Anneryn Vaught

Anneryn was the first, of two, woman regents to ever rule over the Ardeiria. Her descendant, Anwen Vaught, was named after her.

## Appearance

Unlike her brothers, Poirath and Haerith, Anneryn was born with silver hair. Unable to darken her skin at any rate, nor grow hair anywhere but her head, the matter of keeping her alive caused a bit of controversy. As such, she was put under special care, care that would outshine her brother's tenfold. Once she was twelve, and her father was sure she wasn't in danger of herself, the building of her form became the most important.

By age twenty, she was largely regarded as the most beautiful woman in the then-Kingdom, wanted by near every normal man, either for themselves or their heirs. Sizable bosoms weren't uncommon from House Vaught, but her hair was an extremely rarity, especially against her skin. Her thighs were her mother's, a Kresten, and so it only worsened her state of affairs.

## History

Born from Oisforth Vaught and Raeith Kresten, Anneryn was the second child of four. Her frail condition, as well as the oddities that were her hair and skin, caused her to be put into specialized care and education. Most of what she needed to know as a lady was taught during this time of near-extreme isolation, having nothing to do but read and listen. At age twelve, she was considered stable and allowed to continue training, while also given multiple other devices and enchantments to improve her physical appearance.

By age twenty the enchantments had done their job, and finding a husband was anything but difficult. Yaerforth Caer filled the position well enough, gifting House Vaught and Caer with two children, one male and one female, though both came with the brown-blonde hair of House Caer. House Geroth successfully invaded Vaughriff after her eldest brother, Kirtein, warned her and her younger brothers Poirath and Haerith to leave. Such began the Vulture's Revolution beg, and after a series of military victories against the Geroth usurpers, Anneryn gathered her husband's forces, as well as Vaught loyalists, and retook the castle. Haerith was part of the Heron's Watch and could not rule, though he was allowed to become Hand of the Queen, and Poirath died in the fight. This left Anneryn as Regent, her first declaration being:

To true men of the Ardeirian Kingdom and the Royal Family,

We, blood of the Kejsare, hereby disown Kirtein Vaught I as a traitor and a lecher.

We, blood of the Kejsare, declare all men, women,  and children of House Geroth to death by pyre. Let their suffering make justice for yours.

We, blood of the Kejsare, resume our rule over Ardeiria.

We, blood of the Kejsare, have ruled a lecher's death fitting for our former heir, Kirtein. On September 6th, he will be hung nude for all to see. If it is at all possible to see this act of Grand Justice, we expect our loyal subjects and vassals to witness it.

We, blood of the Kejsare, hereby reinstate House Caer to their positions in Alcesus.

We, blood of the Kejsare, have also deemed that Qerith Geroth shall suffer a similar fate to Kirtein.

We, blood of the Kejsare, acknowledge that burning may be alarming to some men. However; this is justice, and justice should not rightly disturb our subjects.

Signed,

Anneryn Anwen Vaught, Queen Regent of Ardeiria.

The executions went as following:

Kirtein Vaught I, hung naked.

Qerith Geroth, brought to Bovinia for executions on the next day. Made to walk without rest, nude.

Kaerib Geroth, burned alive.

Kaerib Geroth II, burned alive.

Perith Geroth, burned alive.

Taerord Geroth, burned alive.

Haerord Vaught, daughter of Kirtein and Qerith, beheaded.

This was only the start to her reign. While exceptionally kind to those who had helped her obtain her crown and keep it, her severity knew no bounds. Caer historians call her "Wrathful as she was beautiful." While House Kresten boasts her as "One of the strongest women of Ardeiria Minor." Both accounts were true, Anneryn was unquestionably sadistic and arrogant, made deadly through her masterful skills in manipulation. House Caer was kept out of any state of rebellion through her husband and later consort, and even helped in her "Acts of Justice" on different, smaller families and villages -- once discovered two generations later, this lead to a three-generation repentence. Specifically, the House of Swen, who had declared Haerith the rightful King. Since they were Haerith's wife's House, Anneryn commanded him to put everyone in the village to death, starting with his wife, Feran Swen. His children were allowed to live, though only because his first wife had been a Kresten.

Multiple, small rebellions had started to sprout up, but were put down under extreme severity one after one. In the end, Anneryn's rule was ended by her son, Aderyn Vaught, coming of age. She died at seventy-five after Haerith's son, Haeford, struck her down. She was the first Vaught to die this way, and her ghost is said to wander the Heron's Solar, judging every man who enters Ardeiria Minor and especially those who rule over House Vaught. It was also said that her shade whispered to Haron the Kingslayer to kill his father, Taeron Vaught.

## Impact

Anneryn's murder made her unable to pass on, forcing her to stay in a ghostly state in the Heron's Solar. Since then, she's helped lead Rulers of Ardeiria to prosperity or their doom, depending on her judgement. Her sadistic attitude has remained through death, however a drive to simply act on whatever pleases her keeps her intentions relatively pure, as far as her family's continued existence goes. Outside of Vulture Brotherhood controlled areas, she's become a paragon of Vaught strength and sense of judgement, and an empowerment to women in Ardeiria Minor. Despite that, tradition stops reformations against outdated sexism from happening. After revealing Arwel Vaught's fate to her descendent and namesake, Anwen Vaught, she was discovered and nearly extracted from her Solar forcefully, ending her era of guidance and putting House Vaught on a more unstable slate. Thankfully, at least for Arwel and Anwen, the spirit managed to retreat before her continued existence could be ended.