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AMBER : THE NOBLE HOUSES
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Breakwithe-Smythe |
ASHLURIAN
Head of House Lord Paris ASHLURIAN, who is also Lord Mayor of Amber City. They are primarily landowners, and have both large holdings in Amber, and in a number of Golden Circle shadows. They are major importers of food to Amber. Several other members of the house are also involved in various aspects of the civic administration of Amber.
CHANTRIS
Head of House Lord Wolfgang CHANTRIS. A house most well known for its heavy involvement in the Amber military. Lord Wolfgang is a general within the army of Amber. They also have significant interests in armories both within Amber and in the Golden Circle. The fourth son of Lord Wolfgang, Harold, is leader of the Royal Lifeguard under William Feldane. Ernst Chantris, son of Lord Wolfgang's youngest brother, is second in command of the Castle Guard, under Guthrun Norwulf. Chantris' eldest son has been disowned and is rumored to be a major player in the Thieves Union in Amber.
CHARENTON
Head of House Duchess Solange CHARENTON. Quite an old house, which is linked by marriage to the royal families of a number of important Golden Circle shadows. For this reason they tend to be prominent in trade with those shadows. They have also developed a reputation as diplomats; several of Ambers ambassadors to the Golden Circle are members of House Charenton. In particular Lady Solange's daughters Ellen and Sylvia are married to the Kings in particularly important Golden Circle shadows; Ellen is Queen of Lyan Diaga, Sylvia is Queen of Nan
Lady Solange is a force to be reckoned with. A dumpy, weak, fat, and badly aging woman, she has a keen wit, sharp tounge, and elephantine memory, and a fine sense of fashions she probably shouldn't be wearing. She is Amber's Kingdom Historian and knows more about ancient history then most. At well over 2000 years even her daughters are ancient. A large household, they are nearly out of blood heirs. If Solange dies she will leave the house to one of her two daughters, Probably Ellen, neither of who wants it.
Lady Solange frequently gains male admirers who enjoy her wit and her sense of style as much as they admire the possibility of inheriting a Ducal House. She toys with them and casts them aside roughly, ruining their careers. In her youth she was a great beauty. It is rumored in dark corners of Amber City that she even bore Oberon a son, but this is unconfirmed.
CLEMENS
Head of House Lord Corelius CLEMENS; however, even for an inhabitant of Amber he is an old man, and leaves most of the actual running of the House to his son Kail CLEMENS, daughters Lara CLEMENS and Judith CLEMENS and nephew Ambrose CLEMENS. A relatively small house whose fortunes are still recovering after being persecuted by
King Oberon for a time. Eustace CLEMENS, third son of the head of house, is Amber Harbourmaster. They have interests spread over a broad range of fields, both in and out of Amber.DANTON
Head of House Lord Ulfgar. A merchant house, heavily involved in the Amber Merchant Marine, with a large trading fleet. They also own several shipyards, mostly in the Golden Circle.
DERHEMEN
Head of House Lord Arran. A merchant house which makes most of its money importing specialist rather then bulk items. As such they have contacts in markets across, and beyond, the Golden Circle, and control a medium-sized trading fleet.
DU MOTIER
Head of House Lord Aubrey DU MOTIER, who is also head of the Bank of Amber. A house whose major interests lie in banking and finance, but who also have fingers in many other pies, in particular trade. They own a number of small merchant shipping lines.
FELDANE
Head of House Lord Shannon FELDANE. A house most well known for its heavy involvement in the Amber military. The head of house is a general within the army of Amber. His eldest son is Lord Wyndham. His third son, Lord William, is head of the Royal Guard. As a house they have significant interests in armories both within Amber and in the Golden Circle. A major force in Amber politics.
Lord Shannon's wife, Lucia Feldane is Chief Lady in Waiting to Queen Vielle and a member of Florimel's circle of intimates. Cordelia Feldane is a senior Lady in Waiting, essentially Deputy Chief Lady in Waiting.
FULLERI
Head of House Lord Issac FULLERI. His younger brother Yves Fulleri is Chief of the City Watch. As a house they have a heavy involvement with the Amber Navy, running several shipyards for them, and are also involved in building and construction. Because of this their wealth and standing has grown considerably with the expansion of Amber City since King Random came to the throne.
HEXAN
Head of House Lord Armand. A merchant house heavily involved in trade and manufacturing throughout the Golden Circle. As such they import a large amount of such goods into Amber, and have a significant trading fleet.
KARM
Head of House Lady Marianne KARM. The oldest surviving Amber noble family, whose numbers still remain small after allegedly being the target of a vendetta by Prince Finndo of Amber long ago. They have the largest library of any noble house, surpassing the library of Amber Castle in some fields. Because of this they have a reputation for learning and scholarship.
Despite the shoddy treatment of the house they have remained loyal.
Lord Marus Karm- A leading sorcerer.
KESHT
Head of House Lord Salvador, who is married to Lady Elspie. One of the major trading houses of Amber, with links to, and offices in, shadows throughout the Golden Circle. As such it has also produced a number of Amber's diplomats and ambassadors.
MOTIUS
Head of House Lady Rhian MOTIUS. A merchant house specialising in luxury items from across the Golden Circle. Several members of the house are known as artists of various kinds, in particular Lady Rhian's youngest daughter Cynehild.
NORWULF
Head of House Lord Godmund. A newer noble family in Amber, established since King Random came to the throne on the basis of money made by fortuitous trading with new markets along the new shadow paths created with the redrawing of the
Primal Pattern. Because of their 'new money' status they are somewhat looked down upon by the other houses, but do control a major trading fleet. Guthrun, the oldest daughter of the head of house, is the director of Entertainment and a Deputy Chief of Protocol. Gieana is the younger daughter, very eligible, very much on a prowl amongst the Cousins. Lady Lydia Norwolf is a member of the Queen's Ladies in WaitingBaron
REIN
Head of House Lord Fletcher, Corwin's friend. House Rein is a smallish house whose interests are spread across a wide range of fields without specializing in any. They have more holdings at Corwin's Pattern than any of the other Amber noble houses.
URIEN
Head of House Duke Hymel URIEN. A small, long-established Amber noble family, consisting mainly of landowners and vintners. Lady Carmel URIEN, daughter of the head of house, is a friend of
Queen Vialle. Lord Hymel has a number of other daughters (Isabella, Sophia, Aurore and Lucille URIEN), but as yet no sons.Hymael Urian holds the incredibly important position of
Steward of Amber.A loyal house led by Lord Vrus Venway. He is elderly in the extreme, sinile despite all that can be done for him. At 3000 years old it is amazing he goes on. Ivor Venway is the Chief Priest of the Unicorn in Amber. Ronan Venway is the Major-Domo of Castle Amber; cousin of Ivor. Both are great grandsons of Vrus, and have absented themselves from assuming the house. No other heirs remain. Should Vrus die the Crown would have to chose between defrocking a High Priest of the Unicorn or releasing his own Major Domo/Personal aide
Cogswell Mal At Riess is a very strange guy to be a Duke. He is an itinerant guitar/bajo/ballisat playing song-singing drunkard. He is also a brilliant Cavalry soldier and commands on of Benedict's Elite Cav Units-The Wild Weasels.
BAYLES
Vinter to the court
Baron Valand Bayles. Daughters Carlan, Lisa, and Vinta Bayle.
Vinta is a Lady in Waiting to Vielle
GANTH
DU SARN
Breakwithe-Smythe is an ancient house that has produced numerous Chief Heralds of Amber over the centuries. A small house since Cymnea's days they run one of the oldest lawfirms in Amber.
The current head of both the Breakwithe-Smythe at Law and House Breakwithe-Smythe is Baron Harent Breakwithe-Smythe. He is an officuios man and is generally regarded as a brilliant mind you would want defending you if you were going to trial but not someoen you would invite to a dinner party.
Dinner parties at House Breakwithe-Smythe are considered the dullest in Amber but are too likely to have juicy gossip lyingarround not to attend.
Lady Ain Breakwithe-Smythe is the Deputy Chief Herald of Amber and a prig of a woman she can be. While generally well liked she tends to act in a formal maner at all times. She has an encyclopedic knowladge of the heraldic precedents, precedence, laws, rulings, entitlements, and legislation in every golden circle kingdom From Amber to Bryton. She is the Keeper of the Amber Order of Precedence.