Riva (Belgariad)

Riva is a fictional island in the David Eddings book series The Belgariad (and its sequel The Malloreon) located within the Sea of the Winds to the west of Cherek and Sendaria. Riva is mountainous, and is only accessible at the River of Veils on the eastern side of the island. Its people are known as the Rivans.

Related Topics:
David Eddings - The Belgariad - The Malloreon - Cherek - Sendaria

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Riva is named after its first ruler, Riva Iron-grip, the youngest son of Cherek Bear-shoulders, and first Guardian of the Aldur's Orb. The Citadel at Riva was specifically designed by Belgarath, first disciple of Aldur, to house and protect Orb, and all of its rulers know this to be their first and most important duty. The Rivans are all characterised as grim-faced and wearing grey cloaks made of goat's wool.

Related Topics:
Riva Iron-grip - Cherek Bear-shoulders - Aldur

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In large-scale strategic battles with other armies, Rivans fight as small-unit infantry. They often engage in ambush tactics, and in battles with sworn enemies of the Alorns, they fight with grim-faced ferocity.

Related Topics:
Infantry - Ambush

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Riva is a brother nation to the Alorn countries Algaria, Cherek, and Drasnia. Following the murder of King Gorek the Wise, its rulers were all named Brand, the Rivan Warder. This is officially known to be a temporary "steward" position.

Related Topics:
Alorn - Algaria - Drasnia - Brand

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Most people believed that the line of Rivan rulers ended when Salmissra's Nyissan assassins murdered Gorek and his family. However, the Nyissans missed Gorek's youngest grandson, Prince Geran (known in The Belgariad as Prince Gared). Belgarath and his daughter Polgara rescued Prince Geran and hid the Rivan line in relative obscurity throughout Sendaria and the Alorn nations. The ultimate descendant of the Rivan line, Belgarion the Godslayer, eventually helped recover the Aldur's Orb and reclaimed the throne of Riva.

Related Topics:
Salmissra - The Belgariad - Polgara - Belgarion

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