"It seems that I may be one of the only really sane Amberite left in our little group. The rest of them seem just a little out of touch with the reality I know. I can't really explain what I just wrote and I guess I don't need to. Maybe I'm crazy too. Crazy crazy crazy." --Jordan, the diaries.

Paranoia: our most refined survival instinct.

Children of the Unicorn are... let us say numerous in the halls of Castle Amber in the years coming soon after the Pattern Fall Wars.

But they don't look much like children. In fact, they don't act much like children either: certainly, they are petty, small-minded, petulant, and self-centered, but this is not 'childish' in this family--it's hereditary.

In the time following the War, with Random as King and Vialle at his side, a new feeling of openness propagated in the Court of the King... openness, or a feeling similar to that, one that encouraged everyone to be forthcoming to avoid suspicion falling on them.

Paranoia had everyone acting like family--'normal' family.

And the kids started to come out of the woodwork.

Hidden away, kept in the dark, mislead, abandoned, or protected, the children of the children of Oberon had never seen the hallowed halls of their parents in more than fleeting glimpses if they were lucky--most hadn't seen them at all, but now they were brought forth, almost as proof that the family member performing the presentation was truly part of the 'New Amber'.. The kids were out of the closet, but many of them weren't being claimed by their own parents for whatever reason.

Many of the unclaimed ones considered themselves lucky.

The younger generation, yes. Young? Well, it's all relative.

We all thought Chance? was verifiably the oldest of the 'children', (it turned out we were wrong, and that distinction actually belonged to Selena?, but at the time...) everyone was quite sure Chance, who had lived with his Father's family in the Courts of Chaos? for some 300 years, was the oldest. It is ironic these two were so close in age, for they were constant rivals from their first meeting. None can verify Chance's parentage, but it is undeniable he is of the Blood--though no one even now owns to his creation. Selena's father officially acknowledged her not so very long ago... but that is told of in the History of our recent trials.

So... these two were kept ignorant of their heritage for some time... and by various means they came to be known to the King, Random... but they were not the first... in fact, of all the children, these two oldest were the last to come into the fold of Amber.

First, there was Vincent?. His father did not bring him to Amber, and he did not stay long. Instead Benedict found him in Shadow while searching for his missing brother Corwin, and brought him to Amber in no small secrecy. Vincent survived the Pattern?... and when Corwin confronted Benedict with Dara's existence, Benedict introduced him to Vincent--perhaps as a riposte: the meeting was not a good one, and one will note this instance is not recounted by Corwin in his Chronicles, where he instead invented a fictitious parental relationship with a Chaosite ironically much more understanding to his father.

Cathryn, the youngest. Demanding, brash, confrontational, she came to the castle claiming her birthright by blood: her unknown father had had a brief affair in some warring shadow: her mother died having only given hints of his true identity... When Bleys' armies swept towards Eric's Amber during the Wars, Cathryn somehow followed and came to the City through Forest Arden?... when things had calmed, she renewed the strife with her demands. The situation was straightforward: she would prove her claim by walking the Pattern that very hour... and so she did. None knew who her father might be, but that came clear at a later date.

Martin's arrival is told of, and told well, in Corwin's saga.

Ariadne?, amongst turmoil. Another child not brought to Amber by his father... but it was not kindness that caused Caine to present him. He brought the boy to the Castle, strapped to the saddle horn of his mount, maimed in one eye, to present him to his father Bleys. Of all the Children, perhaps only Ari knew straight out who his father was from the very beginning--but he paid a dear price for the knowledge.

Jordan?, son of Mandor. Sent to Amber to claim his place in an arena where he might truly be in his element. KTTP Trump? artist trained in the courts of Chaos--recluse, son of Llewellyn, strong arm of the younger generation. More can be seen of him in his own words than in ours, and we will let him speak for himself... his acts, while not always heroic, did accomplish feats many of his elders attempted and at which they failed.

Angus, king of hard lands. Much can be said about Angus... but none of it will be said here... suffice it to say he was loyal, and knew honor, and while he is now gone, he can perhaps be said to live on--time will tell.

And the Scattered. Alphred, Scion of the Courts of Chaos--short-time ally of Amber, powerful son of Gerard. Noru, ignorant of his heritage and too angry at his ‘family' to join them for long, he wanders the shadowways of the Golden circle.

There were others, allied against Amber.

Kethos, son of Finndo -- Called the Hunter. Warrior, and protector of his father's goals. So frequently did his path lie parallel to his adversaries, he could almost be called 'companion', and in fact by the end of it all... well, that is for another place in the telling.

Felicia, daughter of Osric, Madwoman, KTTP Logrus? Mistress... Mourned by no one, or none who will speak of it.

These were the younger generation, the older? you most likly know, or have heard tell of: Benedict, Random, Caine, Gerard, Bleys, Fiona, Flora, Llewellyn, Dworkin. Finndo and Osric, seeking revenge and rulership. Corwin, long-lost again, and returned--and Brand, thought long-dead and revealed.

These are the players on our stage, and within these pages... you will hear our story.

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