The Fifth Age


5371
The Gods return. With their aid, Durnik gets his second life. Mara finds that the Marags are not, after all, extinct (Taiba!); UL gives Relg to his son, with one restriction. Torak's maiming is healed. The Gods take Torak's body and vanish. (EEG 327-338)
Inconsistency note: The text at the end of the last chapter of Enchanters' End Game implies that it's over–that the EVENT between Garion and Torak is the last one. Obviously…
5372
Multiple weddings–Polgara/Durnik and Garion/Ce'Nedra, to be exact. (EEG 341-372)
End of The Belgariad
5372
Polgara and Durnik, accompanied by Errand and Belgarath, head for the Vale of Aldur, and the remains of Poledra's cottage, intending to renovate it (its last occupant was Polgara, roughly 2000 years earlier). Durnik thinks it would be somehow dishonest to use sorcery to assist in the job; Belgarath, of course, uses it whenever Durnik's back is turned. Belgarath remains in the cottage that winter. (GW 11-35)
5373
Belgarath goes to his tower in the Vale, taking Errand with him. Beldin drops by for a visit; he's been keeping an eye on the Angaraks. 'Zakath (would you believe the ' indicates the word Kal?) has embarked on a genocidal war in Cthol Murgos. Life in Mallorea is continuing as usual. The Army stepped in to stop the slaughter of the Grolims, though… since the Emperor would like to be King and God, using the existing church is easier. Urvon (Torak's only remaining disciple) is scrambling for reasons to keep his church together. The first rumors of the existence of 'Cthrag Sardius' reach the West. Errand visits Aldur. (GW 36-48)
5373
Cyradis visits Errand. (GW 53-54)
5374
Belgarath returns to the Vale. Polgara recalls hearing a Grolim say something about Cthrag Sardius (in Old Angarak, which she doesn't speak). The Grand Duke Noragon of the House of Honeth ate something which violently disagreed with him. Silk and Yarblek are quite successful by this point, having managed to corner the entire Nadrak fur harvest. Zakath has captured and depopulated Rak Cthan and Rak Hagga, in addition to Rak Goska. And… there are marital problems in the Royal House of Riva (according to Errand, who perplexes Belgarath and Polgara with just exactly how he knew that was going on…). Polgara decrees a visit to Riva. (GW 55-61)
The rather inebriated Captain Greldik ferries Polgara, Durnik, Errand, and Belgarath to Riva. Polgara spends a lot of time patching up the relationship between Garion and his Queen. (It later turns out that Ce'Nedra had overstepped her authority in issuing a decree; Garion revoked it in public, and the two began tearing into each other over it. One thing led to another, and they wound up at each other's throats.) (GW 62-76, 84-86)
Garion and Errand are in the throne room late at night. The Orb glows red, instead of its normal blue, and the Purpose tells them to "Beware Zandramas!". The two tell Belgarath the next morning, who traces the event to an obscure passage in the Darine Codex; Belgarath then assigns Garion the task of sifting through the library at Riva for genuine prophecy. (GW 76-84)
Barak arrives at Riva with word from Anheg that the Bear-cult is becoming active again. A new leader has taken control of the cult; for the first time, all cultists are taking their orders from one man. Anheg's warning is intended specifically for Garion, who had the temerity to marry a Tolnedran. (GW 85-91)
Belgarath departs for the East to investigate Zandramas. Garion gives the horse to Errand. (GW 92-95)
Errand's range increases considerably with the horse (dubbed "Horse" since he apparently doesn't feel he needs a name). He eventually visits the tree; on his way back, he encounters Zandramas (her shade, actually), who threatens to kill him, then vanishes. (GW 101-108)
5374
Hettar occasionally brings dispatches from Cho-Hag to the Vale. Zakath is still conducting a genocidal war in Cthol Murgos. Ran Borune is slowly dying, and the internal struggle for the succession to the throne goes on… albeit checked somewhat by Ran Borune's appointment of Varana of Anadile as his regent. (GW 112-114)
5375
Silk arrives; Rhodar's vast weight has finally had a serious impact on his health, and he will most likely die if help doesn't come soon. Polgara, Durnik, and Errand return with Silk to Boktor. Polgara's verdict is that Rhodar's life is measured in months, six at most, and there's nothing that can be done. During a visit to the working headquarters of the Drasnian Intelligence Service, Javelin persuades Silk to take on new employees (actually spies) so that he can keep an eye on the Bear-cult in eastern Drasnia; Javelin also reveals that Zandramas is a Darshivan name. Liselle appears for the first time (and she has some plans for Silk). (GW 114-126)
King Rhodar dies. His son, Kheva, only six years old, assumes the throne, with the Queen Mother Porenn as regent. Porenn's regency is supported by the Alorn Kings; Belgarion, in particular, makes a rather pointed speech. (It's pointed at Drosta, if you're wondering, and he delivers it while leaning on Iron-grip's sword.) Varana of Anadile is among the non-Alorn nobles present; he's wearing a silver mantle with gold bands on it–a mantle which indicates his new rank of Crown Prince. (GW 126-134)
Belgarath, Errand, Polgara, and Durnik return to the Vale; Belgarath and Errand head to Belgarath's tower. Poledra visits Errand with a warning: Zandramas is only a part of the "great evil in the world"; the Sardion is at its core, and must be destroyed. Relg arrives with a message for Belgarath. (And incidentally, with news that the new Gorim has been born: he's Relg's son. "Prepare thyself to see to his rearing," indeed.) (GW 134-139)
Belgarath and Errand journey to Prolgu in response to the message from the old Gorim. The Ulgos have been hearing the disturbances caused by the movements of a living stone–not the orb, but something called "Sardius", a.k.a. Cthrag Sardius. The Gorim is shocked to hear that it's connected with something called Zandramas (apparently the Darshivan name is an Ulgo curse word). Belgarath finds out about the visitations by Cyradis and Zandramas to Errand. (GW 139-145)
5378
The Baron of Vo Ebor dies as a result of the wounds he received at the Battle of Thull Mardu, touching off a crisis in Arendia. His heir, one Sir Embrig, promised the Baron's widow's (Nerina) hand in marriage to one of his drunken companions whilst they were celebrating Embrig's accession to the baronial throne. Mandorallen, of course, has a rather high regard for Nerina, and when he heard of that particular discourtesy, he went immediately to Vo Ebor, retrieving Nerina and causing a few fatalities and numerous grievous injuries in the process. The net effect is a state of civil war in Arendia between the baronies of Ebor and Mandor, with a company of Asturian archers (Lelldorin's) thrown in for good measure. Garion departs to avert open hostilities. (GW 149-155)
Garion arrives at Vo Mandor several days later. He prevents Nerina's suicide by promising to let her jump from the parapet of Mandorallen's castle (the journey to the courtyard should take her about a day and a half…). Garion then heads for the field of battle with an unbreakable lance and a very bad attitude. On arrival, he rapidly unhorses five knights, then starts a thunderstorm and proceeds to blow holes in the turf, thus successfully taking most of the fight out of the opposing armies. Embrig gets all of the Barony of Vo Ebor, Mandorallen gets Nerina, and the armies go home. (GW 155-162)
Nerina objects when she's informed that she'll be marrying Mandorallen (even though she's loved him for years). Garion's methods of overcoming this difficulty are fairly direct. He knocks down Nerina's door, negotiates (and pays) her dowry, reminds Nerina that they're already acquainted, orders Nerina to say "yes" to Mandorallen's formal proposal, ignores the happy couple's complaints about their current dress (black for her, armor for him), creates a ring for Nerina out of the air, has Lelldorin bring a lady of noble birth to the chapel ("'…even if you have to drag her by the hair.'"), and finally draws his sword, marches them to the chapel, and sees the two safely wed. (GW 162-166)
A letter from Varana advises Ce'Nedra that her father is dying; Garion accompanies his wife to Tol Honeth. After getting his last request (Garion summoned his wife Ce'Vanne's ghost), Ran Borune XXIII dies. (GW 178-186)
Two days after Ran Borune's funeral, Varana's coronation takes place. Varana enters in his legion uniform, rather than the Emperor's gold mantle, which has the other families gloating, since they think they can still bribe their way on to the Imperial Throne–until Varana has himself crowned as Emperor Ran Borune XXIV instead of Ran Anadile I, clearly announcing that he intends to keep the throne for himself. (GW 187-191)
The courtesan Bethra arrives at the Imperial Palace with information for Varana: a pair of Honethite nobles are plotting the death of Varana's son. She declines payment (she doesn't sell information). (GW 193-196)
The Vorduvians try secession from the Empire. Varana's solution has Garion, Cho-Hag, Anheg, and Brand toasting the efforts of the Vorduvians to maintain order in their new kingdom: he's made a secret arrangement with Korodullin, and the new Kingdom of Vordue is suddenly infested with Arendish bandits (wearing full armor). (GW 197-200)
5378-9
In response to a problem about the heir to the Rivan Throne (specifically, that there isn't one yet), Polgara, Durnik, and Errand arrive at Riva. Captain Greldik, who brought the three, immediately sets sail for the Wood of the Dryads to fetch certain supplies and the Dryad Princess Xera (Ce'Nedra's cousin). Garion's rather puzzled by some of the things that go on (such as having to pick and spade the ground around the roots of the trees in Ce'Nedra's garden to a depth of about 3 feet, dump in the bales of loam, water them, then cover the hole back up). Belgarath arrives in the middle of all this, very angry, after having traveled all over averting the ice age Garion nearly started with his thunderstorm down in Arendia–and warns Garion not to tamper with the weather until he's had a great deal more study. (GW 201-218)
5379
Ce'Nedra gets morning sickness. 'nuff said. (GW 225-226)
A woman attempts to assassinate Ce'Nedra. She jumps off the battlements of the Citadel to escape capture. Arell, Brand's niece and one of Ce'Nedra's maids, is killed in the assassination attempt. Between them, Polgara and Silk (mostly Polgara) manage to pin down the assassin as a northeastern Drasnian, from somewhere near Rheon. Silk decides to pay a visit to Rheon to look around. (GW 240-252)
5380
(Month) 7th: Geran, Crown Prince of Riva, is born. (GW 253-257, SK 250)

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