Founding Years of Varn

Year Since the Betrayal

Dale Year

Event(s)

Ciara's Timeline 

6802

1051

Year of the Werewolf* ^l1

Simon, Jaelithe, and Hilarion all return to the Witch World from their exile in very early spring this year ^l2;Kethan (14) and Thaney are betrothed and would be married except for year name; Most of The Jargoon Pard takes place around fall this year; Eydryth is 13; Alon is supposedly adopted by Hilarion and Kaththea this year ^l3; Monso is foaled ^l4; Jervon Power blasted at the Cyclops scry stone ^l5

6803

1052

Year of the Horned Cat* ^l6

Elona and Keris may be born to Kyllan and Dahaun ^l7; Mereth is 65; The Gate of the Cat likely takes place this year ^l8; Early events of The Magestone are supposed to occur ^l9; 30 years since the Kolder invaded Gorm. ^l10

6804

1053

Year of the Fox Maiden

Eleeri may enter the Witch World. ^l11 Ware Hawk takes place in spring of this year. ^l12 Alon is at least 12 this year and comes to Escore ^l13; Events of To Rebuild the Eyrie may take place this year ^l14; Eirran 18 and Yareth no older than 20. ^l15; Later events of The Magestone are supposed to take place this year. ^l16

l1. Mentioned in The Jargoon Pard

l2. Sorceress of the Witch World

l3. Given the events of Ware Hawk Alon could not have been adopted this year since he was not yet in Escore.

l4. Not only won't this work with the timeline, given what is covered in The Key of the Keplian it seems impossible that either male or female Keplian would take a normal horse to mate without a lot of mental coercion!

l5. Songsmith

l6. Mentioned in The Jargoon Pard. The GURPS has a Year of the Thorn Cat, which might be the same year misremembered.

l7. Though it's mentioned on p.158 of Songsmith that they seem only five years younger than Eydryth, this simply won't work. This year, though, would be a logical one for their birth since they'd both be 13 by The Warding of Witch World, though they could have also been born as early as late spring or early summer of last year too.

l8. In any case Simon is in Escore even if Jaelithe's whereabouts are unknown, so it can't have happened before early spring of the previous year

l9. From the Month of the Fire Thorn to the 4th/5th day of the Month of the Ice Dragon where the year switches. Note that the book also says it goes from the year of the Horned Hunter to the year of the Lamina which just doesn't work at all.

l10. Mereth mention this (p.154) but also that she is 75 [p.103], so there's some weirdness in the timeline. The 30 years from the invasion of Gorm works perfectly, but Mereth would be 65 this year. Also, no matter what, Jenys/Mouse has to be born after the Turning and has to be 6 going on 7, so minimally Falcon Magic cannot occur before spring of 1057 and more likely is in spring of 1058. However, the book keeps referring to the Turning having occurred two years ago, going on three, and the raid in the spring the previous year to get young witches for the Kolder with one of those witches being Jenys/Mouse.

l11. Although The Key of the Keplian says it is over thirty years since the Turning. This is not consistent with the time that The Warding of Witch World is placed. Of course, this year isn't over thirty years since the Horning, either, but since Eleeri goes from being almost sixteen to nearly twenty-one in the book, and she and the Keplains are in Warding, she must arrive at least five years prior to the events of Warding.

l12. On the first page, it mentions there have been three years of harsh winters and on page 7 we learn the hiring fair takes place in early spring. On page 22 it mentions that Koris rules over Estcarp with Simon and Jaelithe. Crytha, Yonan, and Uruk appear late in the book, and Crytha has control over the Sword of Shadows, so it takes place after both Trey of Swords and Sorceress of the Witch World.

l13. On page 122 Alon admits he does not know how old he is, but that he can count at least twelve years since he and Yachne arrived. However, he looks hardly half that age.

l14. It's after the Turning and before the birth of Jenys/Mouse in any case.

l15. To Rebuild the Eyrie

l16. Starting Moon of the Knife/Month of the Ice Dragon and going into the 4th day of the Moon of the Fever Leaf/5th day month of the Willow Carp.

6805

1054

Year of the Gorgon

Jenys/Mouse is born this year. ^m1 The first child of Hilarion and Kaththea born ^m2

6806

1055

Year of the Manticore

Mereth is 68; This would be 30 years from the Horning. ^m3

6807

1056

Year of the Barrow-Wight

The second child of Hilarion and Kaththea may be born; Sulcar visit Rannock six years after the Year of the Kobold ^m4

6808

1057

Year of the Cameoleopard

Eydryth is 19; events of Songsmith take place; Ingvarna teaches Dairine to "see" with her fingers the year after Ortis's visit ^m5; This is also possibly the year Falcon Blood takes place in. ^m6

6809

1058

Year of the Weldworm* ^m7

Events of Were-Hunter may take place. ^m8; events of Knowledge take place in spring; the events of Seakeep take place ^m9; According to Spider Silk Dairine passes into "young womanhood" (she'd be 14 or 15), Ingvarna dies, Captain Ortis returns and Dairine is taken to Usurt, learns to weave better, regains her sight. ^m10; The events of Falcon Law may take place. ^m11; Eleeri, Jerrany, and Mayrin rescue Romar from the Dark Tower. The Keplian are now able to stand for the Light again. The Dark Tower is ruined and may be destroyed. ^m12; The events of Falcon Hope take place near the end of the year ^m13; This would be 30 years since the War in the Dales and 33 years after the Horning.

m1. Since she's 6 going on 7 in the spring of Falcon Magic.

m2. Songsmith mentions that Hilarion and Kaththea have two children two years apart: "several years after I [Alon] came to live with them [Hilarion and Kaththea] they had a child of their own…then, two years later, another" pp. 124-125. Alon goes on to mention that he was nearly full grown at the time of the second birthing and so left. While it is true Alon will be at least 15 by the time the second birth occurs (more likely 18 since he's seems to be about the same age as Eydryth), there's simply no way for him to have been with them more than about a year by the time the first birth occurs.

m3. Though both Songsmith and The Key of the Keplian are supposed to take place 30 years after the Turning, 30+ years after the Horning actually works out much better timeline-wise.

m4. Spider Silk

m5. Spider Silk

m6. The story takes place after the Turning in any case.

m7. Mentioned in Spider Silk. This would be sixteen years from the Year of the Frost Giant, so Sand Sister could take place this year. Note that in both GURPS and Norton this is the Year of the Weld.

m8. Glenda is over 18 but it's never clear by how much, and she estimates she's the same age as Harwin. Since Harwin is the third child of Kildas and Harl he can't have been born before the Year of the Hippogriff (assuming his two older siblings are twins and he was born a year after them). However, it's more likely that they were each born a year apart at least. Kethan and Aylinn would be 21 this year.

m9. Seakeep starts in late spring (p.217) and continues over the course of a couple months - going through at least early fall "A storm comes, one of the sea's mighty gales, though it is very early in the season for those, and most of our harvest is still in stacks upon the fields." (p.306) Though there are a number of other, smaller, crops not yet ready for harvest. (p.308) It might take place the year before since Falcon Hope mentions Una having to wait until fall so she could join Talarch at Lormt (and if it were already fall she wouldn't have to wait), but given that it's near-winter in Falcon Hope it could be the same year.

m10. Spider Silk

m11. The story clearly references the events of Falcon Blood and so must occur after, even if other stories contradict this by making the area of the former Eyrie uninhabitable.

m12. The Key of the Keplian

m13. It's mentioned that it's been eight years since the turning. The events of this story start around the end of fall or beginning of winter when Una is able to travel to help Tarlach in Lormt. (p.184) The attempted invasion by the Sultanites probably takes about a month and a half to two months (in any case takes at least two to three weeks to get from Seakeep to Linna, and the same to return).

6810

1059

Year of the Swordsman

Port of Dead Ships takes place in fall of this year. ⁿ¹

6811

1060

Year of the Thorn Cat

6812

1061

Year of the Snow Cat ⁿ²

Events of Falcon Magic would take place spring this year. ⁿ³; Mallandor is killed and Norandor is now Lord Baron in Alizon; the second child of Eirran and Yareth is born later this year. ⁿ⁴

When Aisling is almost 11, Kirion visits and challenges her to a race. After she beats him (and he humiliates himself) he attempts to kill her and she uses Power to defend herself. Later Kirion remembers this and starts to learn about various ways of Power. He also spends his time making Keelan miserable, which causes him to move to Aiskeep. Sometime later this year Shosho the cat is born and Keelan is given her to take care of. ⁿ⁵

6813

1062

Year of the Weld ⁿ⁶

Mereth is 75 ⁿ⁷; Events of The Magestone would take place at the end of this year and the beginning of the next. ⁿ⁸.

Keelan's 18th birthday comes in early spring of this year. It is also when Kirion attempts to gain entry to Aiskeep to further his research but he is rebuffed. Keelan formally asks to stay at Aiskeep. ⁿ⁹

n1. This is the earliest year it can take place since on page 20 Koris mentions there is talk of Falconer's establishing a new Eyrie overseas as per Seakeep and Falcon Hope. However, it could easily take place in any of the following years prior to Warding. It's been 34 years since Simon entered the Witch World, so his surprise at 50 passing in ours is justified.

n2. Both GURPS and Norton place the order of years as Kobold, Snow Cat, and Horned Hunter, but this won't work.

n3. The Magestone refers to the abduction of the witch children (which includes Jenys/Mouse) taking place the year before and Jenys is six going on seven.

n4. Falcon Magic

n5. Ciara's Song

n6. Weld is a plant (also known as dyer's rocket, dyer's weed, woold, and yellow weed) of the mignonette family that produces yellow dye.

n7. In The Magestone Mereth says she is 75 (p.103). While this works with other statements (she's been a trader nearly 60 years on page 4) it won't work out with the Turning having been only two years ago when, in reality it must be closer to twelve. However, this does resolve the issue regarding Mouse who is almost seven at the time the raid occurred.

n8. This won't agree with the insistence that the Turning was only two years ago. Kasarian would be 34 (on page 45 Mereth thinks Kasarian is barely 30, so that matches), the Tregarth triplets would be 33, and Elona and Keris would be about 10. It also works with other books in the three anthologies of Storms of Victory, Flight of Vengeance, and On Wings of Magic.

n9. Ciara's Song

6814

1063

Year of the Hydra

To keep track of things, by this point Duratan (38) and Nolar (33) have some kind of relationship going on ^o1 and Derren of Karsten is married to Anylse ^o2; Simon, Jaelithe, Koris, and Loyse are ruling Estcarp ^o3; Mereth is 76; Kerovan 52-53, Joisan 50 (51 in the fall); Elyn and Elys 49; Gillan 45-47; Lorcan 45 and Meive 43; Una of Seakeep 36; Jerrany, Kasarian 35 ^o4; Tirtha and Nirel are probably 38 ^o5; Kyllan, Kemoc and Kaththea are 34; Romar and Mayrin 32; Simond and Tursla are probably around 32 ^o6; Yareth 30 and Eirran 28; Elfanor (daughter of Hertha) 27; Eleeri, Hyana, Kethan and Aylinn 26; Eydryth 25; Harwin and Glinda 24 ^o7; First child of Meive and Lorcan 23; Alon is at least 22 ^o8; Firdun 20; Dairene 19-20; Trevon 15; Elona and Keris 11; Jenys/Mouse, The first child of Hilarion and Kaththea 9; The second child of Hilarion and Kaththea 7; Second child of Eirran and Yareth will be 2 at the end of this year. ^o9

Kirion raises Shandro to be duke and tries to stir up hatred against those with Old Race blood in order to extract revenge against his own family. He changes course when he realizes this will make himself a target. ^o10

6815

1064

Year of the Triton

6816

1065

Year of the Centaur

This may be the year that the events of The Warding of Witch World take place. ^o11

o1. Seen in the introduction and interludes of On Wings of Magic and Kasarian refers to Nolar as Duratan's mate in The Magestone, so they could even be married.

o2. p.405 On Wings of Magic

o3. The ages of these four are hard to know. Jaelithe in particular could be almost any age since the Old Race live so long. Note that Simon's age is a curious factor since he joined the army in 1939 and was in occupied Germany (which lasted from 1945 until 1955). Assuming he was 18 when he joined he would be between 24-34 when court marshaled, spent a year in jail and another seven on the run before meeting Dr. Petronius and thus making him between 32-42 at the start of Witch World. He ought to be between 70-80 by now, but seems to be physically in his prime still. Even accounting for the nine lost years in the Machine World, he ought to physically be between 61-71. Koris and Loyse are likely 56, assuming they were 18 at the time of the first book (it's been 38 years since then)

o4. As per usual his age could be 40 if he's actually five when the invasion began.

o5. Much like Duratan, Tirtha was born before the Horning, though it's hard to know how much before.

o6. There's no way to know for certain but it's unlikely they're much less than 30.

o7. This is an estimate - they could be a couple years younger. Glenda is over 18 in Were-Hunter and Harwin seems about the same age. Since Harwin is the third child of Kildas and Harl he was likely born at least two years after Kethan was.

o8. Songsmith seems to put him and Eydryth at the same age, which is possible since he only remembers 12 years. Other aspects of that story are more questionable given the timeline.

o9. For possible discussion/speculation: Do Duratan and Nolar, Derren and Anylse, and or Eleeri and Romar have kids? They're all certainly old enough to. For that matter, Nirel and Tirath could have kids too and the fact that Kasarian doesn't have a mate by now is pretty baffling (though not so strange if The Magestone were supposed to be almost ten years ago when he would have been 25). Una and Tarlach certainly ought to have at least one child (age 4 or 5) by now as well. Does Kemoc move into Lormt with Orsya? It'd be odd if he didn't since he's only been advertising it to everyone he meets!

o10. Ciara's Song

o11. Since both Songsmith and The Key of the Keplian are supposed to take place thirty years after the Turning (and this is only 15), references to the thirty years into the future need to be ignored for the most part. It does work if Keris is supposed to be near his teens.

6817

1066

Year of the Opinicus ^p1

Earthborne may take place. ^p2

Kirion attempts to force Aisling (now 16) into a marriage she doesn't want to Ruart. It is in this year that Shosho (during the summer) gets pregnant at age 4 and later gives birth to Wind Dancer. Aisling is kidnapped after her refusal and held by Ruart and Kirion. She manages to escape. ^p3

6818

1067

Year of the Simurgh ^p4

Kirion and Ruart resume their efforts to get Aisling for their own purposes. In winter of this year Aiskeep is under siege and Elanor dies. Aisling decides to leave for Estcarp but Ciara tells her about her dream of Escore. She first goes to Geavon then to Temon where Ruart catches her, but he and Temon die. Aisling passes through some kind of gate and meets Neevor in Escore. ^p5

6819

1068

Year of the Remorhaz ^p6

6820

1069

Year of the Elder Tree

6821

1070

Year of the Wild Huntsman

Aisling returns to Karsten under a geas to remove Shandro and Kirion from power. In summer, Franzo leads a siege due to many deaths in the Coast Clan thanks to Shandro and Kirion. This is also when the events of The Gate of the Cat are mentioned (page 128 of the hard cover). ^p7

6822

1071

Year of the Troll-Dame

In spring of this year, Franzo makes a second siege of Kars. Shandro and Kirion die and Aisling and Hadrann are formally betroth. ^p8

6823

1072

Year of the Silversmith

6824

1073

Year of the Bitter Herb

6825

1074

Year of the Alfar ^p9

6826

1075

Year of the Air Spirit ^p10

6827

1076

Year of the Swordsmith

6828

1077

Year of the Gargoyle

6829

1078

Year of the Wyvern

6830

1079

Year of the Horn Worm

6831

1080

Year of the Dragon Horse

Thirty years after the Turning. Events of The Key of the Keplian take place; The events of Songsmith are also supposed to occur this year. ^p11

6832

1081

Year of the Nix

6833

1082

Year of the Pookaworm

p1. Misspelled Opinacus in GURPS.

p2. The story mentions both the Warding and the Turning. It also mentions that the two fallen towers of Lormt have been restored. Mereth would be 79 this year.

p3. Ciara's Song

p4. Misspelled as Sumurgh in GURPS. The Simurgh is a benevolent female creature of Iranian origin, usually depicted as a huge peacock with the claws of a lion and a head that is either canine or human.

p5. Ciara's Song

p6. This creature first appeared in Dungeons and Dragons in 1976. It resembles a gigantic blue centipede but which bends around the middle so that the lower segments have legs and the upper have webbed spikes that resemble a cobra's 'hood'. There are multiple red gem-like areas along its back (two per segment) that emit heat.

p7. The Duke's Ballad

p8. The Duke's Ballad

p9. Last year in GURPS

p10. This year, as well as all the following, are from Coulter's Index alone.

p11. Again, this is a problem given some ages and characters in The Warding of Witch World