Dragonkind · Field Guide
The Dragon Database
Every named dragon in Fourth Wing and The Empyrean so far — grouped by color den, with tail type, rider and a one-line profile. A living index: we add dragons as the series does.
Dragons in the series are organized into color dens, each with its own temperament, ancestry and approach protocol — and every rider's dragon shapes their signet, the ability channeled through the bond. The three dragons at the center of the story — Tairn and Andarna, who both bonded Violet Sorrengail, and Sgaeyl, bonded to Xaden Riorson — get full profiles of their own. Everything else lives right here. For the wider world, start with our guide to dragonkind.
Tail types are listed where the books name them; a dash means the series hasn't specified one yet. New dragons are added as they appear — Threshing Day (2026) revisited the whole selection from thirteen new points of view, and Book Four is still to come — so check back after each release. Not sure where a dragon fits? The dragon colors guide explains every den's reputation, bloodline and rules of approach.
◆ The Field Guide to Dragonkind
Inside the books, cadets at Basgiath study Colonel Kaori's Field Guide to Dragonkind — the in-universe handbook on dragon behaviour, ranks and rider bonds. It is a manual that exists only in the story; there is no published edition of it to buy. This page is our stand-in for it: the same idea, assembled from what the novels actually establish about the dens, tail types and bloodlines.
Below, every named dragon is grouped by den. Each table gives the dragon, its tail type, its rider and a short profile, and the three dragons at the centre of the story have pages of their own. For the rules riders are taught so that they survive an approach — the protocols, den by den — see the dragon colors guide.
◆ Black den
The rarest, smartest and most dangerous of all dragons. Roughly one black is born per century, and only two are known: Tairn and Codagh. One of them bonds the series' protagonist, which is why the fandom talks about this den in a tone normally reserved for legends.
| Dragon | Tail | Rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tairn | Morningstartail | Violet Sorrengail | Ancient black of the Dubhmadinn bloodline, over a century old and the second-largest dragon on the continent. Mated to Sgaeyl; one of the most respected dragons in the Vale. Full profile → |
| Codagh | Swordtail | General Melgren | The only dragon larger than Tairn. His rider's signet can foresee the outcome of battles — a power as cold as the den itself. |
◆ Blue den
Ruthless and powerful, descended from the cold Gormfaileas bloodline. The blue daggettails are the rarest of the blues — and the most feared. Blues are famously choosy: none were willing to bond during Violet's Threshing year.
| Dragon | Tail | Rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sgaeyl | Daggertail | Xaden Riorson | The most powerful blue in active service, with gold eyes and blue horns. Her previous rider died some fifty years ago; she is Tairn's mate. Full profile → |
◆ Green den
The intellectuals of dragonkind — prized for tactical minds and siege work, calm and calculating in battle.
| Dragon | Tail | Rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Teine | — | Mira Sorrengail | The green bonded to Violet's sister Mira, whose signet extends the wards. |
| Feirge | Daggertail | Rhiannon | Green Daggertail who chose Violet's friend Rhiannon, whose signet can pull objects through space. |
◆ Red den
The quickest to anger — and the scorpiontails among them are the most volatile of all.
| Dragon | Tail | Rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deigh | Daggertail | Liam | Red Daggertail whose rider's signet was far-sight. |
| Sliseag | Swordtail | Sawyer | Red Swordtail whose rider's signet was metallurgy. |
| Aotrom | Clubtail | Ridoc | Red Clubtail bonded to Ridoc. |
◆ Orange den
The most unpredictable den, descended from the Fhaicorain line — the bloodline fans love to debate.
| Dragon | Tail | Rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baide | Scorpiontail | Jack Barlowe | The orange den's only scorpiontail, bonded to Jack Barlowe. |
| Marbh | Daggertail | Brennan Sorrengail | Orange Daggertail bonded to Violet's brother. |
| Glane | — | Imogen | Orange bonded to Imogen. |
◆ Brown den
The least written-about den in the series so far — and one that carries serious weight.
| Dragon | Tail | Rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aimsir | — | General Lilith Sorrengail | Brown dragon whose rider's signet was storms — Violet's mother commands the weather. |
◆ Gold — feathertail
Not a den at all, but a stage: every dragon is born a gold feathertail and only takes on its adult color and tail as it matures.
| Dragon | Tail | Rider | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andarna | Feathertail | Violet Sorrengail | Andarnaurram — "second honor" — a juvenile whose parents died before she hatched, raised by the Vale's elders. Her adult color is one of the series' biggest mysteries. Full profile → |
Tail types, briefly
Independent of den color, six tail types are named in the books:
- Clubtail — a heavy blunt club for crushing force (Aotrom).
- Daggertail — blade-edged, a single strike can open a foe (Sgaeyl, Feirge, Deigh, Marbh).
- Swordtail — a long straight blade (Codagh, Sliseag).
- Morningstartail — a spiked mace; Tairn is the only named bearer.
- Scorpiontail — a venomous stinger (Baide, the orange den's only one).
- Feathertail — the soft golden tail of every juvenile dragon (Andarna).
Full breakdown in the dragon colors & tail guide.
Gryphons and fliers
Dragons are not Navarre's only bonded beasts. Poromiel fields gryphon riders — called fliers — who bond gryphons through a harsher magic that drains them. Dragon riders and fliers start as enemies and end up as uneasy allies, and the difference between the two bonds is one of the series' quieter themes. For the wider world, see our Empyrean series overview.
Approach protocols, in brief
Cadets memorize how to safely approach each den long before Threshing. The known rules:
- Green: bow your head in respect and wait to be acknowledged — and never back down.
- Red: never meet their eyes directly; approach from the left-front.
- Black: the most particular of all. Being chosen by a black dragon is an event that echoes across the whole continent.
Every den's protocol, plus how they appear to work in the dragonkind.com game, is in the dragon colors guide.
Where to go next
- Dragon colors & approach protocols — every den's rules, bloodlines and tail types, in depth.
- What is dragonkind? — the Empyrean government, the First Six, and the rituals behind the bonds.
- How to play the dragonkind.com Threshing game — and which den might choose you in-game.
- Which dragon are you? — the fan quiz that guesses your den before you ever step into the Valley.
- The reading order — every book in the Empyrean series, in order.
◆ Frequently asked questions
Which dragon den is the rarest?
The black den. Roughly one black dragon is born per century, and only two are known in the series: Tairn and Codagh. Black dragons are also described as the smartest and most dangerous of all.
What is a feathertail?
A feathertail is the juvenile form every dragon starts as — small, gold, with a featherlike tail. Dragons only develop their adult color and tail type as they mature, which is why Andarna's gold feathers are a stage, not a den.
Do riders die when their dragon dies?
Almost always. The bond is so deep that a rider rarely survives their dragon. Mated dragons face a related limit: a mated pair cannot be separated for more than three days without serious consequences.
What are the tail types in Fourth Wing?
Six are named: Clubtail, Daggertail, Swordtail, Morningstartail, Scorpiontail and Feathertail. Tairn is the only named dragon with a Morningstartail, and Baide is the orange den's only Scorpiontail.
What is the difference between dragon riders and gryphon fliers?
Dragon riders bond dragons in Navarre; gryphon fliers bond gryphons in Poromiel through a harsher, draining magic. They begin the series as enemies before becoming uneasy allies.