GURPS Amber

by Steve Peterson
Characters for this campaign will be built on 100 points plus up to 40 points in disadvantages and 5 points in quirks. All
characters get the Amber racial package for free.

Amber Racial Package

+5 Strength (60 points)
+1 Dexterity (10 points)
+1 Intelligence (10 points)
+2 Health (20 points)
Ability to Walk the Pattern (144)
Blood Curse (25)
Ability to use Trumps (75)
Access to Hero Points (100)
Unaging (15 points)
Hard to Kill, 2 levels (10 points)
Slow Regeneration (10 points); treat this as doubling healing rates using normal healing rules
Regrowth (40 points)
High Status, level 2 (10 points)
Patrons, 8 points worth (8 points); this represents your parent normally; if not used then you can get these points back as
a disadvantage (and it counts against the total points in disadvantages you're allowed).
Immunity to the Delirium (25 points); just in case you run into a werewolf.
Special Lifting Bonus (5 points)
An Amberite is not only stronger than most humans, but also has an entire skeletal and muscle structure that is better
designed. This allows the Amberite to lift more than an ordinary person of his strength could lift. Amberites can lift up to
40x their strength at extra heavy encumbrance and 60x strength for short times.

Sourcebooks Used
Look in the following books for the advantages, disadvantages, powers and skills available to your character.
Basic Rules (and revised supplement in green folder)
Martial Arts
Magic
Grimoire
Psionics
Mage, the Ascension:
A number of skills and advantages in this book are interesting. The magic system can be used as an alternative to the
standard magic system. Mage magick could be considered a form of true magick. The scope of all its powers would be
limited to working within a particular shadow (that is, you could teleport within a shadow using Correspondence, but not
between shadows).
Since the character can be bought piecemeal in Mage, one could work up from this system. Apply one half the psionic
level penalty of a shadow (rounding up) to the Mage's Arete and sphere scores. If a score is reduced to zero or lower then
he cannot use that kind of magick. The character can purchase Pattern based Magick as if he were purchasing Pattern
based Psionics with the one difference being that this ability at level 2 does not neutralize the penalty for using the
Correspondence and Time spheres in Amber.

A rules note: when creating damaging effects the character must call the damage level he is attempting. If he fails the roll
the spell fails and if he succeeds particularly well he gains no damage above what he called for.
These characters work fairly well in an Amber campaign. They have great potential but cost an enormous number of
points to build up to it. The Patterns and various other locations of power could be considered nodes for the purpose of
regaining quintessence. Otherwise the characters work exactly as described in the book. This means they risk the added
problem of Paradox (which can be seen as a manifestation of the Pattern attempting to keep things structured).
Werewolf, the Apocalypse:
Some of the advantages and skills are interesting and can be purchased. You could theoretically play a garou but the
package cost is 286 points for Metis and 288 points for Homid or Lupine. The increased cost over the book is based on
the assumption that the Wyrm is less active in Amber. That it is active at all assumes that the Wyrm is a manifestation of
Chaos.
It might be logical to assume that the Pattern would cleanse an Amberite of being a werewolf. This should generally be the
case. However, the garou might also be a creation of the Pattern, a bulwark against Chaos. If that is so then the Pattern
might allow an infected character to retain garou powers if the character was appropriate (i.e. the player said so). This
does not mean that someone infected during the game gets a couple hundred free points. He should either save those
points or spend all his future experience to get used to his form. While paying off the 'debt' he should have limited access
to garou powers and penalties when using those abilities he does have access to.
Vampire, the Masquerade:
Vampires and Pattern infused blood don't really match. The Pattern would tend to eliminate the vampiric infection or an
Amberite Vampire who walked the Pattern might simply go up in smoke (after all the Pattern is like a sun).
On the other hand, perhaps the Pattern would protect the character from some of the Vampiric disadvantages, allowing
him to go out during the day for instance (thus eliminating the Sundeath disadvantage).
At any rate, Amberite blood is particularly potent, and somewhat dangerous. The vampire gains 2 blood points for every
point of health drained. The vampire must also make a health roll at -1 for every point of health drained from an Amberite
past the first (Fortitude does not help here). If this roll is failed the blood ignites in his body and destroys him.
Special Cases:
All the other sourcebooks can be looked at. Many of them have a handful of interesting advantages or skills. Generally the
advantages need to be approved (many of them will). The skills will almost always be okay.

Advantages
Eidetic Memory
This does not apply to Pattern or Trump skills.
Allies
These npcs are not Amberites, and thus do not get the Amberite Racial package (unless they can somehow afford it).
However, they can be unusual races from shadow. You should avoid assigning them stuff which is too obscure since it
might only work in their home shadow. By sticking with the Basic book, the Magic and Fantasy Folk book, and the stuff on
psionics you can feel safe that they'll do okay in most shadows.
Note: Your ally does not need to pay points for you (sort of like trickle-down character construction).
Patrons
The following is a list of the various elders (and some others) and the base cost to purchase them as patrons. Use the
frequency multipliers found in the basic book. Characters should also choose a parent. Parents normally count as at least
a 6- frequency patron if alive. There are exceptions of course. Oberon was a very distant parent and probably wouldn't
count as a patron to any of his children (with the exception of Corwin). If you're not on good terms with your Amber parent
then you might not get any help from them. And, finally, Brand counts as a 5 point Social Stigma disadvantage.
Note that the point levels for patrons in the book is not exactly appropriate for this campaign. You can assume that most of
the elders are built on at least 200 points. The cost for the various patrons is influenced by degree of help they can offer
(personally and via influence) as well as other subtle factors. For instance, Corwin is certainly tougher than most 10 point
patrons but bad shit tends to follow him around.
10 pts Flora, Deirdre (if alive), Corwin, Prince Eric, Prince Random, Queen Vialle, Moire
15 pts Llewella, Bleys, Caine, Gerard, Julian
20 pts Fiona, Benedict, Brand (if alive and prior to Patternfall), King Eric, King Random

25 pts Oberon, Dworkin (he should actually be worth more but tends to be unstable)

Skills
Martial Arts:
We will not use the full Chambara martial arts rules in this game. However, at skill level 15 with martial arts characters can
get an extra attack or parry (not both). This extra action must manifest as part of a combination maneuver. At level 20 yet
another additional action is allowed. This allows the character to take a three part combination maneuver or pair of two
part combination maneuvers where one of them starts with an attack and the other with a defense.
Fencing and Katana skills count as martial art forms (see the various styles).
Cinematic skills do not normally work in Amber, though there are several shadows where their cinematic maneuvers
operate.

New Advantages
Blood Curse 25 points
This ability allows the character to throw a blood curse. The effects of a blood curse tend to be variable but always bad.
The character essentially trades off Fortune (see the Fortune advantage) in order to give the target some sort of
disadvantage. One method of treating this is to figure out how many points the Fortune trade is worth and then apply half
that many points as disadvantages for the victim. The GM could also treat the curse more abstractly, aligning its effects
with the points the user gave up in Fortune.
The user of the blood curse essentially just loses points and the victim of the blood curse essentially just picks up
disadvantages. It's a lose-lose situation.
Extra Hero Points 15 per point
This advantage allows one to increase the total number of hero points he can have at any time. A character has a base
maximum of 6 hero points. Each level of this increases that by one. This does not improve the recovery rate of hero
points.
Fortune varies
Fortune rolls may be occasionally necessary or useful. The GM can use these to figure out which way the odds break in
an unexpected situation and the players can call on fortune to save their necks when the chips are down. Fortune is given
as 2 numbers in an x/y form. The GM then rolls 3d6. If the roll is less than or equal to the x value then good fortune
results. If the roll is greater than or equal to the y value then bad fortune results. The degree of good or bad fortune can be
determined by the amount the roll was made by.
Characters can buy up their good fortune, get points back for bad fortune, or do both. It costs points to get good fortune
and bad fortune is a disadvantage. If you take both then apply the difference in cost.
Good Bad Value

18 -5

17

16

15 10

14 20

13 35

12 50

10

11 75

Players can call for a fortune roll. If the roll is successful then apply the results and temporarily lower the character's good
fortune by one. This will be recovered at the rate of one point per day (Amber time). A good result will shield the player
from part of a harmful effect or indicate a generally useful outcome. A fortune roll can also be used in place of a skill roll.
This can be useful when making a roll for a skill you don't possess or one with a lot of penalties assessed to it.
Fortune works in Amber.
Pattern Based Sorcery 15/45

This strengthens ones sorcery abilities, making them work better in restrictive conditions. With the first level of this ability
the character casts spells as if minimally in a low mana zone even if the current shadow is a no mana zone. This
empowering is based on the Pattern, so there may be some locations where this won't work (i.e. places where Pattern
doesn't work). At the second level of ability the character treats all areas as minimally being normal mana zones (including
Amber itself). The character must possess Primal Pattern skill in order to get the second level of ability.
Possession of either of these abilities allows the character to purchase special Fatigue points at a cost of 2 points per
Fatigue point. These points can only be used for casting spells. The Pattern inherent in the character is actually fueling the
spells by providing extra energy.
There may be special spells or powers that use and require this advantage. Their effects tend to be more potent and able
to bypass the vagaries of shadow.
Pattern Powered Psionics: 15/45
This is just like the sorcery advantage except that it works for psionic powers. At level one it makes areas count as
minimally a -5 psionic power level and at the second level it makes them count as minimally +0 psionic level.
New Skills
For the new skills see the sections on Pattern and Trump.
Notes
Advantages and disadvantages which have to do with wealth are not appropriate.

GURPS Amber, Rules Modifications

Combat
Leading the Target:
When attacking someone you can declare that you are leading the target. This allows you to apply a -1 penalty to his
Dodge roll for every -2 you take on your attack roll. This is typically meant for use with ranged attacks. When in melee one
will get more by using a feint action.
Overpowering:
When attacking a target with a power that requires a resistance roll you can apply a -1 to that roll for every -2 you take to
your roll to use the power.
This rule replaces the quick-contest rules for resistance rolls.
A modified version of this rule can also be applied to invocations of damaging effects. For each -5 you take when invoking
you can cause an additional die of damage.
All penalties to effective skill for using these applications reduces one's effective skill for purposes of casting time, casting
rituals, and fatigue cost.
Grappling:
When entering close combat the victim can choose to use a parry action as an attack. Essentially the defender parries the
attacker's body. If the defender chooses to do this and the attacker survives the parry then the defender does not get a
defense roll of any kind.
The attacker can defend normally against the 'parry' but takes a -2 on the defense roll. If the attacker has hero points and
spends even one to buy down damage that results from this parry then the attempt to grapple automatically fails.
The defender can choose to dodge instead of parry, in which case use the normal rules for entering close combat.
Passive Defense:
A lot of the characters in the novels wander around lightly armored. According to the GURPS rules this is fairly stupid. In
order to account for this lack of self- preservation we will be using some special rules regarding Passive Defense.
Any character wearing no armor (just clothing which does not grant DR) gets a natural Passive Defense of 4. Each point
of DR that clothing or armor has lowers this number by 1. The character can choose to use either this natural PD or the
PD of whatever armor or clothing he is wearing. Natural Passive Defense of this sort is not neutralized by high damage
dice.
One can imagine this Passive Defense as resulting from the Amberite's inherent suspiciousness. Amberites are so
paranoid that they are constantly on their guard and excellent at moving evasively (this helps justify why an Amberite has

these defenses even when unconscious). Wearing armor makes the Amberite overconfident and recklessly lackadaisical
about his security in addition to slowing him down a bit.
This rule will also be applied to many NPCs out of shadow or Chaos. However, no one else in the universe shares an
Amberite's keen sense of paranoia and thus should have a base natural PD of 3.
Hero Points:
Hero points are only available to those with Pattern (thus, even Chaosites lack these). Hero points represent unconscious
control over the environment. They are a manifestation of the survival instinct in the character.
Using Hero Points
Hero points are primarily used to reduce the harmful effects of attacks. 1 hero point will halve the damage caused by an
attack that penetrates defenses (rounding down).
A hero point can also be used to stave off the effects of a resistance roll attack. Spending a hero point for this causes the
character to lose his next action. The resistance roll does not count as either a failure or success, but the attacker must
make another attack roll and the victim another defense roll on the next round. This essentially gives the victim a second
chance to resist the attack but costs a hero point and an action.
Hero points might also be able to be used in certain other situations, for instance to cut the character a lucky break. They
will not increase the character's abilities (Pattern cannot reshape someone of the blood) but can serve to lower the
difficulty of an action. Generally a save your butt from certain death use of hero points will cost about 5 points.
Hero points can be used to help others. However, the person being helped cannot have Pattern. This is because people
with Pattern instinctually control their environment (what directly affects them) preventing interference from outside forces.
Restrictions
Hero points cannot be used in Amber. Hero points are a manifestation of control over shadow and since Amber is so rigid
in structure hero points are useless there. Likewise, Forest Arden is restrictive of hero point use. Hero point costs in Arden
are doubled.
There may be other locations which modify the use of hero points as well.
Quantity
All Amberites have 6 hero points. More can be purchased as an advantage.
Recovery
Hero point recover at the rate of one per day, Amber time. Amber serves as the internal clock for the universe, and sends
out subtle pulses of power to keep it going. One recovers hero points from these pulses and thus, being in a fast time
shadow will make it seem as if you recover hero points more slowly (and vice versa for a slow time shadow

Pattern
Basic movement through shadow consists in making slight alterations to the features of the area through which one is
traveling. This is accomplished through exercising ones will, focused through the Pattern inherent in an Amberite.
Because shadows are somewhat plastic (that is, they can be altered or deformed without losing their identity) the
character can make alterations to a shadow or the events within that shadow without accidentally moving into an adjacent
shadow. Of course, too drastic an alteration could possibly split a shadow, or hurl a character into a nearby shadow.

Pattern Skills
Skill with each form of Pattern must be purchased separately. This skill is used when utilizing the various Pattern abilities
and also when walking the appropriate Pattern. Characters who have not walked any of the Patterns can still purchase up
to 2 points worth of Pattern skill in any of the 3 basic Patterns (Amber, Rebma, and Tir-Na Nog'th). This represents
inherent ability, training and preparation. Once a character has walked one of the Patterns he can purchase up to 4 points
of skill with any of the basic Patterns. Naturally, if a character has walked a particular Pattern then he can spend as much
as he likes on that Pattern skill.
All Pattern skills have the prerequisite of Blood of Amber. In order to achieve the higher skill levels the character must also
have actually walked the appropriate Pattern. A character cannot purchase any skill with Primal Pattern or the Jewel of
Judgment until he has navigated those Patterns.
The various Pattern skills are given different names based on their Pattern and what they do. These names should be
considered interchangeable. Thus the Amber Pattern skill is also called Pattern Movement.
Amber Pattern, Movement (Mental, Hard) No Default

This is the skill of using Pattern to move through shadow. The Pattern under castle Amber is what gives one this ability.
This skill is used to move from one shadow to another, walk the Pattern in Amber, and Hellride.
Rebma Pattern, Manipulation (Mental, Hard) No Default
This is the skill of using Pattern to control the features of shadow. Where movement allows you to step into a shadow with
the features you desire this allows you to alter the shadow you are in so that it matches your desire. This skill is used to
affect the nature of a shadow without leaving it, enter blocked shadows, and adapt oneself to unusual shadows.
Tir-Na Nog'th Pattern, Perception (Mental, Hard)
No Default
This is the skill to perceive and intuit information about shadow and Pattern. This skill is used to Seek specific goals in
shadow, perceive the presence of power within a shadow or object, hunt targets down in shadow, and move stealthily
through shadow.
Primal Pattern, Advanced (Mental, Very Hard) No Default
Prerequisites: Amber, Rebma, and Tir-Na Nog'th all at 15 or higher
Understanding the workings of the Primal Pattern is difficult but broadens ones abilities. This skill does not work by itself; it
requires other Pattern skills.
Jewel of Judgment (Mental, Very Hard)
No Default
This is the skill of using the Jewel of Judgment, which acts as something of a portable Pattern but has extra abilities.
Attuning oneself to the Jewel of Judgment requires that one first walk one of the Patterns while bearing the Jewel of
Judgment and then transport himself into the Jewel of Judgment where he navigates the Pattern there. Navigating this
Pattern is based on IQ not Health. The character can also attune to the Jewel of Judgment by 'piggy-backing' along with
someone who is already attuned. This requires that the lead person make an additional Jewel of Judgment skill roll to
bring someone along. Each character then navigates the interior of the Jewel normally.
Using the Power
What follows is a list of some of the more common uses of the Pattern skill. If a use is followed by one of the Pattern skills
in brackets that indicates which Pattern skill must be used when making rolls to achieve those effects.
Walking the Pattern in Amber:
In the books no one ever simply "walked" the Pattern. It was always a dramatic point in a story. Likewise when a character
decides to walk the Pattern in this game it will be a task. Unlike most of the other Pattern abilities this one is based
primarily on Health not Intelligence. When you need to make a roll to walk the Pattern you use your Health in place of your
Intelligence for determining your total skill. (A simple way of doing this is to take the difference between your Intelligence
and Health and add it to your skill, subtracting if your Intelligence is actually lower than your Health.) Someone with the
Strong Will advantage can also add its level to their rolls when walking the Pattern. If the character does not have a
Pattern skill (or has it at a low level) then he can simply use Health plus Strong Will to make his Pattern walking rolls.
If you're poor at Pattern a more skilled Amberite can aid you by giving you advice. A successful skill roll grants a +1 to
your roll. Each 3 full points by which the roll is made adds another +1 to your roll. This bonus cannot raise the character's
skill above the helper's. A critical failure on this roll gives a penalty of -2 to the target's roll since he is being fed bad
information. The target can make an Intelligence roll to avoid this penalty. A helper can intentionally mislead someone.
This has the same effect as a critical failure and can be avoided in the same way. Lastly, the teaching skill serves as a
complement to this sort of instruction. Subtract 1/5 the helper's teaching skill from his roll.
One can also have Fatigue points fed to him through a mental link at a 2 for 1 ratio. Doing this requires a Pattern skill roll
by the helper with a penalty equal to the number of points being received. A failure on this roll means that the points are
simply lost. A critical failure causes the target to lose 1d6 Fatigue points. The person walking the Pattern cannot play any
role in maintaining the mental link since his concentration is completely focused on walking the Pattern.
Regardless, low skill and/or low Health characters may need to spend several Fatigue points to successfully negotiate the
Pattern. Even Corwin faces the danger of bad dice rolls when walking the Pattern and tries to be fully rested when he
does so.
The process of walking the Pattern is handled by making a few rolls against one's Pattern skill as modified in accordance
with certain important areas of the Pattern. One can anticipate the more difficult areas and use Fatigue points to augment
the roll. The walker gets a +1 to his roll for each Fatigue point spent in this way. This option is also available when trying to
restart, but not when making a roll to avoid slowing down.

Failing a roll doesn't mean instant death, instead it indicates that the character has slowed down (or is off- track, or
stumbled, and so on). When a character slows down he must spend a Fatigue point and make another roll against the
same difficulty in order to avoid completely stopping. If the second roll is failed the character comes to a halt. If the second
roll is critically failed then the character slips or makes some other egregious error. Critically failing a normal roll has no
effects other than those of a normal failure. Critically failing on the second roll causes the character to take 2d6 of damage
as his body is slowly engulfed in flames. Armor and toughness do not protect against this damage. He gets one more
chance, this time at -1 per 2 points of damage taken (or fraction thereof). If he fails this roll the Pattern consumes him in
blue flames.
Unfortunately, once you stop on the Pattern it is particularly difficult to start up again. It costs two Fatigue points just to get
a roll to restart and you take an additional minus 2 on your skill. Once you do start up again you still need to roll against
the difficulty of the region since you have not yet completed it. If you are reduced to 3 or less Fatigue points while
navigating the Pattern you suffer the standard penalty of half movement rate. A side effect of this is that you now need to
make two rolls each time a roll is required.
If you are reduced to 1 Fatigue point while stopped you cannot start again unless you can find someone to funnel Fatigue
points to you. If you are reduced to 0 or less Fatigue points you must also make a Health roll in order to remain conscious
plus an additional Health roll at -1 (cumulative) for every 30 minutes. If you fall unconscious while on the Pattern you are
torn to primordial shreds. Create a new character.
Pulling someone off the Pattern is a dangerous prospect, but it may be the character's only chance. Physically pulling
someone off the Pattern automatically causes 2d6 damage (which bypass defenses) to both the walker and the helper. In
addition, both characters must make a Pattern skill roll based on Health (with Strong Will bonuses) with a -3 penalty. If
either character fails this roll he is consumed by the Pattern. If the helper is consumed then the walker must make a
Dexterity roll or also be destroyed. Regardless, the walker is left in place if his helper does not survive the rescue attempt.
These rules assume that the helper can fly or use some sort of ranged power. They also apply if the helper walks the
Pattern then physically carries the original walker off the Pattern (by getting to the center). The original walker does not
count as having walked the Pattern in this case.
One can also pull someone off the Pattern by using Trumps. This is done by having the helper roll against his Pattern skill.
If this roll is successful then the walker has been pulled free. Both individuals take 2d6 damage (as above) and, moreover,
the Trump is destroyed. The walker must also make a Pattern roll based on Health in order to survive this rescue attempt.
There are no additional penalties on this roll and the helper does not run the risk of obliteration. If the helper's Pattern skill
roll fails then they both take 1d6 damage and the Trump is destroyed but there are no further side effects.
Finally, one can Trump off the Pattern. The walker pulls out a Trump and makes a Pure Health roll modified by Strong Will
at -2. If this roll fails he is destroyed. If this roll succeeds then he takes 2d6 damage (and loses 2 points of Fatigue) and
his Trump is destroyed. Skilled users of Trump can reduce some of these harmful effects.
The First Steps: Bonus +2
Taking the first step on the Pattern is a frightening process. It is also difficult to just get started. As one begins blue sparks
begin to leap up around him. These get more intense in the more difficult areas.
The First Veil: Normal
This is just the warm up part of the Pattern. It gets worse.
The Second Veil: Penalty -3
This is the most difficult region of the Pattern. If you make it past this reasonably intact you should be able to survive the
rest of the procedure.
The Grand Arch: Penalty -1
The Grand Arch isn't the most difficult part of the Pattern, but it is long and strenuous. The character must succeed three
times at this roll in order to pass.
The Final Veil: Normal
This is the last roll you need to make. Consider it a cooling down exercise. Once you succeed at this roll you lose 2 points
of fatigue and finish the Pattern walk (this might cause one to lose consciousness).
Benefits of Walking the Pattern
After all that work you better get something for this. In walking the Pattern you are essentially reconstructed. This process
cleanses the character of lesser magical effects, diseases, and poisons. It can also cure some mental defects such as
amnesia and many kinds of insanity. The Pattern is intelligent (like a sophisticated computer). This means that the Pattern
is capable of distinguishing between a beneficial effect and a harmful one. It will generally not remove a beneficial effect.

This cleansing does not apply to injuries themselves. In fact it aggravates them. Take 1 point of damage for every 3 points
of damage (or fraction thereof) you have on you when you walk the Pattern.
The second major benefit of walking the Pattern is that it allows the user to transport himself to virtually any location he
chooses. This transport power even works in Amber and can also be used to transport oneself to one of the other Patterns
such as the one in Tir-na Nog'th or Rebma. However, there may still be locations that require a power roll to get into.
These rolls should typically be done at a +2 due to the added power one has available after walking a Pattern.
There may be other uses for walking the Pattern as well. These will likely be discovered or invented during the game. For
example, during the course of the Amber books Corwin discovered that one needed to walk the Pattern in order to attune
oneself to the Jewel of Judgment.
Inscribing/Repairing a Pattern
Needless to say, this is a major process that will certainly tax your reserves and require a high Will and/or Pattern ability. It
also requires that one be attuned to the Jewel of Judgment and that one possess it. What is known about this process is
mainly conjecture about how Oberon and Dworkin created the first Pattern.
Walking the Alternate Patterns
The other Patterns can be walked in much the same way as the Pattern beneath Castle Amber with the following
distinctions. When walking an alternate Pattern one can use straight Health or default off some other Pattern skill at -3.
Rebma:
This Pattern is just like the Amber Pattern, only reversed. This doesn't make it more difficult, just different. The character
needs to purchase a separate Pattern skill for Rebma.
Tir-na Nog'th:
This Pattern is more difficult to navigate. The character suffers a -1 penalty on all Pattern skill rolls here. If the character
possesses a 16 or higher Enigmas skill (see GURPS Werewolf or Mage) then he does not suffer this penalty.
Unlike the castle Amber Pattern this one does not grant bonuses for breaking into a location. However, it does grant a +4
on rolls to locate someone or something. It is also superior at relocating one to an abstract concept.
As with Rebma, this Pattern requires its own Pattern Skill.
Primal Pattern:
This Pattern is more strenuous to navigate. Apply a -2 to all rolls to navigate this Pattern. Walking this Pattern (and having
enough skill in the other Patterns) gives one access to the Primal Pattern skill which allows the character to perform
special actions.
Jewel of Judgment:
This Pattern is special. Instead of using Health for this roll the characters uses IQ. See the other sections on the Jewel of
Judgment for more information.
Shadow
Before explaining how movement occurs I will first give a general description of how Shadow itself is handled. As far as
anyone knows there is no limit to Shadow. Either Shadow is infinite and all its possible permutations already exist, or
Shadow is finite but new worlds are created in their seeking (making it functionally infinite). This is a metaphysical
question, and as such has little practical importance.
Shadows have a variety of features and traits which serve to individuate them. Each of these features is something like an
adjective, or a description of some particular quality. Because one can always specify further features, or add more
adjectives, there is no limit to the possible number of shadows that can be constructed.
One should avoid thinking of Shadow features as merely numerical values such as Tech Level or Magic Level. This might
be convenient but it distracts from the actual uniqueness of Shadows. A world might be low-tech but operate on the laws
of physics of our earth. Two high magic worlds might operate on completely different principles. This could also be true for
high-tech worlds. Instead, think of a shadow as having certain definite features. When you eventually want to move, it is
those features which you will either alter, add to, or delete. Ultimately, any feature is possible as long as that feature does
not impose restrictions on other shadows (in particular, Amber). Of course, extreme features require extreme Shadows,
and these can be difficult to get to or even dangerous.
Features:
Shadow features can be broken down into two categories, Laws and States. Laws describe the rules under which the
shadow operates. They are the physics of that shadow and determine how that shadow can evolve over time and what is

possible and impossible within the shadow. For our purposes things such as the structure of space, time-flow, and what
constitutes substance are considered Laws.
States describe the actual way things have turned out in the shadow. That the sky is blue is due in part to the way light
operates, but it is also due to the fact that the world's atmosphere is made up of the particles it happens to be made up of.
Shadows with the same Laws can have different states based on different arrangements of the stuff which operate given
those Laws. Thus a shadow could be just like earth in that it has the same Laws, but it happens that the American
revolution never occurred. That shadow would have a different State description but retain the same Law description.
With this in mind one should be able to recognize that simple ascriptions of tech level can be misleading. If a shadow is
dominated by a medieval technology why is that the case? Is it because internal combustion engines and gunpowder
won't work? Or perhaps they do work but the people living there just haven't developed the technology yet. Perhaps the
world is composed of the four classic elements instead of sub-atomic particles.
Typically a shadow can be described with a few Law and State features. The rest of the details can be assumed in the
overall picture of the shadow.
Shadows are somewhat plastic. That is they can retain their identity despite some slight alterations. The reason for this
property is that when describing a shadow many features are left out. No shadow is completely formed. That is, a shadow
always has some portions of it that are left to be defined. Thus, when an Amberite says that he wants a red and white
horse to be grazing on the other side of the next hill what he is in fact doing is bringing the shadow into focus (making it
more real). Even when an Amberite merely reacts to what he assumes are natural features of a shadow he is, in effect,
solidifying that part of the shadow. By interacting with the feature he makes the feature an integral part of the shadow.
This explains why the long term presence of a scion of Amber tends to make shadows (such as Shadow Earth) more solid
and less vulnerable to alteration.
The question then becomes when is an alteration significant enough to imply that one has shifted to a new shadow.
Obviously, altering a well-established Law or State will imply a shift has occurred. Yet, the dividing line between wellestablished and poorly established is unclear. One thing is certain, Laws tend to be less flexible than States. Since a State
is already contingent within the framework of the shadow's Laws, a State is easier to alter than a Law.
Amber itself and its close environs are almost completely established. Thus, use of Pattern in those locations is very
difficult.
Universal Laws are few but important. It is a Universal Law that no shadow can be self-inconsistent. That is, its Laws
and/or States cannot create contradictions. However, even this Law has been violated in certain extreme cases. Typically
these shadows are at the furthest reaches of Chaos and incredibly unstable. It is conjectured that consistency is one of
the rules the Pattern in Amber imposes on Shadow.
Taking stuff (and creatures) across shadow is possible. If the Laws are sufficiently similar then the item or creature will
function normally. However, if the Laws disallow certain features of the item or creature then those features will vanish.
This frequently results in the item decaying or the creature sickening and dying.
Amberites themselves never face this danger since their Pattern sustains them through any environment. Items made with
Pattern (or rare other major powers) and creatures sustained by such can also survive across worlds. Essentially, they
carry their own Laws with them. Certain forms of magic or psychic powers are also strongly enough based in true power
to be sustained across worlds.
Shadow is not represented spatially. Instead, distance is correlated with similarity of description. Shadows with similar
descriptions are close together while those with divergent descriptions are far apart. Since Laws are more controlling in
this respect two shadows might be widely divergent in their States and yet be close to each other due to highly similar
Laws.
For the most part one can resort to basic level descriptions for a shadow. That is one can give it a Tech level, magical
power level, or some kind of psionic level. If you want more detail for a shadow describe its technology limitations more
specifically.