The act of impressing with a dragon marks an unbreakable lifetime bond. You become partners and best friends. The dragons control whether or not it happens, and ultimately who it will happen with. That single fact is immutable, and to the best of my knowledge has never been different.

The way the impression works is sadly all over the board concerning methodology. With Wyverns, the goal during the impression is generally to stay alive long enough to mount the dragon at the base of its neck or upon the upper shoulders. Once this has been accomplished, the impression is for all practical purposes over. If the dragon is old enough and has already accomplished the nuances of being airborne, then the maiden flight will take place, constituting their first flight together.

Wyvern dragons employ dry fire during the impression, knowing full well that if the potential rider is not fast enough, he/she will be toasted. They generally slow their reflexes down to accommodate accidents, but they are looking to see if the rider is compatible with combat and if they have the ability to apply themselves with dedication.

Aguiva dragons produce wet fire, which is really nothing more than liquid burning plasma. Unlike Wyverns, they do not blow the fire in a stream. The plasma is regurgitated as wad or ball of viscous, rotating, burning mucus which will burn through most substances on contact. They will use this during the impression but they generally aim short of the rider and it is used only as a show of power.

How a Wyvern selects a rider is somewhat of a mystery. We know that their entire society is an enclosed communal mind, and finding a rider in the mountain where they live makes sense. They can hear every mind that is present. The fact that they can and will find riders in distant places is where the mystery comes into play. The common theory is that they have the power and ability to hear every mind on the planet if they concentrate. Then over time it’s like they interview every mind individually, which may explain why in some cases it takes years to finally make a selection. At that point they call out to the potential rider until he or she responds by coming to the mountain. The dragon sends a homing beacon via thought and the rider simply continues to move toward it until they arrive.

How an Aguiva selects a rider is not so much a mystery as an examination of emotional content. They are affected by a person’s demeanor when they are spoken to. What they are looking for is an expression of endearment and there is no way to predict what will cause it. What is known is that whatever is said that causes the affect will ultimately become the dragon’s name. As an example, if you stated “Holy Cow” upon seeing the Aguiva, and it took that as the term of endearment, then it will repeat that phrase indicating it has chosen that as its name and you as its rider. You are now the proud rider to a dragon named, Holy Cow. On the other hand, if nothing you say to the Aguiva produces this affect, then no impression will happen. It’s very hit and miss and does require some training to minimize potential verbal disasters!