life in Ambrose
Ambrose, MA is a small and idyllic New England village, surrounded by Lynn Woods in coastal Massachusetts. It is on a lightly traveled scenic route, far from the highway and nestled amongst a dense wood. While life here may be a bit more simple, it is definitely not slower. Beyond the glamour seen by the untouched is a world filled with amazing and unbelievable wonders. If you're looking to bring back the spark and discover a little magic in your life, this is the place for you. Welcome to Ambrose.
βFor all you know, a witch may be living next door to you right now.β
β Roald Dahl
β Roald Dahl
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daily life Life in Ambrose is much like any other in small-town America. Parents take their children to school, go to work, and come home to cook dinner levitating a pot over a conjured flame. Magic has many uses, practical and impractical, big and small, and the main laws are to always use a glamour and never use your magic for harm.
Social Life In addition to a couple of bars, restaurants and the other usual means to socialize, Ambrose is home to a thriving network of social clubs. Most known as guilds, they cover every topic from serving as a pseudo school or family for novice magic users, to your average gathering of like minded individuals with similar interests. It is not uncommon to be a member of many guilds at a time. More on guilds here. festivals Ambrose is infamous for its raucus monthly festivals falling on the full moon, each with a different theme according to that particular moon. It is during this time that the connection to the other plane is strongest, making magic more potent. The Fae in particular use this time to interact with citizens. Full Moon Festivals distract the Fae and keep them from getting into mischief. touched by fae The magic of Ambrose is not just in the quaint and idyllic setting, but in the citizens themselves. The nexus of powerful ley-lines are located in the heart of Lynn Woods, Dungeon Rock hides a planar rift between the Prime Material Plane (Prime) and Faerie. Because of this, many citizens in Ambrose are fae-touched, gifted with magical abilities for generations or just discovering them. Those who do not have the power of magic are untouched and those that cannot see past the veil are called sleepers. education The local public primary school is Living Stone Elemtnary School, serving grades K-6. Secondary education for the area is served by Lynn, MA. Uniquely, Ambrose has an extremely above average number of homeschool and private students for secondary education. Holy Oak Academy serves grades K-12 in a private setting. |
businesses Because Ambrose is so off the beaten path, it has a thriving main street full of both mom and pop shops and larger retail chains. From Wand-Mart and the Easy Bake Coven to Dunkin Donuts. Take a look at our business directory here.
government & public works Ambrose operates under a Weak Mayor-Council known casually as the Seven Seats. The town is divided into seven small but equal districts. The council elects a mayor from the seven representatives. While socially left leaning, little has changed with leadership over the past few centuries. In addition to firefighters, mail carriers, police and other public works, Ambrose also trains an elite force of sentinels - skilled magic users usually from conjuro, excitare, protego & mutatio, to guard the rift in Lynn Woods. healthcare Ambrose is home to a small, yet highly technologically advanced practical clinic and family medicine practice. A team of small town doctors and powerful clerics have served this town for decades - with a state of the art Veterinary facility on site. Ambrose Medical is dedicated to the care of you, your family and your familiar. tourism With such a close proximity to Salem, MA, and it's own history of witches and urban legends, it comes as no surprise that Ambrose has a small, yet thriving tourism industry. Guests are welcome in many of the town's bed & breakfasts as well as the Ogre's Rest, a forest lodge overlooking scenic Lynn Woods . weather Like the rest of Massachusetts, Ambrose has a humid continental climate with cold winters and warm summers. Due to its location near the Atlantic, it is vulnerable to nor'easters, hurricanes and tropical storms. Many report weird weather phenomena in the area but chalk it up to the varietal nature of New England weather.
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Lynn Woods
To the non-magical world, Lynn Woods appears as a dense forest on public land, available for recreation and other normal park business. There are multiple large ponds for watersports and other activities, and a small campground on the southern edge. The town of Ambrose is nestled within Lynn Woods, in a way it is almost protected by the woods, off the beaten path so that it doesn't get many casual scenic tourists. But one begs to question whether the woods are protecting Ambrose from the world or if Ambrose is protecting the world from the woods.
Deep within the forest is a location widely known as Dungeon Rock, the spot where the Originals opened a rift into the faerie realm in the mid 1600s and caused the fae magic to spill into the prime material plane. After attempting to close the rift with many of their lives, it was later discovered that the sacrifice had been unsuccessful. Now Dungeon Rock is still protected and monitored by a highly skilled team of sentinals.
Despite the best efforts of the Seven Seats, the magic still spreads, in many ways unexpected and uncontrollable. There is something mysterious in these woods. It isn't uncommon to encounter vastly different seasons while in the woods, stumbling upon different societies of wild faeries. It's common knowledge that the woods are not safe, and because of that the fae-touched make a point to protect the untouched of Ambrose from whatever is out there in whatever way they can.
Deep within the forest is a location widely known as Dungeon Rock, the spot where the Originals opened a rift into the faerie realm in the mid 1600s and caused the fae magic to spill into the prime material plane. After attempting to close the rift with many of their lives, it was later discovered that the sacrifice had been unsuccessful. Now Dungeon Rock is still protected and monitored by a highly skilled team of sentinals.
Despite the best efforts of the Seven Seats, the magic still spreads, in many ways unexpected and uncontrollable. There is something mysterious in these woods. It isn't uncommon to encounter vastly different seasons while in the woods, stumbling upon different societies of wild faeries. It's common knowledge that the woods are not safe, and because of that the fae-touched make a point to protect the untouched of Ambrose from whatever is out there in whatever way they can.
Neighborhoods
COLONIAL REVIVAL Architecture takes center stage in most Ambrose neighborhoods. However it is also known for First Period and Federal styles equally, as well as Greek Revival, Queen Anne, Gothic Revival and ornate, candy colored Victorian Gothic homes. Communal living is fairly common in Ambrose. Many homes are income properties with rooms and entire suites for rent. Many of the more stately homes serve unexpected purposes like the Historical Society, Guild Halls and Apartment living. For more information on locations see here.
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HOLLOW HILLS An urban pioneer neighborhood, Hollow Hills is up-and-coming. It is an ecclectic mix of historic fixer-uppers, older single family homes and many income properties. It is not uncommon to see rooms for rent in larger homes. Living Stone Elementary is located between Hollow Hills and Misty Moors.
MISTY MOORS Adjacent to both Hollow Hills and Old Ambrose is this uniquely diverse neighborhood. With a combination of aging single family homes and converted apartments, here the houses may be closer together and the yards may be smaller but the sense of community is very vibrant. Misty Moors is often considered the heart of Ambrose. OLD AMBROSE Centered around the main town historic business district, Old Ambrose has always felt a pulse of life and creativity. With an old world/European vibe meets Victorian Gothic, houses here are colorful and uniquely decorated. Many of the larger estates in Old Ambrose serve the purpose of guild halls and offer dormatory style living for free for the novices who train within them. |
NOTTON & NETTLEBED Notton and Nettlebed are two neighboring gated communities near the eastern end of Ambrose. With newer construction of revival styles, it is an idyllic home for sleepers. Real estate agents in the know will always show one of these neighborhoods to their untouched customers, in a way to keep them magically insulated from the dangers that threaten this town.
SHADYSIDE & WINTER'S END Despite being probably the least populated, these two neighborhoods manage to take up the most physical area in Ambrose. Stretching along the forest's edge, and many times well into the wilds away from town, living here may be more rural but certainly not more laid back. As they are the first barrier from the chaotic magic within the woods, neighbors in Shadyside & Winter's End feel it is their duty to pay attention to the things that go bump in the night. Sleepers rarely settle in this area. |
Nocus Pocus
SLEEPERS is a casual term used to described those within Ambrose, MA who are untouched by magic and also unaware of the magic in the world around them. For centuries, this town has been insulated, far from the prying eyes of the world around it. And yet, it has always been the home for those unable to see past the veil into the world of magic they inhabit. There are many terms for those untouched, including Norms (ironically named after a favorite townie named Norman and not for the word normal), uneffected, unchanges and more recently, Muggles.
For those untouched, living in Ambrose is a comfortable and exciting place to live, especially during the many festivals and parties thrown by the town's leaders. There is an official town history known by the untouched, that is a sort of abridged version where the presence of magic and the planar rift is left out. But Sleepers are not without their own awareness. Ambrose has seen urban legends run amuck, with stories of witches and changelings and giant beasts howling under the full moon. If only these citizens had any idea how right they were.
You are absolutely welcome to play a character that does not have any connection to the magical realm. In time, the glamour that keeps untouched and sleepers from seeing the magic beyond may become thinner and thinner. If you are playing a character without a magical connection, or would like to have them eventually uncover their connection, just let us know and we will happily help you create whatever storyline you'd like.
For those untouched, living in Ambrose is a comfortable and exciting place to live, especially during the many festivals and parties thrown by the town's leaders. There is an official town history known by the untouched, that is a sort of abridged version where the presence of magic and the planar rift is left out. But Sleepers are not without their own awareness. Ambrose has seen urban legends run amuck, with stories of witches and changelings and giant beasts howling under the full moon. If only these citizens had any idea how right they were.
You are absolutely welcome to play a character that does not have any connection to the magical realm. In time, the glamour that keeps untouched and sleepers from seeing the magic beyond may become thinner and thinner. If you are playing a character without a magical connection, or would like to have them eventually uncover their connection, just let us know and we will happily help you create whatever storyline you'd like.