Though Sebastin Tannerz' authority far exceeded that of any previous Chancellor during the war with Labland, and though shortly after the end of the war the Barons agreed to keep him as Acting Chancellor in return for a renunciation of much of his emergency powers, he was never actually selected during full elections. The fault for this mainly rests on Tannerz himself. He constantly prevaricated on setting a date for them despite increasing pressure. At first it was thought that Tannerz would call elections in 1305, which marked the tenth anniversary of his coming into Highest Office. He refused, however, giving the excuse that northern Christoté, still recovering from the Labbish invasion, was suffering from population displacement and a destruction of records which would make elections impossible. He also argued that a decision had yet to be made on whether to fully incorporate the lands annexed from Labland. This excuse resurfaced the next year, when Parliament tried to persuade him to at least begin the process by beginning the Emissarial elections.
So the decade dragged on, with Parliament and the people growing increasingly uneasy. An attempt to force the issue by vote was blocked in late in late 1306. The next year, a plot by several of Tannerz' Privy Council Members to persuade the Barons to suspend Tannerz' authority – really only meant to scare him into seeking the security of a fully ratified mandate – ended with the guilty men arrested for treason and a purging of the Council. Finally, in 1308, two events forced Tannerz' hand. The first was the deselection of the entire East Zabrial Town Council and the declaration, by exasperated Zabric denied full elections for nearly twenty years, that no more would be chosen unless the victorious Councillors met to vote for the Baron of Zabrial – who, by implication, would vote for a Chancellor. This bold gamble was copied by radicals in the Triple Cities and Jalkin and Yaleth Town Councils were also deselected. In the uproar this caused, the Barons of Schall and Elsey revealed a masterplan they had been patiently preparing. Fully amended and updated electoral rolls for their Provinces were presented to Huwdone House. Together with the Baron of Schall shelving his demand for incorporation of annexed Labland, Tannerz' only legitimate objections were removed. He promptly preformed a neat back-flip, declaring his delight at this news and, in more-sorrow-than-anger tones, regretted the impatience of East Zabrial and the Cities. Full elections were announced for 1309-10.
The fact that these saw Sebastin Tannerz thrown out of Highest Office possibly suggests he was right to stave off the wrath of the Barons against such an ambitious and progressive Chancellor. But it was maybe just a matter of bad timing. Three or four years earlier, Tannerz' victory against Labland was fresh and the plans he had for Christoté, most still being in the formative stage, remained appealing. Five or six years later, perhaps, some benefits of his policies might be starting to emerge. But in 1310, as Stayson Cooper said about a previous regime, "The mouth is biting and chewing, the belly is as shrunk as ever." Tannerz' exceptionally high taxes, his concentration of spending on fortifications and the Guards, his harsh treason laws and his tendency to flood certain areas with informers and spies – ostensibly for national protection though many were stationed nowhere near the borders – all antagonised large sections of the population against him. In addition, his fondness for handing key positions based on merit rather than refusal, and for forcing politicians to take potentially dangerous foreign refusals – rather than allowing an honourable refusal, as other Chancellors did – displeased the higher echelons. Nor did a reputation for debauchery, which incorporated several rape accusations, help him. So in 1310, after the disqualification of many candidates, Tannerz stood against Sebsen Acrippa, a western Dorlafan aristocrat and general in the Labbish war. Tannerz lost by 5 votes to 2. Only Kratz and, oddly enough, Dorlaf stayed loyal to him.
This wasn't quite the end of his hopes. He first – and quite legitimately – demanded a recount. This ended in a 6-1 defeat as an impatient Dorlaf turned against him. Then Tannerz began querying the updated electoral rolls of Schall and Elsey, claiming they were based on little factual evidence and demanding an investigation in to the Emissarial elections. A nervous but placatory Parliament agreed to suspend the transfer of Highest Office until the surveys could be verified. The checks, carried out by Kakranfan officials to assure neutrality, dragged on across a number of months and in increasingly chaotic conditions. There were numerous cases of householders being forced to move or to share homes, apparently to invalidate the original rolls. The surveyors complained about being harassed by locals, almost certainly Tannerz' agents, and two were even beaten to death. In the meantime a flood of propaganda was being released from Huwdone House, mainly aimed at discrediting the Barons' Estates. More seriously Tannerz, citing recent uprisings in Annexed Labland, tried re-introducing some emergency powers for himself.
Parliament was becoming increasingly alarmed – had they another Elriak Lendle on their hands? This time, however, the Barons were united in their opposition to Tannerz, with Kratz now antagonised as well. (For once the Baron's seat in Kratz was out of Tannerz family hands, having been won by yet another hero of the Labbish war in 1310). And in December, the matter was finally decided. Tannerz was struck down by a mysterious illness, fell into a coma and died the next day, the 13th. A tentative attempt at claiming stewardship was made by his son but a relieved Parliament threw every Abolishing of Hereditary in the Body Politic edict they could at him. After a short period of crocodile-teared mourning, Piers Acrippa finally took office on 4th January 1311.
Still the Tannerz' refused to concede defeat, however. Perhaps understandably, they were suspicious of Sebastin's undiagnosed, sudden and very convenient illness. Rumours of murder by the Barons were muttered around. In April, a private investigator hired by the family uncovered a necromancer who, producing allegedly excellent evidence, claimed she had murdered the Chancellor – and on the orders of several senior figures. The story flew around the Cities that the necromancer would be prepared to testify against her bosses in return for immunity. If these were true, however, and if the Tannerz family were really willing to prosecute – and the latter, at least, is likely – then like so many greatly-anticipated trials, it never began. The necromancer abruptly vanished. The Academy of Magic later said they had seized her for their own trial, invoking their ancient prerogative of justice regarding rogue wizards. The furious Tannerz' demanded the necromancer's return but, probably for the first time in many years, Huwdone House defended the Academy of Magic.
Less surprisingly, when Piers Acrippa was stabbed dead not long afterwards, a great deal of suspicion fell on the Tannerz clan. However, they too escaped even having to enter a court room. These were not golden years for justice.