| “ | The breath of life of the six and the one combined and set the stone ablaze in an iron flame. | ” |
–The Journal of Warrick of Luceras | ||
Wards are protective, invisible shields powered by magic.
General Information[]
Navarre's wards protect the kingdom from any type of magic other than a dragon's magic.[1] Wards are the mutual benefit and key to the collaboration of dragons and riders. Humans provide the manual dexterity that was needed to weave wards, or runes, and the dragons provide the power to the wards.[2] Magic wielders can also create their own lesser magic wards, such as warding a doorway to allow entrance to specific people. Whoever makes a ward will be allowed within the warded area.[3]
The reach of Navarre's wards fall short of the mountainous border, the entire southwestern coastline of Tyrrendor, and frontline outposts such as Athebyne are not warded. Riders can weave extensions of existing wards, similar to continuing a tapestry that's been stretched too far.[4] Outposts are used to extend the wards twice as far using the alloy stored in them. The outposts are placed strategically to keep the Navarrian border from developing weak points. The further the wards are away from the wardstone, the weaker they become and the more they need a power boost from alloy.
Daggers used to extend the wards are created with a special alloy that is made up of Talladium, a few other ores, and dragon egg shells.[4] The specific blend of materials is smelted into the dagger. It is not power in itself, but it is capable of holding power.[5] They hold extra power that boosts the wards and extends them. The more material, the stronger the wards. The daggers are only able to hold so much power, once the power is used up, they have to be imbued again. Riders at these outposts will pour their power into these daggers to imbue them again. In some cases, the stores of alloy are able to extend the wards twice as far as they'd normally reach.
Riders that have manifested a signet are more sensitive to the wards. It feels like a hum in their veins that gets stronger as they near the power source, whether it be an activated wardstone, or alloy daggers that are used to extend the wards.
Weaving[]
A subject taught at Basgiath War College during their third year in the Riders Quadrant. Riders weave extensions of existing wards, similar to continuing a tapestry that's been stretched too far (i.e. they're just adding threads to something that already exists). They've tried to ward Athebyne before but haven't been able to extend the wards that far.[4]
Wardstones[]
A wardstone is a magical object made of alloy that's capable of powering wards, thus preventing any magic within them except that of dragons and their riders. They are large pillars with intricate runes carved into them that project circular protective wards equidistant from the pillar. When the wardstone and its runes are activated, a black flame known as the iron flame burns atop the pillar.[6] Wardstones naturally possess limited protective boundaries, but with additional magic and alloys these boundaries can be extended. The First Six raised the first wardstone at Basgiath War College over 600 years ago.[7] It acts as a stem for the wards that protect almost all of Navarre. The creation of new wardstones is a lost magic until Iron Flame.
Activating a Wardstone[]
- A rider tempers a pattern of seven runes into the stone
- The stone is imbued with dragon's magic, channeled through riders
- "Iron flame" (a.k.a. dragonfire) is breathed onto the stone by a dragon from each breed
- A dragon can only use their fire to activate one wardstone
Known Wardstones[]
Basgiath War College[]
Located beneath Basgiath's central building by taking the spiral staircase down the Northwestern turret. At the base of the stairwell is a circular room paved with foundation stones, one stone when pressed sinks and a secret door swings open in the masonry revealing a tight mage-lit tunnel that leads to the main chamber and the Wardstone. The Wardstone twice as large as the one in Aretia, as is the chamber that houses it. Unlike the Aretian wardstone, Basgiath's wardstone's rings and runes are interrupted by a diamond pattern.
During Iron Flame, Baide's death, at the hands of her rider Jack Barlowe, destroyed the Wardstone with a combination of her dead weight and dragons blood. However, Brennan was able to use mending to repair the stone. Violet imbued the stone until she nearly burned out, at which point her mother, General Lilith Sorrengail, gave up her life, and that of her dragon Aimsir, using Sloane's siphoning ability to fully imbue the wardstone and prepare it for activation. Codagh, Andarna and 5 other unnamed dragons then breathe their iron flame on the wardstone to raise the wards again.
Aretia[]
The wardstone in Aretia is twenty feet into a canyon, within a circular chamber. It has been hidden using masking runes. The pillar is twice the height of Xaden and features a pattern of seven circles, each fitting within the next and boasting a rune along its path.
Books[]
There are currently two books recorded to be in association with the creation of the wards, each written by members of the First Six riders.
The Journal of Warrick of Luceras - written in Old Lucerish, describes the history of how the First Six built Basgiath's wards.
The Journal of Lyra of Morraine - describes similar ways of activating a wardstone as Warrick's journal, but instead of six, Lyra mentions seven dens, who have to set the stone ablaze in an iron flame to activate it.
Trivia[]
- Mira Sorrengail's signet allows her to extend the wards' reach, and produce her own wards while under extreme emotional distress.[8]