This is an Amber-inspired universe combining Russian medieval history, mythology and folk tales with the Amber universe to produce something that I think is reasonably new and interesting. The Russian elements are sufficiently different from western mythology to be appealing to people, but the Amber framework links it all to something more familiar. One could perhaps make a case that it will provide a cultural and mythological underpinning that is missing in Amber proper. And I should certainly say that Tsar Ivan the Terrible makes a good substitute for King Oberon of Amber...

Instead of shadow there is the Forest, with people living in clearings within it that are effectively worlds in their own right. Instead of Trumps there are Icons. The family of Ivan (who is Tsar Ivan II) can navigate the Forest by the power of the Maze of Trees created by his father, Ivan I. And far away, beyond where the Forest goes mad and ends, there lies the Courts of Kiev, where no-one has ever been...

The basis of the setting is Russian folk tales , the 'Firebird' ballet by Stravinsky and the legend of the founding of Moscow.

Much of the Russian background presented here was inspired by GURPS Russia, with other information coming from the Internet or from Wikipedia.

Based on all of this, the Amber-equivalent books for this setting could thus be:

• Nine Princes in Moscow
• The Muskets of Novgorod
• The Sign of the Firebird
• The Hand of Ivan
• The Courts of Kiev

The Nine Princes in Moscow setting is described further of the following pages:

• History
• Geography
• Culture and Society
• People
• Organisations, Enemies and Others
• Powers

• Spin-Off Ideas From This Setting

SOME RELEVANT LINKS

• Russian Folk Tales and Folk Belief
• A Dictionary of Period Russian Names

• Russian Fairy Tales in particular Ivan Tsarevich, the Firebird and the Gray Wolf
• Another Site Devoted to Russian Fairy Tales
• An Overview of Russian 'Fairy Tales'
• Russian Folk Tales from Russian-Crafts.com
• A Hotlist on Russian Fairy Tales
• Russian Spirits
• Russian Icons

• Ivan the Terrible
• The History of Moscow
• Historical Maps of Moscow from the Historic Cities site

Send any comments to me at tony {dot} website {at} clockworksky {dot} net.

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Copyright © Tony Jones, 2005. This work is licenced under a Creative Commons Licence.

The Nine Princes in Moscow banner is written in a font called Empyra, obtained from Chank.com. The two-headed eagle used on these pages is a modified version of the Russian Coat of Arms from the Flags Of The World site. The background on this page is a modified version of one found on the IconBazaar.com web site.