Battle under Farthen Dûr

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Battle under Farthen Dûr
Date Spring (date unknown) Location Under Farthen Dûr Result Varden victory
Combatants
The Varden and Dwarves	Urgals
Commanders
Ajihad, Jörmunder, Hrothgar	Durza†
Strength
10,000 - 20,000	40,000 - 60,000
Casualties
~50%	90%+

The Battle under Farthen Dûr was a fictional battle in Eragon, a novel written by Christopher Paolini.

During the spring in Eragon, King Galbatorix launched an attack on the Varden to serve two purposes:

• To wipe out all of the Varden and the Dwarves
• To have the Urgal race so depleted by the effort of having to do reason number one, that they would be so weak as to be able to get rid of at his leisure.

Galbatorix's plan only half worked, as the Varden and the Dwarves were not destroyed, but unfortunately the Urgal race was depleted that only a few thousand were still left. On another note, Durza, the commander of the Urgal troops, also died.

[edit] Battle preparation

The Varden knew from which direction the Urgals were coming (the east). They were unwilling to let the fight occur in the city of Tronjheim itself, so they diverted the three eastern tunnels upwards, towards Farthen Dûr. They split their forces into three battalions, one guarding each tunnel. These battalions were commanded by Ajihad, leader of the Varden; Hrothgar, king of the dwarves; and Jörmandur, second-in-command of the Varden.

Huge cauldrons of pitch were set by the tunnel mouths, to be poured upon the Urgals. Also, fences of spikes was hammered into the ground around the tunnel. The battalions waited behind these defences. Their main bodies were just behind the fence, while the archers were protected behind a wooden barricade to the rear.

Eragon and Saphira were assigned to Jörmandur's battalion, and most of the battle is told from his point of view. He was, however, in contact with The Twins, who in turn received their orders from Ajihad.

[edit] Progress of the battle

The battle began sometime at night and lasted into the morning. When the Urgals were sighted in the tunnels, the cauldrons of pitch were poured upon them. Torches were thrown upon the pitch, setting it alight and burning many Urgals. They were relentless, however, and kept on coming. Many of them overlooked the spikes, and were speared upon them. This did not stop them either.

Shortly afterward, swords clashed as the Varden, Dwarves, and Urgals engaged in melee combat. Eragon fought fiercely on Saphira's back, killing several Urgals. After a while, The Twins contacted him, informing him that the battle was going badly for King Hrothgar. Eragon immediately obeys and flies over to the dwarf-king's battalion. The only soldiers left were Hrothgar, Arya and his elite guards. Eragon only fought there for a short time, noticing that the battle was going badly for all three battalions, because of the sheer number of Urgals. The Twins contact Eragon again and tell him that they heard loud noises under Tronjheim. He and Arya make for the city. They split up, Arya on Saphira and Eragon on his own. He takes a risk and slides down the dwarf-intended emergency slide on the Endless Staircase, When he arrives at the bottom floor, he is too late as Durza and a large number of Urgals break through the floor. He is surrounded.

Eragon begins to duel Durza with both his sword and his mind. He is losing badly, but Durza becomes distracted. Eragon, seeing his chance, infiltrates Durza's mind, but is flooded by the amount of memories. Durza strikes Eragon across the back, leaving a huge wound. Arya and Saphira arrive in the nick of time, breaking the Isidar Mithrim or Star Sapphire. Durza is distracted and Eragon takes advantage of this, thrusting his sword through Durza's heart and killing him (this is the only way to kill a Shade). His death breaks the alliance of the Urgal clans and they turn upon each other. The Varden take the advantage and slaughter thousands of confused Urgals. A few escape into the tunnels, and are followed by the Varden. Eragon, meanwhile, faints from his injury and exhaustion, and reawakens days later in a bed.

v • d • e Christopher Paolini’s Inheritance Trilogy
Books	Eragon | Eldest | Book 3
Films	Eragon
Games	Eragon
Main Characters	Eragon | Brom | Arya | Galbatorix | Murtagh | Roran | Durza | Ajihad | Nasuada | Angela | Saphira | Oromis | more...
Places	Alagaësia | Beor Mountains | Ellesméra | Farthen Dûr | Teirm | Inheritance Trilogy locations | more...
Events	Battle of the Burning Plains | Battle for Carvahall | Battle under Farthen Dûr | Dagshelgr Invocation | The Fall