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Losing Witch World
Andre's fans rejoice in the fact that the Lady has remained with us for so many decades. She was born in the early 20th century and is no longer as young and mobile as she once had been. Although Ms. Norton has remained active in the commissioning and editing of her books for many years, she all but stopped writing original stories herself for several years.
Ms. Norton has helped launch the careers of several successful writers, but younger fans may not be aware that many of the books coming out under Andre's name were not written by her. In the case of the Witch World, Andre began accepting and approving stories by other writers long before she herself ceased to write. Thus, she imprinted a level of canonicity upon the Witch World which is unusual among science fiction and fantasy authors. Only a few, such as Marion Zimmer Bradley and Jerry Pournelle, have actively invited and collaborated with other authors to contribute stories and build up new characters and histories in their worlds.
The concept of the open world (as opposed to a shared world, which is open to a select group of writers from its inception, such as the Thives World group launched by Robert Lynn Asprin and Lynn Abbey) challenges reader expectations. Those of us who grew up with Andre's crisp, analytical style received a shock when books began appearing under her name which lacked the polish and sophistication we were used to.
While some readers have made the adjustment to the open world status of Witch World, others have resisted the changeover. Of course, after writing about Witch World and its inhabitants for 25 years, Andre was certainly entitled to a break or even to abandon the project altogether. But she has always been a true visionary in this field, and she felt strongly that other minds and hearts could share stories in the Witch World venue that she herself could not see.
And yet, for the chronicler, professional or amateur, the transition from a proprietary, closed world to an open world presents many challenges. How is canonicity to be established? For example, one day, Andre will no longer be with us. If her estate or publishers elect to maintain the franchise and commission new books, what status should those books be assigned with respect to the books published in Andre's life time? Even the books which she did not write, she (so far as we know) read, critiqued, and review with her co-authors. At the very least, she exerted some control over those stories.
But those stories are nonetheless tales written by other hands. They often feel very little like a true Andre Norton story. It is very, very difficult for a skilled writer to maintain a specific style which is not his or her own, and Andre has encouraged authors to flourish and discover their own talents. By her very generosity and support, she has therefore perhaps forever closed the chapter of Witch World authorship which flourished under her own hand.
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Introduction
I don't believe Ms. Norton ever really sat down and wrote out the history of the Witch World in advance. It just sort of grew on her, although eventually she must have compiled quite a few notes. Pauline Griffin tells me that authors who have written Witch World books/stories have been given some guidelines, but I haven't seen them.
Juanita Coulson has written an official history or timeline for the Witch World. Ms. Norton still hopes to see it published. Since I haven't seen the book myself, I'm rather skeptical about how consistent it will be with published sources, but who knows? I certainly have made some errors with my own work.
What follows is a collection of fairly old notes which I compiled while in college (in the early 1980s). This is info is by NO MEANS complete or up-to-date, but it takes a lot of time I don't presently have to compile this information. I have tried, over the last few months, to correct a few points -- especially where others have contacted me.
Ethan Merritt has suggested the years may be named through augury, citing a passage from The Jargoon Pard:
"The very names of the years, as they passed, showed that the balance of the Power was a little troubled. For we had behind us such as as the Years of the Lamia, the Chimera, the Harpy and the Orc.. These were signs that the golden peace of my childhood were fading, though the why of this puzzled all who thought about the matter."
In THE MAGESTONE it appears that Alizon was settled before Estcarp. Two Adepts, Elsenar and Shorrosh, opened a gate to the world called Aliz and brought some of their people through (to save them). When Elsenar discovered that Shorrosh was a dark Adept he closed the gate on Shorrosh. While Elsenar was busy with the Alizonders, the Old Race abandoned Escore, raising the mountains and establishing Lormt as a fortress against the dark Adepts. This information conflicts with the account given in THREE AGAINST THE WITCH WORLD and its companion books WARLOCK OF THE WITCH WORLD and SORCERESS OF THE WITCH WORLD. Although there are numerous discrepancies of detail in the books, this strikes me as a major blunder but I'm not sure of how it got into the storyline. Ms. Norton, I am told, carefully reviews each of the collaborations and edits them.
Let it suffice to say that presently there are huge discrepancies, IMHO introduced by Ms. Norton's collaborators. I may at some point in time try to reconcile them as best I can.
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NOTE!!!!
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Aetheling pointed out some discrepancies for me but I no longer have his notes.
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General Events in Witch World History
Escore, Estcarp, Karsten, Gorm, Alizon, Salzarat, Tor
- The Golden Age of Escore
- Elsenar and Shorrosh bring the Aliz to the moorlands of
northwest Escore
- The War of the Adepts
- Lormt is founded along the western march of Escore
- The Defeat of the Old Race
- Flight of the Old Race
- Raising of the Mountains between Estcarp and Escore
- The Adepts of the Light destroy themselves in Lormt
- The Witches Establish Estcarp
- Es City is founded in Estcarp
- Settlers from Estcarp cross the southern mountains and establish
Karsten
- The first ships of the Sulcar visit Estcarp
- Barbarians establish a kingdom on the island of Gorm
- Barbarians settle along the coasts of Karsten and Var
- Barbarian dukes take control of Karsten
- Sulcarkeep is built on the northern shore of the peninsula between Estcarp
and Karsten
- The Falconers flee Salzarat in the distant south and settle in the
Eyrie, located in the mountains between Estcarp and Karsten
- The Kolder first appear in the Witch World
- Hilder becomes Lord of Gorm
- Koris, the half-Torman son of Hilder is born
- Hilder weds Orna
- Birth of Uryan, son of Hilder and Orna
- Yvian consolidates his power as Duke of Karsten
- Hilder dies
- Called by Uryan, the Kolder invade Gorm, Koris escapes
- The Kolder build the city of Yle on the southern shore of the peninsula
between Estcarp and Karsten
- The Kolder attack Estcarp. Koris assumes command of the Guards. Alizon
attacks Estcarp
- Simon Tregarth enters the Witch World
Arvon, High Halleck
- The Golden Age of Arvon
- The War of the Adepts
- Maleron, Margrave of the Heights, is challenged by his half-sister
Sylvya, who proves he has taken the dark way. That Which Runs The
Ridges First Appears
- The Four Clans seize control of Arvon
- The "Middle" creatures, including the Were-Riders,
are ejected from Arvon
- The Old Race withdraws from the coastlands, except for Quayth
- The Dalesmen enter the Witch World and establish High Halleck
- The first Sulcar ships appear
- Alizon attacks High Halleck
- Truan and Almondia, refugees from Estcarp, settle in High Halleck
- The Four Lords rally southern High Halleck's forces
- The Four Lords recruit the Were-Riders for the war against Alizon
- Alizon stops receiving aid from the Kolder
Specific Years in Witch World History
I don't know if each year is supposed to be uniquely named, or if there is a cycle, like the Chinese calendar. Ms. Norton is familiar with Chinese history and culture and could have been influenced by that. These year names and spacing indicate something much more complex than the Chinese system.
- Blue-horned Ram
Reference: The Magestone
Mereth's birth-year, nearly 70 years prior to the year of the
Horned Hunter.
- Spitting Toad
Reference: The Crystal Gryphon
Kerovan and Joisan are axe-wedded in this year. gillan
may have been born in this year.
- Salamander
Reference: Spell of the Witch World
Truan and Almondia arrive in Wark (High Halleck) after fleeing
from Estcarp in a Sulcar ship. This occurs about three years
after the Year of the Spitting Toad.
- Sea Serpent
Reference: Spell of the Witch World
Birth of the twin children of Truan and Almondia, Elyn and Elys.
This year follows the Year of the Salamander.
- Crowned Swan
Reference: The Crytsal Gryphon
This year occurs about 3 years after the Year of the Sea Serpent,
and it marks the 14th year of Joisan's life. The half-brother of
Pagar of Geen (now Duke of Karsten) revolts.
- Moss Wife
This year follows the Year of the Crowned Swan.
- Fire Troll
Reference: The Crystal Gryphon
This year follows the year of the Moss Wife. Alizon attacks High
Halleck in this year.
- Leopard
Reference: Year of the Unicorn
Freeza and Gillan reach Abbey Norstead. This year occurs about
three years after the Year of the Fire Troll.
- Gryphon
Reference: The Crystal Gryphon
The battle of the Ford of Ingra in High Halleck, in which the
Dalesmen are defeated by Alizon. Ithdale and Ulmsdale are
taken. This year occurs about two years after the Year of
the Leopard.
- Fire Drake
Reference: Three Against The Witch World
Pagar subdues Karsten. Battle of Ruther's Pass in High Halleck, in
which the House of Nordendale perishes. Alizon stops resupplying
its forces in High Halleck. This year occurs two or three years
after the Year of the Gryphon.
- Hornet
Reference: The Year of the Unicorn
The war ends in High Halleck. This year occurs about two years after
the Year of the Fire Drake.
- Unicorn
Reference: Year of the Unicorn
gillan and 12 other Daleswomen become brides of the Were-riders
and go with them to Arvon. Herrel takes gillan. Kaththea is
taken by the Witches of Estcarp. This year follows the Year of
the Hornet.
- Red Boar
Reference: The Jargoon Pard
This year occurs two or more years after the Year of the Unicorn.
Kethan and Aylinn were born in this year and switched by
Ursilla at the Fane of Neave.
- Lamia
Reference: The Jargoon Pard
- Chimera
Reference: The Jargoon Pard
- Harpy
Reference: The Jargoon Pard
- Orc
Reference: The Jargoon Pard
- Werewolf
Reference: The Jargoon Pard
Kethan says. "I had passed from boyhood into the time
of young manhood...Yet that was also the Year of the Werewolf..."
It seems he would be about twelve to sixteen, then.
- Horned Cat
Reference:The Jargoon Pard
This was the year immediately following the Year of the
Werewolf.
- Kobold
According to Mereth's journal
in THE MAGESTONE, this was the year of the Turning. It precedes the
year of the Horned Hunter by 2 years. - Horned Hunter
THE MAGESTONE opens in this year. I haven't tried to reconcile
the dating of this book (or other later books) with the older chronology
I compiled in the 1980s.
- Lamia
Follows on the Horned Hunter.
Calendars of the Witch World
From my early notes I have names only for the Month of the Snowbird, said to be the first month of the year, and the Month of the Ice Dragon, said to be the last month of the year. Two seasons are named: the Chrysalis (Spring) and Hawk (Autumn).
There is mention of the Month of the Gyrfalcon, the birthmonth of Eydryth (daughter of Elys and Jervon) in SONGSMITH.
In THE MAGESTONE Mary H. Schaub introduces the Month of the Fire Thorn from the Dales calendar as well as the Month of the Fringed Violet and the Month of the Willow Carp. I don't know (yet) what calendar these belong to. There is also a reference to the Month of the Shredbark Tree (2 months prior to the month of the Fire Thorn).
So it appears that there are two calendars, one for Escore/Estcarp and one for the Dales (probably include Arvon). But I'm not certain this was Andre Norton's original intention.
There is an Alizon calendar, which I'm not yet ready to document. But apparently the calendars are not always in sync.
Years by Number Relative To Esctarp's Founding
Escore, Estcarp, Karsten, Gorm, Alizon, Salzarat, Tor
Note: Years are approximations. Alizon dating extends from The Betrayal, apparently when the gate was closed by Elsenar. These year datings are probably off by about 50 years but it will require some work to revise them.
Also, I'm not very happy with some of the information provided in THE WARDING OF WITCH WORLD. It seems Ms. Norton may have been unduly influenced by some errors on one or more collaborators' parts. The dating as revealed in the books will not be consistent unless some editorial changes are made to correct the inconsistencies.
- circa -45: Elsenar and Shorrosh open a gate to Aliz. Alizon
is founded.
- 1: Estcarp is founded.
- 725: Barbarian dukes take control of Karsten.
- 860: Sulcarkeep is built.
- 878: The Falconers establish the Eyrie.
- 968: Yvian becomes Duke of Karsten.
- 978: Simon Tregarth enters the Witch World. Sulcarkeep is destroyed.
Death of Yvian.
- 979: Simon marries the witch Jaelithe. They destroy the Kolder.
- 980: Birth of Kyllan, Kemoc, and Kaththea Tregarth. Pagar of Geen
defeats of confederation of rival Karstenian lords.
- 981: Pagar becomes Duke of Karsten and launches border raids
against Estcarp. Hostovrul leads 20 Sulcar ships up the river and
raids Kars City.
- 982: Pagar's half-brother rebels.
- 986: Kyllan and Kemoc begin training as warriors.
- 992: After a massive, five-column raid by Karsten into Estcarp,
Kyllan and Kemoc join the Borderers.
- 994: Simon and Jaelithe disappear at sea.
- 997: Kyllan and Kemoc fight a battle in a pass. Kaththea is taken by
the witches.
- 999: Kemoc is wounded and retired from the Borderers. He goes to Lormt.
- 1000: The Turning. Many Witches of Estcarp die. Kyllan, Kemoc, and
Kaththea enter Escore.
- 1001: Estcarp ends the war with Karsten and Alizon.
- 1002: Simon, Jaelithe, and Hilarion return to the Witch World.
Arvon, High Halleck
- 966: Birth of Kerovan, son of Ulric, Lord of Ulmsdale.
- 968: Birth of Joisan, daughter of the lord of Ithdale.
- 975: Joisan and Kerovan are axe-wedded.
- 978: Truan and Almondia arrive in Wark.
- 979: Births of Elyn and Elys.
- 982: Joisan's fourteenth birthday.
- 984: Alizon invades High Halleck.
- 987: gillan and Freeza arrive at Abbey Norstead.
- 989: Battle of the Ford of Ingra. Ulmsdale and
Ithdale overrun?
- 993: Battle of Ruther's Pass. Alizon stops resupplying
the invasion force in High Halleck.
- 995: End of the war in High Halleck.
- 996: The Were-Riders take their brides and return to Arvon.
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