Oberon's Law is a prohibition against killing purebloods, except during a formally declared war. It is the only order that Oberon passed before disappearing.
This protection does not extend to changelings, merlins, or humans. The law does not apply to the Cait Sidhe since Oberon recognized their need for violent battles of succession,[1] nor does it apply to "lesser" or bestial fae such as pixies.[2]
Over the centuries, the purebloods developed creative workarounds that allow them to follow the letter of the law if not the spirit. Elf-shot was created by Evening Winterrose to put purebloods to sleep for a hundred years, and kills changelings and humans outright, although elf-shot has been modified to conceal a slow poison capable of killing sleepers without the individuals watching them realising it.[3] Some fae choose to inflict deliberate, grievous bodily harm to purebloods that falls just short of murder, and is often more torturous than a simple death.[4] A fae might transform their enemy into an object such as a tree to get them out of the way for a few centuries, or even transform them into a rock and drop them into the ocean knowing full well they'll drown after the spell breaks.[5] A person who compels someone else to do the murdering, such as a king ordering his sworn vassal, is technically innocent of the crime while the hired killer is executed.[6] Gilad however extended Oberon's Law to protect changelings until Oleander assassinated him.
The punishment for breaking Oberon's Law is death, although a person may be pardoned for the crime under extenuating circumstances.[3]
In the Series[]
Rosemary and Rue[]
Even if Toby and Manuel hadn't killed him, Devin would have been convicted of killing Evening Winterrose once his scheme was discovered. Because Evening was Firstborn and Devin didn't use a combination of iron and silver, she survived her wounds however.
A Local Habitation[]
April O'Leary is pardoned of her involvement in killing the employees of ALH Computing since she did not understand that death was permanent.
Gordan chooses to fall to her death rather than stand trial for the murders, knowing the likely cruelty of her punishment.
Late Eclipses[]
October Daye breaks the Law when she kills Blind Michael.[7] The Queen of the Mists uses that, along with the poisoning of Luna, Lily and the Cait Sidhe to sentence her to death by the iron crossroads, but the High King pardons Toby since her actions were a service to the realm.
One Salt Sea[]
Rayseline Torquill accidentally breaks the law twice: First, she shoots a selkie - Margie Atwater - with elf-shot to steal her skin; without the pelt, the selkie is functionally human and dies of the poison. Second, she shoots Connor with an elf-shot arrow, which kills him. Now elf-shot herself, she will stand trial when she awakens. Toby has agreed to advocate for mercy on her since she was not in her right mind at the time.[2]
The Queen of the Mists resists calling off war with Saltmist because if she did so, her people would be guilty of breaking Oberon's Law. Dianda places the blame on Dugan for the first Selkie's death, however doesn't do the same for Connor. Dugan however was not executed for his role in the attempted insurrection.
A Red-Rose Chain[]
Rhys, King of Silences, circumvents breaking the Law by holding his prisoners captive with elf-shot and slowly using their bodies for alchemical ingredients.
Once Broken Faith[]
Kabos and Verona of Highmountain try to circumvent the Law by ordering Minna to do their killing for them. This backfires when Minna kills them both, along with herself.
The Brightest Fell[]
Rayseline is kept asleep despite the elf-shot cure because she violated Oberon's Law and will stand trial once she awakens. Toby agrees to defend her, even requesting the Luidaeg's help.
Night and Silence[]
The False Queen tries to push a starved and feral Kennis into violating the law by draining her dry, but Kennis restrains herself when she regains her reasoning.
The Unkindest Tide[]
The Law does not cover Selkies while in their human form, or their families. As such, there is little means to punish Torin for killing Isla Chase. Amphitrite finds a suitable punishment regardless, releasing her claim on him as a descendant. Toby kills one of Torin's loyalists, but because the circumstances are surrounding a declaration of war and insurrection, she isn't charged, and Peter reminds her that she didn't violate Oberon's Law.
Offenders[]
- October Daye - having killed Blind Michael and finishing off Oleander de Merelands, attempted to be executed for Blind Michael along with Lily and Luna under false charges, cleared of all charges by Aethlin Sollys, technically avoided being charged of Oleander's death because Rayseline was the one who delivered the fatal blow.
- Rayseline Torquill - unwittingly killed Connor O'Dell and Margie Atwater, knowingly dealt the fatal blow to Oleander de Merelands, cleared of Connor's death by the Luidaeg and Arden, cleared of Margie's death by Dianda as she was used by Dugan.[8]
- Oleander de Merelands - responsible for a number of Fae deaths - including King Gilad, Lily and a large amount of the Court of Dreaming Cats. Betrayed and killed by Rayseline before she could be formally charged.
- Dugan Harrow - charged for Margie Atawater's death. Although not the one responsible, he provided Rayseline the elf-shot that unwittingly killed her.
- Gordan - responsible for the murders of Barbara, Yui, Peter, Colin and January. Rather than face charges in a Court, chose to commit suicide.
- Minna - responsible for the murders of Antonio Robinson and Kabos of Highmountain. Ordered to murder Antonio under duress by Kabos and Verona, killed Kabos in a fit of rage, then killed herself and Verona.
- Absalom Shallcross - responsible for the murders of High King Aethlin's two guards. Avoided "breaking" the Law because of utilising traps to commit the murders.
Quotes[]
- "The Law is supposed to apply to everyone, but if no one is willing to stand up for the dead, it doesn't. The perfect murder isn't one where no one knows. It's one where no one cares." -Toby, when convincing Raysel she will be pardoned for her crimes.[9]