Amber



Home to every Amberite out there and the Pattern, Amber is on the edge of Shadow opposite the Courts of Chaos. On top of Mount. Kolvir sits Castle Amber. To one side of the mountain you can see a vast ocean where Amber’s navy resides next to fishermen and the like. To reach Amber by land you must go through Forest Arden which is home to Julian’s hellhounds. At the bottom of the mountain a typical community sits, looking up at the Amberites as if gods sitting upon Mount Olympus.

Within the ocean sits Rebma, a reflection of Amber under the water with their own backwards Pattern. An underwater staircase leads to the front gate and somehow the residents and visitors alike can breath the water as long as they are within Rebma’s borders. Every full moon you might see Tir-na Nog’th, the sky’s reflection of Amber. It only appears when light of the full moonhits it and it’s dangerous to go there as even a cloud passing by can cause you to fall through the floor and hundreds of feet down to the ground. It is known to show very strange images that may not make much sense to those who visit.

Also, within the halls of Amber is the Hall of Mirrors. This place seems to only show up when someone truly needs some answers and is almost like the castle, the Pattern or the Unicorn is trying to communicate. Sometimes people get images of people but it has been known to contact people to talk to those it invites.

Geography of Amber
The Castle, City and State of Amber sits atop Kolvir, a mountain which dominates theland and sea around it. Part of the landward side is a high cliff, thousands of feet highm which can be climber using carved steps. These form a switchback path that is wide at the bottom, but narrows as it rises until there is room enough only for a single man to stand furing that last few courses.

Below the cliff is the Vale of Garnath, through which forces of Chaos eventually come to threaten Amber. On the seaward side the land slopes more gently. The defense of Amber on this side is the job of the fleet of sailing ships, led by Caine or Gerard. The remaining approaches to the city pass through the forest of Arden, patrolled by troops commanded by Julian.

Originally, with the exception of the Pattern and the Trumps, there was no way for the Amberites to excersize their abilities within Amber itself. Since Amber "casts Shadow but is not of it", walking in Shadow was not possible. It was necessary to journet far from Kolvin in order tow alk in Shadow, traveling to other worlds. The usual route was by sea, or through the Forest of Arden. Similiarly it was not possible to arrive in Amber by traveling in Shadow, which is why the sea patrols and Julian's force in Arden was effective. In Nine Princes in Amber Random and Corwin arrive in Arden by driving Flora's car through Shadow, but as soon as they do this they are discovered by Julian.

Another effect of closeness to Amber is the failure of explosives. Explosives, and thus firearms, do not work in Amber.