War of Vengeance

The War of Vengeance was an international conflict between the Kingdom of Solaine and the Kingdom of Bardonia from the Year 335 to the Year 343. Amid the centuries of tension and war, the inciting incident was an assassination of a Soliano prince. King Salvador II would declare war on his son's killers, declaring that he would "cut the throat of every man, woman, and child" in Bardonia. The conflict would be resolved by a Bardonian surrender and a peace treaty.

Centuries of Conflict
The earliest source of conflict can be traced back to the Four Tribe Rebellion. The insurgent Nochgo tribe would find asylum in neighboring Bardonia in the Year 14, where they would marry into prominent families, gaining power and preserving tradition. The Year 18 would see Solaine defeat an invading faction called the Bardonian Strongmen.

Throughout the reign of Alfonso II, his kingdom would militarily push the Bardonian border east until drawing the line with the establishment of Coline in the Year 52. Bardonia would respond in the Year 78 with a siege of Coline, but Manuel II defeated them and absorbed some land as spoils. It is reported that the existing Bardonian communites were abused and enslaved.

Bardonian extremists assassinated Carlos I in the Year 135, but the first Soliano-Bardonian peace treaty would prevent war. The next two centuries were characterized by tension and men calling for war, but also by burgeoning trade and cultural exchange.

The Assassination
In the summer of the Year 335, Salvador II was unaware of any prominent threats growing in Bardonia. He and his family were visiting their summer home, La Palacia Flores, outside of Coline. The king and his 17 year old son and heir Alfonso were having lunch when a black skinned servant entered the hall. Bardonian servants were not uncommon in noble houses so the guards didn't think twice.

The man used a small knife to stab the young prince in the neck. They tumbled onto the floor as the king jumped to his feet. A guard tackled the assassin onto the floor while two rushed to protect their monarch. Salvador shoved them away before grabbing a knife from the table. He rounded the table silently and stabbed the subdued man eight times in the chest. It is often said that the assassin's corpse was mutilated and fed to pigs.

Salvador's Revenge
The next day, the king gave the falling speech at the forum in Coline: "Yesterday, my son was killed by a worthless animal whom I promptly slaughtered. Today, my family and I mourn him, Alfonso, and we pray that he finds peace in the sun. Tomorrow, I will march into Bardonia and take my vengeance. I will cut the throat of every man, woman, and child in their kingdom. Their king shall know what it means to watch his son die. I believe he has six children. But by the end of my life, I will see that he has none."

By the fall of the Year 335, Salvador marched into Bardonia with 30,000 men. His primary adviser Martin Vega could not illicit a clear response from the Bardonia leader, leading Salvador to attack. The army destroyed several border villages before putting the city of Baya under siege. They sacked the city within a fortnight as the Bardonian army was militarizing.

Salvador met their army in the new year with vigor. 25,000 reinforcement troops joined him. He split his forces to attack on two fronts, 40,000 for himself and 15,000 for General Juan Guerrero. Both groups marched slowly, cautious of the foreign wildlife and terrain. General Guerrero went south towards the city of Haman, destroying the little villages in his path. Salvador chose to continue east through the desert plains. In the scorching summer of 336, the Bardonian Strongmen met them with 7,000 trained warriors. The Battle in Summer was primarily fought at night, dragging it into the fall. The Soliano army was victorious, killing 5,000 enemies and suffering 8,000 casualties.

As the main force continued marching east, General Guerrero attacked the city of Haman on the southern coast. The fought to a stalemate that last into the next year.

In early spring of the Year 337, Salvador and his army were a few days outside of the city of Treekwee. He was surprised by a tactic later called the Rhinoceros Ruse. They were ambushed by a force of 27,000 Bardonians. The king, bare chested in the blazing heat, was shot in the chest by two arrows and bled out. His body was recovered by the retreating 22,000 survivors.

Son of the Red Blade
Salvador's 15 year old son Diego became a weak king. He conducted the war from Coline, unsure if vengeance was what he wanted. His first action was to have a small fleet sail through the Spider Sea and into Bardonia. General Guerrero would lead the army and attack Treekwee while the ships bombard the city with cannon fire from the other side. The plan was foiled when in the summer of 337 when the fleet could not enter the river because of a blockade. Diego I would remain inactive for the rest of the year, keeping his 30,000 soldiers in the land near Baya. He spent the majority of the Year 338 capturing the city Haman.

The Red King
Understanding that the military morale was low and that Bardonia was marching west, Diego I abdicated the throne to his uncle Marco. The new king led his army into battle, turning their enemies back in the winter of the year 339. With his 28,000 men, Marco marched into the southeast, burning the land and slaughtering animals. They lured 10,000 Bardonians to them and left no survivors. With the enemy command left unaware, the Soliano marched up the east coast in the summer of 342.

By fall, the army attacked the capital city of Ketres. The Bardonians held off the siege until the spring of 343 when they surrendered. Marco I marched into the royal palace and decapitated the heir to the throne in front of his family. Marco immediately left for home as the peace treaty was written in Ketres.