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Ah yes, that pesky mating bond.

–Varrish to Violet and Professor Car, Iron Flame

Burton Varrish was a vice commandant at Basgiath War College. He caused at least three consecutive deaths of prisoners during his interrogations. He was friends with Colonel Aetos.

Biography[]

Burton Varrish was a rider with the title of Major. Sometime before Iron Flame, he was stationed at the Samara outpost under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Degrensi. He specialized in interrogation, due to his signet ability of weakness detection, but after his methods led to the death of three consecutive prisoners, Lieutenant Colonel Degrensi sent a request to General Melgren for Varrish to be reassigned from an active wing until further notice.[1]

He was assigned as the new Vice Commandant of Basgiath War College, under the command of Commandant Panchek. His first order of business was delivering missives to Violet and Xaden, allowing them each only two days of leave once every 14 days, to be used only to fly with their dragon directly to and from the other's current duty station or location, and noting that any other absence from classes or duty would be considered a punishable offense.[1]

Varrish was almost killed by Tairneanach when Solas nearly fried Violet and everyone else in the wing. However, Tairneanach flew in which scared seemingly every first-year, but did manage to get Solas away from the group. Tairneanach then told Violet that if Solas got near her again, that he would personally ingest Varrish and let him digest within.[2]

While at Basgiath, Varrish regularly made cadets search Violet's bags or demanded she take off her flight jacket for further inspection.[3][4][5]

Varrish demanded that Violet bring Andarna to flight lessons while Andarna was in the dreamless sleep. The first time Violet disobeyed, Varrish sent her for an extra training lesson with Carr and pushed her to near burn out.[6] The second time Andarna did not appear at flight lessons, Varrish told Violet he was charging her with dereliction of duty and told her to fly to her training location with Carr. Tairneanach refused to obey and wrap his mouth around Solas' neck. He did not remove his teeth until Varrish apologized to Violet on his knees.[7]

After Violet was poisoned by Nolon and brought to the interrogation chambers, Varrish personally interrogated her, leaving bruises and dislocated bones on her. He revealed to Violet that his signet allows him to read weaknesses of others, and that her biggest weaknesses are the people she loves. He brought in Dain to read Violet's mind against her will, but abruptly was betrayed by Dain, who slashed him with a dagger.[8] Varrish ended up chained to the interrogation chair by Xaden's shadows, and Violet killed him by shoving the dagger through his chest.[9]

Physical Description[]

He dressed in a perfectly pressed uniform. He had short hair that was perfectly combed, perfectly shined boots, and a perfectly cruel smile.[1]

Personality[]

Varrish followed the Rider's Codex, but used it to his advantage in any attempt to punish Violet Sorrengail for the smallest mistakes. His cruel and dark tendencies showed when he violently interrogated cadets as a requirement for passing the Rider Survival Course, causing them concussions and broken bones, before they were mended by Nolon to repeat the process until they broke and revealed their secret. He was often seen using Dain's weakness against him to try to get information out of Violet and reading her mind.

The only time he accepted accountability and apologized for his actions was when he challenged Tairneanach's wrath, who ended up threatening to kill Solas if Varrish refused to apologize to Violet and go on his knees for the inconveniences he caused them.[7]

Power and Abilities[]

Powers[]

Lesser Magic[]

Every rider is capable of using Lesser magic once their dragon begins channeling through them after Threshing. With this channeling, riders are able to; open doors without touching them, preternatural speed, manipulating mage lights, and powering ink pens.[10] Lesser magic also allows riders to place runes.

Signet[]

Weakness Detection[]

He explains to Violet during her interrogation that his ability is to discern other peoples weaknesses. He used this ability in torturing prisoners during interrogation.[8]

Abilities[]

TBA

Relationships[]

Solas[]

Varrish and his dragon share a deep bond together, characterized by both of their aggressive tendencies, as Solas set fire to the squad of bonded riders after Parapet, killing multiple people, and Varrish revealing his barbaric tendencies during his interrogation processes. Even after Varrish's death, Solas seeks out revenge in an attempt to kill Violet among Andarna.

Violet Sorrengail[]

Varrish initially treated Violet like the rest of the group that had been present at Resson, singling her out and punishing her when she refused to procure Andarna. However after Tairneanach threatened Solas's life Varrish loathes her, finding every opportunity to hurt her. Mid-way into September, while Xaden was visiting Violet at Basgiath, Varrish and Professor Grady schedule Violet's squads RSC interrogation kidnapping each squad member until Violet is the last one left. When Varrish finds Xaden and Violet together Xaden's inntinnsic ability allows him to see Varrish's intent to kill Violet for the embarrassment Tairneanach put them through.[11]

Dain Aetos[]

Varrish mentors Dain during his third year, teaching him to focus his signet and find specific memories. He later attempts to use his position and knowledge of Dain's complicated history with Violet to force him to read her memories. However, Varrish does not anticipate how important Violet is to Dain and is ultimately stabbed by Dain before being killed by Violet.

Nora[]

Nora is a First Lieutenant who reports to Varrish. She performs routine searches of Violet's belongings. She expresses concern about their interrogation of Violet Sorrengail but ultimately doesn't intervene, choosing instead to let Varrish know when Violet is lying or not. When Dain attacks Varrish he gives Nora the opportunity to walk away but Violet uses her dagger to slice open her throat instead before she can escape.[9]

Quotes[]

"Fascinating. I'd heard you were too fragile to survive a year in the quadrant." - Varrish to Violet, upon meeting for the first time.

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

Citations[]

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 Iron Flame, Chapter 5
  2. Iron Flame, Chapter 8
  3. Iron Flame, Chapter 11
  4. Iron Flame, Chapter 16
  5. Iron Flame, Chapter 29
  6. Iron Flame, Chapter 13
  7. 7.0 7.1 Iron Flame, Chapter 19
  8. 8.0 8.1 Iron Flame, Chapter 35
  9. 9.0 9.1 Iron Flame, Chapter 36
  10. Fourth Wing, Chapter 4
  11. Iron Flame, Chapter 30
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