List of The Inheritance Cycle characters

Major characters

• Eragon Bromsson – the human son of [|Brom] and the late [|Selena], although Eragon's true relationship to Brom is not revealed until the third novel. Eragon is the cousin of Roran Garrowsson and half-brother of [|Murtagh]. Until the age of fifteen, he was raised by his uncle [|Garrow]. After the dragon Saphira hatches for him, he travels to the [|Varden], where he learns of the evils done by Galbatorix and determines to end the king's rule. He has romantic feelings for the elf [|Arya], but the two never become a couple as he leaves Alagaësia permanently at the end of the final novel. He is also known as Eragon Bromsson, Argetlam, Shur'tugal, Shadeslayer, Firesword, and Kingkiller.
• Saphira Bjartskular – a female blue dragon who hatches from an egg stolen from Galbatorix by Brom and Jeod. She is the last living female dragon in all of Alagaësia, although more dragon eggs are found at the end of the final novel. Saphira is wise, fearless, protective of Eragon, and somewhat vain. She is also skilled at aerial acrobatics. Her sire was [|Iormûngr], a bonded dragon, and her dam was [|Vervada], a wild dragon. At the end of Inheritance she mates with Fírnen before leaving Alagaësia with Eragon.
• Princess Arya Dröttningu – a female elf and is the only daughter of King Evandar and [|Queen Islanzadí]. Arya has served as courier of Saphira's egg and the elves' ambassador to the Varden. She becomes queen of the elves after the death of her mother, as well as a dragon rider, at the end of the final book. She is also known as Arya Svit-kona and Arya Shadeslayer. Eragon rescues her in the first novel when she is being held captive by Durza, a shade. When Eragon first pursues her romantically, she rebuffs his advances, telling him she had recently lost a close friend, [|Fäolin], and that any relationship would be unwise because of their respective responsibilities and age differences. She holds traditional human gender roles in disdain. At the end of the final novel, she is willing to consider Eragon as a romantic partner, but he leaves before they can begin a relationship. She shows this by telling her true name to Eragon, which she refused to do before.
• Murtagh Morzansson – the human son of Morzan and Selena, and Eragon's maternal older half-brother. Eragon first meets him in Eragon and travels with him to the Varden, where he is mistrusted for being Morzan's son. In Eldest, Murtagh is kidnapped by the Twins and forced to serve King Galbatorix after the dragon [|Thorn] hatches for him. He is an exceptionally skilled swordsman, and has enhanced strength and magic from King Galbatorix, as well as Eldunarí to drastically enhance his power. Due to his difficult childhood, he has little empathy for others. He has romantic feelings for Nasuada, but does not pursue a relationship as he feels he can never be accepted by society, even after helping to defeat King Galbatorix. His name is entirely the author's invention. Murtagh encounters a cult named Du Eld Draumar in his own book, Murtagh.
• King Galbatorix – the human monarch and tyrant of the Empire. When his first dragon, [|Jarnunvösk] was killed by Urgals, Galbatorix began a quest for revenge against the Riders which ultimately resulted in their extinction and his rise to power in the human kingdom. He stole a dragon hatchling named Shruikan and bound their minds in a crude approximation of a Rider's bond. He has derived incredible magical strength from the captured souls of dead dragons, the Eldunarí. He is at least 120 years old. He is killed in the final novel. Galbatorix's name means "Big King" in Celtic.
• Nasuada – the daughter of Ajihad and [|Nadara], human members of the Wandering Tribes. Upon her father's death at the beginning of Eldest, Nasuada becomes leader of the Varden. She is Eragon's liegelord. She allies the Varden with several other groups against the King Galbatorix, and manages to lead them to a victory against him. She is very cunning and trusted by both her people and Eragon, which leads her to become queen of the Empire over her allies in Inheritance.
• Roran Garrowsson – Eragon's cousin and father of [|Ismira], who grew up with him in Carvahall with Eragon. Roran has an almost obsession with his eventual-wife, [|Katrina], which leads him to travel with the whole of Alagaësia to join the Varden. He becomes an excellent motivational speaker as a result. Although he at first resents his cousin for inciting war and bringing about Garrow's death, the two make up and become quite close.
• Orik Thrifksson – a dwarf, a member of the clan Dûrgrimst Ingeitum, and the nephew of King Hrothgar. He becomes king and leader of Ingeitum after Hrothgar's death. Orik is a smith, a warrior, and Eragon's guide. He adopts Eragon into his clan in Eldest. Orik later marries [|Hvedra], the Grimstcarvlorss of Ingeitum.

  Humans

• Brom – Eragon's father and first mentor. He is known for his craftiness, surviving long after his dragon's death despite being hunted by Galbatorix. Brom was the co-founder of the Varden. He had white hair and a long white beard, carried Morzan's sword Zar'roc, and could work basic magic. He was gruff yet kind towards Eragon. He is revealed to be a former Dragon Rider as he lays dying at the Ra'zac's hand in Eragon.
• King Orrin – the king of Surda, a minor human empire not yet ruled by Galbatorix. Orrin's royal line comes from the Broddring Kingdom, the human's first empire. He is an enthusiastic scientist, viewed by Nasuada as somewhat childish and undisciplined. Orrin secretly supports the Varden, and he allows them to move to his country in Eldest. He often comes into conflict with Nasuada when she encroaches on what he believes to be his rightful power, and develops a drinking problem in the final novel which she cites as a reason he should not replace Galbatorix.
• *Irwin is the Prime Minister of Surda and opposes King Orrin's open support of the Varden.
• Elva – an orphaned baby whom Eragon attempts to bless in the first novel. From his misworded "blessing" Elva is compelled to protect other people from misfortune or danger. During the battle against Galbatorix, he mutes her and Elva therefore is of no help. However, previous to the battle she proves useful and helps Eragon, Arya, Saphira, and their spellcasters navigate Galbatorix's traps leading up to the throne room. Eragon tried to remove the curse, but failed. As a result, Elva is not forced to help others, but she can still sense their pain.
• Ajihad – leader of the Varden and Nasuada's father. He is responsible for the Varden's alliance with the Dwarven nation. Shortly after the Battle of Farthen Dûr, at the beginning of Eldest, he is killed by Urgals.
• Jeod Longshanks is a merchant and scholar. He is an agent of the Varden, whom he supported with his business by smuggling various supplies until he was exposed to the Empire, causing him to suffer heavy losses. He and Brom stole Saphira's egg from the Empire.
• Carvahall villagers
• *Selena – she was the mother of Eragon and Murtagh, Morzan's consort and Garrow's sister. She was also known as The Black Hand Selena fell in love with Morzan, who trained her in magic and other warrior arts to act as his spy and assassin. After falling in love with Brom, she escaped to Carvahall to give birth to Eragon, dying shortly after.
• *Garrow was Roran's father Eragon's uncle, and Selena's brother. He lived on a farm, away from the rest of the village. He is killed by the Ra'zac toward the beginning of Eragon.
• *Katrina is the daughter of Sloan and Ismira. She wishes to marry Roran, which causes her disapproving father to kidnap her when he allies himself with the Ra'zac. After Roran, Eragon, and Saphira rescue her, she marries Roran and the two have a child.
• *:Katrina is portrayed by Tamsin Egerton in the film adaptation. However her scenes were cut in the final version of the film.
• **Ismira is the name of both Katrina's mother ' and her daughter born in the final book.
• *Sloan is Carvahall's butcher and Katrina's father. Sloan dotes upon his daughter and is highly possessive of her, betraying the rest of the village to the Empire in exchange for her safety. The Ra'zac blind and torture him. When Eragon meets Sloan after his betrayal, he curses him to go live among the elves and remain separate from his daughter until he repents, and his magically binding true name changes.
• *Horst Ostrecsson is a blacksmith, and husband of Elain and father of Baldor, Albriech, and Hope.
• *Birgit Mardasdaughter, the mother of Nolfavrell, assists Roran during the village's flight from the Empire to Surda. Her husband was Quimby, the village brewer, who was accidentally killed by the Ra'zac's soldiers when he tried to break up an argument in the village's tavern, then eaten by the Ra'zac. Birgit blames Roran and Eragon for his death, and tells Roran she plans to extract a blood price for this insult. When finally given the chance, she decides not to kill him.
• soldiers and magicians
• *The Twins were powerful human magicians who claimed to support the Varden but really worked for Galbatorix.
• *Trianna – After the disappearance of the Twins in Eldest, Trianna leads Du Vrangr Gata, a group of weak human magicians. Trianna is put in charge of Nasuada's plan to use cheap lace, made with magic, to finance the Varden's war efforts. She also leads Du Vrangr Gata in battle.
• **Carn is a spellcaster who serves with Roran throughout the missions in Brisingr and remains a close friend of his. Although not a particularly strong magician, he compensates by inventing extraordinarily clever spells and worming his way into his opponents' minds. Carn is killed in a Wizard's Duel in Inheritance by an enemy magician.
• *Jörmundur is second-in-command of the Varden troops. He is also a member of the Varden's Council of Elders but is the only member to support Nasuada.
• **Martland Redbeard is Roran's commander during his first Varden mission and a tactical genius. After losing a hand, he becomes one of Nasuada's military strategists.
• ***Edric is the commander of one of Roran's missions with the Varden. Edric is a competent but overbearing and rigid commander.
• **Captain Brigman is a Varden officer who was sent by Nasuada to conquer the city of Aroughs. After an extended siege, Nasuada, wanting to conquer the city quickly, sent Roran to replace him as commander.
• *Fredric is the Varden's weapon master. He aids Eragon in finding a new sword, a falchion. He wears a suit of pungent ox hide armor, and wields a massive two-handed sword which is over five feet long.
• Lord Barst was a general who was known for his power in battle, said to be just as ruthless as Galbatorix. In book 4, Galbatorix gave him an Eldunari to empower him in battle.
• King Palancar was the king of the humans when they first migrated and established a settlement in Alagaësia. He founded the Broddring Kingdom, but was defeated by the Dragon Riders when he attempted to annex elvish territory. '
• Marcus Tábor was the Lord of Dras–Leona before its siege by the Varden.