Sable is a game with a long history, which can look pretty daunting to new players. This section is designed to give starting players a flavour of the game, to help in creating characters that they want to play, and that fit the Sable Game.

In its earliest form, the feel was very much “Britain vs. the Nazis”. While this is still one of the base themes, as time has passed, the game has evolved into its current form (for example, there’s now actually a Peace Treaty with the original Reich), along with the introduction of a variety of new allies and adversaries.

Basics

The PCs are the trusted agents of the King of Sable and/or the Regent of Murray, rather than being of the Royal Family. They are the gifted residents of the Kingdom or its associated worlds, who the Family trust to look after the day-to-day running of the Kingdom. They may be working directly for the Crown, such as diplomats and government officials, intelligence agents, couriers or soldiers; or they may be individuals with useful skills who may occasionally be asked to serve, such as journalists, mages, policemen, or other individuals with a useful talent.

The Sable Game is a mission-style game set in the Kingdom of Sable and its associated Shadows. For the most part, groups of PCs (NOT just military characters) are brought together to form a team to undertake a specific mission for the Crown or its allies. Obviously, there may be times during play when characters may go off on their own to scout, or talk to contacts, etc., but this would be within the context of working with their team. It is not a game suitable for “lone-wolf” characters.

Character Origins

There are two game “Hubs” for the Sable game Sable City, and Huntly, on the world of Murray. Sable City is the capital of the Kingdom of Sable on the Inside, while Huntly is the base of operations on the Outside. Which starting Hub is used depends on the characters in each game.

When creating characters, you have the choice of coming from the Kingdom of Sable, the Commonwealth (Sable’s equivalent of the Golden Circle in the Amber books), Huntly or the Murray Trading Shadows.

The Technocracy may be an option, with agreement with the GM, as long as the player can come up with a good reason why such a character would be working on missions for the King of Sable or the Regent of Murray.

Some Terminology

The Inside. This is the closed continuum where the Kingdom of Sable and the Empire of Eboracum are located. Inside Shadow is extensive, but is not infinite. Until recently, the Sable Game took place on the Inside, although it is now dipping its toe in a limited portion of the Outside. The Inside is split into four “Realms”, wrapped around each other like paper round a ball.

  • The Air, Sky or Outer Realms. These are the worlds that are cast by the Isle of Dreams in Argent, which is the Sable equivalent of Tir-na Nog’th. Much as there are Broken Patterns in the Earth Realms, odd lesser Powers have been encountered in the Sky Realms.
  • The Earth or Middle Realms. This is where the game is played. It comprises the million or so normal Shadows, with ground under their feet and an oxygen-nitrogen atmosphere. These are the Shadows cast by the Sable Pattern.
  • The Water or Inner Realms. These are the worlds cast by the Pattern in Azure. Some have breathable water. Some just have water.
  • The Fireheart. The existence of the Fireheart is more rumoured than actually proven, but it is believed that if there are lands linked to three of the four classic Western elements, there may also be worlds linked to the fourth.
  • A visual representation of the Realms can be found here.

Shadow Veils. These refer to the rings of Shadow that head out from a place of Power (Sable, Eboracum, Amber, Chaos), to form the worlds in between. The worlds are more solid nearer to the Poles, and then become more like “normal” worlds the further out you go. On the Inside, the number of Veils is limited to 400 (200 depending from Sable and 200 from Eboracum), and which side of the centre they are is designated by “North” or “South” after the Veil number. An angle in brackets after the number indicates roughly where the world is round the circumference of the  Inside sphere. On the Outside, the situation is a bit more complicated.

The Inside Powers. The major Powers on the Inside are Sable (in the North), Aurellis (in the South) and Elementis. The latter sits at Veil 200 and serves as a buffer between the worlds of Order (cast by the Sable Pattern), and the worlds of Chaos (linked to the Aurellis Logrus). There are also a number of smaller Powers, which are usually situated at Veil 100 North and Veil 100 South, although occasional aberrations have been found. The two most relevant ones for the Sable Game are the Nexus, on Veil 100 North (90°) and the Data Centre, on Veil 100 North (270°). There was also previously a power based in Veil 22 North called

The Outside. This is the rest of the universe, with Amber at the North, the Courts of Chaos at the South, and an infinite expanse of Shadow in between . For the most part, the companion Aurellis Game takes place although it does come Inside occasionally.

The Triad. This refers to the small section of the Outside anchored by Murray (for Sable), Sanguine (for the Reich) and Seconde (for the Technocracy). On those occasions when the Sable Game ventures Outside, it does so in this area.

The de Lacy Family. The de Lacys are the Royal Family of Sable, led by King Robert and Queen Claire.

Aurellis vs. Eboracum. The Aurellis is the name of Logrus at the South of the Inside. Eboracum is the name of the Empire which is based around it. Aurellis also gives its name to two other elements of the Sable Game.

  • The Aurellis Transport System (ATS). A point to point transit system, in which “Pilots” move passengers from one location to another. The range appears to be boundless, so it is possible to get from Sable at the North of the Inside, to Aurellis at the South. It is also the only commonly-available means of getting from the Inside to the Outside. Pilots come in three ability levels: couriers, masters and Grand Pilots.
  • The Aurellian Gods. Pater Deorum Roland and Mater Deorum Sian rule a pantheon of “Gods” with different Aspects, responsibilities and duties. Their influence extends throughout the Inside, and also to the Outside through a number of Divine Emissaries.

Gateway Worlds. These are worlds where the ATS system allows transit between the Inside and the Outside. There are four known gateways, with two other possible ones.

  • Murray: the main Sable-controlled gateway
  • Sanguine: the Reich equivalent to Murray
  • Casablanca: the primary link between the Empire of Eboracum and the Outside
  • St. James: the secondary link between both Sable and Eboracum, and the Outside.
  • Seconde: as the Technocracy base on the Outside, this may or may not be an actual gateway. It does, however, have data links with the Inside.
  • Ex Machina: the assumed New Oceania/Machine equivalent of Seconde. Its location is unknown.