Ethelan-Maletsokish War
The Ethelan-Maletsokish War was a fourteen year conflict between the Ethelan Empire and the Maletsokish Confederacy for control of the Maletsok Islands. The war ended in 990 T.E. after the Battle of Urazinar, ushering in total Ethelan colonization and reign of the islands.
History of the War for Maletsok
Although the war began rightfully in 976, the conflict actually started a few years earlier with the arrival of the first Ethelan in Maletsok. In 974, a small carrack arrived in Alakyochato (known today as Onalasivet). Aboard were 40 seamen, including 2 cartographers, a cleric, and a diplomat of the Empire. They were welcomed to Maletsok with open arms, being housed in the prestigious Gunzadum deep in the mountains. They spent roughly a year there, charting the Island and documenting the languages of the Islands' inhabitants.
In the first month of 974, the Ethelan diplomat and cleric met with the Confederate government and offered incorporation into the Empire, which was promptly refused, largely by the Dumadhur populations (see Dwarf). With that, the expedition boarded and returned home.
Their charting of the Island, however, revealed its strategic location at the mouth of the Fortiere Sea, and the rich gold and iron deposits in the mountains. Two years after returning home, the Ethelan mounted an invasion of Maletsok from the Northern Wetlands, knowing that the swamp would be too difficult to defend. From their new fortifications, the Ethelan moved south, quickly capturing cities and towns, but consistently rebuffed by the mountainous terrain.
In the span of two weeks in 980, the Ethelan captured the city of Khinbir (now Elionneadra), wherein lies the Temple to Kirien the Red, Goddess of War. The city was placed under martial law shortly thereafter. The followers and clerics of Kirien quickly formed an ill-fated resistance movement, which was snuffed out within the day. In response, the Ethelan razed the city, ruthlessly killing nearly twelve thousand residents, many of whom were women and children (roughly three fifths of the city's total population at the time). Modern historians believe the Ethelan stationed there were under the spell of Kirien Herself, and were driven to the slaughter. Maletsokish nationalists maintain, however, that it was a telling moment of the true intentions of the Empire.
After the Slaughter of Khinbir, the Confederacy sealed mountain tunnels connecting Semseach and Ilemseach from Uremseach, effectively abandoning the North. Shortly thereafter, the Dumadhur of Semseach were the first to surrender to the Empire, severing ties with their Grand Chief and forming the Gunzadhur Council. This greatly aided the Empire in fully capturing Semseach, leaving only the Dobrid (see Human) to defend the north. After retreating south to their homelands, they too surrendered with the Final Proclamation of the King in 984. Not long after the surrender of The Dobrid Nations, the Pelozerian Condados relinquished control, one Condado at a time.
At the end of the Great Push by 985, all of Maletsok belonged to the Empire, save for the Maleseach Mountains, whose terrain was too difficult for the Ethelan to invade. They had attempted to invade to the West of the Uremseach Desert via The Abandoned City of Amondum in 986, but were repelled when the Dwarves buried the pass under a landslide. In 990, the Ethelan successfully conquered the fortress of Urazinar near Amania on the East of the Uremseach Desert. The Dumadhur once again sealed off the mountain pass into their territory there.
After destroying the mountain tunnels and passes to their territory, the Confederacy was effectively destroyed, and Maletsok completely incorporated into the Empire. For a number of decades thereafter, Colonels and Commissioners would attempt to make contact with the remaining Confederacy in the mountains, but any trace of them had disappeared. It is believed today that if they had not already perished, they have dug deep into the Tumeauk and are now a threat to the Melarond Empire, not the Empire.
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