Guungāl the Great

**Guungāl the Great** (c. 1595-22 March 1656), also known by the epithets **the Cruel** and **Kin-flayer**, was the greatest of the warrior-kings of the Tuuquan Empire. His conquests extended thousands of miles away from his homeland, with much of Banria either a direct part of his kingdom, a tributary, or allied to him. In 1652, after commissioning the Grand Fleet of Banria, Guungāl and his army crossed the Morlin Sea to invade Enntiga, where he was killed in 1656 at the Battle of the Calikan Downs. He was known for his ruthlessness and military skill. He is also venerated as a tanú, or holy leader, in Múlarism.

## Early life

Guungāl was born around 1575 to Örubāl, King of Tuuqua, and one of his wives. He was the third of six surviving sons of the king, the others being Örubāl, Nárunhāl, Quuqín, Móndur, and Rúdomór.

## Alakâmkút and early reign

The old Tuuquan method of succession was the Alakâmkút, or kinslaying. In 1619, after the death of Örubāl, Guungāl and his brothers (save for Rúdomór, the youngest, who was not yet of age) participated in the Alakâmkút, which entailed a fight to the death, with the last man standing becoming the new king. Guungāl, a natural warrior, killed each of his brothers, showing no remorse. It is said that the death of Nárunhāl, the last standing besides Guungāl, was especially long and brutal, leading to Guungāl being given the epithet "Kin-flayer." Later in life, Guungāl claimed that this was not out of any particular animosity towards his brother, but rather to establish a reputation for ruthlessness.

Despite his cruel image, Guungāl allowed his younger brother Rúdomór to live, sending him away to become a múlarn. Rúdomór outlived him, and, after Guungāl's death, proclaimed his elder brother a tanú.

## Invasion of Enntiga

In 1649, Guungāl commissioned the Great Fleet of Banria, which he would use to sail across the Morlin Sea and expand his empire into Enntiga. His army landed on the Cape of Koged in 1652 and quickly overran the various counties, fiefdoms, and city-states of Inner Morlinia. Guungāl caused mass destruction in the cities that he captured, including Sinsol (where he set up his temporary base of operations for the invasion), Ormas, Palonou, Sauthym, and even Morlicar itself. Guungāl's army was unmatched until they were miraculously routed by Lanmor III and Ulmor I, co-kings of Mandise, at the Battle of Mané in 1654. Nevertheless, Guungāl and his army continued, this time to the west, capturing the island of Unar Kaid and subjugating the Republic of Petulat in 1655. In 1655, the Golden Alliance of six major Enntigan powers (Oalat, Mandise, Calike, Dakia, Tetmór, and Gimmol) was formed, and the following year their combined army met Guungāl's in the Calikan Downs in 1656. Outnumbered nearly three-to-one, Guungāl himself was killed in this battle, ending the invasion of Enntiga as his army was forced to retreat. According to Tuuquan legend, Guungāl fell only after personally killing three enemy kings; this is extremely unlikely as only two kings of the Golden Alliance (Grotzin V of Calike and Húckaranç VIII of Gimmol) died in this battle, and it is unlikely that Guungāl personally fought any of the enemy kings regardless.