The Empyrean

## General

Dragons are bound by the Empyrean and do not answer to humans.

Before a dragon is allowed to bond for the first time, they must request the Right of Benefaction. They are able to obtain the Right before they reach maturity, while still being a feathertail, however it is extremely rare for a feathertail to bond to a human. When a dragon requests the right of benefaction, the head of their den must approve the request.

Dragons are discouraged from bonding to a rider that a part of the bloodline of a rider that that had bonded to previously. This is discouraged because when a dragon bonds to a rider that is in the direct familial line as one of their previous riders, that rider either gains a second signet or it causes madness. In cases where the rider is in the same family, but not a direct descendant, of a previous rider, their signet tends to be more powerful.

## History

The first six riders were desperate to save their people over 600 years before the start of the series. Those dragons bonded humans only to protect their hatching grounds from Venin, who were the bigger threat, because while dragon's had the magic required, humans had the manual dexterity that was needed to weave runes.

At the start of *Fourth Wing*, the humans know that there are fewer and fewer dragons that are bonding but they are unsure of the reason. The real reason is that the Empyrean knew about the venin but were divided on on whether or not they should get involved. Because the Empyrean had not decided on what to do as a group, none of the dragons were willing to put their riders in danger by telling them about the venin threat if they did not already know.

When the Revolution acted and gave cadets the choice to either join them or stay with Navarre, the Empyrean decided that it would be up to each individual dragon if they wanted to tell their riders the truth about the threat. The dragons that chose to leave and bring their clutches of hatchlings with them would not be punished by the Empyrean.

## Hatching

The first known sacred hatching grounds are located at the Vale, but hatchling's choice will transform the valley around it into a hatching ground if they are not located at the Vale. The Northern Esbens are believed to have been the hatching grounds of the orange dragon before unification, though true to t heir unpredictable nature, they often chose new valleys in the same range for hatching.

## Wards

Located at the Vale, the wards are what protects Navarre from attacks from Venin and Wyvern, along with Gryphons with their fliers. The wards only protect a small part of Navarre, the wards have to be extended at outposts in order to protect the majority of the kingdom of Navarre. If the wards at the outposts fail, the rest of the kingdom is left vulnerable and only a small radius around the Vale stays protected with the original wards.

There is a 7th breed of dragon, this dragon is the one whose fire initially powered the wards.

## Locations

### The Vale

Their sacred hatching grounds were originally at the Vale but more hatching grounds were established in Aretia when the first dragon hatched after around 100 rider cadets and over 100 dragons relocated to Aretia to aid the revolution.

### Aretia Hatching Grounds

After the dragons that wanted to join the Revolution relocated to Aretia, any dragons that brought their hatchling clutch with them would be born at the new hatching grounds.