Venin

Venin
General Information
Name	dark wielders
Origin	Unknown The Barrens
Status	Extant
Lifespan	Unknown
Notable Members	Jack Barlowe Xaden Riorson
Series Information
Mentioned in	Fourth Wing Iron Flame
Appear in	Fourth Wing Iron Flame

Venin (a.k.a. Dark Wielders) are a species of Humans in the Known World that take power from the source.

History

Not everyone in Navarre knows about the fables of Venin and their Wyverns, as the government outlawed the books that featured them. Those that do know the stories however, assume that they only existed in fairytales. The folklore surrounding them involves a tale of three brothers: one who bonded with dragons, one who bonded with gryphons, and the third brother who became so jealous that he “drew [magic] directly from the source, losing his soul and waging war on the other two.” According to the story channeling magic from the source, without the use of a dragon or gryphon, corrupts that person’s soul beyond salvation.

Venin are blamed for the lack of life in the Barrens and are thus assumed to live there. reside in The Barrens, It is mentioned within Violet's dream that at least one Venin, the Sage, is centuries old.

It was presumed that Venin cannot draw power from the source while within the wards' reach, which is why Navarre has not seen a Venin attack in 600 years. However, Jack confirms that it is possible to turn Venin within the wards and that they do not block all power. Venin are still able to channel from the ground and channel enough to survive. He also confirms that it's possible for Venin to control their dragons and do not die if their bonded dragon dies.

Physical Description

Venin are seen in various clothes; wearing blue or purple floor-length robes and holding a long misshapen cane - as well as in red fighting leathers. They are characterized by the “rivers of red veins fanning in every direction” around their red soulless eyes.

Depending on their rank their appearance can vary.

Hierarchy

Venin are ranked based on their age and experience.

Initiate

This is the lowest level of Venin. Their eyes may have reddish rings depending on how often they drain others.

Asim

Their eyes fluctuate in varying degrees of red and the veins distend when riled. however their veins are not "spiderwebbed" like a Sages.

Sage

Sages are those responsible for initiates. Their eyes are permanently red and their veins perpetually distended toward their temples and expanding with age.

Maven

Mavens are the equivalent of Generals in Venin hierarchy. A Maven has never been captured or studied.

Powers and Abilities

Venin handle a staff and hands to use their magic, appearing in balls of blue flames. They are immune to dragon fire and channel their power from the ground.

Powers

Fire Wielding

The venin at Resson wield a kind of fire that's different from typical fire-wielding signets manifested by riders.

Pain Projection

The ability to force power into an enemy, originally thought to be Jack Barlowe's signet, but confirmed to be a venin ability.

Gravity Manipulation

Using a staff, or by raising their palm up to the sky, they have the ability to lift opponents off the ground or force them down onto their hands and knees.

Shields

Wielding Jack Barlowe was able to project a physical shield out that deflected Xaden's shadows.

Destruction/Disintegration

Closing their fist an asim caused Violet's conduit to overheat and disintegrate into nothingness. Reaching forward and then flipping and closing their fist allowed a venin to cause a rock slide in Resson.

Abilities

Fighting Adaptation

Venin can quickly adapt to whichever fighting style a person uses against them.

Impervious to Dragon Fire

Venin are immune to dragon-fire.

Weakness

Fatal

• Venin can be killed with the metal alloy that powers Navarre's wards. This material is forged into weapons and also powers the wards, which inhibit their ability to draw power from the source.
• Venin can also be killed from being struck by pure power (i.e. Violet's lightning wielding).
• When a venin dies, so do the wyverns they created.

Inhibiting

• The runes placed on the Rybestad chest cause items held within the chest to be suspended in midair, effectively immobilizing Venins from channeling their powers from the ground.
• When confined within material that has already been drained of its magic (e.g. stones mined from East of the Dunness River), their ability to drain life from the land is limited to that confinement.
• Basgiath has a serum that is used on Venin to block them from channeling power from the source.

Confirmed Venin

• Jack Barlowe
• Xaden Riorson
• Wynn (deceased), asim
• Unnamed asim, stringy blonde hair, killed by explosive arrowhead from Violet Sorrengail
• Unnamed asim, male

Trivia

• Q: "What is the name of the forbidden book given to Violet by her father which contains stories of venin?" A: The Fables of the Barren