The Summer Wars

The Summer Wars¹ were a series of battles fought almost 1400 years ago between the Útels of Ela'k Forest on one hand, and the Móerkels, Útel colonists inhabiting the Plain of Spirits.

The Conflict

Prelude

The Útels first began exploring and founding colonies on the plains north of Ela'k Forest around 3000 b.Dr, both to alleviate overpopulation and to grow grains and other foodstuff in greater quantities than it would be possible in the woods.
The very different environment and distance from the forest shaped the colonies' culture over the centuries, to the point that while the plains settlements were represented by the Yt-Þarizen -the highest council of elders in Úlmora-, the other Útel representatives often had trouble relating to the colonists' troubles. This, combined with the fact that the Alliance saw the colonies primarily as a producer of grains and looked down on the people there, lead to increasing frustration among the colonists.
War was eventually declared in 1321 b.Dr, a year after each colony declared independence from the Útel Alliance on the Yt-Þarizen and formed their own council on the plains.

The Wars

The Útel Alliance sent legions of men and women belonging to vareð-naa, the warriors' caste, from all over Ela'k Forest to fight the rebels each summer (hence the name of the conflict). Although trained from early age to move in full armour and wield a variety of weapons, the Útels lacked any actual combat experience, and the heavy armour and thick clothing proved quite uncomfortable when fighting without any trees shading the warriors from the blazing sun.
The Móerkels, on the other hand, wore lighter made of leather and padded cloth, and were not as bound by the warrior code of old, so they had no qualms with such things as using ranged weapons and flanking their enemy. They also had experience with fighting other people, namely the centaur-like Knárs native to the plains.
Over time, more and more campaigns ended in stalemates, and it became apparent that the Móerkels would not back down, so eventually the Útel Alliance sent a diplomat to the plains in 1295 b.Dr. The Móerkels were granted independence and the Útels would buy grains from them in exchange for such goods as metals and timber.

by Lappalingur

A joint offering to the ancestors, marking the end of the Summer Wars

Historical Significance

The Summer Wars remain to this day the only conflict where the Útels fought amongst themselves since the foundation of the Útel Alliance. It was also the first time Útels left the Alliance and established their own civilization, the other time being ancestors of the Ameders migrating to Kanix Forest during the 3rd century a.Dr.

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¹Original icelandic: Sumarstríðin.

Conflict Type

War

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

1321 b.Dr

Ending Date

1295 b.Dr

Conflict Result

The Útel Alliance grants independence to the Móerkels.

Location

Plain of Spirits

Belligerents

Útel Alliance

Móerkels

Strength

Bronze weapons and armour, discipline, trained for combat since childhood.

Mobility, actual experience in combat, not bound by millennia old traditions

Casualties

Objectives

Fight the rebels, secure the Útel Alliance's power over the colonies.

Gain independence from the Útel Alliance.