Establishment of the Asargam Bridgehead in Arakat

Short overview

During its expansion phase, the Asargam Empire diverted its attention not only to Auchulpa in the West, but also to Murahisi in the East and Erana in the North. The closest part of Erana to the empires home continent Emniyama were the then and now homelands of the Arakat people. Unlike today, they were only starting to become sedentary, so only small villages of at most a dozen families existed. This made establishing a bridgehead there, apart from the close proximity to Asargams homelands relatively easy.

Course of events

In the year XXX of the Era of the Trees, Asargams emperor Puttapalara Dantamutti decided to explore the North, after the deployment of the Vimana so successfully aided in defeating the Vayazza, presumably leaving no further, considerable defense in Auchulpa, that could hold back further advances of Asargam. Intelligence was sent forth to find an area fit for the establishment of a bridgehead and as soon as the information was gathered, a small fleet was sent to the closest shore of Erana.

The locals were not considered a threat, considering there numbers where small and other than the Asargam Empire they had not even discovered iron yet, let alone its refinement to steel. A force of only eight ships, three of which with supplies was enough to eradicate the two villages closest to the landing point.

Other than the Arakat people, there were also Mdûlûn present, which intelligence did not uncover before. They were stronger in numbers and more technologically advanced, so the leader of the outpost, whose name was not carried into our times tried to negotiate a peace with the Mdûlûn. This seems to have been successful, as these early Mdûlûn were precursors to the Messellat Mdûlûn and their sources tell of vivid trade and the transmission of cultural accomplishments between the Asargam Empire and the Proto-Messellat-Mdûlûn. These more mytho-historical has to be treated with caution, though. It is well possible the Asargam forces were simply outnumbered by the Mdûlûn after the Arakat people were such an easy game. The so called exchange or transmission of cultural accomplishments might be nothing more than the Asargam forces trying to appease the Mdûlûn by bribing them with gifts.

Aftermath

Shortly after the Arakat people changed their behaviour considerably. It is not exactly known, how closely related or allied they were, but it seems like their sense of togetherness was enough to band together and fight the new threat from abroad with changed tactics. They started collaborating with the Mdûlûn, taking advantage of their technology and the Asargam technology they could get a hold of. Not long after, they started a counterattack which led to a years-long conflict involving hit-and-run-tactics as the Arakat had enough horses to work with such tactics as well as guerilla warfare.

In the end, after suffering an unexpected defeat by the hands of The Raijonneen on Auchulpa, the Asargam forces had no choice but to fortify the bridgehead and use it as a base of operation for trade and diplomatic relationships with the Mdûlûn.

Conflict Type

Military Campaign