The Great Ruckzug
A battle between Germans and invading Romans in 9 CE (year zero in the Era of Secrets for Teutoburgerwald) forced the magical inhabitants of the forest, the Fae, to close themselves off from the outside. By sealing themselves inside the forest, the Fae also sealed in their magic, marking a change in the way magic was experienced in Northern Europe. From this point forward, magic was unknown in the Roman empire. Only at times when it became too great for the Fae to contain, or when a human of exceptional talent is able to sense disturbances in the universe, do humans in the region get to experience the magic that once ran rampant.
The Conflict
Prelude
A conspiracy of a German auxiliary commander, Arminius, against his Roman superior Varus encroached on the territory of the Fae and led to the Ruckzug. Arminius had secretly joined together disparate groups of Germanic tribes in a united front against the Romans who were expanding into the region. Then, when the majority of the Roman legions stationed in Germany were removed to the Balkans, Arminius saw his chance. He tipped off Varus about a false German uprising that demanded his attention. Then he led Varus and his legions through an obscure part of the Teutoburg Forest without asking permission of the Fae. The Romans, having been led into a trap, were defeated, the legions were destroyed, and Varus returned to Rome in shame. But the real fighting had just begun.
Battlefield
A mixture of Fae and humans who did not support the alliance against the Romans joined battle in the very Forest against Arminius and a small band of supporters who did not disperse once the Romans were vanquished. Battle lasted half a day before the Fae King Athalabert called for the capture of Arminius for ignoring the protests of the Fae during his alliance-making and encroaching on their Forest without permission. Arminius refused, and fighting continued through the rest of the day. A truce was called in the evening and the exhausted Germans went home, but the Fae wanted to ensure that their Forest, henceforth known as Teutoburgerwald, could not be manipulated by humans again.
Outcome
Arminius and the other aggressors left and the Fae retreated into the Forest to try and work out how to avoid a future violation of their sacred space.
Aftermath
The Fae put up magical magical barriers inside the forest to keep out any potential human invaders. It began as a temporary solution, but after months of witnessing raiding parties and groups of armies tramp through adjacent fields the Fae ultimately voted to withdraw entirely. They referred to this event as the Great Ruckzug and began dating their calendar from the day they first put up the magical fortifications. They refer to the earlier period as the Era of Innocence and the current era is the Era of Secrets.
Historical Significance
Legacy
As an isolated people, the Fae developed numerous eccentricities over the years, including a deep fear and hatred of outsiders. Some of them, especially the species of talking red squirrels, the Eichhornen, like to venture across the paths of unsuspecting humans, but mostly they keep to themselves and even try to ward off humans who encroach too closely on their territory.
Inside the Forest, Teutoburgerwald has become a increasingly saturated with magical power, as the fortifications make it difficult for excess power to be released. On a few occasions throughout history, this has led to disaster, usually in the form of an explosion, or once, a massive storm. The Fae now have an entire profession devoted to the containment of magic within their bounds, and an entire academic study at the Twin Pines focuses on containment and conversion of magical energy. This is all while the primary occupation of Fae government is constantly working to maintain their fortification and keep their existence unknown to humans.
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