Channeling

A bonded dragon powers a rider’s lesser magic and signet through channeling. The amount of power a dragon provides does not by itself make the rider fully adept, and Dain’s memory-reading signet works better when he is closer to Cath.

A rider does not necessarily channel as soon as a bond exists; most of Violet’s year can already channel before Tairn decides she is ready. When he opens the channel, raw power floods her body painfully and settles into a constant force she can shape, but controlling that power depends on Violet rather than on the dragon doing the work for her.

Folklore and rider instruction distinguish bonded channeling from drawing directly on the source. Venin are described as people who tap that source without a dragon or gryphon and corrupt their power beyond salvation.

Direct source-channeling can drain the ground itself. When a blue-robed venin lowers her palms toward the earth, raw power fills the air and the land dies outward around her.

Channeling creatures can perceive major changes in local magic through their bonds. When a hatchling emerges near Aretia, Tairn says every channeling creature within a four-hour flight will know, and both Sloane and Maren feel the surge through their own bonds.

Rune tempering uses a separated strand of the wielder’s own power. Having bonded creatures nearby makes a first attempt easier because the source of that bonded power is closer.

Xaden can still use his signet behind Basgiath’s wards by channeling from Sgaeyl instead of from the ground. That distinction separates his ordinary shadow wielding from the forbidden source-channeling that caused his condition.

In places that have magic but no wards, Xaden can use a small amount of shadow without drawing from the ground. Full strength is available beneath his feet if he crosses that line, and Garrick’s presence serves as a safeguard against Xaden channeling to protect Violet.

For riders, channeling opens access to lesser magic and formal wielding practice.

Gryphon channeling allows Poromiel riders to wield magic when wards fail.

Riders and fliers can use channeled power in rune work by separating a strand of their own power for tempering.

A strong channel from a bonded dragon does not guarantee mastery. Dain receives a significant amount of magic from Cath but is still not fully adept.

Magic is wilder outside Navarre’s wards, and Violet’s power answers rapidly there when she opens herself to it. Xaden warns that she needs to be rested before using her signet because the strength of Tairn’s channeled power could burn her out.

A juvenile dragon’s power can be too much for the dragon when a human channels it. Andarna says Violet channeled her juvenile power at Resson, and the irids condemn the fact that a juvenile allowed a human to do so.

A wielder can refuse direct earth-channeling by keeping their senses closed to the power beneath them. Theophanie tries to make Violet take that power through the ground, but Violet resists even when the temptation is linked to saving evacuees.

Dain Aetos is a rider who channels from Cath.

Gryphons channel power to Poromiel riders.

Violet Sorrengail begins channeling from Tairn once he opens the channel to her.

Venin channel directly from the source of magic, and the blue-robed venin provides a visible example of that method by draining the ground around her.

Xaden Riorson channels from Sgaeyl when using his shadow signet behind Basgiath’s wards.

Violet channeled Andarna’s juvenile power at Resson.

Tairn first opens Violet’s channel after deciding she is ready, causing raw power to flood painfully through her before settling under her skin.

The blue-robed venin’s use of raw power visibly kills the land around her, giving Violet a direct example of source-channeling in action.

Violet suspects a possible channeling incident after Xaden pulls away, braces both hands on the headboard, and later shows faint discoloration beneath his thumbs, but the moment is not confirmed outright.

The irids treat Violet’s channeling of Andarna’s juvenile power at Resson as a serious failure, because Andarna was still too small for that amount of magic.

Theophanie repeatedly tempts Violet to channel from the power beneath her feet, but Violet refuses to take it even while a wyvern horde advances toward Medaro Pass.

Dragons and gryphons are the bonded creatures through which riders and fliers receive channeled magic.

Navarre’s wards interact differently with channeled magic depending on its source: Luca understands them as stopping magic not channeled directly from dragons.

Venin are closely linked to channeling because their power comes from taking magic directly from the source rather than through a bonded creature.

Runes connect to channeling through tempering, which requires the wielder to work with a strand of their own power.