Ryden's Rebellion

* House Mercer and House Brewlan lose their lordship and most of their lands, becoming small knightly houses

### Battles

The Battle of 100 Ships
The Battle of Sunhold
The Battle of Prince's Pass
The Battle of King's Hill

Ryden's Rebellion was an attempted rebellion that took place in Year 3018 of the Third Era when Lord Ryden IV Goldfyre attempted to usurp the throne from King Edun VII Goldfyre with the help of another branch of House Goldfyre and their allies.

## History

### Prelude

In the early 3000's of the Third Era, King Edun VII Goldfyre rose to the throne in Edun's Keep. His brother, Ryden IV Goldfyre grew jealous after being sent to King's Hill, a seat traditionally given to the King's other branches of House Goldfyre. After years of jealousy polluting his mind, he'd had enough of his brother gaining the reputation that he believed was rightfully his. His cousin, Lord Zyre V Goldfyre, urged him to take the throne by force, claiming that many houses would rally to their side. Finally, in Year 3018 of the Third Era, Ryden and Zyre put their plan into motion, managing to bring the branch families of House Goldfyre, along with House Mercer and House Brewlan, and the vassals of the two houses. In the final days before the war began, Zyre sent messengers and money to hire the fleet of Nikidos Foratis, a well known Swiftian pirate and sellsail.

### Beginning

During the first hours of the war, a raven bearing an ultimatum was sent to Edun's Keep, threatening the King. Once the letter had arrived, Ryden's allies amassed their men and fortified their castles. Edun sent his loyalists, as well as six thousand men from The Grey Mountains and another five thousand from The Gold Hills, and eight thousand from The Stonelands, to crush the rebels at King's Hill and Sunhold.

### The Battle of 100 Ships

After Edun's men arrived at Retlego, he sent them, along with four of his Kingsguard, down river on thirty warships. When they were half way to Sunhold, the fleet was ambushed by Nikidos Foratis's Fleet of seventy ships. A handful of these ships were equipped with catapults that fired clay pots filled with Forest Flame to set the loyalist ships ablaze. After hours of battle among fire and water, the loyalist fleet was victorious. Nikidos's remaining ships fled from The King's River, leaving only five of the King's thirty ships afloat. After the battle, the loyalists were forced to march the rest of the way to Sunhold on foot, sending the five ships back to Retlego with the wounded.

### The Battle of Sunhold

Within days, the loyalist army had reached Sunhold. They settled in for a siege that lasted three days. As Zyre led his defence of the castle, Ryden set out from King's Hill to break the siege. Four members of Ryden IV Goldfyre's Kingsguard were ordered to protect Zyre and his family during the siege. All four would be killed by the end of the battle. The majority of defenders would be killed in battle, with the rest being brought as prisoners to Retlego to face trial for rebellion. After the battle had ended, the loyalists proceeded towards King's Hill, crossing The King's River and continuing.

### The Battle of Prince's Pass

While the loyalists were marching on King's Hill, Ryden had planned an ambush at Prince's Pass. He had the majority of his army there, waiting along the mouth of the pass for the loyalist army, and his archers atop the heights around them. Once the army came into range, the archers fired volley after volley of arrows at them while the cavalry charged in, being led by Ryden himself, and engaged in a brutal melee. After hours of fighting, Ryden gave the order to retreat, and fled back to King's Hill with his remaining men. Ryden also lost two more of his Kingsguard during the battle.

### The Battle of King's Hill

The Battle of King's Hill was rather short, as far as battles tend to go, and only lasted a few hours. The overwhelming numbers of Edun's army crushed the rebels, taking the walls with siege engines and firing down into the courtyard. Ryden would be killed during this battle, along with the remainder of his Kingsguard, inside the great hall. Ser Bonifer Brewlan, Lord Commander of Ryden's Kingsguard would be killed along side his king, and Ser Desmon Mercer would die fighting in the courtyard, being killed by Ser Corban Gallister. The remaining members of the houses were brought to Retlego to face trial.

### Aftermath

With every living member of House Goldfyre gathered in Edun's Keep in Retlego, along with the treasonous houses that allied with them, King Edun VII had to make a difficult choice. He arranged a trial for them all, intending to stop another rebellion in the future. He took away lordship from House Mercer and House Brewlan, along with a vast majority of their land, dividing it up among the surrounding houses. As for House Goldfyre, Almost every member of the rebelling branch families were executed for treason and rebellion, leaving only the main branch left.