The Scanran War was waged between Tortall and Scanra. It unofficially began in the late 450s HE with small skirmishes and raids at the borderlines. It was before the declaration of war when the Scanrans first began to use killing devices, which were metal monsters. War was officially declared in 460 HE when Maggur Rathhausak, the new King of Scanra, allied many of the Scanran clans by use of hostages. Jonathan IV of Conté, the King of Tortall, was forced to respond to increasing violence and hostility at the border with war. The killing devices were employed throughout 460 HE, until Keladry of Mindelan killed Blayce the Gallan in mid-June of 460.