Free Rebma!

"Typically it's just 'Cheap Rebma'."
Stormy, "Ill Met in Amber", ACUS 2000
Rebma and the Tritons

In the early days of Amber, Rebma was ruled over by the Tritons, who were, at the time, a race of aquatic humans who could shapeshift. Their ruler was Lir, a giant among men. He and his kind bred with those humans who immigrated from Amber. The descendants of these unions comprise the current population of Rebma.

Amber and Rebma experienced an unspoken peace between each other. Neither had anything the other really wanted, so they left each other alone. However, this eventually changed when Lir finally settled down with a bride at about the same time that Oberon married yet another woman, this one being Clarissa. Many commented on the fact that Moins, the new Queen of Rebma, bore an eerie similarity to Faiella, the previous Queen of Amber. And Oberon certainly did not let that slip his notice.

When Lir had left the city of Rebma for a diplomatic mission, Oberon crept into Rebma and seduced Moins. When Lir found out he was enraged and declared war on the kingdom above the Sea.

Much to his detriment.

The destruction in Amber was mirrored in Rebma. Lir could not act against Amber without similarly destroying his own city. Amber, on the other hand, did not have that problem and could act with impunity. Benedict, Eric and Corwin each distinguished themselves against the Tritons.

Finally Lir sued for peace. Oberon granted it. And not long afterwards Lir and all of the Tritons mysteriously left.

It was said that Lir and the Tritons were undergoing some sort of change. Had been for some time, and that the changes eventually became too much for them and they fled into seclusion off in Shadow. Moins ruled over Rebma for some time, but eventually she too abdicated and left the throne to her eldest daughter, Moire.

The Tritons’ Return

Paralleling Chaos’ war against Amber, the Tritons laid siege to the Mirror City. However, lacking such niceties as legendary generals and machine guns, they quickly fell to the horrific forces of the Tritons.

The Tritons that took Rebma were not entirely like the Tritons that had once ruled over the aquatic city. While the Tritons had once been more or less human, with the ability to change into a scary combat form when needed for war, these Tritons were entirely consumed by their demonic forms, and seemed to lack any vestige of humanity.

Also, as a big shock to all, the general of Lir’s army was Prince Nestor, second eldest child of Queen Moire who had been missing after an expedition to the Sargasso Sea.

Court of Rebma in Exile

Moire, Queen-in-Exile of Rebma

Her Majesty has taken up residence is the Eternal City, dining regularly at the Castle with Prince Gérard in hopes of gaining some aid against the Tritons. Gérard’s answer is, predictably, wanting to wait for the return of Amber’s armies before he considers such an act.

Llewella,younger sister to the Queen-in-Exile, Princess of Amber and Rebma

Llewella is somewhat chagrined to be forced into living in Amber proper. She in often seen supporting her sister is social situations.

Scylla,youngest sister to the Queen-in-Exile, Princess of Rebma

Moire’s closest friend, advisor, and relative, Scylla is the only other daughter born from Lir and Moines, conceived just before Lir’s self-imposed exile. Though younger than Llewella, she bears a much stronger claim to the throne than Oberon’s daughter. While things are amicable among the three daughters of Moins, it could fracture easily if Moire were to die...

Gradlon,sorcerer and advisor to the Queen-in-Exile

A strange and quixotic member of the Sea-Court-in-Exile, he seems to be one of the few tritons that did not join Lir in his self-imposed exile.

Lorelei,sorceress and advisor to the Queen-in-Exile

Hauntingly beautiful, this strange sorceress seems to attract suitors without appearing to try. Many have died plotting against other suitors in competition for her affections.

Selene,oracle and advisor to the Queen-in-Exile

A Rebman of purely human descent, Selene possesses some ability at prophecy. She seems often out of sync with the rest of the world, as though she only sees a different time, rather than her own.

Vaughn,Admiral of the Fleet of Rebma

Though it may at first seem absurd for Rebma to have a navy, they do in fact have one. Its purpose is primarily to patrol the waters over Rebma, ensuring its continued safety from above. With Rebma occupied at the moment, much of the fleet is docked in Amber, with only small patrols lingering behind to monitor the Tritons' activity. There are rumors that he is of Amber blood, but no one knows whose.

Dayle,daughter of Llewella

Llewella’s daughter is little seen about Amber. Shy by nature, she tends to stick close to her mother when not exploring through Shadow.

Edmund,alleged son of Brand

This red-headed member of the Sea-Court-in-Exile stands out a bit like a sore thumb. He claims to be a son of Brand, and was little heard of in Amber during his life in Rebma. However,since joining Moire in the Eternal City, he’s become the target of a fair amount of attention.

Martin,grandson of the Queen-in Exile

Random’s son occupies a strange place during Gérard’s regency. He left Rebma far behind many years prior. Barring Moire choosing a different successor, he is in direct line for the throne of Rebma. And yet he seems to have entirely turned his back on his origins, embracing the life of dry land.

Oswald,son of Scylla

A contradiction as part of the Sea-Court-in-Exile: an honorable man. While so much of the Court-in-Exile plots and schemes against each other, even as they struggle to regain their homeland, he stands aloof from it all. Taking a page from Benedicts and Gérard’s books, he has does not stoop so far as to play at intrigue like his peers.

Vialle,Wife of Prince Random

Lacking Random to give her connection to the Court of Amber, she has drifted back into association with the Rebman court.

Rebman Concepts at a Glance

  • The Rebman god/heraldic beast is the Sea-Horse.
  • The Triton god/heraldic beast is the Leviathan, a giant squid-like thing.
  • The Triton home is known as the Labyrinth, and is said to be an undersea version of the Courts of Chaos.
  • The Labyrinth is on the edge of a miles-wide whirlpool known as the Maelstrom.
  • Inside the Maelstrom is the Vortex, which is the power Tritons can initiate themselves into.
  • Generic tritons look like the Creature from the Black Lagoon. Cooler ones have bodies that implement features from various aquatic creatures.
  • The neighboring shadows Rebma trades with are called the Coral Branch. The seven shadows Hy-Brasil, Atlantis, Kêr-Is (all former islands that were brought beneath the waves for their vanity), R’em’hya (a dark and alien place inhabited by strange fish men), The Shining Isle (an island the appears infrequently near Rebma), Bottom Cantred (a city at the bottom of a deep undersea valley, “ruled” by a mad drunkard), Lyonesse (a kingdom on the bottom of a floating continent).
  • Beyond the known shadows of Rebma there is the Saragasso Sea, an entangling and confusing mish-mash of kelp-clogged shadows that overlap and twist about.
Character Types

Here are some broad character types you can play to help you get an idea for what you want to play.

Rebman: This is the most obvious one. You are a native of Rebma. You want to help Rebma. If you are descended from Lir, you may take Reflected Pattern (see below). You get to start with a mirrorwrighted pocket mirror.

Triton: You are a young triton, and do not like the path things are taking with your brethern. So, you want to help Moire get back her kingdom. In the process, you hope to learn what horrible fate may befall you. You have access to Shapeshifting and Vortex initiation, and may start play with a mirrorwrighted pocket mirror.

Royal Amberite: You are descended from the Royal Family of Amber, and the Rebman plight has touched upon your heartstrings. Or you're bored and want to beat up fishmen. You have access to all the normal Ambery things, and may start play with a standard Amber trump deck. (Note, this does not include people like Martin, Merlin, or other younger children of Amber).

Lord of Chaos/Demon: So, there you were, in Amber, deep infiltration mission, and then some big shadowstorm comes along and wipes out the Black Road. You've come to find that you are entirely cut off from your home. So, you're having to play nice with the locals, or hide in shadow. This game assumes the former. You have access to the usual Chaos/Demon abilities. You may start play with a trump deck for your Chaos House, which does not work.

Other: The above options do not cover the breadth of characters available. Other options include human natives of Amber, Golden Circle representatives, Coral Branch representatives, random shmoe from shadow. ("Yeah, so this guy comes up, says he's my god, wants me to fight his evil brother. Whatever. I just want to get back to frickin' Ri'ik.)

New Things to Spend Points On

New Allies

An Ally in Rebma – 1 point
This is someone of some prominence in Rebma, who does in fact still live there, but is not part of the Sea-Court.

Family Friend – 2 points
This is a member of the Sea-Court in Exile.

Triton Blood – 3 points
Grants the player an ally or some blood connection among the tritons.

Rebman Court Devote – 4 points
As Family Friend, but more intently dedicated to the character.

New Powers

Reflected Pattern Imprint – 35 points

Those who have only walked Rebma’s Pattern have some pluses and minuses. On the one hand, the Reflected Pattern is not as powerful as Amber’s, and you cannot as easily access shadows cast by Amber’s Pattern. However, initiates of Amber’s Pattern cannot access those aquatic shadows cast by Rebma nearly as easily, while it is easiest for Reflected Pattern initiates to travel through these areas.

  • Travel through shadow: As with normal Pattern, but usually underwater.
  • Create Mirror Images of Items: Able to mold shadow-stuff into mundane duplicates of items or creatures you are familiar with.
  • Warping Reflections: You can change crude physical characteristics of objects and places in shadow, as though they had been passed through a fun-house mirror.
Advanced Reflected Pattern Imprint – 50 points
  • Freezing Items or Characters: Stops a character or item. Does not stop time around them, so a flying bird will fall, etc.
  • Advanced Perceptions: Create a window through shadow which allows you to search for things.
  • Reflected Shadows: You may mold a shadow so that it exactly duplicates another shadow. This can only be done on a small scale. It allows you to observe the events in the mirrored shadow, as though you were in the original shadow.
Mirror Pattern - 10 Points
Advanced Mirror Pattern - 25 points

These are the flawed shadows of the Reflected Pattern. They look much like the Reflected Pattern, but some of the lines waver, and multiple paths can be traced through it. Only one path is the proper one, and it changes regularly. Power functions as Broken Pattern.

Vortex – 45 points

This is the power of the tritons, similar to Logrus, but with a more aquatic/Cthulian feel to it.

  • Tentacles of the Leviathan: Similar to Logrus tendrils, except that it only works underwater, and it occasionally eats items.
  • Magical Vision: You can create a lens of water, and either use it for magical vision, or else send it out along a tentacle to spy in other shadows. Again: must be underwater.
  • Movement through Shadow: Slide along your merry tentacles!
  • Creating the “Eye” of the Storm: Surround yourself with a whirling mass of destructive energy, which shunts matter it touches into the Maelstrom.
  • Inflicting Horror: You can summon up the energy of the Leviathan about you, driving fear into the hearts of those who perceive you.
Advanced Vortex – 65 points
  • Summon the Maelstrom: You can summon up a whirling cone of force, in or out of water, that runs amok and sucks things into the Maelstrom.
  • Blackness of the Leviathan: This summons an inky cloud of magical blackness. This can be done in or out of water.
  • Corruption: You can weaken things in shadow, the mental health of a person, or even entire shadows. This takes time.
  • Project Awareness Through Shadow: You can extend your tendrils through all of shadow, and extend your awareness there. You can create magical, but not physical effects. Do not leave your body in a bad place.
Mirror Wrighting – 35 points

This is the Rebman answer to Trump Artistry. It allows the user to forge magical mirrors that allow connections with other mirrors. These mirrors are capable of contacting other similarly enchanted mirrors, and transporting people between them. Though it doesn't create an actual gate, you need to be able to fit your body through the mirror. For a personal mirror that you can find in shadow if lost, it costs 2 points.

  • Create Mirrors: This allows you to enchant mirrors while forging them. It takes a few days to a week to create a mirror.
  • Mirror Spying: You can listen in on conversations taking place over mirrors.
  • Block Mirrors: You can turn off a mirror, or hide it from detection.
  • Enchant Normal Mirrors: This is like a Trump Sketch. Only you use it on a mirror.
  • Fortunetelling: You can gain vague, and rarely useful visions from mirrors.
  • Recognizing Enchanted Mirrors: You can detect magics used upon mirrors.
Advanced Mirror Wrighting – 50 points
  • Psychic Contact: You can make psychic contact through a mirror.
  • Mirror Transportation: You can transport yourself to mirrors that are not enchanted, provided you are familiar with the mirror.
  • Substitute Mirror: You can use any reflective surface as a mirror.
  • Reflection Storage: You can store reflections in a mirror, and summon them back for various purposes. These include:
    • Playing back conversations. They cannot be rewound or fast forwarded, but they can be paused.
    • Summoning non-magical copies of items.
    • Summoning clones of people.
    • Creating a disguise.
  • Enter the Reflected Plane within the Mirror: This allows you to enter the Shroud.
  • Mirror Prisons: You can trap a person within a reflection of a room.
Adaptation – 10 points

A limited version of Shapeshifting, this is possessed by many of the natives of Rebma. It allows one to survive underwater. Specifically:

  • Breath Underwater: You don’t grow gills, you just process oxygen out of water.
  • Enhanced Swimming Ability: Your muscles and joints subtly change to allow you to swim better.
  • Immunity to Cold: This mostly protects you against deep-ocean temperature. Absurd ranks in Endurance allow you to handle sub-freezing temperature.
  • Resistance to Extreme Pressures: Again, Endurance allows you to handle more pressure.
  • Enhanced Vision: Your eyes are able to see in minimal light, such as in the depths of the ocean. They also can close off quickly, protecting you from bright light.
  • Advanced Hearing: You hear well underwater.
  • Directional Sense: Gives you a sense of direction traveled and depth.
  • Increased Touch Sense: You can feel motion about you. This ability is hindered by clothing and being out of water.
Empathy – 25 points

This is Psyche plus. You can reach out your mind to contact other minds. However, it also means opening up your mind for Psychic mayhem.

  • Empathic Link: You can make an Empathic contact with people. The range is roughly a mile, though if you have a live view of the target (closed-circuit television, Trump, Mirror Scrying), then the range is effectively infinite. The initial contact makes you incredibly vulnerable.
  • Sense Psyche: You can sense the presence of Psychic auras.
  • Recognize Aura: You can recognize the aura of a person familiar to you, even if they are disguised, invisible, or unseen. You can also detect their auras on items they use regularly.
  • Sense Surface Thoughts: A non-obtrusive scan of a person’s mind, picking up merely the surface thoughts. Requires a link.
  • Empathic Probing: Blatant probing of ongoing thought processes.
  • Psychic Neutral: You can mask your Psychic presence.
  • Sense Psychic Qualities: You can tell if someone has psychic abilities of some sort.
  • Psychic Communication: You can convey simple messages over a strong empathic link.
  • Emotional Manipulation: You can either project an emotion over a link and hope it sticks, or you can dredge up bad memories. The latter is impossible against an unwilling target.
Advanced Empathy – 45 points
  • Empathic Healing: When under the care of an empath, a character can heal faster, as though they had a higher Endurance Rank. An empath cannot use this power on himself.
  • Drain and Lend Psychic Energy: As the name implies. You can only drain a creature to unconsciousness.
  • Shapeshift Aura: As the Shapeshifting ability.
  • Mind Reading: Full tilt brain pillaging. Requires close proximity.
  • Mind Control: Allows Psychic to plant “post-hypnotic suggestions”. These cannot be blatantly against the victim’s personality.
  • Limited Procognition: Vague, occasionally useful visions.
Power Words

Here is a list of new power words culled from the book.

  • Heat Water
  • Chill Water
  • Mirror Fog (breaks mirror connection)
  • Force Wave (small wave of force)
  • Poison Negation
  • Dry
  • Slow Water
  • Burst of Air
  • Echo (a powerful wave of sound)
  • Luminescence (creates bright, shiny particles)
  • Mudstorm (kicks up debris/mud on the ground, nasty in an underground cave)
  • Slick