The Commonwealth Establishment
Under Finzi, official darkfire initiation and collection facilities were established, opening their doors in October 1309. With the discovery in 1299 that Mount Carris discharges could be regulated, the darkfire industry scheduled a seven-week cycle, as part of the Great Compromise, which would succeed in its agenda to enhance the quality of darkfire.
Meanwhile, the new Commonwealth government, during this time, existed as a slightly unstructured democracy that echoed the Federal Estates model. Its currency, the Commonwealth Qors, had its value based on the production of darkfire. The Commonwealth Council consisted of a combination of the body that used to be the Federal Estates Public Assembly and House of Representatives, with the former consisting of approximately 1000 seats. Representatives would then be chosen by the lower body. Holz Finzi, the unofficial Prime Minister, appointed five overarching Cabinet members to manage the territory bordering the Basin District until a Governor-General was selected. Meanwhile, the Governor-Generals of the former Federal Estates territories in Ancondria and the Meredythian regions submitted proposals to the Commonwealth Council to join the new nation. Such measures were immediately approved by majority votes. On 12 October 1309, the Commonwealth Council voted to have its first general election on 24 February 1310.
On that day, the election was carried out, determining the appointments of candidates for local offices, the Council, and the Prime Minister, all of which were selected by a direct popular vote. As part of the measure passed on 12 October, the Electoral Court, which carried out all elections by indirect hierarchical voting under the Federal Estates, was abolished. Holz Finzi, along with his colleagues comprising of a majority of the 1238 Council seats, won the election.
On 4 June 1310, the new Council voted to officially name the nation the Independent Commonwealth State of Retun. In the weeks and months that followed, as the newly emerging darkfire industry began generating wealth for property owners, Finzi enacted policies to create a system of nationwide welfare redistribution, and established a Federal Reserve System, which authorized a Mint to generate Commonwealth Qors based on darkfire produced in the seven-week cycles, and helped to carry out measures to float banks and domestic tradestone exchanges in the event of the passing of a certain threshold of economic downturn. By the end of 1310, the economy achieved prosperity, as those with access to darkfire on their properties continued to see profits and the welfare redistribution created a robust middle class.
The Reformed Federal Estates
During the early establishment days of the Commonwealth, those loyal to the Knights of the Common Good, and even centrists loyal to Waltmann, crossed over the Commonwealth border to the North into the province of Gymia, which had gained autonomy from the Republic. Administration here was survival-based, as resources were rationed as needed to civilians and military personnel, while law and order was prescribed in a military-like fashion similar to the ancient Totians. In Gymia, military service was compulsory.
About ten years before the fall of the Federal Estates, Jefferson Davis, a Supreme Court Justice nominated by Prime Minister Waltmann, was initially seen as a Progressivist. However, as the years went on, Davis began adhering more and more to Diplomatic and traditionalist values, siding more with Mason and the KCG. In the wake of the disbandment of the Federal Estates Council. Davis joined the ranks of the KCG and fought against Finzi's forces; and after Finzi's victory, he fled North to Gymia. In November 1310, Davis became the Head General of the territory.
The War of 1311-12
As Head General of Gymia, Davis had the territory re-established as the Reformed Federal Estates of Retun. And very soon, Davis organized the nation's armed forces in preparation for a mission to defeat Finzi's regime in Retun proper, and, in its place, re-establish the Federal Estates of Retun with a government wielding more authoritarian power. Intelligence informed Finzi of this; and soon, the Commonwealth initiated a massive build-up of its defenses along the borders of former Gymia. Expecting a direct assault, the Basin District was fitted with exceptional lines of defense.
However, on 9 March 1311, Davis surprised Finzi by dispatching war planes which attempted to drop bombs on Jestopole. This, Davis had hoped, would knock out the Commonwealth's main supply of energy and materials for the war effort. But the attack was thwarted as Finzi's forces responded with surprising speed. Nevertheless, the War was begun.