Amber

Where does one begin discussing Amber?

It is the center of Reality, casting shadows that are islands of life and vast universes. The archetypal holds reign in amber, casting shadows of itself in an unaccountably vast number of different ways. Every action has its reflection in shadow. The vastness of shadow has its pinnacle in real place with regions of their own. Ever sword drawn, ever kiss delivered, every song sung, casts streams of duplicates, variations, and inspirations down the infinite ways of Shadow.

CITY OF AMBER

When King Random came to power, Amber city had a population of barely more than a million people; in the years since then the city has grown in size so that now it holds more than two and a half million, and it is expected to top the three million mark some time in the next fifty years. These new people are housed in areas of the city built around the base of Kolvir to the north, under the plateau on which the old city stands. The Vale of Garnath has recently been opened to urbanization. The city of Garn is being planned Modern planning techniques. Other villages and towns through out the realm are also growing is size as the Golden Circle widens.

Mount Kolvir is the last, and tallest, of a range of mountains which run at roughly right angles to the coast. About halfway up it, on a large plateau, miles in extent, lies Amber. The coastline runs roughly in a straight north-south line, with the sea to the east of Amber, so the city always faces the sunrise. There are several approaches to the city up Kolvir. The main one is the Grand Stair, a hundred foot wide marble stair leading from the harbor to the Great Arch, the main entrance to the city.

The city has been there for many, many millennia. It is divided into several sections. The Harbor, The Concourse, the Dell, The North Riding,

The coastline has many beaches, good for surfing, and some areas that are backed by cliffs of varying height, and others that back onto dunes. Beyond these are, to the south, the seaward edges of Arden and the staircase to Rebma; to the north are the far and estates which partially support Amber.

'The heart of the city is the huge harbor, divided between civilian and naval sections. The plateau curves around the harbor, and from the points of, which are built the harbor walls. These massive defensive walls, built of pale gold stone enclose the entire harbor. There are only three entrances, the most heavily defended parts of the harbor wall. The central one is straddled by the Colossus, a gigantic statue of Oberon in some golden metal, gazing out to sea with a beacon in his raised right hand. The other two entrances are merely topped with huge metal arches. All the entrances can be closed by massive chains if necessary, and have lights for navigation. The western one is reserved for military use. The harbor is essentially perfect for shipping, and is always bustling with vessels of all kinds.

'Around the harbor roughly at sea level are the warehouses and shipyards that make up the harbor facilities. This area also includes the customhouses, and a garrison of troops, which patrol and defend the harbor, and in the military harbor, the Amber Naval Academy where all sailors are given at least some training before being sent to sea.

The main land entrances to Amber also come in through here, along wide roads cut into the base of the plateau itself. 'There are two routes up to the plateau itself. The first is the Great Stair; Amber's equivalent of Faiella-Bionin in Rebma, over one hundred feet wide, one end of the Royal Way, which zigzags up from the harbor to the Great Arch, the eastern entrance to the city. The Arch is large, shines like gold, and is carved with scenes of people and animals, including the Unicorn. This stair is always busy, even through the night, lit by globes of perpetual fire atop the pillars that are set every fifteen steps along its seaward edge. The other is the Eastern Stair, a small (one or two men wide), little-used stair which zigzags up the face of Kolvir, joining the Great Stair a hundred yards or so from the Great Arch.

'It is also possible to reach Amber by climbing over Kolvir and coming down from above. This is a harder route, but also quite heavily traveled. The Western Stair, a relatively large set of stairs, comes up and over the shoulder of Kolvir and down to the smaller Western Gate of the city.

'The old city spreads for several miles in all directions, covering the entire plateau, apart from up Kolvir, where it stops at the castle.

There are no walls around the plateau - its face is considered defense enough; however, there are occasional watch towers which look out and down, built of the same pale gold stone as the harbor walls. These are still fully functional. However, they are somewhat prettified with plants trained up them. The only defensive barriers are the gates themselves.

'Closest to the Castle are the townhouses of Amber's noble families, many with spires and towers, and many tiled in green and gold, some in solid color, others in swirling patterns, and the Cathedral of the Unicorn, the largest of the many churches and shrines of the Unicorn scattered through the city and beyond. This is built of the same pale gold stone as the city walls and the castle, and looks something like a huge version of Kings College Chapel, Cambridge (in the UK). This area also holds the embassies of Rebma and the shadows of the a Golden Circle

The buildings of this area lie on broad, clean streets lined with trees of many kinds. Just below the houses of the nobles are the assorted Banks of Amber, run by several of the Amber noble merchant houses. The Bank of Amber, based in the castle, backs them.

'Further away, the social class of the inhabitants decreases with altitude through the little winding side streets, the many markets, shopping areas (with some shops by Royal Appointment) and assorted districts of the older parts of the city until the center of the plateau is reached. In most places the lower social class areas extend from here to the edge of the plateau but in some places the upper and middle class areas extend all the way to the edge, because of the views to be had from there. The main streets, however, run directly from the castle down to the city gates, and are the main arteries of the city. The largest of these is the Royal Way Street, running from the main gate of the castle to the gates of the Military Harbor via the Great Stair, within the city this is wide and lined with greensward and trees on both sides.

'Under all the churches and shrines of the Unicorn spread throughout the city lie the vast catacombs in which the many dead of Amber are interred. Depending on the area of the city, these catacombs can vary from crude niches in the rock of the plateau to finely carved vaulted room and tunnels. These catacombs are vast, going down and down, with the oldest dead near the surface, and the newest in the deepest areas. In some areas the catacombs from two or more shrines link into a single network of tunnels.

'Most streets are sign-posted. Many marketplaces and main streets have poster boards and the like on which news; advertisements, information and the like are pinned. There is an underground movement to destroy public advertisement billboards. 'The architectural styles of the buildings in the city vary widely, from classical Greco-Roman, to Tudor-style half-timbered buildings, to Gothic-style. Basically anything up to early 15th century Earth can be found somewhere in the city, as well as styles typical to hundreds of Golden Circle shadow real.

Many foreigners have developed sections of Amber typical to their homelands. So there are a large number of 'Little' areas such as Little Italy, Little Tokyo, Chinatown, Little Kashfra, Thulusiacity, Little Agula, Little Begma, Lirasdell. Strangely enough there is also sections called Little Rebma, Little Mandalay, and Chaos Corner. Chaos Corner is actually a very popular restaurant entertainment area.

'Essentially there is almost no kind of ship, food, restaurant or entertainment establishment (showing things from all of shadow) which cannot be found somewhere in Amber.

Similarly the people, though mainly European-Caucasian types, include examples of every conceivable, and a few inconceivable varieties, not all of them strictly human in appearance. For this reason most of the citizens of Amber tend to be fairly cosmopolitan and non-racist. 'It is rumored that King Random acts as anonymous patron to many musicians in the city. Whether this is true or not, there are certainly more musicians in Amber than there were during the reigns of Kings Oberon or Eric.

'All parts of the city have parks (in various states of upkeep), squares and plazas, many with statues (of Oberon, King Random and assorted heroes and nobles of Amber; some of which are very old and weathered) and or flowerbeds. Those parks, which lie on the edge of the plateau, have railings and viewing promenades on the very edge, affording wonderful views out over the sea. In the parks games resembling many of those known on Earth are played. There are a number of intra-city competitions, and tea from the Rangers, and Army, the Navy, the Castle Guard, the City Watch, the merchant houses and the like all take part.

'There are a number of hospitals scattered throughout the city; their quality varies considerably. The Naval Hospital and the Castle Infirmary are considered the best of them. Likewise, schools are scattered throughout the city, again of variable quality.

'The city has some public museum and many more private collections in the hands of various noble houses. The public museum include the Amber Museum of Arts and Antiquities, the Merchants Museum (commemorating the various merchant houses of the city, and the many goods and curiosities brought into the city by them), the Sailors Museum (commemorating the deeds of Amber's Navy and Merchant Marine), and the War Museum (commemorating the many wars and enemies with whom Amber has been involved down the centuries).

'In order to assist those who can't help themselves, there are Workhouses scattered throughout the city (mainly in the poorer areas) which house and give work to those who have fallen on hard times. The city government administers all these. The workhouses are one of the innovations of King Random, replacing the previous system of indentured servitude (essentially slavery) which existed in Amber.

'A number of newspapers are published in Amber. None of them are particularly extreme in any way; papers that become so have a tendency to be shut down. Current newspapers include The Daily News, The Times, The Chronicle, & The Star. The Daily News focuses recent events, local activities, and street crimes and misdemeanors. It is primarily an Amber-city paper. The Times has more wide-ranging interests, and covers Golden Circle activities as well as the activities and events in the kingdom itself. The Chronicle tends toward the high browed. A business paper featuring extensive historical articles. It has the most cutting editorial section of most publications. The Star focuses on entertainment, highlighting restaurants, concerts, cultural and entertainment activities. 'Although generally for the upper classes, some of the newspapers pin up the current issue on notice-boards outside their offices for general public consumption.

'There is an Amber Postal Service; though not particularly efficient, this does carry messages throughout the

Golden Circle, for a price.

'The city is run by a Mayor, usually appointed by the King from one of the Amber noble families, and who works from his offices in Castle Amber.

'Out from the city, far inland to the north, away from Arden, stretches the farmlands, which partly support the population of Amber.

Mostly these are the estates of the noble houses of Amber, but there are free far and estates out there too. Amber is not self-sufficient in food, and despite King Random's best efforts to expand Amber's farmlands (upon Flora's urging) Amber still depends on food shipments from the Golden Circle and beyond.

'Likewise, Amber imports a large percentage of its manufactured goods, although this percentage, too, is falling.

 'Twenty shadow paths lead into Amber from out to sea, while another twelve lead to Amber via land routes through the forest of Arden. These shadow paths branch out as they go away from Amber, to link a vast number of shadows together in the Golden Circle and beyond.

SEASONS OF AMBER

Amber has seasons; its climate is that of a temperate latitude, with no real extremes (even if they were King Random could use the Jewel to moderate them). Summers are warm, but not too warm; winters are cold, with some snow, but again no real extremes. The Amber year is 360 days long, divided into twelve months of thirty days each.

PEOPLE OF AMBER

The non-Royal inhabitants of Amber are superior to the average shadow-dweller, though inferior to the Royal family. Those families that have lived in the city for a very long time are long-lived (well over a thousand years on average) but not unageing; families, which have lived in Amber for lesser periods of time, tend to have shorter lives. Like the Royal family, the other inhabitants of Amber have a lower rate of fertility than the average shadow dweller. There is a function of enthusiasm that somehow encourages youth.

The process is unclear but it has been proved that people of encroach old age, who suddenly find a new enthusiasm for life, a new passion, begins to de-age. Further more, elderly people brought to Amber, benefit from this as well. Bill Roth is an example. Brought to Amber as a ritired lawyer, fit but elderly, he became a council to the Kingdom of Amber, began studying Amber Law, history and diplomacy. Soon he was learning swordsmanship, his hair browned, and his muscles filled out. Now he appears to be a fit 30-year-old, firmly muscled, dark hair, keen eye, and sharp wit.

TECHNOLOGY OF AMBER

'Technology is limited in Amber. No electricity works there other than that produced by natural sources. Springs, water wheels and simple machines, including complicated clockwork machines, do. Diseases also see to be inhibited in Amber, and it is very rare for anyone to get a disease much more serious than a cold. Extensive magical items exist to provide such things as home cooking to public lighting.

In many ways Random's reign has brought the cultural texture of Amber into the Modern Era. Many realms in the Golden Circle had higher tech levels and standards of living than Amber had. The new regime was far more open to the importation of luxuries and magical assists to make living more comfortable.

Indoor plumbing, waste treatment, plumbing was forcibly implemented nearly 500 years before Random took the throne. The process was unpleasant and caused considerable animosity. It was also done so inefficiently that even up till the Patternfall War Castle Amber itself did not have hot cold running water or flush privies. Random imported engineers who underwent a 10-year program of modification that corrected 500 years of water issues. This improvement alone caused Random to become called Our Beloved Random by the citizens of Amber.

GUNS OF AVALON

Since the redrawing of the Primal Pattern the guns of Avalon, or more correctly, the rouge-based gunpowder, no longer work in Amber.

THE MILITARY OF AMBER

'Random has approved a vast naval construction program that will sail shadow, taking advantage of sections of shadow that other technologies are prevalent. One example of this is Random's recent order for Caine to conquer a shadow realm that was dominated by a planet spanning empire with a vast earth style modern navy. These aircraft carriers, destroyers, tankers, air wings, battleships and submarines all now bear the flag of Amber, as does the Empire. Benedicts was even encouraged to conquer a space-going empire of the Star Trek style. Now these all bear the Flag of Amber too. So does this empire.

'The Amber standing army, apart from the Arden Rangers, is quite small. It consists mainly of a core command and training structure, with which Lords Chantris and Feldane are involved. Basically the standing army is trained to be nearly all comprised of officer grade soldiers, even to the point of scouring shadow for likely officers to fill the ranks.

These troops are then assigned troops out of shadow as the need arises. Random found this situation intolerable despite Benedict's assurances. Thus the increase of standing troops throughout shadow. Many people fear that Random's building projects may have imperial ambitions despite his protests to the contrary.

'The Amber Castle Guard is extensive and trained in many types of technological combat for and match the best special forces troops anywhere in shadow. Specialized units such as, cavalry, mountain troops and the marines that operate on or from the ships of the Navy are also amongst the best in shadow. Many of the royal family Noble Houses sponsor standing Armies in shadow. Within Amber the City Watch, a separate organization that perform a far less military role, carries out itself, law enforcement and the like.

'Because of the way in which the army of Amber depends on shadow forces to make up its numbers, people from the Amber military are often rotated out into shadow to train and increase the compatibility between the militaries of Amber and shadow. Likewise, military commanders from shadow are often rotated into Amber to train and learn at the Army Academy there.

'Amber has assorted public holidays. These include the Unicorn's Day; (a religious holiday commemorating the drawing of the Pattern), Remembrance Day; (remembering the Patternfall War, and those who lost their lives in it; these celebrations last several days), Oberon's Birthday; (which also marks the end of the year), the King's Birthday, and the Merchants Carnival; (showing off the merchant houses, and all the produce of shadow).

THE LIGHTHOUSE OF CABRA 

'An enormous grey tower, rising from the sea miles off shore, to the south of a Amber. It is set on a small island with a quay. It is still kept by Jopin, as it was at the time of Patternfall. 'It was specifically designed to be a distinctive edifice for young shadow walkers to aim ships toward. It is one of the most easily identifiable buildings in Amber. As such when young shadowwalkers were learning to manipulate shadow they were taught to steer ships toward Cabra.

TOMBS OF AMBER

 'Since the same location became home to the tombs of Deirdre & Eric, it is cared for better, and has more trees and far fewer weeds. Corwin also takes perverse pleasure in coming here when he is in Amber and trimming the trees and otherwise keeping things clean. Tourists and many a maudlin member of the royal family can be found here on various assignations. A tomb for Oberon is under construction.

Corwin recently endowed a family of ancient, but non-noble, Amberites to maintain all these tombs. The Ardaril family is large, prosperous, and widely known for their long line of famous gardeners. They also have several well-known madmen, some notorious drunkards, three distinctive 'characters' of the town, two weapon masters, and one first-rate assassin. Corwin's comment was that it pays to hire the best.

'Empty tombs for Brand, Finndo, Osric, Mirelle are here as well but are difficult to reach and are mainly left alone to the elements.

TIR-NA NOGATH

Still there every full moon, for a few days each month, as it was before the Primal Pattern was redrawn, reached by the place's equivalent of Amber's Great Stair, which for from the three rough-hewn steps on the highest outcrop of Kolvir. By daylight, these look less like stairs, and more like jumbled rock.

'As before, Tir contains visions and portents, usually more disturbing than enlightening, which still fade to the clarity of remembered drea within hours of returning from it. The elders have said that it has changed somewhat since Patternfall, but not in any way they can put their fingers on.

 'The Pattern of Tir-Na Nog'th is somewhat different from the other Patterns:

'Magic does not generally work in Tir-Na Nog'th above the level it does in Amber. The exceptions to this are the occasions where it see to fit into whatever vision is currently taking place. Even then it can be working at wherever thevision is, but not elsewhere in Tir. There are two trails up to the peak of Kolvir,a rugged one which goes directly up the crest of Kolvir, and an easier one which winds around the peak of Kolvir to the south. In order to protect the Tir Pattern, King Random has had several guard posts built at points up the two trails to the peakof Kolvir, the highest next to the steps themselves. These guards have similar orders tothose around the Pattern room in Amber. They use Trumps to travel to and from the castle.

'The lights of Rebma can be seen below the sea from Tir-Na Nog'th.

'The river Oisen traces a twisting course down the Vale to the sea. The Vale seems to have fully recovered from the effects of the Black Road, and being burned by Julian during the invasion of Amber by Bleys and Corwin, with only occasional Chaos skeletons and reports of ghosts to disturb the peace. With the expansion of Amber's population in recent decades it has been turned into farmland and now supports a fairly large population.

'Random has recently opened Garnath to urbanization. The city of Garn is being built from the ground up using modern urban planing, from sewers with sophisticated water treatment magic, subway pneumatic propulsion, paved roads, townhouses, economically friendly city design, entertainment civic centers.

'Rebma is still something of an enigma. Moire is still Queen these days. It is reached by the staircase of Faiella-Bionin, which lies roughly twenty miles south of Amber. The top of the stair is marked by an eight-foot tall cairn of head-sized stones, on a beach Corwin describes as:

'Rebma is obviously not an exact duplicate of Amber; it is not a harbor city, and has no equivalent of Mount Kolvir. It is roughly circular in layout, with Castle Rebma on a rise in the center of the city. It is deep enough underwater that without its magical (or whatever it is) illumination, it would be almost completely dark.

Like Amber, Rebma is a low-magic environment with particular differences such as light globes and potent Mirror Magic. The people of the city are not quite baseline human, and dress in keeping with their underwater environment:

'Like the inhabitants of Amber, Rebmans are superior to the average shadow-dwellers, though inferior to the Amber Royal family. They are long-lived (well over a thousand years on average) but not unageing, and like the Amber Royal family have a lower rate of fertility than the average shadow-dweller.

'Rebma is a member of the Golden Circle, though it does not conduct nearly as much trade as Amber. It trades mainly with various underwater shadows in the Golden Circle.

Rebma also has something of a monopoly on the fishing trade around Amber. Many of Amber's fisherman complain that the Rebman stir the fish away from their boats to encourage unfair trade practices.

The castle of Rebma is on a low rise in the center of the city. It is a mirror image of the castle Amber, built out of some glassy material.

The Rebman throne room is a long, wide, tall room with gothic-style pillars and vaulting, designed in such a way as to make it appear even higher than I already is. It has large stained glass windows along the left hand wall as one enters through the main doors. These are lit from behind, and depict scenes of battle and various 'mythological' scenes, mainly in shades of blue and green. Banners of the noble houses of Rebma hang from the ceiling, and a number of huge tapestries cover the wall opposite the windows. There is a balcony halfway up the wall opposite the windows. At one end of the long axis of the room are the main doors. These are huge double doors of some grey slate-like substance, intricately carved with 'mythological' scenes. A wide royal blue carpet leads from the main doors to the dais upon which the Rebman throne, carved from a single piece of turquoise, rests.

'As far as anyone is aware, Llewella is the only Rebman who has a Pattern imprint. Apparently the Rebman Royal Family is not attuned to their Pattern and cannot walk it. However, at Random urging, Moire was persuaded to increase security around the Rebman Pattern in a similar way to that around the Amber Pattern, and this is something which Llewella has continued since she became Queen. The Rebman Pattern is an exact mirror image of the one in Amber.

In a room the size of a ballroom the Pattern was laid. The floor was black and looked smooth as glass. And on the floor was the Pattern. it shimmered like the cold fire it was, quivered, made the whole room seem somehow unsubstantial. It was an elaborate tracery of bright power, composed mainly of curves, though there were a few straight lines near its middle. ... t was perhaps a hundred yards across at its narrow middle, and maybe a hundred and fifty long.

 'Nine Princes in Amber', Chapter Vi

'The starting point is well away from the door, near the back corner of the room. Anyone of Amber blood can walk it as easily as they can the Pattern in Amber. 'Around Rebma are various coral reef beauty spots, and a number of kelp forests.

THE PRIMAL PATTERN OF AMBER

'The Primal Pattern of Amber lies in a depression in an oval shelf of rock on the Primal Rock Kolvir. The entrance to Dworkin's caves lies to one side, hidden from view from above. This Rock is the actual artifact that was once awash in the stuff of chaos where Dworkin the Unicorn first met, forged, and consummated, creating Amber and the House Amber.