Editing Civilian City Cohorts

The '''Civilian City Cohorts''' are a controversial subculture in Amber and often mocked by the nobility and royalty. Yet it is also well attended and respectable for members of the general population to be part of.   

The population of Amber is familiar with weapon and military affairs.  Frequent forces out of shadow attack the city.   Unruly visitors, merchant caravans, undercover puma cults, and any number of other violent forces find their way to Amber.  The general populace are comfortable wearing and using weapons but sometimes a dagger or cudgel is not enough. 

The Civilian Cohorts are enthusiastic amateurs when it comes to military matters.  They function as a volunteer fire department and are often involved in emergency services.
==Chapters==
The CCC also is a very active social community and is involved in many volunteer activities.  There are many local clubs or chapters.  A Chapter may be formed by 10 individuals who have placed in past CCC events.  

==Commentary on the [[CCC]]==
While the CCC is widely and openly mocked by the nobility and members of the various royal families in Amber and the Golden Circle, among their strongest supporters are Prince Benedict, Prince Gerard, Prince Gerard, Princess Florimel, and Baron Wyndham Feldane-Chief of Police.  The CCC was founded originally by Princess Dierdre in her youth. 
*Prince Benedict says the CCC is vital in time of war in organizing the general public and maintaining order.  They keep spectators away from military actions and are often vital in the transportation of the injured, and to dealing with looters.  They often manage fires that occur during warfare. 
*Prince Gerard claims that the information that a responsible citizenry can provide the military can often be vital.  Maintaining developing situations helps keep tragedies from expanding before the military can become involved.   The CCC naval chapters are especially helpful in reporting areas of piracy.
*Baron Wyndham says the CCC interacts with the city police as volunteers and provide necessary support.
*Prince Bleys says some of the CCC chapters throw incredible parties. 
The CCC is a point of contention among the royal family of Amber. Eric, Corwin, Caine, and Brand were all vocal detractors of the group.  Julian, Gerard, Bleys and Flora have been big supporters, with Julian acting as a judge at the Pas de Arms and Flora often hosting the Grand Ball.  Benedict traditionally attends the Pas de Arms, The Jousts, and the Closing Ceremonies.  He supports the organization in general but is clear about them not being part of the organized military of Amber.

There is a large amateur military culture in Amber that the '''CCC''' are part of.  Considering how long lived people in Amber can be there are many people with long military historys now in other businesses.

===Royal Interactions with the CCC===
*Benedict & Gerard are the most well known of the supporters of the CCC and their regard gives the CCC a lot of respectability even among the nobles who twitter about it.  

*King Random has attended Opening Ceremonies for the Festival several times but has found his presence is something of a distraction. 
*Lord Vance, Lord Truman, Lord Zachary, Lady Doria, and others participated in CCC events soon after their various arrivals in Amber. 
*During King Eric's reign his son Prince Arloxedra won the Pas de arms twice as well as participating in other activities.  He was not well liked by the membership but was respected for participating. 
*Lord Banidoc, Benedict's son, participated in CCC events as a Free Fighter and gave master class training.
*Princess Flora has participated as a Free Fighter and participated in Archery events as well as instructing in archery.  Her skill with archery rivals all her brothers except Benedict.
*Recently Lady Yalla Ganth, Daughter of Benedict was elected to the Organizing Committee. The Ganth family have a long history of participation in the ccc.
*Princess Dierdre founded the CCC in her youth but has been inactive in the origination for the last thousand years.,  For obvious reasons she has not attended after Patternfall.
*Lady Alexandra won the Archery Tournament the year before her status as an Amberite, daughter of Brand, was revealed to the general public.

=='''Origins of the CCC: [[Bright Edge]] and Princess Deirdre'''==
[[File:Bightedge-exterior.jpg|400 px]]

The legend is that the CCC was developed by Princess Deirdre in her youth.  A warrior princess in a warrior kingdom, she often found herself relegated to civil defense in the early days before the births of militant brothers Julian, Caine and Gerard.  In her friendships with the people of Amber she began training them, something to the amusement of King Oberon, and Princes Benedict, Eric and Corwin. 

What began as an amusement developed into a surprisingly useful training program developing an armed populace and irregular home defense force.  Over the years policies of the CCC developed and Princess Deirdre became less active but she still provided finacial support, training facilities at her Estate of [[Crankle's Hollows]], East of Jal, and her town house estate [[Bright Edge]].  [[Bright Edge]] is currently managed by Dame Fres Mira and is a common gathering spot of CCC members.

Bright Edge, being against the south east portion of the walls of Amber is something of an unofficial headquarters and social hall for members of the CCC.

=='''Notable Events and organizations'''==

Many members of the civilian police participate in the CCC.

===Civilian City Cohorts Festival===
Much to the chagrin of the Amber military, one of the most well attended events in the city of Amber is the ''CCC Festival''.  A 5 day mid-summer event that features many tournaments, Archery contest, dance, singing, vendors, instructions, classes, speeches, promotion ceremonies for the CCC memberships.

It is well attended by elements of the CCC in other Golden Circle kingdoms. Members of the military and royal families of Amber, Rebma and GC kindoms are well represented.  CCC Festivals occur yearly in any realm that has the CCC.
====Grand Festival====
The big yearly event is the '''Grand Festival.''' It has many activities but the main three are the Archery Tourney, the Sword Tourney, and the Mounted Lance Lists.
*Archery Tourney:  Contestants use event supplied Yew longbows.
*The Sword Tourney: Contestants fight one on one with whatever weapons they like in the general chivalric genre of weapons.
*The Mounted Lance:  Contestants joust.  This intense event is the most attended by the general public.  
=====The Overall=====
Winning any of them is an achievement but winning all three is a rare occurrence and is called winning the '''''CCC Festival Overall'''''. 

Victory in the Overall means a person has won all three events.  It is so rare that the winner is awarded a permanent billet in one of the CCC Fortifications such as Brightedge. The billet is a simple studio apartment but living space can be rare in such places. 

[[File:Brightedge billet.jpg|100 px]]
=====CCC Festivale Overall Champions=====
* Prince Eric of Amber
* Prince Corwin of Amber.  Did it because Eric did.
*Prince Brand of Amber.  A surprise entrant and greater surprise winner.

After Prince Brand won it was made a rule that while royalty of certain realms could enter they were ineligible to win permanent billets in CCC properties.


* Baron Wyndham Feldane. Billet used as lodgings for those attending CCC events.
*Baron Sir Even of Hale. The prize billet is known to be Even of Hale's main residence.  He later negotiated for a second apartment adjacent to his prize billet. 
*Lady Hannah Hale

===Pas d'Arms===
These are stylized tournaments that are as much theater as combat.  They are designed in many ways and under many rules.  There are events nearly every weekend somewhere in the Cities of Amber.  Some more popular then others.  Many noble houses sponsor Pas d'Arms.
(In a way the CCC are like the SCA)

===Mounted Tournaments===
Mounted Jousting is a popular sport across many of the golden circle worlds and has become more common in Amber in the late part of his reign.  MOunted Tournements are often participated in by active duty military as well as militant civilians.

===Fire Company Gatherings===
The CCC interacts often with the Amber City Fire Department.  There are quarterly gatherings where training is provided for the CCC to help them cooperate in times of troubles.  Many CCC chapters are built around Fire brigades.  These events include family gathering, picnics, races and games.  there is substantial cross training between the organizations.

The Hale family has been active in the cooperation between the CCC and the ACFD.  The ACFD's comander is Baron Colfi Hale[[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Elites#Colfi_Hale-Retired]].

===Dueling Societies===
Dueling societies sponsor public events where the art of dueling is practiced.  The bouts are strictly non-lethal.  Styles include rapier, foil, sabre, longsword, broadsword, great sword, spear, hafted polearms. 

The Dueling Societies participate in the Pas de Arms frequently, and are considered "crossover" members.
*''While the Dueling Societies exist for the civilian ranks they are also participated in by active military.  There are Dueling Societies in nearly all legions.  However, Benedict is known to dislike the focus on touch for points fighting of any style.

The '''Dueling Culture''' is popular in many of Amber's Golden Circle shadows and many shadows that have business with Amber.

==Notable Members== 

*''Lord Trundel Dros'':  Current General Commander of the Civilian City Cohorts
*''Even of Hale''.[[https://wiki.rpg.net/index.php/Elites#Even_of_Hale-Retired]]  A retired Elite and arms instructor to the general public.
*''Sir Kimal Kirt''. A Halfling from the Tandalin shadows.  An organizer of hunting expeditions.  A recent member of [[CHAD]]
*''Baron Godmund Norwolf''.  New Nobility-Post Patternfall.  The House Norwolf has a long history of service in the CCC.  Their new respectability has opened many doors for the CCC. 
*''Dame Fres Mira'': Served in the Elites.  Currently manages Princesses Deirdre's manor house,[[Bright Edge]] in the city.
*''Sir Alexandra Mira'': Daughter of Dame Fres Mira.  
[[File:Trundel Dros.jpg]] [[File:Even of hale.jpg]][[File:Kimal Kirt.jpg]][[File:GodmundNORWULF.jpg]] [[File:Fres Mira.jpg]]
[[File:Alexandra-tazilwere1.jpg]]
===Quarters===
There are a number of dwellings that belong to the CCC.  Among these are townhouses in most major cities.  The most well known is [[Brightedge]]

==Stories of the CCC==
*[[CHAD and the CCC]]:Lop, Fort, Nordwolf, Kimal
*[[Dierdre's Charter]]: Dierdre's agreement with the CCC