Tolos

Tolos is a city of the Ghiscari lands, situated on the northern coast of Slaver's Bay. It is one of the smaller polities in the region, yet its location and resources made it a valuable participant in the coalition that formed against Daenerys Targaryen's rule in Meereen. The city's allegiance was firmly with the slaving interests of Yunkai, and it contributed both warships and soldiers to the siege of Meereen.

Geography and Political Alignment

Tolos lies on the northern shore of Slaver's Bay, a position that gave it a stake in the maritime trade and military campaigns of the region. Its ruling class, like those of Yunkai and New Ghis, was deeply invested in the slave trade that Daenerys had disrupted. When the Yunkai'i assembled a coalition to crush the dragon queen, Tolos was among the cities that answered the call. Hizdahr zo Loraq, the Meereenese nobleman who later became Daenerys's husband and king, was said to have kin in Tolos, as well as in Elyria and New Ghis, indicating the web of familial and commercial ties that bound the Ghiscari cities together.

Role in the War Against Daenerys

Tolos's military contribution to the Yunkish alliance was significant. The city sent warships to join the blockade of Meereen, augmenting the fleets from Qarth and New Ghis that strangled the city's trade. Its galleys were among the vessels that Daenerys counted from her ramparts, a constant reminder of the encirclement. Furthermore, Tolosi slingers, renowned for their skill with lead bullets, were reported to be part of the Yunkish host, adding a specialized and deadly component to the besieging army. The city also provided troops to the Ghiscari legions that fought alongside the sellsword companies against Daenerys's forces.

Diplomatic Relations and Consequences

Daenerys Targaryen made a concerted effort to win Tolos to her side, sending envoys to propose an alliance. The response was a blunt refusal; the Tolosi proclaimed her a whore and demanded that she return Meereen to its Great Masters. This rejection was part of a pattern of diplomatic failure for Daenerys in the region, as Mantarys responded even more brutally by sending back the heads of her three envoys, pickled in a chest. The hostility of Tolos and its neighbors demonstrated the depth of the opposition to her abolitionist policies and the difficulty of forging new alliances in a region where the old powers were united against her.

Narrative Significance

Tolos functions in the narrative as a representative of the entrenched Ghiscari slaving interests that Daenerys could not overcome through diplomacy or force of arms alone. Its participation in the coalition, alongside Yunkai, New Ghis, and Qarth, illustrates the scale of the military and economic alliance arrayed against her. The city's refusal of her overtures, and the brutal response from Mantarys, highlight the failure of her attempts to find friends to the west and the increasing isolation of Meereen. The presence of Tolosi ships and soldiers in the siege lines around Meereen contributes to the atmosphere of mounting pressure that ultimately forces Daenerys to accept a fraught peace with Hizdahr zo Loraq.