Tyrant Kings

The Tyrant Kings were the ancient rulers of Darujhistan^[1] during the great Imperial Age of Tyrants.^[2][3] This period was known as the Rising Time which was brought on by Sandenay, daughter of the second to last Tyrant King, Ektalm. Mammot wrote about this age in his volumes on the history of Darujhistan.^[2]

One of the last remnants of that age which remained was the Despot's Barbican.^[4]

Last Known Tyrant Kings

(In order of succession)

• Letastte
• Ektalm
• Sandenay

In The Bonehunters

Cutter encountered the undead Soldier of High House Death in Seven Cities and the ancient Seguleh spoke of Darujhistan in ways that confused the young thief. The Soldier asked Cutter if the Tyrant's children still ruled the city and whether the Tyrant's Seguleh army still held sway. When told there was no Tyrant, the Soldier spoke of the T'orrud Cabal as a group of undying, secretive, paranoid mages preparing for the inevitable return of the Tyrant. Among them he named Barukanal, Derudanith, Travalegrah, and Mammoltenan. He called Cutter's claim that Mammot was his uncle absurd.^[5]

In Toll the Hounds

It became clear to the surviving members of the T'orrud Cabal--Baruk, Derudan, and Vorcan Radok--that the Tyrant was on the brink of return. The High Alchemist was well aware that servants of the Tyrant were already busy in the city seeking to bring about his resurrection.^[6][7] Baruk feared that Vorcan's purge of the Cabal had left them too few in number to stop it even if they allied with Anomander Rake and worried that he or either one of his fellow Cabal members would betray the others to curry favour with the Tyrant.^[8]

Vorcan told Baruk they could do nothing to stop the Tyrant's return, but she did not worry about their survival since the Tyrant would require their services. She argued the only thing they could do was position themselves for comfort. She intended to maintain her privilege and take a quiet role. In her case, this meant extricating herself from the Assassins' Guild and sending her daughter away.^[9]

Baruk arranged for Chillbais to keep watch on Hinter at his tower. The ghost feared the Tyrant's return would lead to his enslavement.^[10]

Among the coins horded by an old shepherd in the hills outside Darujhistan was an ancient, black-stained coin bearing the head of a man the shepherd did not recognise. The face belonged to the last Tyrant of Darujhistan.^[11] Bainisk possessed a different coin from the time of the Tyrant's showing a city skyline beneath a rainbow or some sort of huge moon filling the sky.^[12]

In Orb Sceptre Throne

It was revealed that the Tyrants had employed Seguleh to enforce their reign. The Moranth opposed the Tyrants during this age and were known as the city's eternal enemy.^[13] The Moranth wars ended with the fall of the last of the Tyrants and the breaking of the circle.^[14]

The breaking of the circle referred to the Circle of Pure Justice, surrounding the great Orb of the King (what became Majesty Hill) and was known as the Orb of the Tyrants.^[15] These, and many other structures in the city, were constructed of white stone. After the Age of Tyrants, white stone was only used for sepulchres and mausoleums due to local superstition.^[16]

Notes and references