Amber Sorcery: II. Pattern Powers
Mutant for Hire
question is prepared to pay a little (or a lot) of energy to
accomplish the specific result. Walking through Shadow is the
simplest uses of power. It takes minimal training to accomplish,
and indeed is the simplest of Amber powers.
The next simplest step is to use the Pattern to disrupt a Logrus
based effect, such as Corwin cutting a path across the Black Road
by holding the Pattern in his mind and pitting it against the
Road. Essentially, that is all there is to the effect. One uses
the Pattern as a focus for the mind and throws willpower against
the effect until it goes. Its not easy for a well-entrenched
effect, but it is possible.
Going on, bending Shadows over time to ones will is also possible.
Longer term the buildup, the stronger the effect can come. Special
properties of the Shadow can be bent and exploited spectacularly,
but that requires a full knowledge of the Shadow. Oberon bent
Tig'n'roth into a time loop intersecting with Amber in this way,
using the fact that fragment of Shadow was slightly adrift in
time. But that also required exact knowledge of how to bend it,
and he isn't around anymore to explain how he did it.
After that, instruction is required as well as experimentation.
Building Trumps is one of the simpler effects. One creates an
image of the person or place that one wishes to reach and then
inscribes the Pattern on the card in such a way as to connect the
card to the target. Inscribing the Pattern is the trick, and while
it isn't terribly hard once one has learned how to do it,
manipulating Pattern forces is the key.
An advanced effect of Pattern powers, that can only be learned
with a lot of time and study, and requires a good background in
Pattern sorcery, is advanced Pattern scrying and movement. These
two are where one searches through Shadow while staying in one
place, studying through the Pattern. Objects can be fetched to and
from the target Shadow. Brand was reputed to have this power, and
Oberon used it to send Corwin away at one point. Pattern Sorcery
is a prerequisite for this particular power.
Pattern Sorcery can be learned, but its not as easy as could be
liked. As with Logrus magic portrayed in the books, its a long
series of gestures and incantations which can be reduced to a few
key words. The more key words, the less chance the spell has of
accidentally going off on its own. The spell can be hung in the
personal vision of the Pattern, to be recalled at a later date.
Pattern spells go stale a lot less quickly than Logrus spells. On
the other hand, they're a pain to create in the bargain.
Additionally, as with the Logrus, one can use the Pattern symbol
to see mystic forces around the person.
Pattern magic is especially good at transportation and at scrying
through Shadow, since these are effects that minimally disrupt
Shadow and are simple rearrangements of what is. The latter is
especially good, as the Pattern is in some ways the epitome of
information and collecting information is very simple with it. All
spells which are these two effects have minimal energy consumption
for that very reason.
Pattern spells to create objects usually don't operate off of
creation. Instead the objects are summoned from Shadow. Since all
objects that can be imagined exist in Shadow, and the spell would
define such an object, the spell works as a Shadow walk in
reverse. Pattern magic is good at summoning things. Destroying
things is harder. Usually one summons a destructive effect and
hopes it will obliterate the target. Sending someone to a
destructive Shadow is also a good possibility.
Pattern initiates grow in power over time. Being initiated with
the Jewel of Judgement will speed the effect up, and allows
greater refinement and control of powers. In general, players will
rarely hit limits that only Jewel initiation will allow to happen,
usually there'll be Dworkin or someone else around to do the
effect. There is no Advanced Pattern Initiation, rather as time
goes on, the difficulty of wielding Pattern effects, like Shadow
walking, becomes easier and requires less willpower. The effects
also go faster if the same amount of work is invested.
Pattern Powers (in order of purchase)
Pattern Initiation
Shadow Movement
Chaos Effect Disruption
Shadow Bending
Create Trumps
Pattern Sorcery
Shadow Scrying, Advanced
Shadow Movement, Advanced
Indented powers are simple enough that a few minutes instruction
is sufficient to tell someone how to use the powers, and naturally
derive from the Pattern power above it. Other abilities have to be
purchased in the order they are listed, because each new ability
rests on the former.
--
Martin Terman, Mutant for Hire, Mad Scientist, Priest of Shub-Internet
Disclaimer: Nobody else takes me seriously, why should you be the first?
mfte...@phoenix.princeton.edu mfte...@pucc.bitnet ter...@pupgga.princeton.edu
"Sig quotes are like bumper stickers, only without the same sense of relevance"