List of The Belgariad and The Malloreon characters

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. Note: All of the statements (deceased, married) are written from the current information by the end of the series.

Contents

Protagonists

Note: These characters are the main protagonists to the story. There are many other minor and supporting protagonists, including some royalty.

Antagonists

Note: This section includes the three disciples of Torak, along with other major antagonists in the story.

Royalty

Disciples of Aldur

Deities

Gods

Aldur

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, Durnik (in the Malloreon), and Poledra, as mentioned in Polgara 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 in various ways), 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 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" which is given to her father, Belgarath. The Disciples all at some time took residence at the Vale of Aldur, where each disciple has its own tower, apart from Poledra and Polgara who inhabit a cottage at the far edge of the Vale. Aldur also possesses a tower, wherein natural resources are apparently inexhaustible.

The Orb of Aldur is a powerful half of the stone located at the centre of the Universe, polished into a roughly spherical shape by Aldur's hand after it fell to earth. Torak coveted the stone; therefore he smote Aldur and stole it, causing the War of the Gods in which the world was cracked apart. The Orb did not appreciate such use; therefore Torak was maimed by the Orb's chastisement, which earned Torak the insult frequently used by Disciple Beldin of "Ol' Burnt Face". After two thousand years, the stolen Orb was retrieved, and all the gods save Torak departed from the physical world. More so than his brothers, Aldur remained in spirit to guide his disciples and the course of the Prophecy of Light.

Belar

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 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, talking incessantly, and lavishing his attentions on young women.

Chaldan

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 the comforting of the bereaved, but with vengeance. Chaldan does not play a significant role in the stories. His name, after being given correctly in Pawn of Prophecy is frequently misspelled as "Chamdar" in later books. 'Chamdar' is actually the real identity of the Belgariad villain Asharak the Murgo.

Issa

Issa is the god of the Nyissans. His totem animal is the serpent. Even while he is physically present in the world, Issa spends long periods sleeping. Whilst in slumber, his manifestation is a large statue behind Salmissra's throne. When all the gods save Torak left the world, he gave the governance of his people over to his beloved 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 the original, and also given certain secrets such as the ability to summon a physical incarnation of Issa by calling his spirit into the stone statue. The last Salmissra is eventually changed into a snake and made immortal by Polgara.

Mara

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 the Marags, Mara nursed a hatred for the Tolnedrans. He stirred 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.

Mara has the most constant spiritual presence after the departure of the gods, in that he is found to be always howling in the ruins of Mar Amon. His mad grief ended with the restoration of the Marags when Taiba, a descendant of the massacre's survivors, was found in the caverns below Rak Cthol.

Nedra

Nedra is the second-oldest of the seven gods. He is the god of 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 the idea of greed and Emperor Varana, as the representative for the Tolnedrans, is characterised as the archetypal skeptic. This suggests the Tolnedrans to be a materialistic race. Their culture thrives on enterprise and commerce.

Torak

Torak is the third of the seven Gods. His people are the Angaraks, and his is the only totem animal to be 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 seriously maimed, having been burnt by the Orb of Aldur. Before this, he was said to be the most handsome of the Gods. His left eye, called the Eye That Was Not, continually burns with the fire of the Orb of Aldur. Beldin therefore often 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 Destinies. He fought them all in the War of the Gods, which he had brought about by stealing the Orb of Aldur; when almost defeated, he split the world using the power of the Orb, leaving the remaining Angaraks on one side of a new ocean, and their enemies on the other. This act offended the spirit of the Orb, which then struck him with its fire in retaliation. Establishing a theocratic military culture, Torak drove the Angaraks to exploit and dominate the new continent of Mallorea, integrating the Dals, Karands, and Melcenes, and also taking much of the western continent. Eons later, Torak was slain by Belgarion in the ruins of Cthol Mishrak, at what was then thought to be the ultimate meeting of the Child of Light and the Child of Dark.

In the Belgariad, Torak serves the role of the archetypical Dark Lord. Like many fantasy dark lords of his genre, Torak almost achieves domination of the world, only to be apparently killed in a great battle, but rises again many years later, which is usually the focus of the book or series.

Eriond

Eriond, formerly called Errand, was originally meant to be the God of the Angaraks until a 'Great Accident' (revealed to be cosmic in origin) caused Torak to be born instead. Eriond thereafter existed in spirit until about the time that Zedar began his journey in search of the Orb of Aldur. Errand then appeared as a child to Zedar and allowed himself to be used in Zedar's plot to take the Orb. The name "Errand" is not derived from "Eriond", but 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. By the time he had become an adult, by human terms, the time for the Great Choice was to be made. The Choice was made by the Seeress of Kell, and caused him to be made God of the Angaraks. It is stated, though not seen in the stories, that once ascending to his full Godhood, he would also become the God of the Dals, and would eventually replace all of the other Gods as the God of all races. He takes no totem animal, but is frequently accompanied by an unusual stallion who is simply named Horse.

UL

UL 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, older and more powerful than they, and omnipresent as well, causing significant upheaval in religious thought. He is also god of the monstrous beasts rejected by his sons. UL is served by a High Priest, who is always called Gorim. The successive Gorims throughout their world's history can be said to be the disciples of UL, as they seem to learn some powers similar to sorcery. While they are not immortal, they live as long as UL requires them to serve. This is also true for disciples of Aldur. Poledra also served UL for many years, and so may be considered his disciple as much as she is Aldur's. In the War of Destinies, he is generally seen on the side of Light, often working closely with Aldur. The Ulgos look to UL much as monotheists in our reality look to God/Jehovah/Yahweh/Allah: ergo, with awe, reverence, faith, and occasional zealotry. They also took their name from him, ULgo, according to one of the Gorims. Due to his appearance as one in The Seeress of Kell, it is thought that his totem may be an albatross.

At the end of the series, the other gods leave the "World" and leave Eriond as the god of all the races.

Demons

Other minor and supporting characters

Other characters

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

The Prophecy of Light is the positive main driving force of the protagonists, the other six gods, and Eriond. Often called the "dry voice" at the rest of the series because it was unheard except to Garion. Spoke for the first time when he told Garion to use the Will and the Word. He also guides the protagonists to fullfill an upcoming EVENT, much to Belgarath's dismay whether if he is ahead or behind.

Cyradis

Cyradis is the Seer chosen to make the final choice between Light and Dark. She first appears to Errand at the Vale of Aldur; later to the rest at Rheon in Guardians of the West and is shown as a slight girl with dark blonde hair and a blindfold around her eyes. She is escorted by the mute Toth. During the final Choice she begins to panic, as she is unable to consult her people regarding the decision. Polgara removes her blindfold, making her able to see with human eyes. She then chooses Eriond (Light) over Geran (Dark). Removing her blindfold causes her to lose her second sight. She is married to Zakath at the end of the series.

Senji

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 referred to as 'the Clubfoot' by Cyradis and is around 3900 years old. He leads the sorcerers to a museum where the Sardion once rested and also gives Belgarath a copy of the Ashabine Oracles.

He discovered the Gift of 'the Will and the Word' by accident in the 15th century when he turned lead into gold by shouting at it; because the Melcenes did not believe him, they attempted to prove it by trying to pushing him out the window (trying to determine if (A) he was in fact unkillable, (B) what means he would take to save his life while plummeting toward the paved courtyard, and (C) if it might be possible to discover the secret of flight by giving him no other alternative. Quoted from page 139 of "Sorceress of Darshiva"). While they were carrying out this method, he translocated the assassin high above the Melcene harbour (thus ruining the fishing nets of a local fisherman). Outraged by this affair, he implemented a widespread plague of constipation, releasing his victims only after a personal appeal from the Melcene Emperor himself. After this they accepted his extraordinary gift and left him to himself. Even though he has this gift, his abilities are weak at best, and he chooses to turn it to Alchemy.

Races

Humans

Alorns

Alorns are the people of Belar, that occupy the north-western part of the western continent. Once the people were combined into the one country Aloria, but they were divided to better protect the Orb of Aldur, by which insurrectionists called the Bear-Cult wanted to reunite them. The nations maintain strong military and economic ties.

Angaraks

Angaraks are the people of Torak. In Mallorea, they are the dominant people in 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. These western nations were originally the people of Cthol Mishrak in the far northwest of Mallorea. Separate from mainstream Mallorean society, this population became stratified by social class. When Torak broke the city and drove its people to migrate west, he took the social classes to be racial groups, and sent them in three groups accordingly: the Nadraks, Thulls and Murgos. These races actually despise each other with passion with each faction wanting to be dominant. The only thing stopping them from tearing each other apart was that Torak told them not to. After Torak was slain by Belgarion, the Malloreans launched a vicious campaign against the Murgos. The Nadraks fearing the same fate allied themselves with the west in an attempt to be shielded from the fury of 'Zakath, the leader of the Malloreans. Though the Malloreans became bogged down in northeast Cthol Murgos and the war effectively came to a stalemate. Somewhat culturally similar to Mongolians with a pinch of Muslim ideology.

Arends

Arends are the people of Chaldan, inhabiting Arendia on the western continent and the island of Perivor off Mallorea. Most Arends are generally slow-witted, and tend to jump into things without thinking. The Arendish nobility continue to emphasize pride, honor, and military prowess, while the serfs form the downtrodden masses, with little variation in their conditions across the country. As such, while the upper classes strongly identify as Asturian, Mimbrate, or (formerly) Wacite, the lower classes are effectively just 'Arendish'. For most of its history, Arendia was embroiled in a never-ending series of civil wars among the three major duchies, Asturia, Mimbre, and Wacune. Vo Wacune was destroyed by an Asturian force in events described in Polgara the Sorceress, while the Asturians themselves were effectively fighting a guerrilla war at the time of the multi-nation Battle of Vo Mimbre. After the battle, the heir to the duchy of Asturia was married to the only son of the duke of Mimbre. Although this legally united the kingdom, prejudice and local conflicts between Asturians and Mimbrates continued for generations. The Mimbrates are also known for their habit of speaking extravagantly, using archaic styles of speaking ("Thees, Thous and Foreasmuches" as Eddings puts it in the Rivan Codex). This is widely prevalent among the Mimbrates and to a lesser extent the Wacites, although the Asturians abandoned it as a sign of defiance towards the Mimbrates.

Marags

Marags are the people of Mara. They are generally thought to be extinct at the time of the opening of The Belgariad, due to a genocidal war waged by the Tolnedrans. The war, ostensibly, was fought due to the horrific Marag practice of cannibalism, a practice begun due to a misinterpretation of the word "assume" in one of their holy texts. The reason behind the war was really the presence of vast gold fields that the Tolnedrans desired for themselves. It is later revealed that Tolnedrans sold Marag survivors to Nyissan slavers who in turn sold them to the Murgos, and that some still live in the slave pens under Rak Cthol.

Most details about Maragor come from Belgarath the Sorcerer and bits and pieces throughout the texts. Probably due to their god's 'unwholesome' interest in reproduction, girls were born 8 to 9 times more than boys. Due to these factors, Marag women controlled the society. The governing body was a group of nine elder women known as the "Council of Matriarchs". Marriage was relatively unknown, and sexual promiscuity was common. In general, a Marag male's role in society was reduced, participating in athletic contests or in the military.

Nyissans

Nyissans are the people of Issa. The state of Nyissa is situated on the swampy equatorial west coast of the western continent. The head of state is the handmaiden of Issa (or highpriestess), Salmissra, who is chosen based purely on physical resemblance to the original Salmissra. Nyissans identify closely with the snake, which heavily influences their culture. Most Nyissan people shave off their hair, because the insects that live in the swamps of Nyissa like to nest in it. The use of drugs and poisons is common and accepted to the disgust of all other Races and also the only non-Angarak western country that practices slavery. Vaguely similar to ancient Egyptians culturally.

Sendars

Sendars are a people of mixed background, mostly of Alorn and Arendish descent. Sendaria is located above Arendia on the coast of the western continent, right below Cherek. The land that is now Sendaria was once the Duchy of Erat, which was owned by Polgara the Sorceress. Emperor Ran Horb II, the grandest of all the Tolnedran Emperors, and who led the empire into the height of its Golden Age, established the Kingdom of Sendaria independent from Arendia, 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 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. Culturally resembles pre-industrial England, with shades of American multiculturalism.

Tolnedrans

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 fixation on trade and money (which they are said to have invented). Tolnedra 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 adoptive son, Varana, the Duke of Anadile, later Ran Borune XXIV. The primary military force of Tolnedra are the numerous Legions, a heavy infantry renowned for their extensive training and rigid discipline, and widely considered the most powerful and one of the largest military forces in the world. Very similar to the Roman legionaries and Renaissance Age commerce. They are also unusual in their complete rejection of, and disbelief in, the concepts of magic and sorcery, all on the basis of principles.

Godless Ones

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 as a result.

It can be seen that there were four main groups migrating away from the now lost continent under the Sea of the East. Demon worshippers to the North (split by the Sea of the East into Morinds and Karands), Melcenes to the far East, Ulgos to the West, and Dals in the southern halves of both continents.

Non-humans

See also

External links

Belgarion novels
Sparhawk novels
Characters
The Belgariad and The Malloreon (Belgarion) • The Elenium and The Tamuli (Sparhawk)
Other