Draven Rylstrea

Draven Rylstrea, known as the Lord Protector, was the ruler of Waterdeep following his coup in late Kythorn of 1492 and former Major of the Southern Ward City Watch, until his death in Eleasis of the same year.

## Early Life

His early life is mostly unknown. He was of Rashemi heritage and had joined the guard before 1492, possibly around the same time as his kinsman, Prodavac Devola. He did not participate at any of the battles against Varis, Varragh, Harminil and their companions.

## Ruler of Waterdeep

### Establishment of Rulership

In late Kythorn, shortly after Varis, Varragh and Harminil fled Waterdeep, Draven staged a coup, possibly with support from Calimshan, Thay and Luskan, killing all the masked lords in the process and establishing himself as the ruler of Waterdeep. His disdain of Rashemi's magitocracy led to him starting purges against magic users. The Field Ward particularly showed some resistance, with an unknown individual burning guards alive in retaliation. Draven therefore closed the gates to the Field Ward, essentially cutting it off from the rest of the town. Around this time he established a drow-led inquisitor corps, to hunt magic users. He also may have been the one who sent Lovac and 2 other Thayan contract assassins to track down and kill Harminil, Varis Aloro and Varragh il Sunayn, the Butchers of Waterdeep.

### Overthrow attempt

Varragh's and Harminil's search for a cleric led them to Waterdeep, where they found out that Draven was now the ruler and magic was banned. After the two and their companions traveled to the Field Ward and learned of the resistance group forming there, they started planning a coup to overthrow Draven. Varragh, Harminil, Tyavos and Vahayon posed as diplomats from Nightstone, with Alaric being their servant. Draven had realized who they were and had planned a trap, letting them inside the palace. After a few days, Draven played his hand and invited everyone in a dinner where they would be trapped by dozens of guards and Lovac. The plan was a success and Draven left in peace, leaving his guards and Lovac to take care of the group. Lovac, goaded by Harminil, voluntarily took his guard down, which gave the group an opportunity to escape through the balcony down to the lower floors. In the end, following a battle, Draven's forces captured everyone bar Varragh.

### Death

The failed coup plotters did not stay in prison for long, as Varragh managed to rouse the Knights of Aloro and Ulder's defectors and led them to an assault at Stormhaven Island. The Stormhaven Prison Rescue was successful and the failed coup plotters managed to escape. Varis, Varragh, Harminil, Tyavos, Vahayon, Ulder, his defectors and some of the Knights of Aloro entered the palace via the sewers, aided by the sewer map that Pierre Kukassy had given to Varis after the 2nd Attack at the Southern Ward Barracks. Draven in the meantime, was having a discussion with the Thayan Red Wizard Lahnis and the ambassador of Calimshan in a private room, unaware of the intrusion. Harminil opened the fight, leading to the quick demise of Lahnis and the ambassador. Draven was ultimately slain by the revenant Varis Aloro.