Hanekhera /Amekar Conflict

 
In the second year of their exploration, the Aeguthites encountered the Amekar, a primitive clan-centric human culture who lived in small settlements along the southern coast. The Amekar were capable farmers and understood basic metalworking, including iron. Their ways and culture were eventually lost in the context of more advanced foreign influence. The Amekar are now a lost people, although some tribes still wander the plains of Gesir and lands farther north as nomads, avoiding cities and civilized men. They are still a wild and dangerous people, often preying upon travelers and caravans along the road to Kedonak.

During the thirteenth year, in early spring when the first buds appear on the asplomb, an Amekar chieftain named Broemegh raided a lumber camp west of Kerha, slaughtering everyone in the camp. Broemegh continued these incursions for over a month, destroying lumber camps and olive groves, burning buildings and killing those who were not captured. Word spread throughout the settlements of the fierce barbarians who fought like wild animals, and the Aeguthites retreated within the protective walls of Kerha. They cried out to Utmek to let them board the ships bound for Aeguth and leave the land which they said was cursed and unfit for civilization.

However, Utmek was unwilling to surrender so easily. He ordered his men to sink all the ships in the harbor under the cover of darkness so that the people would have no way to flee. Then he put the people to work reinforcing the walls and securing the gate defenses. On the fifth day Broemegh gathered a force of fifteen hundred men outside the town and camped just beyond bow shot of the north gate. Utmek's fighting men numbered less than five hundred, and the hearts of the people melted like wax in fear. Utmek rallied his troops and gave them orders to take positions according to his estimation of the attackers strengths and weaknesses.

Early in the morning Broemegh's army rushed the north gate. The Aeguthite archers were quick to action and dropped many of the barbarians before they reached the wall. Soon the Amekar battle fury reached a peak as many of them scrambled over the wall into the city. However, for all their strength they could not stand against the archers which Utmek had positioned in the high places. Broemegh realized that the tide had turned against his forces and called his men to retreat. The Aeguthites killed over one thousand Amekar that day, but they lost fewer than one hundred men.

The people were greatly encouraged by their success, and Utmek raised an army for the defense of Kerha. The Kerhan militia was trained in the use of spears, swords, and long bows. The traditional chariots were abandoned because they were difficult to drive through the forests. Horses were scarce and expensive, so mounted cavalry became a sign of wealth and power, laying the social foundation for the warrior noble class which developed centuries later. By the end of the eighteenth year, Utmek had subjugated the Amekar tribes from the Kevai Mountains to the Bay of Tenmeti. Utmek took many of them as captives to work in the fields and to construct buildings and defenses for Hiat.