The Battle of Mahakam

**The Battle of Mahakam**, also known as द ग्रेट अपमान ( The Great Humiliation ) by the Haaki people was the last event to occur in the Haak Invasion of 1350. It involved the Northern Front, a coalition formed by all the Northern Kingdoms and several exiles from the sacked Nilfgaardian provinces, against this invader from the Far East.

Led by the Great Khan and also sorcerer Zeus Burkhan Khaldun in an attempt to further expand his empire eventually led to its downfall, after his death at the hands of his ex-partner, the semi-mythical sorceress, Brianna Vassermiller in the abandoned mine formerly known as Davor's abyss, later renamed **The Pit of the Scarlet Sorceress**.

The event was of such magnitude that even the always neutral Kingdom of Kovir ended up sending its mercenary army for the second time, in addition to imposing sanctions on trade with Haakland.

## Events that led to the battle

Generally, the blame is placed solely on Zeus and his ambition. But there were many other factors, in the east, e.g., the defeat of the empire trying to conquer the Okami Islands due to bad weather and the haakis' lack of experience in marine operations *( although legends say that in reality, it was the Okamese Dragons that caused the bad weather )* and defeat in the narrow mountainous terrain of Buyan, from which they did not learn, were two of the most significant.

In the North and the Nilfgaardian Empire, it was the division of its invasion force into the so-called Black Horde and Red Horde. One destined for the conquest of the south, entering by Mag Turga through the Elskerderg Pass, and another destined for the conquest of the North, entering through Aedirn via Lopostol. Both were destined to meet in the Amell Mountains, and then continue their expansion to the south, subduing the province of Nilfgaard and in the future, territories such as Ofir and Zangvebar.

However, there was also a sub-horde called the Golden Horde, which was composed of the best warriors, and people closest to the Great Khan Zeus. But it is speculated that this small horde, in comparison, if it had been dissolved into the two large ones, would not have changed the course of things very much.

But the Haakis underestimated the Nordlings and the Nilfgaardians. Despite having initial victories, which destroyed much of their enemies' economy and resources, with later descriptions in books (somewhat exaggerated, although this does not detract from their veracity). saying such things as : ***Coming through like a storm, they burned, slaughtered, and feasted on the ruins, drinking from the skulls of their fallen enemies for an entire year.***

Both the people of the north and the south did not give up. By first employing guerrilla warfare, the affected Nilfgaardian provinces and then the nordlings, following a series of pillages carried out by Skellige pirates against the invaders using the different rivers, which motivated the population to rise up. However, it would not be as such until the Council of Daevon, that the Nordling forces and the exiles would unite to form the Northern Front. with which, they would achieve a series of victories, until leading both hordes to Mahakam's territory, where they had prepared a trap for them. This with the approval of Jan Calveit, the emperor, who put all his resources into the defense of the southern provinces of the empire after the unexpected invasion.

It is said that it was at this council that the witchers were considered a force to be reckoned with in order to achieve victory (although the forces of Aedirn and Ebbing had employed them on a very small scale). It is said, at the suggestion, of Brianna Vassermiller, Rolfo The First, king of Aedirn and and Minervina, queen consort of Lyria and Rivia, who also made the suggestion to bring in Putnam Pitch as an advisor as he was one of the few people alive, with a deep knowledge of the Haaki after living with them for a whole winter, in the expedition that Lyria and Rivia financed in the year 1282 to expand their commercial horizons. In addition to suggesting a diplomatic approach, using the witcher, being this, the savior of the life of the Great Khan, but this failed.

And despite heated discussions, especially due to the opposition of the Koviri and Redanian Chapter of the New Brotherhood of Sorcerers this was approved.

## Consequences of the battle

Beyond the almost Pyrrhic victory of the Northern Front. After the end of the Haaki Invasion, one of the biggest economic crises ever in the Northern Kingdoms and Nilfgaard occurred. This crisis would end up making the kingdom of Lyria and Rivia, one of the most affected, end up having a civil war in the near future and split into eight different kingdoms. Making it impossible to know the exact location of the original kingdom for historians in the future.

Another consequence was at the ecological level, where the resources of the Northern Kingdoms would be exploited to such an extent for reconstruction that by the year 1373, very few forests were left standing.

But most importantly, it would be the beginning of the colonization of the Western Continent, three decades later, where the haaki footprint was still being felt, in search of new resources, so as not to depend so much on materials from other territories and to be more independent.

## Known Participants

* Northern Front
	+ Adalwulf of Aedirn [Witcher] ( Aedirnian forces )
	+ Rolfo The First ( Aedirnian forces )
	+ Putnam Pitch [Witcher] ( Koviri Mercenary Army / Aedirnian forces )
	+ Olga of Vinland [ Lady Knight ] ( Koviri Mercenary Army )
	+ Brianna Vassermiller [ Mage ] ( Ebbing Exiles )
	+ Aëte ( Aen Woedde / Ebbing Exiles )
	+ Cervin [Witcher] ( Ebbing Exiles / Dol Blathannae forces )
	+ Runa ( supposedly ) [ Ebbing Exiles ]
	+ Francesca Findabair [Aen Seidhe Mage] ( Dol Blathannae forces )
	+ Phernirr Lotis Lasiogla of Dol Blathanna [Aen Seidhe Archer] ( Dol Blathannae forces )
	+ Didwa Rothittie Thulen of Dol Blathanna [Half Elf Archer] ( Dol Blathannae forces )
	+ Second Mahakam Volunteer Army
	+ New Brotherhood of Sorcerers
	+ Grey Dragon Order
* Haak Invaders
	+ Zeus Burkhan Khaldun
	+ Tömörbaatar Burkhan Khaldun
	+ Golden Horde
	+ Black Horde
	+ Red Horde
	+ Herna of Gemmeria ( mercenary sorceress )
	+ The Bronze Dragon Followers Company ( Zerrikanian forces brought in as reinforcement )
	+ Kwan warriors
	+ Bikol soldiers
	+ Ainukan archers ( soldiers provided by Ainuk as a vassal state of the Haaki Empire )
	+ Therianthropes Winetese Special Forces