Rayjhis Yowance

Lord Rayjhis Yowance, Earl of Gray Harbor, was a Charisian nobleman and First Councilor of both Haarahld VII and Cayleb II.

Physical appearance
Yowance was of less than average height for a Charisian, and had what Merlin Athrawes considered a neat and compact frame. His face was normally clean shaven, and his long hair was pulled back in an old-fashioned ponytail. 

Family
Rayjhis Yowance was the younger son of a previous Earl Gray Harbor, and the younger brother of his successor, Ehrnaist. When his brother died, he inherited the title.

Yowance was married and had two children, Charlz and Zhenyfyr. Through his daughter, he was the father-in-law of Kahlvyn Ahrmahk, and the grandfather of Rayjhis and Kahlvyn Cayleb Ahrmahk. 

Biography
Rayjhis Yowance was born in the Kingdom of Charis in the first half of the 9th Century of God as a younger son of the Earl of Gray Harbor. He pursued a career in the Royal Charisian Navy, but after about twenty years, his older brother died, leaving no children behind, and Rayjhis inherited the Earldom. Some time later, he became King Haarahld VII's First Councilor.

When Merlin Athrawes first came to the Royal Court, Gray Harbor and Spymaster Wave Thunder‎‎ interviewed the seijin on his knowledge of foreign spies in Charis. Gray Harbor became infuriated when Merlin accused Kahlvyn Ahrmahk, Duke of Tirian, the king's cousin and Gray Harbor's son-in-law, of being a Emeraldian collaborateur. After being presented with further evidence of the Duke's involvement in several illegal activities, he chose to confront his son-in-law. Once confronted with the allegations in his domicile, Duke Tirian admitted to planning the assassination of Prince Cayleb as well as that of King Haarahld. He then expressed his will to murder everyone who knew of his betrayal that same night, but Merlin entered the scene in time to defend Gray Harbor. A struggle insued in which Gray Harbor ultimately killed his son-in-law with a thrown dagger. Upon reporting to the king, the Earl wanted to offer his resignation as First Councilor, but Haarahld VII would not hear of it. 

After Haarahld VII was killed aboard his flagship in the Battle of Darcos Sound, Gray Harbor continued to serve as First Councilor under Haarahld's son and successor, Cayleb II. At Cayleb's direction, stemming from Merlin's advice, Gray Harbor personally traveled to the Kingdom of Chisholm to ostensibly negotiate an end to hostilities with Queen Sharleyan of Chisholm. To the considerable surprise of Sharleyan and her own first councilor, Gray Harbor upon his arrival revealed his true purpose: to negotiate the terms of a marriage of state between Sharleyan and Cayleb, an action that would permanently join the realms of Charis and Chisholm under one realm and create the Empire of Charis. After Sharleyan agreed to terms in which she would rule jointly with Cayleb, Gray Harbor became Imperial First Councilor to both monarchs. 

As the membership of the Brethren of Saint Zherneau was expanded to include Cayleb and several of his closest advisors, and eventually Sharleyan, Gray Harbor was under consideration to be brought into this most inner circle of Imperial officials. He had supported the schism between the Church of God Awaiting and the Church of Charis, but he also possessed an unshakable personal faith in the common religion and false history of Safehold. The Brethren feared that this would render him unable to accept the truth or serve the Empire which existed with the ultimate purpose of destroying that religion, and so to retain his service and for the sake of his personal faith and integrity, the truth was concealed from him. 

He was First Councilor, first for the King of Charis, and then the Emporer and Empress of Charis, until his death in the summer of Year of God 895, when Earl Gray Harbor was killed in a Temple Loyalist suicide bombing.