Gorōna Oordar

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Gorōna Oordar
Gorona portrait.jpg
Murdoh of Mantar
Reign 1547-1593 SR
Predecessor Nilma Oordar
Successor Nilma Oordar
Personal details
Born 1527 SR
Died 1596 SR
Parents Taley Toarlameek
Noana Korōly
Siblings Mylda Toarlameek

Gorōna Oordar, born Gorōna Toarlameek, was Murdoh of Mantar in the second half of the 16th CSR, wife of Nilma Oordar and later Jeenor of Qep.

Early life

Born into a powerful Toarlameek family, Gorōna was raised in Lora. Toarlameeks were originally from Qep city, but fled to Lora when Maksag invaded the country, correctly believing Lora to be safer. After Lora was conquered by Maksag in 1515, Toarlameeks lost most of their wealth, but were spared by Maksag along with several other noble households. The reigns of the city were given to one of Maksag's Jeens, Heemin.

Over the next decade, as the city was rebuilt, Toarlameeks were able to retain their privileged status, but not wealth. When Heemin died from an illness, Gorōna's father Taley Toarlameek took advantage of that and in early 1528 traveled to Mantar to take part in the victory celebrations of Oordar's subjugation of Mantar.

Upon his return two months later, he claimed that he had personally spoken to Maksag and that the famed conqueror confided his expansion plans to him, and that Lora in general and Taley in particular are important parts of this plan. As he came back with a number of decrees from Maksag, making him the official representative of Oordars in Lora and also providing the city with lavish trading contracts, there was little reason to doubt this and Taley was hailed as the new Murdoh. Later this was proven to be a complete fabrication: Taley never made it to Mantar, instead getting only to Zelo and then going back. The decrees were completely fabricated, and for many years Taley sent all the correspondence to Oordars under the name of the deceased Heemin.

Trying to gauge the situation at Qep city, Taley became friends with Ulan Moree, Murdoh of Qep city, but only to try to recover his previous family wealth, as Qep was spared my Maksag and Taley believed that he had claims to a number of properties. This did not work out and Ulan threatened Taley with war and then actually marched on Lora, but was not able to get into the well-fortified city. Taley used the situation to cut ties with Oordars and stopped any and all correspondence with the court in Tonaran, which went unnoticed at the time.

As Qep became less dependent on Oordars and Ulan built his own power structure, Nilma Oordar negotiated closer ties, but he decided to reduce Qep's influence by traveling to Lora, meeting Murdoh Taley and marrying his daughter Gorōna, while also endorsing his rule.

Rise to power

Gorōna was made Murdoh of Goolkoon, the region and city which was the least loyal to Mantar. Nilma chose the strategy of diplomacy and installed Gorōna, someone with Qep's lineage, so as to ease the tensions and reduce the appearance of oversight, learning from Kren's and Maksag's mistakes at Or.

However, Kren the Younger used Gorōna in his plot against Nilma and made Gorōna the ruler of Mantar. Gorōna did not learn about the plot until many years later, but sided with Tonaran and removed Nilma from her court some time in 1580s.

Downfall

When Nilma and Rodare overthrew Kren the Younger, Gorōna lost her title and was forced to flee to Qep, to her sister Mylda Toarlameek. By this time Toarlameeks managed to return to Qep city and not only regain their previous wealth, but become the wealthiest family of Qep.

Gorōna was made Jeenor of Qep, but retired a year later. She died in Qep city in February 1596, as Nilma invaded Qep. He canceled the campaign a month later.

Personal life

Gorōna and Nilma were very close for decades and their lasting relationship, in spite of all the odds, made them symbols of romantic love in many songs and poems of the era. Gorōna, however, did not side with Nilma against Kren the Younger. Nilma felt betrayed and left Mantar, taking their son Rodare to Tonaran. They did not seen each other again.

It was rumored that she fell in love with Gol Sovtōndoh in the 80s and that this was possibly one of the reasons that influenced Gorōna's decision to abandon Nilma. Gorōna's and Sovtōndoh's relationship became public in the 90s, but Sovtōndoh did not follow her into Qep after her dethronement, since he was involved with the cult of the Coming of Vaona and stayed in Mantar in the hopes of overthrowing Nilma.