You pulled a real nasty plan out for Aren, for sure. Shock and awe indeed.
Lots of reasons why Dodgers dont trust Ketchums but that is a House they respect too.
Whatever happened to Traitor King Ash in Oritolon?
There were some voices of claiming Alowca city as second city of Oritolon, but I cannot imagine Colonial Senate letting Oritolon gets away with it. That power "every realm will attack other realm who hold second city" strikes too much fear into our characters, that much for sure

In turns, Ash saw the only way Oritolon can move forward from its present, is by his stepping down as its Ruler. After all, new Ruler usually come with new stuffs. Holding up Oritolon inevitable will lead to its decline state, and besides that IC reasons, I have OOC reason as well, I am having too many Rulers characters right now and could not keep up much

Ash is actually planning to retire after this, he is the oldest character in my characters list. As for Aren, the Abaka claim by Ash is the only valid point I could find for Oritolon war with Aren. How did it sound fighting to claim a land in the name of Oritolon King?

Stuff
I agree stuffs said on Cathal. Which is why Ash made the Oritolon-Aren war 1 to 1 and he truly believed Cathal words that MT would not join in. Ash did have another surprise should MT turned from its word though, but that was not to be. Towards end of the Oritolon-Aren war, Ash planned another surprise before he steps down. Let it not be said that Ash is really full of surprises even for those who thought they know and understand him by that point his surprise is revealed. So Ash stepping down is to ensure he keeps his legacy intact as well, though the new Orit Ruler has her own ways.