Battle of Nelouzizoo

The Battle of Nelouzizoo (519 NE) was the final and decisive major action of the 517 NE Noulaenic invasion of the Kingdom of Ializa. The battle ended Noulaenic advance into Peburi territory and led to the surrender of the main invasion force, ending the invasion.

Background
The first Noulaenic Empire expanded its territories through the southern region now named Carasala and sought to further expand their influence to the east into the then-young kingdom of Ializa. They viewed the mountains of Ializa as a superior natural border and wished to capture them in order to form a secure frontier. They also wished to either gain control of or destroy the port city of Biroreida, which provided a duty-free port in the southern Faslula Sea, allowing ships to avoid Noulaenic ports.

Noulian's long planned invasion of Ializa was delayed due to the duration of their war with the Haraklina people in Dersialdara, so Ializa had decades to prepare defenses. When the invasion finally began in 515 NE, it immediately encountered firm resistance.

The Noulaenic land forces were divided into two, with a smaller force marching on Biroreida and a larger force marching up the Meroureida valley toward the Ializa capital of Buroovasha. This larger force struggled to gain and secure ground due to strong defensive placements and strategic use of artillery from the hills.

The larger Noulaenic force approached the small town of Nelouzizoo in 519 NE with a strength of approximately 12,000. Nelouzizoo occupied a relatively narrow spot in the gorge, however, reducing the value of the Noulaenic force's numbers. Two forces from Buroovasha, one numbering 5,000 and approaching from upriver in Nelouzizoo, and a second numbering 2,000 and moving in secret to a downriver position, approached the Noulaenic force. The upriver force manned defensive fortifications in the town and quickly built additional defenses to hold a line across the valley. The Peburi also placed stone artillery in the hills above the town.

The Battle
The Noulaenic force met the upriver Peburi force at Nelouzizoo and was stopped from further advance. The large force had little room to maneuver in the gorge and was formed into a long column along the valley floor. The Peburi artillery were aimed at the mass of soldiers and did heavy damage launching stones into the heart of the Noulaenic formation. The Noulaenic artillery lacked the range to return fire up the hill and the force began to withdraw. They quickly realized they had been boxed in by the second Peburi force, which was cleverly placed near a bend in the river where it was difficult for the Noulaenic generals to establish the size of the Peburi force. Unable to move up or down river and facing continued bombardment, the Noulaenic force retreated to the north onto a nearby hill, hoping to escape the catapult fire and regroup.

Aftermath
The Noulaenic force suffered relatively mild casualties, losing around 1000 men in the engagement, but the decision to retreat into the hills rather than fight through the smaller downriver force proved fatal. The force was quickly surrounded and cut-off from supply, with Peburi reinforcements arriving by the day. The Noulaenic force made several attempts to break free from the hill but were impeded by difficult terrain and an increasing large and well positioned enemy force. The force began to starve within several months and was forced to surrender. The loss of this force ended the Noulaenic invasion threat in the interior of Ializa and the secondary force at Biroreida quickly retreated after hearing news of this loss.

Ializa offered to ransom the force back to the Noulaenic Empire but at a steep price and with demands for guarantees that the Emperor was not prepared to give. After much negotiation, an agreement was made to ransom the generals and other noblemen among the captive force. The remainder of the captives were enslaved and tasked with building new stone defenses to help repel further invasion