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The Parapet

The Parapet · Basgiath War College · the first culling

The Parapet

Eighteen inches of wet stone, two hundred feet up, no rail — and it's the easy part of the day.

Basgiath's entrance exam. Cross it on Conscription Day or fall off it. The series' first trial, and the image the whole fandom sees when it hears 'Fourth Wing'.

At a glance

What it is
The railless stone footbridge every rider candidate must cross to enter the Riders Quadrant. Fail and there's no second attempt.
Dimensions
Roughly eighteen inches wide, about two hundred feet above the ground. No railing. No net.
When
Conscription Day, first thing. Rain or not — no delay just because the bridge might get slick.
Mortality
About fifteen percent of candidates die before they're ever cadets. People fall off the turret steps before they even reach it.
What decides it
Traction. Rubber-soled rider boots make it survivable; smooth soles make it nearly impossible.
First blood
Where the reader meets death, Jack Barlowe, and Violet's habit of choosing someone else over the safe move.
The far side
A twelve-foot drop into the courtyard. You still have to jump to officially arrive.

Who crossed here

First morning, no retakes.

Swipe to meet them all

The one it couldn't killViolet Sorrengailcrossed in the stormEnter Violet Sorrengail →
Her first friendRhiannon Matthiasone shoe eachEnter Rhiannon Matthias →
The one who came for herJack Barlowethrew a boy offEnter Jack Barlowe →
The wingleaderXaden Riorsonglared her acrossEnter Xaden Riorson →
Her sisterMira Sorrengailcrossed it firstEnter Mira Sorrengail →
Liam's sisterSloane Mairimet her here afterEnter Sloane Mairi →
Lilith Sorrengailpassed throughEnter Lilith Sorrengail →
The long versionRead its whole storyEverything, in one place.Enter the full story

We're Caffeine and Curses. The Library started as my design research — so we keep the notes here where everyone can use them. The pages are fan-made, not official; the licensed designs are in the shop.

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