Dragon
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Dragons were sentient creatures inhabiting Alagaësia. They were the mounts of the Dragon Riders; the color of a dragon's scales was usually the color of its Rider's magic. Apart from werecats, dragons were the only known intelligent non-humanoid species.
Few dragons survived the Dragon War; only five dragons are known to exist in the time of The Inheritance Cycle: Glaedr, Shruikan, Saphira, Thorn and Greeni.
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[edit] Description
The dragons of Alagaësia were similar in appearance to the dragons of early European folklore. They were reptilian, with scales, sharp teeth, and wings, and could develop the ability to breathe fire with age. Color varied from dragon to dragon, and there appeared to be some variation in features between different colored dragons: Saphira, a blue dragon, possesses four cheek spikes, slightly curved horns, and two forehead spines. Thorn, a red dragon, has wide, crescent-shaped horns, and two cheek spikes. Glaedr, who is golden, has six cheek spines, crooked horns, and a beard. According to Brom, dragons could grow to be "larger than most hills" and that some older dragons could be confused with small mountains; even the smallest dragons had wingspans of over a hundred feet. Their eggs tend to be the same color as the dragon's scales. All dragons have matching color for their eyes and hide and long, barbed tongues. behind their eyes they held vast knowledge of their race and were very wise.
Dragons were able to use magic though they could not control when they used it, or to what effect, with the exception of fire breathing and flying.
[edit] Life Cycle
Like most reptilians, dragons hatched from eggs. When first born, they were the size of an average house cat, but they grew rapidly. When dragons reached around six months old, they gained the ability to breathe fire. Predators by nature, they hunted deer, elk, moose, wild goats, and other large herbivores.
Dragons started to mate when they were young. They were unfading and did not die, unless by wounds in battle,or by sickness. If they had a rider they could live on (ex: Glaedr after Oromis died. Unfortunately got himself killed) It is believed that there was no set limit to a dragon's size, as they grew continuously.
[edit] History
[edit] Early years
Along with dwarves and the Grey Folk, dragons were one of the three races native to Alagäesia. The dwarves and the dragons constantly had skirmishes, and neither ever found any liking for the other race. Additionaly, there were never any dwarf Dragon Riders.
[edit] Du Fyrn Skulblaka
After a dragon was killed by a rash elf, the long and bitter Fyrn Skulblaka erupted between the two races, with great losses on both sides. Both sides did things they would regret. At one point, elves ambushed dragon mothers in a forest nesting-place (Stone of Broken Eggs), killing them and breaking their eggs. Eventually, however, an elf named Eragon I (namesake of the current Eragon) discovered an abandoned dragon egg and raised the baby dragon inside as his own. Together, the pair acted as a go-between for the Dragons and Elves, and was able to resolve the conflict. Afterwards, the order of the Dragon Riders was established so as to maintain the peace in Alagäesia. humans were later added to the charter when they arrived.
[edit] The Dragon Rider era
The dragons agreed to give some of their eggs to the Riders so that the order could continue. With the protection and assistance of the Riders, the dragons experienced an age of peace. Though they still had contentions with the dwarves, a full-scale war never again erupted between races.
[edit] The Downfall
During and after Galbatorix's rebellion, most of the dragons, along with their Riders, were killed. The Forsworn began a mass genocide of the dragons. Massacres left the dragon culture in ruin. By the time of the Battle of The Burning Plains, there were only five known dragons [there may be more dragons escaped the downfall] in existence:
- Saphira, Eragon's dragon, a blue female
- Glaedr, Oromis' dragon, a gold male
- Shruikan, Galbatorix's dragon, a black male
- Thorn, Murtagh's dragon, a red male
- "Greeni" (fan name), unhatched?, a green male
[edit] New hope
When Eragon discovered a blue dragon egg and became Saphira's Rider, hope came for the dragons. Emperor Galbatorix also wanted to reestablish the dragons, and the Riders, to serve him. The fate of the dragons still looms over ruin.
Saphira was the last known female dragon in existence. As revealed by Murtagh, it was Galbatorix's desire to reestablish the order of Dragon Riders; therefore, it was likely that Saphira would mate either with Thorn or the unhatched green dragon.
[edit] Dragons
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[edit] Saphira II
Saphira II, Eragon's dragon, was a female sapphire-blue dragon. Arya was transporting Saphira II's egg from the Varden when Durza and twelve Urgals ambushed her. Arya tried to transfer the egg to Brom in Carvahall, but Eragon found the egg first while he was hunting in the woods. Saphira hatched; Eragon secretly brought her up in the mountains.
Saphira II's scales and eyes were dark blue (in the movie they are greyer blue). Her eyes saw blues in more vibrant and exotic tones, while reds and greens are more faded (Making her colorblind). Her talons, and her neck, back, and tail spikes, were bone-white, and she had two serrated teeth, as well as normal teeth and her head is triangular.
Later, she gained the ability to breathe fire. At first, the flame was blue, tinged with orange, but it soon becomes fully blue. Of the last five dragons in existence (including one male egg not yet hatched) during the time of Eragaon Shadeslayer, Saphira was the only known female, and therefore was the only hope for reviving the dragon race.
[edit] Shruikan
Centuries before, Galbatorix had lost his power and his dragon had died. Galbatorix and another Rider named Morzan decided to take a dragon by force. In Ilirea, the capital of the Broddring Kingdom, the two found Shruikan and his Rider training with other Riders and their young dragons. They murdered Shruikan's true Rider and stole the dragon. Then employing black magic, Galbatorix twisted the young dragon's mind so that Shruikan would serve him.
Because of this, the union of Shruikan and Galbatorix was unnatural. Galbatorix was bound to his first dragon, the dragon who chose him when it was an infant inside its egg. In the same way, Shruikan was bound to his chosen Rider, the one whom Galbatorix killed. There was no true Rider's bond between Galbatorix and Shruikan, no love or real loyalty on either side.
The appearence of Shruikan is that of a large black dragon, around the size of a large tyrannosaurus.
[edit] Thorn
Thorn was the red dragon of Murtagh. Thorn was younger than Saphira and therefore smaller, but he was wider in the legs and shoulders, and he was able to breathe fire. Thorn was named such because, as Murtagh said, "Thorn is my dragon, and a thorn he shall be to all our enemies."
Thorn's eyes and hide had a sparkling ruby color. His talons, teeth and neck spikes were snow white. Shruikan trained Thorn in the arts of the Riders, thus Thorn, though younger than Saphira, is actually extremely skilled at aerial combat and is more than a match for her in the air, even when Thorn is severely injured. However, Saphira and was worn out from the war at the time and she had been fighting for hours before she had to fight Thorn, who was fresh and hadn't fought. It should also be noted that Eragon made a risky manouver by throwing himself off Saphira and placed her in a bad situation. Both Thorn and Murtagh, unwillingly fell under the control of Galbatorix; it remains unclear how Thorn feels about his and Murtagh's predicament. Fans believe that Thorn is not evil and deserves to be set free. Murtagh and Thorn argued over letting Eragon escape during the Battle of The Burning Plains; otherwise, Thorn is not known to have spoken. It is possible that Thorn may have politely persuaded Murtagh to release Eragon and Saphira for the sake of the Varden.
[edit] Glaedr
Glaedr was the male gold dragon of Oromis, the elf who trained Eragon. He is the oldest dragon in the Inheritance cycle, three times larger than Saphira. He first appears in Eldest. Glaedr and Oromis live in Du Weldenvarden, a forest in the north of Alagaësia. They are survivors of the downfall, having hid in the forest when Galbatorix was slaying the other dragons and Riders. It is well that they did this, for else there would have been no one to pass the secrets of Dragon Riders to the new Rider Eragon.
Oromis, the Rider, has also the names Osthato Chetowä, "The Mourning Sage", and Togira Ikonoka, "The Cripple Who Is Whole." Glaedr is the oldest dragon in the cycle. Glaedr is also disabled; his left foreleg is nothing but a white stump in place. One possibility is that the dragon knuckle bones possessed by the witch Angela might actually be from Glaedr's leg.
Saphira developed a strong infatuation with Glaedr (this may not be love as Glaedr was the first male dragon she had seen, and was effected by the song from Silthrim), but he did not return her affection. During a botched lesson on the Stone of Broken Eggs, she grew more persistent in her advances, and when he rejected her, she attacked him in a rage; he won the ensuring fight, though both sustained injuries. After consulting with Eragon, she apologized to Glaedr for her actions.
Glaedr dies in Brisingr
[edit] The Green Dragon
There is a fifth dragon, a green dragon still unhatched. Fans refer to him as "Greeni". Currently, Galbatorix possesses the egg. This dragon was to appear on the cover of the third book of the cycle, upon which he will look to the right. However, it was recently revealed that the green dragon will be replaced on the book cover by Glaedr. Greeni will be in the fourth book, and it is unknown who his rider will be. Other than that, not much is known of this dragon.
[edit] Bid'daum
Bid'daum was the dragon of Eragon I and was white in color. His flames would have been like regular flames with some white. Not much is known of him except for the fact that the young elf Eragon found his egg and thought of it to be benificial to raise his own dragon. So, Bid'daum hatched for him and the two helped end the Du Fyrn Skulblaka, the Dragon War. Eragon became the first dragon rider and started what later became a large system of peace keepers, although at first they were nothing more than a way for the elves to communicate with the dragons. Their prowess in battle however soon became apparent and they became the arbiters of the law that they were later viewed as. No known account of Bid'daum's death or his rider's has been taken. The rumors are that the first Eragon and Bid'daum live in Du Weldenvarden. This is possible, as dragons are immortal, except against poison and physical wounds.
[edit] Jarnunvosk
Little is known about Jarnunvosk, except that when Galbatorix was still a young Dragon Rider he went on a trip with some of his friends. They got ambushed by Urgals and a stray arrow hit his dragon's heart. Galbatorix did not know how to save her. The death of his dragon drove Galbatorix mad.
[edit] Behind the scenes
Bid'daum is rumored to appear in Brisingr.
Shruikan takes his name from "shuriken", Japanese throwing blade.
[edit] See also
| Races of Alagaësia |
| Humans • Dwarves • Elves • Urgals • Ra'zac • Dragons • Werecats • Spirits |
