The Fall of Tolomae
Such a gridlock came to an end when Queen Mestana recruited an even larger army of archers, blade-wielders, and spellcrafters. One of the archers, acting as a sniper in June 705, assassinated Tolomae. This triggered a controversy in the upcoming election, as the Council was split evenly between Mestana supporters and Tolomae supporters, and Tolomae was set to gain the majority vote. In the wake of Tolomae's death, Mestana-sympathizers betrayed the remainder of Council and joined Mestana's army. Such new recruits were able to provide information to Mestana's forces on weak spots in Abetz's defenses, which were penetrated during the assault that November. Under attack, the remainder of the Council of Abetz and city defenses stood and fought, but they fell as the city was torched.
The Rise of Commander Varen
However, there were those in defense of the Council who survived the fall. Most of them were associated with Wannonian Fighter Guilds, and formed numerous factions around the now-occupied city of Abetz.
Varen was born in 687 to parents who were of the most skilled fighters in their respective Guild. As a family, they resisted both Queen Quesona XIII and King Citheros. Varen opposed Citheros even as Citheros was a popular figure, as Varen sensed Citheros' ultimate intentions. And Varen's parents fought alongside the Council of Abetz and their defenders as they fell to Queen Mestana, having survived when they fled the defeat.
Varen, in the wake of Mestana's victory over Abetz, gained popularity, as he united the resisting factions into a single army. In June 708, they invaded Abetz by surprise, swiftly taking control. Here, Varen established a Council comprised of military commanders within his resistance, and made himself Premier Commander, establishing a systematic line of succession.
Victory over Asoratans
Under Premier Commander Varen's influence, the new Council of Abetz voted to invade and conquer Asoratans. By this point, Asoratans was defended by a stone wall, which was well-manned with archers, blade-wielders, and spellcrafters. However, in September 708, Varen undermined the system by employing the trickery of certain ranks in Mestana's defenses to turn on each other, with one mistaking the other for an enemy attacker. Amid such confusion, Varen's army charged the walls of Asoratans, knocking down the gates, and pouring into the city. Queen Mestana escaped her palace, but, outside the city, was killed by one of Varen's archers.
Deception, Betrayal, and Retaliation
In Asoratans, Varen established a military post to keep order, and subsequently arranged for a fleet of Wannonian guild merchant ships to dock here in the hopes of boosting trade for Calanas. However, with the nation still embroiled in civil conflict, Varen was unaware of secretly stationed factions of Mestana-sympathizers. In October 710, the Wannonian ships arrived, and, to Varen's surprise, were attacked by the hidden enemy with flaming arrows, which destroyed every ship and inflicted heavy Wannonian casualties. By December, news of this reached the Emperor, who thought that Varen had betrayed him, and declared this an act of war.
During the year of 711, Emperor Jacon I recruited massive numbers of Wannonians and mercenaries to establish eleven Legions. Some of these mercenaries came from the Kingdom of Daylram and Norm, bringing with them a new invention: the musket. In March 712, these eleven Legions invaded Calanas, and, with their muskets, felled the city of Kitalos in little time. In April, Abetz was defeated, forcing Varen to flee and establish his post in Arukas. In June, Asoratans was overrun by Wannonian soldiers; and Varen sent his army in an attempt to re-capture the city. However, this failed; and in October, the Wannonians received word on Varen's location. From a distance, an assassin armed with a musket and hiding in bushes ended Varen's life. That same night, Wannonian troops pushed open the gates and gained control of Arukas.
And thus, all of Calanas was under Wannonian control.
Council of Abetz, June 714
Fearing possible overthrows in the future, Emperor Jacon I decided to hold a council where a compromise could be reached in terms of land sovereignty. In June 714, such a Council was held in Abetz, where the consensus reached split the Calanasian territory into four new nations: Asoratans, Arukas, Kitalos, and Abetz. Each land, named after its capital city, would have an established monarchy government that was overseen by a Wannonian governor-general, who would approve of their laws, determine Throne successors, and call upon reserve Wannonian Legions in the event that the respective nation refused compliance.