Eragon pt. twelve

[kippurbird]

Chapter Admonishments, Magic is the Simplest Thing


Summary

After magically slaughtering the urgals with magic, Eragon, Brom and Saphira leave the village of the dead. As they leave, Eragon notices the Ra'zac's spoors. Now, where did these spoors come from and how come they weren't mentioned before? Brom should have at least pointed them out to Eragon, but as far as we knew from before, they had been following the Ra'zac's tracks. Tracks that they couldn't have followed because they were on horse back. And if they were on horseback when did they have time to leave spoors out on the road. One would assume that they'd be civilized enough to go behind a bush and not in the middle of the road. After all they are wearing clothes. Paolini can't seem to make up his mind if these are animalistic creatures (that would leave spoors) or cunning assassins/evil doers of the King.

Saphira and he converse about the magic and here, Saphira's hive memory fails. She doesn't know if dragon riders can use magic. One would assume that if she knew about the slaughter of somewhere or another that happened before she was hatched and knew who slaughtered other eggs and things like that, she would know about dragon riders and magic. But she doesn't. How convenient.

Brom, however, knows all about the magic. Though he yells at Eragon for using it. Why he does so when Eragon didn't know that he was doing it is beyond me. Anyway, we get an info dump on magic.
It appears to shamelessly steal from the Earthsea trilogy with it's ancient language and true names of things. Apparently if you know it's true name, Brisinger being the true name for fire, for example, you can get it to do whatever you want.

Which is exactly how the magic in the Earthsea trilogy works, to quote Wikipedia,

Magic on Earthsea is verbal: All objects have a true name, in an old language related to the Dragon-tongue which is known simply as the Old Speech. By using this language, it is possible to have power over an object or living thing. To protect themselves from this, most characters have two names: one for everyday use and one, the true name, known only to close friends and family. For example, Sparrowhawk (use name) is known as Ged (true name) only to those closest to him.

One vital aspect of magic is that it is impossible to lie in the old language, so that magic works by forcing the universe to conform to the words spoken by the mage. For example, to say "I am an eagle" in the old language means that the speaker becomes an eagle, so that the statement is no longer false.

Sounds awfully like Paolini's magic, doesn't it?

After this brief explanation Brom gives us our first hint of slashiness when he says they don't need provisions, they can survive on meat alone, Saphira hunting for them. Eragon is very satisfied with Brom's answer.

We get more of a history of magic. Apparently "A Sorcerer ... uses spirits to accomplish his will. That is totally different from [Eragon's] power. Nor does that make [him] a magician, whose power comes without aid of spirits or a dragon. And [he's] certainly not a witch or wizard, who get their powers from various potions or spells" (144)

Looking at this statement from Brom, we see that there are four different types of magic users. Sorcerers, who use magic from spirits, dragon riders, magicians who just get their power from somewhere unmentioned, and witches and wizards who use spells and potions. Now, questions. What is the difference between a spell and using a sentence in the ancient language? Isn't that all a spell is, a combination of words to create a magical effect? And isn't using those magical words the only way you can use magic? This is what Brom seemed to indicate earlier when he was talking to Eragon the night before. Where do magicians get their power from if not from spirits or dragons? They can't just get it willy nilly. Do they use words too? Does everyone use words? If so, what's the difference between any of them? It's all the same magic and all the same magical users. There's no reason for there to be a difference in names. At least, that's what I think.

Brom then tells us how the dragon riders taught the younger ones magic. Something that he couldn't have known, since apparently, the dragon riders didn't let people know that they could do magic. But since Galby is a dragon rider and can do magic and Brom knows this, Brom is obviously Galby. In any case, the young riders are kept ignorant of the ability to use magic and instead are trained in mind and body until the older riders feel that they are responsible enough to use magic. If they discover it by accident they are taken into private lessons. Though, how they could use magic by accident if they don't know any words to use it by is beyond me. Unless it just sort of comes to them, like it did with Eragon. Apparently no rider Eragon's age had ever used magic the way he did back there with the urgals.

Then we learn the bit about how everyone has a true name, and that they elves know about their true names from birth and will sometimes tell people what they are. If I'm any judge of storytelling, Eragon will learn what his true name is when he goes to the elves and it will be a powerful name, the likes of which have not been seen before. If this happens in Eldest, will someone please let me know?

Eragon then gets to do magic. He picks it up exceedingly quickly. At least, he's able to make a rock wobble on his third try. Which is pretty quick. He also starts to be able to hit Brom back, and they've only been sparring for perhaps... two weeks. Brom isn't very good.

Then for some reason, Eragon has a bad dream. There is no reason for him to have this dream. It's never mentioned again in the entire book. It has no impact on him as a character. It's just there. It could be cut. In fact, it should have been cut. It doesn't forward the plot in anyway. It's just there. I hate it.

Comments

[dove-cg.livejournal.com]

Brom didn't mention the shades, which are apparently magic users who made pacts with demons or something, if memory serves me right. But yeah, no idea how any of that magic truly differentiates itself. Like you said, the mention of 'spells and potions' makes the theory that they all base things on the 'ancient language' but by using different power sources very confusing. Or maybe only dragonriders can use the ancient language, which draws on the power of dragons to be able to name things since dragons are so ancient the must know how to force the rest of the world to conform to their words? It really does fall apart when you start applying logic to it. :P

As for the true name thing in general, I thought the basic idea itself has been around longer than Earthsea. Sort of as a matter of folktale. Though I could be wrong about that. :)

[behyper.livejournal.com]

One vital aspect of magic is that it is impossible to lie in the old language, so that magic works by forcing the universe to conform to the words spoken by the mage. For example, to say "I am an eagle" in the old language means that the speaker becomes an eagle, so that the statement is no longer false.

And here I was thinking that Paolini was actually being original for once.

[(Anonymous)]

Bah. Off the top of my head I can think of at least two other magic systems that work that way.

[behyper.livejournal.com]

I'm not a fantasy reader. Eragon is essentially the only fantasy series I read, and I only picked it up because I heard that it was really good. Now I read just for kicks (and because I am a masochist.)

I have to admit that Eragon turned me off of fantasy. I made the assumption that A) If this was supposed to be really good and B) it was a fantasy novel, then all fantasy novels must suck.

See how Eragon has affected me? D:

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

You should try Harry Potter. Also fantasy, and also very good.

[behyper.livejournal.com]

Har har har. The funny thing is that I don't consider Harry Potter fantasy, even though I guess it totally is.

[(Anonymous)]

The whole concept actually shows up in mythology, which is generally agreed to be open source: no one who uses in the modern day it is being original, but they all have a right to the idea.

[huinesoron.livejournal.com]

"A Sorcerer ... uses spirits to accomplish his will. That is totally different from [Eragon's] power. Nor does that make [him] a magician, whose power comes without aid of spirits or a dragon. And [he's] certainly not a witch or wizard, who get their powers from various potions or spells"

Has this kid read the Belgariad, do you think? Seeing as that series (and the Malloreon and the other associated books) make the following distinctions:

Sorcerer: Uses the power of the Will and the Word [similar to this form, only with the Will being more important than the specific Word]. Power comes from within or from the world around, depending.
Magician: Summons demons to do his bidding [usually a very bad idea]
Witch: Uses potions and spells. Spells are definied as something that requires preparation -- ring of candles, eye of newt, etc etc -- rather than just words.

And yes, the Earthsea-esque magic is fairly common -- I've come across at least one other system exactly like it. But it's still very unoriginal. Silly boy.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

I wouldn't doubt it as this book seems to be an instruction manual on how to crib off of other writers and make a bad book.

The Earthsea trilogy is listed as an influence on his work, which is why I chose it. And it's the only one I know of.

[ghostgecko.livejournal.com]

I can name two cribs right there. The bit about being told your true name by elves is probably taken from the Piner's Wolfrider comics, and the different systems of magic sound a heck of a lot like Lawrence Watt-Evans's Ethshar novels. In those, he had several distinct systems of magic - sorcerers drew their power from a mysterious stone (meteor?) that landed far to the north and which inevitably ended in them going mad, wizards used spells with physical components, witches drew on inner power but were limited to the amount of power in one human body, there were demonologists and theurgists who prayed to demons and gods for help, and so on. The difference being Watt-Evans is such a good writer he was actually able to write a mystery plot hinging on the differences between the magics and make it totally logical and internally consistent.

[wingedrivers.livejournal.com]

Speaking of David Eddings, the big bad dream... Didn't Garion likewise suffer from dreams throughout the book before finally meeting with the big bad evil?

[huinesoron.livejournal.com]

I'm trying to remember... he had nightmares about the thing with Chamdar, I'm pretty sure... and I seem to recall him figuring out in book 5 that they were actually from Torak. But I'm not sure, and I don't have 4 and 5 with me right now, so I can't check. It seems likely, though, considering that the Eddings' like their bad dreams -- they show up several times in Redemption of Althalus, too. Again, sent by the Bad Guys.

But then, it's a fairly common Generic Fantasy thing anyway, so that's probably not a /specific/ steal.

[thelittlebudgie.livejournal.com]

For example, to say "I am an eagle" in the old language means that the speaker becomes an eagle, so that the statement is no longer false.

So why, prithee, have none of the great dragon riders said "Galby is dead" or "A dragon rider cannot turn traitor"? In fact, maybe that's how Galby did it: He realized that they were all ninnies and killed them with magic, and then declared himself immortal. Since he was babbling in the ancient language, everybody thought he was insane, but things still run smoothly because he tells the rain to come at the right times and the sun to be around at the others. *nods* Galby's a clever one.

Huh. Now that I think about it, Eragon hasn't gotten his super-duper majeeckal name yet. :P I hope it's something stupid, but it'll probably be a mile wide. Ugh. I hope it doesn't include Ala-gaywhateverthehell in it; that would be too much, even for Paolini.

[dragonwhishes.livejournal.com]

I'm likely trying to think to much into this, but I'm assuming it's because the didn't know his True Name or something.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

The eagle bit is from Earthsea magic. I dunno if it works in Eragon land.


Elf: You Supermagickal name is Kad.
Eragon: Kad? What does that mean?
Elf: Doorknob.

[anarchicq.livejournal.com]

Because of this sporking, I spent this morning on the toilet (Because the bathroom is the best place to think. Seriously.) thinking how the rules of magic work in my world.

Paolini- inadvertaintly creating better worlds then his own by sucking.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Well, at least some good has come of it.

But seriously, yeah, I've spent ages working out my magical system. Personally, I find the shower the best place to think.

*really ought to get my own account...*

[(Anonymous)]

This is one of the biggest things that bothers me about some forms of magic: that they happen by speaking the Ancient Language of their particular worlds. At some point any Ancient Language was a lingua franca of at least one community of people; therefore, anyone in that community who had any glimmer of mage-talent would be causing supernatural effects with every word. (Come to think of it, that's probably one reason Rowling uses merely Latinesque spells...)

There is one exception; one canon whose handling of linguistically-driven magic I like: Young Wizards, in which the language in question is that used by the Creator to make the universe, and furthermore is a living language.

[-youngblood-.livejournal.com]

Eragon doesn't learn his true name in Eldest (at least not that I can remember), even though he does spend a lot of time with the elves and becomes even more super-speshul in other ways.

You can tell from the text about the different kinds of magic that Paolini thinks that he is awefully clever. Personally, I think that if you go with the "you cannot lie while speaking the Ancient Language" theme, you should make it so that it is physically impossible to lie instead of distorting reality. I mean, if anyone who knew the Ancient Language could distort reality simply by speaking, as someone already mentioned, Galby could just say, "I am the supreme ruler of everything forever and ever," and then all resistence against him would be futile. So instead of distorting reality, Paolini should just have people trying to distort but failing because it's impossible to lie. Like, Galby only gets to, "I am--" before it becomes a lie, and he just wouldn't be able to finish the sentence. Does that make sense? I dunno, I've had too much coffee and bad fiction.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

That would be cool.

[flameraven.livejournal.com]

I seem to recall reading at least one book/series where that was true, that it WAS impossible to lie in the true language, as you've described. Can't remember which one it was though.

[gjohnsonkoehn.livejournal.com]

After magically slaughtering the urgals with magic, Eragon, Brom and Saphira leave the village of the dead.

Hang on now, this is a whole village the suddenly has no need of anything anymore. I know it's rather ghoulish but, shouldn't they check for weapons and equipment they might need? Perhaps scrape up some money, since Eragon was reduced to trying to trade a rock for meat? Maybe pull together a few changes of clothes? At the least, they should stock up on some provisions, since they have a dragon whose metabolism should require constant topping up and an older man who's not much use foraging and the like. They can hardly expect to live off the land, after all.

Brom [...] says they don't need provisions, they can survive on meat alone, Saphira hunting for them.

Oh. Well then.

[indescane.livejournal.com]

Making sense in Eragon-verse? Never! Shun the nonbeliever! Shun! Shhhuuuunnnnnn!

[anolinde.livejournal.com]

He also starts to be able to hit Brom back, and they've only been sparring for perhaps... two weeks. Brom isn't very good.

LMFAO, so true.

And yet... I like Brom. =( One of the more likeable characters (the only likeable character?) in the book. Then again, I guess when you're up against competition such as Eragon it's not very hard...

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Brom is the only likable character, I think, in the book. I'd have to say it's because we're not entirely sure of his motives and that makes him interesting. I'm sure if I really thought about it, I could come up with something.

[karma-kalisutah.livejournal.com]

spoor: n. the track or scent of an animal

I think you jumped the gun a little on that particular sporking; it wasn't a case of internal inconsistency, just of thesaurus abuse.

[kippurbird.livejournal.com]

Well, as I previously established, he couldn't have known what their tracks were anyway, so it's a moot point. But good to know.

[thelittlebudgie.livejournal.com]

Ehehehe...

Galby!Brom: Right. We need a reason for him to come this way.
Ra'zac: We could leave some footprints... tracks... Why are you looking at me like that?
Galby!Brom: I was thinking something a little more... obvious...

[zoe-i-am.livejournal.com]

... don't need provisions, they can survive on meat alone, Saphira hunting for them.

I was kind of hoping Saphira would eat Eragon...

[sonic-sues.livejournal.com]

To protect themselves from this, most characters have two names: one for everyday use and one, the true name, known only to close friends and family.

I think there was some American aborigine tribe that used that. By knowing someone's true name, someone could use magic to harm that person, or so they believed.