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Magic in Amber

The original Sable Magic System was designed to power a magical based society and the technology therein, in conjunction with actual technology, and is capable of rather more than the normal ADRPG version of sorcery. The Crown Casino Game uses this same principle. The magic itself comes from the internal power of the mage themself, rather than reliance on an external force, with the variations in spells and specialities being related to how the internal magical energy is directed. Because of this, Talented mages often need a higher endurance than many other practitioners of magic.

Until the reign of King Random, magic was something of a niche area of study in Greater Amber, not helped by its proximity to the Pattern, which meant that magic was hard to work within Amber itself, although it became easier as the mage moved out into the Golden Circle. However, when His Majesty adjusted the tech level in Amber, he also strengthened magic with respect to its use in magical technology. This is all still quite new, however, so attitudes towards magic, and its casting are somewhat under development.

The “Talent” is the name for the genetic mutation that gives mages the means to cast their magic, and is therefore at the very heart of society. On rare occasions, a person can learn spells if the Talent isn’t present but they have a particularly strong will, but they will only ever manage to attain the lowest degree of magical education. With respect to Character Creation, the Talent works slightly differently in Amber than in Chaos. All descendents of Oberon have the Talent, and this is activated when they walk the Pattern. However, they can’t automatically use magic, unless they are trained to do so. They can also exhibit Sensitive abilities.

There are different levels of ability in this form of magic, but the basic theory is that for varying amounts of points spent over the basic 15, the mage’s potential is greater. Magic becomes far more rapid (instead of 45 minutes to an hour, casting time drops to from 10 minutes to just a minute or two to cast) and does not need lynch-pins. Spells can be racked mentally, with a maximum of 10-12 spells rackable at any given time, although these do need to be maintained. The time required for this varies depending on the skill and strength of the mage.

Within Greater Amber, children are now tested at 13-14, as part of their Secondary School eduction. Any children who are found to have it are encouraged to study – especially now Random has brought a Steampunk aspect into Amber, along with making magical technology easier to build and maintain. In addition, those who do not have the Talent per se, or who have failed to complete a full course of study, but have the strength of will to manage the simpler magics, are also encouraged to bring out their potential.

Tests are carried out by the Amber Arcane Oversight Board, which serves as the governing body for Amber residents and visitors that undertake arcane work, and especially magic. The Board comprises:

  • HM Queen Vialle
  • HRH Princess Fiona, Mistress of the Arcane
  • Duke Artur Acker, Lord Mayor of Amber
  • Thaddeus, High Priest of the Unicorn
  • Doctor Meiriona Naughton, Head of the Faculty of Magic at the University of Amber
  • William Roth, Chief Counsel to the Court of Amber

With the exception of William Roth, these individuals are trained to look within the mind of a subject to see if the genetic trigger that will allow the Talent to develop is present. They are also trained to identified Sensitives.

During their studies in magic, would-be mages are taught to behave in a responsible way in their magical dealings, and are left with no illusions about the strict penalties they will incur should they ignore their responsibilities, or flaunt the laws governing mages and magical workings. On graduation, they are expected to swear an oath to uphold their responsibilities, and to obey the rules mages should live by, as set by the Board.

The Faculty of Magic

The Amber University Faculty of Magic is the only location within Greater Amber where students can be taught magic. In addition, at the present time, it is offering four courses: Operation of Magical Technology; Magical Technology for the Talented, which covers the basics of mech-tech magic, and lasts one year; Advanced Magical Technology for the Talented, a two-year extension course including Conjuration; and a full Bachelor of Magic Degree, which grounds the mage in the various different classes of magic, and takes five years.

For students who wish to study further, the Amber Faculty of Magic has an agreement with the Somerton Mage College, located on the Veil 3 Golden Circle world of Beighton. The Somerton Mage College offers both Masters and Doctorate programmes.

On graduation, all mages are given a mage’s Signet, which acts as their licence to practise magic within Amber. In addition to being the mage’s license, the Signet is the focus which the majority of mages use to store and rack spells if they cannot do so mentally.

Signets are built by certain of professors within the Faculty and are personalised to each individual student, so that he/she and only he/she can wear and use that Signet.

Available Courses

Operation of Magical Technology

This is a three-month course for those who have just enough Talent to operate magi-tech machinery to a degree that they could work with it as a job. Cost: 5pt.

Magical Technology for the Talented (MTech)

Studying for an MTech takes one year. During the course, the student will be taught the fundamentals underlying technology (physics, chemistry, biology, mechanics, etc), and the magical means to bring such effects about. An MTech graduate finishes the course with the equivalent of a partial specialisation in Mech-tech/Industrial magic. Cost: 10pt.

Advanced Magical Technology for the Talented (AMTech)

Studying for an AMTech takes two years, over and above the basic course. It teaches both advanced scientific techniques with respect to magic, and also introduces the student to Conjuration. An AMTech graduate finishes the course with the equivalent of a full specialisation in mech-tech/industrial magic and partial expertise in conjuration. Cost: 15pt.

Bachelor of Magic (BMg)

Studying for a Bachelor of Magic degree takes five years (assuming no resits). The course gives the would-be mages a theoretical and practical grounding in all the various types of magic. In addition, they have instilled into them the responsibilities that must be undertaken when they graduate.

At the end of the five-year course, they graduate as a Bachelor of Magic, with a basic competence in all the classes of magic, and one or two “partial” specialisations. It also incorporates the basic “Operating Magical Technology” course. Cost: 15pt (includes spell rack)

Master of Magic (MMg) and Doctor of Magic (DMg)

Advanced magical courses can be taken at the Somerton Mage College, located on the Veil 3 Golden Circle world of Beighton. These allow the student to specialise further, but cannot be achieved without a stronger-than-normal Talent. However, they are not available to start-up characters within the Crown Casino game.

The Amber Arcane Oversight Board

As well as being responsible for the testing of young Amber residents, the Amber Arcane Oversight Board deals with magical infractions in Amber. At present, this is an important job, as the guidelines for mages living and operating in Amber are still in development.

To this end, it makes the laws by which the mages live – over and above the normal rule of law in Amber; investigates breaches of those laws (such as using spells recklessly, or mentally interfering with another person, either Talented or non-Talented); and dispenses justice when necessary.

Penalties for breaking the laws range from a temporary or permanent blocking of the Talent, to imprisonment and death for particularly heinous crimes such as ritual black magic and necromancy.

All mages have their own specific magical signature, which is a factor of the mage’s psyche and training/magical education. The Committee keeps a record of all signatures of mages who have graduated from the Helgram Academy. To attempt to change one’s magical signature is very difficult and technically illegal.

Sensitives

Occasionally, someone will be found who is either exceedingly weakly Talented – i.e their Talent isn’t strong enough even to train as the most basic kind of mage – or perhaps has a flawed Talent, which is strong but for some reason cannot be trained by normal means, but who demonstrates some kind of unusual affinity or ability. This may be an ability they have from birth, or it may develop in later life due to specific stresses or experiences. These individuals are known as Sensitives.

Sensitive abilities can take a number of different forms: examples include the ability to feel magical or other arcane emanations, to unerringly spot black magic and its practitioners, being particularly empathic as far as feeling strong emotions in others, an affinity for the psychic without actually being able to cast spells, being able to seek for something or attune to something and know where it is thereafter, or have what is known in common parlance as Second Sight. There are even some mages who demonstrate the characteristics of Sensitives, which has led to further debate on the nature of this particular ability. All Sensitives have enough ability to be able to take the Operation of Magical Technology course.