Council of the Riverlands

The Council of the Riverlands is a group of trusted advisors who advise the Lord Protector of the Riverlands.

## History

After the Secession of Man, the families of the Nahr tribe created the Council of the Riverlands to rule in 1 SM. The Ayers family, the smallest of the Nahr tribe, were considered unimportant and did not hold a seat on the Council. In 64 SM, the Council declared that although Obum had blessed them, it was evident by the environment surrounding them that Potamoi, the Demi-God of Rivers, should be the one worshipped. On the first moon of 65 SM, the Council of the Riverlands changed their Divine patron from Obum to Potamoi. All the families, except the Ayers, accepted this transition. By 100 SM, the Council had become corrupt, and the Ayers were persecuted for continuing their patron worship to Obum instead of Potamoi. In 106 SM, the Council’s army marched south to Riversplit, where the Ayers family lived, and ransacked the town.

In 116 SM, Lainey Ayers recreated the Council of the Riverlands, filling it with her siblings and mother. Adding Ramona Ayers set the precedent that commoners could sit on the Council. King Saline Ayers died in 222 SM and the Council, filled with his siblings, debated who would take the crown next. For the next three years, the Council ruled the Riverlands. They created House Ayers’ sigil and formed alliances outside the kingdom. When King Alawi Gardener requested to meet with the King of the Riverlands in 225 SM, the Council quickly named Caethyri the Queen of the Riverlands. Caethyri, already a member of the Council, did not want to be queen and signed the Decree of the Council, giving the Council a majority of the rulership while making the title of King/Queen a figurehead.

Realizing that the Council held power in the Riverlands, King Safiri Ayers declared he would restructure the Council in 266 SM, filling it with highborn, commoners, and peasants - promising a Riverlands where everyone could be equal. The Riverlands Highborn were shocked by this change and protested King Safiri’s decision. On the first moon of 267 SM, the new Council was selected. Fearing an uprising, Safiri had the Dykon begin investigating the highborn houses. The Dykon raised suspicions about several houses but were most worried about House Delta. Ten days into the new year, the entire Council and King Safiri were murdered during a meeting.

Yahya Ayers expanded the Council to fifteen members and made the remaining representatives Council of the Riverlands members, naming them the High Members. He contacted a prominent Riverlands merchant named Chalinus and requested that he choose another merchant and join the Council as the Funding Members, which Chalinus accepted. Yahya chose three Dykon to be part of the Funding Members and requested that they pretend to be merchants. He then had the High Members decide on three commoners and two peasants to be part of the General Members. The first meeting was held on the tenth day of the New Moon in 268 SM, commemorating the day to his brother, Safiri, and the other slain council members.

In 327 SM, Maten Ayers disbanded the Council and placed his half-siblings known as the Beckons as his advisors. Jarin Ayers recreated the Council in 505 SM.

## Council Members

The current council members are Hamlin, Lysane Withers, Dain Ayers, and Ser Bronston Hedge.

Not every king or Lord Protector had a council.