originally posted by Annette
Having recently gone through both books looking at who went where in preparation for the big battle I have a question for Janny, and it concerns the year this battle occurred in.
Lysaer burned the trade fleet at Werpoint in autumn 5645, there was an added passage to the start of Warhost of Vastmark that gave the year, and from the summer solstice mention on pg545 (mass market) in Ships of Merior we have 5645.
After his failure at Werpoint, and winter visit to Merior, Lysaer retires to Southshire for the rest of winter, Arithon spent the rest of winter over in Vastmark getting to know the shepherds and mapping out the lay of the land and coastline. This is the only winter mentioned before Dier Kenton Vale which was finished before the next winter. I thought the year changed on or just after the winter solstice, which would mean the battle occurred in 5646, maybe I am wrong.
In the Stormed Fortress timeline, and the timeline for Warhost of Vastmark on the Paravia site the battle occurred in 5647. In the official timelines a brief mention is made of Arithon taking refuge in Vastmark, and kidnapping Talith (which occured in spring)in 5646, then suddenly the year changes to 5647 for Talith's ransom and the battle. Talith was eventually ransomed late summer, and did not appear to spend over a year in captivity.
From Warhost of Vastmark
The creeping thought answered, that nine years ago during the crisis at Etarra, it may have suited Prince Lysaer not to fight back against the wraith that had twisted foothold through s’Ilessid justice to seed its undying curse of enmity.
-Warhost of Vastmark pg138 (mass market version)
The year could be 5646 or 5647, Etarra was early 5638. And we are still in the only winter mentioned before the battle, they are in Vastmark about to look for shepherds, so still early in the new year. Arithon spent a bit over a month with the shepherd's before sailing around the Cascains and coves doing a bit of mapping, then met up with the Khetienn and settled on kidnapping Talith as way to stall things a bit longer.
Sethvir was caught chuckling over Arithon's doings in front of Althain Tower's portal 2 days before the spring equinox. He was preparing to leave for Havish. When the demands for Talith's ransom were delivered to Lysaer, Kharadmon metions Lysaer had been away for a year so we did not spend an extra year traveling anywhere or lost in limbo. It would have taken a while to travel the width of Paravia and then down to Shand.
King Eldir was embarking on his 5th year of crown office when everyone descended on his court for the ransom. He was crowned I believe in spring 5643. Which would seem to indicate it is 5647, a bit further on Talith notes Etarra was 9 years in the past.
When Dakar delivers the good news to Lysaer, again 9 years from events at Etarra, 4 years in liaison with the enemy (Arithon). Bit later we read 3 years had passed since Alestron's keep was fired (5644)
I thought the new year started during winter, was it actually spring? Just seems confusing, after all that rush to move armies and organize defenses, it seems to have taken 2 years to get from Werpoint to Dier Kenton Vale.
If Eldir was crowned in spring 5643 and Dakar met up with the 2 bards in winter, it would have been mid-summer solstice of 5644 when Haliron died and Arithon was unmasked. Lysaer did not hear till the following winter could not march an army across Tysan till spring. So setting off in 5645 seems right. Just curious as to how a year of the tale seems lost, there seems no extended breaks in what anyone was doing.
So when you get a chance Janny, could you please clarify when the new year starts on Athera, and what year it was when the mountain came tumbling down on Lysaer's warhost.