Opol Dolysoh
Opol Dolysoh /ʌ'pɑl dɑ'liːsə/ was the second gole of Toor. While he continued to expand the dynasty's influence, his rule was overshadowed by intense power struggles, several assassination attempts and an ultimately unsuccessful coup by his wife, Byskoh. He was succeeded by his son, Meerō.
| Opol Dolysoh | |
 | |
| Gole of Toor | |
|---|---|
| Reign | 1779-1811 FR |
| Predecessor | Sopoh Dolysoh |
| Successor | Meerō Dolysoh |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1761 FR |
| Died | 1815 FR |
| Parents | Mylda and Blos Dolysoh |
Murder of Sopoh Dolysoh
When it became known that Sopoh intends to pass on the rule to Bonten's family, his sons became very angry. At that time, Opol's brother Erygmoh died. At his funeral Opol poisoned Sopoh's chalice. According to the legend, he approached Sopoh with two chalices and allowed him to choose one. After they both drank, Opol said: "One cup was poisoned, father. But not to worry. If you are the one who sees Xaewoon and leads his people, surely you have chosen the chalice of life." This was a clever way of not only getting rid of Sopoh, but also directly challenging his claim to visionary and making one's own claim.
It is likely the legend is not true, but might reflect some aspects of how Sopoh died. Specifically, he could have indeed been poisoned on the orders of Opol.
Founding of Gaskal
Opol proceeded with his father's plans to build a city away from Gaajmas. The city was named Gaskal and became the seat of the Gole.
However, the ruins of Peelee continued to be a religious destination for some time, and when the deterioration of the former city made it impossible, pilgrims did not switch to Gaskal. Nor was Gaskal ever advertised as a religious destination. By the end of Opol's reign Gaskal began to be perceived as an entity separate from Ydoh Rol, with Ydoh Rol having religious significance and Gaskal not. This peculiar phenomenon would eventually lead to Gaskal becoming a walled city, a non-holy territory within Ydoh Rol.
Fight for power
Opol's rule was fairly stable for the first several years. He married Byskoh Losoh and they had a son in 1782, Gōnoh. They had a daughter Maaroh in 1785 and another son in 1795, Meerō.
Opol's rule began to be challenged starting the first assassination attempt in 1785. The coup was perpetrated by the young Jeen Dōrsoh Maadoh, whose father Byd Maadoh was in love with Byskoh and wanted revenge for losing any chances with her. Byskoh, however, found out about the plan and informed Opol, who then laid a trap for the young Dōrsoh. Byskoh asked for the boy to be spared, which Opol promised. But then when he saw Dōrsoh, Dōrsoh spit in Opol's face, Opol got mad and then he and his guards beat him to death.
He then sent the head of Dōrsoh to Byd and vowed to murder all Maadohs. The Maadoh family was a fairly wealthy family of warriors, having been part of the Dolysoh forces from the very start. They fled Gaskal, with a number of supporters leaving with them. Maja Maadoh, Byd's daughter, vowed to avenge her brother's death. In 1794 FR, when Gōnoh Dolysoh came of age, Maja traveled to Gaskal and shot him with an arrow as revenge for Dorsoh.
This also put a wedge between Opol and Byskoh. Mad at her husband for breaking his promise, Byskoh began plotting an assassination herself. According to Ludoh, she seduced an archer and had him shoot at Opol, but the archer missed and hit a guard instead. The archer was immediately mauled down, thus taking his motivation to his grave and concealing Byskoh's involvement.
Several more assassination attempts followed, some orchestrated by Byskoh, some by other families, mostly led by influential Jeens. One notable challenge to Opol's power came from the Chogoskoh family, who appealed to a religious interpretation, making a claim that Mod Chogoskoh, a former Jeenor of Dolysoh's forces back in Sopoh's days, was the one who was technically the first to reach Gaajmas. Due to the fact that the challenge was made in a peaceful manner and that the Chogoskoh family was one of the most powerful clans alongside Dolysohs themselves, Opol was not in a position to physically eliminate any of them. He was thus forced to resolve the conflict by making Beejetoh Chogoskoh the Murdoh of Gaskal. This move cemented Chogoskohs' political power and they were Dolysohs' rivals for several generations after that.
In 1801, Byskoh and her lover, Ormyn Gos, who at the time was Jeenor of Opol's army, staged a coup against Opol. They had the support of half the army and attacked Opol's palace, but at the last minute several Jeens reneged on their support and stayed out. The attack failed and Ormyn Gos fled Gaskal with his troops, while Byskoh was captured.
In spite of both having a bad temper, they miraculously managed to rebuild their relationship and Byskoh returned to the gole's side. She then helped Opol plan and execute the hunt for Ormyn's forces. Ormyn was defeated and killed in 1805 during the encounter at Gaajmas. Since then Byskoh always accompanied Opol on all the campaigns and their partnership and close friendship lasted until Opol's death in 1815.
The war with the Negy
Opol's biggest ambition was to expand Toor to the west and subjugate Laeooy Coast. Preparation for the Laeooy campaign lasted for several years, but Opol's plans were thwarted by the Negy.
By this time the Negy became the biggest threat to the Dolysoh dynasty, with Oskodon, a superhero warrior known as the Negy King, expanding his territory beyond Dol. Reacting to this, Opol began a campaign in 1805 FR that lasted for two years. However, Oskodon and his forces were able to not only fight back, but also lay claim to Palas. In a famous battle at Olonoh, Oskodon's army waited for Opol far away from the mountain. This made Opol believe that since there are no mountains or boulders nearby, it is safe to approach. However, the enemy's army suddenly separated into two, revealing that they were stood on an enormous flat stone that Oskodon then hurled at Opol's troops, killing thousands of soldiers and winning the battle.
For the next three years the conflict stalled, but resumed in full force at the end of 1810, this time leading to the displacement of Negy to the south of Dol.
This was not enough for Opol, who wanted Oskodon personally dead. He therefore dedicated himself to the war, while passing on the title of gole to his son Meerō in 1811 FR.
In the next four years, Opol's army was able to capture territories just north of the Negal mountain chain, forcing most Negy to fall back. One of the families by the name of Deeras struck a peace deal with Opol to settle in the plains south of Dol and maintain neutrality in the region. This later became the city-state of Deeras.
In 1815 a key battle at the Uzar mountain saw both Opol and Oskodon die in action. The battle was won by Toor and remaining Oskodon troops were forced to flee into the Kōnzoh desert, where they most probably perished, as no further records of Oskodon's forces exist.
Personality
Taking any challenge to his authority extremely personally, he pursued his rivals with fervor, satisfied only when they were dead. He was as committed to friendships as he was to rivalries.
Legacy
Opol's name might have been mentioned in the Great Lore: according to Porteek, the story of how Opol poisoned Sopoh was mentioned in one of the songs. Opol is conspicuously not mentioned in the Swift Hen. Instead, Byskoh is named as the successor to Sopoh, although she is not considered as part of the True Lineage.