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URGALS
General Information: The First Impression
Urgals. The very sound of the word brings an impression of churlishness, brute force, and negativity. Like bullies claiming a school yard, the Urgals staked their adversarial role in Eragon with hostility and intimidation. The Urgals are not native to Alagaësia; they followed the Elves' migration from Alalea. The Urgals resemble men with "bowed legs and thick, brutish arms made for crushing." They have a pair of twisty horns atop their heads that don't seem to serve a particular purpose; perhaps as a compensation for their defective vision. The biggest, brawniest kind of Urgal is a Kull, which can grow to 8 1/2 feet in height.
The Urgals are a violent race; bred to fight and conquer regardless of gender. Due to their lack of morals and sense of empathy, they do not adhere to the values of most other Alagaesian inhabitants. For instance, the worth and power of one in an Urgal clan is determined by their ability to physically dominate every living thing within a ten yard radius. An Urgal can gain respect and authority in their society by killing as much as inhumanely possible. They are ruthless fighters, sparing neither young nor old as shown in the brutal massacre of the residents of Yazuac. However, the Urgals were under the control of Durza, a Shade employed by Galbatorix, at the time; they cannot be deemed as fully responsible.
Typically a war-mongering race that had many inter-clan clashes, the Urgals were magically compelled into uniting and fighting together for their Ushnark the Mighty (known to everyone else as Galbatorix). Durza led the Urgal armies until he was slain by Eragon in the battle of Farthen Dûr. Durza's binding spell was lifted upon his death. Havoc broke loose as the Urgals ceased fighting the Varden to battle amongst themselves. The Varden easily defeated the preoccupied Urgals. Enraged and vengeful for Galbatorix's brazen-faced acts against them, the Bolvek Tribe of Urgals approached the Varden with the offer of alliance. The Varden, open to any assistance, accepted the offer.
Knowing this, what could lie ahead for the Urgals? Will an Urgal hero rise and atone the misdoings of their kind? We can only wonder..
Inside an Urgal's Mind: Underneath it all.
In Eldest, Nasuada and the Varden were approached by a small group of Urgals looking to make a deal with the Varden. Garzhvog the Kull and several other Urgals had come to offer their services in exchange for the one thing that nearly all of Alagaesia equally desired; the death of Galbatorix, and a portion of land upon his defeat. Nasuada accepted the Urgals' proposal, but when the Urgals offered to be Eragon's personal body guard, Eragon hesitated. Seemingly, the elves' intelligence had rubbed off enough on Eragon to agree to their offer, but only on the condition that they succumb to a search of their minds.
Garzhvog and three of the Urgals agreed upon his terms, and Eragon began the elaborate examination of the their minds, starting with Garzhvog. Eragon was immersed a sight that he would've never associated with Urgals. He saw visions of Garzhvog's youth; filled with pleasures such as singing and hunting. The dream-like state faded as Garzhvog neared adulthood. He was taught to hate, to distrust, to kill, and to fear "a world that had condemned his race". Along with his people, he felt anger and betrayal at Galbatorix's manipulation and blatant disrespect of the Urgals and their culture. To Eragon, it almost seemed as though Garzhvog was persuading him that Urgals were not the monsters that everyone believes them to be, and that they posed no threat to Eragon in fear of attaining the wrath of yet another Rider.
Finished with the mind of Garzhvog, Eragon moved onto the other three Urgals. Each of them confessed to killing humans without contrition, yet there was no evil or malice about them. The Urgals were either under the command of Durza, or in a struggle over a supply of food or land with humans and elves when they committed their murderous acts. Just like every other race, the Urgals had a family to protect; a culture to preserve. Perhaps they differed in some aspects of moral and society, but had the society they lived in been more accepting to differences, the Urgals would have no need to live in fear and distrust. If only the other races of Alagaesia were to set their opinions and previous deviations of the Urgals aside and realize that underneath it all, the Urgals were just like them; merely doing whatever it takes to survive in a world that is set on death. The view from inside an Urgal's mind has shown us that unlike their appearance, Urgals aren't as ugly inside as we once believed.
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