History

Britain is one of the most densly populated and urbanised countries in the world. In the south of the country, the Garou maintain the slenderest of holds on the Cornish peninsula. To the north, trapped between the Vampire strongholds in Yorkshire and Lancashire and bordered to the north by the Black Spiral heartlands of Scotland, it would seem surprising that any Garou still fight the encroachments of the modern age. Yet here, around the fief of York, the Garou seem to be winning the war against the Wyrm. On the Pennines, reforestation projects are creating new areas of protected wilderness. In North Yorkshire, the Spirals are held at bay and the land protected. How is this possible?

The Pennines have always been a stronghold of the Garou. Part of the reason can be found in the history of the region. Devastated repeatedly by invasions from across the sea, the area was laid waste again by William the Conqueror. Plague and border wars with Scotland kept the population low for centuries afterwards. Although the area was the heart of the wool trade, the towns and villages remained small. Consequently, the north was of relatively little interest to the Kindred.

After the industrial revolution, the mortal population expanded with incredible speed. With the south of England becoming increasingly urbanized the Garou concentrated in the North. Prevented from retreating further by the Black Spirals, the Garou of northern England fought harder than in many areas. Although Kindred flocked to the growing industrial cities, the efforts of the Garou ensured that the influence of the Vampires did not spread very far outside their city stronghold.

The first real conflict came at the end of the 18th century. Canals were being built all over the country and the North was no exception. Those built so far had been in the Kindred controlled lowlands but it was clear that the old packhorse routes were no longer sufficient for trans-Pennine trade. In 1794, work was begun on the first trans-Pennine canal at Huddersfield. The Garou held a Moot of all the Northern Septs and decided that a stand would have to be made. Under the leadership of the largest Sept in the area, the Three Stanes Pennine Sept, the Garou began a campaign of sabotage and harrassment of the canal, as well as attacks against the Kindred in the fiefs.

Despite this, work continued slowly on the canal. However, in November 1810, a pack of Get of Fenris destroyed the banks of a reservoir near the canal. Many people were killed in the flood and work on the canal severely disrupted. Huddersfield fell under the control of the fief of York at this time but was coveted by the Kindred of Manchester. Using the flood as an excuse the Manchester vampires accused York of incompetant handling of the Garou problem and threatened to take Huddersfield under their 'protection' if the matter was not resolved before the spring.

York was faced with the choice of abandoning Huddersfield or embarking on a costly and dangerous war against the Garou. The spring deadline was approaching, when York made an unexpected announcement. Peace had been concluded with the Garou and work could resume on the canal at once.

The peace had been mediated by Thorolf, a Gangrel Elder of the fief of York and simultaneously a leader within the Garou. (See primogen.wri). Thorolf has never disclosed which side it was first asked him to approach the other. Both sides had been skeptical at first. The Garou Septs, up until now united against the canal, divided along Tribal lines. The Children of Gaia, traditionally dominant in the area, were eager to prevent further loss of life. The Get of Fenris had moved down from their more northern strongholds to aid the Children in their fight against the Kindred. They were bitterly opposed to any peaceful contact with the enemy. The deadlock was broken by the third force in the area, the Fianna.

The Fianna had always had a small presence in Northern England. Recently, however, several packs had travelled from Ireland with their Kinfolk. There were many Irish amongst the navvies working on the canals and they had bourne the brunt of the war against development. For this reason, the Fianna tended to side with the Children of Gaia. At last, the Septs agreed to negotiate with the Fief of York, although the Get of Fenris refused to attend.

Under the terms of the Treaty of Fountains, there was to be no development of the Pennines without consultation with the Garou. If any work was permitted, the Garou must be compensated under mutually agreeable terms. Under pressure from the other Septs, the Get signed but on the condition that the treaty be reconsidered in ten years time.

To the amazement of all concerned, the treaty held. The canal was finished in 1811. After the treaty had been in operation for ten years, it was decided to renew it for a further ten with only minor amendments. The Get, who had counted on the treaty breaking down were furious. They refused to re-sign and finally returned to the north. Since then, they have caused periodic trouble by sending bands south to attack Kindred and generally disrupt the treaty. Current Situation

The Garou Septs in the region were for a long time estranged from other Garou who were horrified at the treaty with the Kindred. Wild stories circulated amongst the other hard pressed Garou of Europe that the Yorkshire Garou had been Blood Bonded by the Prince of York or even joined the Black Spirals. The Get of Fenris spread stories that many of the 'traitors' had been Embraced and packs of Abominations roamed the countryside. Gradually the rumours were laid to rest and more normal relations resumed. Over the years, nearby packs from the Dales around Huddersfield and from the North York Moors joined the treaty. There is also a small Sept of Glasswalkers in the fief of York. They are based at a Caern in Roundhay Park, Leeds.

Get of Fenris have not forgotten their 'betrayal' by the Children. There have been many rumours of planned invasions from the north 'to liberate the noble Pennine Caerns from the Leech-loving Wyrm kin'. These have never amounted to anything, probably because the Get are being hard-pressed by the Black Spirals who are found all over Scotland. The Children have often offered their aid to the Get but have been scornfully turned down. Never the less, the Children sometimes secretly ask spirits to help the Get, or send small war-parties North. However, such parties are in almost as much danger from the Get as from the Black Sprials.

That the Treaty has lasted so long is almost solely due to the efforts of Thorolf and the Guardians. Thorolf spends a great deal of his time smoothing over problems between the Garou and Kindred. The Guardians like the treaty because it brings peace to the region and therefore often exert their influence over York to help things along. They also have private 'arrangments' with the Septs. The existance of the Guardians is known to only one or two Theurges but they exchange information and recently were able to call the packs to defend the fief form the Sabbat.

The Landscape

In the WoD, the wilderness is that much wilder. In areas such as the Pennines, the North York Moors and the Lake District there is much less development than in the real world. Day tripping, hill-walking and camping are less popular. The villages and farms in these places are much more isolated and insular. There are many fewer roads and virtually no hotels or guesthouses. Travellers hurry along the railways and motorways cutting through the wilderness and seldom break their journeys except in the cities.

In many areas of the Pennines, there have been extensive re-forestation projects over the last 30 years. Stretching up the backbone of the hills is a vast protected nature reserve, which was created by the Treaty of Fountains. There are smaller reserves in the north York moors and to the south in the Dales. The land which makes up these reserves is owned by the Pennine Preservation Trust which is administered jointly by Garou and Kindred.

The land owned by the Trust is constantly being expanded and eventually it is planned that wolves will be reintroduced to the Pennine reserve. This was tried recently but the plan was ruined when some of the wolves 'accidentally escaped' and killed nearby sheep. The Three Stanes Sept belives the escape was engineered by Get from the north seeking to damage the treaty.

For more detailed information see The Yorkshire Septs.