Dragons

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Written by: Cory

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Type of DragonTypes of tailPersonalityOccurrenceExamples
BlackMorningstarCunningRarestTairn
Codagh
BlueDaggertailRuthlessRareSgaeyl
GreenClubtailRationalCommonTeine
Feirge
RedSwordtail
Scorpiontail
Quickest to temperCommonCath
Ghrian
OrangeDaggertailUnpredictableCommonBaide
Marbh
Solas
BrownClubtailCommonAimsir
Fuil
IridescentScorpiontailExtremely rareAndarna (Iron Flame)
Golden (Hatchlings)Feathertail (Hatchlings)KindDragon HatchlingsAndarna (Fourth Wing)

About

Dragons are not known to tolerate humans they haven’t personally chosen. If it weren’t for the necessity of humans to develop signet abilities from bonding and to weave the protective wards they power around Navarre, the dragons would have consumed them all. The dragons reside in the Vale, a valley located behind Basgiath.

Dragons can power wards which make all other magic but their own impossible.

Dragons communicate exclusively with their bonded rider and only reveal their full name to this particular individual with whom they share a bond.

Dragons are fiercely protective of the Vale and their sacred hatching grounds. In the six centuries of documented history of dragons and their riders, there have been hundreds of instances where a dragon has been unable to emotionally recover from the loss of their bonded rider. This typically occurs when the bond is exceptionally strong. In three recorded cases, the grief was so profound that it led to the premature death of the dragon.

In terms of size, dragons are about 25 feet tall. No human alive has ever seen a baby dragon, and Andarna is the first to be seen by cadets and the first-ever baby dragon to bond with a rider (Violet Sorrengail).

Nothing who dragons choose is up to humans.

Society

Dragons have their own politics and social hierarchy. They are governed by the Empyrean, which is their own dragon leadership. Humans are not allowed to know what it is said within the Empyrean and have no say in the laws of dragons.

A distinct hierarchy exists among the most powerful, with respect being accorded to the elders. It remains unclear at what juncture a dragon chooses to bond with a single rider, opting for this over the potentially better odds offered by bonding with two.

Hatching grounds

The most well – known hatching ground is in the Vale, located close to Basgiath within the Kingdom of Navarre. This was initially the hatching ground for green dragons, see below.

Green dragons hatching grounds

And in the mountains of the Steelridge range, the green dragons of the Uaineloidsig line, known for their keen intellect and rational countenance, offered their ancestral hatching grounds for the good of dragonkind, and the wards of Navarre were woven by the First Six at what is now Basgiath War College.

Black dragons’ hatching grounds

In the valley above Riorson House, heated by natural thermal energy, lies the original hatching ground of the Dubhmadinn Line, from which two of the greatest dragons descend: Codagh and Tairn.

Red dragons’ hatching grounds

Red dragons’ ancestral hatching grounds were along the limestone cliffs at the edge of the Dunness River.

Orange dragons hatching grounds

The Northern Esbens are believed to have been the hatching grounds of the orange dragon before unification, though, true to their unpredictable nature, they often chose new valleys in the same range.

Navy Blue Dragons

The hatching grounds of the blues used to be near Cordyn
before the Great War.

Relationships

Mated pairs cannot be separated for long, or their health diminishes. (example, Tairn and Sgaeyl). Each time a dragon choses a rider, the bond is stronger than the last.

There is no bond stronger than that between two mated dragons. One cannot survive without the other.

Personalities

Every type of dragon has their signature personality and temperament. Some, like Sgaeyl are described most ruthless.

When a dragon blinks, it may be a sign of approval or boredom. There are dragons blinking when interacting with Violet Sorrengail throughout the book, which tend to indicate approval. One example is when Tairn blinks after Violet doing exactly as she is told.

When a dragon undulates their head in a serpentine motion is a clear sign of agitation.

Signet

The stronger the bond and the most powerful the dragon, the stronger the signet.

Colours

There are 7 types of colours a dragon can have: black, blue, green, red, orange, brown and Iridescent. When they are hatchlings, dragons can be golden. Nobody but the head of the den can know what colour the dragon will take once they mature.

Tails

Tails are a matter of choice and need. There are 6 types of tails a dragon can have:

  • a club tail
  • scorpion tail
  • sword tail
  • morningstar tail
  • daggertail
  • feather tail (when a dragon is still not an adult)

Feathertail dragons (Juvenile)

Feathertail dragons continue to be the most mysterious. Known for their distaste for violence, they are generally considered unsuitable for bonding. However, we later discover that Andarna initially is a feathertail. Feathertails are not supposed to bond because they can inadvertently transfer their power to humans. While dragons can’t channel until they are fully matured, they can directly bestow some of their gifts upon humans.

Feathertails cannot bond because their power is also unpredictable and unstable. Bonding too young allows feathertails to give their gifts directly, and a rider could easily drain them and burn out.

Dreamless Sleep

All dragons are golden when hatchlings. They then need to enter their Dreamless Sleep to be able to complete their growth process.

As dragons ferociously guard both their young and any information regarding their development, only four facts are known about the Dreamless Sleep. First, it is a critical time of rapid growth and development. Second, the duration varies from breed to breed. Third, as the name suggests, it is dreamless, and fourth, they wake up hungry.

Red Dragons

They are quickest to temper, and ideally, one should approach them from the left or from the front.

Never look a red in the eye.

Green Dragons

These dragons, known for their sharp intellect, hail from the esteemed Uaineloidsig lineage (green logic in Gaelic). As the most rational among dragon breeds, they make ideal siege weapons, particularly when equipped with clubtails.

One must never show weakness before a green dragon. When approaching one, it’s crucial to lower your eyes in a gesture of submission and patiently await their approval.

And in the mountains of the Steelridge range, the green dragons of the Uaineloidsig line, known for their keen intellect and rational countenance, offered their ancestral hatching grounds for the good of dragonkind, and the wards of Navarre were woven by the First Six at what is now Basgiath War College.

Orange dragons

Orange dragons, on the other hand, display a spectrum of hues from apricot to carrot. Their unpredictability makes them a constant risk. They are descendants of the Fhaicorain lineage.

Brown Dragons

Don’t show trepidation to a brown.

Blue Dragons

Blue dragons descend from the extraordinary Gormfaileas line. Known for their formidable size, they are the most ruthless, especially in the case of the rare Blue Daggertail, whose knifelike spikes at the tip of their tail can disembowel an enemy with one flick.

Black Dragons

Black dragons are rare but not unheard of. It is the valley above Riorson House, heated by natural thermal energy, that is its greatest asset. For there lie the original hatching grounds of the Dubhmadinn Line, from which two of the greatest dragons of our time—Codagh and Tairn—descend.

Dragons in the Empyrean Series

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4 responses to “Dragons”

  1. I just started the first book and am only about 5 chapters in. They were in a class talking about the dragons and this page helped clarify some of what they were describing. I was confused and this break down certainly helped! Thank you!

    1. Very happy to hear! I hope you are enjoying the book.

  2. Thank you for this guide to the color of dragons. Now I need a guide to the different types of tails and their use.

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Hello! This site is dedicated to the Empyrean Series by Rebecca Yarros. I’ve made this place to explore the rich world of Empyrean, full of characters, theories, and places. Each post is carefully researched and updated with the newest details from the series. This site is also a great spot for discussing theories about the Empyrean Series. 🐉
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