“Quiet as a shadow, the elf glided into the light, his yellow eyes glowing like coals.” ~ Brisingr
Son of Ildrid the Beautiful and cousin of Liotha, nothing is known of Blödhgarm’s early life. He magically altered his appearance to better match his ideal of beauty, one of animal inspiration; sleek midnight blue fur—similar to a panther’s—covered his body, his eyes were yellow like an eagle’s, his teeth pointed like a wolf’s, and his middle fingers sprouted the claws of a predator. Females of all races fell prey to the heady scent of Blödhgarm’s pheromones, said to irresistibly smell of “. . . a salty musk reminiscent of dry juniper wood, oiled leather, and smoke.” (Narrative, Brisingr Deluxe, page 170) (The musk was so effective that Arya and Nasuada protected themselves from its effects with magic.) It was likely a side effect of Blödhgarm’s animal traits, rather than a deliberate ploy to seek attention, and it was not a tool he used to take advantage of admirers. Saphira observed, “All the women in the Varden seem to have fallen in love with him . . . They stalk him wherever he goes, desperate to talk with him but too shy to utter so much as a squeak when he looks at them.” (Brisingr Deluxe, page 225) Oddly enough, males didn’t appear to detect it.
Scent aside, Blödhgarm grew to be one of the elves’ most powerful magicians and warriors, and Islanzadí chose him to lead a group of eleven elven spellcasters whose task it was to protect Eragon and Saphira during the war against Galbatorix.
The War Begins
Under Blödhgarm’s leadership, the elves were of great assistance to Eragon and Saphira during the Battle of the Jiet River, funneling their energy to bolster the dwindling resources of the Rider and dragon during their confrontation with Murtagh and Thorn.
When Eragon traveled to Tronjheim for the dwarven elections—and Saphira needed to stay behind to assist the Varden—Blödhgarm conjured an illusion of Eragon to hide the Rider’s absence from the Empire’s spies. Once Orik was elected king, Saphira rushed off to reunite with Eragon for the coronation.
An Apology
The Varden began the Battle of Feinster, and Arya and Blödhgarm snuck into the city intending to open the gates. Soldiers and three magicians nearly overwhelmed them, but Eragon and Saphira arrived just in time to save the two elves. Later Blödhgarm and Eragon had a minor disagreement when the Rider saw that the elven spellweavers still hadn’t opened the gate for the Varden. Blödhgarm explained that since the gate was heavily enchanted and the elves had been reserving their energy for protecting Eragon and Saphira, the spellweavers had chosen not to open it. However, it meant that Eragon had to spend energy to open the gate instead.
Shortly after, Eragon, Saphira, and Arya left Blödhgarm and the other spellcasters to chase after the enemy magicians, much to Blödhgarm’s frustration. This decision was nearly the end of the young Rider. Eragon later apologized to Blödhgarm for his mistake, and Blödhgarm also apologized, stating that the spellcasters would now fight alongside the Rider AND the Varden without reserve.
Niernen
A soldier impaled Saphira with the enchanted spear Niernen during the Battle of Belatona. Blödhgarm tore the soldier’s throat out and in the process discovered that the enemy soldier had assistance from a magician hidden within the keep. Blödhgarm forced the magician to commit suicide in a fiery explosion, and then he and the other elven spellcasters focused their energies to heal Saphira. The blast threw rubble on the Varden, and then destabilized a portion of the keep, which then collapsed on several soldiers, including Roran. Fortunately, Eragon found Roran alive inside the building, and Blödhgarm healed much of the damage done to him by the falling rubble.
Angering a Dragon
Eragon’s swordsmanship was not improving, so Arya, Blödhgarm, and Yaela—one of the other elven spellcasters—sparred with him regularly. Unfortunately, it was not sufficient. For the second time since the death of Oromis, Glaedr’s Eldunarí spoke. He chided them, saying that they had not done enough to train the young Dragon Rider. Blödhgarm, attempting to prevent the elder dragon from withdrawing again, rebuked Glaedr for himself shirking his duty to Eragon. Glaedr was deeply offended, but Saphira was able to defuse the situation with flattery, and Glaedr agreed to take over Eragon’s training once again.
An Acorn Planted
Nasuada later hatched a plan to infiltrate Dras-Leona. Blödhgarm, magically disguised as Eragon, flew Saphira over the city, distracting Murtagh and Thorn while Eragon, the werecat Solembum, Arya, Angela, and Wyrden snuck into Dras-Leona through its hidden tunnels. The strategy was successful, but Wyrden was killed in the process. The remaining elven spellcasters buried him and placed an acorn in the soil directly above Wyrden’s chest. They sang the acorn into an oak tree that stood twenty feet tall.
Shortly after the battle’s end, Murtagh, Thorn, some Laughing Dead, and several magicians attacked the Varden camp. Blödhgarm and the other elven spellcasters were able to overpower the Empire’s magicians, but Nasuada was still captured and taken to Urû’baen.
Pressing On
The Varden continued, disheartened, with Eragon in the lead. It was clear to the Rider and his dragon that they needed to become more powerful if they hoped to defeat Galbatorix. Their best, and only, option was to find the Rock of Kuthian, mentioned by Solembum in his cryptic instructions. Blödhgarm and the other elves once again conjured phantom versions of Eragon and Saphira so the Empire would not be alerted to their absence while they flew to Vroengard with Glaedr as quickly as possible.
The trip was a success, and the adventurers returned with many Eldunarí from the Vault of Souls. The final assault on Urû’baen began. Blödhgarm, his spellcasters, Eragon, Saphira, Elva, and Arya infiltrated the citadel while the main Varden forces assaulted the outer gates. In the hallway leading to the throne room, Blödhgarm and his spellcasters successfully evaded many traps only to be magically put in stasis and transported to another portion of the castle by the last of the traps, where they remained until Galbatorix’s defeat. As the citadel crumbled around them, Arya found Blödhgarm and the rest, leading them to safety.
New Beginnings
In the days following the war, Blödhgarm became one of the caretakers of the crazed Eldunarí who had been the king’s captives. And when Eragon and Saphira left Alagaësia to reestablish the Dragon Riders in the unknown lands to the east, Blödhgarm chose to accompany them. Who knows what the local wildlife thought of the fierce, blue-furred elf who suddenly prowled nearby?
Descriptions:
“When he was still several hundred feet away, the lead elf appeared soot-black from head to toe. At first Nasuada assumed he was dark-skinned, like herself, and wearing dark attire, but as he drew closer, she saw that the elf wore only a loincloth and a braided fabric belt with a small pouch attached. The rest of him was covered with midnight-blue fur that glistened with a healthy sheen under the glare of the sun. On average, the fur was a quarter-inch long—a smooth, flexible armor that mirrored the shape and movement of the underlying muscles—but on his ankles and the undersides of his forearms, it extended a full two inches, and between his shoulder blades, there was a ruffled mane that stuck out a handsbreadth from his body and tapered down along his back to the base of his spine. Jagged bangs shadowed his brow, and catlike tufts sprouted from the tips of his pointed ears, but otherwise the fur on his face was so short and flat, only its color betrayed its presence. His eyes were bright yellow. Instead of fingernails, a claw protruded from each of his middle fingers. And as he slowed to a stop before her, Nasuada noticed that a certain odor surrounded him: a salty musk reminiscent of dry juniper wood, oiled leather, and smoke. It was such a strong smell, and so obviously masculine, Nasuada felt her skin go hot and cold and crawl with anticipation, and she blushed and was glad it would not show . . . . The elf smiled, revealing teeth that were sharper than normal. “I am Blödhgarm, son of Ildrid the Beautiful.” (Brisingr Deluxe, pages 169-171)
“. . . I believe that true beauty only exists in the fang of a wolf, in the pelt of the forest cat, in the eye of an eagle. So I adopted those attributes for myself. In another hundred years, I may lose interest in the beasts of the land and instead decide that the beasts of the sea embody all that is good, and then I will cover myself with scales, transform my hands into fins and my feet into a tail, and I will vanish beneath the surface of the waves and never again be seen in Alagaësia.” (Blödhgarm, Brisingr Deluxe, page 176)
“Smiling for the first time, and thereby presenting a visage both handsome and terrifying . . . ” (Narrative, Brisingr Deluxe, page 177)
“Blödhgarm smiled, exposing the fangs of an animal.” (Narrative, Brisingr Deluxe, page 224)
“Blödhgarm’s musk surrounded him like a cloud, thick and heady, a warm, smoky scent that contained hints of crushed juniper berries and that set Saphira’s nostrils to tingling.
All the women in the Varden seem to have fallen in love with him, she said. They stalk him wherever he goes, desperate to talk with him but too shy to utter so much as a squeak when he looks at them.” (Saphira, Brisingr Deluxe, page 225)
“Quiet as a shadow, the elf glided into the light, his yellow eyes glowing like coals.” (Narrative, Brisingr Deluxe, page 251)
“Eragon stopped himself, however, when Blödhgarm appeared, leaping over Saphira’s left foreleg. The elf landed on the rider like a panther pouncing on a deer, and knocked the man onto his side. With a savage twist of his head, Blödhgarm tore open the man’s throat with his long white teeth.” (Narrative, Inheritance Deluxe, page 7)
Liked this article? Check out the rest of the Encyclopedia Alagaësia series!
