House Vance

House Vance was a Riverlands noble house divided in its allegiance during the Dance of the Dragons. Its Vances of Wayfarer's Rest backed Rhaenyra, while the Vances of Atranta supported Aegon II; the division became especially clear in the fighting at the Red Fork, where Lord Tristan Vance of Wayfarer's Rest was killed resisting a Lannister advance.

Identity and Branches

The chronicles distinguish the Vances of Wayfarer's Rest from the Vances of Atranta. Both belonged to House Vance, but they did not act as a single political bloc during the succession war. The account names Tristan Vance as Lord of Wayfarer's Rest and records the Vances of Atranta separately, making the branches’ different choices explicit.

Allegiances in the Dance

As Rhaenyra’s supporters gathered in the Riverlands, the Vances of Wayfarer's Rest declared for her alongside several other river houses. The Vances of Atranta chose the opposing side and proclaimed their allegiance to Aegon. Their split illustrates how the conflict divided not only regions and rival houses but also branches sharing a name.

The Red Fork

Lord Tristan Vance joined Lord Petyr Piper of Pinkmaiden in opposing the western host led by Jason Lannister. The riverlords knew the ground, and the Lannisters’ first three attempts to force a crossing were repelled. On the fourth, Ser Adrian Tarbeck led a hundred picked knights upstream, where they removed their heavy armor and swam across to circle behind Vance’s lines. Vance was killed in the attack, and the riverlords’ ranks broke as the westermen crossed the Red Fork in force.

Political Significance

The account gives no further outcome for House Vance, but its recorded actions establish both the range of its commitments and their cost. One branch supported Rhaenyra, another declared for Aegon, and Lord Tristan’s death marked the defeat of the Wayfarer's Rest forces at a consequential river crossing. House Vance’s wartime history is therefore presented through divided allegiance and the specific loss of a leading lord, rather than through a unified house policy.