The Inheritance Cycle

Eragon Bromsson (named Shadeslayer after killing Durza) was the main protagonist in the Inheritance Cycle. He was the son of Brom and Selena. After the Dragon Saphira hatched for him, Eragon became the first Dragon Rider to be born in a hundred years and was subsequently trained by Brom and later Oromis. After becoming an accomplished swordsman and magician in a relatively short time, the young Rider found himself championing the cause of the Varden, inheriting both the duties of the Dragon Riders' and his father's place as Galbatorix's foremost enemy.

Arya was an elf who succeeded her mother, Queen Islanzadí, as the queen of the elves as well as the Dragon Rider bonded to the green dragon Fírnen. Arya's father was the late King Evandar, who had died in battle years before. Arya was considered stunningly beautiful by Eragon, with long raven-black hair and slanted green eyes and a petite form. Like most elves, she was a master swordswoman and magic user. Eragon expressed his deep feelings for her on many occasions, but she refused him because she feared it would distract Eragon from more pressing matters and because of the large age difference between them.

Galbatorix was the King of Alagaësia by conquest. He was chosen by a Dragon and became a Rider in his early years. His Dragon Jarnunvösk was killed by Urgals during a reckless journey through The Spine. Galbatorix, insane with grief and hatred, demanded another Dragon from the Dragon Rider council, but they refused, sensing his mental instability. With his request denied, Galbatorix took it upon himself to steal another Dragon. He convinced a Dragon Rider to help him kill an elder rider to get revenge then he killled the unknown rider and dissapered for a while.

Murtagh Morzansson is a male human who was at one point Eragon's ally, but was enslaved by Magic and forced to fight for the Broddring Empire. He was the son of Morzan, the man who betrayed the Dragon Riders to Galbatorix and helped destroy them; and Selena, Morzan's Black Hand and the most feared of all the Broddring Empire's spies and assassins. He was the eldest of Selena's two children, the other of which is Eragon Shadeslayer: consequently being Eragon's half-brother and Roran Stronghammer's first cousin.

Brom Holcombsson was a male human, a former Dragon Rider, and the founder of the Varden. In the third book, it is revealed by Oromis that he is Eragon Shadeslayer's father, a secret that he and Saphira II had been keeping upon Brom's insistence. Brom came from a family of illuminators in Kuasta, a remote city near the Sea, far south of Carvahall. His mother was named Nelda and his father Holcomb. When Brom was a child, presumably at the age of ten, a female aquamarine Dragon hatched for him and he named her Saphira. Brom then went to the city of Ilirea to be trained as a dragon rider.

Oromis Thrándurin, known as Osthato Chetowä, The Mourning Sage, and Togira Ikonoka, The-Cripple-Who-Is-Whole, was an ancient Elf and a Dragon Rider who trained Brom, Morzan, and later Eragon. He was a philosopher and a logician, as well as was bonded to a golden male Dragon named Glaedr. Oromis was considered by many as the wisest of the Council of the Elders.

Saphira (pronounced "suh-FEAR-uh"), also known as Saphira II (used by fans to distinguish between the two dragons named "Saphira" in the books, the other being the dragon formerly bonded with Brom), Flametongue by the Urgals, as well as Bjartskular (meaning "Brightscales" in the Ancient Language) by the elves, was the only female dragon known to exist during the time of Eragon II, aside from Eldunarí. She was bonded to Eragon Shadeslayer as her Dragon Rider after her egg was rescued by the Varden's agents from the clutches of Galbatorix and was transported to the Spine by Arya, where Eragon found her.

Thorn was a red male dragon, bonded to Murtagh. He was trained to fight by Shruikan and by the time of the Battle of The Burning Plains he could breathe fire. Thorn was skilled at aerial combat, being able to compete with Saphira, even when he was severely injured. However, he never got the time to adjust to his body, since Galbatorix sped his growth with the help of Eldunarí, or the heart of hearts of other slain dragons.

Glaedr was a male dragon who was bonded to the elf Rider Oromis and the son of Nithring. He was the only dragon besides Shruikan known to have survived the Fall of the Dragon Riders, without taking into account the Eldunarí and eggs secretly hidden away in the Vault of Souls. Both Glaedr and Oromis remained in hiding in Du Weldenvarden long after the conflict, living on the brink of the Crags of Tel'naeír for safety. Their existence was a heavily guarded secret amongst the Elves, for if Glaedr or Oromis were to die before one of the remaining dragon eggs had hatched, then there would have been no one left to pass on the knowledge of the Dragon Riders to the new Rider.