Tarkalor was the first Sartar king to successfully thwart the devices of the evil Lunar Empire King Phargentes of Tarsh Tarkalor and his council paid personal attention to the defense of the realm, and they were not afraid to attack Tarsh whenever they had an advantage. Soon the Lunar raids cost Phargentes too much in men and morale to continue.
When Lunar troops could not succeed, the conflict moved to more subtle realms and the two leaders found themselves in a contest for the hand of the Feathered Horse Queen, ruler of the Grazers. Tarkalor was eventually victorious and married her in 1575. After this he was titled King of Sartar. The contest had proved to be too much for old King Phargentes, who died in 1579 in the midst of some simple morning exercises.
Tarkalor’s rest was short, and his alliance with the Grazers did not ensure success. Shortly after Phargentes’ death the leading Tarsh general was given regular Lunar Army rank and a contingent of imperial troops. His first major action was to try to crush the remnants of the Tarsh Exiles. He marched against their last city, Bagnot, in 1582. They ravaged the Bush Range, reducing it to a wilderness. Both Sartar and the Grazers sent troops to aid the defenders.
The armies met at the Battle of Grizzly Peak. The Lunar armies swept the field after their vastly superior magicians engaged the troops with hostile spirits. Both King Tarkalor and his Queen were killed. A month later Bagnot fell and its inhabitants were put to the sword.