Regency

The Regency Council is the current ruler of Westeros, having been in power since the death of King Maelor Velaryon. They are the legal and legitimate ruling body of Westeros until the King comes of age in late 200 AC.

Origin
Years of campaigning had exacted a toll on Maelor. He'd spent half his life on horseback, riding to put down one revolt or another. When he wasn't fighting to squash a rebellion, he was plotting how to end the next one, in his room, alone, day and night, with little sleep. Even his hobbies, pitifully enough, were connected to the pursuit of warfare. Cartography, originally the young monarch's joy, swiftly turned into another tool to be used against his enemies, as he scanned and made these maps tirelessly, to gain some sort of an advantage for his next battles. There was no more enjoyment to be had in sparring, reading, arithmetics…

The King's health began to deteriorate. A combination of stress, and a battered body from both physical trauma, alongside a plethora of diseases picked up during his campaigns, was finally putting him down. It was evident to all, especially the monarch himself. Thus, he made every attempt to secure the peace he'd fought so hard for, and to secure the reign of his heir, with what little life he had left.

Formation of the Council
Darklyn had scarred the King - he had already trusted so few, and now even this pool had shrunk. Maelor could not entrust his heir to a sole regent, in fear of them usurping his power. But a council, five regents, chosen deliberately for their inability to work together, as to prevent factionalism and thus usurpation…

It was decided. One regent could steal from Maelor's son his birthright with his unchallenged power, but five such men sharing said power, and at odds? Representatives of weaker Houses would have to be picked, as to further diminish the chances of them dethroning the future King.

And thus, before his death, did Maelor the Tenacious form the council that would rule over the Realm before his son came of age:

The Regency Council
The Knight of Skullfort was the first to be named regent, causing a ripple in both the Court and outside of it. A lowly commoner, who'd fought his way first up to knighthood, and now as one of the five members of a faction that would rule the Realm? It could have been a cause for another rebellion, perhaps, but no such thing occurred. Alongside this already tremendous privilege, the King granted Rodrick the honour of bearing arms in the Red Keep, something exclusive to the King, the royal family and the Kingsguard. Known for his martialist inclinations and a clamour for army reformation, the knight is not completely without friends, having gained the support of Houses Oakheart and Mallister for the policies he stands by, alongside a friend from the ranks of the Kingsguard.

Lord Staedmon's brother was the second pick, no less interesting of a selection. The former himself was afflicted by sickness, and would not make for a solid candidate, and thus, it was his kin that received the honour. Although thought to be of the same attitude as his sibling, this regent would soon prove that he was quite unapologetic for the crimes of his ancestors, and furthermore - endorsed their actions, mimicking their anti-Crown sentiments soon after the death of Maelor. An ardent supporter of commerce, trade and decreased taxes, he is a direct antagonist to Ser Rodrick and the reforms he pushes for, and he has not forgotten his father's demise at the hands of the knight, either, doubly fuelling their rivalry. The Stormlord himself has allies in the form of House Swann and House Serrett.

Then, there was Locke - a man of the North, so far from home, plunged into the warfare of politics. Unexpectedly, he proved quite proficient in this art. The third regent is famous for his disdain of the Dornish, considering the War for the Crossing a natural corollary of the Wine Wars. His fervent attempts at culling their influence from Court, to be replaced by Northmen, have seen popularity beyond his home region. The Lord wields a powerful tool at his disposal - the Commander of the Gold Cloaks answers but to him, and beyond that, his friendship with House Manderly runs deep.

Lord Blackmont, besides being named regent, was also preemptively positioned on the Small Council, as the Hand of the King for Maelor's successor. The enmity between him and Locke came as no surprise to anyone, nor the proceeding, perpetual clash that focused on filling the Court with their supporters. The Northman grapples to swing the tide, while the Dornishman seeks to maintain, and further aggrandise it. Though not possessing as many devoted allies as the other representatives, it is the Hand's prerogative to command the Crownlords' armies until the King comes of age.

The final regent to be named was Lord Butterwell - the most curious of the five, seemingly the most concerned with the looming threat of the dragonrider. He is utterly devoted to developing means of warfare against the fire-breathing creature, urging to invest all possible resources into the creation of new instances of scorpions, ones capable of felling such a beast. Known to be mostly without enemies or friends, only time will tell whether the Council prioritises such spending over other things.

The regents would rule until Maelor's son came of age on his nameday, during the ninth day of the eleventh moon. Impeachment was made a possibility only through the votes of four regents, and the King's approval. In such a case where space would become available for the Council, via impeachment, death, resignation, or other means, a regent would be chosen by majority of votes, and also the King's approval. Though Maelor legally obligated the regents to hear his son's counsel on any decision before they voted, he knew this had the strength of a paper shield. Thus, he endowed his heir with one final power: the ability to veto and overturn the ruling on any vote or proposal, once every three moons. Reaffirming his stance on this course of action, Maelor the Tenacious continued to rule the Realm for three more years quite capably, falling to a bedridden state only in the last month of 199 AC.