Testament to Mediocrity: Gaming
    Amber: City on a Hill

    City on a Hill is a Campaign for the Amber Diceless Role-Playing system. It takes place in Amber, long before the events in Nine Princes in Amber. Oberon is King and Clarissa is Queen. Play begins approximately 3000 years after Amber's founding, and approximately 16 years after the birth of Prince Bleys. Characters are created and play takes place in the Ancient Amber setting.
    Background

    Shadow spreads out from Amber in concentric circles. While there is no cast in stone criteria for judging distance, numbers have been arbitrarily given to the various rings, each representing a few days travel. There are theoretically an infinite number of circle, but for practical purposes there are only four. They are generally referred to as the first, second, third and fourth (or last) circles, though they are equally commonly referred to as the Golden, Silver, Copper and Pale circles. The entire area encompassed by the four circles is referred to as the "great ring." The shadows within the great ring are predominantly human and do not suffer from any major strangeness, though the outskirts of the fourth circle do not always follow this rule.

    The Golden Circle Alliance is a military alliance of most of the Nation-States within the Golden Circle, as well as a few within the Silver Circle. While Amber has other side treaties with other powers, the GCA is the single most important treaty in the Ring, and its members are generally the most powerful of the Ring (though Amber, of course, shines above them all). The treaty is to provide mutual defense against various threat within the great ring, as well as against any from beyond the pale. It has proven very effective over the past millennia through a number of wars.

    Things have been peaceful in the great ring for many years now, and as is its wont, peace breeds opportunity, but it also breeds dissatisfaction. Some have come to recognize the mercantile power of the GCA could well match its military might, but others, accustomed to a life of war, have not adjusted to this new era of peace very well at all.

    Amber
    The best analogy to date for Amber and her relationship to the rest of the Golden Circle is that of the USA to the rest of NATO shortly after WWII. It is clearly the biggest, toughest kid on the block, but that doesn't mean it can easily push around the other kids.

    Amber is ruled by King Oberon I, and Queen Clarissa.

    PRINCE/PRINCESS PARENTAGE COLORS NOTES
    Oberon Unknown Green and White/Silver
    Osric Oberon & Cymnea Blue and Gold Presumed Deceased
    Finndo Oberon & Cymnea Red and Gold Presumed Deceased
    Benedict Oberon & Cymnea Orange and Gold
    Eric Oberon & Faiella Red and Black Not Formally Recognized
    Corwin Oberon & Faiella Silver and Black Absent
    Gabriel Oberon & Faiella Black & Tan
    Deirdre Oberon & Faiella Gold and Black
    Fiona Oberon & Clarissa Lavender and Red
    Bleys Oberon & Clarissa Orange and Red
    Marcus Son of Benedict Green & Gold
    Ariadne Daughter of Fiona Copper & Red
    Orlando Benedict & Crimson & Brown(rust)
    Cuthbert Corwin & Blue & Silver
    Teresius Corwin & Dark grey & Burgundy
    Guy Eric & Copper & Red
    Adam Finndo & Red & Gold Deceased
    Bartholomew Adam & ??? Red & Gold Governor of Cairn
    Jeanette Adam & ??? TBA
    Minuet Gabriel & ? Brown & WHite
    Matilda Black & Green
    Rebecca Deirdre & Cream & Gold
    Other Family, People of Note
    Name Notes
    Caine Admiral of the Southern Fleet
    Ariel Royal cousin, Twin of Angelique
    Angelique Royal cousin, Twin of Ariel
    Lady Miriel Chantris Lady in Waiting to Queen Clarissa
    Members of the Golden Circle Alliance:

    Begma

    Begma brings to the alliance not the biggest armies but instead the richest farmland of the Golden Circle. Begma counts upon the GCA for protection, for her armies are quite weak in their own right, and in return provides foodstuffs for the remainder of the alliance.

    Begma is a hereditary monarchy, with a long line of kings who have ruled wisely and justly enough that internal upheavals have been few and far between in Begman history. The aristocracy follows a European model, though women have rather more rights in terms of property.

    Cairn
    The great foundry of Cairn churns out weapons and other metal goods for the GCA. A port city on the edge of a great mountain range, the mines of Cairn produce some of the finest metal in the great ring, both base and noble, and the foundries of the city turn these into worked goods of every description.

    Cairn is a holding of the GCA as a whole, with a Viceroy appointed by the Golden Council for as long as they see fit. Cairn is entirely dependent upon the GCA for foodstuffs, as it has no agricultural capability, and can produce little more than some small amount of fish.

    The city of Cairn has developed something of a reputation as a "free port" throughout the great ring, and lowlifes of every type, from cutthroats to cost accountants tend to find their way there with the hopes of moving on to the Golden Circle, or Amber herself, though most end up staying, some by choice, some unwillingly, some in the necropolis outside the city.

    Gaia
    Home of the elves, Gaia is a world of forests, accessible via secret paths through Arden, known only to a few. The Gaians are mysterious, unpredictable allies, but are unquestionably powerful. Little more is known, though many are curious.

    Kopernicus
    A nation of clockwork and magic, Kopernicus is located in the Silver Circle, but is a member of the GCA by merit of its power and knowledge. Kopernicus is a Magocracy, ruled by the most powerful of it's adepts, referred to as The Dragon. Important positions in the kingdom are held by the clockwork adepts, all of whom are scholars, mages, conjurors or geomancers.

    The Academy of Kopernicus, where the clockwork adepts are trained, has one of the greatest libraries in existence, where the Adepts work day and night to understand the rules of the universe. Access to this library is strictly limited.

    Minos
    Minos is an island nation that rules over an archipelago that spans much of its world. The clime is Mediterranean and the flavor is Grecian. The Minoans are first rate sailors, and make up the bulk of the GCA's navy.

    The relationship between Amber and Minos has been strained over the past 200 years, apparently as a result of some insult given by Oberon to king Crinos. No one knows the details, but speculation abounds.

    Rebma
    Rebma is a realm almost as strange and alien as Gaia. A close reflection of Amber, events in one have a tendency to reflect in the other, and as a result, dealings betweeen the two are very cautious indeed.

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