List of characters in the Chronicles of Amber

The English language fantasy series "The Chronicles of Amber" features a great variety of characters from both our universe and other possible parallel universes. Most, however, are from either Amber itself or the Courts of Chaos.

Amberites

Characters from Amber are referred to as Amberites.

The Royal Family

(approximate order of age excepting offspring indents)
*Dworkin Barimen, mad sorcerer, author of the Pattern and father of Oberon
*Oberon, lord liege of Amber, and his children:
*"by Cymnea":
**Benedict, The master tactician of the family as well as the unmatched master of all martial weapons, and a man who seldom smiles. He chose to remove himself from the struggle for the crown, leaving Eric and Corwin as the eldest surviving heirs. Moreover, Oberon declared his marriage with Cymnea null and void, rendering all his children by her illegitimate.
**Osric and Finndo, long-dead brothers of whom we learn little. It is suggested that they conspired to take the throne from their father, after which they were sent to the front lines of a war from which they did not return.
*"by Faiella":
**Eric, Corwin's illegitimate elder full-brother. An arrogant yet competent would-be king of Amber; he commands the loyalty of Julian, Caine and Gérard. Corwin and Eric's rivalry for the throne drives much of the plot of the first three books. After Benedict, Eric was reputedly the greatest swordsman in the Universe of Amber and Shadow. A few centuries before the events of the first novels, he and Corwin decided to settle their rivalry in a duel to the death. In the event, Eric, fearing Oberon's wrath, left Corwin, gravely injured, on Earth in the 17th century. Corwin recovered physically but his memory was gone. Eric maintained that Corwin had left Amber of his own volition, but Oberon would often hint that he suspected Eric of killing Corwin. When Oberon disappeared, lured into Shadow to find a tool to fix the Pattern after Brand damaged it, Eric allied with Caine and Julian to hold the throne.
**Corwin, the narrator of the first five books. He is the first legitimate living child of Oberon who desires the throne. His years on Earth seem to have softened him somewhat from his earlier arrogant beliefs, particularly with respect to the rest of the family, and to the residents of Shadow, who are regarded by some in the family as creations of their own minds, to be used and abused as they see fit. He also improved his political skills and his swordsmanship, to the point where he fights Eric to a draw in Nine Princes in Amber.
***Merlin, son of Corwin and Dara. He was raised in the Courts of Chaos, and Corwin is unaware of his son's existence until he is informed by Dara late in the series. Adopting Earth, home to Flora and to his father, as his own home, he becomes a software developer in San Francisco. He finds himself subject to attempts on his life, which turn out to be instigated by his friend Luke, who is really Brand's son Rinaldo.
**Deirdre, Corwin's sister. Corwin's feelings for Deirdre are decidedly un-brotherly, and she appears to return his affection, though it appears nothing came of it. She is a minor character in the Corwin cycle, but the "Visual Guide to Amber" says that she was the best-loved of the royals, due to her beauty and compassion. She used an ax in battle.
*"mother unknown (may be Faiella or Rilga)":
**Caine, a calculating, realistic manipulator with naval talents and lifestyle. He and Gérard command both the Amber Navy and the merchant fleets which ply a thousand different Shadow oceans in their trade. Caine seemed to give Corwin the sea passage to Amber on his first assault, but then ambushed him with help from Eric, who was controlling the weather. After Eric's death and Corwin's assumption of power, Caine faked his own death in order to "go underground" in finding the author of the threat to Amber among the Royal Family. He arranged for Corwin to discover his "body", actually that of one of his shadows, and later stabbed Corwin after it appeared to him that Corwin, by bringing back Brand, was attempting to revive the plot against Oberon. Caine reappeared in the final battle at the Courts of Chaos, his silver arrows killing Brand. In the second set of novels, he himself is killed by Luke/Rinaldo as revenge for Brand's death. This results in Julian and Gérard declaring vendetta against Luke.
*"by Clarissa", known as "the redheads":
**Fiona, a deft mind and stunning beauty. Sorceress of the family. With Bleys, she was one of the original co-conspirators with Brand to unseat Oberon and take the throne. Later she befriends her nephew Merlin and helps him solve his own mysteries.
**Bleys, a dashing and charming extrovert who partners with Corwin in the effort to retake Amber from Eric. He is also a sorcerer, though of lesser skill than his two full siblings, and favors the sword.
**Brand, a manic depressive megalomaniac sorcerer. He makes Faustian bargains with the forces of Chaos in order to gain power, apparently becoming a "living Trump" who can move anywhere in Shadow by willing it. By the time of the final conflict at the Courts of Chaos, he is no longer quite human, even by Amberite standards, and is quite insane.
***Rinaldo, also known as Luke, son of Brand. He and Merlin both studied at Berkeley and then worked with a computer company Grand Design. Luke does not tell much about himself, but shows he is strong, intelligent and has a salesman's ability to convince people and make them do things he wants. Luke plots revenge against the Royal Family, especially Merlin and Caine, for his father's death.
*"by Moire of Rebma":
**Llewella, who has removed herself from the presence of her family and usually resides in "Rebma", the underwater reflection of Amber. Hers is something of a sad existence. She stands with her half-siblings in the final confrontation at the Courts of Chaos.
*"by Rilga":
**Julian, a cold, sinister hunter with calm manner and biting tongue. He is usually found guarding the Forest of Arden in Amber, with his hell-hounds, beasts out of Shadow who are quite capable of ripping bodies, and metal, with their teeth. He has incestuous feelings for Fiona. Eventually he admits to Corwin that he recommended that Corwin be blinded in captivity, to render him useless to Brand's cabal. With Eric and Caine, Julian formed the counter-cabal to hold the throne.
**Gérard, a trusted brother, the strongest man in the multiverse and called "the best of all of us" by Brand. His loyalty is not, however, backed up with intelligence. He resents being manipulated by his siblings, preferring the face to face confrontation, and the contest of strength, not of guile. When the family contacts Brand in his shadow prison, Gérard is the first to grab an axe, teleport into Brand's cell, and free him. Later he guards Brand after he is mysteriously stabbed after returning to Amber. Ironically, of course, Brand is the author of all the troubles of Amber.
*"by Harla/Lora", introduced in the Merlin Cycle:
**Delwin and Sand, twin brother and sister. They only lived a short time in Amber, preferring to live in the Shadow worlds and keep themselves removed from the affairs of their siblings.
*"by Dybele"
**Florimel, known as Flora, is regarded as shallow or a dumb blonde by her siblings, yet she often is on the winning side. Her beauty is legendary in many Shadows and also in Amber itself. It is not certain whether her presence on Earth had anything to do with Corwin's exile there, or how much she knew about why and how he got there. She likes nothing better than to live a pampered existence in her luxurious house in Westchester, New York and entertain her many lovers.
*"by Paulette"
**Random, a sneaky rascal, often irritating and called a 'punk' by older siblings. Random helps Corwin to regain his memory, and supports Cowin for the throne of Amber. After the final battle at the Courts of Chaos, the Unicorn chooses Random himself to succeed Oberon. Random's passions before this were gliding and drumming. It was after a "hot set" in his favorite Shadow that Brand contacted him through a card in a hand of Poker he was playing, setting into motion the events that led him to contact Corwin at Flora's house in Westchester, New York.
***Martin, son of Random by Moire's daughter. After walking the Pattern in Rebma, he wandered in Shadow until he encountered Benedict, who became a mentor. Brand later created a Trump for Martin, using it to summon him to the Primal Pattern, where he stabbed Martin, using the blood he shed to damage the Primal Pattern and allow the forces of Chaos to threaten Amber.
*"by Deela", introduced in the Merlin Cycle:
**Dalt, Oberon's illegitimate son, a mercenary and enemy of Amber - his symbol is a lion rending a unicorn. Dalt was Luke's friend from childhood. Dalt is very strong, and recovered from being impaled on a sword by Benedict.
*"by Kinta", introduced in the Merlin Cycle:
**Coral, a princess from a nearby shadow called Begma, a result of Oberon's secret short liaison with the wife of the Begman diplomat. Although Coral is Merlin's willing lover, she is actually married to Rinaldo as part of a treaty between royal families. Coral is half-sister to Nayda.

The names of Florimel's and Random's mothers are not given in the novels; the names here are taken from the "Visual Guide to Amber" and the "Complete Amber Sourcebook". The "Visual Guide" adds a younger daughter of Paulette, Mirelle, but she does not appear in any of the novels.

Caine's parentage varies from book to book. Corwin places him above Bleys in the succession, but Merlin says he is a full brother of Julian and Gérard. The "Visual Guide to Amber" and the "Complete Amber Sourcebook", both authorised works, contradict each other. For more details, see section A7 of the [http://leutheuser.com/amber/FAQ.html Amber FAQ] . Corwin also ignores the sisters in the succession.

In Nine Princes in Amber Corwin mentions his fondness for Random as related to being full brothers instead of half-brothers.

In the Merlin Cycle, a Pattern-ghost of Oberon claims that there were a total of 47 children, though only 20 are mentioned in the books.

Other Amberites

*Lord Rein, a minstrel who was once knighted by Corwin
*Roger, a guard in Castle Amber, and amateur author. Likely this is Roger Zelazny writing himself into his novel. Corwin describes Roger as lean, cadaverous, pipe-smoking, and grinning, a description that would fit the author. Roger says that he is writing a "philosophical romance shot through with elements of horror and morbidity," and that he composes the "horror" portions while on duty in the dungeon.
*Droppa MaPantz, the court jester in the Merlin Cycle. From time to time King Random takes him to Las Vegas to gather new material. Merlin and Corwin's friend Bill from Earth recognizes some of his jokes as being taken from George Carlin's act.
*Bloody Bill, Bloody Andy, Bloody Eddie, restaurateurs in Amber. They successively run the same establishment with a reputation for good food and random violence. The restaurant is traditionally known by the name of the previous, deceased, owner, be it Bill, Andy etc. Proper table manners at "Bloody Bill's" (later "Bloody Andy's") include making sure your sword is partly unsheathed and visible to all. The Fish Fry is to die for - literally.
*Vinta Bayle, Caine's mistress and daughter to Baron Bayle, Amber's vintner. For a time she is possessed by the "ty'iga" spirit which Dara has set to watch over Merlin. The "ty'iga" likes to seduce Merlin when in human form.
*Jopin - Keeper of the Lighthouse at Cabra. A former sea captain who enjoys the simplicity and solitude of his job.

The Courts of Chaos

Perhaps fittingly, there isn't a specific name for characters from the Courts of Chaos. Both "Chaosites" and "Chaosians" are popular choices; through the first series, they are referred to only as the Courts, or as "the forces of Chaos".

*Dara, great-granddaughter of Benedict, Corwin's lover and wife of the Chaosite nobleman Gramble Sawall
*Duke Borel, master of arms of house Hendrake. Dara's fencing instructor.
*Gilva, a warrior-maiden of house Hendrake
*Jurt and Despil, Merlin's half brothers - sons of Dara (Merlin's mother) and Gramble Sawall. Jurt hates Merlin, while Despil tries to avoid conflicts
*Merlin, son of Dara and Corwin,and great-grandson of Benedict, narrator of the second cycle of books
*Mandor, Merlin's step-brother, a son of Gramble Sawall from a previous marriage. He is a machiavellian manipulator, but Merlin likes him. His name may be derived from the Latin "mandare", to trust. However, it should be noted that "Mandor" is an anagram of "Random," who reigns in Amber.
*Suhuy, keeper of the Logrus
*Swayville, King of Chaos during the Merlin Cycle

hadow dwellers

*Ganelon, an exile from Avalon. Based on the character of the same name from The Song of Roland.
*Hugi, a fatalist talking raven. Based on Hugin, one of the two ravens who perched on Odin's shoulders in Norse mythology.
*Jasra, a powerful sorceress, mother of Luke, tutor of Julia, and former handmaid to Dara. She has venomous lips and a thirst for power.
*Julia Barnes, Merlin's ex-girlfriend, whom he finds murdered in her San Francisco apartment by a doglike monster from another world. Merlin had taken her with him on shadow walk, which led to their breakup and to her pursuing an interest in occult magic.
*Lancelot, one of Ganelon's knights who was rescued by Corwin. Based on the character of the same name from Arthurian legend.
*Lorraine, a camp follower with second sight in a shadow of the same name.
*Moire, queen of Rebma, maternal grandmother of Random's son Martin by her daughter Morganthe, who committed suicide after being abandoned by Random.
*Rhanda, a vampire-like being called a "shroudling". She and Merlin were childhood playmates.
*Bill Roth, a lawyer from Earth, who aids Corwin and ends up being something of a confidant for Merlin. In Sign of the Unicorn, Bill, frustrated by Corwin's evasiveness, complains, "I've a peculiar feeling that I may never see you again. It is as if I were one of those minor characters in a melodrama who gets shuffled offstage without ever learning how things turn out."
*Sharu Garrul, Jasra's former tutor and a previous ruler of the Keep of the Four Worlds.
*The Sphinx, a monster that devours those who cannot answer its riddles. Based on the creature from the myth of Oedipus.
*The Ty'iga, a bodyless demon who inhabits the bodies of others. She is female, or at least feminine, though she is able to possess male bodies as well. When she leaves one's body the possessed person feels like waking up from a sleep and has no memory of the intervening time. She appears as Dan Martinez, George Hansen, Meg Devlin, Vinta Bayle and it is revealed that she was also Gail Lampron, a former girlfriend of Luke. She is finally bound in the body of Nayda, Coral's sister, since Nayda actually died from an illness just as she was possessed.
*Vialle, a blind noblewoman from Rebma whom Random is forced to marry. This was intended as a punishment for Random's affair with Moire's late daughter. Random would be bound to stay in Rebma for a year, and Vaille would gain status as a noble of Amber. To everyone's surprise, the marriage worked out well. She is artistic, creating sculptures by touch, specializing in busts of the Amberites. Vialle gives Luke/Rinaldo her protection in the form of her ring, ensuring that the vendetta against him by Caine's supporters will not be allowed to proceed.
*Ygg, a talking tree planted by Oberon to mark the border between Order and Chaos. Based on Yggdrasil, the tree that, in northern Germanic and Icelandic myths, holds up the sky.

Links

[http://www.stwing.upenn.edu/~avm/Amber.shtml] Amber Dictionary Page