Signets are unique powers a rider gets from the magic channeled by their bonded dragon.[1]
General Information[]
The dragon that the rider is bonded to will start channeling their power through the rider, which grants the rider the ability to do lesser magics, like moving objects and powering an ink pen. But a signet is the unique ability that the rider gains from channeling.[2] Signet abilities are the result of the unique chemistry between the rider and the dragon, and usually say more about the rider than the dragon.[3] The stronger the bond, and the more powerful the dragon, the stronger the signet.[4] It is believed that a rider's signet is a reflection of who they are at the core of their being.[5] It stems from their being and overall desires or needs.[6]
Signets require focus to aim and control, emotions can easily leave a wielder, or their loved ones, in danger if the signet manifests without control.[7]
Some of the most common signets are fire, ice, and water wielding, which are useful in battle. Others are more extraordinary and can make a rider's career.[2] Riders sometimes wear a patch to signify what their signet is, such as Violet's patch with a lightning bolt reaching in four directions.[8]
Once a rider starts channeling, they have roughly six months in which their signet should manifest. If they do not produce a signet within that time, the power usually backfires, causing the rider to lose control and killing them in the process.[9] This was the case of Mushin Vedie, a rider in Violet Sorrengail's year, whose signet manifested in the middle of a class, when he burst into flames and died. Considering the circumstances of his death, it was assumed that he was to be a fire wielder in the short time that he was able to wield his signet.[10]
Riders must be cautious of the amount of magic they channel, as their bodies have a limit and drawing more from their dragon causes them to burn out and die. An example would be a rider using their signet to levitate a kilogram of fruit. Even though they would not be carrying the fruit, it would still feel like they did, because magic requires energy. In some cases, riders have channeled more power than they can handle by taking it from the ground, thus turning them into Venin.
Dragon riders abilities, both lesser magic and signet, are superior to gryphon fliers due to the fact that dragons are capable of channeling more power. [11]
Known Signets[]
**Please note the categorization method is not canonically confirmed,** however in the interest of properly documenting the current list of signet's within The Empyrean series, they have been listed under the four following types; Elemental, Physical, and Psychic.
| Signet | Type | Rider |
|---|---|---|
| Air Manipulation / Wing Wielding | (Elemental)
Ability to wield air.[12] This includes the ability to focus dragon fire into a stream using wind. |
Emery,[12]
Colonel Fremont[14] |
| Astral Projection | (Psychic)
Ability to send their consciousness out of their physical body. Their astral body is visible.[15] |
Quinn[15] |
| Battle Foresight | (Psychic)
Ability similar to precognition, limited to only being able to see the outcome of future battles.[16] Due to a rune, General Melgren's is countered when three (3) or more people with rebellion relics are present in the battle. |
General Melgren[16] |
| Countering Signet | (Psychic)
Ability to counter and manipulate other rider's signets.[17] |
Bodhi Durran[17] |
| Distance Wielder | (Physical)
Ability to cross hundreds of miles in a single step.[6] |
2 unnamed Riders (historical)[6] |
| Extending Wards | (Psychic)
Ability to extend the natural wards that protect Navarre.[18] They can also create wards around their person and their dragon.[19] |
Mira Sorrengail[18] |
| Farsight | (Physical)
Ability to see long distances with perfect clarity.[18] Pupils dilate when signet is in use.[20] |
Liam Mairi[18] |
| Fire Wielding | (Elemental)
Ability to wield fire.[2] |
Professor Carr,[17] Unnamed Rider Lieutenant[21] |
| Ice Wielding | (Elemental)
Ability to wield ice.[18] |
Ridoc Gamlyn,[18] |
| Illusionist | (Psychic)
Ability to project mental images as three-dimensional illusions for others to see.[3] |
Professor Kaori[3] |
| Inntinnsic | (Psychic)
Ability to read someone's surface level thoughts. Outlawed due to security risk, those that manifest this signet are executed. There are different types of inntinnsic abilities, as no two signets are exactly alike. In Xadens case he's able to "see" a persons intentions as a series of mental pictures. [6] |
Jeremiah,[9] |
| Lightning Wielding | (Elemental)
Ability to wield lightning, can create lightning regardless of current weather.[22] The wielder acts as a conduit, creating lightning from the sky down, the ground up, or directly through the wielders hands. It's a form of pure power, or energy, that takes the shape of lightning. |
Violet Sorrengail[22] |
| Memory Erasure | (Psychic)
Ability to erase or alter a persons recent memories. It is unknown how recent a memory can be for it to be erased. |
Imogen Cardulo |
| Mending | (Physical)
Exceptionally rare. Ability to fix, restore, or return anything to it's original state, from ripped cloth to pulverized bridges including broken human bones. It is extremely painful, a white hot agony, only second to the pain of the original injury. Limitations: cannot mend missing limbs/appendages, [23] and mending themselves is more difficult. |
Nolon,
Unnamed Navarrian Rider (Eastern Wing) |
| Metal wielding | (Elemental)
Ability to wield metal.[9] |
Sawyer[9] |
| Object Summoning | (Psychic)
Ability to summon an object within a short distance.[18] |
Rhiannon Matthias[18] |
| Retrocognition | (Psychic)
Ability to read someone's memories through touch. It's unknown how recent the memories have to be, for them to be read. [24] |
Dain Aetos |
| Revoking Speech | (Physical)
Ability to take away someone's ability to speak.[15] |
Unnamed Rider Cadet in Third Wing during Fourth Wing[15] |
| Shadow Wielding | (Elemental)
Incredibly rare and highly coveted battle signet. Ability to wield existing shadows. Can blackout large areas and manipulate objects within the shadows. Historically used to disorient entire drifts of gryphons or take them down, depending on the strength of the signet. Only controls shadows that already exist. |
Xaden Riorson[25] |
| Siphon | (Psychic)
Ability to absorb power from various other sources including dragons and other riders, and then use it or redistribute it.[3] The ability to imbue comes automatically to this signet wielder.[26] |
Naolin[3], |
| Size Change | (Physical)
Ability to increase or decrease the size of an object. |
Unnamed Rider[1] |
| Sound Seeker | (Physical)
Ability to hear sounds from across far distances (miles apart).[6] |
Greely[6] |
| Storm Wielding | (Elemental)
Ability to wield the weather. |
Lilith Sorrengail[1] |
| Truth-Sayer | (Psychic)
Ability to detect whether or not someone is lying. Similar to inntinnsic's; however, they're allowed to live. Some truth-sayers can detect lies through bodily functions.[28] |
Nora,
Unnamed Officer[28] |
| Underwater Breathing | (Physical)
Ability to breathe underwater.[15] |
Heaton[15] |
| Ward Weaver | (Psychic)
Ability to unweave wards.[15] |
Nadine[15] |
| Weakness Detection | (Psychic)
Ability to look at someone and find out their greatest weakness and then use it against them.[29] |
Burton Varrish[29] |
| Pain Projection | (Psychic)
Ability to cause immense pain by touching someone's face.[18] (RY has confirmed in an interview that this "signet" is a confirmed venin ability).[30] |
Jack Barlowe[18] |
Living Characters with Unknown Signets[]
- Aura Beinhaven
- Caroline Ashton
- Colonel Aetos
- Garrick Tavis
- Professor Devera
- Professor Emetterio
- Professor Grady
- Tara
- Violet Sorrengail (Unknown second signet from Andarna)
Characters Awaiting their Signet to Manifest[]
Quotes[]
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Precognition Signet has never been recorded[11]
- Resurrection Signet has never occurred[3], and will never occur as a signet.[31]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Fourth Wing, Chapter 1
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Fourth Wing, Chapter 4
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Fourth Wing, Chapter 8
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 16
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 27
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4 6.5 6.6 Iron Flame, Chapter 56
- ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 40
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 11
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 Fourth Wing, Chapter 18
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 24
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 Fourth Wing, Chapter 5
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Fourth Wing, Chapter 17
- ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 43
- ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 57
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 15.4 15.5 15.6 15.7 Fourth Wing, Chapter 25
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Fourth Wing, Chapter 3
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 Iron Flame, Chapter 36
- ↑ 18.00 18.01 18.02 18.03 18.04 18.05 18.06 18.07 18.08 18.09 18.10 Fourth Wing, Chapter 23
- ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 42
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 36
- ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 11
- ↑ 22.0 22.1 Fourth Wing, Chapter 28
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 6
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 29
- ↑ Fourth Wing, Chapter 7
- ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 53
- ↑ Iron Flame, Chapter 54
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Iron Flame, Chapter 23
- ↑ 29.0 29.1 Iron Flame, Chapter 35
- ↑ Rebecca Yarros, Entertainment Weekly Interview, Pub. Nov 22nd, 2023. https://ew.com/rebecca-yarros-empyrean-series-book-three-8405856
- ↑ Rebecca Yarros, Entertainment Weekly Interview, Pub. Nov 22nd, 2023. https://ew.com/rebecca-yarros-empyrean-series-book-three-8405856