Zeist Ascension Wars

The Zeist Ascension Wars were a series of conflicts on Zeist following the first contact of the No-Maki with the spacefaring Droome and the latters subsequent interference with the political balance on Zeist. Its end result was the conquest of the planet by numerous No-Maki states that had become subservient to the Pax Galactica and the destruction of the city of Saltwinds.

Destruction of Saltwinds
The prolonged, inconclusive warfare on Zeist had caused considerable discontent within the Senate of the Pax Galactica. Roomus of Taanth's policy of limited intervention was increasingly seen as a failure and when the Taanth family encountered additional economic hardships forcing it to trade away some of its land, Roomus lost his senatorial position and was recalled from his post as envoy to Zeist. His replacement, Kellon of Awamas, was known as an ambitious upstart and a hawkish politician amongst Senators and he swiftly proceeded to justify this reputation. Just weeks after assuming position as envoy to Zeist, the flagship of the Awamas family enacted an orbital bombardment upon the city of Saltwinds that completely obliterated it, forcing other members of the independence-faction to surrender to avoid the same fate.

Impact
The Ascension Wars left a lasting imprint on No-Maki civilization as a whole, tearing established social norms and structures apart and replacing them with such adapted from the Droome. The Pax Galactica, throughout the war, favoured those factions that had been willing to embrace the alien customs the furthest and consequentially, they exited the wars as most powerful and richest, both in terms of territory as well as technology provided by the Pax Galactica. Following the Ascension Wars, Zeist would remain a loyal and well-integrated planet within the Pax Galactica.

Amongst the defeated, oppositional sentiment would remain lingering to this day. Descendants of Saltwinders who survived the destruction of their city in particular would pass on their memories, often maintaining a distinct cultural identity in opposition to the Pax Galactica, even where individuals were forcefully integrated into the new families.

The Awamas family, for bringing the war to a closure with Kellon of Sharmas' heavy-handed tactics, was awarded considerable holdings on Zeist and eventually rose to earn a seat in the Senate some years later. A position which they would hold until they sided with Arta of Heebrith in the Darkwater Crisis.