2003: The Smoke and Snow

If Vahr’s Black March was a quiet escalation, the Smoke and Snow was anything but.

The winter months of early 2003 brought with them not just bitter cold, but also the arrival of Lady Imogen ni Ailil, a Unseelie noble of considerable ambition. Where her Balor predecessor had come cloaked in fog and rumor, Imogen arrived with banners flying and glaives gleaming, accompanied by a cadre of fellow Unseelie Sidhe and mortal proxies. Her campaign was grandiose, equal parts political theater and hostile occupation.

Within days of her arrival:

• Office space was secured in Terminal Tower, repurposed for “diplomatic coordination.”
• Invitations were sent across the region to a formal gala, hosted at the tower’s observatory.
• Sidhe emissaries — none officially recognized by the Duchy of Buckeye — began making overtures to Commoner leadership, seeking alliances and vassals.

While some Kithain were intrigued or flattered by her attention, most remained distant. After the sudden disappearance of Vahr the previous fall, few had an appetite for another Unseelie power play.

Things quickly unraveled.

By mid-February, persistent reports emerged of:

• Disturbances in the Flats, with Imogen's followers being harassed by what were described as “phantom actors” or “trickster apparitions.”
• Public transit failures, car accidents, and surreal misfortunes following her entourage — chalked up in some circles to “overextended Cantrips,” though others whispered of intentional sabotage.
• An attempted siege of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, rumored to be a site of hidden Glamour, ended in failure — and public embarrassment.

A fierce snowstorm in early March seemed to signal the final collapse of her efforts. Lady Imogen withdrew quietly in the night, her retinue scattered or undone. She has not been seen publicly in Cleveland since.

Legacy:

• Why was no noble support ever granted to Imogen’s efforts, even after her public declarations?
• Who or what orchestrated the wave of malfunctions and uncanny resistance she faced?
• Were her defeats purely the result of hubris, or did something ancient and unseen oppose her?
• The Smoke and Snow is often paired with Vahr's Black March under the broader historical header of The Crownless Year — a period remembered as a cautionary tale for Sidhe who underestimate the resolve and complexity of Commoner strongholds.
• Many whisper that the city itself turned against her, though whether by Glamour, Will, or Something Older, no one agrees.