Xaden Riorson

About

Xaden is present as Wingleader of Fourth Wing when you arrive to cross the Parapet. When assignments are being given out, Xaden uses his position to move her squad, Second Squad, Flame Section, to his Wing. This places her under his chain of command. Riders seem to move around him, giving him wide berth as though he's a shark. He walks with lethal grace. Xaden is authoritative and concise, making quick judgement calls with the help of his signets. Due to his upbringing he is emotionally distant with most people, with very few exceptions.

Personality

Born in March, 611 AU, to the heir of Tyrrendor Fen Riorson, and Talia Riorson. Xaden grew up in Riorson House located above Aretia, the capital of Tyrrendor. His mother left them when he was ten, having fulfilled the requirements of her marriage contract with his father. His family carries the royal lineage of ruling the province of Tyrrendor, thus technically making Xaden the heir to the Tyrrish throne if the province had seceded from Navarre during the Tyrrish Rebellion. To further strengthen this royal claim prior to the beginning of the rebellion, Fen Riorson secured an alliance with Viscount Tecarus, by using Xaden's royalty in a betrothal contract to Catriona Cordella, third in line for the Poromish throne. On July 1, 627 AU, 16 year old Xaden was forced to witness the "Calldyr Executions" of the rebellion's leadership alongside the other 107 separatist children by General Melgren's dragon Codagh. When Codagh's dragonfire burned the 107 children's parents, his fire activated the rune-stones each child held in their hand. These complex rune-tempered stones, created by Colonel Mairi, were meant to protect the children in the event that the Rebellion failed and their parents were killed. With their activation during the executions, the runes created rebellion relics along whichever arm the child was using to hold the stone in addition to protecting the children from General Melgren's signet. Xaden, as the oldest of the separatist children, later struck a deal with General Lilith Sorrengail in which he took personal responsibility for the 107 children and in doing so received 107 scars across his back, an archaic Tyrrish custom. In return, he and the children would be allowed to fight for their lives in the Riders Quadrant instead of being executed. In the aftermath of the Rebellion, Xaden was sent to Tirvainne, along with Liam Mairi, to be fostered by Duke Lindell. While being fostered, Xaden taught Liam how to fight in order to prepare them for Basgiath. In July 631 AU, after his twentieth birthday, Xaden was conscripted and entered the Riders Quadrant alongside his best friend Garrick Tavis and eight other cadets marked with rebellion relics. They began to meet in secret to ensure their survival within the quadrant. They helped each other in academics, with Gauntlet preparations, and on the mat. During his Threshing, on October 1, 631 AU, Xaden orders all marked ones to stay in pairs. He and Garrick stick together, where they run into King Tauri's second son Alic Tauri Baran, and two more riders. He waited until Masen showed up to eventually kill Alic, ensuring that there were three marked ones present so that General Melgren wouldn't be able to see the event with his signet. Molvic and Sgaeyl were also present to witness the fight. Xaden bonded with the dragon Sgaeyl during Threshing, and she burned the bodies of Alic and his friends so that there wouldn't be an investigation that could lead to Xaden's execution. It was after Threshing that Xaden and Garrick decided to begin smuggling weaponry out of Basgiath in an effort to protect fliers they had partnered with against venin. They also began working to rebuild Aretia and Riorson House. Xaden is muscular and tall, with a massive chest, wide shoulders and heavily muscled arms. He has windblown black hair and dark brows. He has warm-toned, tawny-brown skin with dark stubble along his jawline and eyes resembling gold-flecked onyx. When Violet first meets him she describes him as, "more than four inches over six foot tall." His features are harsh and utterly perfect, as if an artist spent their lifetime carving and sculpting them, with a year alone spent on his mouth. Xaden inherited his high cheekbones, long lashes, ear shape, and the golden hue of his eyes from his mother. However, in appearance, he mostly takes after his father, Fen Riorson. He has A diagonal scar bisects his left eyebrow and ends at the top corner of his cheek. He received this scar from Sgaeyl during his Threshing. A dark shimmering rebellion relic curved in swirls and dips starts at his left wrist, winding up his neck. His back is covered in a dragon relic of Sgaeyl, that sweeps from his waist over both of his shoulders, as well as 107 silver scars on top of the dragon relic, which came from claiming responsibility for the 107 separatist children. He gains another scar over his heart when he takes responsibility for you, between the events of Fourth Wing and the start of Iron Flame. He is always seen in black leather clothes, especially his flight jacket, as is uniform for a Rider. None of his uniforms have patches aside from his year, wing, or rank. His summer uniform is a short-sleeved top under his usual flight jacket. He smells of mint and leather, and something that borders between citrus and floral.

Stats