Vale of Aldur

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The Vale of Aldur is a fictional location in the Belgariad and Malloreon book series, written by David Eddings.

The Vale is an area holy to the God Aldur containing the towers and living spaces of his disciples, including Beltira and Belkira, Beldin, Belgarath, and lately Polgara and Durnik. It is located at the southern end of the Algarian plain. Originally, before their deaths, the characters Belsambar and Belmakor also lived in the Vale, and the books imply but do not state outright that their ruined towers persist to the present day. Another previous inhabitant of the Vale is the apostate Zedar, however some time after switching allegiance to Torak he left and did not return. Also contained in the vale is the abandoned tower of Aldur himself. The vale is bordered on Algaria, where near the border, lived Poledra. In a map of the vale the towers are varying distances from Aldurs tower, maybe depending on his most beloved or their importance in the story. In the center of the Vale is a tree called The Tree, where Polgara received instructions from her mother and the tree. Belgarath, Eriond and Garion all visit the tree, who teaches them about time. Out of "politeness to neighbours", when the sorcerers change shape, they do not hunt in the vale.