The Alorns are the chosen of Belar, the Bear God. They live predominately in the northwestern corner of the Western Continent. Originally the Alorns were entirely one people and second in numbers only to the Angaraks. Then Belgarath the Sorcerer lead Cherek Bear-Shoulders and his sons, Dras Bull-Neck, Algar Fleet-Foot, and Riva Iron-Grip, to retrieve the Orb of Aldur from the mad god Torak. Afterwards Belgarath, under the instruction of the Gods, had the nation of Aloria split into the four Alorn kingdoms of Cherek, Drasnia, Algaria and Riva. Since that time the peoples of each nation have developed into separate races, united more by history and friendship than blood. They still share a nearly universal enjoyment of alchohol (preferably beer) and a deeply ingrained hatred of Angaraks. Another Alorn feature is a bias towards women. Even the most enlightened of the Alorns have an objection to women in authority. Originally this prejudice was from a need to protect the child-bearers from an untimely death, but more recently has been simply out of habit. Each Alorn nationality has a different set of stats as follows: