Farthen Dûr
From The Inheritance Encyclopedia
 | |
| About Farthen Dûr | |
|---|---|
| Name: | Farthen Dûr |
| Location | The Beor Mountains |
| Major Race Population: | Dwarves and Humans |
| Ruler | Hrothgar |
Contents |
Information
Farthen Dûr is a mountain in the Beor Mountains. It is also the perfect hideout for the Varden because of its natural defenses — it is an ancient volcanic crater, with a huge marble city, Tronjheim, in the center.
"The Varden had found the perfect hiding place. Farthen Dûr's walls were too high for a dragon to fly over, and no army could break through the entraceway, even if it managed to find the hidden doors." (Eragon 399)
Location
Farthen Dûr can be found at the end of a narrow valley in the Beor Mountains. The Beartooth River flows through it, feeding the lake of Kóstha-mérna. Kóstha-mérna lies at the end of the valley, restricting travel around it to small strips of pebbly beach on either side. Eragon describes it as:
"[He] was on a pebble beach directly to the right of the mouth of the Beartooth River. The deep lake of Kóstha-mérna filled the valley, blocking their way. [...] The mountain wall restricted passage around Kóstha-mérna to a thin strip of shore on either side of the lake, both no more then a few steps wide."(Eragon 371)
A waterfall at the far end of the lake and the entrance to Farthen Dûr. If a person goes underneath the falls, the entrance to Farthen Dûr is hidden in the cliffside, and the person must convince the Varden to let them in. The gates are "two twelve-foot-thick stone doors" that, in Eragon's case, "had opened in the cliff, revealing a broad tunnel nearly thirty feet tall that burrowed its way into the mysterious depths of the mountain. A line of flameless lamps filled the passageway with a pale sapphire light that spilled out onto the lake." (Eragon 377)
Tunnels
"There are hundred of tunnels throughout the Boer Mountains, uninhabited since the day they were mined."
Farthen Dûr is extensively tunneled under and around, so the easiest way to get into it is through the underground passages. The three largest tunnels, mentioned by Ajihad on page 469, are large, are lit with flameless blue lamps, and are made out of "polished white marble". (Eragon 379) They are lavishly decorated with statues, semi-precious gemstones and pillars.
Lesser tunnels are usually much smaller, and occasionally have no marble tiling or blue lamps. Tunnels that lead to dark caverns are lit with red lamps, rather then the customary blue. Orik explains:
"The corridors were tunnels now - which cramped Eragon because they were only five feet high - and all the lanterns were red. 'So the light does blind you when you leave or enter a dark cavern,' Orik explained." (Eragon 426)
Lamps
The lamps are magical, and need no fire to light the halls of Farthen Dûr. In Eragon, the lamps are extensively descirbed on page 394.
"Bored, [Eragon] examined one of the lanterns. It was made of a single piece of teardrop-shaped glass, about twice the size of a lemon, and filled with a soft blue light tthat neither wavered nor flickered. Four slim metal ribs wrapped smoothly around the glass, meeting at the top to form a small hook and again at the bottom to form three graceful legs. The whole piece was quite attractive." (Eragon 394)
As this quote suggests by stating the lantern had three legs, the lanterns rest at the bottom sides of the tunnels.
Decorations
The main three tunnels in Farthen Dûr are very extravagently decorated. They are large enough for Saphira to travel in, and are tiled with marble. There are also many decorations; when Eragon goes through the hidden door to Farthen Dûr he sees a "peculiar animal with thick quills." (Eragon 379)
At the enterance to the center of Farthen Dûr, there are rows of lavishly decorated pillars lining the path. The description reads as follows:
"He could see thick marble pillars laced with rubies and amethysts standing in rows along the walls. Scores of lanterns hung between the pillars, suffusing the aur with liquid brillliance. Gold tracery gleamed from the pillara' bases like molten thread. Arching over the ceiling were carved raven heads, their beaks open in mid-screech. At the end of the hallway rested two colossal black doors, accented by shimmering silven lines that depicted a seven-pointed star." 9396)
Interior of Farthen Dur
The center of Farthen Dûr is a massive volcanic crater, and the core is nearly ten miles in diameter, and twelve miles high. Tunnels riddle the walls of Farthen Dûr. The only natural light comes from a small opening in the top of the mountain. Tronjheim, the marble city of the dwarves, is in the middle of the crater.
Eragon describes it in "The Glory of Tronjheim", chapter fifty-one of Eragon.
"They were inside a massive volcanic crater. Its walls narrowed to a small ragged opening so high above that Eragon could not judge the distance - it might have been more than a dozen miles. A soft beam of light fell through the aperture, illuminating the crater's center, though it left the rest of the cavernous expanse in hushed twilight.
The crater's far side, hazy blue in the distance, looked to be nearly ten miles away. Giant icicles hundreds of feet thick and thousands of feet long hung leagues above them like glistening daggers. [...] Farther down the crater's inner walls, dark mats of moss and lichen covered the rock." (Eragon 397)
A cobblestone path runs to the city of Tronjheim, and training fields lay half a mile (Eragon 453) off to the side of the city for the warriors to hone their skills. The bulk of the area is occupied by battle training for the Varden. (Eragon 454)
Significance in the Books
Eragon
In Eragon, Murtagh and Eragon spend most of the book trying to get to Farthen Dûr. When Murtagh refuses to go to the Varden, he reveals to Eragon he is the son of Morzan. It is also in Farthen Dûr that Eragon learns more about the elves, the Varden, and the dwarves. He meets several important characters such as Orik, Ajihad, Hrothgar, and Nasuada.
Farthen Dûr is besieged by Urgals in the last chapters, and in this time, Eragon falls for Arya, fights in his first battle, and kills Durza the Shade. Saphira discovers she can breathe fire, and Arya destroys the Isidar Mithrim, the star rose.
See more information at this page about the battle.
Eldest
In the first chapter of Eldest, three days after the battle, Urgals chase down Ajihad and kill him, thus making Nasuada the ruler of Farthen Dûr. Murtagh and the Twins disappear, and are presumed dead. In reality, the Twins are spies for the Empire, and smuggle Murtagh to Galbatorix using the extensive underground tunnels.
After Nasuada comes to power as the Ruler of the Varden, she reviews the state of the Varden and makes the decision to move her kingdom to the country of Surda, so that she can attack the Empire more effectively. Eragon, Arya, Saphira, Orik and a guard of dwarves leave Farthen Dûr to go to the elves. Nasuada packs up her kingdom and, using the tunnels, successfully relocates to Surda.
Significance in the Movie
Farthen Dûr’s significance in the movies is likely the same as in the books.
Theories
| Warning: This page or section is a theory. Information following this warning has not been confirmed, or stated directly in any book. Theories are user created and modified. |
As of now there are no theories about Farthen Dûr. You can add a theory by the clicking the 'edit' button above this article.
