Cthol Murgos

Cthol Murgos is a fictional country in the fantasy book series "The Belgariad" and "The Malloreon" by David Eddings.

The country is bordered on the east by the Sea of the East, a vast body of water created when the god Torak, having stolen the Orb of Aldur, used it to split the world asunder. On the north lies Mishrak ac Thull, home of the Thulls, and west lies Tolnedra. Major cities in Cthol Murgos include Rak Cthol and Rak Goska.

The inhabitants of the country are often described as "slant-eyed" and are known as Murgos, and are one of the Angarak races who worship Torak. A separate caste of priests known as Grolims are spread throughout Cthol Murgos, and they have sorcerous powers (while within the borders of Cthol Murgos, at any rate).

At the time of "The Belgariad," Cthol Murgos is ruled by King Taur Urgas. The Urgas family demonstrates an hereditary disposition towards insanity in the male line, growing worse as each ages. Extreme fits of rage were not uncommon; Taur Urgas repeatedly beat his wives and even starting chewing on carpet when he was very angry. By the end of the "The Belgariad" Taur Urgas had been killed in battle by King Cho-Hag of Algaria, succeeded in "The Malloreon" by his son Urgit who has no trace of the Urgas insanity.