Argent
During the day, this is a shimmering city of mithril towers that belie the mundane lives that crawl between them. At night, a dark sheen seems to cover the Silver City. A thick fog fills the air and monsters roam the streets, and many shops feature wards over their entrances to keep the unwholesome out.
The city lies on a vast plateau. Though there’s a small harbor serving sea vessels, most serious transportation occurs on dirigibles. As a fun note, the rocky soil has resulted most cemeteries having above-ground tombs.
Technology
In general, most devices from early 20th century Europe work here. Where technology lacks, magic is used to supplement the devices. Electricity works, if not very well. Gunpowder definitely works. Refined fossil fuel based combustion engines do not. Instead, much major machinery is powered by steam engines, with magical flames and bound fire elementals substituting for burning of wood and coal.
Telegraphs work, but normal telephones do not. Magical scrying devices are used by the wealthy to circumvent this problem.
Long distance travel is often handled by zeppelin or train, with steamships plying the ways through the waters. Most of the Argent’s technology functions throughout the nearby shadows, allowing merchants to follow shadowpaths to trade goods without serious hindrance.
Magic
This will be covered in greater detail below. Suffice to say that “technothaumaturgy” is the most common form of sorcery. This is an object-based school of magic focused on Enchantment. Essentially, it creates “Weird Science.” The sort of technology that really only works in pulp novels of the 1920s.
Religion
There is a token representation of the Church of the Unicorn, primarily headed by war chaplains that had accompanied the armies out to Chaos. With the Unicorn utterly unheard from since the Patternfall War, the Church is on a slow and steady decline. In Demontown there is a small Temple of the Serpent.
Notable Locations
The Royal Palace
At the northern edge of the city is the Royal Palace, sometimes referred to as “Castle Argent” or “Corwin’s Place.” This sprawling edifice is built around a central covered garden/courtyard that features the Pattern.
The University of Argent
A center of higher education on the opposite end of the city from the Palace. It is where most technothaumaturgists learn their craft. The university lies in a vast miasma of slums, right next to the notorious “Demontown.”
The Port District
East of the palace is the place where most inter-shadow commerce takes place. While there are a small series of naval docks, the dirigible stations do far more business. The steep cliffs of the Argent’s plateau make access to the sea awkward, and possess few good harbors. Dirigibles, on the other hand, can easily anchor next to the cliffs and draw closer to load and unload. While not as poor as the areas around the university and Demontown, the Port District is far more violent. The diverse mixture of cultures leads to regular conflict. Most serious sea-trade comes in through one of the ports well removed from the city, and brought in by train.
Demontown
After Patternfall, Argent attracted a host of refugees from Chaos that sought a new life away from their problems in the Courts. Corwin welcomed them, but social pressure has forced all the Chaosian castoffs to gather in one area in the southern part of the city known as “Demontown.” It is believed that some minor Lords of Chaos have formed their own criminal empires in that area, drawing upon the still-oppressed demons of the area.
The Silver Circle
In honor of Amber’s Golden Circle, Corwin has named the circle of shadow-kingdoms that Argent has commerce with the “Silver Circle.”
Twixt Amber and Chaos
There are a number of locales between the provinces of Amber and Chaos that have gained prominence. Some are long-time homes of Amberites, some are new found homes of Amberites. Below are those locations that are likely to come up in conversation.
Avalon
Centuries ago, Corwin ruled this kingdom. And essentially ran it into the ground. During Corwin’s absence, Benedict sought Corwin out in this shadow. Benedict did not find Corwin, but remained in the place regardless. The long presence of both Corwin and Benedict must have stabilized this shadow enough to help it survive the re-writing of the Universe.
The Dancing Mountains
Where the Shadows created by Pattern and Logrus converge is a mountain range where Shadows overlap across each other. The Lords of Chaos refer to this as the Dancing Mountains. One of the passes through these mountains has come to be known as the Valley of Ygg, where Oberon planted a tree to mark the boundaries between the two nodes of power. Cain, Julian, and Julian’s rangers have taken up residence in this valley. They’ve been secretive. But then, they’ve always been secretive.
New York
This area served as Corwin’s home during the last part of his amnesia, and continues to serve as home to Princess Florimel. Flora has forsaken her mansion upstate, instead settling into a condo in the region known as Manhattan.
The Storm Front
The wave of creation from Corwin’s Pattern has pushed back the shadowstorm that had been slowly consuming all of Shadow. It continues to slowly inch away. With the appearance of known Shadows, it is hoped that Amber may soon appear from the storm.
Texorami
A place of jazz, stone spires, glider planes and gambling. An ideal place for a wastrel like Random.
The Black Zone
This is the area of Shadows around Chaos that has regular commerce with the Courts.
The Courts of Chaos
The center of the Courts is a solid rock of reality, known as the Core, which houses both the Chaosian royal palace, known as the Thelbane, and the Logrus. Knitted around this edifice is a patchwork of Shadows that link together in an improbable fashion. These Shadows are referred to as Ways. Some represent common areas, where merchants and natives dwell. Most are the homes of Chaosian Noble families. The most powerful houses have the honor of having Ways that connect to the Core.
During the day, this is a shimmering city of mithril towers that belie the mundane lives that crawl between them. At night, a dark sheen seems to cover the Silver City. A thick fog fills the air and monsters roam the streets, and many shops feature wards over their entrances to keep the unwholesome out.
The city lies on a vast plateau. Though there’s a small harbor serving sea vessels, most serious transportation occurs on dirigibles. As a fun note, the rocky soil has resulted most cemeteries having above-ground tombs.
Technology
In general, most devices from early 20th century Europe work here. Where technology lacks, magic is used to supplement the devices. Electricity works, if not very well. Gunpowder definitely works. Refined fossil fuel based combustion engines do not. Instead, much major machinery is powered by steam engines, with magical flames and bound fire elementals substituting for burning of wood and coal.
Telegraphs work, but normal telephones do not. Magical scrying devices are used by the wealthy to circumvent this problem.
Long distance travel is often handled by zeppelin or train, with steamships plying the ways through the waters. Most of the Argent’s technology functions throughout the nearby shadows, allowing merchants to follow shadowpaths to trade goods without serious hindrance.
Magic
This will be covered in greater detail below. Suffice to say that “technothaumaturgy” is the most common form of sorcery. This is an object-based school of magic focused on Enchantment. Essentially, it creates “Weird Science.” The sort of technology that really only works in pulp novels of the 1920s.
Religion
There is a token representation of the Church of the Unicorn, primarily headed by war chaplains that had accompanied the armies out to Chaos. With the Unicorn utterly unheard from since the Patternfall War, the Church is on a slow and steady decline. In Demontown there is a small Temple of the Serpent.
Notable Locations
The Royal Palace
At the northern edge of the city is the Royal Palace, sometimes referred to as “Castle Argent” or “Corwin’s Place.” This sprawling edifice is built around a central covered garden/courtyard that features the Pattern.
The University of Argent
A center of higher education on the opposite end of the city from the Palace. It is where most technothaumaturgists learn their craft. The university lies in a vast miasma of slums, right next to the notorious “Demontown.”
The Port District
East of the palace is the place where most inter-shadow commerce takes place. While there are a small series of naval docks, the dirigible stations do far more business. The steep cliffs of the Argent’s plateau make access to the sea awkward, and possess few good harbors. Dirigibles, on the other hand, can easily anchor next to the cliffs and draw closer to load and unload. While not as poor as the areas around the university and Demontown, the Port District is far more violent. The diverse mixture of cultures leads to regular conflict. Most serious sea-trade comes in through one of the ports well removed from the city, and brought in by train.
Demontown
After Patternfall, Argent attracted a host of refugees from Chaos that sought a new life away from their problems in the Courts. Corwin welcomed them, but social pressure has forced all the Chaosian castoffs to gather in one area in the southern part of the city known as “Demontown.” It is believed that some minor Lords of Chaos have formed their own criminal empires in that area, drawing upon the still-oppressed demons of the area.
The Silver Circle
In honor of Amber’s Golden Circle, Corwin has named the circle of shadow-kingdoms that Argent has commerce with the “Silver Circle.”
Twixt Amber and Chaos
There are a number of locales between the provinces of Amber and Chaos that have gained prominence. Some are long-time homes of Amberites, some are new found homes of Amberites. Below are those locations that are likely to come up in conversation.
Avalon
Centuries ago, Corwin ruled this kingdom. And essentially ran it into the ground. During Corwin’s absence, Benedict sought Corwin out in this shadow. Benedict did not find Corwin, but remained in the place regardless. The long presence of both Corwin and Benedict must have stabilized this shadow enough to help it survive the re-writing of the Universe.
The Dancing Mountains
Where the Shadows created by Pattern and Logrus converge is a mountain range where Shadows overlap across each other. The Lords of Chaos refer to this as the Dancing Mountains. One of the passes through these mountains has come to be known as the Valley of Ygg, where Oberon planted a tree to mark the boundaries between the two nodes of power. Cain, Julian, and Julian’s rangers have taken up residence in this valley. They’ve been secretive. But then, they’ve always been secretive.
New York
This area served as Corwin’s home during the last part of his amnesia, and continues to serve as home to Princess Florimel. Flora has forsaken her mansion upstate, instead settling into a condo in the region known as Manhattan.
The Storm Front
The wave of creation from Corwin’s Pattern has pushed back the shadowstorm that had been slowly consuming all of Shadow. It continues to slowly inch away. With the appearance of known Shadows, it is hoped that Amber may soon appear from the storm.
Texorami
A place of jazz, stone spires, glider planes and gambling. An ideal place for a wastrel like Random.
The Black Zone
This is the area of Shadows around Chaos that has regular commerce with the Courts.
The Courts of Chaos
The center of the Courts is a solid rock of reality, known as the Core, which houses both the Chaosian royal palace, known as the Thelbane, and the Logrus. Knitted around this edifice is a patchwork of Shadows that link together in an improbable fashion. These Shadows are referred to as Ways. Some represent common areas, where merchants and natives dwell. Most are the homes of Chaosian Noble families. The most powerful houses have the honor of having Ways that connect to the Core.