in the Shadow of Greatness

IMC :: the whys of Castle Amber

IMC, the castle is the 'Visual Guide' version done right. This conceit because as others point out, the castle in the VG is missing important elements, like staff stairs, toilet systems, servants' quarters, and the like.

Like many castles, my version of the palace began as a primary fortress overlooking the countryside. Unlike many castles of shadow, it never became a rambling palace of nooks and crannies over centuries because Oberon would not have it.

Oberon didn't want his precincts to be more complex than he could control. Everything in the castle is what is needed at "arm's length". Court 'light'. Bureacucracy 'light'. Secret passage 'light'.

IMC history, the first thing Oberon built was more Chaos-inspired, more complex, and more palace-like. While defensible, it was well on its way to something like the Alhambra. Also like Chaos, it was isolated by the Restless Sea (or the Abyss, yes?), with a narrow landbridge to it like the Chaosian Fire Gate.

The First Chaos Incursion damaged this palace severely. The Chaosians arrived and saw it as the most important item immediately (their cultural expectations fulfilled) and staged most of their attacks there. Oberon learned from this painful lesson to abandon his 'upbringing' and go in a different direction.

The remains of the sunken palace?
Rebma now.

Yes, under the sea, Amber is Rebma backwards—not the other way around.
:D

see Mysteries of Amber: Founding Rebma