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Ilirea was the last elven stronghold outside of Du Weldenvarden, until it was taken by Galbatorix and renamed to Urû'baen. Under Galbatorix's reign, the city acted as the capital of the Broddring Empire. Urû'baen was also known as the Black City by some who opposed Galbatorix's kingship.

History[]

Before the Fall[]

Ilirea is where Oromis trained Brom and Morzan, and where he made the fairth that he showed Eragon in Ellesméra. The city is also where the clan of Az Sweldn rak Anhûin was almost completely destroyed, which led to them initiating a blood feud with the Dragon Riders.

Ilirea was a fairly sizeable city, though it is likely that many of the citizens migrated to the relative safety of Du Weldenvarden during the Fall. Estimates remain that at the time it fell, Ilirea was home to roughly one hundred thousand Elves and Human Riders. Most were butchered by Galbatorix and, despite costly efforts by the Broddring Empire to repopulate the city with its own subjects, the population remained at fewer than sixty thousand under imperial rule. The city was an extremely valuable outpost for the Elves- for this reason, its inhabitants were being trained in the art of war before the city was conquered. It is possible that as many as one hundred and twenty thousand Elves and Riders stood at arms when the city collapsed.

After the Fall[]

When Galbatorix took control of Ilirea, he renamed the city to Urû'baen and it became his headquarters. The king rarely left the city, only departing in times of great need. The only known time that he left (after the Dragon War) was to visit Dras-Leona, where he went to punish the corrupt Lord Tábor. This was why the members tried to assassinate Eragon in the tunnels of Farthen Dur.

After Galbatorix died and Nasuada was named his successor as Queen, she reverted the name of Urû'baen back to its original name of Ilirea and restored the Broddring Empire back to its original title of the Broddring Kingdom.


Architecture[]

Ilirea-2

An image of Ilirea from the Official Eragon Coloring book, colored by Christopher Paolini

Urû'baen has tall spire-like buildings made of glass and stone. It seems as if they should knock over in strong winds, but are in-fact resilient against it. When Ilirea fell, most of the elven buildings were incorporated into the Imperial human re-design of the city.

At the centre of the city is Castle Ilirea. The structure, created by elves, had been built upon by Galbatorix into his black citadel. Also included were six emerald towers, of which at least two were destroyed in the siege of Ilirea. Jeod found a secret tunnel into the citadel, which led to the Varden stealing Saphira's egg from the citadel.

The walls of the city are much larger than those of Dras-Leona or Aroughs, both in length and in height. They surround the entire city, are over 300 feet tall, and on their battlements are ballistae and catapults mounted at regular intervals.

The city was protected above by a large overhang made of stone, over half a mile wide and five hundred feet thick at its narrowest, which formed one end of a massive hill that sloped off into the northeast for miles. When the city was known as Ilirea, the elves placed many spells on this overhang to prevent it from ever collapsing. It was a popular place for dragons to rest, as Saphira and Fírnen did during their courtship.

Economy[]

The fact that Urû'baen was the center of the Broddring Empire suggests it had a flourishing economy. However, it was likely also pressed down on by heavy taxes like the rest of the Broddring Empire, perhaps even more.

Etymology[]

Urû'baen is a bastardization of two words, one each from dwarvish and the ancient language. The word "urû" in dwarvish meaning "elders" or "sages" and the word "baen" in the ancient language being a complex and powerful expression of grief. Urû’baen then translates as "the elders’ grief/sorrow," "the elders’ folly," or even "the elders’ downfall. It was coined by Galbatorix knowing this meaning would be lost on humans but it would be an open insult to both the elves and the dwarves.[1]

References[]

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