A family with a deep connection to The Carcosa Mythos.
Meaning[]
The name Atheling is a Saxon term for a prince of the royal blood eligible for kingship.
Family Members[]
- Bill Atheling and his wife Samantha Atheling (nee Brock).
- David Atheling - step-brother of Bill and father of Jason. His wife is not mentioned but Susan Horne became his lover.
- Jason Atheling - son of David.
Appearances[]
Bill is introduced in More Light. David and Jason are introduced in The Dream-Leech, in which Bill is also mentioned, apparently having passed David his copy of the Play. It is in this second story that the nature of the family is explored in more depth.
Relationship of Bill and David[]
Bill is initially introduced as Jason's uncle with no qualification, but later he and David are said to be step-brothers. This is either an error for half-brothers or means that one of them was adopted when the other's father married their mother (their parentage is not explored).
Other Characters Named Atheling[]
- Colonel Thomas Atheling - British, unlike the other Athelings, he was a soldier in World War I. He appears in The Peace That Will Not Come.
Nature of the Family[]
Given the meaning of the name, it is clear that the family has a connection with The King In Yellow. Although in More Light, it would seem the connection is intended to be direct, such as an heir or vessel, in The Dream-Leech, it becomes more general. Mr Wake, the Dream-Leech who has targeted all three of them, says that the Athelings and other families "have it [the ability to bring Carcosans to life] in their blood", implying a hereditary connection to Carcosa in a similar manner to that of the Castaigne Family.
If the brothers are indeed step-brothers, then (unless the bloodline was passed down by the mother) one of them is not actually an heir. This could mean that Jason erred in claiming that his uncle was targeted by Mr Wake or it could mean that the lineage can somehow be passed by adoption. More likely, this is an error for half-brothers.