Amber

An Amber woman

The people of the Amber caste live closest to the city gate, right in the middle of the busy market square. They are the only people who are known to scavenge in the Great Desert, though they never go far. They are known for their love of making deals and their unparalleled hustle. They are merchants, craftsmen, and hospitality workers. Of course, where there is coin, there are those willing to steal it. Hiding in plain sight among the traders and artisans of the Amber caste is a thriving black market, if you know where to look...

## Basics

### **Physical Description**

The people of Amber typically have yellow eyes, ranging from golden to chartreuse. Their skin is typically on the darker side, ranging from amber to bronze. Their hair is often fine in texture but curly. It is usually golden, brown, or black. They are typically of medium build and their heights are usually between 5’2” and 6’0” with men typically being taller than women.

### **Trait**

The people of the Amber caste are known for having sharp tongues and fast wits. You gain a +2 circumstance bonus to Diplomacy  skill checks when using the Request  action.

## Common Careers

Amber caste citizens typically favor jobs where they get to use their mathematics skills and their charisma. They are often found running businesses in the marketplace and inventing new “must have” items for the citizens of Haven. They are merchants, craftsmen, and hospitality workers. They run taverns, trade enterprises, and market stalls. They are known to buy things wholesale from other castes and sell them. If coin changes hands, someone from Amber is likely involved.

They often employ scavengers from their ranks to find items from within and around the city walls to remake and sell. It is also not unheard of to hire children between 8 and 14 years old to steal back items that they have sold so that a profit could be turned a second time. Both of these practices are known as “recycling” and neither is seen as dishonorable in the Amber caste.

Within the Amber caste, there also exists a thriving black market run by the Thieves Guild. Though there are people from other castes involved by necessity, the large majority of its members hail from Amber, including the current leader, Emilio Rossi. Though law enforcement knows of their existence, other things always seem to take priority.

## Names

### **Surnames**

Like all of the castes of Haven, there are twelve surnames in Amber, each of them stemming from one of the original founding families of the city. These surnames are: Blaise, Blanc, Bonnet, Chaput, Chevalier, Domingo, Dubois, Esposito, Rios, Rossi, Sanchez, and Valdez.

### **Male Names**

**Examples:** Antonio, Amado, Carlito, Enzo, Gabriel, Hugo, Lorenz, Marco, Mateo, Nicodemus, Pablo, Raphael, Raul, Theo, Valentine

### **Female Names**

**Examples:** Adelle, Camilla, Emma, Fatima, Giselle, Isabella, Lucina, Madeline, Mia, Noelle, Paulina, Sofia, Tonia, Valeria, Zoe

## History

### **Pre-Fall**

Before the fall, the people of the Amber caste hailed from Firestar, the capital city of the continent of Elysia. The city was a thriving hub of commerce and included the largest port in the world. Laws were in favor of exports and imports, making trade so easy that it was said that a family might have goods from at least five different regions on their dinner table every night.

## Religion

### **The Way of Life**

It would be unusual for someone in the Amber caste to focus too much on the Way of Life, though they do not usually shun it outright. Its ideals are seen as lofty, made to comfort those in mourning or are approaching death. The people of Amber see themselves as far too busy to stop and worry over such matters most of the time.

### **The Way of Elements**

This Way is almost universally shunned by the members of the Amber caste. They find the idea of existing in harmony with nature to be at odds with their own ideals of industrial progress.

### **The Way of the Physical**

The people of the Amber caste follow this Way  above all others. Becoming stronger through the pain and struggle of one’s life is at the core of their cultural belief system. Aborum, in particular, finds the majority of his followers in this caste.

### **The Way of Philosophy**

The Way of Philosophy has many followers in the Amber district, though it is called by another name: the Way of Passion. The tenets of striving for more and not waiting to act on your goals are universally followed by the people of this culture. Bonu  and Marin  have an equal number of followers among those in this caste.

### **The Way of Information**

Though most in the Amber caste would claim outwardly to shun the Way of Information, it has a strong foothold among the seedy underworld that is so prevalent in their district. Nihal is said to be a favorite of the Thieves Guild.

## Society

### **General**

Those in the Amber caste typically organize themselves into family units, but there are no laws limiting the number of spouses a person can have. While many people choose to marry only one person, around one in four households consists of more than two married adults. It is typical for a family to have 2 to 4 children, though being able to afford more is seen as a sign of wealth. Orphans are typically taken in by someone who is willing to hire them, though there is an official orphanage in the Amber District.

### **Male Roles**

There is little to no difference between male and female roles in the Amber caste. People are primarily judged by how successful they are in business. There are jobs that are seen as more masculine, such as goldsmith, but it would not be a shock to see a woman doing those jobs if her wares were in demand.

### **Female Roles**

There is little to no difference between male and female roles in the Amber caste. People are primarily judged by how successful they are in business. There are jobs that are seen as more feminine, such as baker, but it would not be a shock to see a man doing those jobs if his wares were in demand.

### **Children**

Families of the Amber caste have a few options for education, but none of them are free. It is believed that governmentally subsidized educational institutions would provide a lower quality experience. Almost all children attend one of two privately owned “starter schools” from ages 4 to 8. At that point, they will typically be sent to business or trade school until they are 12, at which point they would begin their apprenticeships, called internships. These end at their mentor’s discretion between 14 and 18 years old.

Those children whose families are too poor to pay for education are usually educated in the basics at home, though the quality of this homeschooling is largely dependent on their parents’ education levels. Most of those children begin working at a very young age and are typically not fully literate.

### **Animals**

Animals, like people, are judged by their capitalistic value in the Amber caste. If they are animals that work or provide a good or service, they are highly valued. Few people have much patience, time, or extra money for a pet. Those who do are usually the richest in this caste.

## Attitudes

### **Family**

Family is highly valued in Amber society. In fact, being able to provide for a larger family, like more spouses or children, is seen as a symbol of wealth. Parents tend to keep involved in their children’s lives for the entire span of it, often building them into their own network of business allies.

### **Work**

Business is the cornerstone of life in the Amber District. Members of this caste will spend any amount of time or energy necessary to make a profit. From a young age, children are taught how to conduct themselves in a businesslike fashion so that their parents are able to bring them along to work.

### **City**

The city of Haven  is an ideal place for much of the business that is conducted in the Amber District, and the law tends to favor free trade. As such, most in this caste think fondly of the city, but there are those whose blood still calls to them every time they hear an old story about traveling merchants before the Fall.

### **Nature**

While those in the Amber caste understand that much of their goods and services would not be possible without the natural world around the city, there are few who like to visit it often.

## Relations

### **Garnet**

**How they view Garnet:** Amber caste members tend to view those in the Garnet caste as too strict and well behaved, but they appreciate their work ethic. The two castes are easily the hardest working castes in the city, and often benefit from one another’s expertise. Amber citizens often try to foster good relationships with at least one or two Garnet farms to keep trade negotiations in their favor.

**How Garnet views them:** Garnet caste members tend to view those in the Amber caste as flatterers and two-faced, but they enjoy working with them, despite their usual distaste for lies. They believe that Amber caste members are so obvious in their lies that it is almost like they want the person they are speaking with to know that they are lying. If a Garnet caste member says that you are “*speaking in a golden tongue*” it means that you are saying one thing and meaning the opposite, as they believe many in Amber to do. They have great respect for the way that those in this caste hustle to make a profit and are usually more than willing to do business with them for a good deal.

### **Topaz**

**How they view Topaz:** Amber caste members tend to view those in the Topaz caste as too cold and rough. This rift is caused by the differences in each caste’s definition of family. Those in Amber could not imagine giving up on a relationship for another and raising their children away from the other parent. They also cannot understand the preoccupation with muscles and exercise for fun. When those in the Amber caste run, it is usually for survival, not fun.

**How Topaz views them:** Topaz caste members tend to view those in the Amber caste as selfish and greedy. Though they strongly contribute to society, the people of Amber never seem to be contented by the things that they have. They especially do not approve of the way that Amber children are brought into business life at such a young age.

### **Jade**

**How they view Jade:** Amber caste members tend to view those in the Jade caste as easily led and idealistic. They can appreciate the fact that those in Jade try to hold themselves to high standards, but they cannot understand the way that most in the Jade caste tend to shy away from turning more than a minor profit.

**How Jade views them:** Jade caste members tend to view those in the Amber caste as fascinating but wrong. The materialistic values of those in Amber clash severely with the majority of the core beliefs held by those in the Jade caste. However, they frequently have to work together in the marketplace and for hospitality. Because of this, the two groups can usually manage to get along, despite opposing philosophies.

### **Sapphire**

**How they view Sapphire:** Amber caste members tend to view those in the Sapphire caste as amicable and usually welcome them into their district with open arms. Members of Sapphire often provide the biggest challenges as far as asking for specific items, but they are also willing to pay prices according to how difficult it is to get an item. Since those in Sapphire tend to keep their purchases and research to themselves, there is almost never an issue between these two castes. A “*blue customer*” is a common Amber idiom for someone who knows how to “forget” where they got an item.

**How Sapphire views them:** Sapphire caste members tend to view those in the Amber caste as useful and easily negotiated with. Those in Sapphire who find their passions in the sciences, in particular, can often find that anything can be found and purchased in the Amber District, if one knows where to look. Both groups understand the meaning of keeping a secret, so problems seldom ever arise in these dealings.

### **Amethyst**

**How they view Amethyst:** Amber caste members tend to view those in Amethyst as silly flirts and as having overly inflated egos. They believe that they make easy marks for business and shadier intents. An old Amber District expression goes, “*Purple eyes, twice the prize.*”

**How Amethyst views them:** Amethyst caste members tend to view those from the Amber caste with suspicion. Though they are quite charming themselves, they find the fast-talking nature of those in Amber to be disturbing. An Amethyst caste member will usually hold their coin purse quite tightly if they visit the Amber District.

## Norms

### **Laws**

In addition to the laws that apply to the entire city, citizens residing in the Amber District must also abide by the following laws:

* All businesses must keep clear accurate financial records, which need to be made available upon the request of law enforcement or relevant government officials.
* Goods and services donated to temples or charities provide a tax credit towards local caste taxes.
* Any person, regardless of age, charged of non-violent, intracaste crimes may choose to serve out their sentence as an indentured servant of those whom they have wronged instead of jail time. If the wronged party was the government, said persons may be placed in a public works detail.
* Children under the age of thirteen who are found guilty of violent crimes will be held in juvenile detainment until their thirteenth birthday, at which time their case will be reviewed by an Amber jury.

### **Manners**

While there are serious ideas of what is and is not rude in the Amber caste, business relationships come before manners. A person of this caste is more likely to forgive a transgression in manners if they can see potential future business value in the person who has wronged them. It is always more important to consider networking than it is to fuss about possible rude behavior.

### **Customs**

Though there are many customs that are universal for the entirety of the city of Haven, there are some that are exclusive to each of the different districts. When two members of different districts meet, it is usual that they will use the custom of the district that they are standing in. Some of those that are unique to the Amber District are:

* The customary greeting is a handshake where both parties grasp one another’s forearms. It is said that this originally stemmed from the Pre-Fall custom in Firestar  of checking business partners’ sleeves for weapons.
* Meal customs are as follows - a large breakfast at sunrise and a large dinner at sunset. Some choose to work through normal meal times, but they will typically get in two meals at some point in the day.
* It is customary in the Amber caste to refuse a gift twice before accepting it. Those who take a gift the first time it is offered are seen as greedy and ungrateful.

### **Other Holidays**

Although there are many holidays, festivals, and other events that are celebrated throughout the entire city of Haven, there are some that are unique to only the Amber District:

* Innovator’s Day
* The Midyear Review
* The Feast of Farah