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Appendix II:
The Master's Generation

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Lorien, Cethron, and Periel were all Knorths. Daron was a Randir. No one knows who Keral's mother was, or Bane's. Both were Kendar.

The Master's generation may look improbably complicated, but its mix of full and half siblings is fairly typical of Highborn families. Most lords have a number of consorts during their lifetimes. Their contract specifies how long the arrangement will last and whether or not the lady is authorized by the head of her father's house to bear her consort children. If she does, they stay in their father's house even if she moves on. This has always been so, although before the Fall Highborn women had a far greater say in determining their own fates. They still have more influence than their menfolk realize. Now as then, they can usually control conception at will, which is fortunate because childbirth is often fatal for them. If they do die, their child and its sire are both more or less blacklisted as future breeding stock. The rare illegitimate child is considered as having no family and its mother, again, is blacklisted.

The point of all this, of course, is to control the ways in which various houses are linked through bloodlines. At the time of this story, the aim is purely political. Historians suggest, though, that long ago the Highborn may have been trying to breed Shanir, from whose ranks the Tyr-ridan or chosen three will come to lead the Kencyrath in final battle against Perimal Darkling. The way to get the most powerful Shanir, however, is to inbreed, hence the custom of mating twins. But since the Fall, Shanir have become less popular and cross-breeding between houses has become more and more the rule. Now all the lords of the High Council have mixed blood except Torisen and Adric. The Ardeth have always had a special interest in the Shanir. As for the Knorth, because of their divine mandate to provide Highlords, they have always chosen leaders from among the purest of their blood. Now only Torisen and Jame are left.

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