Struggling to keep track of all the Iron Flame dragons and other creatures? I’m here to help! Below, I share a quick reading guide separated tables and notes so you can easily read this book and theorize what’s next in the Empyrean series by Rebecca Yarros. There are spoilers, including some new information about Andarna’s kind. Let’s clarify the bonds in this popular, but very detailed, fantasy book.
What You Need to Know
In reading the Fourth Wing book series and trying to understand the world of these best fantasy books, I took very detailed notes (nearly 700 for this book alone). This post includes everything I read and annotated on these topics, including dragon names, types, and human bonds.
There are SO MANY creatures in this book to keep track of! Here are the guideposts for this article:
- Yes, there are spoilers, as I can’t discuss plot details without, well, discussing plot details, but I do not reveal who dies, and I do not reveal the conclusion of Iron Flame here.
- Check out my Fourth Wing dragon chart or Onyx Storm dragon chart if you need information from those books.
Page references are from the Kindle version, which has 884 pages. The hardcover edition has 640 pages, so my Kindle page numbers differ from the hardcover.
Iron Flame Dragons: Names, Types, and Characters Bonded With
| Name | Type | Rider |
| Aimsir | Brown | Lilith Sorrengail |
| Andarna | Gold feathertail / scorpiontail | Violet Sorrengail |
| Aotrom | Brown swordtail | Ridoc Gamlyn |
| Baide | Orange scorpiontail | Jack Barlowe |
| Breugan | Professor Carr | |
| Cath | Red swordtail | Dain Aetos |
| Chradh | Brown scorpiontail | Garrick Tavis |
| Codagh | Black | Commanding General Melgren |
| Cruth | Quinn Hollis | |
| Cuir | Green | Bodhi Durran |
| Deigh | Red daggertail | Liam Miari |
| Feirge | Green daggertail | Rhiannon Matthias |
| Fuil | Solei Telery | |
| Glane | Orange daggertail | Imogen Cardulo |
| Greim | Maise | |
| Marbh | Orange daggertail | Brennan Sorrengail |
| Sgaeyl | Blue daggertail | Xaden Riorson |
| Sliseag | Red swordtail | Sawyer Henrick |
| Solas | Orange daggertail | Major Varrish |
| Teine | Green clubtail | Mira Sorrengail |
| Thoirt | Red daggertail | Sloane Mairi |
| Tairn | Black morningstartail | Violet Sorrengail |
Notes About Dragons: Andarna, Feathertails, and More
Codagh and Tairn are two of the greatest dragons of their time. (page 26)
Naolin was Tairn’s previous rider who died trying to save Brennan. (page 29)
Andarna’s scales are black as of page 38. “Dragons are only gold-feathered as hatchlings.” Only the eldest can sense the hatchling’s pigment. Violet admits they “are so deeply black they glimmer almost purple — iridescent[.]” She has golden eyes.
“The color of a dragon’s scales is hereditary[.]” (page 39)
Black dragons are rare.
“The First Six riders were desperate to save their people when they approached the dens over six hundred years ago. Those dragons formed the first Empyrean and bonded humans only to protect their hatching grounds from venin, who were the bigger threat.” (page 45)
“[D]ragons ferociously guard both their young and any information regarding their development, only four facts are known about the Dreamless Sleep. First, it is a critical time of rapid growth and development. Second, the duration varies from breed to breed. Third, as the name suggests, it is dreamless, and fourth, they wake up hungry .” (page 57)
Basgiath was chosen for the location of the wards [because] Green dragons, especially those descending from the line of Cruaidhuaine, have an especially stable connection to magic, which some believe is a result of their more reasonable, defensive nature[.]” (page 236)
Alloy is made of “[a]n amalgamation of Palladium, a few other ores, and dragon egg shells.” Dragon shells are “metal and still carry magic long after the dragons hatch.” (page 295)
“Dragons aren’t supposed to even get close to family lines” and bond with humans in the direct family line, which can cause madness. (page 435) Quinn is only the great-niece of Cruth’s previous rider. (page 710)
Aretia’s first hatchling is a feathertail dragon. (page 587)
“The six most powerful refers to dragons, not riders.” (page 702)
Dragons can’t talk to each other over a large distance, but they can sense emotions. (page 832)
There are 6 known dragon types in Iron Flame: red, orange, green, blue, brown, and black. It’s revealed that there is a 7th unknown breed, and Andarna is one. Her black scales change “to a shimmering deep purple, then take on a greyish hue.” (page 861)
As Andarna grows from a baby dragon into a teenager, she changes from a feathertail to a scorpiontail. It’s also revealed she comes from a 7th breed and her scales can change color “from midnight black to a shimmering deep purple, then take on a greyish hue.” (page 861)
Notes About Wyvern
Venin are dark wielders. Their eyes have reddish rings. The only thing that can kill them is the alloy that powers the wards.
Fables say wyvern are created by venin. They channel power into the wyvern. There are at least two breeds: one that produces blue fire and a faster one that breathes green fire (pages 30-31)
Lightning kills them. (page 765)
“Wyvern are created with dark wielder magic[.]” (page 610)
“Venin share a collective conscious with the wyvern they create[.]” (page 611)
Notes About Gryphon
| Gryphon | Rider |
| Cebbelair (“Cibbe”) | Luella |
| Daja | Maren |
| Kiralair | Cat |
Gryphon are creatures that are about a foot taller than Xaden. They have razor-sharp beaks and beady eyes. They are half eagle and half lion, and they don’t tolerate altitude well.
“When a gryphon bonds, it does so for life.” (page 599)
“Gryphons die with their fliers[.]” (page 600)
Notes About Venin
Venin are dark wielders. The only thing that can kill them is the alloy that powers the wards. (Note also that the dragon riders’ daggers have an alloy medallion in them that are capable of wielding power.)
“[T]he only weapon capable of killing a dark wielder is the same thing that drove them to soullessness … power.” (page 630)
“Defeating a dark wielder begins with knowing where they rank in age and experience. Initiates have reddish rings to their eyes that come and go depending on how often they drain. Asims ’ eyes fluctuate in degrees of red, and their veins distend when riled. Sages ’ — those responsible for initiates — eyes are permanently red, their veins perpetually distended toward their temples, expanding with age. Mavens — their generals — have never been captured for examination.” (page 642)
“Venin share a collective conscious with the wyvern they create[.]” (page 611)
There is no cure for venin. Violet’s mother, Lillith, was looking for a cure in Iron Flame, but she failed to find one. However, venin can be controlled.
More Iron Flame Guides
If you liked this post about Iron Flame dragons, then check out these posts about this fantasy romance book series next:
- Iron Flame Book Review
- Iron Flame Spicy Chapters List
- Book Club Questions for Iron Flame
- Powerful Iron Flame Quotes
- Guide to Iron Flame Characters
- Guide to Iron Flame Signets
- Guide to Iron Flame Map
remember, it’s a good day to read a book. – jules
