The Inheritance Almanac Page 3

  The Burning Plains was the site of a major battle between the Varden and the Empire. Each army faced the other across the no-man’s-land of a desolate burning plain and the Jiet River’s chalky waters. To the south were the tents of the coalition forces of the Varden, which included the men of Surda and King Orrin’s cavalry. To the north waited Galbatorix’s army, which stretched across three miles and was estimated at upward of a hundred thousand soldiers. Eragon went to battle with Saphira, his sword, Zar’roc, hanging off the belt of Beloth the Wise. At Nasuada’s request, Eragon led Du Vrangr Gata, the Varden spellcasters under the command of the sorceress Trianna.

  Before the battle, Nar Garzhvog, leader of the Urgals’ Bolvek tribe, appeared before Nasuada to admit that his race had once made a deal with Galbatorix in return for land and had become spellbound by the magic of Durza. Now, betrayed by Galbatorix and freed from Durza’s enchantment, they wanted to become allies of the Varden to seek their revenge on Galbatorix. The people of Alagaësia had long feared and despised the war-loving Urgals. Ignoring the jeers, fears, and hate of those Varden soldiers for whom the Urgals had long been enemies, Nasuada bravely allowed Garzhvog and his warriors to bivouac along the eastern flank of her army and ultimately join forces with her.

  At dawn, the armies clashed. Soldiers attacked with swords, spears, hammers, and pikes; Eragon and the spellcasters of Du Vrangr Gata met their Empire counterparts; and the Empire brought up catapults, trebuchets, ballistae, and other machines of war. That day even the unlikely pair of Garzhvog and Orik, the future dwarf king, gloried in the carnage as they fought side by side. A great push by the Varden, led by dwarven soldiers, beat back, then routed, the Empire. In the ensuing chaos, the confused and panicky soldiers of the Empire lost heart, and those who weren’t dying began surrendering or retreating.

  Although the Empire was defeated, Eragon and Saphira then witnessed an ominous sight—a Rider and dragon arising from the Empire’s side of the battlefield to the pounding of war drums. Eragon realized the sight of a red dragon meant that Galbatorix had gotten one of the two dragon eggs in his possession to hatch. But worse revelations awaited as he discovered the identity of the Rider, whose face had been shielded by a helm—it was his former friend and ally Murtagh, who had been presumed dead after the Battle of Farthen Dûr. Murtagh killed King Hrothgar and captured Eragon. He chose to release Eragon, but before he did so, he took Zar’roc from Eragon and told him that the two of them were brothers—that Murtagh was the eldest son of Morzan and Selena, Eragon the younger. Murtagh thus claimed Zar’roc as his rightful inheritance. Murtagh’s revelation was incorrect, but Eragon did not know that then.

  SEE BURNING PLAINS, DRAGON RIDER SWORDS, MORZAN, AND MURTAGH.

  The stallion of the Varden leader Nasuada.

  The largest of five islands off the southwestern coast of Alagaësia and the only inhabited one, with one coastal village, Eoam.

  SEE SOUTHERN ISLES.

  Home to many of Alagaësia’s finest craftsmen, Belatona lies within Empire territory at the juncture of Leona Lake and the Jiet River. Its proximity to the border of Surda and its access to Dras-Leona and beyond has made the city a strategic target of the Varden army. To strengthen Belatona’s defenses, Galbatorix garrisoned armed forces within the city.

  A resident of Ellesméra, whose name means “Bellaen the Silent.” When Eragon and his dragon, Saphira, spent time studying and training in Ellesméra, Bellaen was in charge of their needs and comfort. Ballaen also granted Saphira permission to hunt within Du Weldenvarden, provided that her kills were outside elven settlements.

  Little is known of the fabled Dragon Rider Beloth the Wise, although it is said his life’s story can be found within accounts of the Year of Darkness. What is known is that he owned the gem-studded sword that bears his name and that was given to Eragon Shadeslayer by Oromis. The woven belt has a pattern of a Lianí Vine; pulling a tassel at the end reveals twelve perfectly cut, multicolored diamonds (white, black, red, blue, yellow, brown) capable of storing a large supply of energy, which the bearer can draw upon when needed.

  SEE URZHAD.

  The true name of this mountain range, the largest in Alagaësia, is a closely guarded secret of the dwarves. Its popular name is derived from the ancient language word for the cave bears native to these mountains. The Beor Mountains were populated by the dwarves only after their original home in a verdant land became arid and hot, climate change creating what is today known as the Hadarac Desert. Over time, the dwarves spread throughout the range, establishing both surface and subterranean cities. Today the Beors are home to all but one of the dwarven cities, including the zenith of dwarven architecture and engineering, the capital city of Tronjheim, which is built within the immense volcanic hollow of Farthen Dûr.

  The host of animal species unique to the Beor Mountains includes the Fanghur, Feldûnost, Nagra, Shrrg, and Urzhad (the Dwarvish word for the Beor). The mountains reach a peak of ten miles, and access is limited to a valley entryway or the Az Ragni river. Landmarks include Mani’s Caves, said to be home of the legendary dream well, and Moldûn the Proud, the northernmost peak of the range.

  THE BEOR MOUNTAINS ARE BASED ON THE BEARTOOTH MOUNTAINS IN MONTANA, WHERE CHRISTOPHER PAOLINI LIVES. THE TITANIC SIZE OF THE BEOR MOUNTAINS IS BASED ON THE MOUNTAINS OF NEW ZEALAND, WHICH PAOLINI ONCE HEARD ARE RISING SO FAST, THEY WOULD BE TEN MILES HIGH IF EROSION WASN’T A FACTOR.

  The “ill-marked” subject of an elven song.

  SEE DU FYRN SKULBLAKA AND ERAGON.

  THE NAME BID’DAUM (THE FIRST DRAGON TO BE PAIRED WITH A RIDER) SPELLED BACKWARD YIELDS MUAD’DIB, THE MAIN CHARACTER FROM THE NOVEL DUNE.

  Wife to Quimby and mother of several children. A resident of the village of Carvahall, Quimby, Carvahall’s most skilled brewer, was killed when he intervened in an argument between two drunken Empire soldiers. The tragedy galvanized Birgit into fighting to defend her home and family. She became a warrior, with a natural instinct for extracting herself and others from dangerous situations. During the Empire’s siege of Carvahall, Birgit joined the villagers who fled their homes. Birgit blames Roran, Eragon’s cousin and leader of Carvahall’s refugees, for bringing the Empire’s wrath upon them and has sworn to take revenge against him someday. In the meantime, however, she is working with Roran to save the people of Carvahall. When she needs an alias, Birgit assumes her late mother’s name, Mardra.

  Birgit is often accompanied on journeys by her teenage son, Nolfavrell, who watches over his younger siblings. Nolfavrell proved himself when he killed an Empire soldier during the attack on Carvahall. Like his mother, he desires revenge for his father’s death, though he does not hold a grudge against Roran. When he needs an alias, Nolfavrell uses the name Kell.

  One of the horses that belong to Garrow of Carvahall.

  The ancient language title for Eragon’s dragon, Saphira; it translates as “Brightscales.”

  Galbatorix’s elite group of spies, assassins, and spellcasters charged with eliminating key figures in the Varden and within Surda. This secret society was discovered when Drail, trained “in the dark uses of magic,” was captured shortly after his attempted assassination of Nasuada, the Varden leader. Before he committed suicide by magic, Drail’s mind was searched, providing the Varden with their first knowledge of the Black Hand. The information helped the Varden hunt down, capture, and kill a large portion of its members. But the Black Hand threat remains, and prominent members of the Varden and Surdans are well versed in defending themselves against the Empire’s magic attacks and telepathic probes. The Black Hand is Galbatorix’s attempt to emulate the role Selena, who herself was known as the Black Hand of Morzan, played for Morzan.

  SEE SELENA.

  This shipping company in Teirm serves as a front for transporting supplies for the Empire’s armies.

  SEE DRAGON WING.

  The older of the two females who crossed paths with Eragon, Saphira, and Angela in one of the Varden’s war camps in Surda. Bladesi
nger speaks with an unknown accent; the strips of leather she wears over scarred wrists mark her as having been a slave or a prisoner. Bladesinger is one of the select few to have had her future foretold by Angela the herbalist, who let slip that Bladesinger will have a role in shaping Alagaësia’s future. Before her departure from the Varden camp, Eragon offered Bladesinger a blessing in the ancient language. Saphira called Bladesinger “Wolf-Eyes.”

  Bladesinger’s traveling companion was a muscular teenage girl with no name, herself a mysterious figure but deemed important enough for Angela to have cast the dragon knucklebones to divine her future. The girl was also blessed by Eragon when she left the Varden in Bladesinger’s company. These are the first blessings Eragon gave since the ill-fated one he bestowed upon Elva.

  The mysterious raven that saved the life of elf king Evandar during his battle with Urgals. The king rewarded the raven with a magical blessing that increased the bird’s intelligence and extended its life span. However, as often happens with magic, unexpected complications ensued—Blagden turned from black to ghostly white and acquired the power to foretell events. Since Evandar’s death, Blagden has remained in the company of Queen Islanzadí and is renowned in the elven court for both a ribald wit and a serious manner.

  SEE HADARAC DESERT.

  Son of Ildrid the Beautiful and one of today’s most powerful elven spellcasters. An experienced war commander and magical combatant, Blödhgarm is one of a group of twelve elves assigned to protect Eragon and Saphira. Blödhgarm’s favored magical talent is his ability to alter his appearance to take on some of the physical attributes that he likes from an animal, such as a wolf. In addition to keen eyesight that rivals the penetrating gaze of the swiftest eagle, his body emits an intoxicating scent that attracts females of all races. His magical skills and fearlessness on the battlefield earned him the favor of Queen Islanzadí.

  SEE LIOTHA.

  SEE AGAETÍ BLÖDHREN.

  The monstrous whirlpool that forms between tides off the southwestern coast of Alagaësia, along the Southern Isles. The whirlpool is so gigantic its churning foam alone is the size of a large island. The Boar’s Eye is the scourge of the bravest and most seaworthy sailor and can suck in entire fleets of ships from up to five miles away. The maelstrom is not without its strange beauty—a massive rainbow can often be seen descending from the sky into the whirlpool’s misty heart. Traveling the Boar’s Eye between low or high tides can give a false sense of security, as the area is then a seemingly harmless stretch of yellow foam. Only a few have entered the whirlpool and lived to tell of it, most recently Uthar, who sailed the Dragon Wing through it while escaping Galbatorix’s navy.

  The Bolvek are an Urgal tribe led by a great Kull warrior, Nar Garzhvog. At the death of the evil Shade Durza, the Bolvek Urgals were released from the spells that had coerced them into serving the Empire. They realized their future was not secure so long as Galbatorix ruled and held his dreams of conquest, so they entered into an alliance with the Varden. In exchange for their assistance, Nasuada promised the Urgals new lands once the war with Galbatorix is won. Although the Varden hesitantly accepted the Bolvek as allies, they have since proved their bravery, dedication, and loyalty in battle and as Nasuada’s personal guards, though skepticism remains among the ranks of the Varden.

  SEE BATTLE OF THE BURNING PLAINS AND URGALS.

  SEE DRAGON WING.

  The book of Tosk is the sacred work laying out the rules for the worshipers of the dark religion practiced at the weird rock formations of Helgrind.

  SEE ABERON.

  A commander of a battalion of soldiers in Galbatorix’s army.

  The man appointed minister of trade under Lord Rishart, governor of Teirm. Brand is immune to bribery but has always tried to bend the law to suit his needs— the “worst sort of bureaucrat,” the Dragon Rider Brom once said of him.

  Situated on Mount Thardûr, this dwarf city in the Beor Mountains is the ancestral home of the Ingeitum clan. Built entirely of stone quarried from within the mountains, Bregan Hold rises in five levels to the pyramidal peak of Az Sin-driznarrvel, the giant flameless lantern.

  A metal, known for its uncommon brilliance, smelted from an ore extracted from fragments of a shooting star. The ore was discovered in Alagaësia by the female elf and supreme swordsmith Rhunön. With this substance, Rhunön fashioned all the great Dragon Rider swords. Eragon and Saphira secured a nodule of brightsteel from beneath the roots of the Menoa tree. Eragon, under the guidance of Rhunön, fashioned the metal into his sword, Brisingr.

  The sword that Eragon christened with the ancient language word for “fire.” Eragon risked the wrath of the sentient Menoa tree to obtain a store of the bright-steel buried beneath its roots. He brought the ore to Rhunön, who guided him in forging the greatest Dragon Rider sword of all.

  SEE DRAGON RIDER SWORDS.

  The Broddrings were the first humans to settle Alagaësia and the youngest race on the continent. Their earliest known appearance was in 5596 AC, when twenty humans sailed from the south, landed near Surda, and exchanged gifts with dwarves before departing. It was nearly two thousand years before humans returned. King Palancar and his followers established the first permanent settlements in 7203 AC. According to elven lore, the humans came from an unknown homeland somewhere south of the Beor Mountains, their migration spurred by war and famine. Legend also holds that an evil race followed the humans to Alagaësia, the dark beings the elves named the Ra’zac—indeed, elves have also speculated that these fearsome creatures were the reason humans fled their homeland.

  The fleet of ships under Palancar’s command first attempted to land on the western coast of Alagaësia by the Spine mountain range, near the city of Teirm, but were blown back out to sea. The fleet made landfall on a bay to the south, where the pioneers established the first settlement, which they named Kuasta. A few years later, more ships carrying dark-skinned humans landed on the continent; this new wave of immigrants, today known as the wandering tribes, spread out along southern Alagaësia.

  Palancar’s people spent years searching for a route out of the Spine, eventually settling in the valley they named Palancar Valley, which became the center of the Broddring Kingdom. During this time, the humans discovered the elf city of Teirm. King Palancar met with the elves and negotiated the right of humans to settle on lands not inhabited by elves, dragons, or dwarves.

  During Palancar’s reign, humans expanded their borders, defeating Urgals and winning the territory that is today known as Therinsford. The conquest seemed to unhinge King Palancar. In his mad arrogance, Palancar lost his fear of the elves and Dragon Riders, tore up the treaty, and fought the elves for control of the region between the Spine and Du Weldenvarden. The Broddrings lost three great battles, but Palancar refused to concede. Rather than risk further defeats, Broddring nobles negotiated a separate peace accord with the elves, agreeing to dethrone and banish Palancar. In exchange, they were given control of Ilirea, the city that still remains the capital of the Broddring nation, although it is now under Galbatorix’s control and known as Urû’baen. Palancar’s banishment resulted in the construction of Ristvak-baen, the watchtower of the Riders. Palancar’s fall was like a curse upon his house, with the deposed king murdered by his own son. It is said that descendants of the disgraced king still abide in the valley that bears his name.

  The tragedy of Palancar’s war spurred Anurin, elf leader of the Dragon Riders, to make the controversial decision to include the humans in the magical bond between elves and dragons, paving the way for the first human Dragon Rider.

  King Angrenost, last true king of the Broddring Kingdom, was slain by Galbatorix and the Forsworn during their attack on Ilirea, and the Broddrings were absorbed by conquest into Galbatorix’s Empire. However, as Galbatorix was solidifying his control, a group of humans led by Orrin seceded and formed the independent state of Surda. It is said that King Orrin can trace his ancestry to Thanebrand the Ring Giver, Palancar’s successor, making Orrin a de
scendant of the Broddring royal bloodline.

  SEE SURDA.

  Father of Thorv.

  Brom’s father, Holcomb, and his mother, Nelda, originally lived in the secluded town of Kuasta. Both were illuminators who illustrated books and manuscripts. Brom, a Dragon Rider, whose own dragon was named Saphira, witnessed not only the downfall of his lineage but also its rebirth with a new young Rider— Eragon, his own son. Brom’s honors include the highest awards the elf nation can give an outsider, the ring Aren and the title of elf-friend.

  As a Dragon Rider, Brom was trained by Oromis in Ilirea. He was also close to his fellow Rider Morzan. The two became enemies when Morzan was corrupted by the rogue Rider Galbatorix, and Brom eventually slew Morzan. Selena, Morzan’s consort, fell in love with Brom and their union bore Eragon.

  An implacable foe of the Empire, Brom filled a vacuum when all was chaos: Galbatorix consolidating his Empire; the dwarves reeling from Galbatorix’s attacks, which almost wiped out an entire clan; and a separatist movement of humans forming Surda. Brom was the first to organize the Riders’ allies in exile and was one of the original founders of the Varden resistance. Brom not only secured the support of the elves but also convinced the dwarf king Hrothgar to allow the Varden to make their base in Farthen Dûr.