MaBarry's Amber Links: Favorite Campaigns Last Updated: April 8th, 2004

It struck me as hubris to have a listing of favourites, but these are pages which I'd like to recognize as being strong examples of the creativity and support there is for the Amber game. I'd like these to be seen as what we, as gamemasters, and designers, and players are aiming to create. These sites contributed...personally, to my ideas, and to the Amber community at large.

MaBarry's Favourite Amber Pages

Every resource develops its own "clique" of regulars. The blogging groups have their own, the mailing lists get their groups, the LiveJournal groups have their own, and now you can join Shadows of Amber, a fairly popular little bulletin board at http://bb.bbboy.net/shadowsofamber/.

For Amber resources and thoughts, one simply needs to visit ShadowNet (at http://webpages.htva.net/jdettman/Shadownet/Shadownet.html) Write for this! This is one of the best group efforts out there, and as soon as I get things finished even I hope to have an article or two available there.

Strange Bedfellows (at http://www.all-roads-lead.net/jvstin/strange/index.html) has grown and grown, and gone in many strange places indeed! I am very flattered by his addition of some of my creations in his game, but even without the ego boost, his game is definitely worth noting.

House of Cards (at http://www.whiterose.org/houseofcards/) utilizing its modified "Amberway" system shows a full collection of rules, characters, contributions, and full implementation of player-accessible technologies. Add to that a set of GMs who get moves out on a regular schedule and over two years of play, and you have something phenomenal.

Amber: The Eternal City (at http://home.comcast.net/~arrefmak/) is probably the most complete collection of ideas on Amber on the web. Original works, rule solutions and reasonings, as well as connections to other solid foundations for the system, setting, and game play. Don't forget his blog at in the Shadow of Greatness.

The Unicorn's Grove (at http://perso.easynet.fr/~sirbey.boris/).
It's fabulous -- don't get me wrong. I'm just thinking of those people who don't have high speed connections. For this page: if you can, get one. Art and ideas.

MaBarry's Top Twenty Amber Campaigns

It was quite the task to choose a mere twenty of all the fabulous campaigns there are out there. Luckily, since I've not included anything in my Favourites list, it was made a bit easier, even if I had to cut out some of the ones for which I've got a strong fondness. These are the twenty I think the new campaign page designer should look at for ideas.

The campaigns are listed in alphabetical order, with an explanation for each as to why they were included. No, there's no little web award or anything associated. Just know that I like these.

Cave of Sleepers

Astrid's "Letter Writing" campaign revolutionized the Amber PBeM world for too short a time, IMO. This is a fabulous idea that works because it only attracts the right kind with the right kind of time. Some of the letters are great reading.

Empire of the Gleaming Banner

From my own experience, as a GM, and now as a beginner player, there are a LOT of things a GM may need to nail down for the players. There is no better example than this, interwoven with ArrefMak's essays and meanderings.

the forest for the trees

I've been a fan of Chimera's work for a long time, and this is just the latest (although on hiatus) of several wonderful Amber campaigns she's brought to the web. Read everything.

Forever Far From Home

It says something that an opening page can create pangs of angst like this. I've read hints of the story...this is one of those pages I enjoy slowly, a little bit at a time. I come back to it and browse for pleasure. I cannot help but point out the Trump pages; story and small pictures and...again, I only have room for a short review. This really should probably be on my favourites list, except that I want people to look at it for design as much as anything else.

Ghost & Shadows

Yes, the page is a bit long, the campaign is defunct, and it's STILL a fine example of an excellently interlinked document with great ideas. Good design for those with only one free page, or when someone else is gratis hosting, as well.

The Last Enemy

There are three (four if you count one used twice) graphics on this site. One is a banner. The two are flames. Then there's a dark background. The amount of content is what draws me here. There's history, there's answers. When you're building your campaign, check to make sure you've started asking the questions.

Many Paths

To start out with, I actually like the graphics. If you've ever seen my house, or my wedding pictures, you'd understand. [sigh] Otherwise, this is just a tribute to Epoch's contributions; don't forget to check out his "fixes" to Amber, as well as his GMing advice.

Nine Princes in Hong Kong

What I'd describe as a perfect campaign page would have: something that defined not just the rules, but the genre... the preconceptions behind the story...the visual impact that defines the game. This site is _almost_ perfect.

On Her Majesty's Service

I hope this page redefines all of the new Amber campaigns that go on the web, simply for the amount of background information and the ease and availability for that information. It has certainly made me redesign my new campaign pages to take all of this into account.

Outrageous Fortune

A good example of some of what I was just talking about, this is also important for its pure completeness. The game has concluded after some seven years. Look on, with awe.

Paths of Blood, Ways of Stone

This was actually my favourite of all my PBeM web projects, and not just for vanity purposes. I think one of the reasons a lot of the wonderful development for this campaign never made it onto the web was the hope the LintKing had to run it (or pieces of it) again. Who knows what the future will bring?

Patterns of Memory

Not only is the premise one of my favourites, but this page is a repository of interesting information, well laid-out (and that's a nice green on white, I think.)

Things in Heaven and Earth

Here's one I'd be remiss in not mentioning. Let's take a moment to look. You'll notice I link to the overview, as opposed to the main page. In most ways, the overview IS the main page. It details the changes in a format that involves the reader immediately, links off to different stories, and still provides the basic options. This was also a good example of a campaign that measured its development in parallel with the page. Cool, eh? Also, his use of graphics need be mentioned. I'm going to have to shape some of my pages with that influence.

Unicorn no Seishi

While the page design is, in itself, not spectacular, the resources and ideas here are worth investigating. Besides, I have a terrible fondness for Revolutionary Girl Utena, which is one of their sources.

With graphical assistance from: