Learn everything you need to know about the Fourth Wing characters, dragons, and signets to assist your reading of the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros. And at the end of the post, download a printable PDF with all this information and more to read alongside.
I was influenced to dive into Fourth Wing by, well, EVERYONE on social media, but I am a very logical person who usually struggles with learning about and understanding fantasy worlds. So, I decided to take very detailed notes as I read this five-star book set in school at the fictional Basgiath War College, where some students train to become dragon riders, bonding with specific dragons (of varying colors and tails) and obtaining special powers from the unique bond (signets).
Now, I’m sharing my own personal Kindle book highlights and notes on the Fourth Wing characters, dragons, and signets to assist your own reading experience. It includes everything I read and annotated on these topics, including a characters list and names and descriptions of bonded dragons and descriptions of their signet powers.
First, before I get into this guide on the Fourth Wing characters, I want to note that there is a multitude of characters named in this book — probably more than in any book I have ever read. Add to that all the dragons and signets and the reader can get overwhelmed and confused fast.
My goal is to guide you through any overwhelm and/or confusion by being helpful. Therefore, I have only included the most prominent Fourth Wing characters in this guide. If a character is not referenced on this list, then that means I think you shouldn’t worry too much about remembering details about him or her.
However, I did include ALL of the dragons and signets I came across in my reading. There are necessarily some spoilers, since I can’t discuss plot details without, well, discussing plot details, but I tried to keep this post as spoiler-free as possible. For example, I do not reveal who lives and/or dies after the action has begun.
Fourth Wing Characters
Below are the names and descriptions of the main characters in Fourth Wing. They are generally placed in the order in which they appear in the book.
Violet Sorrengail is the 20-year-old protagonist, who is pale, short, frail, and has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome. She was entering Basgiath War College as a Scribe, but her mother orders her to attempt entry as a Rider.
Commanding General Lilith Sorrengail is Violet’s mother, who was previously a Rider and an instructor.
Violet’s father was previously a Scribe. He died from heart failure and left her The Fables of Barren, both a forbidden and a rare book.
Mira Sorrengail is Violet’s older sister, who fought at Stryhmore and received an Order of the Talon for taking out the battery behind enemy lines. Violet describes her as being confident.
Brennan Sorrengail was Violet’s older brother. He died five years prior while battling the Tyrrish rebellion in the South at the hands of Fen Riorson (described below). Violet describes him as “strategic.”
Commanding General Melgren rules all Navarrian forces, and he is the only general more decorated than Commanding General Lilith Sorrengail. He executed the parents of those students whose parents fought in the famous rebellion.
King Tauri was in power at the time of the rebellion.
Dain Aetos is a second-year leader and Violet’s protective lifelong friend, whose father is an advisor to Violet’s mother.
Xaden Riorson is a tall, dark, and handsome third-year student and the wingleader for Fourth Wing. He is expected to kill Violet for her mother’s role in his father’s death. He was “conscripted” like other children of the rebellion as punishment for his parents’ crimes.
Fen Riorson was Xaden’s father. He led the famous rebellion and is known as the “Great Betrayer.” He killed Violet’s brother, Brennan, at the Battle of Aretia.
Rhiannon Mathias is Violet’s new friend at Basgiath War College. She’s a twin and a member of Violet’s wing.
Raegan is Rhiannon’s twin, who is married and pregnant.
Sawyer is a first-year cadet and a potential love interest of Rhiannon.
Jack Barlowe is a cadet in the Fourth Wing and an enemy of Violet.
Imogen is a second-year, pink-haired student, as well as a potential love interest of Xaden.
Jesinia Neilwart is the curator of the Scribe Quadrant.
Oren Seifert is a cadet that’s jealous of Violet.
Liam Mairi is statistically the strongest first-year in Fourth Wing. He is the son of the disgraced Colonel Isaac Mairi, and he was fostered by Duke Lindell in Tirvainne with Xaden after the rebellion.
Garrick is Violet’s direct superior above Dain, and he is Xaden’s friend.
Bodhi is Xaden’s cousin.
Naolin was Tairn’s previous rider. He burned out and died next to Brennan.
Amber Mavis is the wingleader of Third Wing and Dain’s close friend.
Sloane Mairi is Liam’s sister, who will enter the Riders Quadrant next year, as the Mairis are all riders. They are allowed to live, but only if they prove their loyalty by making it through Riders Quadrant.
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Fourth Wing Dragons
Below is a chart of Fourth Wing dragon names, types, and the humans with whom they bonded.
Since the bonds are revealed, there are necessarily some spoilers in this section.
| Name of Dragon | Type of Dragon | Human Bonded With |
| Aimsir | Brown | Commanding General Sorrengail |
| Aotrom | Brown Swordtail | Ridoc |
| Andarnaurram (“Andarna”) | Golden Feathertail | Violet Sorrengail |
| Baide | Orange Scorpiontail | Jack Barlowe |
| Cath | Red Swordtail | Dain Aetos |
| Chradh | Brown Scorpiontail | Garrick |
| Codagh | Black | Commanding General Melgren |
| Deigh | Red Daggertail | Liam Mairi |
| Feirge | Green Daggertail | Rhiannon Mathias |
| Gleann | (not identified) | Caroline Ashton |
| Sgaeyl | Blue Daggertail | Xaden Riorson |
| Sliseag | Red Swordtail | Ridoc |
| Tairneanach (“Tairn”) | Black Morningstartail | Violet Sorrengail |
| Teine | Green | Mira Sorrengail |
| (not named) | Orange Clubtail | Trina |
Now that you know the Fourth Wing dragons, here are even more details about their color and tail types:
- Blue Dragons are a formidable size with knife-like spikes and are ruthless, especially the Blue Daggertail. None are available during the current threshing. A handful is in active fighting along the Esben Mountains.
- Blue Daggertail is described as a ruthless and vicious dragon that doesn’t comply with the law and is the rarest of the Blues.
- Red Dragons should never be looked in the eye.
- Red Swordtails are nasty when they get riled up.
- Red Scorpiontails are the quickest to temper.
- Black Dragons
- Black Morningstartail has the same bludgeoning power of a clubtail and spikes that can eviscerate a person as well as a daggertail. It’s a “killing machine,” considered to be one of the deadliest dragons, as well as the smartest, most discerning (there’s no outsmarting it), and the rarest.
- Green Dragons are known for their keen intellect. They descend from the honorable Uaineloidsig line and are the most rational and reasonable type of dragon, making them the perfect siege weapons, especially in the case of clubtails. One should never back down from them. To approach one, lower your eyes and wait for their approval.
- Orange Dragons come in various shades from apricot to carrot. They are the most unpredictable, and therefore, they are risky. They descended from the Fhaicorain line.
- Brown Dragons should not be shown trepidation
- Golden Dragons
A few more notes I took about Fourth Wing dragons:
Feathertail Dragons are the breed about which the least is known. They abhor violence and are not suitable for bonding because they can accidentally give their powers (which are unpredictable and unstable) to humans. They are only a few feet taller than Violet. Most feathertail gifts disappear with maturity when they begin to channel.
Tairn is the son of Murtcuideam and Fiaclanfuil, descended from the cunning Dubhmadinn line. He hadn’t been seen in the last five years prior to the time of Fourth Wing. His previous rider, Naolin, died in the Tyrrish rebellion. He bonded with Violet because she is the smartest and most cunning of her year. She defended the smallest with ferocity, courage is more important than physical strength.
Tairn and Sgaeyl are a mated pair. They are the strongest bonded pair in centuries. They should not be apart for more than three days.
Andarna’s parents passed away before she hatched.
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Fourth Wing Signets
Below is a chart of Fourth Wing signets (special powers a human gets from its bonded dragon).
Since the signets are revealed, there are necessarily some spoilers in this section.
| Character | Signet |
| Brennan Sorrengail | mending |
| Commanding General Melgren | seeing a battle’s outcome before it happens |
| Commanding General Sorrengail | wielding the power of storms |
| Dain Aetos | reading a person’s recent memories when hands are placed on them |
| Emery | manipulating air/controlling wind |
| Heaton | breathing underwater |
| Imogen | erasing recent memories |
| Jeremiah | manifesting (reading minds) |
| Liam Mairi | seeing things miles away |
| Mira Sorrengail | manifesting a ward around her and her squad |
| Nadine | unweaving wards |
| Naolin | siphoning power |
| Quinn | astral projecting |
| Rhiannon Mathias | summoning |
| Ridoc | wielding ice |
| Sawyer | manipulating metal |
| Violet Sorrengail | wielding lightning |
| Xaden Riorson | wielding shadows |
A few more notes I took about Fourth Wing signets:
Mending is exceptionally rare among riders, and it is considered to be the most precious signet: “They have the power to fix, to restore, to return anything to its original state — from ripped cloth to pulverized bridges, including broken human bones.”
Wielding ice is a common signet.
Being an inntinnsic, reading minds, is “a death sentence.”
Andarna gave Violet a gift of stopping time, but most feathertail gifts disappear with maturity when they begin to channel.
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Frequently Asked Questions
There are some spoilers in this section.
In Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, mending is the most precious signet, as menders “have the power to fix, to restore, to return anything to its original state — from ripped cloth to pulverized bridges, including broken human bones.” It is exceptionally rare.
Yes. In Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, Violet bonds with two dragons: Tairneanach (“Tairn”), a black Morningstartail Dragon, and Andarnaurram (“Andarna”), a Golden Feathertail Dragon.
In Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, the main character is Violet Sorrengail, a petite 20-year-old first-year Basgiath War College student with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, determined to prove her strength. Her dragons, Tairn and Andarna, and her enemy/love interest, Xaden Riorson, are also main characters.
Xaden Riorson is Violet’s love interest in Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros. He is a third-year student and the wingleader for Fourth Wing, expected to kill Violet for her mother’s role in his father’s death. He was “conscripted” into dragon riding like other children of the rebellion, as punishment for his parents’ crimes.
Violet’s brother in Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros is Brennan Sorrengail. He died five years prior while battling the Tyrrish rebellion in the South at the hands of Fen Riorson
In Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, Sawyer is a first-year cadet at Basgiath War College and a potential love interest of Rhiannon.
In Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, Liam Mairi is statistically the strongest first-year in Fourth Wing. He is the son of the disgraced Colonel Isaac Mairi, and he was fostered by Duke Lindell in Tirvainne with Xaden after the rebellion.
Conclusion
These important details about the Fourth Wing characters, dragons, and signets have assisted your reading experience of the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros and helped you prepare for the next books in this popular fantasy series.
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I find it interesting that few people have spotted that all of the dragons names are Scottish Gaelic words – and their names offer clues to their personalities and plot points.
Ooh I love this observation! I now need to research the names more. Fourth Wing is like a gift that keeps giving 🙂
Thanks for the Guide, helps a lot.
You’re welcome!! 🙂
Absolutely loved this book, I’ve been looking for something like this since finishing the last ACOTAR series book. I can’t recall tho, is there any clue about Imogens signet? I noticed she was not included on the list above
Not that I’m aware of. I took hundreds of detailed notes as I read, then transcribed them all into this post. I tried to be as comprehensive as possible, so if something is not included, that means I didn’t personally find any clues or hints.
@Carolina, in Ch 25, she writes that Imogen’s signet is erasing recent memories.
I need this cheat sheet printed as I am reading!
A few small corrections and forgive my spelling as I’ve only listened to the audio book (which is fabulous, by the way.)
Bodie is Xaden’s cousin, not Garrick, but the 2 are often together.
Sawyer had a celebratory night with Rhiannon, but my impression is it was a one night thing as Rhiannon also had a thing for a female cadet.
Imogen’s signet is the ability to erase a recent memory (Ch 25)
Thank you for the guide! I hope this helps.
This does help! Thank you so much! I appreciate you taking the time to share it here so we can all benefit from it.
Love this guide! I don’t see a mention of Xaden’s cousin, Bodhi though?
I’ll probably add him 🙂 I debated how deep to go into the character lineup and didn’t have much to say about him at the time.
Hello, Thank you for this helpful guide. Violet’s name is listed as Violent a couple of times within the post. While that made me chuckle, it should probably be corrected.
Mira Sorrengail – Violent describes her as being confident.
Tairn – He bonded with Violent because she is the smartest and most cunning of her year.
Hi there. Usually I am embarrassed by mistakes, but I kind of have to laugh at this one too given her nickname, which was probably somehow sneaking through my brain as I typed. I sincerely appreciate you taking the time to let me know and will fix it all right now.