Relics are a mark on the body that is given by a dragon. There are two known types of relics: bonded rider relics and rebellion relics. Bonded relics are seen as a symbol of honor and power and generally take the shape of the dragon that gifted them. While the Rebellion Relics are swirls and slashes that feel more like a warning than a claiming. [1]
Bonded Rider Relics[]
The first and most common type of relic is the mark that a rider receives when their dragon uses magic to mark the skin of their bonded rider. On the day of Threshing, after bonding, the dragon will use their flames to mark their rider. This process is painful as the rider feels the heat from their dragon. The placement of the relics seem to be decided by the dragon, but the image of the relic generally resemble the shape of the dragon who gifted it to them. These relics are a symbol of honour and power.
This relic is the conduit to let the riders access power to do lesser magic and allows them to do basic magic like open doors, move faster than what it natural, and power inkpens. Though this power is accessed through the relics, the rider will not be able to use these powers until their dragon decides to start channelling, which is when the dragon decides to allow the rider to start accessing magic through the relic.
Rebellion Relics[]
The second type is a rebellion relic, which was a mark that was put on all the children of the Tyrrish rebellion leaders by General Melgren's dragon, Codagh. This mark was painful for the children to receive and starts at their wrist and goes up their body in various different swirling patterns. Though it was a mark that was placed on the children by the dragon, any children of the rebellion leaders that were born after the rebellion was ended were born with a rebellion relic.
“Mom says General Melgren’s dragon did it to all of them when he executed their parents, but she wasn’t exactly open to further discussion on the topic. Nothing like punishing the kids to deter more parents from committing treason.” -Mira[1]
There were 107 children that carry a rebellion relic and Xaden is the oldest of those children, they are usually referred to as "marked ones". The relic is a visual indicator for everyone that these people are the children of rebellion leaders and they are usually met with distrust and suspicion from those that do not know them personally. Most of the marked children who carry the Rebellion Relics are from Tyrrendor but there are a few whose parents turned traitor from the other provinces according to Mira.[1]
Though the mark was given by Codagh, General Malgren's signet, which allows him to see the outcome of a battle before it happens, does not work when more than three marked ones are together. Because of this, a new addendum was added to the Basgiath War College Code of Conduct stating that marked ones in groups of three or more would be considered an act of seditious conspiracy and would be a capital offense.