Arcadia
Introduction:
The land of the Fey has many names. Arcadia and Faerie are the names given to it by the mortals, while the Fey call themselves Alfar, and the land is the Alfar realm. The Fey are split into two halves - the Ljosalfar (light elves) and the Dokkalfar (dark elves). While the Ljosalfar are often stereotyped as 'good', and the Dokkalfar as 'evil', this is not quite true. However, the Ljosalfar have a strong sense of racial unity - even the ambitious ones of their kind will only go so far to gain power. The Dokkalfar have no such restrictions, and believe in rule by the one most fit to do so.
The Shadow closest to Arcadia is called Earth, or the land of the Sciplings by the Alfar. The landscape actually mirrors the land of Faerie, though it seems mundane in comparison. Stone circles, called standing stones, are placed at identical points at various places in each realm. Anyone who knows the proper method of using these standing stones can transport themselves from one land to the other. The Scipling lands have a strong Norse flavor (as does Arcadia itself), and the realm is in the midst of the Viking era.
The Alfar:
The standard Alfar is born with magic in his veins. All have the power of Mantic Manipulation from birth. In addition, each has a 'fetch' - an animal that is a reflection of the Alfar's spirit. This spirit animal can occasionally be seen when the Alfar is sick or dying, and always is in a similar condition. Furthermore, some Alfar can voluntarily enter their fetch, or be forced in involuntarily by such circumstances as powerful magic or a botched spell. The 'escape spell', known by many Alfar, throws the caster into their fetch for a time, in order for the Alfar to escape dangerous situations. The fetch is usually found a few miles away, though the distance depends on the power of the spell and the level of danger involved. Until the Alfar recovers, they stay in fetch form and are often influenced by the animal's mindset. Depending on GM preference, a fetch can be bought either as Shapeshift with a single alternate form, a 2-pt contact, or even given for free (if the fetch gives no real benefits).
Many Alfar are proficient with magic, particularly elemental magic. The Ljosalfar prefers magics of air and fire, while the Dokkalfar prefer magics of water and earth. In Arcadia, these magics can be performed without having to 'hang' spells, though they take slightly longer to use than standard spells with lynchpins. Illusion is considered part of both air and water magics, and the Alfar have a particular affinity for it. A rarer form of magic used is runic magic, which function similar to standard Ritual Magic and Sorcery (including the process of hanging spells). Runic Mages often have Conjuration, to make pre-carved runes capable of releasing spells.
Arcadia's Broken Pattern:
There is a hidden place, in a magical cavern hidden by strong glamours, where the High Lords claim the power of their bloodline. There are two entrances to this cave. The first goes upward to the Pentacle of Light (a star-shaped pattern of stones similar to Stonehenge, but more ornate and filled with rune carvings). The second heads downward to the Halls of Night. There is a Tradition, unbroken to this day, that keeps the High Lords from interfering with each other in this place. Some say that this Tradition is enforced by a mighty geas, that will strike down anyone who breaks it.
The Broken Pattern is unique among the Nine, in that it has two different types of Flaws - one of glowing white, and the other pitch black. The flaws comes close to each other, but never cross, and both provide an unbroken route to the center. The Flaws must be walked at the appropriate time - daylight for the Flaw of Light, and nighttime for the Flaw of Darkness. Otherwise, the Flaw in question may be too weak, and the walker will touch the part of the Pattern that the Flaw normally covers.
For most, the Flaws are just as hard to traverse as a regular Broken Pattern, if not harder. However, the elven High Lords have an affinity to one of the two Flaws, and death in traversing the design is rare for them. It is possible for a High Lord of one heritage to traverse the opposite Flaw and survive. However, the few who have are viewed with suspicion by their own kind. It is believed no one can survive attunement to both Flaws - this is not quite true. However, the initiate doing so cannot treat both Flaws as whole at the same time. Thus, a 'dual initiate' can use the powers of Light, or the powers of Darkness, but never both at once.
The danger in using Arcadia's Broken Pattern is not the flaw traversed, but its opposite. To the initiate, the image of the Pattern is flawed by the opposite break (the black path for the way of Light, and the white path for the way of Darkness). The break they have walked is in the image, but acts just as if it is actually part of the Pattern. The break not traversed can show up in anything the initiate does, but most commonly appears when dealing with matters relating to it (see below).
Walkers of the path of Light are commonly called Champions of the Light or Wielders of the Flame. In contrast, walkers of the path of Darkness are called Knight of Darkness or Shapers of Shadow. The Flaw of Light is associated with such things as sunlight, fire and healing. The Flaw of Darkness is associated with such things as shadow, cold, and necromancy. Both have an affinity for illusions and compulsions. Those following the Path of Light are far more likely to draw forth the Flaw in place of cold and darkness, while those of the Path of Darkness draw the Flaw most in sunlight, or when using magical healing (or being healed by such).
The Flaw appears to the initiate as either a bright or dark chasm, depending on the path they have traversed (dark for the Path of Light, bright for the Path of Darkness). Its effects are similar to that of the prime Broken Pattern - when it manifests, the user must immediately drop the power or risk annihilation by the Flaw in question.
Dual Initiation:
The cost of being an initiate goes up to 30 points if the initiate has traversed both Flaws. Adepts traversing both Flaws must pay 45 points.
Initiate of Light/Darkness (25 points):
ShadowWalking (Both)
Though this is one of the basic powers imbued by the Broken Pattern, the full capabilities are not generally known among the fey. Only a handful have used it to travel further than the mortal realm immediately adjacent to Arcadia. The few that have traveled through Shadow have felt a compulsion to keep this secret, even from their own kind. HellRiding is part of this power, as is finding Shadows of Desire. However, Probability Manipulation and Shadow Resources are not. Leading Others through Shadow is limited by the initiate's PSY - an Amber rank can take one other with him, as an example.
Because fully half of the Pattern is unbroken to the initiate, it is possible to progress closer to Amber than Arcadia itself, though it is as risky as HellRiding. Theoretically, the initiate can travel all the way to the first image of the Broken Pattern, though none have done so. The Flaw can manifest when traveling, especially in areas likely to provoke it. Thus, those using the Path of Light generally travel through warm, sunlit areas, while those using the Path of Darkness prefer cold, overcast nights.
The Sight (Both)
High Lords of the Alfar generally have Magic Intution, which gives them the ability to see through lesser Glamours (if their skill is greater than that of the one creating the Glamour). A initiate of Arcadia's Pattern can automatically see through lesser Glamours and other Sorcery-created illusions, and has a chance of penetrating greater Glamours created by an Adept of the Broken Pattern. With Magic Intuition (which most High Lords have), this ability can be called up at a moment's notice, and takes almost no effort to use.
Glamours (Both)
All Alfar have some ability with illusion magics (called lesser Glamours). However, an Initiate of Light or Darkness can draw upon the Broken Pattern in conjunction with their own abilities to create greater Glamours, which cannot be pierced by mere Magic Intuition. It takes a Lens or the equivalent to see through such creations of illusion. Note that illusion is not limited to sight - full-sensory illusions are common among the fey, for such things as creating grand feasts from common fare and turning a rickety shack into a palace. Large effects are easier to pierce than small ones - if the Initiate overreaches himself, even Magic Intuition may be sufficient to see through the illusion. Those without natural abilities with illusion can create lesser Glamours with the Broken Pattern alone, or greater Glamours by means of Ritual Magic.
Healing (Light)
Initiates of Light can heal wounds and diseases, both their own and those of others. However, this is draining, as the initiate draws upon his own energies to achieve this effect. It is even possible for the Initiate to die from overexertion, as they attempt to heal a wound that is too great for their abilities. Death cannot be healed - once the soul leaves the body (or the echo of the person's existence in Shadow begin to fade), only the powers of Darkness can bring it back.
Necromancy (Darkness)
Initiates of Darkness have power over both the dead and the near-dead. With effort, a person can be kept alive despite a fatal wound, though they will not be healed of their injuries. The recently dead can be spoken with, as the Initiate percieves the echoes of their existence in Shadow. With the use of Ritual Magic, it is even possible to animate a corpse, and have it continue to exist for a time outside of the Shadow. Shadow Manipulation and/or Conjuration will enhance this even further.
[Plot idea: A Knight of Darkness finds a power source in Shadow. Though wounded to the point of death, he keeps himself alive with Necromancy, using the power source as fuel for the effect. It's about the closest thing the Amber genre would have to a Lich. One that has power over Shadow, no less...]
Adept of Light/Darkness (40 points):
Spell Rack (Both)
This is similar to the spell rack provided by other Broken Patterns. However, since the Adept can hang spells on the Flaw they have an attunement to, the spells generally last longer than they do with other Broken Pattern imprints. An extra lynchpin is recommended to check for the Flaw, if the spells racked do not deal with the Adept's strengths (light and fire for an Adept of Light, cold and darkness for an Adept of Darkness).
Calling the Flame (Light)
Adepts of Light have a particular affinity for light and fire magic, to the point where energies from the Broken Pattern can be weaved into their spells. Thus, spells using light and fire (including illusions) can be created without requiring the 'Magic of Shadow' lynchpin. With a great expenditure of energy (similar to that needed to create a Trump Gate), light and fire can be called forth without a racked spell. Without Mantic Manipulation, control is limited to overt uses of the energies, such as blasts of light or fire. With Mantic Manipulation, small effects can be done without too great of a drain, and more complex manipulations are possible. Examples include creating a small globe of light in one hand (slightly draining), keeping a person warm in cold weather (moderately draining), or encircling somone in a wall of fire (greatly draining).
Drawing the Dark (Darkness)
Adepts of Darkness have a particular affinity for cold and darkness, to the point where energies from the Broken Pattern can be weaved into their spells. Thus, spells using cold and darkness (including illusions) can be created without requiring the 'Magic of Shadow' lynchpin. With a great expenditure of energy (similar to that needed to create a Trump Gate), cold and darkness can be called forth without a racked spell. Without Mantic Manipulation, control is limited to overt uses of the energies, such as blasts of cold or clouds of darkness. With Mantic Manipulation, small effects can be done without too great of a drain, and more complex manipulations are possible. Examples include chilling the water in a glass (slightly draining), covering a room in darkness (moderately draining), or encasing someone in bonds of ice (greatly draining).
Geasa (Both)
The greatest power available to an Adept is the Geas. A derivative of the dreaded Amberite blood curse, the geas is both less powerful and more accessable. To lay a geas on another, one of the following conditions must be met. First, the target may choose to accept the geas freely. If the target pledges service or swears an oath in the Adept's presence, the Adept can use this power to enforce such an oath. Second, if the target is helpless to resist, a ceremony in conjunction with Ritual Magic can implant the geas. In this case, the geas is easier to fight, and can be overcome with a Psychic contest. In addition, since a magical link is used with this variety of geas, dispelling the link will also free the target. Such magic is harded to dispel than normal Ritual Magic. Finally, similar to an Amberite, a geas can be pronounced when the Adept is near death.
The target must be in the Adept's presence for all version of the geas. The geas is a combination of compulsion and harm. The target feels a need to complete the task set, as long as the goal is within the bounds of the target to achieve. Should the target ignore this need, their body turns against them, as they grow sickly and eventually die. In game terms, this is a progressive loss of Endurance. Geasa become weaker the further away in Shadow from the location they were pronounced, and can be resisted or even broken if the task is diametrically opposed to the target's personality.