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Pattern is the power of the Lords of Amber. The pattern is literally that, a pattern inscribed upon the floor deep within Mount Kolvir. To gain the power of the Pattern one must walk it, starting from the beginning and continuing on to the center. Stepping off of the Pattern while doing this will end in death. The pattern also kills those who are not of the blood of Amber. If a character is able to withstand walking the pattern, when they reach the center they will have the pattern imprint, and be granted passage to any location they so desire. Amberites believe that the pattern is the center of all things, and that everything else is a reflection of Amber through the power of the pattern.

Pattern Imprint (30 Points)

Shadow Walking
The core ability of Pattern is the ability to walk through shadows, making subtle changes and traveling between worlds. Shadow walking requires both visual stimulus and motion, as the Amberite moves he makes changes adjusting the appearance of the sky, adding a building around the corner, until they reach there desired destination. One can travel to almost any world, though it is not so simple as saying “I wish to go to a relaxing world.” But rather you would make changes towards what a relaxing world might look like. Often times getting a specific change is difficult and may even have unexpected developments. An unexpected dragon is often quite unfortunate.

Hell Riding
An exhausting but very fast method of shadow travel which involves rapidly moving through chaotic environments to more quickly reach a destination. Hell riding is extremely endurance dependent, and while many journeys that would normally take days can be accomplished in hours, it is generally only used in emergencies.

Blood Curse
All Amberites have a Blood Curse. When an Amberite invokes their curse, often with their dying breath it will manifest, to the great detriment of that Amberites enemies. A great Example of a Blood Curse is Corwin’s curse on Eric when his eyes were put out. One of the effects of that blood curse was to aid in allowing the Black Road to reach Amber.

Sense Shadow Paths
An Amberite will often be able to sense a recent shadow path and follow it. Generally the path must be found within minutes or at most hours to be sensed, though those with greater psyches may push this limit.

Pattern Defense
By summoning the sign of the pattern the character is surrounded in Pattern energy, which shields them from hostile psychic and mystical assaults. Bringing up the pattern defense takes between fifteen and thirty seconds, and requires extreme focus. The pattern defense is an internal power, it protects the user, but does not effect the area about it.

While it is possible to do other actions while holding the pattern defense it is not advisable. The pattern defense is nearly impossible to overcome with sorcery, and very difficult to with other powers. Psyche is less important for pattern Defense than endurance, as the defense is quite effective even at low psyches, however maintaining the defense is a lot of effort, and more so when its actually contested. The pattern defense may be activated to resist an effect which is already in place as well.

Minor Manipulation
The ability to alter small details of shadow. These changes are easiest to do when traveling between shadows, such as causing ones own clothing to be more suitable to the destination. This power can also be used to cause there to be money in your pocket. This is also the power used to cause an item of power to return to the character when moving through shadow.

Pattern Upgrades

The power of the pattern is extensive with numerous applications. Few Amberites have exactly the same set of pattern abilities, as there exist many methods of using Pattern. Characters may choose powers off the standard power tree below, or if they think of something new they may ask the GM where such a power might branch and what sort of cost it would be.

Sign of the Pattern (Basic) 15 Points

Ward
The pattern user projects the sign of the pattern over a location, where it will resist all powers effecting that location until the Ward fades or is destroyed. The ward may be actively maintained as long as the Amberite is still in the shadow, or may be allowed to degrade on its own. Attempts to bypass a pattern ward contest the psyche of the person who set it. Pattern wards last longer the closer the shadow is to Amber.

Pattern Focus
With Pattern Focus the Sign of the Pattern is summoned and projected outwards. This can either be in simply an aura around the pattern user or against a specific effect. The Pattern Focus breaks down non pattern effects. The range is limited to those effects directly within the vicinity of the user.

Unlike the pattern Defense psyche is extremely important for Pattern Focus. The effect of the Pattern Focus upon a target effect is a contest between the user and the target. The pattern focus can be used against a person, which will limit all effecting or used by that person, but have a minimal effect on them physically.

Pattern Infuse
Pattern Energy may be directed through the Sign of the Pattern, infusing creatures or items with pattern energy. This can be used in a variety of ways, infusing something with pattern generally increases its attributes. On creatures it makes them more real, and is able to grant longer life spans and improved abilities. On non living things it generally increases the properties of the item, making it more resistant to mystical effects as well as increasing mechanical properties. It is possible to aim for specific properties with an infusion. You may attempt to infuse a wolf with greater speed for example. Or to add a probability enchantment to a sword that increased the chance of opponents blades breaking. An Item may be infused to grant permanent pattern energy, or to grant them pattern abilities (such as movement through shadow), though this is a time consuming effort.

Pattern Infusion is psyche based and very short ranged, preferably by touch or other psychic contact. The more time and energy spent infusing something the more effective the infusion.

Sign of the Pattern (Advanced) 20 Points

Reflection
Objects may be created, seemingly out of nothing by drawing upon a reflection of the item, either from nearby shadow or an item carried on the person or even memory. These objects may be creatures or items. The amount of time and energy to reflect an item or creature is dependent upon the size and complexity of what is desired, as well as what is being reflected.

Lens
The pattern lens is a movable Sign of the Pattern. The amberite may extend the Pattern Lens for some distance, even through shadow. The user may view areas through the lens, though this is distorted at greater distanced. It is also allows the Amberite to “see” powers. If brought in contact with a mind the Pattern Lens can create a psychic contact. A character may use any pattern powers they possess through the pattern lens, even outside of the shadow they are in. The Pattern Lens may also be directly attacked by other powers, it is not visible but it is easily detected by strong minds, as well as any ability that can sense powers.

Teleport
By bringing up the sign of the pattern and then walking it upon the ground the user may transport themselves similarly as if they were within the center of the pattern. This is an arduous trial, though less dangerous than walking the pattern itself. The higher the psyche of the user, the greater the capabilities of the teleport. A pattern Teleport is extremely tiring, particularly for larger jumps.

Shadow Manipulation (Basic) 15 Points

Shadow Manipulation
The ability to alter the details of a shadow, repairing a broken door, arranging for a fire to start etc. Shadow manipulation is in many ways a power of possibility. If it is possible for something to happen, the odds can be greatly increased, becoming almost a certainty. A bridge may be weakened so that it collapses, when previously it was entirely fine. The enemies armor which was previously steel begins to rust, or perhaps it changes to leather, as it is possible that soldiers were equipped with leather armor. The less visible the change, the easier it is to cause to happen. Similarly smaller changes are easier than widespread changes.

Shadow Alteration
A more difficult branch of shadow manipulation, with this ability the rules and nature of a shadow can be interfered with. This can be done globally or local, permanently or temporarily. A permanent global effect is the hardest while a temporary local effect is the simplest. This alteration can be used in concert with other pattern abilities, like probability or shadow manipulation as well.

Examples: (Listed in order of easiest to hardest)

• Temporary local: A character might allow guns to start working in the nearby vicinity for a short period of time.
• Permanent local: An island might be enchanted so that fires glowed blue when boats approached.
• Temporary global: The moon might not be visible for an entire day, globally.
• Permanent global: The magic level of the shadow could be altered.

Destiny
A destiny can be imposed upon shadow, causing it to come into contact with another individual of power. This can be something as small as a bird, or as great as an entire shadow itself. A destiny usually relates to another Amberite. For example a shadow might become destined to be visited by Bleys. If the destiny effects a creature or smaller item, that item will actually move through shadow eventually reaching the target.

Shadow Senses
The Amberite may now tell if a shadow has been manipulated, and often by what power. The identity of the manipulator can often be found as well. This is often useful for telling if another Immortal is nearby, as often they alter shadow at a whim. With this ability the user can also tell if they have somehow moved from one shadow to another, as well as more easily follow shadow paths through shadow. A character with this ability also may gain information about how a shadow functions, getting a feeling for the rules of the shadow they are in. While this power does have a passive effect, it works best when focused on.

Shadow Manipulation (Advanced) 20 Points

Shadow Weaving
Unlike shadow manipulation, Shadow weaving is the ability to shape or edit shadow itself, permanently altering it and binding it to your will. Weaves have the ability to move between shadows, they can be granted specific triggers that cause them to become active. The very rules of the shadow can be greatly changed, even altering how it is accessed or how well powers work there. A weave may even be set to cast shadows of itself through nearby shadows, allowing shadow traps to be triggered by any immortal passing through those shadows.

Example Weaves:

• A “pocket” shadow may be created, attached but separate from a shadow that cannot be reached by shadow walking.
• A shadow could be made to have only a single entrance, so that shadow walkers would always end up in that one location.
• A probability manipulation causing stone and wood to crumble could be sent through shadow, eventually reaching and destroying an enemy fortress.
• A shadow could be made to be less conducive to trumping, extremely limiting that powers ability there.
• A shadow trap could be set, that causes anyone moving through that shadow or nearby shadows to move through a narrow canyon that contained dangerous beasts.

Reverberations
Reverbations is the ability to read and understand the “reflections” of events and powers that are cast through shadow. Events in shadow cause waves to travel outwards, that can be sensed by the user. By focusing on these waves information can be gained, whether that is determining a general idea of what is occuring in a location, or tracking someone through shadow. If someone was to shadow walk into the shadow the Amberite was in, they would likely sense it. By listening to the waves cast by events the user may also often determine the identity behind an action. The more severe the action, the more of an impact it has and the more easily it can be studied by the Amberite.

Shadow Walking (Basic) 10 Points)

Shadow of Desire
Allows the user to greater control what sort of shadow they end up in. Rather than just walking towards and image, a the amberite may add additional details. For example, a character is looking for a shadow that contains the ruins of a previous civilization, in order to acquire golden artifacts from a temple. Someone without shadow of desire would make changes to an abandoned city, with a great temple with the roof caved in. Of course, that person didn’t know that the reason the city is abandoned is that a dragon lurks in a nearby mountain. A person with Shadow of Desire can add details that aren’t visual, like the population was destroyed by a plague long ago, the city is completely abandoned. Thus leaving much less up to chance.

Subtle Paths
The character leaves only the faintest of shadow paths that is difficult to sense or follow. In general, a character must be there within minutes of an Amberite with subtle paths shadow shift in order to locate the path. Also, even if the path is located following it is much more difficult. Subtle paths is powered by psyche and cunning.

Shadow Walking (Advanced) 10 Points

Shadow Shortcuts
The character can move to familiar locations much more quickly than they should. They are extremely adept at shifting shadow efficiently. This can be used both within and outside of a shadow, allowing extremely rapid travel from two known locations inside a shadow, as well as movement between two shadows. This power may be used in conjunction with Hell riding for even more drastic effects. Typically shadow shortcuts cut the travel time in half or more.

Destiny
The Amberite may find shadows of destiny. A shadow of destiny is simply a shadow that contains some future fate. They can be an entire shadow, or just some part of one. A bird of destiny can be found, that will find its way to someone and deliver a message. A shadow may be found that an Amberite will stumble upon in her walkings. The potency of the destiny is determined by the psyche of the character who found it.

Abstract Shadows
The user may trust to the pattern to lead them to what they are searching for. Abstract ideas such as, a place where I will be safe, or somewhere with information I need may be set as the destination. While not always reliable this effect is often quite useful, especially in gaining information about a problem.

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