to the
powers of nature. He can even be manipulated by things like the “Beastmasters Word”.
System Link: Allows the user to create a supernormal “link” with a technological system,
manipulating it and, if necessary, fueling it with his own energies. While this has its limits the user can
easily control things like computers, planes, and cars. Fueling them is more difficult, as these devices
can often require enormous amounts of energy. Note that, using this word through the sword in many
ways reverses these limitations. The sword has access to virtually limitless energies – but the wielders
control over the system is indirect – and therefore less accurate.
Tap Link: Allows the user to tap into psychic links, whether based on trump, magic, or mere mental
contact. Tapping magical or mental links requires that the user be able to see one of the principles, but a
trump link can be tapped using a trump image of either principle. This allows the user to listen in
almost undetectably, to launch a psychic or magical attack on either party, or, if either principle “trumps
through”, to come thru with him if he so desires.
Tertiary Disruption: Temporarily dampens/negates the local “tertiary” natural laws, such as
gravitation and electromagnetism. It affects a modest radius around a target point selected by the user
and is selective, in that the user can either disrupt some specific natural law or all of them. Oddly
enough, the effects seem to depend more on what the user expects then what physics would lead a
scientist to expect, possibly because the disruption leaves the area open to manipulation by any being
of true reality. Despite this safeguard, or side effect, this word can be quite dangerous if used with- out
sufficient knowledge.
Tracking: Quite simply makes the user a virtually in- fallible tracker, capable of following the faintest
of trails through perfectly horrible conditions. Used at some scene of interest it allows the user to
determine what occurred. Interestingly, this also allows the user to follow a shadow-shifters trail
through shadow if, and only if, the travellor is less then a day ahead.
Trailtwist: Warps, partially erases, and redirects the users back trail, making him almost impossible, or
even dangerous, to track. While such redirection is usually random, the user can direct the false trail
into some convenient hazard if he desires, sending trackers into quicksand, some vast, labyrinthine,
cave, an avalanche zone, or even (for shadow walkers) a hostile shadow.
Transfer C’hi: Unlike Transfer Vitality, which merely transfers a portion of the users current vital
energy, Transfer C’hi can transfer the ability to generate it as well. Such a transfer is usually temporary,
but can be permanent if the donor desires. C’hi (endurance) is usually transferred one point at a time.
The user will recover from a temporary transfer in a few hours, just about as long as it takes to wear
off. The loss from a permanent transfer is just that, the user will have to buy his endurance back up.
The exact results of a C’hi transfer vary considerably, depending on the recipient and the source. In
general, the donor must have an End rank of Chaos or better but any ranking level produces equivalent
effects. Transferring C’hi to a creature or item will give it attributes of human/chaos/amber rank if the
user has an End of chaos/amber/ranked level. An inanimate object of any type is brought to life and is
under the control of the donor, living things are free to act as they wish. Transferring a point of C’hi to
a being with attributes already at the appropriate level merely adds one to its endurance rank. A living
thing has an option of keeping the transferred C’hi separate from its own reserves, drawing on it at
need. This can be used to “save” the energy of a “temporary” transfer for later use, but this doesn’t
extend the actual time available. A “few hours” is a few hours, whether taken in one lump or in bits and
pieces. Note that temporary C’hi transfers are often used as an emergency measure, to keep someone
alive while their injuries stabilize.
Transfer Spirit: Transfers a spirit from the blade to some other vessel, provided that the “vessel” is
empty at the time. While most commonly used to give a spirit a “new life”, a particularly nasty use is to
transfer a spirit into an inanimate object, imprisoning it.
Transfer Vitality: Transfers life energy between two creatures the blade is touching. While this is
usually used to steal vitality from injured / dying opponents, it can also be used to transfer a part of the
wielders vitality to a wounded companion or even a corpse (This creates a “zombie” unless the corpse
is very fresh and the user also transfers a spirit).
Transmute Waters: Accelerates the “molding” of shadow waters, and extends the effect to the waters
of Amber or the Courts as well.
Trigger: Acts to release potential energies, whether the gravitational potential of a rockslide or the
more exotic potentials of magic or weird materials. It does not give any control over the energy
released, it just behaves according to its nature. This can make the use of this “word” rather hazardous.
The energy must be in a releaseable form, a sealed tank of gasoline cannot be triggered to explode, but
the gasoline and air mixture in a carburetor can be.
Trump Animation: Pours vitality into a trump “image”, creating a temporary doppleganger of the
person shown. This feat requires an enormous amount of vitality, and will (temporarily) reduce the
users endurance by three points – unless he has some additional source on which to draw. The duplicate
is similar to, if weaker then, the original – save for being under the control of the user. In this state they
are effectively unconscious, and can’t answer questions. The user can turn them loose and so awaken
them to full consciousness – but in this case they’re rarely inclined to answer questions.
Trump Gate: Transforms a trump image into a temporary gateway. Sadly, duration is limited by the
size – the larger the portal, the more quickly it collapses. This is also an enormous drain on the user,
and, unlike the ability of an advanced trump artist, can only be “held open” by continuous
concentration.
Trump Powering: Backs evocations with trump energies drawn from the user. Note that this doesn’t
weave such energies into the spell, it merely allows the spell to cross into other shadows without being
negated. Hence it allows Doomgiver to lay curses on shadow-travellors with some hope of them lasting
for a few days.
Trump Projection: “Projects” any trump image the user has available. Like any ordinary projection,
position, size, and orientation can all be varied at the will of the user. While insubstantial, the image is
otherwise functional, equivalent to a normal trump.
Trump Pulse: Amplifies, and projects in a small area, the power-disrupting effects of trump energy,
allowing the wielder to “parry”, or disrupt by contact, attacks and effects based on powers which clash
with trump. As usual, this shock is most effective the first time but it never actually loses effect entirely.
Trump Rift: Creates a sort of short-lived trump gate from a trump image, an irregular transdimensional
rift expanding from the edge of the image. If opened around the user, the rift closes again in moments,
taking the user with it. As a rift in space it has a duration of anything from twenty seconds to two
minutes, depending in part on the users concentration. The image must be moved to “cut open” a rift,
an action that also serves to help define it. This can be used with objects that contain a multiple trump
image by simply specifying (in advance) which one is desired.
Trump Surge: Feeds an extra “surge” of trump energies into whatever trump-based feat the user is
attempting, boosting the effect and/or the speed with which it can be achieved. It’s commonly used
when the possessor is in a hurry to contact someone or to trump out.
Trump Tap: Essentially “pulls through” something from a trump image if – and only if – the subject is
either inanimate, cooperative, or has a human rank psyche and is completely unprotected. This can be
used to make a trump image act as a miniature “portal” for whatever it depicts, allowing light, flame,
water, or whatever, to pour through in a continuous stream.
Vamphyric Drain: “Grounds” the victims life energies through a wound or touch, draining them into
the vast, if low-potential, reservoir of the sea. Overall, this drains the victims strength and endurance,
weakening him enormously. Victims with poor attributes can actually be drained to death, but most
amberites (or chaosians) can only be weakened. It’s still a very nasty thing to do in a hand-to-hand
fight.
Variation: This word (which itself comes in numerous variations) modifies another power “word”,
altering it just enough to bypass the effects of counterspells set up to counter the unmodified word. The
only problem is that this word modifies any other word it’s used on in the same way – so once observed
it can be countered just like any other power word.
Vibratory Sphere: Generates a spherical, quasi-sonic, field of vibrations around the intersection of the
two “beams” of force projected from the users palms. Those within the sphere are subjected to terrific
stresses – roughly the equivalent of a dozen full-power blows from the users fists.
Virtual Creation: Taps into the energies of trump to materialize whatever relatively small (up to about
ten pounds), simple, object the user envisions. While this cannot create high-tech, “magical”, or artistic
items, things like rope, blades, saws, and simple pistols are quite possible. Keeping such an object in
existence is a considerable drain on the users physical energy out- put, reducing his effective strength
by one per item.
Voice: Represents mastery of inflection, “involuntary responses”, and verbal cues. Voice can be used to
issue brief commands, make “suggestions”, and otherwise manipulate people in a wide variety of ways.
Those of Amber psyche and above are almost impossible to control with voice, but even they can be
manipulated or momentarily startled by it.
Wardshatter: Disrupts and drains the energy from the various types of mystic “wards”, barriers, and
shields by earthing them, draining their energy into the near- limitless sink of the planetary crust, over
the swords continuous link if necessary.
War Fugue: This word produces a minor time-distortion effect, often mistaken for mere adrenalin,
which gives the user just a little more time to react in dangerous situations, speeding the users
subjective time rate by a factor of 2 to 3 and his reflexes by about 1.5. This only happens at critical
moments (As the dagger-thrust plunged towards his eye the world seemed to slow and a terrible feeling
of paralysis gripped his limbs as the blade crept forward. The world seemed frozen, narrowed to the
glint of light upon the steel until his muscles at last responded to his desperate will, wrenching his head
to one side as the blade, its full terrible speed restored, plunged deeply into the turf). This curious
digression comes direct to you courtesy of fathers old “Thrilling Stories” magazines.
Wave Of Force: Generates a great wave of “telekinetic force” projected along the users forearms. The
user is usually carried along with the “wave” – but may resist if he so chooses. Used alone, the wave
can drive back weaker opponents. Used to drive the wielder against an opponent, it adds enormous
impact to his attack. While this is useful, boosting the users “effective rank” by about 15 points, it has
all the disadvantages of other “headlong” assaults. If the wielder chooses to oppose his palms, the
“wave” will dissipate its energies as a radiating shockwave, but this places a great strain on the user.
Wounding: Lets a weapon to inflict a wound that will take a long time to heal. Those with “human”
endurance will never do so, those with higher endurances take at least ten times the normal time. Such
wounds will not stop bleeding until treated.

Allies/Enemies
“Character Enemies”
by Marty Graw

According to the Amber rules, starting characters can spend points to begin the game with
“staunch allies, friends, and even doting relatives.” Since players never seem to have enough points
when building new characters, we’ve expanded this concept to include getting extra points for taking
rivals and enemies.
In order to avoid min / maxing, we had to set an absolute limit to the number of character points
that can be gained using this method:

“No starting character may start with more than ten points’ worth of rivals or enemies, or with
more points than he or she has in Allies and Devotees, whichever is greater.”
 For instance, if you took a single Devotee, you’re pretty much limited to gaining ten points
through enemies. However, if you’ve spent tons of points to be a well-connected member of your
family, this restriction is eased somewhat, since you’ve obviously spent more time at home (and had
more opportunities to offend your siblings). Since Allies and Devotees are more expensive than Rivals
and Enemies, there’s no real incentive to go this route if you’re a min / max’er anyway.

Here are the types of relationships with their associated points value:

A Local Detractor. While not of the Royal Blood, a detractor will have a certain measure of influence
within your family’s realm (Amber or the Courts). Examples might be castle retainers, the royalty of
nearby kingdoms, trusted servants, sea captains, or common soldiers. Regardless, a detractor will
always have just enough influence to make life difficult for the character, and will usually be under the
protection of another family member (making it difficult to merely “eliminate such a detractor). The
detractor can always be counted on to go out of his or her way to inflict hardship and misery on the
player character, and no slight is too small to pass up. 2 Detractors (one Major and one Minor) per
–1 point.

Demon Enemy. Demons can make dreadful enemies, particularly since the Game Master gets to
design all of the demons in his or her game. Taking this disadvantage could mean that a single
powerful demonic entity is hunting the player across Shadow… or it might mean that an entire race of
demons has spent the last three centuries plotting your doom. Fire Angel, anyone? This background is
not one to be taken lightly. –1 Point.

Family Rival. This is a member of the royal family of Amber, or a member of the Courts, who has
taken a strong dislike to the player character. While a rival isn’t necessarily out for the character’s
blood, he or she probably wouldn’t mind seeing some of it spilt, either. Things like humiliating the
character in public, getting in the way of the character’s goals, or even providing good intelligence to
the opposition, are all “fair game” for a family rival. –1 Point.

House Vendetta. One of the Noble Houses of the Courts of Chaos has declared a blood vendetta upon
the character. Nothing will satisfy the family’s intense hatred, short of your character’s head on a plate.
Note that this doesn’t mean that everyone in the House is after you—there are always dissenters in any
large group, ad a few House members might even break ranks to assist you—but the problem is that
you’re never sure who you can trust.
It’s up to the Game Master to determine whether the player character knows the identity of the
particular House or not. Secret vendettas have bee practiced in the Courts for thousands of years. –2
Points.

Chaos Court Enemy. Just as with Devotees, an enemy from the Courts is no less devoted to your
character’s destruction than an enemy from Amber; the difference in point values merely represents the
lesser influence that a Court Enemy can bring to bear upon a full-blooded Amberite. This could still be
a real problem if you ever visit the Courts, however, ad there are real drawbacks to having hated
enemies capable of Shape Shift. –3 Points.
Amber Court Enemy. This is the same category of relatives as a “Family Rival,” only they don’t just
dislike you, they really hate your guts. Which means that they are willing to go to elaborate lengths to
plot your death/destruction/downfall. Amber enemies will risk their own lives, betray others, or even
switch sides in battle to oppose the player character. Remember that Amberites are very long-lived,
and are willing to quietly bide away centuries in order to get that one, unexpected knife between the
ribs. –5 Points.

Enemy of the State. You are an outlaw, banished from one of the two “real” places in the entire
Universe. Showing your face in the Courts, or around Castle Amber, would likely be the last move you
ever make. You might even have a price on your head, meaning that you’re destined for a lot of
sleepless nights. Obviously, not every member of your family is bound to agree with your banishment,
but a majority of your relatives would probably be willing to help enforce it. Taking this disadvantage
also includes taking your country’s ruler as a “Court Enemy” (for no extra point gain). The exact
details for how this came to pass are up to your Game Master, as is which principality (Amber or
Chaos) you have been banished from. You must have Game Master approval prior to taking this
disadvantage! -8 Points.

Entity Hatred. One of the primary Powers of the Universe, either the Pattern or the Logrus, has a
bone to pick with you. Who knows why? Maybe the Pattern feels that you were instrumental to Chaos
during the Pattern-Logrus conflict, or maybe the Logrus suspects that you have secret unicorn friends.
Obviously, if one of the Powers hates you for some reason, you will be barred from using that ability
until this dispute has been cleared up. Expect lots of Pattern- and Logrus-ghosts, as well. You must
have Game Master approval prior to taking this disadvantage! -10 Points.

Naming Rivals and Enemies. Who will it be? Sadly, the choice isn’t up to you. Choosing your
opponents is solely up to the Game Master. The Game Master might not even tell you who your
enemies are! You will likely have a clue as to their identity, based upon your character history, but the
Game Master can provide as many (or as few) clues as he or she chooses.
And if, by some slip of the tongue, your Game Master should happen to reveal this
information… remember, sometimes the Game Master lies!

I hope that these guidelines are useful to you in your own campaigns.