Tylos of Nisi

"After the poisoning of the great Hundaru of Telmun, his cousin Tylos of Nisi became the second Emperor of Telmun. Almost immediately, the empire began to fracture, and there has not been anything that rivaled it since.

— from Histories by Lykomedes of Thalessos

Hundaru of Telmun was one of the most impressive generals ever to lead an army or a nation in the history of the Great Ring. Under his banner, the Telmunic Empire extended from the Kaphtor Islands to the island of Lahat, larger than any nation since. But when Hundaru was poisoned at the age of 42, the throne passed to his young cousin, Tylos of Nisi.

Tylos was the son of Diomedes of Nisi, the youngest brother of Daphne of Nisi, Hundaru's mother. He was only seventeen when he inherited the throne, and he never met Hundaru, nor had he been to Bit Husabi, the capital of the Empire. The generals who had followed Hundaru did not know or respect the young man or his claim to the crown, and immediately began making their own independent plans.

An Ally of Sorts

Upon receiving word of his cousin's death, Tylos quickly traveled south to take up the mantle. There he met Ishkandar Balatu, the general Hundaru had left in charge of the Telmun Islands. Ishkandar took charge of the young heir, and offered his assistance in navigating the Imperial court. Soon, Tylos found that he could not do without General Ishkandar at his side. He did not know the people, and barely spoke Telmunite. Ishkandar surrounded Tylos with people loyal to the general, and effectively became regent with full authority over the Empire.

Under Ishkandar's guidance, Tylos moved the capital from Bit Husabi to the city of Mina Hunda on the larger island of Menâme. This move served to solidify Ishkandar's support, as his family had been the rulers of Mina Hunda before the rise of Hundaru, and the city still saw Ishkandar and his kin as their leaders. Meanwhile, all the territories west of Saba had broken away from the Empire, reducing the empire to only those islands within the Southeastern Region. Some historians believe that Tylos never knew about the loss of the western empire until years later.

A Task and a Talent

While Tylos was not prepared to rule an empire, he was not without his talents. He had an interest in drawing and architecture, and showed considerable ability in these areas. Ishkandar chose to nurture this in the young man, as a way to distract him from the fact that he had no authority over the government or the Empire. He encouraged Tylos to design and oversee the construction of an imperial palace in Mina Hunda. Tylos undertook this task, and soon became utterly immersed in it. The palace he designed was ambitious and expensive, and took over ten years to complete. During this time, Tylos continued designing new buildings, and some of his designs are still present in Mina Hunda over 1800 years later. His masterpiece was the Egalgula, a magnificent temple to the gods Ninzikla and Ensag, which he designed near the end of his life, and was eventually constructed by his grandson nearly a century after his death.

Marriage and Children

In the first year of Tylos' reign, Ishkandar convinced the young Emperor that he must marry and sire heirs as soon as possible, to secure the succession. He further managed to arrange a marriage between Tylos and his daughter Tamaritu, a widow ten years older than the Emperor who had three children already. Their union proved to be a fruitful one, and they had five children over the next ten years. Tylos was not deeply involved in the upbringing of his children, being more interested in his architectural pursuits. As a consequence, their upbringing was entirely in the hands of their mother and grandfather.

Rebellion and Death

In the thirteenth year of Tylos' reign, several nobles attempted a coup against him and Ishkandar. Assassins were smuggled into the palace, and succesfully infiltrated the royal wing where both Emperor and General slept. Neither survived the attack, and for five days the empire was in the hands of the rebels.

During the coup, Tamaritu and her children were not in the palace, which they discovered only after they had murdered her husband and father. She had left the city on a spontaneous outing, and when she heard of the rebellion, she simply shook her head and said "No. I don't think so." Over the next five days she rallied support for her eldest son and retook the palace, executing the rebel nobles and proceeded to serve as regent for her eldest son Zomandros for the next seven years.