A Bride for Merlin -- Supplemental Info
Houses of Chaos
This document covers the Noble Houses and Families of the Courts of Chaos, for the Amber DRPG campaign A Bride for Merlin, run in Atlanta, GA, by Franklin W. Cain.

There is an aristocracy within the Courts of Chaos. These aristocrats are arranged into various noble houses and families. These houses and families are usually categorized as being either a major House or a minor house. In fact, the term "House" by itself usually means a major House, while the term "Family" connotates a minor house.

Minor houses are usually associated with a major House, for mutual assistance and protection, for economic or political gain, or because of similar interests. New minor Houses can be formed with the permission of the Lord (the Duke) of a major House, or the King himself. It is theoretically possible for a minor House to be elevated to the status of a major House, but this has not happened in tens of thousands of years.

The Major Houses of Chaos:

These are the major Houses of Chaos:

Amblerash

Colors: Black, Red, and Bronze

Symbol: A Wyrm Ourberous [sp?] twisted in a sideways figure-eight (twisted into an "infinity" symbol), such that the Wyrm's profile shows its right side

House Amblerash has a strong tradition of service in the Church of the Serpent. Amblerash is also known for having a strong flair for magic.

(Game Mechanics):

For the stereotypical character of House Amblerash, Psyche is usually the most important Attribute, with Endurance running a close second. Furthermore, mastery of the Logrus is often the most important Power, followed closely by Magic.

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Amblerash will usually look something like this:

PSY Amber, STR Chaos, END Amber, WAR Chaos
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35] Sorcery [15]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Amblerash may look something like this:

PSY Ranked [30], STR Amber, END Ranked [15], WAR Amber
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35], Sorcery [15], Conjuration [20], Chaos-Magic Discount [+10]

Barimen

Colors: Green, Red, and Bronze

Symbol: A Whirlpool/Spiral, with a (disembodied) Cat's Eye in the center

House Barimen is known for its expertise in shape shifting, as well as for its high incidence of Chaosian-Demon crossbreeding. Barimen is also known to have a strong interest in magic, especially demonology.

House Barimen is ruled by the young Rim Duke, Hastur Barimen. His mother, Galina Barimen, is the Dowager Duchess, and serves on the Council of Elders for House Barimen. (Hastur's father, the previous Duke, Lord Istvan, has been incapacitated since the final days of the Pattern Fall War. Since Istvan is not expected to ever recover, King Merlin declared the Ducal Seat to be vacant, and elevated Lord Hastur to his new station.)

(Game Mechanics):

Endurance is usually the most important Attribute for the stereotypical character of House Barimen, and Shape Shifting is often the most important Power.

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Barimen will usually look something like this:

PSY Chaos, STR Chaos, END Ranked [25], WAR Chaos
Logrus [45], Advanced Shape Shift [65]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Barimen may look something like this:

PSY Amber, STR Amber, END Ranked [40], WAR Amber
Logrus [45], Advanced Shape Shift [65]

Also, bear in mind that there is a large minority of demons that have been either born or adopted into this House as full members of the House.

Chanicut

Colors: Black and Gold

Symbol: A Chang-Tal (a Preying Mantis with extra arms and legs and a Scorpioin's tail)

House Chanicut is most known for its strong tradition of service in the administration of government. Together with House Jesby, almost a third of the mandarins in the Imperial Bureaucracy are from either Chanicut or Jesby.

The current Lord of Chanicut, Duke Saavish Chanicut, has been in power since the tragic death of his father, Lord Tubble, when Lord Tubble fell into the Abyss during the funeral of King Swayvill.

(Game Mechanics):

For the stereotypical character of House Chanicut, Warfare is usually the most important Attribute, with Psyche running a close second. No one Power seems to be preferred over any other by House Chanicut. Furthermore, because of Chanicut's history of service to the Courts of Chaos at Thelbane, virtually every member of House Chanicut can be expected to have "friends" and connections in high places.

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Chanicut will usually look something like this:

PSY Amber, STR Chaos, END Chaos, WAR Ranked [10]
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35]
Allies and Friends [5]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Chanicut may look something like this:

PSY Ranked [20], STR Amber, END Amber, WAR Ranked [30]
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35], Sorcery [15]
Allies and Friends [5]

Helgram

Colors: Blue and Silver

Symbol: A Shooting Star

House Helgram is prominent in the mystic arts, and slightly less so in the martial.

House Helgram is ruled by Duke Jendo Helgram. (Jendo's uncle, the previous Duke, Lord Arioch, has been incapacitated since the final days of the Pattern Fall War. Since Arioch is not expected to ever recover, King Merlin declared the Ducal Seat to be vacant, and elevated Lord Jendo to his new station.... just moments before declaring Princess Dara, who was Jendo's rival for control of House Helgram, and is Merlin's mother, to be under permanent house arrest for insurrection.)

(Game Mechanics):

For the stereotypical member of House Helgram, Psyche is usually the most important Attribute, with Warfare being a close second. and Strength being very much the least important Attribute. Furthermore, Mastery of the Logrus as well as Sorcery are by far the most important Powers, and thus, are virtually equal in importance. All other Powers -- Trump Artistry, Shape Shifting, Power Words, and Conjuration -- are equally less important.

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Helgram will usually look something like this:

PSY Amber, STR Chaos, END Chaos, WAR Amber
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35], Sorcery [15]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Helgram may look something like this:

PSY Ranked [15], STR Chaos, END Amber, WAR Ranked [15]
Advanced Logrus [70], Shape Shift [35], Advanced Sorcery [25]

Hendrake

Colors: Red and Steel (Grey)

Symbol: A Greatsword whose blade is wreathed in flames

House Hendrake was ruled by the Dowager Duchess Belissa Minobee since the deaths of both her husband, General Larsus, and her elder son, Lord Borel, during the PatternFall War.

House Hendrake is ruled by the Rim Duke, Lord Vanth Hendrake, the eldest surviving son of General Larsus (the previous Duke) and Belissa Minobee (who still serves as the Dowager Duchess, and on the Council of Elders for House Hendrake).

(Game Mechanics):

For the stereotypical member of House Hendrake, Warfare is, by far, the most important Attribute. Of the remaining three Attributes, Psyche is slightly behind Strength and Endurance in importance. As far as Powers go, other than the mandatory Logrus and Shape Shifting, the only Power that seems to be favored by the stereotypical member of House Hendrake more than any others would appear to be Power Words.

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Hendrake will usually look something like this:

PSY Chaos, STR Chaos, END Chaos, WAR Ranked [25]
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Hendrake may look something like this:

PSY Chaos, STR Amber, END Amber, WAR Ranked [40]
Logrus [45], Advanced Shape Shift [65], Power Words [10]

Jesby

Colors: Red and Gold

Symbol: A Flame

As mentioned above for House Chanicut, House Jesby is most known for its tradition of political and/or government service.

House Jesby is ruled by the young Rim Duke, Lord Flark Jesby, the eldest son of the previous Duke, Lord Tmer, who was assassinated during the funeral of King Swayvill).

(Game Mechanics):

For the stereotypical character of House Jesby, Warfare is usually the most important Attribute, with Psyche running a close second. Magic seems to have a slight preference among the Powers chosen by House Jesby. Furthermore, because of Jesby's history of service to the Courts of Chaos at Thelbane, virtually every member of House Jesby can be expected to have "friends" and connections in high places.

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Jesby will usually look something like this:

PSY Amber, STR Chaos, END Chaos, WAR Ranked [10]
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35]
Allies and Friends [5]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Jesby may look something like this:

PSY Ranked [20], STR Amber, END Amber, WAR Ranked [30]
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35], Sorcery [15]
Allies and Friends [5]

Minobee

Colors: Green and Silver

Symbol: A (disembodied) Hand raised in greeting

House Minobee has a strong tradition of mercantilism and exploration. In fact, most new members of the Black Zone were discovered by trading expeditions sponsored by Minobee.

(Game Mechanics):

House Minobee seems to have no special preferences as to Attributes or Powers.

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Minobee will usually look something like this:

PSY Amber, STR Chaos, END Chaos, WAR Amber
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35], Sorcery [15], Conjuration [10], Chaos-Magic Discount [+10]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Minobee may look something like this:

PSY Ranked [10], STR Ranked [10], END Ranked [10], WAR Ranked [10]
Logrus [45], Shape Shift [35], Basic Magic [40], Chaos-Magic Discount [+10]

Sawall

Colors: Brown and Gold

Symbol: A Scroll

House Sawall is most known for its expertise in the mystics arts.

The current Lord of Sawall, Duke Despil, is still a bachelor, and is, thus, one of the more eligible bachelors in all Chaos (his elder brother, King Merlin, is, of course, the most eligible bachelor).

(Game Mechanics):

For the stereotypical member of House Sawall, Psyche is the most important Attribute, with Endurance being slightly favored as a secondary Attribute.

Mastery of the Logrus is the most important Power. In fact, there are few Lords of House Sawall who do not excel in their mastery of the Logrus. Sorcery and Conjuration are equally favored as secondary Powers.

However, two things should be noted. First, there is no Power that is completely unknown in House Sawall, not even Pattern. Second, anyone in House Sawall who learns a particular Power is usually not satisfied with just the basic level of that Power; they will more often than not be a master of that Power (i.e., the Advanced version of a Power is more often preferred).

A typical minor (75 pt.) Lord of House Sawall will usually look something like this:

PSY Amber, STR Chaos, END Chaos, WAR Chaos
Advanced Logrus [70], Shape Shift [35]

A more seasoned (150 pt.) Lord of House Sawall may look something like this:

PSY Ranked [20], STR Chaos, END Amber, WAR Chaos
Adv. Logrus [70], Shape Shift [35], Adv. Sorcery [25], Adv. Conjuration [35], Chaos-Magic Discount [+15]

The Minor Houses of Chaos:

There are hundreds (if not thousands) of minor Houses. Here are a just a few of the more common:

Finndoson and Osricson

These two Families are usually associated with House Barimen. However, Osricson also has branches in House Amblerash, and Finndoson has branches in House Hendrake.

Their traditions state that they were founded by two brothers who were princes in exile. After the PatternFall War, it has been discovered that these two princes may have well been Princes Osric and Finndo of Amber, the elder brothers of Prince Benedict of Amber.

Melnibone

This Family is associated with House Helgram, and is originally from the shadow of Melnibone in the Duchy of Helgram.

Tvariens

This Family is usually associated with House Hendrake.

Vrell

This Family is usually associated with House Helgram.