The House of Amber in Much Abides
Most of following information is considered CONFIDENTIAL and is available to members of the royal family, palace staff, and government officials. Some parts, like the information about Dworkin Barimen, has been classified FAMILY SECRET. Dissemination of FAMILY SECRET information to unauthorized individuals is a crime against the Crown, punishable at His Majesty’s discretion.
Selected Contemporary Family Members
His Royal Majesty King Random is the King of Amber and current head of the house of Amber. He has ruled Amber since his return to Amber from the Black Road War fought against the Courts of Chaos. During the war he was chosen to succeed his father, King Oberon, by a mystical process initiated by King Oberon prior to his death. The priorities of his majesty’s government have been to restore Amber’s trade network to provide for the continued security of the realm.
Her Royal Majesty Queen Vialle is the wife of HRM Random, and is Queen of Amber. A native of Rebma, Her Royal Majesty is primarily responsible for the royal household and is hostess of the royal court.
His Royal Highness Prince Martin is the Crown Prince of Amber. He is the acknowledged and legitimized son of HRM Random and HRH Princess Morgänthe of Rebma. Private gossip speaks well of Prince Martin, who is not reluctant to speak his mind on any occasion and offer his full advice to the Crown. He serves as a minister of His Majesty’s government without portfolio.
His Royal Highness Prince Quinlan is the acknowledged and legitimized son of HRM Random. He was born in the Amber during the reign of King Eric, and is renowned as a sorcerer and popular with the palace staff.
His Royal Highness Prince Benedict is the King’s eldest half-brother. After commanding Amber’s armies during the Black Road War, HRH Prince Benedict returned the armies to Amber despite the collapse of the Black Road. Prince Benedict spent the first ten years of HRM Random’s reign working to build new shadow path routes to reconnect Amber with its trade partners. More recently he has spent more time away from Amber engaged in personal pursuits.
His Royal Highness Prince Corwin is the King’s half-brother and refused the opportunity to assume the throne prior to His Majesty’s ascension to the throne. He accompanied Amber’s forces home after the Black Road War and was briefly in residence in Amber before leaving to pursue personal projects in Shadow. His absence from Amber is expected to be prolonged, and the Crown required that he pass on the sword Grayswandir to another member of the royal house so it would remain in service to the realm in Corwin’s absence. Private gossip mentions Corwin’s claims of having created a new world of his own, which he is exploring.
His Royal Highness Prince Caine is the King’s half-brother, and was awarded the post of Knight Grand Commander of the Order of the Unicorn for his execution of the traitorous Prince during the Black Road War. Formerly the Admiral commanding Amber’s North Fleet, Prince Caine currently serves Amber as the High Admiral of Amber’s royal navy. Private gossip indicates that despite his wartime heroics he is unpopular with his siblings, particularly Prince Corwin.
Her Royal Highness Princess Fiona is the King’s half-sister and currently occupies the role of Court Wizard. She privately advises the throne on mystical matters and is answerable only to the King. Private gossip indicates that Fiona is still proving herself to the King and is not to be bothered with trivial matters of state.
His Royal Highness Prince Bleys is the King’s half-brother and has sworn his loyalty to HRM Random despite having once made his own claim on the throne. Since the Black Road War he has served as a Crown Agent assigned with various assignments in Shadow in the Golden Circle and beyond. Private gossip indicates that his missions into Shadow have not been entirely pleasant, and that Prince Bleys’ portfolio has become grimmer and more challenging because he has a lot to prove to HRM Random. Prince Bleys continues to wield the sword Andauntric.
Her Royal Highness Princess Llewella is the King’s half-sister and is also in the line of succession to the Sapphire Throne of Rebma, currently held by her half-sister HRM Moire. Princess Llewella has only recently returned to reside at the Court of Amber after spending many years after the Black Road War living in Rebma.
Her Royal Highness Princess Flora is the King’s half-sister and currently serves the Crown as Ambassador without Portfolio. Princess Flora resides in Amber as serves as deputy to both Amber’s Foreign Minister and Queen Vialle. Private gossip indicates that her detail-oriented nature contrasts with the King’s, and that her willingness to serve as diplomatic hostess is valuable because she lends her own royal prestige to functions in which His Royal Majesty is not inclined to personally participate.
His Royal Highness Prince Julian is the King’s half-brother and continues to serve as the Crown Warden of Arden, commanding the Arden Rangers. His principal mission since returning from service in the Black Road War has been to rebuild the this organization and adapt management of Arden to the restructuring of land-based shadow path routes after the war. As Crown Warden of Arden Prince Julian is one of HRM Random’s principal advisors and military commanders.
His Royal Highness Prince Gerard is the King’s half-brother and served as Prince Regent immediately prior to His Royal Majesty’s reign. His service as Prince Regent during the Black Road War is credited with preventing massive loss of life in Amber after the collapse of the golden circle shadow path routes. Prince Gerard remains immensely popular in Amber and rumors abound that he declined the post of High Admiral of Amber’s royal navy. Regardless, he remains commissioned as a fleet admiral in Amber’s navy and has worked extensively to rebuild Amber’s shadow path routes since HRM Random’s succession to the throne. Private gossip indicates that Prince Gerard avoids residing in Amber for any length of time, lest he attract his own court of followers who would challenge King Random.
Her Royal Highness Princess Gabrielle is the daughter of Princess Flora and His Royal Majesty Toryn, Lord of the Selouid Court. She is a Royal Princess of the Selouid Court and a Lady of Amber. She spent her youth in Amber and now splits her time between Amber and various pursuits in Shadow. She is a noted essayist in Amber, and her works works are available in the Amber Castle library. She is considered a scholar of the highest caliber, though private gossip also classifies her as something of a misfit in Amber.
Lord Merlin, Earl of Kolvir, Duke of the Western Marches, is the son of Prince Corwin and Lady Dara. He does not currently reside in Amber.
Lady Mikaela’s position in the order of precedence is equal to that of Grand Princess, though she has not visited Amber and is only known as the elder sister of Lady Erin. Her exact connection to the royal family is unclear, though she is otherwise treated as if she were a granddaughter of King Oberon.
Lady Erin is a visitor to the Court of Amber and is acknowledged to be a legitimate lady of Royal blood and granddaughter of King Oberon.
Lady Dara is of the Royal blood. She claims descent from Prince Benedict and is the mother of Lord Merlin. She has never resided in Amber, and her claim to any titles, courtesies, or hospitality is unconfirmed and untested.
FAMILY SECRET—FAMILY SECRET—FAMILY SECRET
Dworkin Barimen was an advisor to King Oberon dating back to the founding of Amber, during which Dworkin was instrumental in the creation of the Pattern. For centuries Dworkin was also responsible for the family trump decks. He has abandoned this responsibility under the reign of King Random. He was also King Oberon’s father, and a Lord of Chaos. He is currently at large in the universe. In Amber he is accorded every courtesy, and is considered to have the highest level of security clearance. Amber forces and palace staff operate under orders to report Dworkin’s presence immediately, and to observe his actions without engaging him.
Selected Deceased Family Members
His Royal Majesty King Oberon was King of Amber since the Realm’s founding until his death during the Black Road War. The exact nature of his demise remains secret, but it is widely acknowledged that he died while performing a ritual that involved walking the Pattern, and that his actions saved the Realm and destroyed the Black Road, at the cost of also destroying Amber’s shadow path trade routes.
Royal Decree affords His Royal Majesty King Eric the courtesy style King of Amber, though his offspring are not Princes of the Realm. The College of Arms has raised serious questions about the legitimacy of Eric’s claim to have been king while King Oberon yet lived, and scholarly opinion differs as to whether Eric is correctly referred to as King or Prince. King Random settled the issue by Royal Decree, in a conciliatory act of magnanimity. During Eric’s rule, he made significant strides in modernizing Amber’s military, navy, and government. His innovations were a departure from the more established traditions that had remained stagnant during much of Oberon’s reign. Eric’s preparation and organization enabled Amber to pursue the Black Road War and extend combat operations deep into enemy territory, though he himself did not live to see the success of his plans.
Her Royal Majesty Cymnea was Queen of Amber as the wife of King Oberon. She was the mother of Princes Osric, Finndo, and Benedict.
Her Royal Majesty Faiella was Queen of Amber as the wife of King Oberon. She was the mother of Princes Eric, Corwin, Caine, and Princess Deirdre. She perished giving birth to Princess Deirdre.
Her Royal Majesty Clarissa was Queen of Amber as the wife of King Oberon. She was the mother of Princess Fiona, Prince Bleys, and Brand.
Her Royal Majesty Dybele was Queen of Amber as the wife of King Oberon. She was the mother of Princess Flora.
Her Royal Majesty Rilga was Queen of Amber as the wife of King Oberon. She was the mother of Princes Julian and Gerard.
Her Royal Majesty Paulette was Queen of Amber as the wife of King Oberon. She was the mother of King Random and Princess Mirelle.
His Royal Highness Prince Osric was a son of King of Oberon and Queen Cymnea, known to be older than Prince Benedict and to have died in antiquity.
His Royal Highness Prince Finndo was a son of King of Oberon and Queen Cymnea, known to be older than Prince Benedict and to have died in antiquity.
Her Royal Highness Princess Deirdre was the daughter of King Oberon and Queen Faiella. She was a mediating influence in the rivalry of her brothers Eric, Corwin, and Caine. She was murdered by a traitor during final phase of the Black Road War.
Brand is not named in Amber. All honors, titles, and property he once held are forfeit. By Royal Decree, all of his likenesses and works were destroyed. He died a traitor.
Her Royal Highness Princess Mirelle was King Random’s younger sister. She died, and her death is not a topic discussed in Amber.