The Belgariad is a five-book fantasy epic written by David Eddings , following the journey of protagonist Garion and his companions, first to recover a sacred stone, and later to use it against antagonist Torak. It was a bestseller from the first book in the series. It has been called both the "last gasp" of traditional fantasy and "one of the founding megasagas" of modern fantasy.
155-473: This is a list of The Belgariad and The Malloreon characters . The Belgariad and The Malloreon are two parts of a fantasy epic written by David Eddings and Leigh Eddings . Note: All of the statements (deceased, married) are written from the information by the end of the series. Note: These characters are the main protagonists to the story. There are many other minor and supporting protagonists, including some royalty. Note: This section includes
310-712: A bear's shape); and Polgara, with permission by Issa, the god of the Nyissans, transforms Salmissra into an immortal snake. Thereafter Garion is reconciled with Polgara. After learning at the end of the Queen of Sorcery that the Angarak sorcerer Ctuchik had stolen the Orb from its erstwhile thief Zedar, Belgarion and friends set off for the Vale of Aldur after Belgarath had received instruction to do so from Aldur Himself. Although they preferred to avoid it,
465-417: A buildup of scent attracting the attention of predators, the lioness moves her cubs to a new den site several times a month, carrying them one-by-one by the nape of the neck. Usually, the mother does not integrate herself and her cubs back into the pride until the cubs are six to eight weeks old. Sometimes the introduction to pride life occurs earlier, particularly if other lionesses have given birth at about
620-465: A catastrophic war, like the one that had culminated in the Battle of Vo Mimbre some 500 years previously, Belgarion decided to set off relatively on his own to face Torak.Taking only Belgarath, and Silk with him he left notes for Polgara and Ce'Nedra with instructions not to pursue them. From this point in the story the narrative is split into two tracks, with the first following Garion, Belgarath and Silk and
775-540: A closer relationship with P. leo melanochaita . Lion samples from some parts of the Ethiopian Highlands cluster genetically with those from Cameroon and Chad, while lions from other areas of Ethiopia cluster with samples from East Africa. Researchers, therefore, assume Ethiopia is a contact zone between the two subspecies. Genome -wide data of a wild-born historical lion sample from Sudan showed that it clustered with P. l. leo in mtDNA-based phylogenies, but with
930-471: A constant lookout for circling vultures, which indicate the death or distress of an animal. Most carrion on which both hyenas and lions feed upon are killed by hyenas rather than lions. Carrion is thought to provide a large part of lion diet. Lions and spotted hyenas occupy a similar ecological niche and compete for prey and carrion; a review of data across several studies indicates a dietary overlap of 58.6%. Lions typically ignore hyenas unless they are on
1085-407: A conversation with a local Nadrak who tells of a Queen raising an army in the west. Garion is incredulous and even wonders if it was Polgara. Soon afterwards Mallorean recruiters arrive and the three of them manage to get out just in time - unlike their new Nadrak friend. Lion The lion ( Panthera leo ) is a large cat of the genus Panthera , native to Africa and India . It has
1240-425: A favoured position in the group, either stalking prey on the "wing", then attacking, or moving a smaller distance in the centre of the group and capturing prey fleeing from other lionesses. Males attached to prides do not usually participate in group hunting. Some evidence suggests, however, that males are just as successful as females; they are typically solo hunters who ambush prey in small bushland. They may join in
1395-470: A few reported cases of old and wounded lions falling prey to wild dogs. Most lionesses reproduce by the time they are four years of age. Lions do not mate at a specific time of year and the females are polyestrous . Like those of other cats, the male lion's penis has spines that point backward. During withdrawal of the penis, the spines rake the walls of the female's vagina, which may cause ovulation . A lioness may mate with more than one male when she
1550-515: A giant creature related to trolls, but far more intelligent and far more deadly. They are forced to fight him to the death and it comes at some cost with both Mandorallen and Durnik suffering significant injuries. Barak also receives a leg wound. After that, they continue unmolested to Prolgu and are welcomed by the Gorim - chieftain and elder of the Ulgo. They are there to recruit Relg a rock diviner who has both
1705-406: A green-cloaked individual of treason. A few days later, Barak and Garion are hunting wild boar when Garion notices the green-cloaked spy discussing further espionage ; but before Garion can tell anyone of this, he is attacked by a wild boar, which is then slain by Barak in the form of a bear. Garion later exposes the green-cloaked spy, and the latter's patrons are defeated in a fight. Garion himself
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#17331069891161860-448: A hand. The man falls to the ground with an ugly welt on his head. Polgara instructs Garion to get off his horse and apologise to the man who comes to with his sanity restored. The monks proclaim a miracle, but Garion knows otherwise as do Belgarath and Polgara. In healing the monk of his madness, Garion performed his first, albeit unknowingly, act of sorcery. They then press on with their quest with their next planned stop being to talk to
2015-548: A heavier mane. On average, Asiatic lions have sparser manes than African lions. This feature likely evolved to signal the fitness of males to females. Males with darker manes appear to have greater reproductive success and are more likely to remain in a pride for longer. They have longer and thicker hair and higher testosterone levels, but they are also more vulnerable to heat stress. The core body temperature does apparently not increase regardless of sex, season, feeding time, length and colour of mane, but only surface temperature
2170-590: A high affinity to P. l. melanochaita . This result suggested that the taxonomic position of lions in Central Africa may require revision. Other lion subspecies or sister species to the modern lion existed in prehistoric times: The Panthera lineage is estimated to have genetically diverged from the common ancestor of the Felidae around 9.32 to 4.47 million years ago to 11.75 to 0.97 million years ago . Results of analyses differ in
2325-473: A key species sought for exhibition in zoological gardens across the world since the late 18th century. Cultural depictions of lions were prominent in Ancient Egypt , and depictions have occurred in virtually all ancient and medieval cultures in the lion's historic and current range. The English word lion is derived via Anglo-Norman liun from Latin leōnem (nominative: leō ), which in turn
2480-495: A kill or are being harassed, while the latter tend to visibly react to the presence of lions with or without the presence of food. In the Ngorongoro crater , lions subsist largely on kills stolen from hyenas, causing them to increase their kill rate. In Botswana's Chobe National Park, the situation is reversed as hyenas there frequently challenge lions and steal their kills, obtaining food from 63% of all lion kills. When confronted on
2635-505: A kill, hyenas may either leave or wait patiently at a distance of 30–100 m (98–328 ft) until the lions have finished. Hyenas may feed alongside lions and force them off a kill. The two species attack one another even when there is no food involved for no apparent reason. Lions can account for up to 71% of hyena deaths in Etosha National Park . Hyenas have adapted by frequently mobbing lions that enter their home ranges. When
2790-519: A kill. Crippled lions and cubs may fall victim to hyenas and leopards or be trampled by buffalo or elephants. Careless lions may be maimed when hunting prey. Nile crocodiles may also kill and eat lions, evidenced by the occasional lion claw found in crocodile stomachs. Ticks commonly infest the ears, neck and groin regions of the lions. Adult forms of several tapeworm species of the genus Taenia have been isolated from lion intestines, having been ingested as larvae in antelope meat. Lions in
2945-558: A lion makes when sniffing chemical signals and involves an open mouth with bared teeth, raised muzzle, wrinkled nose, closed eyes and relaxed ears. Lions also use chemical and visual marking; males spray urine and scrape plots of ground and objects within the territory. The lion's repertoire of vocalisations is large; variations in intensity and pitch appear to be central to communication. Most lion vocalisations are variations of growling , snarling , meowing and roaring. Other sounds produced include puffing, bleating and humming. Roaring
3100-473: A longer evolutionary history than genetically less diverse lion samples from Asia and West and Central Africa. A whole genome-wide sequence of lion samples showed that samples from West Africa shared alleles with samples from Southern Africa, and samples from Central Africa shared alleles with samples from Asia. This phenomenon indicates that Central Africa was a melting pot of lion populations after they had become isolated, possibly migrating through corridors in
3255-399: A loose pride while females associate with up to 12 other females, forming a stronger pride together with their cubs. Female and male lions associate only when mating. Coalitions of males hold territory for a longer time than single lions. Males in coalitions of three or four individuals exhibit a pronounced hierarchy, in which one male dominates the others and mates more frequently. The lion
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#17331069891163410-449: A muscular, broad-chested body ; a short, rounded head; round ears; and a dark, hairy tuft at the tip of its tail. It is sexually dimorphic ; adult male lions are larger than females and have a prominent mane. It is a social species , forming groups called prides. A lion's pride consists of a few adult males, related females, and cubs. Groups of female lions usually hunt together, preying mostly on medium-sized and large ungulates . The lion
3565-433: A nomad is a "range". Males associated with a pride patrol the fringes. Both males and females defend the pride against intruders, but the male lion is better-suited for this purpose due to its stockier, more powerful build. Some individuals consistently lead the defense against intruders, while others lag behind. Lions tend to assume specific roles in the pride; slower-moving individuals may provide other valuable services to
3720-544: A nomadic phase before gaining residence in a pride. A study undertaken in the Serengeti National Park revealed that nomadic coalitions gain residency at between 3.5 and 7.3 years of age. In Kruger National Park, dispersing male lions move more than 25 km (16 mi) away from their natal pride in search of their own territory. Female lions stay closer to their natal pride. Therefore, female lions in an area are more closely related to each other than male lions in
3875-491: A rage, which devastates her apartment and causes a thunderstorm overhead. Ce'Nedra too, feeling humiliated and taking it personally, has her own tantrum before calming down. She then discovers the power of Beldaran's necklace and, having learnt the reason for Garion's departure, she raises an international army to distract the Angaraks from Garion's quest so that he may reach Cthol Mishrak safely and overcome Torak. The final book of
4030-425: A reed-bed, a cave, or some other sheltered area, usually away from the pride. She will often hunt alone while the cubs are still helpless, staying relatively close to the den. Lion cubs are born blind, their eyes opening around seven days after birth. They weigh 1.2–2.1 kg (2.6–4.6 lb) at birth and are almost helpless, beginning to crawl a day or two after birth and walking around three weeks of age. To avoid
4185-565: A short, rounded head, a reduced neck, and round ears; males have broader heads. The fur varies in colour from light buff to silvery grey, yellowish red, and dark brown. The colours of the underparts are generally lighter. A new-born lion has dark spots , which fade as the cub reaches adulthood, although faint spots may still be seen on the legs and underparts. The tail of all lions ends in a dark, hairy tuft that, in some lions, conceals an approximately 5 mm (0.20 in)-long, hard "spine" or "spur" composed of dermal papillae. The functions of
4340-456: A trance and somehow, while the others go under, Garion slipped into a semi-wakeful consciousness that has to all intents and purposes turned off his emotions. The "voice" (of the prophecy) had been waiting for this opportunity to talk to him rationally about what he is destined to do and it is here that an analogy comes up. In the analogy the voice describes how something went wrong in the universe and it created two divergent destinies one of which
4495-459: A vision of Garion suddenly taking hold of the Orb, Ctuchik attempts to "unmake" the Orb and thus "unmakes" himself. The explosion sets off an earthquake. The group escapes, taking the now unconscious Belgarath and Errand the Orb Bearer. With the book ending with them fleeing the collapsing city. On their way out of the caves under Rak Cthol they pause briefly to pick up Taiba who Relg pulls through
4650-429: A year old and begin to hunt effectively when nearing the age of two. Single lions are capable of bringing down zebra and wildebeest, while larger prey like buffalo and giraffe are riskier. In Chobe National Park , large prides have been observed hunting African bush elephants up to around 15 years old in exceptional cases, with the victims being calves, juveniles, and even subadults. In typical hunts, each lioness has
4805-404: Is in heat . Lions of both sexes may be involved in group homosexual and courtship activities. Males will also head-rub and roll around with each other before mounting each other. Generation length of the lion is about seven years. The average gestation period is around 110 days; the female gives birth to a litter of between one and four cubs in a secluded den, which may be a thicket,
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4960-905: Is a generalist hypercarnivore and is considered to be both an apex and keystone predator due to its wide prey spectrum. Its prey consists mainly of medium-sized to large ungulates , particularly blue wildebeest , plains zebra , African buffalo , gemsbok and giraffe . It also frequently takes common warthog despite it being much smaller. In India, chital and sambar deer are the most common wild prey, while livestock contributes significantly to lion kills outside protected areas. It usually avoids fully grown adult elephants , rhinoceros and hippopotamus and small prey like dik-dik , hyraxes , hares and monkeys . Unusual prey include porcupines and small reptiles. Lions kill other predators but seldom consume them. Young lions first display stalking behaviour at around three months of age, although they do not participate in hunting until they are almost
5115-543: Is a mixture of dry savannah forest and very dry, deciduous scrub forest . In Africa, the range of the lion originally spanned most of the central African rainforest zone and the Sahara desert. In the 1960s, it became extinct in North Africa, except in the southern part of Sudan. During the mid- Holocene , around 8,000-6,000 years ago, the range of lions expanded into Southeastern and Eastern Europe, partially re-occupying
5270-924: Is affected. Unlike in other felid species, female lions consistently interact with multiple males at once. Another hypothesis suggests that the mane also serves to protect the neck in fights, but this is disputed. During fights, including those involving maneless females and adolescents, the neck is not targeted as much as the face, back, and hindquarters. Injured lions also begin to lose their manes. Almost all male lions in Pendjari National Park are either maneless or have very short manes. Maneless lions have also been reported in Senegal, in Sudan 's Dinder National Park and in Tsavo East National Park , Kenya. Castrated lions often have little to no mane because
5425-404: Is almost captured, but escapes. Garion learns that Polgara is Belgarath's daughter and the sister of Garion's second-most-distant female ancestor (identified in the prologue as Queen Beldaran, wife of Riva), and for that reason called his aunt. Having learned this, Garion identifies Belgarath as his grandfather. The group, with the addition of an Algarian prince named Hettar, then leave in search of
5580-465: Is an apex and keystone predator ; although some lions scavenge when opportunities occur and have been known to hunt humans , lions typically do not actively seek out and prey on humans. The lion inhabits grasslands , savannahs , and shrublands . It is usually more diurnal than other wild cats, but when persecuted, it adapts to being active at night and at twilight . During the Neolithic period,
5735-427: Is carried to The Stronghold with the utmost urgency for his very life was in danger. Cajoled, tormented and molly-coddled, Polgara nurses him back to health. In doing so she abandons her usual remedies as she knows her father well enough to realise that he will just lay back and indulge in being taken care of. What he needed most was mental stimulation and what she feared most was that he might have lost his ability to use
5890-484: Is down in the caves below the ancient city. Proglu was abandoned after the cracking of the world sent the monsters insane. Before they get there they encounter a herd of carnivorous hruglin, horse-like creatures, and have to kill the stallion to drive them off. Just before Hettar kills the stallion his mind (as a Sha-Dar) connects with it just momentarily before the madness returns and he regrettably kills it. As they continue they also come face to face with Grul, an Eldrak,
6045-420: Is generally acknowledged as a co-author of the earlier books as well. The Belgariad is composed of five books, namely Pawn of Prophecy (1982), Queen of Sorcery (1982), Magician's Gambit (1983), Castle of Wizardry (1984), and Enchanters' End Game (1984). The title of each book combines a chess term with a fantasy term; whereas the concept of a 'Game of Destiny' is a significant motif in
6200-399: Is generally mutual and the recipient appears to express pleasure. The head and neck are the most common parts of the body licked; this behaviour may have arisen out of utility because lions cannot lick these areas themselves. Lions have an array of facial expressions and body postures that serve as visual gestures. A common facial expression is the "grimace face" or flehmen response , which
6355-537: Is immediately alarmed, for fear that Belgarath has lost his power but by the time he tells Vordai it is too late. After conferring with the spirit of Aldur, Belgarath gives the fenlings the power to talk and it was only later when Garion realises that even he could have used sorcery to find their way out of the fens that Belgarath had done it out of compassion. Any thoughts of Belgarath losing his power are forever dispelled at that moment. They then head towards Boktor where they confer with Porenn and Silk meets his mother who
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6510-632: Is married to Zakath at the end of the series. Senji is an Alchemist and Sorcerer whom Beldin, Belgarath , and Garion meet in Melcene during Sorceress of Darshiva after they followed Zandramas' trail there. He is identified as 'the Clubfoot' by Cyradis and is around 3900 years old. He leads the sorcerers to a museum where the Sardion once rested and gives Belgarath a copy of the Ashabine Oracles. His power
6665-521: Is no evidence for gene flow between the two lineages, indicating that they did not share the same geographic area. The Eurasian and American cave lions became extinct at the end of the last glacial period without mitochondrial descendants on other continents. The modern lion was probably widely distributed in Africa during the Middle Pleistocene and started to diverge in sub-Saharan Africa during
6820-539: Is refused and soon after the continue on the journey. As they set off and leave the Dryads behind Silk and Belgarath head off on their own in pursuit of Zedar and the Orb as they'd be able to move faster, with the intention being to meet up again in the Nyissan capital of Sthiss Tor in a couple of weeks. Meanwhile, the rest of them start making their own way directly to Sthiss Tor, but are detained by Tolnedran legionnaires under
6975-751: Is ruled by one of the five major families: the Honethites , the Vorduvians , the Borunes , the Horbites , and the Ranites . The Belgariad and The Mallorean take place during the reign of Ran Borune XXIII and his successor Varana (later Ran Borune XXIV). The primary military force of Tolnedra are the numerous Legions: a heavy infantry similar to the Roman legionaries. They are also unusual in their complete rejection of, and disbelief in,
7130-623: Is served by a High Priest, who is always called Gorim. The successive Gorims, although not immortal, live as long as UL requires them to serve. The successor of the Gorim is identified as having violet eyes. Poledra also served UL for many years, and so may be considered his disciple as much as Aldur's. In the War of Destinies, he is generally seen on the side of Light, often working closely with Aldur. Due to his appearance as one in The Seeress of Kell , his totem may be an albatross . David Eddings mentions, in
7285-415: Is short and powerful; it attempts to catch prey with a fast rush and final leap, usually pulls it down by the rump, and kills with a clamping bite to the throat or muzzle . It can hold the prey's throat for up to 13 minutes, until the prey stops moving. It has a bite force from 1593.8 to 1768 Newtons at the canine tip and up 4167.6 Newtons at the carnassial notch. Lions typically consume prey at
7440-510: Is simply the only word that he, in his child form, was able to remember for many years. In this form, Errand was raised as Polgara's ward; and in his adulthood, accompanied Belgarion to the 'High Places of Korim', to achieve his own apotheosis . It is stated, though not seen in the stories, that upon apotheosis, he would eventually replace all the other Gods. He takes no totem animal, but is frequently accompanied by an unusual stallion (a stillborn colt revived by Belgarion), simply named Horse . UL
7595-447: Is situated on the swampy equatorial west coast of the western continent. The head of state is the high priestess Salmissra, who is chosen for physical resemblance to her long-dead namesake. Most Nyissan people shave off their hair, because the insects native to the swamps of Nyissa like to nest in it. The use of drugs and poisons is common in politics. Sendars are a people of primarily Alorn and Arendish descent, located north of Arendia on
7750-586: Is the Tsavo lion pride that always has just one adult male. Prides act as fission–fusion societies , and members will split into subgroups that keep in contact with roars . Nomadic lions range widely and move around sporadically, either in pairs or alone. Pairs are more frequent among related males. A lion may switch lifestyles; nomads can become residents and vice versa. Interactions between prides and nomads tend to be hostile, although pride females in estrus allow nomadic males to approach them. Males spend years in
7905-569: Is the Seer chosen to appoint Light or Dark as the dominant moral force of the story's world in the final meeting between the rival prophesies. She first appears to Errand at the Vale of Aldur; later to the other protagonists at Rheon; and is shown as a slight girl with dark blonde hair and a blindfold over her eyes. She is escorted by the mute Toth. During the final Choice, Polgara removes her blindfold, to assist her decision; and Cyradis chooses Eriond (Light) over Geran (Dark), but loses her second sight . She
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#17331069891168060-615: Is the most social of all wild felid species, living in groups of related individuals with their offspring. Such a group is called a " pride ". Groups of male lions are called "coalitions". Females form the stable social unit in a pride and do not tolerate outside females. The majority of females remain in their birth prides while all males and some females will disperse . The average pride consists of around 15 lions, including several adult females and up to four males and their cubs of both sexes. Large prides, consisting of up to 30 individuals, have been observed. The sole exception to this pattern
8215-451: Is the mysterious god of the Ulgos, who originally were a tribe of people without a god of their own. He is not counted among the traditional seven, and theologians of their religions are ambivalent in their treatment of him. At the end of The Belgariad , it is revealed that he is the father of the seven gods, and omnipresent as well. He is also god of the monstrous beasts rejected by his sons. UL
8370-411: Is the original and the other an alternative. Garion equates this to when Doroon broke a window at Faldor's Farm and the voice goes along with this and suggests that if another stone was to be thrown quickly enough then it could deflect the first stone and Faldor's window would be saved. The implication being that the voice is the stone-thrower and Garion is the stone. Soon after the conversation finishes,
8525-475: Is typically brownish and tinged with yellow, rust, and black hairs. Mutations in the genes microphthalmia-associated transcription factor and tyrosinase are possibly responsible for the colour of manes. It starts growing when lions enter adolescence, when testosterone levels increase, and reach their full size at around four years old. Cool ambient temperatures in European and North American zoos may result in
8680-426: Is unable to consume all of the kill, it rests for a few hours before continuing to eat. On hot days, the pride retreats to shade with one or two males standing guard. Lions defend their kills from scavengers such as vultures and hyenas. Lions scavenge on carrion when the opportunity arises, scavenging animals dead from natural causes such as disease or those that were killed by other predators. Scavenging lions keep
8835-406: Is weaker than theirs because of lack of practice due to his focus on transmutation of metals through alchemy . Alorns are the people of Belar , that occupy the north-western part of the western continent. Divided into several nations to better protect the Orb of Aldur, but retaining strong military and economic ties. Angaraks are the people of Torak . In Mallorea, they are the dominant people in
8990-505: The Narmada River in central India. Lions spend much of their time resting; they are inactive for about twenty hours per day. Although lions can be active at any time, their activity generally peaks after dusk with a period of socialising, grooming, and defecating. Intermittent bursts of activity continue until dawn, when hunting most often takes place. They spend an average of two hours a day walking and fifty minutes eating. The lion
9145-478: The Nile Basin during the early Holocene . In zoos, lions have been bred with tigers to create hybrids for the curiosity of visitors or for scientific purpose. The liger is bigger than a lion and a tiger, whereas most tigons are relatively small compared to their parents because of reciprocal gene effects. The leopon is a hybrid between a lion and leopard. The lion is a muscular, broad-chested cat with
9300-683: The Rivan Codex , that the spelling of UL in capital letters was a typographical error permitted to stand. These are characters in the Belgariad and the Malloreon that influence the story, but do not fit into any of the other categories. The Prophecy of Light is the positive main driving force of the protagonists, six of gods, and Eriond. Often called the "dry voice" in Garion's mind, to whom (and occasionally through whom to others) it offered guidance. Cyradis
9455-536: The Will and the Word the very thing that had kept Angarak in check since The Battle of Vo Mimbre some 500 years earlier. Once recovered and in time for Erastide they travelled to Riva, but not before picking up Ce'Nedra from Ulgo. Then as they head west, Garion, Polgara, Ce'Nedra and Durnik visit Faldor's Farm for one last time. For Polgara it was so she could pick up some favourite pots she'd been left behind, but most importantly it
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#17331069891169610-448: The Angaraks (and particularly the Murgos) in his kingdom. He also pledged to ready his kingdom for the anticipated war against Torak's forces. The party next travels to Tolnedra, and soon after crossing the border they come across a group of Monks from Mar Terrin. One of them, driven insane by the continual presence of the spirits of Maragor launches himself at Garion who naturally reaches out
9765-749: The Asiatic lion population. In 2017, the Cat Classification Task Force of the Cat Specialist Group revised lion taxonomy , and recognises two subspecies based on results of several phylogeographic studies on lion evolution , namely: However, there seems to be some degree of overlap between both groups in northern Central Africa. DNA analysis from a more recent study indicates that Central African lions are derived from both northern and southern lions, as they cluster with P. leo leo in mtDNA-based phylogenies whereas their genomic DNA indicates
9920-506: The Disciples, as is shown by the prefix Pol- being the feminine of Bel- . At one stage, Aldur also names Polgara as his Beloved daughter , although this may be connected to the title "Ancient and Beloved", given to her father Belgarath. The Disciples all at some time take residence at the Vale of Aldur , where each disciple has its own tower , apart from Poledra and Polgara who inhabit a cottage at
10075-532: The Emperor Ran Borune in the city of Tol Honeth, and are nearly captured by a group of mercenaries for the Queen of neighboring Nyissa. At Tol Honeth, Belgarath and Polgara urge the Emperor to rid Tolnedra of the invading 'Murgos'; but Ran Borune refuses. Ce'Nedra bursts in towards the end of the meeting and Garion feels a sense of recognition although he has no idea how their lives would become forever entwined in
10230-481: The Emperor. They take Kador prisoner and promise to deliver him to the garrison at Tol Borune as commanded to by Ce-Nedra who is speaking in her authority as an Imperial Princess of Tolnedra. Arriving at Nyissa by boat, Garion, angry at the treatment of the slaves there, uses the Will and the Word (the ability shared by himself with Belgarath, Polgara, and all other sorcerers in the story) to teleport one but does not know that
10385-402: The Gorim cursed the remaining so they would have no children, and he left with his followers. The Ulgos live in a city in an extensive cave system under the mountains of Ulgoland, where the forementioned beasts live. The Ulgos continually remember their godless state, and thus are ever thankful to UL and are extremely religious. They played a major role in the Battle of Vo Mimbre as they swept from
10540-609: The Late Pleistocene. Lion populations in East and Southern Africa became separated from populations in West and North Africa when the equatorial rainforest expanded 183,500 to 81,800 years ago. They shared a common ancestor probably between 98,000 and 52,000 years ago. Due to the expansion of the Sahara between 83,100 and 26,600 years ago, lion populations in West and North Africa became separated. As
10695-458: The Marags, Mara is surrounded by the ghosts of his dead people, so that few could enter his domain without being driven mad. The exception is the monastery at Mar Terrin, where Tolnedran monks attempt to comfort the spirits of the Marags. He is found always howling in the ruins of Mar Amon, his capital, until the restoration of the Marags. Nedra is the second-oldest of the seven gods. He is the god of
10850-503: The Murgos, and that some still lived in the slave pens under Rak Cthol. Most details about Maragor come from Belgarath the Sorcerer , wherein it is stated girls were born 8 to 9 times more often than boys. As a result, Marag women controlled society. The governing body was a group of nine elder women known as the "Council of Matriarchs". Marriage was relatively unknown, and sexual promiscuity
11005-558: The Ngorongoro Crater were afflicted by an outbreak of stable fly ( Stomoxys calcitrans ) in 1962, resulting in lions becoming emaciated and covered in bloody, bare patches. Lions sought unsuccessfully to evade the biting flies by climbing trees or crawling into hyena burrows; many died or migrated and the local population dropped from 70 to 15 individuals. A more recent outbreak in 2001 killed six lions. Captive lions have been infected with canine distemper virus (CDV) since at least
11160-466: The Orb restores his face. Eriond, originally called Errand, was a spirit originally meant to be the God of the Angaraks until a 'Great Accident' (the misplaced explosion of a star) caused Torak to exist. Eriond thereafter persisted in spirit until Zedar began his search for the Orb of Aldur. Errand then appeared as a child to Zedar, who used him to seize the Orb. The name "Errand" is not derived from "Eriond", but
11315-549: The Orb's blue fire. Beldin therefore referred to Torak as "Old burnt-face"; this reference hints at Beldin's true identity when he is in disguise, as he is the only one to use it. Alone among his brothers, Torak served the Dark in the War of the Gods , caused by himself; and when almost defeated, he forced the Orb to create a new ocean, with his worshippers on one side and their enemies on the other. As
11470-440: The Orb's intelligence; the Orb mutilates the left side of Torak's body. The Orb of Aldur is later recovered by Belgarath the Sorcerer, King Cherek, and Cherek's sons. Riva, Cherek's youngest son, is found to be able to hold the Orb unharmed; he and his descendants protect the Orb from Torak. The story then begins in earnest with the experiences of protagonist Garion. His childhood on a large, prosperous farm: his earliest memories in
11625-504: The Orb. The story opens in the Kingdom of Arendia, where Garion duels and then befriends a master archer named Lelldorin. The party travel to Lelldorin's uncle's manor, where Garion hears about a plot to kill the Mimbrate king Korodullin and to start a civil war between the two grand duchies. The plot is masterminded by a spy from Cthol Murgos named Nachak. After leaving Lelldorin's uncle's manor
11780-446: The Race who Died') and do what they can to make her comfortable before carrying on. On their way up they encounter Brill again, who Silk dispatches with a throw that tosses him over the parapets to his death. Silk later jokes that Brill was trying to fly, but not doing very well unless bouncing counts Ultimately they reach Ctuchik's chambers, which only Belgarath, Garion and Polgara enter with
11935-470: The Sorceress (1997) are prequels that share the setting and most characters. The Rivan Codex (1998) features annotated background material. The book opens with a prologue , beginning with the creation of the world by seven gods. Aldur, oldest of the seven, fashions a stone orb and creates within it a "living soul". Torak, the most beautiful of the seven, attempts to seize the Orb from Aldur and subdue
12090-573: The Sorceress . His totem animal is the owl ; this is never mentioned in the primary story (though the owl is commonly associated with his disciples), but appears in the Rivan Codex . After Aldur and his brothers create the world in which the stories are set, Aldur refuses to take a seventh part of mankind to worship him, leaving the ancestors of the Ulgos, Dals, Morindim, Karands, and Melcenes Godless. Instead, he takes disciples, prepending Bel- to their names. Polgara and Poledra are also counted among
12245-510: The Tolnedrans, and his totem animal is the lion . Nedra instills the values of thrift and wealth into his people: as a result, Tolnedrans are often associated with avarice, materialism, and deceit, a culture where money and wealth is of the highest value. Their culture thrives on enterprise and commerce. Bribery controlling politics especially in the decision of heir to the imperial throne. Nedra has several proverbs attributed to him that come in
12400-573: The War of Destinies, and is also described as being close to Mara. When he maintains a physical presence in the world, he appears as a young man, and is known for drinking and feasting with Alorn warriors, and for lavishing his attentions on young women. In Guardians of the West , he is identified as an incessant speaker. Chaldan is the god of the Arends, and his totem animal is the bull . Chaldan emphasises pride and militaristic tradition as virtues ; therefore sermons at funerals are not concerned with
12555-691: The adjacent Timbavati Private Game Reserve in eastern South Africa. They were removed from the wild in the 1970s, thus decreasing the white lion gene pool . Nevertheless, 17 births have been recorded in five prides between 2007 and 2015. White lions are selected for breeding in captivity. They have reportedly been bred in camps in South Africa for use as trophies to be killed during canned hunts . African lions live in scattered populations across sub-Saharan Africa. The lion prefers grassy plains and savannahs , scrub bordering rivers, and open woodlands with bushes. It rarely enters closed forests. On Mount Elgon ,
12710-424: The age of two. When a new male lion takes over a pride, adolescents both male and female may be evicted. Lions may live 12–17 years in the wild. Although adult lions have no natural predators, evidence suggests most die violently from attacks by humans or other lions. Lions often inflict serious injuries on members of other prides they encounter in territorial disputes or members of the home pride when fighting at
12865-544: The animal's expressive movements are highly developed. The most common peaceful, tactile gestures are head rubbing and social licking , which have been compared with the role of allogrooming among primates. Head rubbing, nuzzling the forehead, face and neck against another lion appears to be a form of greeting and is seen often after an animal has been apart from others or after a fight or confrontation. Males tend to rub other males, while cubs and females rub females. Social licking often occurs in tandem with head rubbing; it
13020-499: The attack. They take advantage of factors that reduce visibility; many kills take place near some form of cover or at night. One study in 2018 recorded a lion running at a top speed of 74.1 km/h (46.0 mph). The lion accelerates at the start of the chase by 9.5 m/s² , whereas zebras, wildebeest and Thomson's gazelle accelerate by 5 m/s², 5.6 m/s² and 4.5 m/s², respectively; acceleration appears to be more important than steady displacement speed in lion hunts. The lion's attack
13175-490: The broken remains of Rak Cthol and shatters the jewel which they are using to concentrate their will before rather melodramatically threatening one of the Hierarchs by clutching his shadow hand around his heart. When Garion's shadow returns Belgarath stirs briefly and now the threat has been neutralised they are able to continue unshielded, but with the knowledge that Taur Urgas is pursuing them. As they race across Cthol Murgos in
13330-454: The cause of the decline is not fully understood, habitat loss and conflicts with humans are the greatest causes for concern. One of the most widely recognised animal symbols in human culture, the lion has been extensively depicted in sculptures and paintings, on national flags, and in literature and films. Lions have been kept in menageries since the time of the Roman Empire and have been
13485-524: The coast of the western continent. The land that is now Sendaria was once the Arendish Duchy of Erat, owned by Polgara the Sorceress . Tolnedran Emperor Ran Horb II worked successfully to establish the independent Kingdom of Sendaria, to prevent Arendia from becoming more influential than Tolnedra. Practicality and a strong work ethic are intrinsic to the Sendarian national identity, and a lot of food eaten in
13640-434: The collapsed rocks, just as he has done Silk after he had been captured by Brill. Now out in the open the role of leader is thrust upon Garion with Belgarath incapacitated after his fight with Ctuchik and Polgara focusing on protecting Errand. Unable to attack Errand directly the Hierarchs of Rak Cthol go for Durnik instead. With the guidance of The Prophecy Garion climbs into his shadow and goes after them. He soon finds them in
13795-561: The comforting of the bereaved, but with vengeance . Chaldan does not play a significant role in the stories. Issa is the god of the Nyissans. His totem animal is the serpent . Though physically present in the world, Issa spends long periods sleeping, disguised as a large statue behind the royal throne of Nyssa. When all the gods save Torak left the world, he gave the governance of his people to his high priestess, Salmissra, but neglected to prolong her life. A long line of subsequent Salmissras ruled in her stead, each chosen by their resemblance to
13950-511: The command of Grand Duke Kador of Tol Vordue. They are accompanied by Asharak / Chamdar. Kador demands that Ce'Nedra be handed over to secure Kador's claim on the imperial throne. Asharak just wants Polgara and Garion and doesn't care what happens to the others. Polgara is powerless to do anything because Asharak has his hand grasped on Garion's heart (in the sense that he could crush it using sorcery). Almost unnoticed Garion alone can act and when Asharak slaps Polgara, Garion strikes Asharak and speaks
14105-439: The concepts of magic and sorcery, on the basis of principles. Ulgos originally were Godless, but after years of pleading on the top of a mountain, their leader convinced the god UL to rule and protect them and the animals and beasts that the other gods did not. After UL renamed their leader Gorim, he returned to his people but only a minority of the group believed him. Angered by their flippant disregard for his years of dedication,
14260-411: The cubs varies—one male could patiently let the cubs play with his tail or his mane, while another may snarl and bat the cubs away. Pride lionesses often synchronise their reproductive cycles and communal rearing and suckling of the young, which suckle indiscriminately from any or all of the nursing females in the pride. The synchronisation of births is advantageous because the cubs grow to being roughly
14415-449: The direction of Algaria things gets very tight and they are not helped by their horses cramping up. In the end, just when they thought they were about to be intercepted countless Algarian horsemen swept down and slaughtered a great many of the Murgos. For just a brief moment Taur Urgas and King Cho-Hag of Algaria came within range of each other before once more being swept apart by the ensuing battle. That very evening Belgarath collapses and
14570-423: The experience of seeping through the rock left Silk traumatised he was physically fine and so they continued with the journey. Later Garion learns how to create a mind shield which, with Polgara, is used to hide the party on their approach while Belgarath concentrates on Ctuchik himself. They enter Rak Cthol through the caves that lead to the slave pens and on the way they meet Taiba (a Marag slave woman;'The Mother of
14725-496: The far edge of the Vale. Aldur also possesses a tower, wherein furniture may appear or disappear as he wishes. The Belgariad' s MacGuffin is the Orb of Aldur : a sentient stone polished into a roughly spherical shape by Aldur, and seized by Torak. Belar is the youngest of the seven gods. He is the god of the Alorns, and his totem animal is the bear . Belar is closely allied with Aldur in
14880-413: The father of the Gods makes himself present and commands Relg to go. UL then turns his attention to Ce'Nedra and compels her to stay behind as a guest of Gorim, the Ulgos. UL warns that if she goes to Cthol Murgos she will surely die and the prophecy will be lost. Ce'Nedra usually willful and independently minded, recognises the authority of the command and stays behind as ordered. So with Relg now on board
15035-459: The form of advice for commerce. Torak is the third of the seven Gods. His people are the Angaraks, and his is the only totem animal counted among the monstrous races (perhaps due to Torak's vain attempts to enhance the creature): the dragon . The left side of his body, most notably his face and hand, are maimed by the Orb of Aldur ; and his left eye (called 'the Eye that Was Not') perpetually burns with
15190-534: The group. Alternatively, there may be rewards associated with being a leader that fends off intruders; the rank of lionesses in the pride is reflected in these responses. The male or males associated with the pride must defend their relationship with the pride from outside males who may attempt to usurp them. Dominance hierarchies do not appear to exist among individuals of either sex in a pride. Asiatic lion prides differ in group composition. Male Asiatic lions are solitary or associate with up to three males, forming
15345-467: The head of a theocratic military culture, Torak drove the Angaraks to dominate their neighbors the Dals, Karands, and Melcenes, and conquered much of the eastern continent. Like many fantasy villains , Torak almost achieves domination of the world, only to be vanquished in a great battle, and re-appears, after a long absence, in the central story, wherein he is slain by Belgarion . After Belgarion slays Torak,
15500-570: The hunting of large, slower-moving prey like buffalo; and even hunt them on their own. Moderately-sized hunting groups generally have higher success rates than lone females and larger groups. Lions are not particularly known for their stamina. For instance, a lioness's heart comprises only 0.57% of her body weight and a male's is about 0.45% of his body weight, whereas a hyena's heart comprises almost 1% of its body weight. Thus, lions run quickly only in short bursts at about 48–59 km/h (30–37 mph) and need to be close to their prey before starting
15655-697: The idea for a fantasy series somewhat "cynically" after noticing how many times J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings series had been reprinted. He had an epiphany, realizing the fantasy genre might be very lucrative and was currently "underserved". He mapped out an imaginary world to use in developing the story for the Belgariad. He has also said he was influenced by reading medieval epics and by Lester del Rey 's editorial input. In later works he acknowledged his wife, Leigh Eddings , as an "unindicted collaborator"; eventually later books credited her as co-author. She
15810-560: The kitchen of his Aunt Pol; his friend Durnik the blacksmith; early games and friends; and the romance between Garion and local girl Zubrette. It also introduces Belgarath , as a wandering storyteller nicknamed 'Mister Wolf'; Garion's telepathic vision of the antagonist Asharak/Chamdar; and a "dry voice" in his mind, distinct from his own consciousness. The reader later discovers that this is the Voice of Prophecy , or "Necessity", which takes action through him. When Belgarath, alias "Wolf", announces
15965-409: The leeches in the river are poisonous so the slave dies. Following a quarrel with Polgara, during which she explains to him that the power he had used to kill Asharak was the same as the one he had earlier used unwittingly to cure a madman, Garion is kidnapped, drugged, and presented to Queen Salmissra to be used as a mind-controlled sex slave. He is rescued by Polgara and Barak (the latter again assuming
16120-705: The lion has been recorded up to an elevation of 3,600 m (11,800 ft) and close to the snow line on Mount Kenya . Savannahs with an annual rainfall of 300 to 1,500 mm (12 to 59 in) make up the majority of lion habitat in Africa, estimated at 3,390,821 km (1,309,203 sq mi) at most, but remnant populations are also present in tropical moist forests in West Africa and montane forests in East Africa. The Asiatic lion now survives only in and around Gir National Park in Gujarat, western India. Its habitat
16275-801: The lion population in Kenya's Masai Mara National Reserve declined, the spotted hyena population increased rapidly. Lions tend to dominate cheetahs and leopards, steal their kills and kill their cubs and even adults when given the chance. Cheetahs often lose their kills to lions or other predators. A study in the Serengeti ecosystem revealed that lions killed at least 17 of 125 cheetah cubs born between 1987 and 1990. Cheetahs avoid their competitors by hunting at different times and habitats. Leopards, by contrast, do not appear to be motivated by an avoidance of lions, as they use heavy vegetation regardless of whether lions are present in an area and both cats are active around
16430-532: The lion ranged throughout Africa and Eurasia, from Southeast Europe to India, but it has been reduced to fragmented populations in sub-Saharan Africa and one population in western India . It has been listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List since 1996 because populations in African countries have declined by about 43% since the early 1990s. Lion populations are untenable outside designated protected areas. Although
16585-551: The location of the hunt but sometimes drag large prey into cover. They tend to squabble over kills, particularly the males. Cubs suffer most when food is scarce but otherwise all pride members eat their fill, including old and crippled lions, which can live on leftovers. Large kills are shared more widely among pride members. An adult lioness requires an average of about 5 kg (11 lb) of meat per day while males require about 7 kg (15 lb). Lions gorge themselves and eat up to 30 kg (66 lb) in one session. If it
16740-519: The long-lost heir to the throne. This revelation infuriates Ce'Nedra, who discovers herself betrothed to him. During the investiture, Garion, aided by the Voice of Prophecy, sees each member of the quest as an Instrument of Prophecy. Shortly after the betrothal, Garion learns from the Mrin Prophecy that the Rivan King must slay the god Torak or die in the process. In order to save lives and try to avoid
16895-465: The mad monk, burning Chamdar, translocating the slave in Nyissa and reviving Horse (as the colt came to be known). He moves the self-same rock that Belgarath moved many millennia earlier with semi-disastrous results which prompts a lot of amusement, but more importantly more instruction. Soon after they leave for Rak Cthol and on their way the group enters Ulgoland, and head for the hidden city of Prolgu which
17050-481: The mid-1970s. CDV is spread by domestic dogs and other carnivores; a 1994 outbreak in Serengeti National Park resulted in many lions developing neurological symptoms such as seizures. During the outbreak, several lions died from pneumonia and encephalitis . Feline immunodeficiency virus and lentivirus also affect captive lions. When resting, lion socialisation occurs through a number of behaviours;
17205-507: The mountains onto Torak's forces and diminished their size dramatically. Other human races are descended from the Godless Ones: ethnicities chosen by no god ( Aldur abstaining from selection) at the beginning of the human race. They are widely spread across both continents and have physical diversity comparable to the other races. The Belgariad David Eddings, who had been writing adventure and thriller genres, has said he developed
17360-575: The near future. Almost immediately afterwards Asharak presents himself to Ran Borune and it is revealed that Chamdar and Asharak are in fact the same person. Upon leaving the capital, the group acquire an ineffectually-disguised Princess Ce'Nedra (Ran Borune's daughter), and enter the Wood of the Dryads, hoping to cross into Nyissa ahead of their opponent Zedar. In the Wood, Ce'Nedra asks the Dryad Queen Xantha for sanctuary, on grounds of common ancestry; but
17515-428: The next chapter, Garion transitions from thinking in terms of Mister Wolf and now thinks in terms of Belgarath . It is a milestone in the series as Garion leaves behind his childhood understanding and fully accepts that Mister Wolf is in fact Eternal Belgarath. Soon afterwards Garion attempts a conscious act of sorcery for the first time rather than an instinctive and spontaneous use of it, as he had done when healing
17670-554: The northwest, and are common throughout the Empire as soldiers and administrators. In the west, they occupy the southern half of the continent, and the lands east of the Escarpment in the north. They are divided into distinct castes , as shown below: Arends are the people of Chaldan , inhabiting Arendia on the western continent and the island of Perivor off Mallorea. The Arendish nobility emphasize pride, honor, and military prowess, while
17825-452: The original Salmissra and given her name, and also given the ability to summon a physical incarnation of Issa. The last Salmissra is eventually changed into a snake and made immortal by Polgara the sorceress. Mara is the god of the Marags. His totem animal, never mentioned except in the Rivan Codex , is the bat . Known as the "weeping god" for his long mourning after the Tolnedran massacre of
17980-426: The others being told to wait outside. Ctuchik gloats that he has won as he intends to kill Ce'Nedra and destroy The Prophecy, but then to his chagrin he realises she is not among the party and is invulnerable under the protection of UL himself. Belgarath takes great satisfaction at his adversary's miscalculation, which had actually made their passing through of Cthol Murgos easier. Belgarath then fights Ctuchik. Driven by
18135-444: The party come before Mara and Belgarath and Polgara appeal to him to set aside his grief as the time of prophecy is at hand. Still inconsolable, Mara refuses and his grief turns to anger when he sets his eyes on Ce-Nedra, a child of Nedra. In his anger he threatens her with all kind of unpleasantness and suffering but when he goes to strike against her the voice intervenes through Garion. Too powerful to strike Mara, for fear of destroying
18290-414: The party journey south towards the great plains where they are ambushed by a group of Algroths; a fictional "monster" devised by Eddings that are something between a goat facially and a gorilla bodily, while being somewhat akin to, even if a bit smaller than a troll (QoS Chapter 6). Lelldorin is gravely injured during the encounter which only ends with the arrival of Mandorallen, the supreme Mimbrate knight of
18445-611: The party travel to Cthol Murgos. On their way to Rak Cthol they meet Yarblek, a Nadrak merchant (who later becomes a significant secondary character) and are nearly caught by Taur Urgas, the King of the Murgos. The party made their escape out of the back of a tent just in time. Silk who'd tried to flee beforehand, on hearing that Taur Urgas was approaching with an army, was caught by Brill when attempting to flee. The party were in great despair about Silk's fate but then Relg, used his specially rock divining gift to go and simply pick him up and. although
18600-517: The party were eventually left with no other choice than to pass through Maragor, which was haunted by the spirit of Mara himself, who manifests his grief (for the Marags were slain by the Tolnedrans many centuries earlier) through countless ghostly apparitions that drive anybody who dares to enter Maragor (usually for the rich gold deposits) mad. On the whole only the monks - "Tolnedra's conscience" - are tolerated. In order to pass through Maragor mentally unscathed, Belgarath and Polgara put everybody into
18755-434: The phylogenetic relationship of the lion; it was thought to form a sister group with the jaguar that diverged 3.46 to 1.22 million years ago , but also with the leopard that diverged 3.1 to 1.95 million years ago to 4.32 to 0.02 million years ago . Hybridisation between lion and snow leopard ancestors possibly continued until about 2.1 million years ago. The lion-leopard clade
18910-612: The previous males associated with a pride, the victors often kill any existing young cubs , perhaps because females do not become fertile and receptive until their cubs mature or die. Females often fiercely defend their cubs from a usurping male but are rarely successful unless a group of three or four mothers within a pride join forces against the male. Cubs also die from starvation and abandonment, and predation by leopards, hyenas and wild dogs. Male cubs are excluded from their maternal pride when they reach maturity at around two or three years of age, while some females may leave when they reach
19065-579: The rainforest decreased and thus gave rise to more open habitats, lions moved from West to Central Africa. Lions from North Africa dispersed to southern Europe and Asia between 38,800 and 8,300 years ago. Extinction of lions in southern Europe, North Africa and the Middle East interrupted gene flow between lion populations in Asia and Africa. Genetic evidence revealed numerous mutations in lion samples from East and Southern Africa, which indicates that this group has
19220-457: The range of the now extinct cave lion . In Hungary , the modern lion was present from about 4,500 to 3,200 years Before Present . In Ukraine , the modern lion was present from about 6,400 to 2,000 years Before Present. In Greece, it was common, as reported by Herodotus in 480 BC; it was considered rare by 300 BC and extirpated by AD 100. In Asia the lion once ranged in regions where climatic conditions supported an abundance of prey. It
19375-484: The realm who chases them off. Just as he does so Chamdar's shade appears before them to mock them. Belgarath asks whether it was he who drove the Algroths out of the mountains of Ulgoland. Chamdar denies doing so but is less than convincing. As they continue south, Mandorallen, upon Polgara's advice (but unknown to Garion who later judges Mandorallen's motives), forces Lelldorin on his honour to stay behind so he can heal from
19530-488: The removal of the gonads inhibits testosterone production. Rarely, both wild and captive lionesses have manes. Increased testosterone may be the cause of maned lionesses reported in northern Botswana. The white lion is a rare morph with a genetic condition called leucism , which is caused by a double recessive allele . It is not albino; it has normal pigmentation in the eyes and skin. White lions have occasionally been encountered in and around Kruger National Park and
19685-409: The rest of his companions before they are all woken up having passed through Maragor. Now they are somewhere probably in the foothills of Ulgoland and Hettar notes that one of the pack mares, pregnant, is in serious trouble. With the condition of the mare getting worse and the weather turning against them, Garion suggests they shelter in the cave, which he had previously been unaware of but somehow knew
19840-429: The same area. The evolution of sociability in lions was likely driven both by high population density and the clumped resources of savannah habitats. The larger the pride, the more high-quality territory they can defend; "hotspots" being near river confluences , where the cats have better access to water, prey and shelter (via vegetation). The area occupied by a pride is called a "pride area" whereas that occupied by
19995-420: The same size and have an equal chance of survival, and sucklings are not dominated by older cubs. Weaning occurs after six or seven months. Male lions reach maturity at about three years of age and at four to five years are capable of challenging and displacing adult males associated with another pride. They begin to age and weaken at between 10 and 15 years of age at the latest. When one or more new males oust
20150-406: The same time of day. In addition, there is no evidence that lions affect leopard abundance. Leopards take refuge in trees, though lionesses occasionally attempt to climb up and retrieve their kills. Lions similarly dominate African wild dogs , taking their kills and dispatching pups or adult dogs. Population densities of wild dogs are low in areas where lions are more abundant. However, there are
20305-420: The same time. When first introduced to the rest of the pride, lion cubs lack confidence when confronted with adults other than their mother. They soon begin to immerse themselves in the pride life, however, playing among themselves or attempting to initiate play with the adults. Lionesses with cubs of their own are more likely to be tolerant of another lioness's cubs than lionesses without cubs. Male tolerance of
20460-462: The second following Ce'Nedra and everything that happens around her. The two tracks are brought back together in Enchanter's End Game when all the protagonists are brought together again just before the confrontation with Torak. (Additionally, from time to time, in Enchanter's End Game , a third minor track is added with a chapter devoted to events far away from the main events centred on the rulers of
20615-484: The serfs form the downtrodden masses, with little variation in their conditions across the country. For most of its history, Arendia was embroiled in civil wars among the three major duchies of Asturia, Mimbre, and Wacune. Marags are the people of Mara . They are generally thought to be extinct at the time of The Belgariad , after a genocidal war waged by the Tolnedrans. It is later revealed that Tolnedrans sold Marag survivors to Nyissan slavers who in turn sold them to
20770-417: The series starts with Belgarion , Silk, and Belgarath sneaking through Gar og Nadrak on their way to Mallorea. In the opening chapters they are accompanied first by a Drasnian trader and then later by an old man who lives a hermit like existence in the forests. He warns them that Mallorean recruiters are forcibly enlisting people into the army for the forthcoming war. Soon they come across a mining town and have
20925-432: The special ability to detect caves but also to pass through the very rock itself. According to prophecies both Angarak and Western there is enough of a suggestion that caves exist below Rak Cthol which will provide a way in when they go to retrieve the Orb. Relg, as it turns out is a zealot and a fanatic and according to Gorim the "worst of the lot". When he is presented before Gorim and the party he initially refuses until UL,
21080-422: The spur are unknown. The tuft is absent at birth and develops at around 5 + 1 ⁄ 2 months of age. It is readily identifiable at the age of seven months. Its skull is very similar to that of the tiger, although the frontal region is usually more depressed and flattened and has a slightly shorter postorbital region and broader nasal openings than those of the tiger. Due to the amount of skull variation in
21235-413: The story. The series has been reprinted as a two-volume set, titled The Belgariad Volume One , containing the first three books of the series, and The Belgariad Volume Two , which contains the last two books. This does not include the original map by Chris Barbieri, but only Shelly Shapiro's map. The Malloreon is a five-book sequel to The Belgariad . Belgarath the Sorcerer (1995) and Polgara
21390-479: The theft of a mysterious object (actually the Orb), he, Garion, and Aunt Pol leave Faldor's farm to pursue the thief, reluctantly allowing Durnik to accompany them. They are joined later by Silk/Kheldar, a Drasnian prince, spy, and thief; and by Barak, a Cherek earl . Thereafter Mister Wolf follows an invisible trail through several regions until they are arrested. They are taken to a meeting of monarchs where Garion suspects
21545-523: The three disciples of Torak, along with other major antagonists in the story. Aldur is the eldest of the seven gods. He is worshipped by no race of people, but has a number of disciples: Belgarath, Beldin, the twins Belkira and Beltira, Belzedar (formerly), Polgara , Belmakor (deceased), Belsambar (deceased), Belgarion, Beldurnik (formerly Durnik, admitted in the Malloreon), and Poledra, as mentioned in Polgara
21700-413: The tiger in size. The size and weight of adult lions vary across its range and habitats. Accounts of a few individuals that were larger than average exist from Africa and India. The male lion's mane is the most recognisable feature of the species. It may have evolved around 320,000–190,000 years ago. It grows downwards and backwards, covering most of the head, neck, shoulders, and chest. The mane
21855-407: The two species, usually only the structure of the lower jaw can be used as a reliable indicator of species. The skeletal muscles of the lion make up 58.8% of its body weight and represent the highest percentage of muscles among mammals. The lion has a high concentration of fast twitch muscle fibers, giving them quick bursts of speed but less stamina. Among felids, the lion is second only to
22010-557: The west is grown in Sendaria. Sendars are unusual in that they elected their first king, Fundor the Magnificent, who was originally a rutabaga (and cabbage) farmer. Tolnedrans are the people of Nedra , dwelling in the Empire of Tolnedra in the subtropical north of the western continent. Tolnedrans are known for their obsession with trade and money (which they are said to have invented). Tolnedra
22165-558: The western kingdoms - including Nyissa). The three of them pass through Drasnia, where they happen upon Vordai, the Witch of the Fens who is hospitable but quite defensive. Later to their chargin, they realise they are trapped in the fens and Vordai exacts a price for showing them the way out. She insists that Belgarath gives the fenlings (small otter-like creatures) the power of speech as she knew she wouldn't be around much longer to protect them. Garion
22320-467: The word "burn" and Asharak bursts into flames. For just a moment Garion's compassion almost saves Asharak but then Polgara tells Garion in his mind that it was Asharak who killed his parents. Suddenly, the flames are not hot enough and Garion keeps the flames on him until he dies. Polgara exalts and calls Garion, Belgarion (his birthright name) for the first time. Upon this shocking act of sorcery Kador's men turn against him and remember their loyalty to
22475-419: The world, the voice stands unmoved and resolute until Mara yields and the voice urges everybody to leave Mara to his grief, as Ce-Nedra's presence pains him terribly. They duly do so, although Belgarath and the voice talk briefly and both Polgara and Belgarath come to understand that Garion is now ready to be trained in the Will and the Word . When the voice goes Garion is put into a deeper slumber like most of
22630-527: The wounds inflicted by the Algroth who had mauled him. The party continue without Lelldorin to Vo Mimbre, the Arendish capital, where Garion reveals the plot to kill Korodullin, without naming its local conspirators, and Mandorallen challenges Nachak to a duel, which Hettar terminates by killing Nachak. Soon afterwards the party bid farewell to Vo Mimbre, with King Korodullin vowing to stamp out any untoward activity of
22785-400: Was a borrowing from Ancient Greek λέων léōn . The Hebrew word לָבִיא lavi may also be related. The generic name Panthera is traceable to the classical Latin word 'panthēra' and the ancient Greek word πάνθηρ 'panther'. Felis leo was the scientific name used by Carl Linnaeus in 1758, who described the lion in his work Systema Naturae . The genus name Panthera
22940-418: Was always there. He led everybody straight to it and they soon took shelter. The cave, according to Belgarath, was the meeting place of the Gods and where they conferred during the making of the world. Soon afterwards the mare gives birth but the foal is stillborn. Without hesitation, Garion moves and brings it back to life. This is of significance because Polgara and Belgarath maintained that before this, it
23095-593: Was coined by Lorenz Oken in 1816. Between the mid-18th and mid-20th centuries, 26 lion specimens were described and proposed as subspecies, of which 11 were recognised as valid in 2005. They were distinguished mostly by the size and colour of their manes and skins. In the 19th and 20th centuries, several lion type specimens were described and proposed as subspecies , with about a dozen recognised as valid taxa until 2017. Between 2008 and 2016, IUCN Red List assessors used only two subspecific names: P. l. leo for African lion populations, and P. l. persica for
23250-431: Was common. In general, a Marag male's role in society was reduced to athletic contests or military service. A mistranslated passage of their religious texts caused a practice of ritual cannibalism, which the Tolnedrans used as an excuse to invade their country, though they were seeking the abundant gold in actuality. This led to the genocidal war previously mentioned. Nyissans are the people of Issa . The state of Nyissa
23405-511: Was distributed in the Asian and African Palearctic since at least the early Pliocene . The earliest fossils recognisable as lions were found at Olduvai Gorge in Tanzania and are estimated to be up to 2 million years old. Estimates for the divergence time of the modern and cave lion lineages range from 529,000 to 392,000 years ago based on mutation rate per generation time of the modern lion. There
23560-573: Was for Garion to find closure on that chapter of his life which is best represented by how coldly he showed affection, but no love, for Zubrette, his childhood sweetheart. Now in Riva, Belgarion is led by Belgarath, Polgara, and the Voice of Prophecy to accept the Orb of Aldur from Errand in the Hall of the Rivan King, where the ancient Sword rests above the Rivan Throne. In Garion's hands, the Orb identifies him as
23715-409: Was impossible to use the Will and the Word to restore life to the dead. Soon afterwards they leave the cave and continue their journey to The Vale. Upon arriving in the Vale, Aldur confers with Belgarath and Polgara, but before they go aside Garion accompanies Belgarath to his tower and begins his instruction in earnest. Although the significance of what follows is not acknowledged by Eddings until
23870-410: Was once one of the great beauties of Drasnia. She was tragically blinded and marred by a vicious plague some 20 years earlier and visiting her was very hard on Silk who sees the blinding as half a blessing as his mother can no longer look on her face and see how scarred it became after the plague had left her disfigured. Meanwhile, upon discovery of Garion, Belgarath and Silk's departure, Polgara enters
24025-910: Was present in the Caucasus until the 10th century. It lived in Palestine until the Middle Ages and in Southwest Asia until the late 19th century. By the late 19th century, it had been extirpated in most of Turkey. The last live lion in Iran was sighted in 1942, about 65 km (40 mi) northwest of Dezful , although the corpse of a lioness was found on the banks of the Karun river in Khuzestan province in 1944. It once ranged from Sind and Punjab in Pakistan to Bengal and
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