House Ayers

House Ayers' Sigil

House Ayers is a major house in the Riverlands that holds the title of the Lord Protector of the Riverlands. In A Death at Dawn, there is only one POV from House Ayers: Jarin Ayers.

## Culture

### House Sigil

House Ayers sigil boasts of the wooden hundred-oar boat against a blue background. The hundred-oar boat was a vessel that the Arcs used during the Empyrean Ascendency Era (EAE), but the Council of the Riverlands, filled with members from House Ayers, wanted everyone to believe that they were as strong as the Arcs.

### Appearance

River people are close descendants of the Nahr tribe, one of the First People groups, matching their tawny skin color and sleek black hair.

## History

### Creation

During the Empyrean Ascendency Era, the Nahr tribe split into families and spread throughout the Riverlands, hiding from the Arcan slavers. The Nahr families evolved into different cultures throughout the centuries, eventually leading to conflict.

After the Secession of Man, the Filat family was overthrown, and the other families 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.

#### The Destruction of the Ayers Family

In Riversplit, where the Ayers resided, statues of the demi-god of Rivers were forbidden. In retaliation, the council prohibited any public worship of Obum. 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 and ransacked the town, leaving no survivors. The army left believing they had eradicated the Ayers, but the family's youngest son, Tiago, was not in Riversplit.

### The Ayers Monarchy

#### Tiago Ayers, the First King of the Riverlands

Tiago Ayers was utterly broken when he returned to Riversplit and saw the destruction. Although he wasn’t religious, he traveled to the town’s underground temple dedicated to Obum. He prayed for twelve days and nights, asking the god of Rain and Natural Disasters what he should do. On the twelfth day, Obum spoke to Tiago and granted the Ayers family heightened allure, making them stronger than any other family from the Nahr tribe. After Obum gave his additional blessing, a golden sword appeared on Obum’s altar, and Tiago named the sword Obum’s Revenge. He then traveled to Svilat, the capital of the Riverlands.

It is said that Obum’s Revenge boosted Tiago’s allure to that of an Arc. The Divine sword leveled the enormous city, murdering everyone in the council and destroying any statues of Potamoi. Unsatisfied, Tiago Ayers traveled throughout the Riverlands, slaughtering the remaining Nahr families and destroying anything he saw relating to Potamoi. As Tiago traveled through the Riverlands, the citizens outside the families began to follow him, worshipping him as Obum’s son.

In 110 SM, Tiago Ayers returned to Riversplit, renamed it Waterbrook, and the people named him King of the Riverlands. He also kept the Divine sword and made it a family heirloom. In 111 SM, Tiago prohibited any Potamoi worship in Waterbrook, but throughout the Riverlands, the worship of the demi-god was still allowed. He married Ramona, a commoner, in 112 SM and had seven children, hoping to revive the Ayers namesake. His seven children were Lainey, Narcis, Ysabel, Ruben, Cotan, Logan, and Genoveva. To ensure his children would not suffer the same fate his family endured, Tiago trained them in combat, molding them into some of the strongest individuals in the Riverlands.

During his rule, Tiago became interested in the makeup of his territory and hired Voyagers and map makers to fill out his kingdom and find any oubliettes. As the domain grew, Tiago began creating alliances with other tribes throughout the Riverlands. In 115 SM, Tiago died, and the crown went to his eldest child, Lainey.

#### The Benevolent Queen and the Ebony Wedding

The people loved Queen Lainey Ayers, who was kind and benevolent, similar to her father. In 116 SM, she recreated the Council of the Riverlands, filling it with her siblings and mother. Adding Ramona set the precedent that commoners could sit on the council.

For years Lainey refused to marry, but in 120 SM, she agreed to marry the chief of the increasingly violent Ebony Clan to quell any attacks on Waterbrook. The second eldest son, Ruben Ayers, disagreed with the marriage and refused to attend the wedding. The wedding occurred in the Quag region of the Riverlands, and those who attended reported that it was the most extravagant wedding they had seen.

During the reception, the Ebony Clan massacred those celebrating, and the wedding became known as the Ebony Wedding or the Black Wedding. It is reported that Lakjin, the chief of the Ebony Clan, started the slaughter when he slit Lainey’s throat after finishing his devotion speech to his new wife. The only survivor from the Ayers family who attended was Genoveva, the youngest.

It is reported that Genoveva cut down several within the Ebony Clan along with her other siblings. When Cotan was overpowered and slain, Genoveva wiped his blood all over him, slit her face, and stabbed herself in the hip, leaving the sword in her. During the chaos, she pretended to be dead along with her family. Genoveva claimed that the Ebony Clan walked around after the massacre to ensure everyone from the Ayers family was dead. One pushed the sword sticking out of Genoveva deeper, causing her to lose consciousness. The Ebony Clan then set everything on fire.

Noticing the raging fire, the Quag Clan went to investigate. They found several survivors, including Genoveva, and nursed them back to health. When Genoveva regained consciousness, she insisted that someone from the Quag Clan travel with her back to Waterbrook. Topei, the eldest son of the elderly Cheifian, agreed to travel with her.

#### The Mad King Ruben

When Genoveva returned to Waterbrook in 121 SM, she insisted that Ruben become king. Ruben agreed, becoming the King of the Riverlands during the first moon of 122 SM. He also gave the Quag Clan an honorary title and created an alliance. The Quag Clan became House Quag, and Toepi married Genoveva to secure the alliance.

As king, Ruben named the region around Waterbrook the Tip of Tiago, and the Water Trading Port was renamed Lainey’s Port. He created the Dykon in 125 SM and had its members search throughout the Riverlands to find the Ebony Clan. The Dykon, however, were unable to locate the clan.

Ruben grew his alliances from 123-130 SM, turning clans and villages into highborn houses. In 128 SM, the Brooks Clan refused to align with House Ayers until Ruben married Sayenna, known as the “Jewel of the River.” Ruben relented and invited Sayenna to Waterbrook. In 129 SM,  Ruben received news that Dykerton, a village near Waterbrook, was ransacked by the Ebony Clan. He also learned that Sayenna was staying at the village at the time and was slain. Ruben believed the attack was targeted and began looking for a traitor within the Water Castle.

By 130 SM, Ruben became paranoid, convinced everyone around him was planning his downfall. From 131-135 SM, Ruben took on twenty concubines who would mysteriously disappear after giving birth to one of his children. Ruben trained his children, mimicking his father’s decisions, but Ruben’s training was vicious, causing all of his children to be cynical and unforgiving. As Ruben’s children grew older, the river people called them the Drownded.

By 146 SM, Ruben had become insane, causing discontent in Waterbrook. His six strongest children, known as the Divine Drownded, became worried and called for their aunt Genoveva to return to Waterbrook. Genoveva arrived with her two children in 147 SM, but Ruben felt blindsided by her arrival and slew eight of his children with the Divine sword, claiming they had betrayed him. His children attempted to fight back, but Ruben’s strength was overwhelming.

Noticing Genoveva’s dismay at the situation, Ruben’s son Qasim rushed to her and questioned her strength. After learning that Ruben was considered the weakest of Tiago’s children, Qasim requested her aid. Genoveva accepted, and her two children, Jariya and Ferran, entered the fight. When Jariya wrestled the Divine sword from Ruben, Qasim took it and plunged it into Ruben’s back, killing him.

When talk of succession started, none of the Drownded wanted to become the next ruler, so the crown was passed to Ferran Quag.

#### The Friendly King Ferran and the Selfish King Saline

Ferran Quag became King of the Riverlands in 148 SM, changing his surname from Quag to Ayers. The highborn who had allied with Ruben disagreed with the transfer of power but never acted on their dissent. Ferran ruled peacefully and married Lidia, one of the Drownded. Together they had ten children, with seven surviving into adulthood. When Ferran died in 206 SM, the title went to his firstborn son, Saline.

King Saline Ayers was extremely selfish, causing tension with the highborn of the Riverlands. Adoring Krella, the child-god of Revelry, Saline created Celebration Day - a holiday where no one worked and everyone partied. The creation of this holiday caused Saline to be seen positively by the commoners and peasants, but the holiday’s intense spending and lack of work caused the highborn to become more discontent. Saline suddenly died in 222 SM.

#### Caethyri, the Builder Queen of the Riverlands

After Saline’s death, 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 Ayers 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.

Caethyri traveled to Griffon’s Den in 226 SM and was amazed at how advanced the Grasslandi were compared to the Riverlands. Caethyri became fast friends with King Alawi, and he taught her how to expand Waterbrook into a city like Griffon’s Den. In 230 SM, Caethyri returned to Waterbook with a group of Grasslandi architects and began building giant structures in the city. In 232, Caethyri married one of the Grasslandi architects named Zaki, becoming the first highborn in the Riverlands to marry someone outside the kingdom. Caethyri had five children, giving them all Grasslandi names, which bothered Riverlands Highborn. By 254 SM, the small city of Waterbrook had become a metropolis, and the people called Caethyri Ayers the Builder Queen of the Riverlands.

In 265 SM, Caethyri abdicated the throne to her son, Safiri, and left the Riverlands to settle in the Grasslands with her husband.

#### The Kind King Safiri’s Attempt to Rule

Realizing that the Council held power in the Riverlands, Safiri declared he would restructure the Council in 266 SM, filling it with highborn, commoners, and peasants - promising a Riverlands where everyone could be equal. He then sent his younger brother, Yahya Ayers, to travel through the Riverlands and create new highborn houses to gain allies.

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.

#### The Unforgiving Yahya

After the Safiri’s assassination, Yahya immediately took the throne and arrested House Delta, who had planned the massacre. A fortnight later, Yahya executed everyone in House Delta, guilty or not. After receiving additional information from the Dykon about the other highborn houses, Yahya invited one member of each household to Waterbrook to swear allegiance.

Yahya expanded the Council to fifteen members and made the highborn 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.

Yahya’s other three siblings, Pitipiti, Wisesa, and Eyodora, quickly became upset with how Yahya ruled, feeling wholly left out of Riverlands politics. By autumn 268, Yahya had grown tired of his siblings complaining and banished them to a small coastal town called Augwin. During the later moons of 270 SM, Yahya marched a small army to Augwin and sacked the growing city, slaying everyone. Yahya then took the heads of his siblings and returned to Waterbrook. He placed the heads on pikes at the city gates to warn of what would happen if anyone went against Yahya. This earned Yahya the title of the Unforgiving, which Yahya embraced.

In 295, the Dykons informed Yahya that they had finally located the Ebony Clan. At first, Yahya was uninterested in the clan and decided to do nothing. In 296 SM, the Dykons warned Yahya that the Ebony Clan had been seen near Waterbrook. Again, Yahya was uninterested, claiming that the clan would never attack such an enormous city. During the early moons of 297, Crysta, Yahya's wife, received word that her father, Lord Syzmear Moors, was dying. Crysta immediately left Waterbook with her three children to say goodbye to her father, leaving Yahya in Waterbrook to continue ruling. By the end of the year, Yahya had yet to hear from Crysta. Growing worried, he contacted House Moors, asking if everything was okay. When he did not receive any communication, Yahya had the Dykon investigate. When the Dykon arrived in Westmire, they witnessed a gruesome scene - everyone in House Moors was dead, including Crysta and the children. The Dykon investigated and concluded that the Ebony Clan was to blame for the massacre. The news threw Yahya into a rage, and he blamed himself daily for failing to protect his family.

In 298 SM, Yahya marched his army to the Quag, searching for the Ebony Clan. When the Dykon found the clan’s settlement hidden in the swamps, Yahya immediately attacked. He had his army slay everyone in the territory regardless of age or gender. When the settlement's destruction was complete, Yahya took the head of the chieftain as a prize, believing that he had entirely eradicated the Ebony Clan.

##### The Lord Protector and His Many Children

Yahya returned to Waterbook in 299 SM, a broken man. Several scholars noted King Yahya Ayers’ personality change, believing the slaughter of his family had deeply affected him. No longer wanting to be king, he accepted the invitation to meet with the other Mystosi kingdoms in Lismure in 300 SM. He aligned the Riverlands with the other four domains, creating the Five Great Lands. He gave up his kingship and became Yahya Ayers, Lord Protector of the Riverlands.

By the end of 300 SM, Yahya was still solemn, but he knew with the new alliance, he needed an heir. Knowing that he was the last Ayers, Yahya voiced his concerns about the future of the Riverlands to his Council. Yahya believed following King Ruben’s footsteps and recreating the Drownded would be the best choice to create an heir. In 301 SM, at age 66, Yahya bought cocoettes from around the world and brought them to Waterbrook. Unlike Ruben Ayers’ concubines, who had one child and disappeared, Yahya had multiple children with multiple cocoettes. By 320 SM, thirty children had been fathered by Yahya, and these children were known as the Garden.

Yahya Ayers died in 324 SM at age 89.

### The Ayers Civil War

The Ayers Civil War was a war between Yahya’s children in the Riverlands that lasted from 324 - 335 SM.

#### Discontent in the Garden

A fortnight before Yahya's passing, he declared that Maten, his first son, would become the next Lord Protector. The other children in the Garden did not like Maten and called him the Second Ruben behind his back, although Maten never showed signs of insanity. The night before Yahya died, the Garden, excluding Maten, met and decided how to proceed. By morning, when the news of Yahya’s death broke, the Garden had concluded that they would take Waterbrook from Maten.

Two days after Yahya died, Maten was declared the Lord Protector of the Riverlands, and a coronation was planned. Zyfir led the efforts to murder Maten and take the Divine sword that would be presented at the coronation. A small faction of the Garden did not want a civil war to begin and created a group called the Beckons, totaling five. Cosme of the Beckons warned Maten that most of the Garden was planning a coup, allowing Maten some time to prepare before the coronation.

At the coronation, the five strongest of the Garden, known as the Weeds, began the rebellion. Raquela of the Weeds started the uprising by striking Cosme in the chest with an arrow - but did not kill him. A battle broke out, and the Dykon protected Maten as planned. The tides turned quickly, and the rebels in the Garden quickly realized that they would not be successful in usurping Maten. Six of the Garden died during the battle.

Zyfir successfully took the Divine sword and quickly escaped with the remaining twelve rebel siblings and the Weeds. The group, now known as the Bloodkin, traveled north and settled on the banks of Obsidian Lake. By 326, the village had turned into a settlement named Arcadia. Maten and the Beckons gathered troops to search for the rebels but were unsuccessful. In 327 SM, they gave up on their search, hoping the Bloodkin would not attack Waterbrook. Maten also disbanded the Council of the Riverlands and made the Beckons his advisors.

Maten died suddenly during the last moons of 327, and without an heir, the title of Lord Protector went to Cosme. Cosme, who had spiraled into Darkness since his devastating injury, had the Dykon track his rebel half-siblings as his first action as the Lord Protector of the Riverlands. In 330 SM, the Dkyon followed the Bloodkin near Lake Obsidian. Cosme rushed his troops north to eradicate the Bloodkin, with his brother, Salum, commanding the army.

#### The Battle of Black Lake

Salum arrived at Arcadia in 332 SM and had the Riverlands sack the growing city. Zyfir and the Weeds defended - with Zyfir using the Divine sword. When Lili, a member of the Weeds - and rumored lover of Zyfir, was stabbed through the chest by Salum, Zyfir went berserk. He used the sword to wipe out Salum and the Riverlands army, but doing so made Zyfir go insane.

The remaining sixteen Bloodkin watched as their half-brother continued to fight even though there were no more enemies. The four Weeds decided to stop Zyfir’s attacks. Raquela sniped with her bow as Nimah and Etarin went face-to-face with Zyfir. The battle intensified until Zyfir stabbed Etarin - killing him. Cimmirus joined the fight, using his brass knuckles to knock Zyfir out. When it became clear that that was impossible, Cimmirus knocked Zyfir to the ground and smashed his head in, killing him. Nimah, heartbroken over the death of her brother, took the Divine sword and walked into Obsidian Lake, promising that no one else would go mad from the sword.

#### Attack on the Water Castle

In the aftermath of the battle, the remaining two Weeds, Raquela and Cimmirus, led the Bloodkin in a revenge plot against Cosme. In 335 SM, the Bloodkin slipped into the Water Castle in the middle of the night and targeted the Beckons. Cimmirus went straight to Cosme and bashed his head in, retaliating for what he had to do to Zyfir. With Cosme dead, the Bloodkin searched the other the remaining three Beckons. Younes, the strongest Beckon, was targeted next. Farida, the strongest Bloodkin, succeeded by slitting his throat after the two had battled throughout the castle.

The final Beckons, Azhar and Ximena, fought for their life in the throne room against the Bloodkin. When Azhar fell to one of Raquela’s arrows, Ximena screamed so loudly the throne room shook. She then began to glow a bright white before slaughtering Raquela and Cimmirus. With the Weeds gone, Ximena turned her attention to the remaining Bloodkin. Seeing the power that radiated from Ximena, the Bloodkin no longer wanted to fight and yielded, promising to follow Ximena. Ximena, however, was no longer conscious, so her body continued the slaughter. She flung her hand, and the floor broke apart, taking out three of the last twelve Bloodkin. Farida and Vincent fought against Ximena, begging her to stop. Ximena quickly killed Vincent but ignored Farida, much to Farida’s surprise. Farida stopped fighting and watched the massacre unfold, trying her best to figure out what to do.

Ximena continued on her rampage, destroying the Water Castle. A Dkyon approached Farida and explained that the Beckons had gone through experiments to strengthen them and that Ximena had unlocked her Art. The Dykon told Farida that they had an allure-heightening elixir to fight against Ximena, but Farida had to promise not to kill Ximena.

By the time Farida promised to spare Ximena’s life, only four Bloodkin were left. Farida drank the elixir, and her body glowed blue. The two women fought in hand-to-hand combat as the Bloodkin escaped. Ximena realized the Bloodkin were running and paused her fight to attack her remaining half-siblings, easily murdering them all. Farida’s rage grew, causing her to get stronger. The fight intensified, and Farida’s only goal was to murder Ximena. But, when Farida noticed that Ximena was crying, she decided to hug the woman instead. The embrace immediately calmed Ximena, who collapsed, ending the battle.

Although Farida wanted to kill Ximena for murdering the Bloodkin, she also knew that Ximena was sure to feel the same way about her. Farida sat with Ximena and waited until the woman regained consciousness. When Ximena opened her eyes, she began to sob, saying she witnessed what she did but could not stop her body. Farida forgave Ximena, and the two promised to protect each other, being the last of the Garden to live and effectively ending the civil war.

### Duo Queens of the Riverlands

In 336 SM, Ximena and Farida were named the Duo Queens of the Riverlands, although their technical title was Lord Protector. The two women ruled the kingdom together, and by 340, the kingdom had returned to its former glory, and the River people were pleased with how the two women ruled. The highborn constantly pushed the two into finding husbands and creating heirs, but Ximena and Farida were uninterested.

In 345 SM, fed up with the highborn and their antics, the two women walked through the streets of Waterbrook until they reached an orphanage right outside the city gates. At first, Ximena wanted to adopt all the children in the orphanage, but Farida ruled against it, reminding Ximena of the Garden. Ximena relented, and the two women adopted two children - Necalli and Brisa. Ximena would raise Brisa, while Farida raised Necalli.

Brisa Ayers was the first of the children to receive a marriage proposal. In 352 SM, Lord Beacon Quag arrived in Waterbook, and by 353, Brisa left Waterbook married to Lord Beacon. Devastated, Ximena adopted another child named Borealis and declared that Necalli would become the next Lord Protector of the Riverlands.

During the last moons of 353 SM, Therion Osmont contacted Farida requesting that Necalli marry his daughter, Klope, and the two kingdoms create an alliance. Farida agreed, and Klope Osmont arrived at Waterbrook by mid-354 SM. Necalli and Klope quickly fell in love, and three moons later, they married. By the end of the year, Klope was pregnant, but the child died within a fortnight of being born.

Pleased that her son was becoming a man, Farida convinced Ximena to abdicate and gave the title of Lord Protector to Necalli in 355 SM. The Duo Queens of the Riverlands spent the rest of their days living happily in the Water Castle.

### The Lord Protectors of the Riverlands

#### The Boring Lord Protector and His Ambitious Lady Wife

Necalli Ayers was known as a kind lord, but he was also known as the Boring Lord Protector. Throughout his reign, he refused to create new highborn houses, expand the kingdom, or take anyone’s advice - except his wife and mother’s.

Lady Farida Ayers convinced Necalli to create a district in Waterbrook for the fishermen and to invest heavily since the kingdom was filled with rivers and lakes while surrounded by the sea. Lady Klope assisted in the creation of the district and named it the Canal District - and built free housing for any fisherman who worked for House Ayers. This made Lady Klope and Lady Farida beloved by fishermen, peasants, and commoners whose lives improved because of the Canal District. By 376 SM, House Ayers’ vaults were filled because of the strong fishing economy.

Worried that the fishing economy wouldn’t be enough for the future, Lady Klope suggested creating a more robust agricultural economy by placing outstretches of farmlands outside of Waterbrook. Necalli agreed, and by 380, farmlands stretched out as far as the eye could see. In 386 SM, Klope gave birth to twins Rune and Aurelia.

In 403 SM, Farida Ayers died, throwing Necalli into an episode of depression. Klope continued to rule in her husband’s stead while teaching their twins how to be a suitable Lord Protector. In 406 SM, Necalli threw himself from the Black Tower, and Klope told her twins that they could decide who would become the next Lord Protector.

#### The Twin Lord Protectors

In 406 SM, Rune and Aurelia had to choose who would become the next Lord Protector between the two. As best friends, the twins didn’t want to decide, so they declared they would become the Lord Protector of the Riverlands. Traditionalist highborn houses were not pleased with the return to co-ruling like the Duo Queens of the Riverlands, and created a faction that supported the eldest son, Rune.

Knowing that Aurelia had no support, Rune made her the face of their rulership, hoping to quell dissent. Instead, the highborn houses grew angrier and began to plan a way to make Rune the only Lord Protector. In 408 SM, Aurelia received several threats and feared for her life. Wanting to run away, Rune promised to protect her, convincing Aurelia to stay in Waterbrook.

By 409 SM, both twins were married and were writing laws to protect their children when the time came to pass the title to the next generation. Fearing a second civil war, the twins decided the title would be passed to Rune’s firstborn child. They also hoped that this would stop the threats Aurelia had been receiving.

In 410, however, as Aurelia lay on the birthing bed after giving birth to her daughter, Wisteria, assailants stabbed Aurelia over a hundred times. After the assailants were captured, they confessed that House Boulder had paid them to kill Aurelia and her child, but they were unsuccessful in finding Wisteria, who was with her father, Lord Molten Hyde. Molten left Wisteria in Waterbrook and took a small army to capture House Boulder. As he was gone, Rune raised Wisteria like she was his child.

The Watering Flu swept through the Riverlands from 411-415 SM, claiming thousands of lives. Rune’s wife and son perished from the flu, leaving only Wisteria. When word came back in 413 that Molten and the troop had disappeared, Rune adopted Wisteria.

In 420 SM, Rune began creating enormous ships replicating the House Ayers sigil. The vessel proved helpful to the Riverlands, and Rune started to travel on long expeditions to see the world while the young Wisteria stayed in Waterbrook.

#### The Pretty Lord Protector, Wisteria Ayers

By 430 SM, there had been no communication with Lord Rune Ayers for over four years. The Citadel suggested making Wisteria the Lord Protector until Rune returned, to which the highborn houses agreed. In 431, Wisteria Ayers became the Lord Protector of the Riverlands. However, Wisteria did not want to become the next Lord Protector, so she held a Highborn Lottery within the first moon of her reign to quickly choose a husband. Word of the beautiful Wisteria wanting a husband spread, and highborn men from all over Mystos traveled to Waterbrook to participate in the lottery. Wisteria chose Lord Kailu Galan of Edemin. After getting married, she quickly became pregnant and had the Dykon go to Widow’s Dale and eliminate House Boulder for what they did to her mother. In 432 SM, Wisteria gave birth to her only child, Alen Ayers. By 433, the Dykon had returned, informing Wisteria that House Boulder was no longer. Pleased that she had accomplished all she wanted, she surrendered the title of Lord Protector to her one-year-old son.

#### Alen Ayers, King of the Riverlands

Throughout his adolescence, Alen ruled with his father. Lord Kailu watched Alen’s every move, making the young man paranoid. In 459 SM, Lord Kailu allied with House Chetti of the Summerlands and betrothed Alen to Jassi Chetti. At first, Alen had no interest in Jassi, but after witnessing her fiery nature and encouraging Alen to be in more control of the Riverlands, Alen fell in love. By 466 SM, they had three children and were ready for a fourth.

On the third day of the Honey Moon in 473 SM, Jassi Chetti died while giving birth to her fourth child. This caused Alen to spiral into insanity, and by 474 SM, Alen Ayers, the Lord Protector of the Riverlands, declared himself the sovereign of all.

During the late moons of 478, Morvan Osmont sent a letter to Alen Ayers, reminding Alen of the Riverlands' alliance with the Kingdom of Valley Pines from the marriage between Necalli Ayers and Klope Osmont. Morvan demanded reassurance that the alliance was still intact. Alen felt like Morvan was threatening the Riverlands, and he prepared for war, but when Ser Hamlin, Alen’s head lord knight, suggested against a fight with the Kingdom of Valley Pines and instead to travel to Kingment and tighten the alliance. King Alen relented and planned a journey to Kingment.

In 480 SM, Bryce Thoren, the Lord Protector of the Summerlands, requested an alliance with the Riverlands. Since Jassi was cousins with Lady Popeaila Naidu, Bryce Thoren’s wife, he gladly accepted, hoping to one day combine the kingdoms.

##### Single King’s War

In 481 SM, Lord Morvan Osmont had his men assassinate the members of House Thoren and instilled House Ashmire as the new Lord Protector of the Summerlands. Lord Bryce, Lady Popeaila, and their children Cleophilia, Roland, Symon, and Alice all perished. This event was known as the Massacre at Goldspire.

King Alen Ayers learned of the slaying while staying in Kingment. The King of the Riverlands was paranoid and was known to lack self-control. Alen Ayers's wife, Jassi Chetti, was cousins with Lady Popealia, so the news angered Alen. When he heard the rumors that Morvan murdered House Thoren because they looked different, King Alen believed his family might be next, not knowing the two houses' history.

Always traveling with his entire army, Alen planned an internal attack known as the Burning of Kingment. While the city burned, Morvan escaped with his sons, Peyton and Falk, leaving his only daughter, Dimia, behind. Dimia ran around the Black Castle trying to escape and found Jarin Ayers vomiting from fright. Dimia felt pity for the boy and comforted him, even as her home burned around her.

Realizing that the Riverlands didn’t have the firepower to participate in an all-out war, King Alen was desperate to escape, but his youngest son, Jarin, was missing. Alen, who searched for Jarin, witnessed the exchange and decided to kidnap Dimia and return to Waterbrook, using the young girl as a bargaining tool. Lord Morvan didn’t care that Alen had Dimia in his possession and started to plan a counterattack against the Riverlands.

In 486 SM,  House Osmont arrived in the Riverlands, and the Sack of Waterbrook occurred in the Riverlands' capital city, Waterbrook. This event ended the Single King's War. Lord Morvan Osmont's men murdered Domeric and Brea Ayers during the Sack of Waterbrook.

In 486 SM, Alen Ayers was beheaded by the Citadel for his crimes against Mystos.

#### The Absent Lord Protector

Jarin Ayers was born in 466 SM to King Alen Ayers and Jassi Chetti. Jarin was a weak boy who loved his family. As a child, people always joked that Jarin was the Absent Ayers because he was constantly hiding in the Water Castle away from everyone. When his mother died giving birth in 473, Jarin became much quieter, usually staying around his older sister, Brea. In 474 SM, when Alen declared himself King of the Riverlands, Jarin was nervous about what would come.

During the Burning of Kingment, Dimia Osmont comforted a distraught Jarin as he vomited from the sight of the fires. After seeing this, King Alen abducts Dimia and leaves for Waterbrook. In 484 SM, Jarin and Dimia were married to end the war, but House Osmont continued the fight, now gaining the upper hand. In 486 SM, during the Sack of Waterbrook, Domeric and Brea Ayers were murdered while Hamlin rescued Jarin. The Single King's War ended after the Sack of Waterbrook when the Citadel beheaded King Alen Ayers for his crimes against Mystos.

On the first day of the Wolf Moon in 487 SM, at twenty years old, Jarin became the Lord Protector of the Riverlands. He had two children, Terryn and Dain, and is the current Lord Protector at the beginning of A Death at Dawn.