Tolco

Tolco was the fifth Revered Counselor of the great Nexalan empire whose rule was filled with military conquest.

History
Tolco was a great-nephew of Revered Counselor Ipana III who inherited the throne circa after he died of extreme old age. Tolco was selected despite Revered Counselor Ipana III having a slew of children and grandchildren, for he's been judged the most likely to have potential inheritors. Before ascendant to the throne, Tolco was an accomplished and revered military leader of Nexal. Under Ipana's rule, Tolco won many military campaigns and personally captured over a hundred prisoners to be gifted to Bloody Zaltec, Maztican god of war.

Revered Counselor Tolco targeted the enemies of Nexal – the coastal Otomi peoples and the unconquered Kultakans. Tolco had previously led armies against Otomis but knew little of Kultaka's battle prowess. The first campaign Tolco led as the Revered Counselor was against Kultaka, though to be easier prey to the great army of Nexal. The war ended in the biggest and most devastating defeat in Nexalan history. Tolco's armies were lured into a narrow defile where Kultakans sprang upon them. Despite bigger numbers, Tolco's troops were defeated with relative ease, giving Kultaka several thousand Nexalan prisoners to be sacrificed on the bloodied altars.

In defeat, Tolco targeted Pezelac as his next enemy. The Revered Counselor waged war for several years that followed and personally led the armies on the battlefields several times. Seemingly, the position of the Revered Counselor changed Tolco's attitude in battle. He was a decisive and trash commander as a general but was hesitant and cautious as the Revered Counselor. The war was a failure, and Pezelac remained unsubjugated. However, the campaign brought treasures and enough slaves to have their hearts carved out for the glory of Zaltec.

More than ten years after taking the throne, Revered Counselor Tolco helmed the second military campaign against Kultaka. Tolco personally helmed the army, and he learned from the first failure. Nexalan scouts were used to avoid any traps, and eventually, the Nexala army faced Kultakan forces on a wide-pen field not far from Kultaka City. The battle took an entire day, and the superior numbers of Nexal pushed Kultakan defenders back. Kultaka was sure to fall, changing the fate of Maztica drastically, but a chance stray arrow made sure that was never to be. A missile ended the life of the Revered Counselor Tolco, punching through his pluma armor and stopping his heart. Nexala stopped the war and gathered for a two-day vigil while Kultaka City prepared for the siege. The low morale broke Nexalan forces, and they left Kultaka.

A great-grandson of Ipana III – Tenoch the Second was selected by the Nexalan court in the after the death of the Revered Counselor Tolco.