The Conquest of Karanassos

The Conquest of Karanassos, (also Karanassos Extermination) is a recently ended conflict between Bal'Alar forces led by Bal-Alaan Valhilda and the myriad human tribes of Karanassos highlands.
The conflict originated when Bal'Arian traders attempted to start new trade routes that crossed the upper highlands of Karanassos, The Sacred Kurannon as the locals called it. This new route would have cut over a week of time spent of the road. This did not bode well with the local tribes.
After a series of communication attempts and a particularly heated debate, the local tribal elder killed the Trade Captain Detlean Yellan. This started the initial confict. The Tribes of Kurannon managed to score initial victories against the Trader Mercenaries and East-Bal'Arian Militia. The success helped them to gain support from other local tribes. All this culminated when the main force of Bal'Alarian militia was forced to retreat all the way back to the eastern base of Bal'Untha mountains. This victory did not last.
As the word reached the newly crowned Queen, she ordered an immediate response and nearly a full legion marched to Karanassos. With the goal of pacifying the region and forcing the tribesmen to their knees.
Now, instead of some cut-throat mercenaries or militia-men, the tribesmen were facing against the trained might of the Bal'Alarian hammer that is the Vardian Shield.
And time after time again, the tribesmen were crushed in open combat, so they quickly changed their tactics. A brutal guerrilla campaign began. This time, their efforts began showing some success and Vardian Shield started take losses.
This had the unfortunate effect of infuriating the Vardian commanders and they began to take ever more drastic actions against the locals. Like taking entire villages hostage, in exchange for the enemy's surrender. This made the locals even more furious and even the women and their children took to arm and began to rebel against the invading force.
Because of their slow progress, the Bal'Alaan herself took notice and decided to march to Karanassos with two entire legions and her royal company, The Black Lotuses. She had the previous commander stripped of his rank and took total control of the campaign. Then declared that the conflict would end in just two months.
Now facing against the best of the best that Bal'Alar had to offer, the tribesmen were driven to corner. If the locals showed even a hint of resistance and they often did. Men, women and sometimes even children were all slain. Again and again, their villages were systematically burned.
It took about a month before the Karanassos tribes made their first offers for peace, but Valhilda was determined to bring them down and she wanted the enemy leader's head on a platter. Two weeks later, a tribal child, dressed in nothing but dirty rags, walked to the Queen's camp, holding a man's severed head with a note in his mouth. She had gotten what she had wanted and she granted them the peace they so desired.

The Conflict

Outcome

The Bal'Arian troops marched home victorious and were greeted as warheroes, Valhilda was applauded as the Queen that liberated the lands from rebellious forces. Even the Eleann Emperor was impressed on how effective Valhilda's campaign was. He then officially invited her to a visit to the neighboring Empire.
It is estimated that out of the original near two hundred tribes, only sixteen remained, all others were completely annihilated.

Historical Significance

Legacy

After the conflict, the Karanassos lands were fully merged into Bal'Arian Kingdom and under the Queen's heel. The lands are now being settled by the Balare people and most of the natives have seemingly moved on to further east.
Due to the conflict's brutality, Vardian Shield has faced a some amount of defectors. Something that, allegedly has almost never happened before.

Conflict Type

Military Campaign