Editing Consanguinity Laws

=='''Origins'''==
The Consanguinity Laws in Amber were established at the time that Oberon discovered he had married and fathered 4 children with his eldest daughter, Clymnea.

=='''The Laws'''==

'''A: No member of the royal line of Oberon of Amber shall engage in carnal experimentation or be allowed to marry under any rite with members of the royal family line.'''

'''B:No child of such a union will ever be considered a true child of the royal line. Nor have rights of inheritance or succession. Titles of rank are granted before discovery will be declared void. Parents of such children will have all ranks and titled voided and will be considered exiled.   '''

'''C:Participants and progeny of any pairing found in violation of this decree face exile.Punishment by execution, entombment, or defenestration may be given if the crimes are considered heinous.'''

''Oberon, King of Amber.''


'''No union of members of the Line of Bariman will be legally joined under the Unicorn.'''

''Dworkin, Sire of Barimen, a House of Chaos.''


'''I rescind the consanguinity Law because I think the reasons they were enacted were not good ones.   That doesn't mean everyone can go bed hopping now. Lets not go making any trouble so soon. '''

''Random, King of Amber''

=='''Justifications'''==
There were many justifications for them at the time but the most important was that the powers of the Pattern concentrated badly when both parents were closely related by blood.  

Since then many sorcerers have felt that what was characterized "badly" was incorrect and that such parings lead to greater powers by the offspring.  However, Oberon said that while greater powers might be derived by such unions they were as likely to be destructive powers as beneficial ones.

=='''Usage'''==
Oberon used the Consanguinity laws to to de-legitimize 3 children.  He used them to squelch several budding romances among his children, including Osric and Orsolla, Corwin & Dierdre, Caine & Flora, Gerard & Flora, Brand & Flora, and some unclear arrangement between Nina, Emilie, Julian, and Caine.

*The children of Cymnea were deemed illegitimate: Osric, Finndo, Benedict & Borlak
*A illegal marriage under the Unicorn between Osric and Orsolla was annulled.
*A shadow marriage ceremony between Corwin and Deirdre was annulled. 
*A union of unclear nature between Nina, Emilie, Julian, and Caine was annulled in the Courts of Amber.

=='''Extensions of Precedent to Noble and Gentry Houses'''==
While the Consanguinity laws do not apply to Noble or Gentry households they have been used in court as examples in many cases with varied results.

=='''Controversy'''==
Many scholars of heraldry and sorcery argue the details of these laws.  

Heraldically, the College of Heralds in Amber claims, the illegality of such unions does not change the fact of their existence nor change the description of Coat of Arms and charges of such union that represents parentage. 

Magically the union of two individuals with High Order Imprints can prove very dangerous but does not specifically donote an evil result.

=='''Random's Removal of the Consanguinity Laws'''==
King Random repealed the Consanguinity laws for a couple reasons.  First was that they really hadn't stopped siblings from breeding.  Second was that Oberon was afraid of his children becoming too powerful and Random would rather if they had powerful children it was better he knew about them.

However, the Consanguinity Laws had been in place since the founding of the kingdom and had permeated all levels of the Culture of Amber so repealing them makes such things legal, but probably still creepy to people.

=='''First Brood'''==

By the 50ths year of King Random's reign much was known about a group of Oberon's offspring termed the First Brood. These included Fleece, Adrian, [[Cymnea]], Av Reet, Eater, Hinarik, Vox, and Nalshik.  Also included in the First brood were Osrick, Finndo, Benedict, Orsolla, and Elfwine.

The powers of this group are varied and often fearsome and their parentage is mostly unclear.  Osric, Finndo, Benedict and Borlak are known to be children of Cymnea. Of the others little is known but the circumstances were enough to make Oberon enact the Consanguinity Laws in the first place.