Places in the Inheritance trilogy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards.
Please discuss this issue on the talk page or replace this tag with a more specific message. This article has been tagged since September 2006.

The following are fictional places in Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Trilogy

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Contents

[edit] Alalea

Alalea is a speculative land outside of Alagaësia, where the elves first came from.

[edit] Beor Mountains

The Beor Mountains are the tallest mountains in Alagaësia, over ten miles high. They are located southeast of the Empire, across the Hadarac Desert. The Beors are rather steep, have vegetation only at their bases, and are almost maze-like with valleys and crevices. Beneath these mountains the dwarves have created large cities, the greatest being Tronjheim. The dwarves believe within these mountains they were created out of the living granite by their god, Helzvog.

The region has five species unique to it. Among them are the Feldunost, large goats that the dwarves use for steeds; the Beors, enormous bears; and the Nagra, gigantic boars which the dwarves find to be a delicious dish, though they are rarely hunted since they are so vicious.

Eragon attempts to fly up one of these mountains on Saphira, but as they climb higher the air begins to thin. Eragon tries to tell Saphira to fly back down, but suffering from oxygen deprivation she is unable to understand him. Eventually Eragon passes out and Saphira, understanding something is wrong, turns back. Upon regaining consciousness Eragon realizes the value of knowing about the lack of air when fighting another Dragon Rider.

[edit] Broddring Kingdom

The Broddring Kingdom was the country where the human's of Alagaësia, the fictional world where the story is based, used to live before The Fall of the Dragon Riders: the keepers of the peace and the supreme force in Alagaësia, though they did not rule any part of the land. After the rise of the rogue Rider Galbatorix, who managed to kill off most of the other Dragon Riders, including the leader Vrael, he captured Urû'baen, then called Ilirea, the capital of the Broddring Kingdom. He also took the then King Angrenost's throne and titles for his own, thus becoming the ruler of the Kingdom. Though this kingdom formed the core of Galbatorix's conquest, he also conquered various other lands. At the time of the story in the trilogy, however, the Broddring Kingdom still existed, though it was not "much more than a name on royal decrees".

[edit] Burning Plains

Burning Plains is located west of the Jiet River, the Burning Plains was where the Battle of Burning Plains was fought.

[edit] Carvahall

Carvahall is a small village where Eragon grew up. It is located in the north-western corner of Alagaësia on the fringe of The Spine. It sits on the bank of the Anora River, not far from the town of Therinsford. The village is small enough that they're unable to create most of the items needed in everyday life and rely upon nomadic traders for most of their small amenities.

After the events of Eragon, The Ra'zac return to Carvahall to collect Roran for information on the whereabouts of his cousin. Along with the Ra'zac, King Galbatorix sends a small group of soldiers to the town. Roran takes refuge on the edge of The Spine while the soldiers cause a disruption in the village. After hearing the news of a death in Carvahall, Roran returns to his town and is joined by some prominent residents to start a retaliation. Garrow's son takes the villagers into battle causing the unexpecting soldiers to retreat, along with The Ra'zac. Showing his prowess in battle, Roran is given the name Stronghammer and the duty to defend Carvahall. The town is eventually forced to abandon their homes in search of support from Surda.

[edit] Notable people

[edit] Dras-Leona

Dras-leona is located by Leona lake and is in proximity to Helgrind, a great mountain called "the gates of death". The citizens there are said to engage in a dark religion dealing with worship of Helgrind, involving sacrificing body parts. At the time of Eragon, It was ruled by a noble named Marcus Tabor. It is a sprawling tangle of buildings, strewn with disfigured beggars and desperatlely impoverished citizens. The center of Dras-Leona is encircled by a pale, yellow, and dirty mud wall. Fans believe that it may have something to do with the next story because in Eldest, the second book in the trilogy, Eragon promises to go with his cousin Roran to rescue Roran's lady, Katrina, who is in Helgrind.

[edit] Du Weldenvarden

Du Weldenvarden are the woods located in the north of Alagaësia. They are home to the Elves. Many cities exist in the forest, including the Elven capital, Ellesméra. Enchanted by the singing of the elves, these woods, along with their woodland habitants, grow comparably larger than normal trees in Algaësia. It is ruled by the elven queen, Islanzadi.

The elf who saved Eragon at the end of the first book, known as the Cripple Who is Whole, and Togira Ikonoka, is revealed to be no other then an elf named Oromis, the last surviving dragon rider except Eragon and Galbatorix. Eragon is sent north to Du Weldenvarden to train with this elf so he can stand up to Galbatorix. As Eragon enters the forest, he sees harmony between the elves and their woodland paridise: the elves use magic to create their houses from trees, and they refuse to eat meat.

During Eragon's stay, his feelings for Arya grow. He also attends the Agaeti Blodhren, or the Blood-Oath Celebration, an event that celebrates the truce between the elves and the dragons. During this event, the dragons bestow upon him their power, making him more elf-like and his abilities are increased drastically. It also finally rids him of the injury from the shade, Durza.

Near the end of Eldest, Eragon leaves Du Weldenvarden to aid the Battle of Burning Plains in the south, between the rebel nation of Surda and the mighty Empire.

[edit] Ellesméra

Main article: Ellesméra

Ellesméra is located within the forest of Du Weldenvarden in the North of Alagaësia. The Elven queen, Islanzadí, resides there. Before Saphira hatched, every year her egg was ferried between Ellesméra and Tronjheim. In Eldest, Eragon travels to Ellesméra with Arya and Orik to complete his training and is taught by Oromis, the oldest Dragon Rider not aligned with King Galbatorix.

[edit] Farthen Dûr

Farthen Dûr is a mountain which has Tronjheim, a primarily Dwarven city, within it. Eragon, Saphira, and Murtagh journey to this city during Eragon.

[edit] History

Much of Farthen Dûr's history remains a mystery. It is common knowledge that Dwarves are among the oldest races in Alagaësia, and Farthen Dûr reflects that fact. The name itself means "Our Father", indicating its significance. The current Dwarven king, Hrothgar(who then dies near the end of Eldest), has presided over the Dwarves for some time. There have been 41 kings before Hrothgar- one statue for each in Hrothgar's throne room. Only a few are referred to by name; Korgan and Dondar, respectively the first and the tenth. Farthen Dûr, which is located in the Beor Mountains, had a city, Tronjheim, carved from the interior of the mountain itself many years ago. Tronjheim has served as the Dwarven capital since then. It is composed of a single gigantic stone pyramid, containing a multileveled system of caves and chambers. It is one mile in diameter and possibly the same in height. Tronjheim's peak is open to the sky; directly below this opening is a red star sapphire carved into the shape of a rose blossom, which is as large as an entire floor.

In recent years, the Dwarven race as a whole has scattered into similar cities in other areas of the Beor Mountains, with the result that levels inside Farthen Dûr have been abandoned. Although the city is now superfluous, it is maintained primarily because it can house the entire Dwarven population if need be, which it has done three times in the past.

[edit] Occupants

Farthen Dûr houses both Humans and Dwarves. The relationship between the two races is often strained, but it is effective. The Humans who reside in Farthen Dûr are generally members of the Varden. The Dwarves who live there generally support the Varden, but do not directly contribute to the Varden's rebellious plans. Hrothgar, the king of the Dwarves, and Ajihad, the leader of the Varden, work together to accomplish their goals.

[edit] Gil'ead

Gil'ead is a city in Alagaësia.

Eragon travels to Gil'ead after Brom's death, hoping to contact the Varden and continue his pursuit of the Ra'zac.

While in Gil'ead, however, he is captured by Galbatorix's soldiers; he is detained in the same prison as the elf he had scryed earlier. With the help of Murtagh and Saphira, Eragon escapes and rescues Arya. Before they are safely away, they encounter a Shade, Durza; Eragon fights a losing fight with it until Murtagh apparently disembodies it with an arrow.

[edit] Hadarac Desert

The Hadarac Desert is a desert in Alagaësia.

The Empire effectively ends at the Hadarac Desert, which fills the heart of Alagaësia. Without the Dragon Riders, it is simply too difficult to maintain a government over the vast tract of desolate earth. In fact, the desert is one of the few things that prevents the king from expanding the Empire to include all of eastern Alagaësia. The Hadarac Desert is the ancestral land of the dragons. Currently, nothing lives in the desert besides a few roaming slavers and bandits who look prey on weary travelers in the area.

Eragon, Saphira, and Murtagh travel through the vast and desolate desert in search of the Varden, even while being chased by Kull. While in the Hadarac, they encounter a group of slavers. Murtagh slays the leader of the bandits in cold blood, which deeply disturbs Eragon. It is at this point when we first see a conflict between the two.

Eragon, Saphira, and Orik fly over it in search off the varden who about to battle the Empire on the buring plains as Eragon has scyred them. It takes them no longer than two days to cross it.

[edit] Helgrind

Helgrind is a huge black tower created from a mountain near the city of Dras-Leona. It is the lair of the horrid Ra'zac. It is virtually impossible to reach Helgrind by any way but air due to its extreme height.

Helgrind, which means "Gates of Death" in the Ancient Language, has a dark, malevolent air about it that attracts a kind of morbid fascination among people; it was this aura that brought about Dras-Leona's founding. The eventual result was a religion based on the Helgrind's worship, in which it is common for priests to cut off their own body parts in an attempt to separate themselves from the physical world, and where amputation is a common form of punishment. The Cathedral at Dras-Leona was built in the likeness of Helgrind.

Helgrind has four "towers" in its structure. Three are apparently of approximately the same height, leading to debates over which is the tallest and therefore best; some argue the shorter fourth tower is unworthy of worship.

In a newsletter to fans, the author responded to questions he has been asked about the Helgrind's appearance, saying he based it on the Shiprock formation in New Mexico.[1]

[edit] Menoa Tree

The Menoa Tree is present in a clearing in Ellesméra, the Elven city in Du Weldenvarden, a forst in Alagaësia. It is a pine tree, though "thicker than a hundred regular trees combined, a blanket of roots radiate from the tree's massive trunk, covering the ground with bark-sheathed veins that made it seem as if the entire forest flowed out from the tree, as if it were the heart of Du Weldenvarden itself".

The tree forms an integral part of the lives of the Elves in the trilogy. It is where they celebrate the Blood-Oath Celebration, a festival held once in every century to honour the pact of the Elves with the Dragons.The tree itself is awake and intelligent, similar to a sentient creature, though only concerned with the fauna of the forest.

[edit] Origin

The Elves had a tale of the Menoa Tree that there was once an Elf named Linnëa who had grown old without enjoying the joys of the flesh, because she instead preferred "to occupy herself with the art of singing to plants, of which she was a master.". She was wooed by a young man. However, the man, after some time began to wish for a mate of his own age, which he ultimately found. Then, Linnëa, after discovering the man's unfaithfulness, went mad with grief and stabbed the young man to death. However, knowing what she did was evil, she went to the oldest tree in the forest,and "for three days and three nights she sang, and when she finished, she had become one with her beloved plants". Thus the Menoa Tree was formed.

[edit] Prophecy

In the first book of the trilogy, Eragon, a werecat named Solembum prophesizes to Eragon, the protagonist of the tale, "When the time comes and you need a weapon, look under the roots of the Menoa tree." This has led to some speculation of what could happen in the third book of the trilogy, as such a situation has not occurred in the first two books, and because Eragon's sword was taken by his brother Murtagh during the Battle of the Burning Plains.

[edit] Palancar Valley

Palancar Valley is a northern valley containing the villages of Carvahall and Therinsford. It is here that King Palancar from over the sea started his kingdom. He was exiled and the Broddring Kingdom was formed in his kingdom's ashes. Because of this, noble blood still runs in the veins of the citizens of Carvahall and Therinsford.

[edit] Surda

Surda is a small country in the continent of Alagaësia.

Created roughly a century before the story of Eragon, Surda shares the southwest border of the Empire; it is south of the Broddring Kingdom, from which Galbatorix rules his ever growing empire.

Surda escaped being annexed into the Broddring empire by 'not being a threat' to the twisted king, Galbatorix. During the past century Surda has been using up its resources secretly conducting guerrilla warfare with the Empire, and supporting the Varden, a rebel organization created to destroy Galbatorix. Because of the all-powerful emperor and the small size of Surda, the smaller country remains officially neutral, not daring to openly confront the Empire. The kings of Surda are historically allied with the Varden leaders. The Surdan king at the time of the Eragon tale is Orrin, son of Larkin, who is well trained in battle even though he initially lacks experience. King Orrin rules Surda from the Borromeo Castle at Aberon, the capital of Surda. Borromeo castle is situated on a high bluff, giving its inhabitants and guards excellent views of the surrounding area - a security measure for the castle's safety. The ballistae mounted on Borromeo's battlements (as well as the towers circling Aberon) were especially designed to shoot down approaching dragons, a precautionary measure no doubt installed to fight the Thirteen Forsworn and Galbatorix himself.

A year after Saphira hatches for Eragon, the Varden, under their new leader Nasuada, move into Aberon to regroup and prepare to openly battle the Empire. The Surdan and Varden armies together fought the Empire's forces in the Battle of the Burning Plains an area that lies immediately northwest of Surda, during the battle Eragon and Saphira faced the Empire's Rider Murtagh and his dragon Thorn. This was the first open battle between Surda and the Broddring empire, which Surda won as dwarf troops from the mountains joined and helped to route the Empire's army.

[edit] Teirm

Teirm is a large trading city in the land of Alagaësia. It has a defense system like no other city in Alagaësia. After an attack by pirates in which the city nearly burned down, it was rebuilt in a tiered structure so that in case of attack, archers could be posted on the roofs of the houses they would have a clear line of sight to shoot down the invaders. The defences were centered around a citadel, in which the merchants were required to house their administative offices so that Imperial officials could track shipments to the Varden. On the map it shows Teirm is near The Spine, as is Carvahall. It was also the former place of residence of the two neighbors, Angela, the herbalist and witch, and Jeod, the merchant and friend of Brom the storyteller and the Varden- both major characters in the trilogy.

Teirm was used by Eragon and Brom to find the dwelling of the Ra'zac. It was also used by Roran, the town of Carvahall, and Jeod as a place to steal a large new shipping boat and sail to Surda and the Varden.

[edit] The Spine

The Spine is a mountain range that runs down the West coast Alagaësia. It has only one major pass, along the Toark River, which serves to isolate the coast. Most people in the Empire fear the Spine and the danger it represents, especially since the king lost nearly half his army in it during his campaign against the Dragon Riders. Urgals and other monsters live in the Spine. The Spine is hazardous to humans; Eragon is among the small number of people who have entered and survived.

The Spine plays a crucial part in the origin of the trilogy's plot. The Spine is where urgals killed two of Galbatorix's Dragon Rider companions and his first dragon. It is also where Eragon finds Saphira's egg. Brom, Eragon, Saphira, and Roran have used the Spine as a hideout. In Eragon, Eragon and Saphira hide from the Ra'zac within The Spine. This is the first time that Eragon rides on Saphira. The second time the two hide, they are with Brom. Brom and Eragon strike up a travelling arrangement before leaving Carvahall. In Eldest, Roran hides from the Ra'zac and later leads the occupants of Carvahall through the range to Teirm.

[edit] Therinsford

Therinsford is a small town southwest of Carvahall. Roran receives a job in Therinsford as a miller's assistant, but it is cut short with the death of his father, Garrow.

[edit] Tronjheim

Tronjheim is a huge city-mountain located in the Beor Mountains in the south of Alagaësia. It is the largest dwarf city and is the central hide-out of the Varden, a group of rebels set on bringing down the evil King Galbatorix and his ruthless Empire.

Tronjheim is built in the center of the crater of a large, dormant volcano called Farthen Dûr. It is not only the Varden's main hide-out, but it is also the capital of the dwarves' realm, being the home of King Hrothgar, the 42nd dwarven king. The city was attacked in Eragon by an army of Urgals, controlled by the shade, Durza, they delivered a fierce onslaught on the Varden and the dwarves, but were defeated when Eragon killed Durza. Later on, in the book Eldest, the Varden left Tronjheim for the country Surda.

Tronjheim is thousands of feet tall, and is finely decorated with jewels and treasures carved by dwarven ancestors. In the main vestibule, in the very center of the city, there stands a great star-sapphire, carved in the likeness of a rose. Above it is a Dragon-hold where the Riders' Dragons are kept when they stayed in Tronjheim.

Tronjheim was named after Trondheim, a port city in the Scandinavian country of Norway.[citation needed]

[edit] Urû'baen

Urû'baen is a large city near the middle of Alagaësia. It is the capital of the Broddring Kingdom which King Galbatorix has forcibly taken over. Before his rule, many Riders lived there and were tutored there, and it was called Ilirea. The king and and his army of fallen Riders, the "Thirteen Forsworn", resided together in the capital until one by one the Forsworn were killed, most by the Varden. The King, a Dragon Rider who destroyed the original order of Riders, now resides in his palace with his powerful black dragon Shruikan.

The city is between the western edge of the desert wasteland, the Hadarac Desert and the eastern edge of the Ramr River. This city is also the capital of most of Alagaësia, although the exact borders of the Empire have not been explained. The city and palace are heavily guarded. Morzan, the most powerful of the Forsworn, lived in Urû'baen and had two sons, Murtagh and Eragon. While their mother managed to hide Eragon with her brother, Murtagh grew up in Morzan's castle under his abusive father, and when Morzan died he was moved to the king's palace, where he was raised and educated, although his life was always under threat. When he was around 18 years old, Murtagh ran away. He was captured in Eldest, tortured, and imprisoned in the palace. Then a ruby dragon hatched for him, a dragon he named Thorn. Both Murtagh and Thorn were forced to swear allegiance to Galbatorix in magical oaths, which means they are now enslaved by powerful magic unless Galbatorix releases them. Now Urûbaen is home to the two Riders, Galbatorix and Murtagh.

[edit] Yazuac

Yazuac lies in the Western part of Galbatorix's Empire in Alagaesia. The city was destroyed by a ravenous crowd of Urgals. This is where Eragon and Brom stop for supplies, finding the inhabitants' corpses pile in the town center. This is where Eragon first uses magic to slay an Urgal.

Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Trilogy
Books Eragon | Eldest | Book 3
Films Eragon
Main Characters Eragon | Brom | Arya | Galbatorix | Murtagh | Roran | Ajihad | Nasuada | Angela | Saphira | Oromis | more...
Places Alagaësia | Beor Mountains | Carvahall | Dras-Leona | Ellesméra | Farthen Dûr | Hadarac Desert | Helgrind | Surda | Teirm | Urû'baen | more...
Events Blood-Oath Celebration | Battle of the Burning Plains | Battle for Carvahall | Dagshelgr Invocation | The Fall

[edit] References

    [edit] See also

    [edit] External links

    [edit] Official

    [edit] Interviews

    [edit] Fan

    [edit] Criticism and Analysis

    Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../p/l/a/Places_in_the_Inheritance_trilogy_04fc.html"