ARGENTIUMAn Alternate Amber, by Iain Walker, Used With Permission. This Page is divided into the following sections:
Click on the section headings to return to the top of the page. HISTORICAL BACKGROUNDFollowing the events of 'The Hand of Oberon' - Oberon sends everyone off to invade Chaos, while he and Dworkin remain at the Primal Pattern. Corwin is sent off through Shadow, receives the Jewel and, fearing that everything is lost, inscribes his Pattern. Brand steals the Jewel, and Corwin pursues him to Chaos, arriving just in time for the stand-off on the edge of the Abyss. Brand overpowers Deirdre using the Jewel and attempts to hold her hostage, but is engaged in a sorcerous duel by Fiona, while Corwin attacks him via his own attunement to the Jewel. Deirdre breaks free, whereupon Caine, back from the dead, pops up and shoots Brand. Brand, and the Jewel, topple into the Abyss. A funeral procession then emerges from the encroaching Reality Storm - but it is Oberon who leads it, and it is a dead Dworkin lying on the bier. Benedict, with the aid of Bleys' reinforcements, has routed the Chaos army, and Oberon orders that they be pursued into the Citadel of Chaos itself. There, on the steps of Thelbane, King Swayvill of Chaos rallies his troops and meets Oberon in personal combat. Oberon kills Swayvill, and the forces of Chaos surrender. Oberon tells his children that the Primal Pattern, along with its reflections, Amber, Rebma and the Golden Circle, have all been destroyed. This seems to be true, since everyone (except Corwin) has lost their Pattern imprint. All those left behind - Gerard, Martin, Vialle - have perished. He hints that Dworkin decided at the last minute to revert to Plan A and destroy himself and the Pattern with it. Oberon now declares himself King of Chaos, and the noble Houses of the Courts accede with varying degrees of reluctance. Dworkin and Swayvill are given lavish funerals, their bodies cast into the Abyss, and Oberon is crowned. He invites his offspring to join him in Chaos as members of the new Royal House of Barimen. Random refuses - he cannot accept that his wife and son are dead, and sets out along the remains of the Black Road, against Oberon's advice. Llewella, feeling much the same about Rebma, accompanies him. The other Elders, still shell-shocked by Amber's destruction, mill about in some confusion. The last of the Reality Storm dies away, leaving an apparently intact realm of Shadows beyond Chaos. The Black Road has now vanished. Corwin realises that his own Pattern has replaced Amber's as the opposite pole of Creation. He offers his siblings an alternative, to walk his Pattern instead. In the end, all his siblings accompany Corwin back through Shadow to his Pattern. With them travel over twelve thousand members of Amber's armies from the Battle of the Abyss, mainly from Benedict's, Bleys', Dierdre's and Julian's troops. En route they find Random, half-dead, marooned in Shadow by the breaking up of the Black Road. He became separated from Llewella, he tells them, and they try - and fail - to contact her via her Trump, before progressing on to the new Pattern. When they arrive after nearly a year of travel, they find that a city already exists there - it is called Argentium, and the inhabitants have been awaiting the return of Corwin for many centuries. It resembles a cross between Amber and 19th century Paris, and is already a well-established trading nation with links to neighbouring Shadow via a network of Shadow Paths. The other Elders walk his Pattern, while Corwin decides what to do with his new realm. Having already refused one crown, he is reluctant to declare himself King of Argentium, despite the clamours of the populace and the urgings of some of his siblings. Instead, he accepts the title of Lord Protector, and invites the other Elders to sit on a nine-strong Council that will oversee the growth and development of the new realm. SUBSEQUENT TIMELINEAlthough Argentium seems to have a history going back at least several centuries, years are numbered from the arrival of Corwin and his siblings, known as the Restoration. This is also an effective "After Patternfall" chronology.
THE REALM OF ARGENTIUMThe City of Argentium (population 685,400) sits on a broad, fertile plateau bounded to the south and west by a large and somewhat swampy valley, and to the north and east by mountains. The River Lorraine falls from the distant mountains and winds through the centre of the city, eventually cascading over the lip of the plateau and flowing down the valley to the sea some twelve miles away. Port Royal, Argentium's trading and naval port, lies where it meets the ocean. Other landmarks of note include the Jackal's Caverns, a network of caves beneath the Cascades, and the Giant's Head, a tavern in the valley named after a giant fossilised skull protruding from the nearby marshes. The city itself has a layout broadly like that of late 19th or early 20th Century Paris, but the architecture is more varied, incorporating Classical, Gothic, Renaissance, Ottoman and medieval styles. It is dominated by the Royal Palace, a vast sprawling construction on the east bank of the river, but also extending to the islands in its centre (basically, for those of you who know Paris, imagine a complex extending from the Palais du Louvre in the west to the Hotel de Ville in the east, and south into the river to accommodate the Palais de Justice and Notre Dame). This is the residence of the Queen and Royal Family (whenever the latter actually turn up), and also the seat of Argentium's government and bureaucracy. The Royal residences are on the islands in the river; the governmental parts on the river bank. Corwin's Pattern lies within the grounds of the Palace in a large Gothic construct known as the Basilica of the Pattern, a quasi-religious edifice raised by the inhabitants of Argentium on an island in mid-river, long before the return of the Elders. This corresponds roughly to Notre Dame in Paris. It is the most heavily guarded building in Argentium, and no-one is allowed inside without Deirdre's permission. It also seems to have an in-built supernatural guardian of its own, a spectral figure known simply as the Lady, who tends to respond to break-ins with lethal and mysterious force. Beside the Pattern grows a tree - of sorts. Corwin recalls that just before he drew his Pattern, he planted a staff cut from a sentient piece of lumber called Ygg. This tree however is a tall (100 feet, brushing the ceiling of the Basilica) crystalline dendrite which flickers and glows with the same blue-silver energy as the Pattern. And like the Pattern, only Amberites can touch it and live. Fiona has theorised that the original sapling was somehow real enough to survive contact with the Pattern as its roots spread under it, but that it has subsequently, somehow, become an extension of the Pattern itself. Unlike Dworkin's former construct, Corwin's Pattern casts no known reflections. The physical laws of Argentium are somewhat different from those of Amber. For example, gunpowder works in Argentium (black powder firearms are standard military issue), although more advanced explosives do not. Technology in general is equivalent to the 19th Century on Earth, with steam-power, gas lighting and rudimentary forms of electricity. Nothing more advanced than this seems to work, though. Transport is mainly horse-drawn, although steam- and clock-work powered gurneys are currently fashionable. Argentium is a non-magickal environment, which means that although Cantrips work, it takes Advanced Rituals to bring off anything more sophisticated or longer-lasting. The inhabitants of Argentium are tougher than your average Shadow-dweller. A typical citizen is either Chaos- or Amber-ranked in all statistics, and some individuals may have ranked statistics (although usually in single figures). POLITICS IN ARGENTIUMFraught. Before the arrival of Corwin and the other Elders, Argentium was an oligarchy, run by the noble families and trading houses - the state was united and prosperous, but still subject to all the faction fighting that an oligarchy implies. Now Argentium is a monarchy, but if anything the faction fighting is even worse. The indigenous nobility resent the new Amberite nobility who turned up with the Elders, the Amberite nobles look down on the indigenous nobles, the Church of the Unicorn has become a major independent political force, and within each group rivalries abound. Basically, the Elder Amberites do not have a monopoly on intrigue. Their own disunity, and the fact that they have tended to concentrate on carving out their own little fiefdoms in and around Argentium has not helped matters much either. Deirdre is a reasonably popular monarch, but her position is far more precarious than Oberon's ever was. For a start, she is a relative newcomer to a realm with an established political culture which was not of her own devising, and as such, certain compromises are forced upon her if she wishes to avoid alienating the bulk of her subjects. Secondly, she rules essentially because Corwin said she should, and it is known that there are elements (and not just amongst her siblings) who have other ideas about the occupancy of the throne. Her main trump card (as it were), is her control over the Pattern, but while this has so far sufficed to keep her siblings in line, it cuts little ice with the populace in general. Consequently, she has to maintain a political balancing act that would have been inconceivable in Amber under her father. She is not, in short, an absolute monarch. She rules with and through a Council of Ministers, a cabinet that takes care of the day-to-day running of the kingdom, but she must also take into consideration the views of the two Assemblies, the Estates Noble and the Estates Common, which represent the interests of the aristocracy and the mercantile class respectively. Whereas in Amber, Oberon's word was law, Deirdre frequently has to negotiate with her own subjects to get what she wants. So far her semi-constitutional approach has maintained the good order of the state, but it is clear that this order is at best an unstable equilibrium. The problem is, attempting to establish a more centralised and autocratic rule would probably be the best way of tipping things into anarchy. The main political factions in Argentium are:
THE COURTS OF CHAOSThis is what you know of the Courts of Chaos, picked up mainly from conversations with the Elders.
THE REST OF THE FAMILYBenedict - Tired of the disunity amongst his siblings, he has retired to a Shadow called Dumnonia, apparently a substitute for the Shadow Avalon where he settled before Patternfall. He turns up in Argentium occasionally. Acts as Argentium's occasional envoy to Chaos, when such is needed. Distant from most of the rest of the Elders, but seems to have no particular likes or dislikes. Bleys - Has set up camp with Fiona in a very old Shadow Nexus known as the Keep of the Four Worlds, which is believed to have survived the destruction of Amber's Pattern. Turns up in Argentium quite frequently, apparently to socialise, although he is rumoured to be involved in the city's politics much more deeply than he appears. If he retains any of his old links with Chaos, he is not admitting to them. Seems well disposed towards most of his siblings, although this is not always reciprocated (especially by Julian). Brand - dead in the Abyss with the Jewel of Judgement. Caine - Governor of Port Royal, and thus responsible for Argentium's merchant fleet, appointed reluctantly by Deirdre after Random proved useless at it. Divides most of his time between the Port, and his ship The Barracuda. His poor relations with Deirdre mean that his naval and intelligence-gathering skills are not always put to best use, but he is said to have a private spy network even more extensive than those of Argentium and Albion. Seems to get on well with Julian and Flora, though. Corwin - Missing for the past 40 odd years, presumed alive, on the grounds that if he were dead, bad things would have happened to his Pattern. However, Fiona has speculated that the mutual dependence between Dworkin and the original Pattern was a deliberate augmentation, and that both Corwin and his Pattern might in fact be able to survive the destruction of the other. Consequently, he may be dead after all. Rumours abound as to his possible whereabouts: he may be a prisoner of someone seeking control of his Pattern and/or Argentium (Deirdre and Fiona and Bleys are the most frequently accused); he may be a prisoner in Chaos; he may have gone into seclusion; he may have gone mad, like Dworkin, and be wandering lost in Shadow ... The list goes on. Before he disappeared, he seemed to get on fairly well with all his siblings, but was closest to Deirdre, Random and Fiona. Dara - High-ranking member of the Royal House of Barimen in Chaos, mother of Merlin. Turned up in Argentium once, many years ago, as part of a diplomatic delegation following Corwin's disappearance. She has not been back since. Rumour has it that she parted badly with Corwin in the immediate aftermath of Patternfall, although she is supposed to be fond of Benedict. There is also a vague rumour that she also has another son, this time by King Oberon. Deirdre - Queen of Argentium, and a rather good one at that, learning quickly from her early mistakes and managing not only to hold the realm together but also to increase its power. However, her position is not wholly secure, and she is not universally popular, two facts of which she is all too aware. Consequently, she tends to reward loyalty very well indeed, but the Unicorn help you if you cross her. She distrusts most of her siblings, especially Caine, Bleys and Flora, and has largely lost patience with her one true ally Random. She is particularly paranoid about threats from Chaos, and seems convinced that Oberon is plotting to undermine her. She is at least careful (now) to avoid alienating Benedict, and seems to have an on/off friendship with Fiona. Eric - Died defending Amber just before Patternfall. Fiona - Has set up camp with Bleys in a very old Shadow Nexus known as the Keep of the Four Worlds, which is believed to have survived the destruction of Amber's Pattern. Spends a lot of her time researching the new Pattern and exploring its Shadows, but also sometimes accompanies Benedict on his diplomatic missions to Chaos. Gets on well with Bleys, occasionally with Deirdre, and is generally sarcastic to everyone else. Was close to Corwin before he disappeared, though. Flora - Officially, Argentium's Ambassador to Shadow Albion, but in practice she now rules the Shadow in all but name. Consequently, she effectively controls most of the sea trade of the Silver Circle. She seems to have flowered within the new dispensation, and has carved out a niche for herself where she wields considerable power. Relations with most of her siblings are middling to good, except for an ill-concealed and sometimes bitter rivalry with Deirdre. Gerard - Almost certainly died when Amber fell. Certainly un-contactable since. Julian - Has settled in the Silver Circle Shadow of Vithir, a densely-forested place that resembles (he says) Forest Arden. He has re-established his pre-Patternfall role with some success, guarding Argentium's eastern approaches with a new body of rangers. He has married the Queen of Vithir, Macha, with whose Wild Hunt he frequently rides. Close to Caine, well-disposed towards Fiona, Benedict and to a lesser extent Random, cool towards Deirdre and Flora, dislikes Bleys. Llewella - Lost in Shadow without a Pattern imprint after Patternfall; no-one has been able to contact her since. Martin - Almost certainly died when Amber fell. Along with Vialle, the object of Random's desperate and seemingly doomed search. Merlin - High ranking member of the Royal House of Barimen in Chaos, son of Corwin and Dara. And that's about all anyone knows of him. There are some rumours that Oberon would like to see him on the throne of Argentium rather than Deirdre, a position for which he is not wholly unqualified. Oberon - King of Chaos, former King of Amber. Under his rule, Chaos has grown more powerful than at any time since the creation of Amber, and he shows few signs of wanting to slow the process. His children in Argentium seem to regard him with a mixture of awe and fear, and in some cases (Deirdre and Random especially) not a little dislike. His own attitude towards the offspring who refused to join him in Chaos is unclear, but does not seem wholly favourable, although if he is close to any of them, it is Benedict. He is married to Iorgana, a former Lady of House Helibore, by whom he has two daughters, Princesses Lyan and Chloris, and a son, Prince Severin, who is still only a child. It is also rumoured that he has another son by Princess Dara, name unknown. Random - Driven and embittered, still searching for his wife and son. Rarely in Argentium, and when he is, is usually drunk. Used to be Governor of Port Royal, but since he was hardly ever there, Deirdre was forced to give the position to Caine instead. Close to Corwin (before he vanished), Deirdre (who is now thoroughly sick of him), and Julian (oddly enough, since they apparently did not get on at all in Amber). He has not been seen in Argentium for months. Vialle - Almost certainly died when Amber fell. Along with Martin, the object of Random's desperate and seemingly doomed search. OTHER NPCS OF NOTEPrince(ss) Atensare - "Divine Child of the Horizon of the Sun, Blessed of the Goddess Nektamte, Speaker of Wisdom, Crusher of the Enemies of the Eternal Lands." Ambassador of Shadow Khmun. An almost disagreeably perky individual who has taken the opportunity of his/her diplomatic posting to throw off the shackles of Khmun's ritualistic society and live life to the full. Also a highly skilled necromancer, with four ghûls as bodyguards. Sir Richard Burton - Albion's Ambassador. Known mainly as an explorer and scholar, and rumoured in particular to be a master of disguise. He is not thought to be one of Flora's stooges, but although easily distracted by expeditions and rare books, he has proved too effective in his post to be easily replaced. He has accompanied Random on a couple of the latter's Amber-quests. Cardinal-Archbishop Catullus - Head of the Church of the Unicorn, and one of Deirdre's chief advisors. From relatively humble beginnings as an army chaplain with Amber's forces at the Battle of the Abyss, he has risen to become Argentium's spiritual leader. He is probably the second most influential individual in Argentium itself, after Deirdre. A consummate political schemer, even Caine seems to respect him. Duke Amarind Chantris - Former Amber noble and one of Oberon's finest generals, now Dierdre's Minister of Defence. Informal leader of and spokesman for the First Families. Dour and humourless, but a strategist every bit as astute as any of the Elders. Countess Jalynne Corbier - One of Argentium's indigenous nobility, the acceptable face of the Rosa Argenta. She and Deirdre are quite close friends, much to the disgust of the First Families. She is known to hate Cardinal Catullus, and the two of them seem to spend an inordinate amount of time trying to discredit one another. Lord Ybold Feldane - Former Amber noble, member of the First Families. Quiet and bookish by temperament, he has appointed himself the official chronicler of Amber, and is the Honorary President of the recently established Museum of Amber History. He used to accompany Random on his trips in search of Amber, until he got half-killed by a Cthulhu-spawn in what Random thought were the ruins of Rebma (they weren't). Paradoxically, he is said to be a psychotic berserker in battle, with over seventy Chaosite heads to his credit, including the former heir to House Imbrex. Duke Edouard Jenner - member of the indigenous nobility and head of one of the oldest trading families in Argentium. He is Deirdre's Minister of Trade and Finance, and as such is also indirectly responsible for the secretariat of the Silver Circle Alliance. A sharp-tongued fellow, he is a genius at making money, and he knows it. The Lady - A ghostly, silvery apparition who haunts the Basilica of the Pattern. No-one seems to know precisely who or what she is, since she never speaks, but the records of Argentium suggest that she has always been there. Some say Corwin created her, others say she is the dryad of the tree that grows beside the Pattern. She seems to act as some kind of guardian of the Pattern, since people who try to break into the Basilica seem to end up dead in mysterious and unpleasant circumstances. Macha - Faery Queen of Shadow Vithir, wife of Julian. Her aversion to iron means that she is rarely seen in Argentium. Those who met her remember a tall, aloof woman with long black hair, a fondness for music, and a tendency to change into a raven when angry. Lady Esmerelda Richter - Captain of the Cathedral Guard, the Cardinal's private army, and one of the most feared fighters outside the Royal Family. Previously one of Benedict's elite officers, she is a little too good at her job, and is responsible for the Guard's general reputation for ruthlessness and a tendency towards overkill. Lord Rein - Former Amber noble, also Deirdre's Poet Laureate. Technically a member of the First Families, but his centuries-old friendship with Corwin has stood him in good stead with the indigenous aristocracy, and he seems to spend a lot of his time trying to keep the peace between the various factions in a "Can't we all just get along?" kind of fashion. Consequently, he has also ended up as Deirdre's most trusted diplomatic envoy. Renard Turane - Political agitator and outlaw. The unacceptable face of the Rosa Argenta (and thoroughly disowned by Countess Jalynne and the rest of the acceptable face), wanted for treason and the killing of several of the Cathedral Guard. Something of a folk hero in certain quarters. Lady Richter has vowed to bring him in, dead or ... well, dead. Lucinda Varcolaci - not exactly Shadow Greyfell's Ambassador - something to do with her being an exile, possibly. But she is the Varcolaci family's most visible presence in Argentium. A pale, intense young woman with black-streaked silver hair, she spends a lot of time hanging about at Court. It is generally accepted that she is a spy, and not a very good one at that, trying to worm her way back into her family's good books. A favourite Court game is inventing conspiracies to mislead her, but a lot of the Elders for some reason seem to take her seriously... Back to the Alternate Ambers Page
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