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All Amberites, due to their heritage, are far above what we would consider normal in virtually all respects. Physically, mentally, and mystically, Amberites wield power far beyond an ordinary human. Those of Royal Blood have power over Shadow, and thus power over those within it. However, no power comes without some cost.
The Royal Blood of Amber is very potent, and very dominant in many respects. Amberites, for the most part, appear very much like humans of Shadow, their bodies nearly perfect and highly efficient. It is thought that the creation of Amber itself was the cause for the beginnings of the human race. However, since Amberites do not mate with themselves, all of Shadow provides many potential differences. One of the Princesses, Llewella, has green hair and skin, but otherwise appears quite human. Depending on the Shadow, one's appearance can be of great help, or of great trouble. Appearance is surprisingly not dominant from the Amberite's blood. However, physique is.
All Amberites are fantastically strong. Even the weakest among them would find few humans who could test their mettle. This does not mean that Amberites are overly muscular, though some are. Nor does it imply that they are supermen, able to heft trains and mountains. An Amberite's muscle and bone structure are naturally denser and more refined, thus allowing them to use more power. One of average Amberite strength could lift a recliner chair and throw it across a room with only a slight effort.
Amberites are extremely healthy, and can go for days without rest if need be. And though they can go without food for a while, when they do eat, they eat vast amounts. Not only is this endurance handy, it is oft-times necessary, for some trips through Shadow could take weeks.
Wounds always heal quickly, from minutes for small scratches to days, weeks, or even months for heavier wounds. Besides this, bodily parts have been known to regenerate. The rate of healing depends on the individual. Corwin grew back his eyes fully in five years time, though Benedict lost his arm decades ago, and it has been only within recent years that it has grown back.
Another side effect of this increased durability and regenerative capability is that Amberites are extremely long-lived. Dworkin created Amber millenia ago, and he was quite old then. The Princes and Princesses are centuries old themselves. The actual lifespan, if there is one, is unknown.
To manipulate and use the powers one may have, an Amberite's will and concentration have to be legendary. To travel through Shadow, concentrating only on one item without distraction is all but impossible to those of lesser minds. If mental contact is made with another being, a battle of wills can take place, and it is possible for an Amberite to take control of another person, or be taken over themselves.
There is a difference between what is considered skill and what is considered talent amongst Amberites. Due to their longevity, Amberites have decades, even centuries to learn skills of anykind, if they have the desire for it. They are not necessarily more intelligent than humans and the like, it is only that they have lived for so long, and travelled to many places, that they know quite a lot. Almost all Amberites are certified doctors, given the inherent distrust they have for each other. Most are skilled with at least one melee weapon, though usually more, and a number do not stop there, going on to guns and the like. However, even without training in a weapon, most Amberites show a particular knack for them, from their experience with other weapons, and from their own natural grace, another by-product of a finely-tuned physique.
An Amberite can learn whatever they wish, merely by travelling to a shadow where the skill is taught, though this does not mean they know everything. Usually far from it. Remember that Amberites are people as well, with likes and dislikes, and full blown personalities, plus few and far between are patient Amberites. With infinity to explore and interact with, they are not likely going to spend their time learning something they will never use or have an inclination for.
Deep in the depths of Castle Amber, within a secret room that is locked from the outside, lies the Pattern. The Pattern is a glowing spiral of power created by Dworkin to impose reality and stability to the universe. Only those of Royal Blood may step upon the Pattern and hope to live, all others will be vapourized. Once stepped upon, the Amberite must continue towards the center, following the Pattern. There is no turning back. As well, one wrong step will eradicate the walker. Blue sparks flare up with each step, sometimes intense enough to obscure the walker from observers. An Amberite's will needs to be strong, not only to not take distraction from the sparks, but to surpass three mental barriers along the path, called Veils. The First Veil is nearly impossible to make way through, and the next two are even more difficult. If one can successfully navigate the Third Veil, they will arrive in the centre of the Pattern, gaining full insight into the nature of reality. The primary use of the Pattern is to travel through Shadow.
Perhaps the most evident use of the Pattern is the ability to travel through Shadow. To do so requires immense amounts of concentration, for one must focus on their surroundings and slowly makes changes to it. This process, though slow, is usually quite pleasant, and is sometimes referred to as the Royal Way. As one changes their surroundings, they in actuality shift to a nearby shadow, one in which the changes exist. Thus, one could be travelling through a field of red poppies, and change one to blue, then followed by another blue poppy, and so on. As with all Shadow shifting, the closer one gets to Amber, the harder, and thus longer, it is to change one's surroundings.
In order to begin to shift Shadows, there are two conditions which must be met. The first is that the Amberite must actually physically move. This is usually done by walking or riding a horse. However, it can be done from vehicles such as cars and planes. If such vehicles are used, however, one must be careful. Each Shadow has its own unique set of physical laws. If one should shift a plane into a realm where combustion doesn't exist, or flight is somehow made impossible, the results could be most disastrous. The speed at which one travels with this method depends on the speed of their movement. One can shift faster on a horse than by foot. Also, the skill of the Shadow shifter will aid in speed as well. But the use of the Royal Way is usually not one of the utmost urgency. The other condition is that the Amberite must actually be able to see the environment that they are changing. If an Amberite has been blinded, using the Pattern to shift Shadow would be impossible.
It should be remembered that for some shadows, there are only certain ways to reach it. If an enemy knows you are heading for a certain realm in Shadow, and knows the paths to get there, they may set traps and the like along the way to stop you. For Amber, there are only two ways. Either through the Forest Arden, or upon the Great Sea. But, as an old adage say, "All roads lead to Amber."
Also, if one has the need to, they can lead others through Shadow besides just themselves, our their mount. Whole armies have been led through Shadow in this way, though the larger the number of being brought by the Shadow shifter, the longer it takes. Corwin and Bleys took weeks marching to Amber, where they lost many thousands of troops to the dangers of the shadows they passed through.
Sometimes, one must reach a shadow as quickly as possible, whether to stop something from happening, or to get away from someone else. Rather than the leisurely pace of the Royal Way, one may instead skip through hundreds of shadows in minutes, though such a harrowing experience is referred to as Hellriding.
To Hellride, an Amberite rather than slowly changing details to their surroundings instead concentrates intensely on one detail and quickly and drastically changes everything else. This makes for a harrowing, and potentially dangerous, trip through Shadow. Since the Amberite is concentrating only on one detail, dangers and threats can appear if one shifts to such a shadow. Luckily, when Hellriding, one only enters a shadow for a fraction of a second, shimmering for an instant before moving on to the next shadow. To Hellride, one must travel quickly, and the usual method is for one to use a horse. Vehicles, though they would be exceedingly useful, are prone to failing should one enter a shadow where they no longer function. With horses, they must be specially trained to withstand the rigors of a Hellride, for otherwise the horse could not possibly withstand such a ride.
There is a third way to trvel through Shadow via the Pattern. Once an Amberite arrives in the center of the Pattern, they may ask the Pattern to take them to any place they can envision, and be instantly transported there. Any place in Shadow can thus be accessed, provided an image can be brought to mind.
One's power over Shadow extends to more than just being able to travel through it. Power over Shadow means just that, power. If one so desired, they may affect events, people and things that exist within a shadow itself. If one happens to need some money, they may search their pockets and lo and behold, the money will be there, as if it had always been. Amberites have been known to mold things from Shadow. Julian's horse Morgenstern is said to have been created from the stuff of Shadow by his own will. Of course, one could just shift shadows slightly to be in a shadow where the event or influence occurs as desired. As with all things, there are always more than one way to do things.
A power of great mystery, and potency. The ability to draw an image and mystically form a connection to is. It's greatest use is through a deck of cards, similar to a tarot deck, into which the images of fellow Amberites have been inscribed. By concentrating upon the image, the card will grow cold, and a telepathic link can be made with the one whose image is on the card. The cards themselves are called Trumps, and the act of contacting someone is called trumping. Though it is said any may use the Trumps, only those with the power of the Pattern or the Logrus may actually design and create them. The cards themselves are quite invulnerable, and no force yet has been found to destroy them.
One feels a slight itch at the back of their mind when someone tries to trump them, but need not answer the call. Only a Trump Artist with the greatest of wills can force such a contact, and even then the victim's mind must be weak. As well, unless possessing of a highly trained mind, one will have no knowledge of who is attempting to contact them until they open themselves to the call, and then it could be too late. Once the mind is open, it may be difficult if not impossible to close if the caller is not who was expected. Once contact has been made, the two in contact can talk to one another, or if one's desires are more devious, engage in a battle of wills. While in contact, one sees the image come to life, becoming like a hologram of the person contacted. Facial expressions and objects nearby may be seen through the contact, whether desired or not. To break contact, one usually places a hand over the image on the card.
The second greatest use of Trumps is the ability to form a Trump Gate, a portal through Shadow between the two in contact. Through this gate any number of persons or objects may be passed, including either of the two in contact. When one steps through the gate, aided by the one on the other side, they disappear in a rainbow shimmer, appearing instantly where the other is standing.
Places may also be contacted, though obviously no communication or the like is possible. But it does allow for one to step through and appear at the location in the image. Great care must be taken, for the image must be true to the location for the Trump to function. If a location changes constantly, no Trump can be drawn of it.
Expert Trump Artists may also sketch temporary Trumps on virtually any surface. Powered by the creator's will, almost anyone or anything can be contacted. How long the Trump lasts depends on how long the drawing does. And while all Amberites can use Trumps, very few can actually draw and create them, a skill that must be learned at the feet of Dworkin, if he can be found.
A common ability amongst denizens of the Courts of Chaos. As all Amberites are also descendents from those of the Courts, they too may have the potential to alter their bodies to their whim, though it is exceedingly rare for them to do so. Whether it is just that none have thought to explore such an ability, or just a preference for their inherent form, only Dworkin and Oberon were known to shapeshift amongst Amberites. Animals and demonic forms also seem to be preferred, but the limits, if any, are unknown. It is said that one can even create forms from a few droplets of their own blood.
Shapeshifting is not without its inherent dangers, however. Too much shapeshifting can overtax the user's nervous system, leaving them unable to change shape until rested, or worse, sending their system into overdrive. If this happens, their body shifts uncontrollably, the Chaos within the shifter runs rampant throughout them. As with all abilities, this one needs to be used with the greatest of care.
It is worth mentioning here the Courts of Chaos' compliment to the Pattern. Deep within the Courts lies the Logrus, an ever shifting, constantly changing maze. To gain its power, one must successfully pass through the maze. Failure is common, and Logruswalkers have been known to go insane trying to find their way through.
The power of Logrus is much more physical that Pattern, and like the Chaos from which it has come, is not as predictable. Because it is more physical, it can mistakenly be thought of as more powerful than Pattern. One may extend Logrus tendrils to manipulate objects from a distance, or to search through Shadow for objects or places, either bringing it to the user, or the user to it. The Logrus Master must be as specific as possible, otherwise the object they get may not be the one they searched for.
Though Magic has its usefulness, it is not as common as one might think. To learn spells and conjuration, one must study for years upon years, and few Amberites have such patience. Spells also need qualifiers before they can be cast, such as who or what the spell is targetting, for how long the spell will last, and the like. Also, spells need to be tailored to the specific Shadow in which they are cast. This is because Magic itself varies from shadow to shadow, just as the laws of Physics do. The more specific these variables are, the less time it takes to cast, but then the less useful the spell may be. There are a number of Amberites who do use spells, and quite effectively too. It is just when one has access to powers such as Pattern or Trump, Magic at times seems more of an annoyance than of use.
For an Amberite, there are two types of items. The first are those that can be found in Shadow. As said earlier, virtually anything can be found in Shadow, it is all a matter of searching for it. However, it should be remembered that whatever can be found can also be lost. And whatever can be found by you can be found by someone else. Weapons, armor, animals, minions, vehicles...anything that can be imagined is out there, somewhere in Shadow.
To clarify, there are some items which cannot be found in Shadow, no matter how hard it is searched for. Even in Amber, there are items and creatures which are unique. This second type of item are Intrinsic Items; an item powered almost as much by its owner as itself. Though copies can be found of these items, they will not be exact. These intrinsic items are part of what the owner is, and as such are very difficult, if not impossible, to permanantly destroy. However, these items are just as prone to being lost or taken, and could very well be used against the owner, depending on the item. One could take the Jewel of Judgement and use it to their own ends, but it is unlikely that one could successfully take Julian's horse Morgenstern and use him. And it should be reminded that one should not become too dependent on an item, for they may find their own abilities lacking at times when the item is not at hand.
