The Kingdom of Amber

King Oberon

King Oberon

Oberon was the son of Dworkin and “the Unicorn” – a term which is usually taken to be symbolic, rather than literal…at least within the House of Amber. While he was born in Amber, at that time, Dworkin still had contacts back in the Courts, so Oberon grew up knowing of his duel heritage.

When it became time for Oberon to marry, Dworkin introduced him to Cymnea of House Caradoc, and she became the first of several wives he married from the Houses of Chaos. His oldest sons, Osric, Finndo and Benedict were also brought up knowing of the Courts, but after Oberon and Cymnea divorced (which also incurred the long-term enmity of King Swayvill), he banned all mention of the Courts in Amber, despite promptly marrying other Chaosian wives after Cymnea.

As he grew older,  he became considerably more hostile and envious towards his father’s land of origin, to the extent that about eight hundred years ago, he sent Amber forces across the Great Divide into Chaos Shadow on a mission of conquest. In this action lies the original of the War Between the Powers.

Oberon disappeared about eighty-five years ago, as the War Between the Powers was gaining momentum. Chaos was becoming more proactive, and Clarissa’s children, (she had refused to abide by Oberon’s decree that she should never mention the Chaos to them), were in the Courts, and working with Swayvill and Suhuy to create the Black Road.

He briefly reappeared after Corwin was given the Throne by Eric, but died redrawing the Pattern of Amber at the end of the War. Despite Oberon’s anti-Chaos views , Dworkin returned his son’s body to the Courts.

He had one known half-brother, Jopin, Keeper of the Lighthouse of Cabra. It is not known if he has/had any other siblings.

Eric, Lord Protector and then King of Amber (disputed)

Eric

With the defection of Fiona, Bleys and Brand, and the disappearance of Oberon, Eric, Caine and Julian, were left as the primary family members in Amber. Benedict, Deirdre, Florimel, and Random visted only occasionally, Gérard was out running naval operations, Llewella was living primarily in Rebma, and Corwin was believed to be dead.

As the years passed, the Eric-Caine-Julian cabal became concerned about Oberon’s whereabouts, as well as rising threats out of Shadow as the Black Road extended from the Courts. Twenty years after Oberon disappeared, Caine and Juilan persuaded Eric to declare himself Regent and Lord Protector of Amber.

It was Caine who rediscovered the existence of the Courts, knowledge which had been kept from the family after Oberon divorced Cymnea. Shortly thereafter, he came to the conclusion that it was agents of the Courts who were responsible for both Oberon’s disappearance and the hostiles that were coming out of Shadow to attack Amber, as the Courts drove the Amber forces in Chaos Shadow back beyond the Great Divide. Even Caine didn’t make the connection that Dworkin’s origins were in Thelbane at that point.

For the good of Amber, Eric, Caine and Julian, with Gérard and Benedict providing naval and other support, went on the offensive against the Courts. The Amber group sent out forces into Shadow to capture, interrogate and often execute anyone they considered to be enemy agents: something they did not share with either Benedict or Gérard. To legitimise their actions, and to co-ordinate the Amber response, Julian and Caine persuaded Eric to formally take the Throne and be Crowned King of Amber, less than a decade after he became Lord Protector (even though Corwin tried to beat him to it).

After a formal reign of about eight years, Eric died heroically during the Battle of Kolvir, which represented the zenith of the Chaos attack against Amber.

Corwin, Regent (King) of Amber

Corwin

As he died, Eric named his younger brother Corwin as his successor,  but the latter held the Throne of Amber for less than a year, before Oberon returned to co-ordinate the final attacks against the Courts. There have been rumours that in the lead-up to the final battle, when Corwin was sent through Shadow by Oberon, with the Eye of the Serpent, he attempted to inscribe a third Great Power. It is unknown whether this is true, or if it is, whether such a Power survived the redrawing the the Amber Pattern by King Oberon and the Shadow storms that resulted.

Gérard, Regent of Amber

Gérard

After Corwin’s departure, Oberon appointed Gérard as Regent of Amber, before dispatching the rest of the family to the Courts of Chaos for the final battle of the War Bw=etween the Powers, and attempting to redraw the Pattern. Due to the instability of Shadow after the Pattern was redrawn, and the subsequent Shadow storms that rolled across the Multiverse, the usual time ratio between Amber and Chaos was thrown out of kilter, so 25 years passed in Amber during that period, making Gérard the second-longest ruler in the history of Amber.

King Random

Queen Vialle

King Random

Random is the youngest acknowledged son of King Oberon and his last wife, Paulette of House Celestine. He has a twin sister called Mirelle, who returned to Chaos after their mother died. No-one was more surprised than him when the Unicorn chose him to become King of Amber, following the death of Oberon. In Amber time, more than two decades passed between Random being chosen as King, and his Coronation,  although it was only about three years of subjective time for him.

He is married to Vialle of Rebma, and they have one son, Gwillym. Vialle was pregnant when the family were sent to Chaos, but remained in Amber. The boy was born during the early days of Gérard’s Regency. He is currently in his early forties and has walked the Pattern.

Random also has an older son, Martin, by Morganthe of Rebma.