Editing A Conversation on the Fey in Amber (section)

==Ancient History==
"And now some ancient history.  I've spoken to '''Arloxedra''', to a couple Ranger friends, and briefly to '''Dame Margot'''.  So my sources are sound.   

"Lets start at the dawn of time."

"The origins of fey are diverse for cosmological reasons. There are two specific distinctions for the origins of fey and as you deal with them its good to know.  The vast majority of fey are originally a race of Chaos, beings with innumerable forms. These Chaosian fey were on '''Dworkin''''s mind apparently when he forged the pattern of Amber. The fey that were created when Amber were created are [[Non-Borns]]. So two origins, broadly, for Fey.   

"Some Chaosian fey were caught up in the forces of creation when the pattern was forged. The Abyss had been a deep long gap in the universe but still a finite construct up till then. Its own origins are murky and I used to live next to it.  But it was big enough that the forces of creation washed against it and made it infinite and the border between Chaos and Shadow. The fey on the Amber side of the Abyss became the races of fey spread across shadow. Wherever they are found in shadow their origins are generally that they got trapped on this side of the abyss when the Pattern was forged and they were transformed in many ways.'

"However, others were created when the Pattern was created.  You come from a tech world, you probably know of [[Non-Borns]] as being born without the benefit of attendant mothers.  Well, it appears that the Fey in Amber were originally cosmologically Non-borns; creatures brought into being by the creation of the pattern of Amber.  So in many ways, they are the native race of the realm that became Amber.  There are a couple other Non-Born species around Amber.  The Wereriders of a number of shadows, including Wiermonkker, may have non-born origins.  The Dragons of Ganosre  are Non-born and one of them mothered '''Vox'''."

Even '''Arlo''' says there are no books of fey heraldry or history that he knows of, though there must be since they have history and heraldry.  So what I know is a general overview. They have a court but their history has always been their own.  Their queen '''Titania''' may be a non-born herself with a lifespan stretching back to the beginning. She has several children, supposedly, one of whom is '''Cyrene'''.   Her court is comprised of Dukes and Duchess, Counts and Baron, whatever their form or duties may be.  "

"At some time '''Oberon''' and his wife Cymnea, a Duke and Duchess of Thelusia, came to Amber with a small entourage to make a kingdom on the spot of the Pattern.  There they had 4 children together; Osric, Finndo, Benedict, and Borlak.  Those 6 began building Castle Amber carving it out of a single massive stone that hid the pattern of Amber that now resides in the dungeon. Dame Margot was a very young girl whose father was one of '''Oberon''''s retainers. So she remembers those days though getting her to talk about them is tricky and involves gin.

[[File:Cymnea.jpg|150 px]][[File:D-osric.jpg|150 px]][[File:Finndo1.jpg|150 px]][[File:D-benedict.jpg|150 px]][[File:D-borlak.jpg|150 px]][[File:Margot.jpg|150 px]]

'''Oberon''' was not faithful, of course, and had two other children at this time.  One was Orsolla, daughter of '''Oberon''' and  Moiren, Queen of the Mer, a fey race.   Moiren founded the Line of Moins that springs forth Moire, Queen of Rebma, a well as Lewella, Martin, and Rene.   The other was Elfwine, and the rumor is that he is the son of '''Titania'''.   

[[File:D-orsalla.jpg|150 px]][[File:Elfwine2.jpg|150 px]]

I don't know the details but Orsolla fled Amber rarely to be seen even as her mother built the Kingdom of Remba.  Elfwine was aloof and nature-oriented, probably an arch-druid, and wandered away from Amber and this may be a source of sadness for '''Titania'''.  He wandered around the Amber [[Shade]]s and eventually ended up in Mandalay.  According to Margot there was some kind of friendship between Titania and Cymnea.  As such the fey and Elfwyne were around for a time as the castle was built but at some point there was a falling out between the two women and the Fey became reclusive and Elfwyne disappeared.

"When are you getting to '''Donovan'''?" '''Kibar''' growls.  

"Soon, soon. Context, is everything.   You know, when people think of Amber, and by people I mean, Golden Circle, Amber Sway, people on the trade routes and the Jeweled Road, they think of '''King Eric''',  '''King Random''', and '''King Oberon'''.  They think of the quarrelsome brood of princeliness and now their children.  If they deal with Amber closely they may know the nobles, like the '''Feldanes, Mikhales, Charentons, Bayles''', or even the '''Kesht'''.  They think of the great city of Amber and its suburb North Riding, the cities of Ober, Yaj and Garn.  Maybe Remba and the Rebman cities of Yal and Moins.   If they know of Amber well they might remember the kingdoms of Tyalece and Acadia. maybe the Island of Cabra, and maybe the Far Isles.  They see the rest of the continent as unbroken forests including the great Forest of Arden.  "

"What they almost never think of is the Gentry;  the commoners.  But there are lots of towns, villages, hamlets, farmstead and family farms spread out around the coast of the continent stretching into that deep forest.  In the interior is the woods where the Fey mingle with the people of Amber."

"Long ago creatures, monsters, warriors and armies came into Amber anywhere through the Forest of Arden.   This angered the fey because of the loses they suffered.  So '''Oberon''' and his sons forged trails out into shadow that became the Great Arden Road and now the Jeweled Road.  Anyone shadowwalking east hits the [[shadowtugs]] and in they came down the road, not just in anyplace in Arden.  '''Oberon''' also established the Rangers to defend Arden, Amber, and unofficially, the Fey."

"However, the Fey have no representatives in Court.  No official status other then as individual natives of Amber.  They have little legal status since they almost never avail themselves of the civil authorities. They manage a rough kind of personal justice in their realms. But from time to time individual fey do come to the cities and when they do they are treated as anyone else, more or less.   There are a number of fey merchants in the cities; cobblers, weavers, carpenters, brewers.  Mostly in Ober and Jal.  But their number is few and they are not thought of as a "People" of Amber, as they should be.  Being a Chaosian in Amber, I can understand their struggle."

"'''Julian''' was always their benefactor and his Rangers intermingle, and intermarry with the Fey frequently.   Warrior fey often become rangers.  They have mutual festivals and gatherings large and small that no one else knows about.   '''Duncan''', '''Julian''''s son, is the son of a Ranger who was '''Julian''''s paramour for a time, and its suspected he has some small amount of fey blood himself. But Julian's siblings apparently mostly forgot about the Fey and even Duncan."

"Now we come to '''Donovan'''.  Son of '''Julian''' and a duchess of the court of '''Titania''', '''Cyrene'''.  My Ranger friends tell me that '''Donovan''' has been something of a mascot for the Rangers as he grew.  He split his time fairly evenly between Rangers and the Fey, they claim.  They said that the failure of '''Oberon''' to officially recognize the fey in Amber  has been a long term horrible disservice they railed against but that '''Titania''' herself might be the reason for this. Few Ranger Fey attend Rasak because to do so would put them formally in the Army of Amber.  There are rumors Random offered '''Cyrene''' an ambassadorship if '''Titania''' approved it but the offer was declined.  Many think '''Donovan''' will eventually be the representative of the Fey to the Court of Amber.  With '''Julian''' gone Duncan is for all practical purposes the new Warden of Arden and he is said to dote on his younger brother. "

"Before '''Julian''' left he saw to it that '''Donovan''' attended Rasak.  So whatever you may think of him remember that he did 10 years in '''Benedict''''s personal torture playground.  He may seem well.. fey... but you don't get through Rasak without being tough."  

"After Rasak he met with the King and was assigned an Elite named '''Farooq''' who barely escaped court martial for engaging in a deadly fight with Lord '''Zachary''', '''Flora''''s son.  He escaped that because Prince '''Gerard'''  favors him and '''Zachary''' started it." 

"After that he walked the pattern.  His mother was in attendance and that makes her the highest ranking fey to enter the castle in a thousand years. So that's a court issue."

'''Vek''' pulls out a deck of cards and hands them to '''Kibar'''.  He fumbles them about a bit the questions them.  "What about them?  They aren't magic."

'''Vek''' nods, "No.  Thats are a set of '''King Random''''s Trumps I picked up in a North Riding tourist gift shop.  Thousands of those are sold.  Nearly every home in Amber and far and wide beyond has a deck somewhere.  They are used for the same reasons cards are used for everywhere,  but they are also used to keep track of the family by friends and foes as well as fans. These decks are not magic yet when new cards are added to our '''King random''''s deck, these decks gain new cards too. If you look you will see you are in there, I am in there, and '''Donovan''' is in there.  When a new card arrives something else happens; an Alcove appears in the Amber Cult Halls at the Fane of Zilla.  I'm just back from there.  Young '''Donovan''' has a  new alcove and..wait for it... a large following.  Chaosian and Black Zone Fey have an Amberite they can now adore and they are making the most of it.  Soon the alcove will be a nave.  It will be interesting to see how they manage things."

Finishing his beer he smiles.  " Done and done.  Penthouse, bank account, and a date for dinner.  I'll be in touch" 

'''Kibar''' frowns, stands, starts to walk off then stops.

"You said everyone in the deck has an Alcove in this church?"

Veks says, "Yes.  I've lit a candle in yours.. for luck you know."

Kibar frowns, "One more thing I guess."  Turning, he walks off into shadow.