What about Oberon?

[CBIrish]

With all the posts on the Erlking and Santa Claus (which still makes me smile), I was wondering about another well known figure in Faeire - Oberon.  He's often depicted as a king of the fae and obviously holds a big spot in literature thanks to the Bard, but has anyone been able to sort out where he fits in to all this ala the Dresdenverse?

I ask largely out of general curiosity, but also because in the game I'm in, I play a Winter changeling who has sworn to serve Oberon as the king of a sort of renegade/underground court (which is called the Rogue Court and also includes Puck) that is currently building its power base.  I've had some conversations with the GM and I know how he's running it but I was curious if there was any established conversation on this or if anyone had any thoughts.

[Tbora]

You have to throw Finverra into mix too.

[MijRai]

With all the posts on the Erlking and Santa Claus (which still makes me smile), I was wondering about another well known figure in Faeire - Oberon.  He's often depicted as a king of the fae and obviously holds a big spot in literature thanks to the Bard, but has anyone been able to sort out where he fits in to all this ala the Dresdenverse?

I ask largely out of general curiosity, but also because in the game I'm in, I play a Winter changeling who has sworn to serve Oberon as the king of a sort of renegade/underground court (which is called the Rogue Court and also includes Puck) that is currently building its power base.  I've had some conversations with the GM and I know how he's running it but I was curious if there was any established conversation on this or if anyone had any thoughts.

Maybe he was king with one of the Mothers, back in the day. Or, a higher king, above those two.

[Arcteryx]

Could have been part of Autumn & Spring, 'cept now they're disposed and their power in wane...

[Dumbledresden]

With all the posts on the Erlking and Santa Claus (which still makes me smile), I was wondering about another well known figure in Faeire - Oberon.  He's often depicted as a king of the fae and obviously holds a big spot in literature thanks to the Bard, but has anyone been able to sort out where he fits in to all this ala the Dresdenverse?

I ask largely out of general curiosity, but also because in the game I'm in, I play a Winter changeling who has sworn to serve Oberon as the king of a sort of renegade/underground court (which is called the Rogue Court and also includes Puck) that is currently building its power base.  I've had some conversations with the GM and I know how he's running it but I was curious if there was any established conversation on this or if anyone had any thoughts.

Aren't there a few theories out there, stating that Oberon is the Earlking?

[Papa Gruff]

Aren't there a few theories out there, stating that Oberon is the Earlking?

Yeah buddy ... we had a couple of threads about that before. Not much came out of it though. The main problem is that we don't know enough about the Erlking at this point. All we know is that he leads the wild hunt and is the king of goblin.

I tried to do a bit of research and it didn't turn up much. Apparently the fairy stuff goes far far back into Norse mythology and Oberon may be some incarnation of Alberich. Too many writers have took up the names and stories over the years. Shakespeare, Goethe and Wagner for example. Not easy to decide.

I for one like the idea that Oberon might be the Erlking and has divided himself from Summer and his ex-wife Titania. He doesn't seem to belong to anyone now. All in all there is great potential for storytelling if it is set up like this and really cool stuff can come of it ... As Hell has no fury like a woman scorned ...

[Arcteryx]

At least having all those different versions give you the liberty to craft up anything to fit your own campaign...

[Papa Gruff]

At least having all those different versions give you the liberty to craft up anything to fit your own campaign...

Right. That is the beauty of it. Yet I still hope that Jim will give us a little bit more to chew on in the future. But I have the feeling that we don't have to worry too much on this front. In the meantime we can cook up our own stuff ...

[HumAnnoyd]

Could have been part of Autumn & Spring, 'cept now they're disposed and their power in wane...

In the game I am in Oberron is the King of Spring while the Erl King is King of Autumm.  Neither of the Equinox Courts are nearly as powerful as the Solstice Courts but they can still cause a lot of trouble for PCs. 

[Wolfwood2]

Oberon was the first and most powerful Summer Knight.  So puissant was he that he ruled alongside his Queen as an equal.  Some say that he was a famous mythic figure taken up with a new name.  Perhaps Gilgamesh, or clever Odysseus, or Prince Ōnamuji.

No one knows what happened exactly, but one day Oberon set down his sword and vanished as such legendary figures will do.  All knights since then have been but poor, fragile replacements.

In another version of the story, Oberon was both the Summer and the Winter Knight and the Courts were joined in peace throguh the mutual love of the queens for him.  But frankly this sounds a bit too much like somebody's harem fantasy, so not a lot of credence gets placed in that one.

The lesser fae are typically unhelpful on the matter, as it appears that they have been enchanted to forget.

[MijRai]

In another version of the story, Oberon was both the Summer and the Winter Knight and the Courts were joined in peace throguh the mutual love of the queens for him.  But frankly this sounds a bit too much like somebody's harem fantasy, so not a lot of credence gets placed in that one.

Oberon was King, not Knight. Big difference, especially in the Dresden Files.

There is a thought behind it. What if Oberon had been split into the Erlking and Santa? Or they somehow recieved his power. What was once a unifying force for the Sidhe turned into the opposite natures of their Courts. May not be completely canon, but it is an interesting thought process.

[Wolfwood2]

Oberon was King, not Knight. Big difference, especially in the Dresden Files.

I like how you write that with such conviction, as though anything weren't open to interpretation or a reworking of the myth.  Especially in the Dresden Files.  Wouldn't it be a hoot if there were no difference at all between king and knight, just nobody knows it?

[blues.soldier]

Or that the Faerie King is what happens when the same individual ends up as the Knight of both courts simultaneously. Titania's affair with Oberon is legendary thanks to Billy shakes, and his depiction of Mab is just as awe-inspiring. I *REALLY* like the idea that Oberon was a balancing factor for the Courts, and without him they choose separate Knights and war eternally instead of balancing each other.

I'd personally run it like a Dresden version of the show Cold Case--- ages ago, someone murdered Oberon, King of the Faerie Courts. Why? who wanted the Courts at war with each other? Who had the power to kill the Faerie King? Some say he is actually still alive, wandering the mortal realm, forever exiled from his beloved brides... what power on earth (or in the Nevernever) could bind such a powerful entity so?

[Richard_Chilton]

In one series of books by Lackey, Oberon was the missing king of the seelie and unseelie courts - the overking who ruled all before he went a wandering...

I could see Oberon being the king of both Summer and Winter - the one being who could tell both Mab and Titania the way it would be...  Yes, this ignores the Mothers, but who knows? Maybe there's a book out there called Oberon had two mommies?

Richard

[MijRai]

I like how you write that with such conviction, as though anything weren't open to interpretation or a reworking of the myth.  Especially in the Dresden Files.  Wouldn't it be a hoot if there were no difference at all between king and knight, just nobody knows it?

Wouldn't it be a hoot if you were wrong? We know the Erlking and Santa are the Kings of Summer and Winter, respectively. We know both are pure Fae. The Knights are mortal Consorts, not Fae Kings.

I could see Oberon being the king of both Summer and Winter - the one being who could tell both Mab and Titania the way it would be...  Yes, this ignores the Mothers, but who knows? Maybe there's a book out there called Oberon had two mommies?

Oberon, the male equivalent of the Mothers? I like it.