"So what's new in Amber?"

-Corwin and Rein, NPiA, Chapter 8

Eric is, of course, the king of Amber, having crowned himself when further attack from his siblings seemed imminent. He has held the throne for two years, in the face of adversity from a number of corners.

The obvious story is to say that Caine is slumming around the city. But no one believes it. Most believe he's off on crown business, investigating internal threats to the Crown from factions in the city.

After his failed attempt to take Amber with Bleys, Corwin was captured, blinded, and put away in the dungeons. It is believed his curse is the cause of the Dark Things attacking Amber.

Flora's back in Amber, for better or for worse. The castle staff always seems a touch less nervous when she's not around. They've been seen with dark circles under their eyes as the anniversary or Eric's reign approaches.

-Corwin and Rein, NPiA, Chapter 8

Rumor has it that Gérard was given the fleet of Amber because there's no siblings left to attack Amber, and all real threats are coming by land. However, dark things have been seen lurking beneath the waters. There have been few to no attacks on Amber or its navy by sea, but rumors are coming up from Rebma of dark things that attack the fringes of the kingdom.

"Where's Julian?"

-Corwin and Rein, NPiA, Chapter 8

Julian spends nearly all his time in the forest, which seems to be his general preference. Every day a few more dark creatures are found attacking Amber. Every day Julian asks for more men, but doesn't ever seem to get nearly enough.

"And what of Random?"

Since his initial incarceration, Random has gained a bit more freedom in the castle. He's still forced to share a cell with Vialle in the dungeons. However, it's a significantly nicer cell, reserved for low end political hostages and the like. It's dry, has a few rooms, and a bit of incense clears away all smells of rotting flesh. He and his wife are occasionally let out provided they are under heavy guard.

Allister is a pious and simple man who firmly believes in good old-fashioned common sense. He’s not simple in the sense that he falls prey to the scheming of other nobles. He simply doesn’t believe in complicating issues needlessly.

Galea is a small agrarian barony, between the northern reaches of Arden and the Bayle Barony.

The current head of the house is Lord Allister.

Colman is one of the more ruthless members of the Court of Amber. With the shrink in their familial size, they’ve become far more determined to secure their place in Amber.

Karm is the oldest family of Amber, and was, for a long time, held in high esteem by Oberon. It was also heavily decimated by Osric as part of a vendetta. It is still around, though not quite as large, elegant, and wealthy as it once was. They still own a large chunk of land, however. The Duchy of Karm takes up much of the area between Bayle and Feldane.

Baron of Walsh
Felix is an old friend of Eric’s, and a longtime Knight of the Crossed Blades, Eric’s own knightly order.

The Barony of Walsh was created recently King Eric. The barony lays claim to two of the Islands of the Sun, most of which belongs in theory to Fiona, and earns much of their living through fishing.

Gamin is a quiet member of the court. Which scares the piss out of the other members of the Court.

This viscounty of Nesbit is a medium sized house of medium sized status and wealth. They've thus-far led fairly boring lives.

Goddart is an aged and whispy little man, more inclined to study his books than anything else.

House Allain is a small barony located fairly close to Amber, about a day's ride due north of the city. The house is best noted for its scholars, and has the largest library to be found outside of the city of Amber, and is rumored to have books that were purged from the city when Oberon got a wild hair up his butt.

Allain is also known for it’s college, Allain University, which is a common retreat for many a young Amberite who cannot travel through shadow but wants to get away from the Court of Amber. "Really, mom, I’m studying law!"

Inger Dameron is a tanned and blonde man, jolly beyond belief, who has long been a friend of Baron Bayle. Likely because of Baron Bayle’s wine cellar.

The earldom of Dameron is a small waterfront holding. It has no ports to speak of, but makes a tidy sum renting beachside homes to visiting dignitaries and non-landed nobles.

Marquis of Feldane

Feldane is a swarthy and evil looking fellow, much feared among his peers on the Council of Lords.

The marquessate of Feldane is far to the northeast. It is one of the large merchant houses, and controls the second largest port in Amber (after Amber City, before Baylesport). The are a nominally militant house, supplying a number of troops to the navy (largely so that they can see their interests served).

Murdock Chantris is a big, bluff beast of a man, who has fought in every battle in recent history, and has scars to prove every last inch of it.

House Chantris owns land in the foothills of the Spine Mountains (the mountain range that ends with Mount Kolvir). It gained some grudging mining rights to the mountains back in Oberon's time, and produces a small amount of the metals, gems, and other minerals used in Amber.

Chantris is also one of the more militant houses, and provides a good deal of the military support.

Pivin is a lanky and seemingly bitter and twisted man. He has been most noticable of his dislike of the current heir of Amber. Not that he was particularly fond of Oberon. Or anyone else for that matter.

Set along the coastal marshes to the south, the Marquessate of Pivin earns much of their income from fishing, "exotic foods", and training of soldiers. (Some feel that if anyone can survive the Tandur Swamp, they can survive anything.) The marquis is also tasked with monitoring the swamp for potential invaders. So far no one's been stupid enough to try.

Handsome and very serious, the baron of Bayle is a business man through and through. He’s been married twice, the first marriage producing two sons, and the second marriage spawning a slew of daughters. Of his children, the two most notable are Sir Reginald, who is reputed to be the best dressed man of Amber (not counting Bleys), and Vinta, who has long been suspected of being on close relations with Prince Caine.

House Bayle is one of the wealthiest houses in the kingdom of Amber. It produces a remarkable line of red wines, and several unremarkable whites that just get dumped onto the market. Situated on the coast to the northeast of Amber City, the barony of Bayle is one of the few holdings that has a port outside of Amber City.

Benedict has not been seen in roughly 25 years, and is presumed by many to be dead in his pursuit of analyzing different battles.

-Corwin and Rein, NPiA, Chapter 8

Bleys was known to have long-standing aspirations for the throne of Amber. He was for some time in alliance with Brand and Fiona, and though it is known they split with Brand, it is unknown was has become of Fiona. He was last seen falling to his death off the stairway to the Eastern Gate. If alive, he's considered persona non grata in Amber.

Brand apparently came to cross-purposes with his co-conspirators and has not been heard from. If alive, he's considered persona non grata in Amber.

...I'd never seen pictures of Delwin or Sand until now. There weren't any hanging around the palace, and they were seldom mentioned. But they had lived in Amber for the relatively short time Harla was queen there. Following her death, they grew unhappy with Oberon's policies toward her homeland -- which they visited often -- and after a time they departed, vowing not to have anything to do with Amber again.

Delwin and Sand have turned their backs on Amber and returned to the land from which they hail. No one seems to know where that is, though. Which isn't particularly surprising considering how little they were liked and how little most of the siblings cared for each other at the time.

…Dworkin Barimen, that wild-eyed hunchback who had been a sorcerer, priest, or psychiatrist—the stories conflicted on this point—from some distant Shadow where Dad had saved him from a disastrous fate he had brought upon himself. The details were unknown, but he had always been a bit off his rocker since that time. Still, he was a great artist, and it was undeniable that he possessed some strange power. He had vanished ages ago, after creating the cards and tracing the Pattern in Amber. We had often speculated about him, but no one seemed to know his whereabouts. Perhaps Dad had done him in, to keep his secrets secret.

-NpiA, Chapter 6

Dworkin, the mysterious man said to be behind the creation of the Pattern, the drawing of the Trumps, and the writing of the Book of the Unicorn, has been missing for some time. None know where he might be. Rumors that he is the father of Oberon are considered silly, and people who take on the surname "Barimen" are just considered nuts.

"Well," he said, "plotting is the number-one pastime around here, and everyone has plenty of time, you know. We are both too young to remember brothers Osric and Finndo, who died for the good of Amber. But the impression I get from Benedict--"

-Random and Corwin, SotU, Chapter 3

"We'll see," I said. "Where's Fiona?"

-Corwin and Julian, NPiA, Chapter 4

Fiona was part of a cabal with Brand and Bleys opposing Eric, Julian, and Caine. It is unknown where she is or why she was not involved in the attack on Amber with Corwin and Bleys. She is considered persona non grata in Amber.

-NPiA, Chapter 5

Martin, Random's son and Queen Moire's grandson, has not been seen in Rebma for some time, though there have been rumors of him being in Amber.

Mirelle, the younger full sister of Random, died while walking the Pattern. She'd walked it at her coming of age, and had spent a small amount of time in Amber. Once, while bitter and angry about some action of Oberon's she fled to the fastest way out of Amber she could think of: The Pattern. Teary-eyed she began walking the Pattern, and stumbled off the lines to a fiery death, while Random and Corwin watched from the doorway.

Benedict's son Sedgewick, renowned for his abilities as a forensic investigator, has not been seen in Amber for many years, since long before his father's disappearance. It is unknown what has become of him.

Bleys' son, known to his friends as "Vic" (and everyone's his friend), has been noticeably absent since Eric has ascended to power. There have been rumors that he has been spotted in the city, but they have so far been unconfirmed.