2002: Vahr's Black March

It began in whispers along the lakefront. Dark sails at dusk. A sudden chill in the air, even in early spring. Strange creatures glimpsed in the mists around Fairport Harbor.

The events now known as Vahr’s Black March marked the first significant Unseelie incursion into Greater Cleveland since the early Accordance War. Spearheaded by Sir Vahr Carrigon of House Balor, the campaign began quietly in March of 2002 and escalated through the summer and fall, ending abruptly in November.

Vahr, a battle-scarred veteran of dark skirmishes in the Dreaming, reportedly claimed ancestral right to a stretch of Ohio lakeshore he called “The Hollow Shore.” Whether such a claim had any legitimacy remains the subject of ongoing scholarly debate.

Initial reports suggest that Vahr:

• Seized a forgotten trod near Fairport Harbor West Breakwater Light
• Made use of headland coves and beachside structures for staging
• Summoned or conscripted a retinue of frightening chimerae, some of which remain unaccounted for to this day

Attempts at diplomacy were either ignored or rebuffed. Notably, Vahr refused to register his presence with the Duchy of Buckeye, violating Concordian expectations for peaceful passage.

By midsummer, stories began to circulate of Vahr’s agents scouting Glamour-rich sites across the east side of Greater Cleveland, culminating in a destructive conflict near a once-beloved freehold now believed dormant. Casualties were reported, though few details were ever made official.

Vahr vanished from mortal record in late autumn. His exact fate is unknown.

Legacy:

• Some claim Commoner resistance was unusually organized during the incursion, though no central leadership was ever named.
• Disrupted weather patterns and eerie spiritual disturbances were noted across Lake Erie during this period.
• House Balor has publicly denied knowledge of the campaign but has made no move to repudiate Vahr’s actions.