Riot

A riot can be treated as a force to withdraw or commit to battle, with Xaden’s squad choosing to launch its riot against venin and wyvern at Resson.

Navarrian arguments about whether a riot would annihilate civilians place the unit inside formal military action rather than ordinary travel.

A riot may have an identifiable dragon leader; Tairn identifies Teine as the leader of an incoming riot before it lands at Riorson House.

Rider command can direct a riot’s aerial formations. At Medaro Pass, Rhiannon orders the available dragons to launch in thorn formation and changes them to vertical formation as the wyvern arrangement becomes clearer.

Dragon authority can also govern a riot in battle. Above Draithus, Tairn takes immediate tactical authority when Violet orders the dragons back over the city, and his later grounding order moves through the riot without visible challenge.

Xaden returns to Aretia with a full riot of ten dragons that includes Sgaeyl, Chradh, and the dragons bonded to Heaton, Emery, and Cianna.

Sgaeyl claims Andarna as part of “our riot,” asserting her present belonging and value to the group against Leothan’s criticism.

Newly arrived riots can create security concerns at Aretia. When the riot that arrives with Mira reaches Riorson House, Brennan says Riorson vouches for them through Marbh, but the dragons still have to vouch before the group is sent up to the valley.

The Aretian riot’s presence at Basgiath becomes a key alliance term after the wardstone is restored. Xaden says Poromiel would walk away if the riot left, and the Senarium accepts terms for keeping it because losing that dragon strength frightens them.

Riot duty includes patrol coverage at outposts. At Samara, most of the riot is finishing the day’s patrol when an attack occurs, leaving only three riders who are not on patrol to defend the post.

A riot is not automatically useful against every aerial threat. During a wyvern attack under cloud cover, Violet rejects sending in the entire riot because blind assault could cost them all if a venin rider is hidden among the wyvern.

An expedition riot can provide camp defense as well as transport. On Unnbriel, the dragons land in a defensive circle, half launch to hunt, and guards keep dragons and gryphons around the sleepers and watches.

In open combat, a riot can be launched in named aerial formations to intercept wyvern before they reach a defended position.

Navarrian officers and cadets treat a riot as a force powerful enough to raise questions about city-scale destruction, even while Sawyer insists Navarre would not send one to annihilate civilians.

The Aretian riot is regarded as strategically valuable enough that the Senarium accepts Xaden’s restored title and Tyrrish authority as the price of keeping its dragon numbers at Basgiath.