| 2038 |
|---|
| Polgara heads out for the Isle of the Winds at top speed when Poledra awakens her with news that her sister is dying. (She has the twins contact Belgarath.) She arrives at Riva five days later, only to find that no physician has seen her sister, at the recommendation of Elthek, the Rivan Deacon (and a Bear-cultist). Polgara heads down to the city to get some aid from Arell, Argak and Balten. (Kamion, now known as Brand, has to get Balten out of the dungeons beneath the Temple of Belar–it seems that Balten was caught in flagrante delicto while graverobbing.) Arell, Argak, Balten and Polgara reach the joint conclusion that saving the queen will require "heroic measures." Polgara contacts the twins again, asking them to urge Belgarath to get to Riva–preferably sometime yesterday. Polgara uses her will to sustain Beldaran for three days. Despite her best efforts, however, Beldaran dies. (PtS 123-132) |
| Belkira and Beltira manage to get word to Belgarath that Beldaran is very ill. Belgarath heads for Riva as fast as he possibly can, but he arrives too late. Riva is nearly as bad as Belgarath was after Poledra's death, and never really recovers from the shock. (BtS 341-343) |
| Iron-grip's son Daran assumes the throne as Regent, until his father recovers. He is very angry with Elthek, whom he holds responsible for his mother's death–a view with which Polgara agrees. Daran's regency neatly thwarts Elthek's ambitions to gain the throne by assimilation. He deals with an impending civil war between two neighboring barons quite firmly. (PtS 135-146) |
| 2039 |
| Anrak arrives at Riva, bringing warnings from Bear-shoulders about the Bear-cult. Algar stomped on the cult quite firmly, but the cultists fled through the fens into Drasnia, creating quite a few problems in Drasnia and Cherek. Daran raises the possibility of stripping several of the islets at the north end of the Isle of the Winds of trees (so that the trees can't be used to build boats) and exiling the cultists on the Isle there–where they can either take up farming, or starve. Elthek and his cultists are ironically convicted of an act they convinced Riva to make a crime–witchcraft. As planned, they're sentenced to internal exile on the islets, instead of being burned at the stake. It makes such a pointedly object lesson that the Bear-cult never returns to the Isle of the Winds–and treason is remarkably rare, too. (PtS 147-158) |
| 2040 |
| Kamion lays out the curriculum for a seminary on the Isle, thus laying the foundation for a priesthood actually more concerned about the spiritual well-being of their parishoners than temporal authority. Rivan youngsters, it seems, are finding alternatives to marriage… speaking of which, Daran isn't married yet, either. Which is, of course, a problem, since there has to be an heir to the throne. Polgara and Kamion use the simple expedient of having all the eligible young women on the Isle paraded before Daran. This goes on for days, with Daran threatening to run away, until Larana, the daughter of a minor nobleman, enters the hall. Since the Purpose is involved in the selection, both Daran and Larana know. The two are married shortly thereafter. (PtS 158-164) |
| 2044 |
| Cherek Bear-shoulders dies. (BtS 344, PtS 164-165) |
| 2045 |
| Daran names his son Cherek, in honor of his grandfather. Riva Iron-grip dies. (BtS 344, PtS 165) |
| 2046 |
| Polgara returns to the Vale, and brings numerous medical books with her. Fortunately for her sanity, she doesn't find a cure for the disease that killed Beldaran. (BtS 344, PtS 165) |
| 2100 |
| Beldin returns from Mallorea at the end of the 21st century. The Tolnedrans are attempting to trade with the Marags for the gold (and are being ignored), and Torak and Zedar are still at Ashaba. They celebrate Polgara's 100th birthday. (BtS 344, PtS 175-176) |
| 2115 |
| Ran Vordue IV of Tolnedra declares war on the Marags. His legions very nearly annihilate the Marags; only a few prisoners who are sold into slavery keep the race alive. Neither Mara, Belar, nor Nedra are very happy about it. Mara binds the spirits of the Marags to their land, beginning the haunting of Maragor. Nedra has a pointed discussion with Ran Vordue. Belar has the Chereks make raids along the Tolnedran coast (especially in Vordue). Aldur instructs Belgarath–who was going to intervene–not to interfere, since the destruction of Maragor is Necessary. (BtS 344-346, PtS 176-177) |
| 2312 |
| Polgara goes to Arendia to put a stop to Ctuchik's plotting there. She decides (with some urging from her mother) to start with Kathandrion, the Duke of Vo Wacune, as he was the most intelligent of the three. Ctuchik, it seems, is intending to draw all three Arendish duchies into war with Tolnedra. As Tolnedra would likely win (because of the tenuousness of any alliance between the Arendish dukes), that would draw the Alorns in, to protect their interests. General warfare in the West, in other words, is the Grolim's goal. As part of that plot, Ctuchik has agents in all three duchies; the one in Wacune is named "Haldon." Haldon is, of course, a Murgo–a Dagashi, to be more specific. His true name is Krachack. Pol and Kathandrion question him until dawn; he's then taken to the lowest level of the dungeon. Pol sets out for Vo Astur the same day. (BtS 348-355, PtS 178-192) |
| Inconsistency note: Polgara remembered the year quite clearly as 2312. Belgarath was more vague ("I think it was the early twenty-fifth century…"). I assume that Pol would remember better. :) |
| On arriving in Vo Astur, Polgara learns that the current duke, Oldoran, is a "drunken little weasel." (And that was one of the milder insults.) He also has a Tolnedran advisor. (Sorry, did I say Tolnedran? I meant Murgo.) Pol's original plan had been to expose the "Tolnedran" Murgo to the duke, and let him handle the matter, but given Oldoran's tendency toward being continually drunk, that's not going to work. So, she masterminds a coup d'etat. She chooses Asrana, an Asturian noblewoman with a quick wit and quicker tongue, and together they choose Earl Mangaran, who already functions as the ruler of Asturia anyway, as their candidate for the throne. Both Asrana and Mangaran are enthusiastic traitors.) (PtS 192-200) |
| The plot unfolds further. Asrana begins securing the assistance of critical members of the duke's court; Mangaran organizes a party at Baron Torandin's place (on the far side of Vo Astur from the palace) to distract the duke's supporters, subverts a few of the more stable, older members of the court, and procures a… messenger. (The kind who uses rather pointed means of communication, if you get my meaning.) When she enters the throne room that evening, the messenger communicates her displeasure to the Murgo. The sudden death sends Oldorin screaming over the edge of insanity. Well, that and the illusion Polgara crafted for him. The conspirators shuttle the duke off to a nearby monastery, and that's how you overthrow a government. Having disrupted Ctuchik's plans in Asturia, Pol heads for Vo Mimbre. (PtS 201-214) |
| Pol stops in Vo Mandor on her way south to talk to the Baron, Mandorin. Mandorin is well aware of what's going on at court, and recognizes the plot that Polgara describes to him. He nearly fell for it himself, in fact. (Pol asks him a simple question regarding the "Tolnedran" in Vo Mimbre: "What's in it for him?", pointing out that as a general rule, a Tolnedran will not do anything unless there's something in it for him.) Mandorin discloses that there are Tolnedran legions gathering on the south bank of the River Arend, and a Tolnedran general has arrived at Vo Mimbre to aid in planning. Pol has Mandorin adopt her as a niece to give her a cover. (PtS 216-222) |
| On arriving in Vo Mimbre, Pol is distressed to learn that among the genuine Tolnedrans who have been purchased as a part of this plot, there are several Murgos–and one Grolim, posing as a servant to one of the Murgos involved in the plot. Polgara dragoons her father into making a journey to Tol Honeth to tell Ran Vordue what's going on in Arendia, so that the Emperor can come and explain (in short words and small sentences) to Corrolin that he is not going to help. On his return, Belgarath suggests a religious pilgrimage might be just the thing to get Corrolin out of Vo Mimbre for the meeting. When Corrolin finds he's been duped, he responds… Arendishly, but Ran Vordue persuades the duke to give him Kadon and friends as a birthday present. The idea of calling all the Arendish dukes to the peace table at the Fair is proposed. (PtS 222-236) |
| The rulers of the three Arendish duchies meet at the Great Arendish Fair to sign a peace treaty. Asrana and Mandorin are married. (PtS 238-242) |
| 2313 |
| Polgara briefly returns to the Vale to pick up some things from Belgarath's tower, having reached the conclusion that she'll need to stay in Arendia to enforce the peace. Upon returning to Vo Wacune, she takes up residence in the ducal palace, but decides quite quickly that she'll be moving out (all those ladies who wanted love potions got annoying). (PtS 245-249) |
| Polgara discovers that Arendish workment need a lot of supervision. This leads to her testing the limits of her Uncle Beldin's vocabulary, and that greatly impresses a Wacite by the name of Killane. Killane offers to beat the work the delinquent builders owe Polgara out of them. Polgara eventually hires him as her estate manager, and he sees to things like furniture and servants (his relatives, mostly). Killane's family remain Polgara's servants until her manor house in Erat is abandoned. (PtS 249-254) |
| 2314 |
| Asrana and Mandorin's first child is born. Mangaran visits Vo Mandor, bringing word that Asturia is likely to go up in flames upon his death, or possibly sooner, owing to the actions of his own nephew and that of the deposed former Duke of Asturia. Polgara makes a few threats. The nephews' supporters find safer things to do. (PtS 254-258) |
| 2324 |
| Killane finally figures out that Polgara is that Polgara. (PtS 259-260) |
| 2325 |
| Mangaran dies of natural causes. At Polgara's urging, the duchies of Wacune and Mimbre sign an alliance to keep the Asturian infighting from spreading. (PtS 261-263) |
| 2326 |
| An assassin kills Mangaran's nephew Olburton, and Nerasin's forces regain control of his uncle's former duchy by the early autumn. Asrana uses her contacts in Asturia to muddy the waters as much as possible, explaining to Polgara that if Nerasin thinks it'll solidify his position, he'll willingly start a war that'll kill half of Asturia. Her objective is to keep the would-be duke off-balance and afraid of shadows–and to kill him once he stops being afraid. Duke Kathandrion's grandson (Kathandrion) is born. (PtS 263-265) |
| 2327 |
| Duke Kathandrion is killed while testing an overly-powerful catapult. Asrana and Mandorin are killed by a troop of Asturian archers while journeying to Vo Mimbre (it seems that Nerasin figured out who was behind his problems). Polgara entertains notions of "filleting" and "deboning", and one about a cheese grater, until Poledra stops her. Alleran and Corrolin aren't so constrained, and begin a war on the Asturians' food supplies. In response, and in desperation, Nerasin has Duke Alleran's son Kathandrion kidnapped. Polgara's response to that legendary in Arendish lore–it's known as "Nerasin's complaint." Nerasin more than willing to return Kathandrion after that. (PtS 265-277) |
| 2328 |
| The Dukes of Asturia jointly decide that, as a reward for services rendered, they're going to be joined by a duchess–Polgara, the Duchess of Erat. (Basically, she gets Sendaria, except for the cities of Darine, Muros, and Camaar.) Her first judgment on viewing her duchy: serfdom has got to go. She selects a site for her manor that's roughly 6 leagues northwest of the village of Upper Gralt, and 10 leagues northeast of the future site of Faldor's farm. In the autumn, she lets her vassals know exactly where they stand, and informs them that they'll no longer be extorting criminal amounts of food and labor out of their serfs. Or else. (PtS 278-287) |
| 2329 |
| Polgara emancipates the serfs on her own lands, with the explicit intent of making it financially untenable for her vassals to maintain serfdom. The priests of Chaldan are livid, and denounce her as an abolitionist, to little effect–the serfs aren't listening (or even coming to church). She spends a good deal of time that summer codifying the laws for her duchy, and contemplating universal education. She does attend the Arendish Council, to the chagrin of Corrolin, Alleran, and Nerasin. (PtS 287-290) |
| 2330 |
| Polgara's manor house is completed. Corrolin of Mimbre dies. (PtS 290-291) |
| 2354 |
| Killane dies at age 70. (PtS 295-296) |
| 2400 |
| Polgara begins an informal "ladies' academy" almost by accident, among the young women of Vo Wacune. (PtS 298, QoS 15) |
| 2537 |
| The First Borune Dynasty displaces the Second Vorduvian Dynasty from the Imperial Throne of Tolnedra. Ran Borune I takes the step of building an Imperial Highway from Tol Horb to Tol Vordue, using his legions as work crews. That rather effectively ends the Cherek raids. (BtS 357-358, PtS 299) |
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