Lyndon Vance

Early Life
Born in 367 AC, Lyndon was the second child of Norbert Vance and Lythene Darry and the first to survive infancy, making him the heir to Wayfarer's Rest. He was born just after his father ascended as lord after his own sire had in turn fallen during the Halfblood Incursion. As his mother was of delicate health, she was prone to post-natal complications and as such her children were born several years apart so as not to endanger her life.

Growing up in the southern riverlands, Lyndon lived his life on the crossroads of the faith. Since its construction by the Andal conqueror Armistead Vance, Wayfarer's rest had been built to protect pilgrims travelling through the area. This traffic of pious men and women coupled with its proximity to the reach had caused House Vance to get embroiled in the southern schism. The borders between Baelorian and Starry rites left Wayfarer's rest in an unclear position. While allowing pilgrims of both stripes and continuing to honour Baelorian rites on a superficial level, House Vance has deep-running sympathies with the Starry rites, and the percieved neutrality served mainly to prevent conflicts amongst the peasantry and pilgrims. Lyndon would study both practices, but in line with the traditional position of his house would heavily favour Starry rites, somehting his later tenure as lord would only corroborate.

=== Though far apart in age he remained close to his sisters, Elinor in particular as he would be largely responsible for her upbringing after their parents passed away. His paternal role in the family began early as he began taking on several lordly responsibilities after coming of age, Lord Norbert's health beginning to quickly deterioraate as result of a tumor in his throat. In 384 he married Lady Jennelyn of house ______ and their first son Robert was born the following year ===

= Ascension and Reign =

Lyndon's Parents passed away in 387, both having been bedridden for some time. Lady Lythene had never fully recovered from her last childbirth in 384 and had been ill ever since whilst Lord Norbert had been suffering from a developing tumor for nearly a decade, which by his last few years prevented him from speaking and eating solid foods. This situation had necessitated Lyndon to take on many lordly responsibilities years prior and so the transition proved smooth. Along with his wife, Lyndon would rul ably, gradually instituting reforms to promote efficient administration, such as mandating a hard currency-tax and creating permanent offices of tollers to create a stable profit from the traffic of pilgrims and merchants. In the following years his second son Harrold and first daughter Catelyn would be born. The first great challange came in the form of the great famine, which struck all of the riverlands harshly. Nevertheless Lyndon navigated it as ably as could be expected of any man. His tax reforms, though innitially unpopular had now resulted in the smallfolk having a greater food surplus. The knights of Wayfarer's Rest nad its vassals would also be deployed on the borders of the Vance lands in order to force potential migrating peasants to return to their homes. Though a harsh measure it prevented major displacements of the population, and so the fields were not abandoned.