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This article is mentioned in Brisingr.

Butting Heads is the 44th chapter of Brisingr. It takes place from the view of Roran.

Summary[]

Roran and his men have just completed their first mission under his command, a raid upon one of the Empire's supply trains. The mission was a massive success, with no deaths amongst the Varden and only three injuries. However, in the aftermath of the attack, Roran hears an agonized howl and discovers four Urgals torturing one of the Empire's soldiers. With his hammer, he dispatches the soldier and a ram named Yarbog asks why he has stopped their sport. Roran tells him that nobody is to torture captives without cause, as many of them are friends, family, and neighbors. Yarbog is not pleased by this, wondering why they can't watch them wiggle and dance first. Roran tells him that it is wrong and orders him to surrender his sword and see to the packhorses.

Yarbog refuses the order and challenges Roran for the right to lead his people, the fighting rams of the Bolvek tribe. Roran accepts the challenge and Yarbog states that it is customary among his people to fight with a loincloth and no weapons. Roran does not think this is fair, since he has no horns and asks if he may retain the use of his hammer. Yarbog tells him that he may keep his helmet and shield only, but Roran chooses to forgo them, since he knows he will need to be fast to defeat the Urgal.

The two have a mighty struggle and Roran realizes that time is not on his side, and that Yarbog's horns could be his undoing. Following a series of exchanges, Roran provokes Yarbog into charging, then grabs Yarbog's horns and pins him to the ground. Roran holds Yarbog on the ground for nearly ten minutes, but then his strength begins to fade. Just then, Yarbog asks Roran to kill him, as he knows he cannot win against Roran. Roran refuses these terms and forces Yarbog to admit defeat and submit to his authority. Roran is pleased with the outcome of the match. He feels that while humans and Urgals may have cause for conflict in the future, he knows that he won't have any further trouble out of Yarbog and his tribe. He orders his men to stop standing around and prepare to move out.

Character Debuts[]

Brisingr
1. The Gates of Death | 2. Around the Campfire | 3. Assault on Helgrind | 4. Divergence | 5. Rider and Ra'zac | 6. To Walk the Land Alone | 7. The Trial of the Long Knives | 8. Winged Tidings | 9. Escape and Evasion | 10. A Delicate Matter | 11. Bloodwolf | 12. Mercy, Dragon Rider | 13. Shadows of the Past | 14. Amid the Restless Crowd | 15. To Answer a King | 16. A Feast with Friends | 17. Intersecting Sagas | 18. Making Amends | 19. Gifts of Gold | 20. I Need a Sword! | 21. Unexpected Guests | 22. Fire in the Sky | 23. Man and Wife | 24. Whispers in the Night | 25. Orders | 26. Footprints of Shadow | 27. Over Hill and Mountain | 28. For My Love | 29. A Forest of Stone | 30. The Laughing Dead | 31. Blood on the Rocks | 32. A Matter of Perspective | 33. Kiss me Sweet | 34. Glûmra | 35. Clanmeet | 36. Insubordination | 37. Message in a Mirror | 38. Four Strokes upon the Drum | 39. Reunion | 40. Ascension | 41. Words of Wisdom | 42. The Whipping Post | 43. Among the Clouds | 44. Butting Heads | 45. Genealogy | 46. Two Lovers Doomed | 47. Inheritance | 48. Souls of Stone | 49. Hands of a Warrior | 50. The Tree of Life | 51. Mind over Metal | 52. A Rider in Full | 53. Greaves and Bracers | 54. Leave-taking | 55. Flight | 56. Brisingr! | 57. Shadow of Doom | 58. Sunrise
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