Battle of the Glade

The Battle of the Glade occurred in 391 AC. It was a significant victory for the Vale forces, and broke the strength of the Mountain Clans for a generation.

Background
The deaths of Joramun of the Redsmiths and many other chiefs and chieftans at the conclusion of the Crisis of the Crescent ignited rage in many of the mountain clans. They launched a renewed war against the people of the Vale, their raids far more frequent and savage than they had been prior. Alaric Arryn, whose hatred for the savages was well known, used this opportunity to march against them.

Dozens of skirmishes, battles, and engagements were fought, eventually culminating in the year 391AC. After hearing about a sacred place located deep in the mountains, Alaric sought to break not only the armies of his foes, but their spirits. He turned his forces towards the hallowed grove, intending to burn their holy trees to ash.

Engagement
It was a race to the glade for both parties, for Alaric made little secret of his aim. The Redsmiths gathered what allies they could - all First Men revered the sacred grove, and differences were put aside for the sake of mutual interest.

The clansmen arrived first, in greatly differing numbers - representatives from various clans arriving sporadically throughout the day. The Valemen arrived at dusk several days later, and spent a harrowing night in the forest - listening to the howling and chanting and singing of their savage foes.

When dawn of the next day came, it rose upon a score corpses - the skirmishing throughout the night claiming several lives. Battle did not come until well into the afternoon, with the setting sun casting long shadows through the trees.

The wildlings had set up their camp around their holy trees, forcing the Andals to come through them if they wished harm. Alaric obliged.

There was little stratagem to that fight - the Clansmen offered a challenge and the Andals accepted. They drove an iron wedge into the heart of the wildling forces, carving their way through bone and bronze and brave, fierce souls. It was near dark by the time they drew into range; and as light faded, Alaric gave the order to fire.

The final stretch of the battle was fought by the light of burning weirwood trees, their dry branches igniting like torches dipped in oil. A great wail went up from the clansmen, and many turned their attention to dousing the flames - but there was little water to be found, and the Valemen still battled on.

Several men were consumed whole by the flames, and with the fire behind them and Andal steel before, the resolve of the Clansmen broke. They shattered and fled, off into the darkness, pursued by the Valemen on horses and falcon-fletched arrows and wardogs that bayed in the night. The slaughter was horrific, but victory was clear. Cries of ''"Arryn! Arryn!" ''rose into the air like the scarlet tendrils of the flames which scorched the glade.

Aftermath
The loss of hundreds of warriors ended the threat of the mountain clans. The survivors fled back into the hills, and did not again threaten the lords of the Vale for years.

The glade was all but destroyed, the weirwood trees staked and torched, the bodies there left for the crows. Skeletons still cover the forest floor, and the hollowed out husks of the heartrees look on.