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52-532: Phage Press released Amberzine #1 (March 1992) shortly after they published Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game . The digest-sized magazine presented material to inspire role-playing, such as character diaries and detailing elements of the setting. One to three issues per year were published from 1992–1997 and the magazine even included an original Roger Zelazny short story, "The Salesman's Tale," in Amberzine #6 (February 1994). Matt Howarth wrote and illustrated

104-488: A Bugtown/Amber comic crossover titled "Amber Raves of Pain," which was published in installments from Amberzine #6 (February 1994) through #9 (January 1997). Erick Wujcik kept Amberzine in production until 1997, when he moved into computer games, and then published Amberzine #11 (2003) years later; after he decided not to be a publisher anymore, Phage finished with a final quadruple-sized Amberzine #12–15 (2005) to complete its obligation to subscribers and by publishing

156-680: A "bidding war," in which the attribute is driven up by increments to large sums. An alternative strategy is to try to cow other players into submission with a high opening bid. Most players bid low amounts between one and ten points in an initial bid in order to feel out the competition and to save points for other uses. A high enough opening bid could signal a player's determination to be first ranked in that attribute, thereby dissuading others from competing. Characters with high psyche are presented as having strong telepathic abilities, being able to hypnotise and even mentally dominate any character with lesser psyche with whom they can make eye-contact. This

208-499: A Pattern-created ghost of Oberon claims that there were a total of 47 children, though only 20 are mentioned in the books. Corwin reliably states (while walking the pattern) there were once 15 brothers and 8 sisters, going on to say 6 brothers are dead as are 2 sisters (or possibly 4). Having no knowledge of Dalt at the time, this makes a total of 24  known children of Oberon, of which only 21 are ever named. One daughter and 3 sons are never named in any of

260-466: A bid of 66, then the character with 66 is "superior" to the character with 65 even though there is only one bid difference. Instead, lower bidding characters are ranked in ascending order according to how much they have bid, the characters becoming progressively weaker in that attribute as they pay less for it. After the auction, players can secretly pay extra points to raise their ranks, but they can only pay to raise their scores to an existing rank. Further,

312-554: A character are from his or her family, a fact that leads to much suspicion and intrigue. Erick Wujcik wanted to design a role-playing game based on Amber for West End Games , and they agreed to look at his work. Wujcik intended to integrate the feel of the Amber setting from the novels into a role-playing game, and playtested his system for a few months at the Michigan Gaming Center where he decided to try it out as

364-439: A character could reveal a weapon, changing it to Warfare; they could try to overcome the other character's mind using a power, changing it to Psyche; or they could concentrate their strength on defense, changing it to Endurance. If there is a substantial difference between characters' ranks, the conflict is generally over before the weaker character can react. Amber DRPG advises gamemasters to change rules as they see fit, even to

416-497: A character who's better than you at sword-fighting, even if only by one point out of 100, you're pretty much dead meat, unless you can act your way out." DeJong also disagreed with the suggestion that if the referee and players disagreed with a rule to simply remove it from the game. "I thought the entire idea of using rules and random results was to prevent the type of arguments that I can see arising from this setup." DeJong concluded on an ambivalent note, saying, "If you love Zelazny and

468-451: A character with a bid-for rank is considered to have a slight advantage over character with a bought-up rank. The Auction simulates a 'history' of competition between the descendants of Oberon for player characters who have not had dozens of decades to get to know each other. Through the competitive Auction, characters may begin the game vying for standings. The auction serves to introduce some unpredictability into character creation without

520-435: A character's outlook on the universe: characters with good stuff seeing the multiverse as a cheerful place, while characters with bad stuff see it as hostile. In any given fair conflict between two characters, the character with the higher score in the relevant attribute will eventually win. The key words here are fair and eventually – if characters' ranks are close, and the weaker character has obtained some advantage, then

572-504: A considerable amount of strategizing and prioritization by players. A willingness to spend as many points as possible on an attribute may improve your chances of a high ranking, but too reckless a spending strategy could leave a player with few points to spend on powers and objects. In a hotly contested auction, such as for the important attribute of warfare, the most valuable skill is the ability to force one's opponents to back down. With two or more equally determined players, this can result in

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624-461: A denizen of the Courts of Chaos) and 0 (normal level for an inhabitant of Amber), upwards without limit. Scores above 0 are "ranked", with the highest score being ranked 1st, the next-highest 2nd, and so on. The character with 1st rank in each attribute is considered "superior" in that attribute, being considered to be substantially better than the character with 2nd rank even if the difference in scores

676-419: A diceless game. West End Games was not interested in a diceless role-playing game, so Wujcik acquired the role-playing game rights to Amber and offered the game to R. Talsorian Games , until he withdrew over creative differences. Wujcik then founded Phage Press, and published Amber Diceless Role-playing in 1991. The original 256-page game book was published in 1991 by Phage Press, covering material from

728-506: A good first impression of the game, especially the information provided about the Amber family members and their various flaws and strengths. However he found that "The biggest problem with this endeavor, and its downfall, is the nature of the conflict systems. First, they are diceless, really diceless, and don't involve any sort of random factors at all, aside from those that you can introduce by roleplaying them out. Thus, if you get involved with

780-547: A good luck for the character. Players are also allowed to overspend (in moderation), with the points becoming bad stuff – bad luck which the Gamemaster should inflict on the character. Stuff governs how non-player characters perceive and respond to the character: characters with good stuff will often receive friendly or helpful reactions, while characters with bad stuff are often treated with suspicion or hostility. As well as representing luck, stuff can be seen as representing

832-453: A mind of their own. Since they have paid points for the items, they are a part of the character's legend, and cannot lightly be destroyed. Similarly, a character can find any possible universe, but they can spend character points to know of or inhabit shadows which are (in some sense) "real" and therefore useful. The expansion, Shadow Knight , adds Constructs – artifacts with connections to shadows. Unspent character points become good stuff –

884-514: A new publishing company, headed by Edwin Voskamp and Eleanor Todd, was formed with the express purpose of bringing Amber DRPG back into print. The new company is named Diceless by Design . In May 2010, Rite Publishing secured a license from Diceless by Design to use the rules system with a new setting in the creation of a new product to be written by industry and system veteran Jason Durall. The project Lords of Gossamer & Shadow (Diceless)

936-416: Is a fantasy series written by Roger Zelazny chiefly in ten books published from 1970 to 1991. It features a great variety of characters from a myriad parallel universes (including "our" Earth universe ). All universes spiral out on a continuum, which are more closely related to one end, Amber (and its history and functions), or slides on a scale closer and closer to Amber's opposite, the Courts of Chaos, at

988-449: Is a role-playing game created and written by Erick Wujcik , set in the fictional universe created by author Roger Zelazny for his Chronicles of Amber . The game is unusual in that no dice are used in resolving conflicts or player actions; instead a simple diceless system of comparative ability, and narrative description of the action by the players and gamemaster , is used to determine how situations are resolved. Amber DRPG

1040-505: Is a valuable resource to a GM - even if he isn't running an Amber game. For gamers who have an aspiring actor or actress lurking within their breast, or for someone running a campaign via electronic mail or message base, Amber should be given serious consideration." In his 2023 book Monsters, Aliens, and Holes in the Ground , RPG historian Stu Horvath noted, "There hasn't been an RPG quite like Amber , before or since. Bold though it was,

1092-561: Is an anagram of "in Amber" and may or may not have been intended as the name of a House of Chaos; it is similar to the name "Shambarimen", the maker of a major artifact in Philip Jose Farmer 's World of Tiers series, and is likely a voluntary tip of the hat to him. Computer programmer Felix Croes uses "Dworkin" as a pseudonym, referring to Dworkin Barimen, and named his MUD software platform Dworkin's Game Driver . Dworkin

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1144-467: Is impossible; and players' psychic abilities are far greater than those shown in the books. A 256-page companion volume, Shadow Knight , was published in 1993. This supplemental rule book includes the remaining elements from the Merlin novels, such as Broken Patterns, and allows players to create Constructs such as Merlin's Ghostwheel . The book presents the second series of novels not as additions to

1196-527: Is likely due to three scenes in the Chronicles : first, when Eric paralyzes Corwin with an attack across the Trump and refuses to desist because one or the other would be dominated; second, when Corwin faces the demon Strygalldwir, it is able to wrestle mentally with him when their gazes meet; and third, when Fiona is able to keep Brand immobile in the final battle at the Courts of Chaos. However, in general,

1248-572: Is one presented in the book; the latter is known in the Amber community as an " Amethyst " game. A third option is to have the players portray Corwin 's children, in an Amber-like city built around Corwin's pattern; this is sometimes called an " Argent " game, since one of Corwin's heraldic colours is Silver . Characters in Amber DRPG are represented by four attributes : Psyche , Strength , Endurance and Warfare . The attributes run from −25 (normal human level), through −10 (normal level for

1300-538: Is small. All else being equal, a character with a higher rank in an attribute will always win a contest based on that attribute. A character's ability scores are purchased during character creation in an auction ; players get 100 character points , and bid on each attribute in turn. The character who bids the most for an attribute is "ranked" first and is considered superior to all other characters in that attribute. Unlike conventional auctions, bids are non-refundable; if one player bids 65 for psyche and another wins with

1352-476: Is still suffering from brain damage at the time. Given that only two books later, it is Corwin himself who mentions that his mother Faiella died giving birth to Deirdre, and Random was only born much later after many more children to other women, this can be put down to either an official authorial change and retcon (in book 3), or to Corwin's still-damaged memory (in book 1). In the Merlin Cycle,

1404-464: The "living trump" abilities as somewhat limited. Characters in Amber DRPG have access to the powers seen in the Chronicles of Amber : Pattern , Logrus , Shape-shifting , Trump , and magic . Each of the first four powers is available in an advanced form. While a character with Pattern, Logrus or Conjuration can acquire virtually any object, players can choose to spend character points to obtain objects with particular virtues – unbreakability, or

1456-492: The Amber series, jump on it, as this is the premier sourcebook for running an Amber campaign. [...] Personally, I just can't get turned on by a system that expects me to either be content with a simple subtraction of numbers to find out who won, or to describe an entire combat blow by blow, just so that I can attempt some trick to win." Loyd Blankenship reviewed Amber in Pyramid #2 (July/Aug., 1993), and stated that " Amber

1508-426: The Courts of Chaos. The publishing rights to the Amber DRPG games were acquired in 2004 by Guardians of Order , who took over sales of the game and announced their intention to release a new edition of the game. However, no new edition was released before Guardians of Order went out of business in 2006. The two existing books are now out-of-print , but they have been made available as PDF downloads. In June 2007

1560-936: The Left Eye of the Serpent of Chaos (which would later be known as the Jewel of Judgment ) through methods unknown, he fled into Shadow and met the Unicorn of Order. With her help and using the Eye, he inscribed the Primal Pattern , giving form to Amber. Prior to the beginning of The Chronicles of Amber , Dworkin went mad, apparently because of damage to the Primal Pattern, which was linked to and reflected in his own mind. Dworkin’s children and grandchildren are: The names of Florimel's and Random's mothers are not given in

1612-529: The Patternfall war; that is, after the end of the fifth book in the series, The Courts of Chaos , but uses material from the following books to describe those parts of Zelazny's cosmology that were featured there in more detail. The Amber multiverse consists of Amber , a city at one pole of the universe wherein is found the Pattern , the symbol of Order ; The Courts of Chaos , an assembly of worlds at

Amberzine - Misplaced Pages Continue

1664-493: The books only feature mental battles when there is some reason for mind-to-mind contact (for example, Trump contact) and magic or Trump is involved in all three of the above conflicts, so it is not clear whether Zelazny intended his characters to have such a power; the combination of Brand's "living trump" powers and his high Psyche (as presented in the roleplaying game) would have guaranteed him victory over Corwin. Shadow Knight does address this inconsistency somewhat, by presenting

1716-447: The books or accompanying materials. Perhaps fittingly, in all but the last novel there isn't a specific name for characters from the Courts of Chaos. Both Chaosites and Chaosians are popular choices by fans, through the first series, they are referred to only as "the Courts", or as "the forces of Chaos". In the final book, those of the Courts of Chaos are referred to as Chaosites by Merlin. The two main beings who control and create

1768-493: The books – the ruling family of Amber, known as the Elder Amberites – or a resident of the Courts. However, since some feel that being the children of the main characters is too limiting, it is fairly common to either start with King Oberon's death before the book begins and roleplay the Elder Amberites as they vie for the throne; or to populate Amber from scratch with a different set of Elder Amberites. The former option

1820-558: The first five novels (the " Corwin Cycle ") and some details – sorcery and the Logrus – from the remaining five novels (the " Merlin Cycle "), in order to allow players to roleplay characters from the Courts of Chaos. Some details were changed slightly to allow more player choice – for example, players can be full Trump Artists without having walked the Pattern or the Logrus, which Merlin says

1872-404: The game didn't do very well commercially. The lack of dice became a flashpoint of controversy, with dice enthusiasts dramatically swearing off the game. That's a bit ridiculous, but it does get at a key hurdle Amber face: People like rolling dice. They've been doing it for thousands of years and a significant part of the appeal of RPGs is giving dice, often in sparkly colours, a toss." Despite

1924-587: The game's out-of-print status, a thriving convention scene exists supporting the game. Amber conventions, known as Ambercons , are held yearly in Massachusetts , Michigan , Portland (United States), Milton Keynes (England), Belfast (Northern Ireland) and Modena, Italy . Additionally, Phage Press published 12 volumes of a dedicated Amber DRPG magazine called Amberzine . Some Amberzine issues are still available from Phage Press. Merlin (The Chronicles of Amber) The Chronicles of Amber

1976-564: The magazine "an entertaining read, and a great source of ideas of Amber campaigns." Three issues later, in the December 1994 edition of Dragon (Issue #212), although Allen Varney singled out Issue #5 of Amberzine for reprinting The Dark World by Henry Kuttner and C.L. Moore , he pointed out that the magazine "has become almost entirely game-free... and now serves more as a good but pricey general 'zine for Amber fans." Phage Press The Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game

2028-413: The need to resort to dice, cards, or other randomizing devices. A player may intend, for example, to create a character who is a strong, mighty warrior, but being "outplayed" in the auction may result in lower attribute scores than anticipated, therefore necessitating a change of character concept. Since a player cannot control another player's bids, and since all bids are non-refundable, the auction involves

2080-637: The novels; the names here are taken from the Visual Guide to Amber and the Complete Amber Sourcebook . The Visual Guide adds a younger daughter of Paulette, Mirelle , but she does not appear in any of the novels. Caine's parentage varies from book to book: Corwin places him above Bleys in the succession and Random also alludes to this but Merlin says he is a full brother of Julian and Gérard. Both statements could be true if Caine is, in fact, older than any of Clarissa's children, and

2132-456: The other pole where can be found the Logrus , the manifestation of Chaos , and the Abyss, the source or end of all reality; and Shadow , the collection of all possible universes (shadows) between and around them. Inhabitants of either pole can use one or both of the Pattern and the Logrus to travel through Shadow. It is assumed that players will portray the children of the main characters from

Amberzine - Misplaced Pages Continue

2184-435: The other. Characters from Amber are referred to as Amberites. Much information about the royal family is compiled only in the authorized companion book Roger Zelazny's Visual Guide to Castle Amber . Some personal colors and offspring are identified only there. The founder of the family is Dworkin Barimen, who first appears as a mad sorcerer. He is the creator of the Primal Pattern and father of Oberon. The surname Barimen

2236-654: The point of adding or removing powers or attributes. Steve Crow reviewed Amber Diceless Roleplaying Game in White Wolf #31 (May/June, 1992), rating it a 4 out of 5 and stated that "It is undoubtedly a game for experienced gamers. While I would not recommend Amber to novices, it is a must buy for experienced gamemasters and players looking for new challenges." In the June 1992 edition of Dragon (Issue 182), both Lester Smith and Allen Varney published reviews of this game. In Issue 65 of Challenge , Dirk DeJong had

2288-512: The remaining material that Wujcik had left. In the September 1992 edition of Dragon (Issue #185), Rick Swan reviewed the premiere issue of Amberzine and commented, "As is the case with most fan publications, the writing and graphics range from adequate to amateur, but what the magazine lacks in slickness it more than makes up for in enthusiasm." Two years later, in the September 1994 edition of Dragon (Issue #209), Lester Smith called

2340-436: The result of an illegitimate affair with Rilga but legally adopted into the line before Clarissa's children, just as Llewella was born illegitimate but legally adopted. Although Oberon did not actually marry Rilga till after finally divorcing Clarissa after the birth of Brand. The Visual Guide to Amber and the Complete Amber Sourcebook , though both are authorised works, contradict each other. Corwin also ignores his sisters in

2392-468: The series' continuity but as an example of a roleplaying campaign with Merlin, Luke, Julia, Jurt and Coral as the PCs. The remainder of the book is a collection of essays on the game, statistics for the new characters and an update of the older ones in light of their appearance in the second series, and (perhaps most usefully for GMs) plot summaries of each of the ten books. The book includes some material from

2444-426: The short story "The Salesman's Tale," and some unpublished material cut from Prince of Chaos , notably Coral's pregnancy by Merlin. Both books were translated into French and published by Jeux Descartes in 1994 and 1995. A third book, Rebma , was promised. Cover art was commissioned and pre-orders were taken, but it was never published. Wujcik also expressed a desire to create a book giving greater detail to

2496-528: The succession. It is also mentioned that, although Llewella definitely (and possibly Caine, as mentioned above) was legally adopted into the family after being born illegitimate, this did not happen to Eric, because Oberon needed to remain on good terms with Cymnea's family, and Eric was perpetually bitter about this. In Nine Princes in Amber Corwin mentions his fondness for Random as related to being full brothers instead of half-brothers. However, he

2548-402: The weaker character can escape defeat or perhaps prevail. Close ranks result in longer contests while greater difference between ranks result in fast resolution. Alternatively, if characters' attribute ranks are close, the weaker character can try to change the relevant attribute by changing the nature of the conflict. For example, if two characters are wrestling the relevant attribute is Strength;

2600-545: Was born into House Barimen, a noble family in the Courts of Chaos. His usual appearance was that of a dwarf, although like many Lords of Chaos, he was able to change his shape. Early in Amber's history, Dworkin served in the court of his son, King Oberon, as an advisor and teacher of magical skills, including the power of creating Trumps. He was frequently absent from Amber, in places unknown. His students included many or most of Oberon's children, including Bleys, Brand, and Fiona, who received advanced instruction. After obtaining

2652-406: Was created in the 1980s, and is much more focused on relationships and roleplaying than most of the roleplaying games of that era. Most Amber characters are members of the two ruling classes in the Amber multiverse , and are much more advanced in matters of strength, endurance, psyche, warfare and sorcery than ordinary beings. This often means that the only individuals who are capable of opposing

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2704-559: Was funded via Kickstarter in May 2013. In Sept 2013 the project was completed, and on in Nov 2013 Lords of Gossamer and Shadow (Diceless) was released publicly in full-color Print and PDF, along with additional supplements and continued support. The game is set in the multiverse described in Zelazny's Chronicles of Amber . The first book assumes that gamemasters will set their campaigns after

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