Taley Toarlameek

Taley Toarlameek
Head of the Toarlameek family Murdoh of Lora
Reign	1528-1557 SR
Predecessor	Heemin
Successor	Tos Toarlameek
Personal details
Born	1496 SR
Died	1557 SR (aged 61)

Taley Toarlameek /'tæliː 'tworlɑmiː/ was the younger brother of Oorfan Toarlameek and became head of the Toarlameek family after Oorfan's death during the siege of Lora. Taley assumed the position of the Murdoh of Lora after the death of Oordar-installed Heemin by fabricating documents from Maksag, while sending out reports and taxes to Tonaran under Heemin's name. Taley's rule was legitimized when Nilma Oordar established closer ties between Mantar and Qep in 1545 SR. Taley ended up serving as Murdoh up until his death in 1557 SR.

Assuming the position of Murdoh

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 of 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, Taley took advantage of that and in early 1528 traveled to Mantar as Lora's representative to take part in the victory celebrations of Oordar's overtake 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.

The lavish trading contracts were also false, but using his new official status Taley managed to use the name of Oordars to negotiate a number of trade agreements with Zelo and Natstar, thereby obfuscating his con game.

Conflict with Ulan Moree

Although being the Murdoh of Lora allowed Taley to begin accumulating wealth, he was also focused on retrieving Toarlameek property that was left in Qep city. For that purpose he became friends with its Murdoh, Ulan Moree, 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, having realized the purpose of the relationship, 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.

Nilma Oordar

When it did get noticed, Qep city had broken off its ties to the Oordars as well. It was time for Kren the Younger, head of the Oordar clan, to decide how to proceed. Instead of suggesting a campaign, Nilma argued in favor of a diplomatic solution. Understanding the power dynamics in Qep, Nilma reached out to Taley and suggested to marry one of his daughters. This not only legitimized Taley's rule, which was initially based on a lie, but it also made his standing more important than that of Ulan Moree's court, which at the time was more brazen and probably a stronger political force in the region.

By this time, Ulan Moree was no longer the Murdoh and instead the city was ruled by his son, Erigma. As Nilma re-established the Murdon Circle, Taley and Erigma had to sit at the same table. They were able to form a good working relationship.

Unseating of Morees

Main article: Unseating of Morees

Having forged a relationship with Erigma, Taley continued trying to retrieve his family's property at Qep city. When the elderly Ulan died, Nilma, Taley and his other daughter, Mylda Toarlameek, used the emergin fight for power as a vehicle to depose Erigma and his family in a coup, famously referred to as the Serpent's Yarn. It placed Mylda in the role of Murdoh of Qep city and made Toarlameeks the ruling family of both Qep city and Lora.

Popularity

Taley was a popular Murdoh, owing in part to belonging to a respected family, but also because in spite of his scheming (or maybe owing to it) he was able to establish a strong economy at Lora and was pragmatic enough to significantly limit his greed and generously share in the spoils of managing the city's budget with his government officials and the military. At the same time, considered to be a strategic location, Lora received significant help from Tonaran through Delavire, in the form of horses, armor and weapons, as well as irregular shipments of defense equipment from Or.

Taley's hand at removing Morees from power made him a loved figure in Qep city, who felt that Toarlameeks restored the natural order.

During the campaign against Goldoor, Taley led his army to Delavire, but returned to Lora before the campaign started, as he was pretty old at the time.

Personal life

Taley was married to two women: Dyfy Gaeza and Noana Korōly. He had 7 children, 3 from Dyfy (Load, Tos, Merkoda) and 4 from Noana (Mylda, Gorōna, Symfōna and Voara).

Taley died in 1557 SR. He was succeeded by his son, Tos Toarlameek.

Legacy

An unimposing figure, Taley turned out to be one of the most influential and successful politicians of the era, upending the military rule imposed on the region by Maksag Oordar. His life was full of bold moves that Toarlameeks were known for, but also a string of lucky events. He able to use the looming independence of the region as leverage against Mantar, and Nilma's choice to marry Gorōna was one of the key episodes that cemented Taley's control of Lora.

As head of the Toarlameek family, he led them to the peak of their power, ruling across Qep and Mantar for almost a century.