Du Weldenvarden
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Du Weldenvarden is a forest in Christopher Paolini's Inheritance trilogy. It is named in the ancient language, and literally translated means "The Guarding Forest". It is in the north of Alagaësia, bordering the Hadarac Desert to the south. It is home to the elves, and contains the elven cities of Osilon, Kirtan, Ceris, Nädinel, Sílthrim, Ília Fëon, and the capitol, Ellesméra.
Similarities can be drawn between Du Weldenvarden and Lothlórien from J. R. R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings.
[edit] In the books
Du Weldenvarden does not feature in Eragon, but much of Eldest takes place within this region. Eragon travels to Du Weldenvarden to meet Oromis to continue his training to become a Rider (which he started with Brom). He also experiences the Blood-Oath Celebration, after which all injuries that had been inflicted upon his body are miraculously healed.
At the end of Eldest Eragon had to stop his training in order to help the Varden fight against the army of Galbatorix. In the final book in the trilogy, it is expected that Eragon will go back to Du Weldenvarden to complete his training.
[edit] Ellesméra
Ellesméra is the Elven capital in the world of Alagaësia, from Christopher Paolini's Inheritance trilogy.
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.
The royal residence of the Elven Monarch (presently Islanzadí), Tialdari Hall, is situated in the western part of the city, with extensive gardens. To enter the gardens of Tialdari Hall (which are set in front of the actual house), a member of the royal family chants to a ribbed lancet arch, "Root of tree, fruit of vine, let me pass by this blood of mine" After passing through the gardens and then and then into a line of scattered trees, the wooden trunks thicken to form the main wooden hall; Eragon notes that "The hall was warm and homey - a place of peace, reflection and comfort". The Tialdari compound consists of studies, halls, dining rooms, chambers and is built in such a way that it incorporates the grass, water and tree trunks around - a classic trait of Elven architecture. Tialdari Hall houses foreign visitors of high status - when the dwarf prince Orik accompanies Eragon and Saphira to Ellesméra to supervise their training, he stays at Tialdari. The Riders never stay there.
There are no roads in Ellesméra, but instead grassy avenues lined by buildings built into joined trees, or built with surrounding trees making a wall. Far on the outskirts of the city is the Menoa tree, where the Blood-oath Celebration is held once every century. The Menoa Tree is associated with elvish legend and myth, and is a landmark of the capital city and the forest kingdom. The Menoa tree is also where the werecat Solembum told Eragon if he needed a sword, "when the time comes and you need a weapon, look under the roots of the Menoa tree."(chapter 27 The Witch and the Werecat)
The Elven Monarch also maintains a residence in the city which is reserved for the exclusive use of the leader of the Dragon Riders, a massive tree which accommodates the apartment of the Riders' leader as well as an eyrie for the leader's dragon. The apartment at the very top of the tree (stairs spiral around the trunk to lead up to the crown) consists of two storeys. On the first level is a circular vestibule, from which three screen doors lead to different chambers. The first is an elegant dining room which can hold up to ten people (presumably when the leader wishes to dine with fellow Riders, Elven royalty, military figures or foreign dignitaries); the second door leads to a bathroom with a tub carved into the floor; the third door leads to a bedroom with a magnificent view of Du Weldenvarden and a fireplace. There is a gap in the outer wall of the bedroom for the leader's dragon to fly in and settle in a massive bowl in the floor lined with blankets; in bad weather this gap can be closed with a screen.
A spiral staircase winds up around a wooden chimney, leading to the second level of the apartment, where there is a well-equipped wooden study, handsomely furnished with a writing desk and space for books; here there is yet another gap in the wall and another padded roost for a dragon to settle into when studying with the Rider. When Eragon and Saphira enter Ellesméra, they are the first of the new order of Dragon Riders, and so are given the leader's apartments.
The elves sing to the trees and forest for their needs. All of their homes are sung from the trees, and are a part of the trees.
[edit] Possible name origin
The name "Ellesméra" is possibly derived from Ellesmere Island in the extreme north of Canada.
| 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 | Blood-Oath Celebration | Battle of the Burning Plains | Battle for Carvahall | Battle under Farthen Dûr | Dagshelgr Invocation | The Fall |
