Brisingr

Eragon has reached Bregan Hold, which appears much like the other dwarven cities Eragon has seen—it has a main stronghold, surrounded by residences and outbuildings. Bregan Hold is topped by a large flameless lantern known as Az Sindriznarrvel, or The Gem of Sindri, which has the power to light up the whole city in an emergency. In Bregan Hold, Eragon is greeted by Orik with a bath and new clothes. He is then introduced to Hvedra, his Orik’s wife. Orik declares Bregan Hold a permanent sanctuary for Eragon. He has already been declared the chieftain of his clan in place of his father, King Hrothgar. Eragon has made it in time for seven days of games, a tradition used to usher in a new leader.

The next day, Orik brings Eragon to witness Az Knurldrathn, a forest made of granite. This is a spooky place where youth dwarves are sent to carve one or two trees out of the mountainside. As a rebellious young dwarf, Orik was sent there himself—but he escaped and joined the Knurlagn of the clan of Vrenshrrgn (War Wolves), hunting a nagra (giant boar). Orik believes the dwarves to be on the brink of the next durgrimstvren, or clan war; the clans are divided on how to approach Galbatorix, and some have determined to blame Eragon and Saphira for Galbatorix’s appearance in their homeland. Orik and Eragon discuss the upcoming kingship meeting, and Eragon agrees to back Orik alone; Orik says if he notices his popularity dwindling he will withdraw and put his lot in with a contender who will also uphold the Varden. Orik and Eragon travel to the base of the mountain and into a hidden tunnel that will take them to Farthen Dûr.

Roran’s scouting party comes across a vulnerable troop of Galbatorix’s men laden with cargo and resting in a compromised area with no high ground near water, allowing them to easily be pushed back against the river during combat. The Varden scouts cannot find any tricks, so they raid the cargo party. As it turns out, these men are some of the soldiers Galbatorix has made invincible; they cannot die unless their brains are compromised. The death toll on the Varden in Roran’s party is high due to this oversight, but they are able to push their opponents into the water and pick them off. This is a devastating experience for Roran. With just nine left in the Varden’s party, they are preparing to leave when one of the corpses reanimates and slices off Martland’s left hand. He forces Carn, the spellcaster, to keep working on the other men and picks up his hand to be healed later. After recording the contents of the wagons, as is the standard protocol, they light them on fire and set off for the Varden’s camps.