Conquest of the Dawn: The Halkona Wars

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Legends > Conquest of the Dawn: The Halkona Wars

Book Summary

The Halkona Islands consisted of 3 islands that were united under 1 government that gave it a strategic advantage over their warring neighbors on the mainland. Not only did they have the ease of defending an island, but they had mutual support for coordinated attacks on the mainland and support in defense whenever needed. They were pretty much self-sufficient, but still found reasons to raid as much as anybody else. It also helped that their navy was superior as fishing and boating was their way of life.

The drawback to the Halkona Islands was the lack of resources. They could not grow many crops on their infertile soil, and the central island, Halkona, was the only one with any traces of metals. The raids on the mainland were obviously seen as raids on the iron mines with opportunistic grabbing of crops unavailable on Halkona.

The Conquest of the Dawn probably began as Estia began to grow and Halkona seemed to be going in the opposite direction. Manai was the northern island with the largest fishing and trading industries and was always pushing for indepedendence. Olokai was the southern island with the worst fishing and livestock industries due in part to having the worst fishing hazards and the most invasions of the three islands. They may not have had the most boating hazards, but they definitely had the worst, especially pirating and a whirlpool to the northwest. Although the whirlpool varied in intensity, it was continuous and therefore acted as somewhat of a natural barrier. So they were often calling for help to defend the island and to replenish their crops and livestock lost in the raids. The other islands responded, but it was starting to tire the wealthier residents on Manai. The common ground among the 3 island governors was to make Olokai an island fortress for losing one island would just seem like a stepping stone to the destruction of all 3.

Then one day, several boats approached from due west of the northern shores of Olokai and hit probably the least defended part of the island with an element of surprise because they appeared to have come right through the whirlpool. Estian fighters were swarming the villages by the time reinforcements arrived. The Estian fighters carried 2 weapons whereas the Halkonians were lucky to give every warrior 1 sword. However, the large number of reinforcements were able to push back the defenders as the navies began to chase back the remaining attacking boats. The Halkona armies pushed quickly, but with much loss. Snipers and traps were set all throughout the villages. The navies were more successful and continued to pursue the invaders beyond the island and even up to the whirlpool. The Estian boats kept going right through it as if they knew the secret of survival. The Halkona navy had gained so much ground on the attackers, they kept up the pursuit in a sure bid to defeat the enemies long before they could arrive back at their harbors. However, both navies sank down and it was probably at that time when it was too late to change course that the Halkonanians realized the Estian boats were towed across and empty. It was a trap! Suddenly dozens of Estian warships appeared off the northwest corner of Olokai! The Estian navy now had the upper hand and sailed without loss to the Olokai shores, unloading more fighters, clerics, mages, and wardogs, which soon pushed back and began to surround the Halkonian defenders. The Halkonian defenders surrendered when they realized they would get pushed to the shore or get surrounded in the villages. They could not escape fast enough on the few ships left. Because most of the Estian army and navy survived, they continued to move from island to island and village to village, killing every man of any age, in a furious rout of the Halkonians, not even bothering to pick up plunder. The whole battle took just under 2 days. The Estian army returned for all the women, children, food, and anything else that was useful and setting fire to the rest. The islands were abandoned and still today are just used as fishing destinations. Few people risk spending the night as it has been rumored thatf stray Estian wardogs are roaming the islands at night, killing whatever they can find for food.

See also: Islands of Halkona