The Empire (Inheritance)

In the Inheritance cycle, The Empire is the major power on the fictional continent of Alagaësia. It is ruled by King Galbatorix.

History

After Galbatorix enlisted Morzan and the Forsworn and defeated Vrael in Utgard Mountain, he murdered the king of the Broddring Kingdom, the human kingdom set up after the exile of Alagaësia's first human king, King Palancar. Seizing all power for himself, Galbatorix established a new order, known as the Empire. The Empire became the dominant power in Alagaësia, stretching from the west coast eastward to the Hadarac Desert, south to Surda, and north until the forest of "Du Weldenvarden".

Officially, the Broddring Kingdom still exists, but it is "little more than a name on royal decrees". In fact, many humans are unaware that it ever existed.

From Galbatorix's enlistement of Morzan to the creation of the Empire, the conflict known as The Fall lasted 80 years.

Places

Broddring Kingdom

The Broddring Kingdom was the country where the humans of Alagaësia lived before the Fall of the Riders. The rogue Rider Galbatorix captured the capital city, Urû'baen (then called Ilirea), where he took 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 went on to conquer many other lands. At the time of the story, the Broddring Kingdom still exists, though it is "not much more than a name on royal decrees".

Dras-Leona

Dras-Leona is located by Leona Lake and is in close proximity to Helgrind. The citizens there are said to engage in a bloody religion involving the worship of Helgrind and the ritual sacrifice of body parts. At the time of "Eragon", Dras-Leona is ruled by a noble named Marcus Tábor, who serves Galbatorix and the Ra'zac. It is a sprawling tangle of buildings, strewn with disfigured beggars and desperately impoverished citizens. Almost all of the Empires trade passes through the city at one point or another. The center of Dras-Leona is encircled by a dirty yellow mud wall.

Eastcroft

Eastcroft is a small town located about 20 miles north of Furnost. Eragon meets Arya, who is trying to find him, here after he defeats the Ra'zac.

Feinster

Feinster is a city located in the south of the Empire, just near Surda. Near the end of Brisingr, the city is besieged by the Varden - and with the help of Eragon - taken. It is governed by Lady Lorana.

Gil'ead

Gil'ead is a city in Alagaësia, located close to Du Weldenvarden on Isenstar Lake. It is heavily fortified and home to a base for Galbatorix's soldiers.

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 and detained in the prison that held the elven princess/diplomat Arya. 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 him until Murtagh apparently disembodies Durza with an arrow.

In Brisingr, Gil'ead is beseiged by the elves, led by Queen Islanzadí and the Rider Oromis & his dragon Glaedr. The Elves capture the city but at a heavy cost, Oromis and Glaedr are slain by Murtagh and his dragon Thorn.

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 travel, 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 (often to the extent of lacking all four limbs), and wherein 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. [http://www.shurtugal.com/?id=mandm/archives/2006/march102006] Helgrind, therefore, may be considered a pluton.

The name is derived from Norse Mythology, wherein it means "Gates of Hell".

Kuasta

Kuasta is a coastal city in the Inheritance cycle. It is located near the shore of the western sea in Alagaësia. It is isolated from other settlements by the Spine, and thus, the inhabitants of the city have become highly superstitious and practice strange customs, such as the practice of knocking on a door or door frame three times before crossing the threshold.

Kuasta was considered by Jeod and Brom as the place of the Ra'zac's lair, but was rejected because of its position.Kuasta was home to Brom until his apprenticeship to the Dragon Rider Oromis.

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. As a result, the citizens of Carvahall and Therinsford are said to be of noble ancestry.

Carvahall

Carvahall is a small village where Eragon and his family grew up. It is located in the northwestern corner of Alagaësia on the fringe of a mountain range called the Spine. Located in the Palancar Valley, it sits on the bank of the Anora River, not far from the town of Therinsford. The village is small enough that the inhabitants are able 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, where he is joined by some prominent residents to start a retaliation. Roran thereafter takes the villagers into battle, causing the soldiers and Ra'zac to retreat. 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. Afterwards Eragon finds when scrying that Carvahall has been destroyed by the Empire.

Therinsford

Therinsford is a small town in the Palancar Valley, southwest of Carvahall. It is larger and more poorly organized than Carvahall, and is located on the same river. Roran receives a job in Therinsford as a miller's assistant, but it is cut short with the death of his father, Garrow. It is also the place where Brom purchases the stallions Snowfire and Cadoc.

Teirm

Teirm is a large trading city in Alagaësia. It is a coastal port isolated from the rest of the Empire by the Spine, and is located on the Toark Rivers that flow out of the latter. 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 defenses were centered around a citadel, in which the merchants were required to house their administrative offices so that Imperial officials could track shipments to the Varden. It was also the former place of residence of the neighbors, Angela, the herbalist and witch, the werecat Solembum, and Jeod, the merchant and friend of Brom the storyteller and the Varden- both major characters in the cycle.

Teirm's record of trade was used by Eragon and Brom to find the dwelling of the Ra'zac. The city was also visited by Roran and the citizens of Carvahall, who with the help of Jeod steal a large, new ship, the "Dragonwing", and sail to Surda and the Varden.

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; the lack of any other serves to isolate the coast. Most people in the Empire fear the Spine and the danger it represents, partly because the King lost nearly half his army in it during his campaign against the Dragon Riders. Urgals and other monsters are believed to 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 cycle's plot, being the place at which 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 there from the Ra'zac and later leads the occupants of Carvahall through the range to Teirm.

Urû'baen

Formerly known as the elf city of Illirea, 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 his army of thirteen fallen Riders, called the Forsworn, resided together in the capital until one by one the Forsworn were killed, mostly 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 Hadarac Desert and the eastern edge of the Ramr River. It is 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 one son, Murtagh. Also, at some point, Selena, mother of Eragon and Murtagh, discovered Brom disguised as a gardener in the castle, and they fell in love and later conceived Eragon. In this time, Murtagh grew up in Morzan's castle under his abusive father. 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. There, a ruby-colored dragon hatched for him, whom he named Thorn. Both Murtagh and Thorn were forced to swear allegiance to Galbatorix in magical oaths, leaving them enslaved by powerful magic unless Galbatorix releases them.

Yazuac

Yazuac lies in the northwestern part of Alagaësia on the Ninor River. This is where Eragon and Brom stop for supplies, only to find the village destroyed by Urgals and the inhabitants' corpses piled in the town center. When they decide to leave, they are attacked by two stray Urgals, whom Eragon kills using his magic. This is the first use of magic Eragon is shown making.

Whether Yazuac was repopulated during the events of "Eldest" or "Brisingr" is unknown.

Daret

Daret, which lies south of the village Yazuac along the Ninor River, is a fortified village that governed by a military man named Trevor. Eragon and Brom are held up here temporarily in the first book after high tensions caused by Urgal attacks force them to keep up their guard, although Brom talks Trevor into lending them both supplies and a safe passage out of the village.

References

* [http://www.shurtugal.com/?id=cycle/christopher/qanda Christopher Paolini Q&A] from [http://www.shurtugal.com Shurtugal.Com]

External links

* [http://www.alagaesia.com/ Official website] , which includes [http://www.alagaesia.com/christopherpaolini.htm autobiographical comments] from Paolini
* [http://inheritance.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page Inheriwiki] , the site of the Inheritance Cycle Wikia