Aegor Rivers

**Aegor Rivers**, called "**Bittersteel**", was one of the "Great Bastards" of King Aegon IV Targaryen and the bastard son of Barba Bracken.

## Appearance and Character

Aegor's singular Targaryen features were his purple eyes. He had black hair, a beard, and was extremely tall. He had the build of a warrior, and wore plain but well-made armour along with a horse-head helm. Aegor was a ferocious warrior, holding his own against his half-brother and nemesis Brynden Rivers *twice*.

Aegor had a prickly, aggressive and apparently fiery demeanour. Angry and frustrated all of his life, Aegor had a particular contempt for his half-brother Brynden and his family (almost inherently, as his family was that of the Brackens, who were ancient and bitter enemies of the Blackwoods). Aegor was supremely loyal to Daemon I Blackfyre, continuing to maintain his legacy with some effectiveness and wielding his sword after the Black Dragon's demise. Bittersteel's founding of the Golden Company shows that he had a great deal of efficiency as a military leader, and he cemented its reputation in future generations as one of the greatest sellsword companies ever.

## History

### Early Life

Born in 172 AL, Aegor Rivers was a natural son of King Aegon IV Targaryen by his fourth mistress, Lady Barba of House Bracken. When King Aegon IV took as his fifth mistress, Melissa Blackwood, her elevation came at the expense of Barba and Aegor. This situation was only exacerbated by the birth of Melissa's son by the king, Brynden Rivers, in 175 AL. The centuries' long enmity between House Bracken and House Blackwood further ensured that Aegor and Brynden Rivers, later known as "Bloodraven", would become bitter rivals. They famously competed for the affections of Shiera Seastar, but Bloodraven won this feud because she actually invited him into her bed, whereas Aegor wasn't.

Aegor, like all of Aegon IV's bastards, was legitimized by the King on his deathbed in 184 AL. His personal sigil was a red stallion with black dragon's wings snorting flame, on gold.

### The Blackfyre Rebellion

Aegor, nicknamed "Bittersteel", took the side of his elder half-brother Daemon Blackfyre when Daemon claimed the Iron Throne for himself in 195 AL. At the Battle of the Redgrass Field, Bittersteel fought alongside the rebel forces. After the death on the battlefield of Daemon Blackfyre and his twin sons, Bittersteel picked up the fallen sword, Blackfyre, and turned the rout of the rebel forces into a "mad charge" against the royalists. This brought him face to face with Bloodraven, and the two half-brothers fought a vicious duel in which Bittersteel cut out one of Bloodraven's eyes.

### The Golden Company

Escaping the Redgrass Field, Bittersteel led a remnant of the rebel army and Daemon Blackfyre's five surviving sons to the Free Cities. He eventually founded the Golden Company, a famous and powerful sellsword company, one of whose mottos was "Beneath the gold, the bitter steel." At the head of the Golden Company, Bittersteel led at least two more rebellions against House Targaryen. He never truly avenged his precious king or properly seized the Iron Throne, and Daemon Blackfyre's line eventually died after the famous duel between Maelys Blackfyre, the last of his line and Ser Barristan Selmy.