Varden

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The Varden are a group of rebels in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance trilogy. Their main base is the Dwarven city of Farthen Dûr. In the Ancient Language, Varden means 'The Warders'.

This rebel organization was founded by Brom during the very end of the Fall, their purpose being to rid the world of Galbatorix and the Empire and restore to the world a benevolent government. Brom gathered a group of rebels opposed to Galbatorix together and Brom, using his alliances with the Elves and Dwarves he made during his time as a Rider, began the Varden. He also helped form Surda with the people who wanted an independent country, and they dedicated themselves to the Varden.

For a few years, Brom led the Varden and helped create the foundation for it, but then passed on leadership to another and departed, but still always keeping in touch with the Varden. The Varden receive most of their economic support from Surda and scattered merchants living within the king's cities. Their biggest suppliers of equipment are the people of Surda and merchants in Teirm, including Jeod (in Eragon's time). They accept anyone who wishes to overthrow Galbatorix or has the ability to hold their own on the battlefield.

The leadership of the Varden is given to one single person that has gained approval from the Council of Elders, which are basically a council of advisers created to advise and assist the leader. This council elects the new leader of the Varden after the old one is incapable to do so any longer. The leader commands the most authority and makes all the big decisions concerning the Varden. They have an army of their own, who is usually commanded by the Varden leader.

The Varden also has a collection of spellweavers known as the Du Vrangr Gata. Unfortunately, most of these spellweavers have very few power and struggle with the simplest of spells. They also have a head of their group, and only serve the Varden when they wish to. The most powerful of their spellweavers are to examine any person that enters the Varden minds to prove their loyalty and discover their intent. This practice kept many traitors from betraying the Varden.

Due to Brom's relations with the Dwarves, the Varden is located in Tronjheim, which is inside a mountain known to the Dwarves as Farthen Dur, which is located in the Beor Mountains. This headquarters is extremely useful as the Beor's are huge and full of caves and dead ends which makes it extremely difficult to defeat the Varden at that site. The Dwarven Kings have so far agreed to assist the Varden, as have the Elves. In Eragon, the Varden is led by a man known as Ajihad, a cunning warrior who led the Varden to victory many times and almost killed a Shade. The Varden is faring badly at that time, due to lack of supplies, silence between the Varden and the Elves, and traitors intercepting the Vardens most ingenious plans.

The Twins, two bald magicians, are leaders of the Du Vrangr Gata and are the ones inspecting the minds of the people entering the Varden. Eragon joins the Varden during Ajihads rule, and because of the reports of Urgal moving towards the Beors from Eragon, Ajihad begins to plan for war. When a scout discovers the Urgals, a huge army, in an old Dwarf City, Ajihad organizes the army and leads them to victory due to his cunning traps to snare the Urgals and his ideas killed many Urgals before the reached the Varden's army. Due to the actions of Eragon, Ajihad was able to drive away the Urgals, whose numbers had dwindled to the Shades magic being lifted and the different clans turning on each other. The Varden suffers a great loss three days later, as an Urgal ambush killed Ajihad. Murtagh and the Twins supposedly died as well.

The Council of Elders, seeking power, plan to place Ajihad's daughter, Nasuada, as leader of the Varden. The Council believes she is weak and plan to use her as a puppet to gain power, but Nasuada proves them wrong. She accepts their offer to become the next head of the Varden, but is strong enough to defend against the Council's lies, and the Council suffers defeat at Nasuada's hands. With Eragon and Arya gone, Nasuada plans to move the Varden into Surda, fearing Galbatorix may have discovered the location of the Varden. She also moves to gather her forces and mix them with Surda, another rebel state dedicated to the Varden's cause. The Varden moves to Surda successfully by using tunnels in the Beor Mountains, and plan to attack a weakened Galbatorix, using the combined might of the Varden, the Dwarves, and the Surda. Surda's king is King Orrin. Nasuade face unexpected problems. The Varden are desperatley seeking money, and although Orrin gave them some money, they need more.

Nasuada gathers the new head of the Du Vrangr Gata, Trianna, and uses them to create expensive lace using magic to sell to the people of Surda. Since this magic is easy enough for the Du Vrangr Gata, it is a big success, and the wealth gained is enough to feed, house, and supply the Varden with other things they need, including weapons. During this time, a child cursed by Eragon ( mistakenly) is discovered, and is cursed to absorb all misfortune and pain in a person. Using this, the child is able to sense what troubles a person and how to best soothe them, which could be invaluable to dealing with possible supporters. They named the child Elva. After a few weeks, they receive reports of Galabtorix massing a huge army that had been only recently discovered due to the King's magic. The Varden send a warning to the Elves and Dwarves, and then march to meet the Empire on the Burning Plains. The opposing army has at least 100,000 soldiers, but the Varden fight still. Eragon arrives from Ellesmera to assist the Varden.

A day before the battle, a group of Kull opposed to Galbatorix join the Varden due to their enslavement by Durza's hands. Angela, a witch, poisons the Empire's water and food supply, killing many troops. The next morning, they meet the Empire in a terrible battle that shifted back and forth. The Empire first began driving the Varden back, but then the Dwarves arrived and drove the Empire back. A few minutes of combat, and then a red Dragon emerges and does battle against Eragon and Saphira. The Varden are pushed back again, but are soon reinforced by the villagers of Carvahall, ending the battle with no supreme victor as of yet. During this battle, the Varden discovered that Murtagh was really the new Dragon Rider and that the Twins were traitors. The Twins are killed by Roran, thus avenging the death of Ajihad. The Dwarves lost their king in the battle, but it is said the Elves are finally entering Alagaesia once more to help overthrow Galbatorix.

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