Balar's Rebellion

"Ah, Balar's Rebellion, eh? So you're going to ask me about living history for a change?" Buck chuckled. "Yeah, I'm old enough to remember it of course. Gods, I fought in the bloody war, and gave this," he pointed to the patch covering his missing eye, "for love of our Queen. Sure it be I'll tell ye what happened."

The Conflict

Prelude

"T' understand it, ye need to go back a good five centuries to when Seiðr I was king. Before him the heir was always the eldest son of the king, but his son was a right jackass. And so, bein' king and all, he changed the law so's the king could choose whoever he liked to follow him. An' this was the way it went afterwards. But, ye see, he didn't apply this new law to the nobility, just to the throne. And five hunnerd years pass, and King Halar III , third of 'is name, dies too young, but names 'is sister Selðe to the throne after 'im. And that's where it gets ugly."
"See, the Houses still inherit father to son, and if there innit a son, it goes to the eldest living male. Bein' that Selðe and Halar's younger brother went off and became a Druid, and as ye know they don't hold offices or thrones or seats, so he's out of the runnin', that just leaves Selðe's uncle Balar Halad as the eldest male. So he argues that 'is niece can't be the Queen, because she owes her fealty to the head of 'er House, and that's him. An' she argues that the throne takes precedence over any other matter, and neither of 'em is gonna back down. So the Houses start to talk amongst themselves, right? And some of them decide Selðe is right, and they stand with her. Others decide Balar is right--probably because they're in no 'urry to change how they pass their power along--and they side with 'im. So it's a roight fine mess, it is, and ain't either side gonna give up their position."

Deployment

"So early summer comes and we gets word that Balar has gathered up his forces and those o' the miscreants supportin' his claim. He even hired mercenaries from outside the realm. But sure it be Selðe ain't wastin' time either, and she has her forces prepared, and off they go to meet the enemy, with yours truly proudly marchin' along with visions of glory in me head. And we meet up east of Havan, not far from the border of the Reach of Kulain and before ya know it, we're deep in the thick of it. And that battle, she was a bloody one, and nothin' was decided that day."
Buck trailed off for a moment, his mind wandering back to that battle for a time before returning to the tale.
"So we fought again here 'n there throughout the summer until the cold came and we settled down to ride out the winter. The Queen and her allies, they'd planned or it and were ready to keep us fed, but Balar and his boys ransacked their way across anyone and anything they could. An' when spring came again we were back at it. But by then a lot of the common folk were angry at being plundered and robbed, and they started t' band together themselves--the Lowborn Militia, they called themselves, and other more glorious names besides. And that's when the four lads, Theo of Aldwyn, Jord of the Blackshaw, Wil Haleson, and Alrik Beyran, started makin' their name. Between 'em, they were runnin' the militia, and gatherin' news from all over the place. Generals don't think much of peasants, y'see, but the common folk see it all."
"So spring comes. We're back in the seat again and this time we're doin' well. The lads caught wind of where Balar was headin' and thanks to them we caught them unawares. Ya shoulda seen that day--ole Rendar Alens went toe t' toe with Shar of Midcliffe and knocked 'is head clean off, and then Maeg Terwin got hisself captured, an' that took the fight outta the Terwins. But Balar, he's getting desperate, and mad, and he manages to take Karda's Eye and retreat there, and starts burnin' up the Vale."
"By the spring o' the next year, 1862 now, Selðe finishes up with House Terwin and brokers a peace deal in exchange for not takin' the head of Maeg Terwin, and they're outta the fight. Theo and Alrik, they get in good with Balar--and Gods alone know 'ow they pulled it off--and convince 'im they can make it over the pass into Akaryth and return with mercenaries to give him th' edge. Balar's gettin' desperate now, and off he sends 'em with gold, just before Selðe's army arrives and they start layin' siege. And sure enough the lads come back with mercenaries, an' as soon as Balar starts a last ditch attempt to break the siege he finds out those mercenaries werem't hired for him, though they used his gold."
"Well, twas all but over at that point, and then the Knights of the Griffon join the field, and the Black Stags too, and Balar knows he's done. We nabbed him that day, same day I lost me eye to an arrow, and he went to trial. But instead of askin' for pardon he had a lot to say to everyone in the court--none of which a proper chap like myself is wont to repeat in polite company--and they took the head off him on Longest Night."
"And Selðe travelled to the Woodmere as a daughter of her house and returned as the Queen, and I crawled back to Hawksholme and opened a tavern. And as ye know, the four lads, she raised 'em up and made barons of them all--the Barons Mendicant. And that, me son, is the story of the rebellion."

Outcome

• Balar Halad, captured, is put on trial for treason and for the burning of Karda's Vale. Found guilty, he was sentenced to death and executed by beheading on Longest Night.
• House Lanthar is utterly destroyed and their lands redistrubuted

Aftermath

• The reign of Selðe as Queen Heulyn II begins
• Creation of the Barons Mendicant
• Ongoing distrust of House Terwin by the Crown, and tension along the Marches

Start Date

4 Icewind, 1860 AS

Ending Date

12 High Summer, 1862 AS

Conflict Result

Victory of Selðe Halad and her accession to the throne of Keledon as Queen Heulyn II

Belligerents

Forces of Selðe Halad

Led by

• Ademar Halad
• Rendar Alens

Forces of Balar Halad

Led by

• Balar Halad
• Maeg Terwin
• Shar of Midcliffe

Strength

The forces of House Halad, House Alens, House Ebeðar, House Kurdwyn, House Borudh, and their vassal houses

The forces of Balar Halad, House Terwin, House Argawain, House Lanathar, and their vassal houses

Casualties

In the thousands

In the thousands

Objectives

To defeat Balar Halad and secure the throne and the accession of Selðe Halad to the throne of Keledon

To defeat Selðe Halad and secure the throne and the accession of Balar Halad to the throne of Keledon