Politics in the Courts of Chaos

The Courts of Chaos operate under what is basically a feudal monarchy, with the Lords of Chaos making up the nobility which rules over the demons, shadow dwellers and other denizens of the area. The nobility consists of about a dozen great houses, each headed by a (hereditary) Duke and which share at least some amount of power with the King, and of two or three times as many lesser houses.

Some of the more well known houses:

• Helgram: The current Royal House. The King is Edward Helgram, son of the King who surrendered to Amber ending the Patternfall war. Merlin's mother was also from this house.
• Hendrake: An old patrician house known for its loyalty to the crown, honor, and prowess with the sword.
• Minobee: Another old and powerful house. The Duke of Minobee has been the Lord Chancellor of Chaos through three regimes.
• Sawall: Another great house, Merlin is now its head, having been adopted by the old Duke after he married Merlin's mother.
• Barimen: Dworkin is said to be a scion of this house, which apparently still exists.
• Stryll: An old house which used to be behind periodic military forays against Amber, back in the early days of Oberon's rule.
• Harnack: A small house, vehemently seeking Amber's destruction, reputedly out of favor for recent misdeeds.
• Jasby: A more powerful house opposed to Amber, even more greatly out of favor at present.
• Swayvill: The Royal House of Chaos for thousands of years, wiped out shortly before (or perhaps during) the Patternfall war.