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The '''Interior Campaign''', also known in Aikthudr'zhur as the '''Independence Effort''', was an armed conflict between the [[Cryria|Kingdom of Cryria]], its Aikkian allies, and the Ny'Sænuri clans of the Aikkian Interior. The war lasted from 30 May to 3 July 1885 and ended in a Cryrian victory.
== Background ==
On 27 April, the Iuzebhax, Azerre, and Houzhess columns united and advanced onto Vhaondesz capital of Ctuidhor. The town was undefended, with no sign of Vhaondesz himself. A Cryrian flag was soon hoisted over the settlement, and nearly sixty prisoners captured on various Ny'Sænuri raids were released.
== Aftermath and Legacy(WIP) ==
The Fall of Ctuidhor marked the end of significant combat operations in the Interior Campaign. The leaders of two major Ny'Sænuri clans had been killed, and all significant Ny'Sænuri settlements were occupied by the Öberg Expedition. WhileDespite Vhaondesz's escapedescape, thehis army, hewhich had painstakinglybeen buildcarefully built and equipped in the Highlands, had beenwas thoroughly shattereddestroyed at Iuzebhax. FollowingAfter the Fall of Ctuidhor, Öberg oversaw the execution of five more Ny'Sænuri leaders were executed under the supervision of Öberg, andwhile another twenty were deportedsent to the infamous Morgenstjernen Prison in Cryria, where they would continue to serve as hostages. RoughlyIn addition, approximately 4,000 firearms were seized from Ny'Sænuri caches.
Öberg didRather notthan immediately returnreturning to Highdrilian with his forces, followingÖberg thedecided Fallto of Ctuidhor. Instead, he ledlead the Expedition through the western Aikkian duchies in ato display ofCryrian forcehegemony and Cryrianforce hegemony overin the region. The local Aikkian aristocracy wasquickly quicksubmitted to fallthe backExpedition's in linepower. When ÖbergUpon reachedreaching the borders of Cxiorr'ithi, heÖberg compelled Duchess Shocti to surrender Akilixa Ctuidhor, Vhaondesz's youngest daughter who had been serving as Shocti's handmaiden. Akilixa was then handed over to the custody of Duchess Tyxhun's custody to servebe used as a hostage in the event thatof Vhaondesz's returnedreturn to launch a new insurgency. The Campaign officially ended on July 3, 1885, with the formal disbandment of the Öberg Expedition and the end of remaining Ny'Sænuri resistance.
=== Death Toll and Atrocities ===
The Interior Campaign sawwas characterized by a heavilysignificant lopsideddisparity in the death toll, with someapproximately two hundred Ny'Sænuri combat losses in comparisoncompared to only seven Cryrians and Yogryg'dri. This outcome iscan largelybe attributableattributed to the vast disparities in firepower and discipline between the two sides. The vast majority of Ny'Sænuri losses occurred atduring the disastrous Battle of Iuzebhax, when the Ny'Sænurithey engaged in open battlecombat against Cryrian forces.
CivilianWhile civilian losses from the Campaign went largely unrecorded, butit is estimated that Öberg's raids areresulted estimatedin tothe havedeaths killedof hundreds of Iuzebhaxi noncombatants.
=== Reactions in Cryria ===
TheInitially, the development of the campaignInterior initiallyCampaign received little coverage in the Cryrian metropole. However, the public's awareness of the conflict grew significantly due to the Siege of Cxoxhis. The image of outnumbered Cryrian soldiers bravelyvaliantly holding out against a horde of Ny'Sænuri savages in the Aikkian frontier was sensationalized through penny dreadful-style novels, which had become increasingly popular in 19th-century Cryria. Cryrian newspaper outlets and athe nascentemerging Tomorrow Ministry were quick to seize upon this phenomenon. TheIncreasingly weeks following the Campaign's conclusion saw increasingly luridsensational accounts of Cryrian military heroism and exploits reachreached the Kingdom's ears in the weeks following the Campaign's conclusion.
As the commander of the Campaign, Melker Öberg was broadlywidely praised for his handling of the conflict. His policy of strict reprisals werewas seen to have bornebeen fruitsuccessful, as Ny'Sænuri raids on Norsian Concern interests effectively ceased. Öberg's victory brought him personal fame in Leidenstad as the face of victory, as well as a knighthood from King Albert. The Campaign also cementedsolidified his position in Aikthudr'zhur. As Governor-General, he now not only oversaw the administrative aspects of the Cryrian presence in the Kingdom, but also commanded unprecedented loyalty from local military units. The uncompromising positions taken towards the local population remained a hallmark of his career, and ultimately contributed to the brutal [[Sack of Highdrilian]].
A second knighthood was bestowed upon Mira Palme, whose journey to Fort Eriksen made her a minor celebrity in Cryria.
In contrast, Lukas Odhner faced significant criticism for the failures of his own initial expedition. Civilian authorities in Leidenstad scrutinized Odhner's decisions for both his initial underestimations of the Ny'Sænuri and later a lack of aggressiveness and initiative, particularly in relation to the withdrawal from Thybbis Pass and the subsequent siege at Cxoxhis. Odhner was summoned back to Leidenstad for a hearing, but he was fiercely defended by his allies within the Cryrian military. Öberg himself refused to publicly support any detractors of his former subordinate, even though his private writings supportedechoed many of their statements. Ultimately, Odhner was found to have acted competently. He would never be given another field command again, and instead spent the remainder of his career as a teacher at the Leidenstad Military Academy.
=== Impacts on Aikthudr'zhur ===
[[File:Khongjom war memorial.jpg|thumb|Independence Effort War Memorial in Ctuidhor]]
The Interior Campaign brought about devastating consequences in Aikthudr'zhur. The power of the Ny'Sænuri clans was shattered, with their central leadership either dead or captured alongside their best soldiers and military stockpiles. This ended the last bastion of resistance against Cryrian power and allowed the Norsian Concern to apply its influence virtually unchecked. Some Ny'Sænuri fighters including Vhaondesz vanished into hiding despite sweeping Cryrian manhunts to ferret them out. These remnants were unable to ever muster an independent insurrection again, but many of them later resurfaced during the Sack of Highdrilian.
Duchess Tyxhun profited greatly from the Interior Campaign, which reopened the East-West railways and doubled the size of her domain through the seizure of Ny'Sænuri lands. Her forces also received limited quantities of Cryrian weapons, including all four of the 12-pounded field guns used in the Campaign. However, shethe Duchess was now also irrevocably seen as a Cryrian puppet, and she was in the unenviablyunenviable position of needing to occupy the restive Ny'Sænuri territories. AccordingHer toexperiences confidantswith Melker Öberg, the DuchessGovernor-General returnedof to YogrygAikthudr'dri a changed woman. Her experiences with Öbergzhur, left her deeply embittered towards the Governor-Generalhim, and any hopes of an equal partnership with the Norsian Concern had now been thoroughly dispelled. This newfound hostility in turn led to her critical actions during the Sack of Highdrilian.
The Interior Campaign also had significant implications for other Aikkian institutions. The campaign underlined the impotence of the Aikkian monarchy, while also demonstrating the Norsian Concern's ability to enforce its own order with only a veneer of legitimacy from the Gloaming Throne. Other Aikkian aristocrats were similarly shown to be powerless in the face of Cryrian encroachments.
The Ny'Sænuri had not always been popular among other segments of Aikkian society, but their resistance towards Cryrian rule served as a beacon of inspiration for future efforts to restore the Kingdom's sovereignty. The Ny'Sænuri leaders who were deported to Cryria became known as the Lost Twenty within Aikkian nationalist circles. Despite frequent petitions for their release by both the Aikkian leadership and Cryrian anti-imperialists, all twenty spent the remainder of their lives in Cryrian custody. Prison records indicate that their remains were ultimately cremated and scattered into the sea.
Although the Interior Campaign soon passed out of Cryrian cultural consciousness, it remains an important part of the Aikkian national mythos, particularly among the modern-day Ny'Sænuri. Leaders such as Vhaondesz Ctuidhor are still widely celebrated, and 31 May, the date of the victory at Thybbis Pass, is a national holiday in Aikthudr'zhur.
[[Category:Cryria's Pages]]
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