| 2560 |
|---|
| Would-be Tolnedran war profiteers approach the current Duke of Mimbre, Salereon, and start calling him 'your Majesty', in an attempt to get the Arendish Civil Wars restarted. Salereon is just intelligent enough to consult Polgara before he declares himself King of Arendia (which would have restarted the civil wars). The Arendish Council is closed to outsiders that year. Polgara caps it off with a visit to Ran Borune I, who enthusiastically agrees with her plan to close the Arendish borders to Tolnedrans (because she gave him advance warning, so he can "skin them alive"–commercially speaking, of course). (PtS 299-303) |
| 2710 |
| The Arendish dukes contrive a grand tournament from amongst the four duchies of Arendia; the winner is designated Polgara's champion. Polgara goes along with it on the grounds that formalized mayhem is better than the real thing. The first winner is (wait for it) the Baron of Vo Mandor, Mandorathan. His presence really improves the manners of her vassals. (PtS 303-305) |
| 2937 |
| Polgara announces that Sir Anclasin, her current champion, will be retiring. The tournament eventually leaves two Wacite nobles vying for the position: Lathan and Ontrose, both of whom had been boyhood friends of Duke Andrion. Ontrose wins the final joust when Lathan loses his cool. Lathan is a poor loser at first, but eventually congratulates Ontrose on his win. Polgara finds Ontrose… rather attractive. (PtS 305-312) |
| 2940 |
| Belgarath drops in on Polgara, discovering that Polgara's apparently in love with Ontrose (who's only 910 or so years younger than she is). He's fairly certain that nothing is going to come of it, if only because the Mrin Codex doesn't mention anything about her and Ontrose. Polgara goes to have a talk with Duke Garteon III of Asturia, who appears to be threatening war. She doesn't find him. (BtS 358-359, PtS 312-316) |
| 2942 |
| The combined armies of Wacune and Erat are ready to deal with any Asturian plotting by summer. (PtS 320) |
| 2943 |
| Lathan returns–from Vo Astur, where he was posing as an Asturian to resolve conflicting reports from the Wacite spies. He reports that the Asturians are planning to land an army in Polgara's lands near Seline. The Asturian fleet is already moving. Polgara reasons that with a forced march, she can just get her troops in place to defend the city, with the Wacite troops arriving a day or so later (and allowing the combined forces to annihilate the Asturian forces). Polgara relishes the thought of taking the Grolim who's likely behind all of this down to Rak Cthol in pieces–and dropping him bit-by-bit on Ctuchik's head. (PtS 321-327) |
| Polgara finds the Asturian fleet–they're about 10 leagues north of Camaar, at anchor. Ontrose raises the spectre that Lathan may have been recognized (since he was quite prominent at the tournament), and that the Asturians managed to plant some misinformation. Polgara's suspicions are somewhat darker, however. They go to see Lathan. Lathan sets on his former friend when Ontrose figures out that Lathan has betrayed them, with his disinformation pulling the Wacite and Eratian forces so far out of position that they will not be able to defend Vo Wacune. (PtS 327-337) |
| Polgara ruthlessly bullies the Wacite and Eratian forces into action. Her general suggests simply abandoning Vo Wacune–the Asturians can take it, certainly, but they won't be able to hold it for long, and the aftermath is likely to leave Garteon without enough men to patrol Vo Astur. When Poledra brings word that the northern Mimbrate barons intend to attack as well, Polgara summons her father. Unfortunately, he's been reading the Mrin Codex–and already knows that the defense of Vo Wacune is hopeless; the city will fall. Ontrose, as commander of the Wacite forces, orders Polgara, as a Wacite noble, to leave (as there's no place for her in the defenses). Ontrose's last words to Polgara are a reminder that, while Wacune is lost, she has a responsibility to her duchy. (PtS 337-343) |
| Vo Wacune is destroyed. It is entirely possible that Polgara will never entirely forgive her father for allowing this to happen. She takes up residence at Poledra's cottage. (BtS 361-362) |
| As soon as Belgarath's back is turned (i.e., he rides out of sight of Poledra's cottage), Polgara heads back to her manor house to take charge. Her orders are: annex Muros, Darine, and Camaar; convince surviving Wacite units that it's their patriotic duty to spy on Asturian troop movements; and be prepared to annihilate the Asturians the minute they cross the River Camaar. She manages to convince Malon Killaneson (her seneschal) that he can use telepathy to contact her; he conveys her orders to her other subordinates, while she remains back at Poledra's cottage. (PtS 343-352) |
| Polgara's soldiers infiltrate Muros. Elsewhere, units that encounter Asturian forces run away. By autumn, the Asturians are drooling at the thought of taking Muros easily. Unfortunately for them, it's all a ruse: Polgara's forces are waiting for them. The Asturians are torn to shreds. When they flee back across the Camaar River, they run straight into the roving bands of Wacite patriots, eager for revenge. (PtS 352-357) |
| 2944 |
| Malon Killaneson disappears. Signs point to a hasty departure, but not to an abduction. Polgara finds a map of Wacune in his office, with a route of some sort inked in on it. When he returns, Malon tells the full story: he'd received word from some Wacite "patriots" that the Duke of Asturia was going to the ruins of Vo Wacune with his "Murgo" advisor to gloat. They turned the Grolim into a pincushion for arrows, and were going to bring Garteon back to face Pol. But instead they decided that since they had the rope they'd used to unhorse Garteon, and there were all those trees handy, it must be a sign from the Gods… so they hanged him on the spot. (PtS 359-362) |
| "I should probably tell yer Grace that he didn't take it none too well," Malon
continued. "He kept screamin' that he was th' Duke o' Asturia, an' that we couldn't do this
t' him–but as it turned out, we could." – Malon Killaneson, on the death of Garteon of Asturia |
| 3097 |
| The Accords of Val Alorn are reached, allowing Tolnedran merchants access to the Isle of the Winds. The Cherek king, however, fails to inform the Rivan King about the accords, so the Rivans remain in their city. Ran Borune XXIV makes the mistake of trying to force the gates. This time the Rivans do come out–in the process, eliminating five legions and burning all the Tolnedran ships in the harbor to the waterline. The Emperor threatens war, but the Cherek king sends a rather pointed letter to Ran Borune on behalf of all the Alorn kingdoms, and the Emperor backs down. (BtS 363-364, PtS 366) |
| 3150 |
| Polgara gives a rather pointed lesson in politeness to the King Alreg of Cherek, after one of his earls sacks Darine. Alreg is the only person she's ever actually turned into a toad. He moves to suppress the Bear-cult afterward. (PtS 367-370) |
| 3761 |
| Ran Borune XII of the Second Borune Dynasty avoids the assassinations, bribery, and other normal functions of the politics of dynastic succession in the Tolnedran Empire by choosing his successor. The Horbites proved to be a good decision; Ran Horb I is a good emperor, but his son is generally considered the greatest emperor in Tolnedran history. (BtS 364-365, PtS 371) |
| 3817-3822 |
| Ran Horb II ends open warfare in Arendia by allying himself with the Mimbrates, who sack and burn Vo Astur. The Mimbrate duke declares himself King of Arendia (although his kingdom ends where the forests of Asturia begin). (BtS 365, 420; PtS 375) |
| 3827 |
| Ran Horb II establishes the Kingdom of Sendaria–as long as he controls the Great West Road and the other Imperial Highways there, it's easier to let the Sendars govern themselves. So he simply sets down the rules for an election and lets 'em go at it. Ran Horb also concludes treaties that establish rights to build the Great North Road through Sendaria, Algaria, and Drasnia. (BtS 365, 386; PtS 375-376) |
| 3829 |
| Emperor Molvan of Melcena dies. (SD 5) See inconsistency note. |
| 3830 |
| Kallath, a member of the Angarak General Staff, and the husband of the Melcene Emperor's only daughter, has himself declared Emperor. (DLK 5) See inconsistency note. |
| 3831 |
| Kallath uses the Melcene army as a threat to get the Angarak General Staff to declare him the hereditary Commander-in-Chief of the Mallorean Angaraks. He is effectively the first Emperor of Mallorea. (DLK 5, SD 5) See inconsistency note. |
| 3833 |
| After six years, the Sendars finally elect their first king–a rutabaga and cabbage farmer named Fundor. (The King is rather surprised at his elevation to the throne, as he'd forgotten he was still a candidate.) (BtS 365, PoP 139, PtS 375-376) |
| 3911 |
| The Ranite Dynasty takes power in Tolnedra. They mostly function as caretakers. (BtS 365-366) |
| 3944 |
| Illessa (Salmissra) is born. (BtS 396) |
| 4001 |
| The Third Vorduvian Dynasty takes power in Tolnedra. Since Tol Vordue is a seaport, they let the Horbite highway network fall into disrepair. (BtS 366, 391) |
| 4002 |
| Belgarath manages to dredge some meaning out of the Mrin Codex. It warns him that the lives of the entire Rivan royal family are in danger. He and Polgara depart for the Isle of the Winds at top speed, but arrive about ten minutes too late; all but Gorek's youngest grandson, Geran, are killed. Belgarath and Polgara decide that the safest thing to do is to hide the Rivan line. Aside from them, the only person who is supposed to know about that fact is the Rivan Warder. Interrogation of the surviving assassin reveals that the act was carried out at Salmissra's behest, but that she was put up to it by a mysterious foreigner. (BtS 366-375, Bv1 197, PtS 377-383) |
| Polgara takes Geran to her estate in Sendaria. She's taken steps to ensure that it can't even be found (rose trees are quite effective in that regard), so he should be safe there. (BtS 385, PtS 383-390) |
| Belgarath goes to Val Alorn to tell King Valcor what's happened, and then continues to Boktor to tell Radek. He also alerts Cho-Ram of Algaria, and warns Ran Vordue I to ignore the violation of his borders. The Alorns manage to get to Nyissa during the dry season, and begin burning the jungles. (BtS 387-394) |
| When the Alorns converge on Sthiss Tor, Beldin and Belgarath go ahead to question Salmissra (lest the Alorns get to her first). She's already taken poison, but Illessa (her real name) reveals that Zedar had said that Torak would confer immortality on her in exchange for the death of the Rivan King and his family. (BtS 394-397) |
| unknown |
| A young Angarak named Kallath is sent to live with the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Melcena. He is frequently at the Imperial Court, and eventually marries the daughter of the Melcene Emperor. He manages to have himself declared Emperor of Melcena, and uses the Melcene army and his own forces in Rakuth to force the unification of Mallorea. The assassination of Gorek served to keep the Alorns busy while this happened. (BtS 407-408, PtS 390-391) |
| Inconsistency note: At this point, you're no doubt thinking, "Didn't I just read about Kallath in 3830?" Yes, you did. I'm leaving the 3829-3831 references in place, but I think it makes more sense to have it in or after 4002, for reasons described above. It's also corroborated by PtS (pg. 391). |
| unknown |
| A Dal goes to Ashaba; the moment he sees Torak, the Third Age ends. (BtS 407, SK xiii, PtS 390) |
The Fourth Age
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