The Noble Houses

House Bayle - Noble house of Amber; hereditary rulers of Baylesport. Known for their skill at wine-making, the members of House Bayle tend to reside in Amber City and Baylesport. They have a manor house a few leagues outside of Baylesport called Arbor House. Vinta Bayle was mistress to Prince Caine for a time, but she perished during the Abyss War. The crest of House Bayle is a hound's head surrounded by vines, and the current Head of the House is Lord Vincent.

House Cezare - Hereditary rulers of Ghenesh. House Cezare is known for its controlling interest in the agriculture of Ghenesh, and it is very involved in trade in Amber City. House Cezare is said to be rather 'provincial' by the city houses, but they are still welcomed at major events. The crest of House Cezare is an oak tree over a field of brown, and the current Head of the House is Lady Morgana.

House Chantris - Noble house of Amber City. House Chantris is the second oldest noble house in all of Amber, dating back to the time before Oberon's reign. The family is known for its horses, which tend to be the finest breeds available in Amber. The crest of House Chantris is a red horse on a field of gold above three crowns. The current Head of House Chantris is Lord Gideon.

House Feldane - Noble house of Amber City. House Feldane is a house of noble scholars, and the family is known for its grand library, located in their manor house in the Eastern Marches. Miraculously, the library survived the Abyss War intact. The crest of House Feldane is a scroll on a burgundy field, and the current Head of the House is Lord Elliott.

House Karm - The oldest noble house in all of Amber and the Golden Circle. House Karm has traditionally always been a military house, and they were fervent supporters of King Oberon before the conflict between House Karm, Finndo, and Osric. After Oberon decided against House Karm, they had little to do with him and moved their possession to Corilaine. It is important to note that Lord Edward Karm was husband to Princess Florimel before his untimely death. The crest of House Karm is a golden serpent entwined around a silver sword on a black field. The current Head of the House is Duke Kieran.

House LeDorne - Hereditary rulers of LeDorne. Originally a wealthy merchant house, Mishel LeDorne purchased his nobility and used his financial power to become ruler of the surrounding lands. Over time, however, the family has fallen on hard times, and the current head of house, Queen Maeve, is really little more than a puppet to her greedy and ambitious husband, Claudio. House LeDorne has always been involved in trade by land and sea. The crest of the House is an upright sword over a field of grey, and to its left, three gold coins stacked in a column.

House Redwyn - Noble house of Amber City. A minor noble house that is heavily involved in the carpentry and masons' guilds, House Redwyn achieved a good measure of prominence in aiding the building of Newcastle. The crest of House Redwyn depicts a castle facade on a field of blue. The current Head of the House is Baroness Helena.

House Sawall - Sawall has historically been known as a house of scholars and Logrus masters, but with the devastation of the Abyss War, its members are limited. After the destruction of Sawallways and Shaenan's ascension, Mandor moved the house to Amber, feeling that his interests and the interests of his House might better be served there. The current Head of House is Jonathan Sawall, the Crown Prince of Chaos, and the members of House Sawall reside in Sawall Manor.

House Sento - Hereditary rulers of Sento. Though Sento is primarily rural and pastoral, the capital city of Norn d'Sark is actually very civilized. House Sento is ruled by Baron Timeus, an austere, older man who has survived since the time of the Patternfall War, in which he fought as a young man. House Sento oversees the managing and trade of livestock. The crest of House Sento is a sheaf of wheat balanced on a scale with a gold crown, all over a field of blue.

House Thessala - Hereditary rulers of Mordentia. Duke Laoric of House Thessela rules Mordentia, a land whose primary exports are from mining. This house tends to be rather stand-offish and they seldom have anything to do with the court scene in Amber. The crest of House Thessala is a seven-headed hydra on a field of green.

House Wayreth - Hereditary rulers of Deiga. The member of House Wayreth tend to involve themselves in shipbuilding, sea trade, and naval careers. The crest of House Wayreth is a trident laying horizontal on a field of blue, over three stars. The current Head of the House is King Nathaniel.

The Noble Houses

House Amblerash - House Amblerash was historically known for its connections to the Church of the Serpent, and for its legions of warriors. After barely surviving the Abyss War, the Head of House decided that the only way for the House to survive was to foster close ties with the Crown. House Amblerash oversees the majority of farmers and herders in the Courts. The current Head of House is Baalam Amblerash, Duke of Cerelaine. Baalam is the only son of Bances Amblerash, the High Priest of the Serpent. The members of House Amblerash reside in Cerelaine.

House Barimen - After the treacherous actions of Dworkin and Oberon, the House was declared an enemy of the crown, their property seized and their lands cursed with such hatred that they sank and flooded, becoming what is now known as Cainsmarsh. In the following years, House Barimen survived for a time, taking refuge in Tir-na Nog'th, only to be destroyed again in the Abyss War. Currently, the house is thought to be defunct.

House Chanicut - House Chanicut maintains an extensive system of vineyards and wineries throughout Skeltland, and maintains authority over the nearby Shadows of Rial, the Courts' underwater realm, and the Isle of Corinth, the major port of the Courts. The current Head of House is Nessarose Chanicut.

House Helgram - Under Dara's leadership, House Helgram renewed ties with House Hendrake, since Dara traced her ancestry through both houses and was the granddaughter of Benedict. In addition, House Helgram reinvented itself as a house of diplomacy. Whether that continues to be the case under its new leadership remains to be seen. The current Head of House is Noah Helgram, and Helgram's members reside in Gwynedd.

House Hendrake - House Hendrake is a warrior house which claims Benedict as an ancestor, and any visitor to Cardiff would find numerous shrines to him littering both castle, towns, and countryside. House Hendrake oversees the blacksmithing and sword and armor-making which Cardiff is well known for. The current Head of House is Mason Hendrake, Duke of Cardiff. House Hendrake was ruled by Belissa Minobee, until the Minobees split with the Hendrakes due to an inability to reconcile their feelings for the Amberites following the Patternfall War. The Hendrakes have no particular prejudice against the Amberites, and tend to take a very relaxed attitude towards the casualties of war.

House Jesby - House Jesby, quite possibly the most populous house in the Courts, remained relatively unaffected by the Abyss War, due to their lack of warriors and Logrus masters. Jesby is known for artisans, artists, bards and poets. The current Head of House is Momus Jesby and the members of House Jesby reside in Meath.

House Minobee - House Minobee was founded by Belissa Minobee following the Patternfall War. Formerly Head of House Hendrake, the Minobees split with the Hendrakes due to an inability to reconcile their feelings for the Amberites. House Minobee despises the Amberites for their roles in the deaths of Lars and Borel. The current Head of House is Rhees Minobee, Duchess of Donegal, who is the daughter of Belissa and Lars and the sister of Lord Borel. The members of House Minobee reside in Donegal.

All text on this page is © 1997-2000 by Matthew Richardson and Kris Fazzari.

Last modified on October 16, 2000 by Kris Fazzari.