Kadenazi War

The Three Year Slaughter

Saleh'Alire » Politics ⭲ Wars

Little positive can be said, even today, of the Oliennesian occupation of their land; the Phy'ithian Legion- and all those Goliath who aided their endeavors- have wrought not but destruction to the Rusatari continent. I believe that, if no other action at least, it is in the best interest of the Eris'kan Kingdom to rebuke our brethren for their continued greed.

— Archivist Fainan e'Tharo, Eris'kan Grand Archive

The Kadenazi War- also known as the three year slaughter- was a series of brutal battles that took place between Rusatar's native Minotaurs, and the Goliaths who were allied with encroaching Solar Elves from Olienn; seeking to gain control of Rusatar's Palladium supply, they utilized the Goliaths' local knowledge and warrior-dominant culture to gain control of Rusatar's minimal habitable region.
During a three year period between 5679 and 5682, over 139 battles were fought along the continent's central expanse- mostly in the Kularall Plains, and Lasna Forest. The decisive battle, however, took place in the Krina Pass of the Raasla Mountains. Within months afterwards, Olienn stamped out the rest of the resistance and sized control of the continent.

Start Date
26 Oboron 5679

Ending Date
5 Alarius 5682

Conflict Result
Swift and decisive victory for the Phy'ithian Legions of Olienn; Devastating loss for the Minotaur Guerilla Groups.

Events of the War

Under the guidance of King Iromean and Queen Varlina e'Usathi of Olienn, trade was opened between Olienn and the eastern nation of Rusatar in 5624. After their mysterious deaths in 5670, however, they were succeeded by their daughter, Hyluria e'Usathi. Just five years after her ascension to the Oliennesian throne, colonization efforts of Rusatar began.

Palladium is a rare metal almost exclusively found in the Raasla Mountains of Rusatar- though small pockets of it do exist elsewhere in Saleh'Alire; super dense, super strong, and corrosion resistant against most known substances, Olienn's main interest in the metal lies in its value as an additive for strengthening other metal alloys- especially Mithral and Demiterium.

The main target of their efforts was the Palladium mines of Rusatar's Raasla Mountains- the very metal her parents had initially opened trade routes with the continent for during their own reign. Initial efforts were peaceful, though the intent had always been to underhandedly seize control of the continent; Queen Hyluria gave orders to establish several small outposts and attempt to curry favor with locals living in the areas.

Little of the continent was significantly traversable, however, and efforts to establish on-continent relations largely fell on deaf ears; The only group interested in establishing relations was the Brara Herd- then under the control of Warchief Sigdur Ruan. Much of the early waves of Oliennesian occupation were preoccupied with mapping the land as a result. Increasing tension with the region's Minotaur natives also played a significant role in the slow nature of the initial efforts.
With tensions rising and their relationship with the Brara Herd well established, eventually Warchief Ruan was approached as an ally to help in the takeover (along with the Warchiefs of several additional Herds, all of whom would act as the main Rusatari force). He refused to cooperate, however, and condemned the actions of the Oliennesian crown. Unwilling to have their plans thwarted, Queen Hyluria had him deposed with the help of Uleaku Hala- who quickly seized control of the Herd afterwards.
With Warchief Hala now leading the Brara Herd and its allies- and the Queen's twin sister (Princess Nenryn e'Usathi) leading the efforts as commander of the royal Phy'ithian Legion- the Kadenazi War was finally launched in earnest.

Phy'ithian Legion

Leader

• Princess Nenryn e'Usathi

Strengths

• Numbers
• Training
• Resources

Main Base
Ea'ronn, Olienn
Casualties

• 2507 confirmed
• 0482 unaccounted for

Phy'ithian Legion Flag by Anna Boyett

Brara Herd

Leader

• Warchief Uleaku Hala

Strengths

• Local Knowledge
• Warrior Culture
• Organization

Main Base
Gavur, Rusatar
Casualties

• 1049 confirmed
• 0118 unaccounted for

Brara Herd Flag by Anna Boyett

Minotaur Guerillas

Leader

• None accounted for

Strengths

• Numbers
• Local Knowledge
• Maneuverability

Main Base
None known
Casualties

• 5279 confirmed
• 0491 unaccounted for

Minotaur Guerilla Flag by Anna Boyett

Throughout the war, the small Minotaur Guerilla groups were a repeated thorn in the side of the Phy'ithian Legion as they moved to secure Rusatar's habitable corridor; routine skirmishes significantly slowed the Legion's progress, and regular harassment significantly diminished much needed resources- which took weeks to replenish... These small guerilla groups posed little threat to the Goliaths Herds, however; being used to the mountains, the Herds were slightly disadvantaged on the open plains where most battles were fought. But they adapted their tactics easily- and what they lacked in familiarity, they certainly made up in superior size, strength, and organization.
Slowly the conquesting forces pushed east across the continent, slowly taking over Rusatar region by region. With the guerilla groups' main operations lying on the other side of the Raasla Mountains, however, it seemed like the war would never end; while the Goliaths herds easily knocked back any encroachment by the Minotaur combatants, the mountains posed a significant obstacle in seizing the region and ending the war for good. In late Fenet, 5682, however, a small scouting group from the Kruse Herd- a small offshoot of the Brara Herd, led by Batilda Nielsen- discovered a pass in the Raasla Mountains.

... Although the pass is not yet well known among the Mastosa, I believe that will be a fact within our favor; I am confident of our impending victory, Your Highness.

— HRH Nenryn e'Usathi, 1st Phy'ithian Legion

While far from being the only pathway through the range, the little known Krina Pass was large enough to move a significant number of troops through at once. Additionally, the apex of the pass provided a suitably defensible battle position.
At this discovery, plans were quickly made for an ambush- beginning with moving all of the available Herds into the pass; being at home in the mountains, they were more suited to mountain warfare and would provide the bulk of the fighting force, while smaller Phy'ithian forces (being more used to ground combat) would be deployed to lure as many of the Guerilla groups into the pass as possible.

The final major battle of the war took place at the apex of Krina Pass, at what would later become the site of the trade city of Ka'krina. Three Herds under the leadership of Hansa Bech, Maanar Arge, and Vagnar Halbeg respectively (all answering to Warchief Hala) surrounded the guerilla groups as they entered the apex of the pass, and easily defeated them in one fell swoop.
Within weeks afterwards, the skirmishes dwindled to nearly nothing. With the Brara Herd and other allies in control of the pass, the Phy'ithian Legion pushed what few guerilla groups remained back to the outskirts of the habitable corridor- cutting off their resources and starving the remaining resistance into submission; by 5 Alarius 5682 the Kadenazi war was considered won, and the Oliennesian crown, headed by Queen Hyluria, was finally in control of the continent.

The Mastosa have always been but a minority voice and power here, if my sources are to be believed. And with them being those chief against us, it is, in my opinion, the Goliaths to whom we should turn our attention; Warchief Uleaku Hala has been a great ally in our endeavors here, and I believe a reward should be in order.

— HRH Nenryn e'Usathi, 1st Phy'ithian Legion

After their decisive victory, however, direct control of the region was largely viewed as being undesirable; Queen Hyluria's only interest in the region laid in the Palladium mines. Control of the habitable corridor was merely a byproduct of attempts to gain control of the mines. But the value of the Palladium was hardly worth maintaining a direct and permanent presence the region.
Preferring a proxy government instead, Nenryn e'Usathi put forth the idea to sign control of Rusatar over to Warchief Uleaku Hala, who had ultimately been integral to their efforts. The Queen agreed to the idea, and a treaty was drawn up between the two groups.
The Palladium mines and their contents would belong to the Oliennesian crown, and a small number of Phy'ithian forces would remain in the region to ensure its control- while Warchief Hala and her Brara Herd would gain control of the habitable corridor.

Warchief Hala agreed to the treaty, with one stipulation: Future control of the region would be passed down through the Brara Herd in accordance with Goliaths cultural traditions surrounding political succession. She also stipulated that continent of Rusatar would remain completely independent of Olienn, and be recognized as its own political nation. With Olienn's agreement the treaty was signed, and on 1 Jenethi 5696 the occupied territory of Rusatar was officially ceded to the Brara Herd and its allies.

Legacy & Consequences

During the treaty negotiations in Sarnathi 5682, the Solar Elves founded the city of Ma'akdi to act as a main base of operation on the continent. After the habitable corridor was ceded to Warchief Hala, it was designated the capitol of the occupied territory- becoming both the political and economic center of the continent.
Warchief Hala remained in control until her death in 5734- though political power was eventually redistributed among the Herds that had helped in the war efforts, with each herd being assigned its own territory to control in Rusatar's central area. Her son Runok, succeeding her as Warchief of the Brara Herd, further divided the region among various Herds in an effort to stabilize regional politics; while the occupied territory hadn't been politically stable since the events of the war, under the control of Warchief Runok, however, Rusatar had become even more unstable.
Lending to the political instability is the continent's poor general infrastructure, and impoverished population- even in the occupied habitable corridor. A lack of any real sense of full ‘governance’ likewise contributed to a significant rise in crime all across the continent. This turmoil remains especially prevalent in regions settled largely by foreigners from Olienn- whether they moved into the area before, or after, the war.