Shaman of Arden

Arden Julian Power

Shaman of Arden (POWER)

Arden, the World Forest, is intrinsically connected to Amber, the One True World.
Arden is connected to all the wild places across shadow—every forest, jungle,
plain, tundra, veld, and wilderness. All are but pale reflections of Arden’s beauty
and savagery.

There exists a unique bond between the people who choose to make Arden their home
and the land. It has existed since young Oberon’s friend and adventuring companion,
Gade, became the first Warden of Arden when Amber and Arden were new.

It was Gade who first heard the still, powerful voice of Arden and followed it to
the Heart of Arden, a secret grove that contained bushes that bore a green and
scarlet herb. Gade created a potion from the herb and the blood of the mythical
Manticore. When he ingested it, it mystically connected him to all of Arden’s
shadows, to all the untamed places across shadow, and allowed him to hear the
wilderness’ voice, to know its will. He became the first Soul of Arden, and went on
to create the Arden Rangers.

Many of the rangers, sworn to defend Arden and Amber with their very lives, have
undertaken what has come to be known as the Rite of Gade over the eons. While there
are many who took the herb, becoming Shaman and Oracles of Arden, there is only one
Soul of Arden. Gade was the first, and in time, when a young, sullen and alienated
prince of Amber fled to the cool green confines of the World Forest to escape the
bickering and bullying of the royal court, Julian became Gade’s student. When Gade
fell in battle, defending Amber, it was Julian who undertook the ritual and became
the new Soul of Arden.

While most who undergo the ritual of Gade are
non-rangers have as well. All of them must be
that they respect and revere the wild spaces.
petitioners wait years before giving them his
hidden path to the Heart of Arden.
members of the Arden Rangers, a few
vetted by Julian, himself and prove
Stories exist of Julian making
tacit approval and showing them the

The ritual of Gade involves picking the herb, hunting the Manticore and acquiring
some its blood and then taking the components to the Soul of Arden, Julian, to mix
them and make the elixir. If it is not prepared properly, the potion will kill the
imbiber. Even if properly mixed, the drink may still drive mad and kill the drinker
if they are not strong enough of mind and body. Regardless, the petitioner will
wander through Arden after drinking the mixture in a hallucinogenic state often for
days until they hear the Voice of Arden and become a Shaman of Arden.

The ritual is repeated to become an Oracle of Arden. Dreams will urge the shaman to
return and undertake the ritual again. However, the hallucinogenic trance this time
leads the shaman to a secret cave hidden behind a waterfall somewhere in the
endless wilderness. It is said only those destined to be oracles can find the cave.
Within the cave it is said the would-be Oracle is given the secrets of the
primordial Beast Kings.

The process by which one becomes the Soul of Arden is unknown to any except the
late Gade, and the current Soul, Julian.

Shaman of Arden (10 points)

This level of the power focuses on giving the shaman increased awareness and
physical prowess. The shaman possesses the equivalent of Immense Vitality (as the 4
point Conjuration Quality), Double Speed (as the 2 point Conjuration Quality),
Amber Stamina (as the 2 Point Conjuration Quality) and Sensitivity to Danger (as
the 2 point Conjuration Quality). If the shaman already has attributes or abilities
that are equal or superior to these, the power enhances their current abilities
significantly.

Oracle of Arden (add additional 10 Points, total 20 points)

This level of the power grants the shaman additional psychic insight and connection
to the wild spaces and to the animals and plants in those environs. The Voice of
Arden grows stronger and more continuous in the oracle’s mind. The oracle possesses
the equivalent of Extraordinary Psychic Sense (as the 4 point Conjuration Quality—
psychic contacts across shadow may only be initiated with minds in wilderness
regions of shadows.), Psychic Neutral (as the 2 point Conjuration Quality—however
this psychic camouflage will make the Oracle’s mind appear as background noise of
lesser non-sentient psyches, like insects, or mice, not a aware mind, if it is
penetrated by a superior psyche ( Amber +) The scanner will require a significant
advantage in Psyche to detect the Oracle’s mind, as long as the Oracle remains
passive. Also the Oracle may pass through any wild environ and leave no trace of
their passage, including a physical, psychic, magical, or shadow trace) and Limited
Shape Shift (as the 4 point Conjuration Power—this is limited to animal and plant
forms, but may include fantastical beasts like Chimeras, dragons, Dire Wolves, and
Phoenixes.) the Oracle may increease size and mass by using the bio-mass rules and
time limits in Arden or any Wilderness in Shadow.
If the oracle already has attributes or abilities that are equal or superior to
these, the power enhances their current abilities significantly, including
enhancing the prowess of their shape shifting Power for any wild forms.

Soul of Arden (add additional 15 points, total 35 points)

The single being that has become the Soul of Arden is intrinsically tied to The
World Forest, all its reflections in Shadow, and the denizens of those environs.
Arden, itself, becomes the Soul’s shadow [Shadow of the Realm, Guarded, Control of
Shadow’s Destiny]. The Soul may also shape, create and control any animal or plants
within Arden.
The Soul has the ability to Conjure (as the magical ability) these creatures while
within the confines of Arden, or any wilderness in Shadow. These creatures are
built using the Conjuration Rules, including the Quantity multiplier. The shadow’s
natural laws may encourage or inhibit these conjuring (so, summoning a dragon in a
High-Tech shadow may be nearly impossible, but easier and quicker in a High Fantasy
Shadow) The normal time rules for conjuring apply but no ritual is necessary. The
Soul merely reaches out with their mind and visualizes the creatures or plants
desired. The Soul may also spend half the normal points (rounded up) to make a
creature or plant part of their personal character sheet but this must be done
within Arden. It is believed that Gade created his Dire Bear, Ord, and Julian made
his legendary horse, Morgenstern, his hawks, and his Hellhounds through this
manner.
The soul of Arden may communicate with any animal or plant, even supernaturally
imbibed beasts and plants, within Arden, or a shadow wilderness, psychically and
may summon these creatures to aide him. This ability takes roughly 1 minute for a
single ally, 10 minutes for a named and numbered group of allies, an hour for a
horde quantity, a day for shadow-wide, a week for Environmental and month for
Ubiquitous. The environ and the type of creature may lessen or increase the time
required to summon these allies.
One downside to being the Soul of Arden is that harm to Arden translates into harm
for the Soul as well.
The Soul of Arden may possess other powers and abilities known only to the
individual who has this level of the power. For example, some Rangers swear that
they have seen Gade, the first Warden, still wandering the misty depths of Arden.
Others claim Julian has been seen communing with the Unicorn in a grove within the
World Forest.