Mummer's War

The Mummer's War was a civil war that took place in 407 AC, when opponents to Visaera Targaryen's rule rose in rebellion against her. It lasted several months, and ended with the deaths of both Maegor Waters and Maekar Targaryen.

The name was coined by Grand Maester Abelar, who deemed it no true uprising.

Background
The seeds of the Mummer's War were planted in the reign of King Aenar, after the death of the old king's eldest living son, Aemon Targaryen. The sudden disappearance of the heir apparent threw the succession into confusion, until Aenar named his daughter Visaera as his heir.

The act displeased many, not only due to its defiance of traditional inheritance laws but additionally because of Visaera's nature and history. Maekar Targaryen, Prince of Summerhall, was especially displeased - and left King's Landing in a rage. When Aenar died in 407AC, it wasn't long before rumours of a possible uprising began to spread.

Whispers in the Mountains
It was at this time that rumours began, telling of a black dragon in the Mountains of the Moon. Maegor Waters, it seemed, had returned to the land of his childhood - though for what cause, few could yet say.

In a clandestine dinner in the quiet halls of the Eyrie, Alaric Arryn, Serra Rivers, and Maegor himself spoke quietly of the future. It was in that conversation that Maegor first made his cause known, and together with his consort asked aid of his boyhood friend. Alaric Arryn would accept; though he would tell no one save his eldest son Osric, and while Maegor departed to see to other matters, Alaric turned his attentions towards his vassals.

The armies of the Vale had already begun to gather, intending to make war against the Mountain Clans after their ambush on the high road. After discussing the situations in the Riverlands with his vassals and calling upon his Tully blood, Alaric declared his intent to march into the Riverlands and liberate them from Lannister aggression. Deriding the queen for her tyranny and inaction, Alaric at once sent word to the men of the Vale. Armies began to gather, and those in the Gates of the Moon began to march - marking their way back through the mountains to gather at the Bloody Gate.

The Queen's Council
In King's Landing the royals made preparations to head south, intending to meet the Reachlords in battle. But word soon arrived from House Mooton of Maidenpool, warning of a pending invasion from the Vale. Lord Mooton begged for aid, and the queen called upon her Small Council. After deliberations orders were given, seeing the loyalist forces head out to war while the royal fleet took to the waves.

The Battle of Saltpans
The Valemen emerged from the Bloody Gate and descended down the high road, with five thousand men under the command of Dannyl Waynwood besieging the town of Saltpans. Word was sent to House Cox, demanding their surrender, but the lords of the settlement refused to bend the knee. Battle was engaged, with extended skirmishing lasting several weeks. Prince Aegon refused to unleash his dragon upon the town, and after a time outside the walls he and his wife, Milanna Sunderland, abandoned the siege to make their way home.

With part of their force now departing, the besieging army had few options remaining. Alaric and the main heart of the Arryn forces had already made their way to the Ruby Ford, and were now awaiting the addition of their soldiers to further bolster the defense. Rather than attempting to storm the town with insufficient forces, Harrold Arryn took command and marched the troops away - leaving a small force behind to ensure the men of Saltpans did not follow.

The Princes and the Princess
From Dorne Prince Laenor Targaryen sent word to Oldtown, disparaging Prince Maekar Targaryen for the role he played in Yronwood's defiance. The once-prince of Summerhall, feeling the need to defend his honour, informed Sunspear that he had had no part in the deed. Out of duty, obligation, or some other, unknown cause, Maekar told Laenor and Princess Meria that he would meet them in person. He departed on Stormsong and took wing to the east, heading into Dorne alone.

The Falcons and the Ford
The main army of the Vale arrived at the Ruby Ford, ten thousand strong and led by the Lord Defender himself. They set up on the northern side, immediately setting about erecting defenses and preparing to hold the line. Alaric Arryn's eldest son and heir, Osric, was sent to the North - intending to see the marriage of Alys Arryn and Eon Stark through, so that he might return with the armies of the North behind him.

At the Ford the Valemen met the forces of Lyle Bracken, who had retreated from the Lannister host at Riverrun. They joined up for a time, until Lye was sent to take Lord Harrowway's Town; taking his three thousand and another five hundred Valemen with him.

Believing that the south would be occupied with Maekar, and trusting that Maegor would secure the allegiance of several major Riverlords, Alaric Arryn waited in place for reinforcements. As the days passed and Maegor did not seem forthcoming, worry began to spread through the ranks.

The Siege of Gulltown
Early in the morning late in 407AC, a massive fleet under the command of Erasmus Rykker emerged from the Bay of Crabs. Gulltown's armies were raised and present, but faced with hopeless odds the Graftons elected to surrender.

Word soon spread to the Eyrie and the Gates of the Moon, then under the command of Artys Arryn, Alaric's youngest son. The Royces of Runestone sent word, asking for command, and were instructed to provide whatever aid they could upon the coast.

The Assault on the Twins
The force of six thousand Valemen under the command of Lady Rosalind Belmore had swiftly moved in from the coast of the Riverlands, cutting across the King's Road and briefly treating with the lord of House Haigh on their way to their main strategic objective -- the Twins.

Despite Visaera Blackwood's claims of open arms to the Vale, Lady Belmore's forces immediately set up for siege, cognizant of the growing Crownlander - Riverlander army sweeping up from the south and of the potential for dragon attack. Battle was joined after a sustained bombardment from Vale siege weapons, with Lady Belmore reportedly leading the charge.

However, the first few strikes ended in bloody stalemates, worsened by the extremely crowded conditions of the garrison in the Twins. During this time, Ambrose Blackwood and Visaera Blackwood escaped under the cover of night, leaving Ser Marc in command of the garrison.

However, Ser Marc's defense proved inadequately adaptable to the varied tactics Lady Belmore began to employ when she saw that her force of numbers would not carry the day, and eventually, she was able to bleed the garrison down to the point where Ser Marc leaped at the chance to take advantage of the seeming "retreat" of the Vale siege army.

However, Lady Belmore had created an ambush -- moving the ballistae used for the siege into concealed, fortified firing emplacements and putting her strategic reserves into positions nearby the path by which the Vale army was moving during their mock retreat. The garrison of the Twins walked into a massacre, one only worsened as the superiority of the Vale knights on the open field was made evident, as well as the main siege army turning back upon the beleaguered garrison as they sought to flee back to the walls.

Taking her opportunity, Lady Belmore swept into the breach, taking the walls and forcing Ser Marc to the inner keep -- and, after a time, to an accepted surrender.

However, Lady Belmore did not hold the Twins for long before the Royalist army under Damion Tully and Perceon Vance arrived. After a brief skirmish, later stated to be part of fulfilling the terms of a rumored blood vow from Lady Belmore to Alaric Arryn, the Vale commanderess surrendered under the condition that her remaining men were allowed to return home safely.

Waves in the Whispering Sound
Having been sent out by the Queen and her Small Council, a second fleet under the command of Corlys Velaryon soon rounded the coast of Dorne. They skirted the Arbor after a brief scouting mission, ensuring that the majority of the Reach fleet was yet occupied in the Iron Islands. The rest of their action was thus uncontested - they swept into the Whispering Sound and began the blockade of Oldtown, under orders not to engage or reach out unless specifically commanded so by the royal armies.

The Battle at the Ruby Ford
The final act of the war took place at the Ruby Ford, where the combined forces of the loyalists met Alaric Arryn and his Valemen in the field. Lucerys Velaryon revealed the head of Maegor Waters, informing the rebels that their aid would not be forthcoming. Rather than bend the knee, Alaric resisted, initiating the largest battle of the war.

Some fifteen thousand Valemen defended the ford, while the royal forces and the Golden Company vied against them. Four dragons took to the sky that day, raining hell and horror down upon their foes. Alaric himself was slain in the fighting, along with five knights of his Winged Brotherhood and thousands of loyal Valemen and knights. When the battle was over Harrold Arryn was the only Arryn present to command; and immediately offered the surrender of the surviving soldiers.