The War of Ivy was the struggle between Commoner and Noble Changelings in the British Isles following the Resurgence.
Overview[]
The effects of the Resurgence were largely colored by the attitudes of the local commoners. In England, the bulk of the fae accepted their new rulers with resignation at worst and joyous hope at best. Granted, their were a handful of anarchists and such, but they were too few to cause the rest much trouble for very long. And the commoners really can't complain too much. After all, England has two kingdoms ruled by commoners. Overall, they look forward to a new Lyonesse.
As one might expect, Eire took the Restoration very hard. Unlike the current unrest among mortals, the fae's conflict engulfed the entire island in blood. The biggest mistake of the English sidhe was to try and get involved. Though beset on all sides, the Irish nobles made it clear that they would handle the taming of the country themselves. Perhaps they were jealous of their land, which to be fair is arguably richer in trods and glades than anywhere else in Britain or Europe. Eventually, though, the Irish sidhe prevailed (The Dreaming will have its way, after all), although to be quite candid, the Irish fae are considered (at least by the English) somewhat lax about maintaining class distinctions. Not as much as the Americans or Australians, of course.
Cymru, the land just behind Eire in Glamourous resources and somewhat ahead in isolationism, also faced a power struggle. Rebellion was not quite as pervasive in Wales as in Ireland, and thankfully less blood was spilled.
It can be safely assumed that the Scots fae wold have something to say about the Resurgence. The proud Highlanders would not give up fighting amongst themselves without interference from true nobility. The War of Ivy is not truly ended there; the Highlanders raid across the borders periodically, and when the sidhe advance north, they are hammered by hordes of kilted warmongers. The lowland Caledonians are far more reasonable, being more concerned with fighting the forces of rival sidhe than fighting the sidhe in general.
Timeline[]
- July 21, 1969: The Resurgence begins; in Caledonia, King Ross defeats the Glaswegian Defense Union. An Uneasy truce begins in Albion and Cymru. In Hibernia, the Resurgence is called the Return and causes great strife; most hostilities cease within two years.
- June, 1970: Word of the Beltaine Massacre spreads; commoners attack nobles unprovoked in Albion and Cymru; most commoner forces are defeated.
- September, 1970: Battle of the New Forest, one of the few commoner victories.
- March, 1972: Battle of Oxford; Lord Berwin Lindell, a sidhe, defeats troll Lady Garyn Garfield in single combat and claims the town.
- Imbolc, 1973: Gwilym, seneschal of Gwynedd, makes a rousing speech in the freehold of Yr Wyddfa Fawr, calling for peace.
- Beltaine, 1973: The Treaty of Ivy signed in Albion and Cymru. Sporadic fighting continues over the next four years in Caledonia; most fae consider this business as usual.
- Imbolc, 1977: The Caledonian Compact officially ends the '69 and sets up an alliance between sidhe monarchs.
References[]
- CTD. Fool's Luck: The Way of the Commoner, pp. 44-45.