The Spine is a chain of high mountains that extends through the westlands of Alagaësia. Largely unexplored and uninhabited, with its formidable snowcapped peaks, large glaciers and dark forests, the Spine is acknowledged to be the source of many strange tales and happenings. The northern lands of the Spine are reputed to be one of the few places in Alagaësia free of the tyrannical grip of King Galbatorix. Rumor has it he lost half his army to its ancient woodlands.
The Spine’s fabled reputation for harboring fell things has kept many from braving its mysterious depths. Only Eragon from Carvahall was brave enough to venture deep into the mountains in pursuit of game, and even then with great caution.
Only after Carvahall came under siege by Galbatorix’s armies did people venture into the Spine, finding it more reasonable to deal with fabled evil than the very real threat of the vile King.
It was in the Spine that Eragon found the mysterious blue egg that forever changed his life.
Real Life Counterparts:
‘Spine’ is actually a term used to describe any large range of mountains. The Spine mountain range in the Inheritance Trilogy is most likely inspired by the Absaroka-Beartooth mountain range to the east of Paradise Valley Montana, where Christopher Paolini currently resides.
Mountain ranges with similar features to the Spine occur throughout the world. The most notable is the Andes mountain range in South America.
Anora River:
The Anora river is a large river fed by numerous tributaries that seep from the Spine’s formidable glaciers. Full of rapids and churning waters, the Anora enters Palancar Valley through Igualda falls and eventually becomes a placid river as it flows through the valley. Eragon followed the Anora river from the Spine on his return to Carvahall, and he and Brom crossed the river when they entered Therinsfold.
Real Life counterparts:
Rivers all over the world are fed by mountain glaciers and share similar features to the Anora. The Anora river in the Inheritance trilogy is most likely based on the Yellowstone river that runs through Paradise Valley, Montana.
Although there are no known Anora rivers, Anora Falls does exist in Suriname.
Igualda Falls:
The Igualda falls are a large set of waterfalls fed by the Anora river. Half a mile high, they mark the northernmost entrance to the Palancar valley. Ismira, Sloan’s wife, fell to her death from the falls almost two decades before the beginning of the Inheritance trilogy. Due to this, Sloan distrusts anything and anyone that has or had connections with the Spine (which notably means Eragon)
Real Life counterparts.
Numerous waterfalls exist throughout the world, especially in the wilds of Montana. Igualda falls may have been based on any waterfall found in the vicinity of Paradise Valley, such as Yellowstone falls in Wyoming.
The Iguazu falls of South America also shares some similarities with the Igualda falls of the Inheritance trilogy.
The word igualda itself is a common typo of the Spanish igualdad and igualada.
Palancar Valley:
Palancar Valley is a large flat valley within the Spine. Notable for its fertile farmland and serene isolation, it houses two major settlements, the small town of Carvahall in the north, and the larger town of Therinsfold to the south. The valley is more or less a frontier state, and visitors from the rest of the empire are rare, save for annual traders, tax collectors and several trappers and frontiersmen who wander the wilds of Palancar.
(More detail to come after I read the History of Alagaësia)
Real Life Counterparts:
Palancar valley is likely based entirely on Paradise Valley, Montana , where Christopher Paolini spent his childhood. Palancar valley itself is named after John Jude Palencar, cover artist for the Inheritance trilogy.
Carvahall:
Carvahall is a small farming village in the northern reaches of the Palancar Valley. Composed of a cluster of buildings built with stout logs, their low roofs composed of either thatch or slate shingles. Wide porches allowed people to gather after their workdays to relax and conduct business. The town is full of many different stores ranging from a Meat Store to a Blacksmith shop. By all descriptions, Carvahall had the workings of an American frontier town rather than a medieval farming village. Carvahall is home to Eragon, as well as Brom, Garrow, Roran and other characters. It is one of the only towns in Alagaësia which has not been disturbed by the Urgals.
Movie Set Location:
The movie scenes in Carvahall were mostly shot in Pilisborosjeno, Hungary.
Sloan’s Butcher shop:
Sloan’s butcher shop was a broad thick-beamed building. Spacious, warm and well lit by a large stone fireplace, the shop was noted for its cleanness. Sloan sold meat from a large bare counter that stretched across the far side of the shop. The floor was strewn with loose straw, which in medieval times acted like the gravel in an aquarium: trapping any loose scraps and crumbs. It also helped to insulate the floor, like modern carpeting. The presence of this straw, and the size of the shop suggests that, apart from selling meat in the shop, Sloan may have also served meat dishes, or can be an indication of just how concerned about cleanliness he was.
Eragon attempted to use the stone he found in the Spine to buy some meat for his family, but was not successful.
Garrow’s farm:
Garrow’s farm was located ten miles from the village of Carvahall. The farmhouse had evidently stood there for a long time, having been abandoned for fifty years before Garrow moved his family there after the death of his wife Marina. The house had a shingled roof, brick chimney, whitewashed walls, an enclosed porch, wooden floors, multiple rooms, and a woodstove. The construction of the house, as well as the inclusion of vanity furniture (dressers and a stove) is clearly out of the reach of a poor farming family of three, suggesting that the farmhouse belonged to a wealthier family before it was abandoned and claimed by Garrow. A dull-colored barn stood a hundred feet from the farmhouse. It housed several animals including two horses named Birka and Brugh, some chickens, a cow, and on occasion, a pig. The farm grew such produce which included barely, squash, rutabagas, beets, peas, turnips and beans.
The farm was completely destroyed by the Ra'zac when they came to Carvahall in search for the dragon egg that Eragon found in the Spine. Garrow sustained serious injuries which he later died from. Eragon and Roran were not present during the attack.
The trader camp:
The traders were a group of traveling merchants who visited Carvahall twice a year to trade and entertain. Their camp was located on the outskirts of Carvahall, where they grouped their colorful wagons, tents, and booths randomly about. Four tents belonging to the troubadours (traveling minstrels and poets) were especially over-decorated . The tent city of the traders was linked to Carvahall by a steady stream of people traveling to and from Carvahall and the camp.
Real Life counterpart:
The traders in the Inheritance trilogy share some similarities with the Gypsies/Roma of Europe. Their campsites were often visited by *brave* people seeking exotic artifacts or various forms of entertainment. A modern-day equivalent of visiting a gypsy or trader camp can be accomplished by attending a local Renaissance fair.
Merlock’s Tent:
Merlock was a trader who bought and sold jewels and jewelry. His skills in gemmary lead Garrow and Eragon to his tent to seek the value of the mysterious blue stone. Merlock’s tent is described as “crimson on the top and sable at the bottom, with thin triangles of colors stabbing into each other.” Within the tent, Merlock kept numerous small trinkets, and strange furniture that included a round bed and seats carved from hollow tree stumps.
Morn’s Tavern:
Morn’s Tavern in Carvahall, known as the Seven Sheaves, was spacious and furnished by solid oak tables. The air was filled with greasy smoke from tallow (animal fat) candles. The shiny black horns of a long-dead Urgal were mounted over the entrance. Morn’s tavern served as a resting place for travelers, and as a place for the people of Carvahall to visit and gossip about various events and issues.
Brom’s house:
Brom arrived in Carvahall fifteen years before the start of the trilogy. Eragon visited Brom to ask questions relating to Dragon lore after Saphira was born. His house is described as “darker than charcoal, and an acrid smell hung heavy in the air”, suggesting that he covered up his windows. He had a massive stone fireplace that provided ample light to the dark room, revealing numerous stacks of books and scrolls strewn about on chairs and the floor. Two key pieces of furniture are mentioned. A high-backed wooden chair expertly carved with eagle claws for legs, the seat and back padded with embossed leather-and a messy writing desk supporting various inkpots and pens.
The presence of books, scrolls, an expensive chair, and a writing desk indicate that Brom possessed some wealth during his stay in Carvahall, since not many poor men in farming communities would possess such luxuries.
Horst’s house:
After the destruction of their farm, Eragon and Garrow were taken to Horst's house to recoperate. Horst built his two storey house on a hill to have a good view of the mountains. It had a shale shingled roof, and a small railed balcony. Gargoyles and carvings of creatures and vines framed the windows and doors.
Inside, a decorative railing lines the staircase. Long halls and multiple rooms the color of honey make up the rest of the house. An indoor oven and 2nd storey fireplace are also briefly implied.
Horst's exceptional skills as a blacksmith (hinted as being the best in the valley) may have contributed to the wealth needed for him to build such an ornate dwelling.
Therinsford:
The village of Therinsford is a small farming town on the west bank of the Anora river. It is much larger than Carvahall to the north, though much less organized. Homesteads surround the village, which was crowded and constructed haphazardly, with houses placed in no particular order, making it difficult to navigate. Therinsford is the town where Roran recently took a job at a Mill, and where Brom and Eragon procured horses for their journey.
Utgard:
The mountain of Utgard is located at the end of Palancar, overseeing the southern pass between the valley and the rest of Alagaësia. Originally known as Edoc’sil (meaning Unconquerable), it was used as an outpost for the old Dragon riders. So named due to its impassable slopes-so steep that one can only reach the summit by flying-it was where Vrael, last leader of the Riders, took refuge. Galbatorix eventually confronted and defeated him on the mountain, which afterwards was known as Utgard to the common people, and Ristvak'baen-the 'Place of Sorrow' to what remained of the Riders.
Utgard is described as being composed of black rock, which creates an ominous feeling appropriate for its tragic history. The outpost built by the riders was still visible as a crumbling ruin when Eragon and Brom left the Palancar valley.
Real Life counterparts :
Utgard is possibly inspired by Beartooth Peak, nestled within the Beartooth mountains of Montana, near CP’s home in Paradise Valley. Another famous mountain that shares similarities to Utgard is the Matterhorn in the Alps.
In Norse Mythology, Útgarð was the home of the giants
Yazuac
Yazuac is a small isolated village located on the vast plains between Palancar Valley and the Ninor river. The village has smaller houses lining the edges and a bit larger ones heading into the middle. An isolated town similar to Carvahall, the entire population was slaughtered by a hoard of Urgals. Brom and Eragon were ambushed in Yazuac by stray Urgals when they visited the town for supplies. Cornered, Eragon used magic for the first time to destroy the Urgals and escape.
Ninor River
The Ninor river is the only source of water in the vast plains outside of Palancar valley. Its banks are lined by trees, giving shelter to animals and travelers who drink from its waters. The Ninor provided water for the towns of Yazuac and Daret, and was a guide to Eragon and Brom as they traveled from Yazuac to Daret.
Daret
Daret is a small wild-looking town located on the banks of the Ninor River south of Yazuac The town recently had troubles with Urgals and bandits, causing everyone in the town to be up-tight and over-protective. The town was fully protected by archers and guards when Eragon and Brom stopped there to buy supplies. They did not stay for very long.
Movie Set Location.
Lake Velence in Fejér Hungary was where the town of Daret was constructed and filmed. Daret apparently has much more importance in the movie than in the book, morphing into a thriving metropolis on a lake, combining elements of Teirm, Daret, Yazuac and various other locations.
Wodark Lake and Torak rivers
There are two Torak River flowing from Wodark lake within the halfway point of the Spine mountains. Wodark lake is fed by the Spine's glaciers, and it in turn feeds the Torak rivers. The west Torak flows to the sea, while the east Torak flows into Leona lake. Eragon and Brom use the west Torak as a guide to Teirm, and follow the east Torak to Leona lake on their way to Dras-Leona.
Teirm
The small sea-side town of Teirm is an old city. Rumored to be the site of the Elves first arrival to Alagaësia. A rich port city, Teirm had to contend with attacks from pirates, Urgals and others. Eragon and Brom journey to Teirm to discover the location of the Ra'zac, with help from Brom's friend Jeod.
Contained behind a large white wall (a hundred feet tall and thirty feet thick) it was well planned and prepared for surprise attacks.
The top of the enormous wall is covered in rows of rectangular arrow slits and a walkway on top for soldiers and watchmen. The wall's smooth surface was broken by two iron portcullises, one facing the western sea, the other the southern road. The southern gate is decorated by a great nautical flag bearing the outline of a roaring lion, and an arm holding a lily blossom. The houses were grim and foreboding, with flat roofs for archers to perch on incase of attack. The town's shortest buildings lined the edge of the city, progressively getting taller as you go further in. The castle of Teirm was the only thing visible over the huge wall. Its highest tower doubled as the lighthouse.
Real life Counterparts
Cities like Teirm existed throughout history. Today, many of these sea-side cities that were once confined by walls and on constant watch for pirates and the like, have torn down or broken out of their walls, becoming modern metropolises. A few walled sea cities have been able to maintain their old heritage and still look similar to what they did before the modern era. Dubrovnik in Croatia is one of these.
Jeod’s Office
All business owners of Teirm had to have their headquarters in the castle of Lord Risthart. Long empty hallways were cold and damp, a layer of slime clinging to the thick stone walls. Behind heavy wooden doors, Jeod’s office was dominated by a large bearskin rug, with stuffed chairs scattered around the room. Bookshelves stacked with numerous volumes of business records covered the walls. The thick walls prevented normal eavesdropping, so it was an ideal place for Brom, Jeod and Eragon to chat about the recent turn of events.
Jeod’s house
Brom’s friend Jeod was once a great merchant in the city of Teirm. Although misfortune was falling upon him when Brom and Eragon met with him, he still had possession of his mansion. Located in Teirm’s wealthy west side, Jeod’s house began with a door with a wrought iron knocker and a marble doorstep. Inside, we see the typical medieval insulation and decoration system-tapestries on the stone walls. The polished wooden floor is dotted by elaborate rugs, while three chandeliers hung from the ceiling. There was a multitude of large rooms, including Jeod’s study, which housed his vast collection of books and scrolls. Jeod’s luck turned for the worst after Eragon and Brom left his house. By the time Roran came to him, he was already in the process of selling his possessions to repay his debts.
Angela’s shop
Unlike most other shops in Teirm that hugged the outer wall, Angela’s shop was nestled between two grand mansions on the wealthy west side. Angela’s shop was filled with plants, so much so that her windows were covered with invasive vines, which also clung to the ceiling. The floor was also filled with an assortment of potted plants, along with complex machines, crates of rocks, piles of scrolls and other such objects that made mobility inside the shop difficult. On a long counter rested a collection of mortars, pestles and other apothecary artifacts (plus an insanely large crystal ball.) Behind the counter was a wall full of drawers of various sizes. Animals also made their home in the witch’s house. A large colorful bird that resembled a macaw, and a strange magical cat named Solembum, who chats with Eragon when he visit’s the shop. While in the shop, Eragon had his fortune told by Angela and her magic dragon bones.
Leona Lake
Leona lake is a large freshwater lake between the Spine and Dras-Leona. Largely placid, it is described as resembling a thin sheet of silver beaten over the land. Eragon and Saphira went swimming in the lake, and camped beside it often as they journeyed to Dras-Leona.
Fasaloft
Fasaloft was a small lakeside village. It was a very charming place set on a rise overlooking the shimmering Leona Lake. Eragon and Brom rested there on their way to Dras-Leona.
Dras-Leona
Unlike Teirm, Dras-Leon was a tangled mess sprawled next to Leona Lake. Ramshackle buildings where the poverty stricken dwell sat on crooked streets, the heart of the city was surrounded by a dirty, pale yellow wall of daubed mud, the buildings seemed to be constructed of the same rough brown wood. Due to lack of space inside the city walls, the houses in Dras-Leona are tall and thin, seeming to hand over the narrow winding streets, obscuring the sunlight. The highest building in Dras-Leona was a menacing cathedral built to imitate the peaks of Helgrind. Though Dras-Leona was a major trading center of the Empire, the layout of the city and the vast amount of poverty suggests that the wealth of Dras-Leona was exclusive to the upper caste. Eragon and Brom journay to Dras-Leona after they discover the Ra'zac are most likely to be there.
Helgrind
Helgrind is a lone mountain of bare rock that shoots up into the sky with spires and columns. Near-vertical sides rise out of the ground like a jagged piece of earth's bone. Helgrind has four prominent peaks that are idolized and worshiped by the people of Dras-Leona. In fact it was fascination with the mountain itself that lead to the founding of the city. The religion of Dras-Leona is centered around Helgrind and its malevolent peaks. Religious practices include the consumption of human blood and flesh offerings in the form of amputation. The center of religion is located at the Cathedral of Dras-Leona, built to resemble Helgrind. Eragon and Brom discover that the Razac’s hideout was possibly located in Helgrind, but the Razac ambushed them before they could investigate.
Real Life counterparts
Helgrind is a geological formation known as a volcanic neck; the eroded remnants of a plugged-up volcano. Volcanic necks that share some similarities to Helgrind include Agatha Peak in Arizona, Boar’s Tusk in Wyoming and Shiprock in New Mexico. Shiprock was cited as inspiration for the fictional mountain, with Helgrind being described as “a tenebrous nightmare ship”
Helgrind in Old Norse means "Hell's Gate/Death gate", the gateway between the land of the living and the dead.
The Golden Globe
Decent but cheep, the Golden Globe was the inn where Eragon and Brom resided in Dras-Leona as they searched for the Ra’zac.
Real Life counterparts
The Golden Globe Awards is the name of a well known awards ceremony dealing with cinematic and television achievements.
Marcus Tábor’s palace
A large building built of polished granite, Marcus Tábor’s luxurious palace is built on a high hill, making the most visible building in Dras-Leona after the Cathedral. The Lord of Dras-Leona spared no expense on his palace, which included an ornate courtyard decorated with mother-of-pearl, with walls inlaid with gold leaf. The walls were littered with alcoves where black statues bore smoldering incense sticks in their lifeless hands. Numerous guards posted next to the walls kept watch over the traffic. The palace is where Brom took up the disguise of a wandering storyteller to the servants and eventually learned the location of the Razac.
The Cathedral of Dras-Leona
The most prominent building in Dras-Leona, the cathedral was built to resemble the peaks of Helgrind.
Like many ornate cathedrals, the cathedral of Dras-Leona was decorated with twisted spires, statuettes, gargoyles, and carvings of historical and/or mythical events. Arches, stained glass windows and columns of various sizes are also included.
On the iron-bound door was a message in the ancient language.
While visiting the cathedral, Eragon was confronted by the Razac and was subsequently pursued and briefly captured by them.
Real Life counterparts
The Cathedral of Dras-Leona shares many characteristics typical of late Gothic style cathedrals built in Europe towards the end of the Middle Ages. Some notable buildings that share similarities to the Cathedral of Dras-Leona (and to Helgrind itself) include the Cathedral of Milan in Italy, the Cathedral of Barcelona and the unfinished Sagrada Familia Basilica, both in Spain.
Brom's Tomb
The death of Brom was a tragic event in the timeline of the Inheritance trilogy. Murtagh had followed the Razac out of Dras-Leona and rescued both Eragon and Brom from them. Stepping in front of Eragon to block an attack by the Razac, Brom took a dagger to the chest and died a few days later. Before his death, Brom revealed his past to Eragon. Murtagh carried Brom to a sandstone knoll, where Eragon used magic to construct a stone tomb for him. Saphira completed the task by transforming the tomb into an elaborate crystal structure, visible for miles throughout the surrounding wilderness.
Movie Set Location:
Brom's tomb is hinted as being located in the mountains of Slovakia.
Gil'ead
Located five miles from Isenstar lake, Gil’ead is described as a “rough, barbaric place filled with log houses” A jumble of stone buildings made up its center. The city was the main military outpost in the northern regions of the empire, made apparent by the number of Empire soldiers and military barracks within the city. Eragon, Saphira and Murtagh journeyed to Gil’ead in search of Dormnad, an informant of the Varden. Their plans were interrupted however, when Eragon was captured outside the city and taken to a military jail deep inside Gil’ead. During his incarceration, Eragon discovers Arya, and Durza attempts to sway Eragon into serving him rather than Galbatorix (revealing that he has his own plans for power). Murtagh and Saphira eventually break into the prison and rescue Eragon and Arya.
Real Life counterparts
Located in present day Jordan, the ancient land of Gilead is mentioned numerous times in the Tora and the Old testimant.
Gilead also appears in numerous place names.
Ramr River
After escaping from Gil’ead, Murtagh, Eragon and Saphira race through the wilderness, doging many towns, villages and cities before arriving at the Ramr. The Ramr River is a huge, strong and fierce river which flows throw much of central Alagaësia. The river itself can be as thick as fifty miles across at some points, and up to half a mile across at others. The river cannot be crossed by swimming or on horseback since the current is way too strong, so Saphira carries everyone across.
Hadarac Desert
The Hadarac Desert covers the majority of Alagaësia, and is one of the largest areas of land that is out of the Empire's control. When the Riders were in power, they controlled the Hadarac, but because of its size it is nearly impossible for the Empire to control it and the lands beyond. The Desert is miles wide, full of poisonous and inedible plants, venomous snakes, scorpions and blistering sun. Only roaming bands of desert people have the skills to dwell in the Hadarac. The desert morphs into wild grasslands towards the base of the Beor mountains, where abundant water makes life possible. Eragon, Murtgah and Saphira cross a small section of the desert on their way to the Varden.
Real Life Counterparts
Numerous deserts that share similar characteristics with the Hadarac desert exist throughout the world. Some notable examples include the famous Sahara, Arabian and Gobi deserts. The Taklamakan desert however, is the most similar to the Hadarac in terms of geology.
Beor Mountains
Towering ten miles from the surface, the Beor mountains are the tallest in all of Alagaësia (indeed, perhaps the tallest anywhere in the Inheritance universe). Located in the south-east, the Beors block moisture from entering eastern Alagaësia, creating the Hadarac desert. Along with their snowcapped peaks- so high that flying is impossible over them-the Beors are famous for their fauna and flora, which are unlike anything in the Empire in both size and color.
The homeland of the dwarves, the Beors are dotted with numerous cities on and within the mountains themselves.
Eragon, Murtagh and Saphira traverse the Beor mountain valleys in order to reach the Varden, who’s stronghold is located within the mountains.
The placement of the Beor mountains and the Hadarac desert suggests that an immense rainforest (most likely tropical) exists just south of the mountains.
Real Life counterparts
No mountain range in existance can compare to the Beor mountains in height. But for the record, the Himalayan mountains are the closest thing we have to the Beors. At an average of 27,000 ft, the tallest mountains in the world (including Everest) are small comparison to the Beors, who average nearly 53,000 ft. The Himalayans also share similar geological characteristics with the Beors, which includes the formation of large inhospitable deserts to their north.
The Beor mountains are most likely inspired by the Beartooth mountains near CP's home in Paradise Valley, made apparent by their name (which means Bear) and the inclusion of a Beartooth River which our heros use as a guide through the mountains.
Farthen Dûr
The hollow volcanic crater of Farthen Dûr hides the ancient dwarf city of Tronjheim. More than ten miles in height, the ragged opening at the top is covered in giant icicles hundreds of feet thick and thousands of feet long (too bad for Tronjheim if ever there is an earthquake). The dwarves have sought shelter within Farthen Dûr for centuries, and was the location of the Battle of Farthen Dûr between the Empire and the Varden, where Eragon slew Durza the Shad.
Real Life counterparts
Farthen Dûr was originally inspired by Carlsbad Caverns in New Mexico.
Mountains have served as secure sanctuaries for mankind for centuries. Since the Cold War, numerous world governments have created secret mountain strongholds in response to the nuclear threats. Created amidst great secrecy, the exact number of these mountain strongholds is impossible to determine. One we do know a great deal about is the famous Cheyenne Mountain, former headquarters of NORAD.
In reality, it is highly impossible for a hollow volcano of the size of Farthen Dûr to exist. However, some smaller volcanic craters have been used for defensive military purposes such as the famous Diamond Head and Punchbowl craters in Hawaii.
Tronjheim
The ancient city of the dwarves, Tronjheim is made of the purest white marble, highly polished and carved into flowing contours, its structures seemed like they were molded into shape rather than carved. Notable for its round windows, arches, pillars, elaborate carvings, statues, and lack of turrets or smokestacks. Massive gilded griffins guarded the gates towards the center of the city, where a hall lined with columns of red jasper and statues of other mythical creatures. At the very center was a massive room lined with arches where the mythical Star Sapphire, a great ruby in the shape of a blooming rose loomed overhead. A city of unsurpassing beauty, Tronjheim was a stunning monument to the dwarves’ power and perseverance. During the Battle of Farthen Dûr, Tronjheim sustained massive damage. The Star Sapphire itself was shattered.
Real life counterparts
Very few (if any) cities are located within volcanic craters. However, there are some cities that are located within meteor impact craters, such as Middleborough, Kentucky and Nördlingen, Germany. The architecture of Tronjheim can be compared to the art nouveau style used to create the Casa Batllo and Casa Mila in Barcelona, Spain.
Ajihad's office
Located near the center of Tronjheim, Ajhad’s study was fit for a king. Apart from being large enough to house rows of bookshelves, the two-story study also had a wrought-iron staircase that lead to a small balcony with two chairs and a reading table. The large space was also well lit, so a book could be read anywhere in the room. A large intricate oval rug decorated the floor, where Ajhad waited for Eragon and Saphira behind his walnut desk.
The Dragonhold
In the glory days of Tronjheim, the dragons were given special lodgings high above the city in special marble caverns known as the Dragonhold, located above the glittering Star sapphire. Saphira and Eragon were the first dragon and rider to reside in the Dragonhold since the downfall of the riders.
Also residing in the Dragonhold were Angela the witch and her friend Solembum.
Angela’s suite
After running off from Teirm, Angela settled herself down in a comfortable earthly two-room suite, lavishly decorated with carved wood and her trademark: invasive clinging plants. The air was fresh and humid due to the boiling concoctions she was brewing, and her organization skills had not improved the slightest, since many of her magical items remained strewn about the floor. A large four-poster bed covered with even more invasive plants was tucked away into the corner, and Angela herself was seated comfortably on a large leather chair when Eragon visited her.
The Dwarven throne room
Beneath the beautiful city of Tronjheim lies the grand throne room of the dwarves kings. Beyond two gigantic granite doors loomed a long dark hall carved from a large natural cave, lined with stalagmites and stalactites forming natural pillars. Between the pillars stood the silent statues of forty-one dwarf kings long dead. A few lanterns were strewn about, giving little light. A smooth polished brown floor lead to a dark throne, where the dwarf king Hrothgar sat to greet Eragon and Saphira.
The Library of Tronjheim
The library of Tronjheim is supported by massive pillars, with black marble bookcases standing in-between them, reaching to an incredible height of five stories. Benches placed at random intervals assist the weary into getting comfortable while reading. Along with books, the library also holds a massive scroll collection. Within the library resides the writings of the great dwarf kings and scholars from antiquity to the present. Some works of men are also included, though little if nothing of the elves.
Murtagh’s cell
Far from the rotting rat holes that we usually associate with dungeons, Murtagh’s cell was actually quite comfortable. Warm and well lit, with a wash bin in one corner and fully functional writing desk in the other. The ceiling was elegantly carved and a plush rug covered the floor. Eragon visits Murtagh in his “cell” after he is hauled off by Ajihad’s men. Besides being well fed, Murtagh’s requests for reading materials are graciously obeyed, and Eragon finds that Murtagh is more than content with his secure surroundings.
Orthíad
A city more ancient than Tronjheim, the abandoned settlement of Orthíad was discovered to be the hideout of the Urgals, which they had renamed Ithrö Zhâda. The Urgals and the Empire’s soldiers entered Tronjheim from Orthíad during the Battle of Farthen Dûr.
