Post by Zaxal on Nov 28, 2012 0:33:28 GMT -5
[Dragons]
Dragons are central to Weyr life. Without them, Pern would be helpless against the Thread menace. They will only Impress to their soulmate, and their bond is the strongest. Emotions and full telepathic speech can flow over their connection to their 'rider. All dragons have names that end in -th with no exceptions.
Possible Duties of a Dragon
- Chewing firestone and flying in a wing against Threadfall.
- Flying to Holds as a Searchdragon to pick out possible candidates for future Hatchings.
- Flying as a Sweeper over the Igen Desert to look for more of the Lost people who continue to mysteriously appear.
Average Sizes of a Dragon
- Gold dragons - 40-45 meters/132-148 feet
- Bronze dragons - 35-40 meters/115-132 feet
- Brown dragons - 30-35 meters/98-115 feet
- Blue dragons - 24-30 meters/79-98 feet
- Green dragons - 20-24 meters/66-79 feet
(Conversions rounded to nearest whole number. Measurements taken from pern.wikia)
[Whers]
Whers are an important aspect of life in Igen Weyr. The smaller, nocturnal cousins of dragons, whers often act as the night watch for the Weyr, bodyguards against wild whers and protectors against Thread when it falls at night. Whers have a strong bond with their handlers that can be broken only if the wher finds another who has a stronger bond to them. They are weak psychically, able to transmit colors and vague emotions over their bonds with their handlers. Whers do however name themselves, taking the first part of their partner's name and adding an -sk to the end. It is said that the more of the handler's name the wher takes, the stronger their bond is.
Possible Duties of a Wher
- Patrolling on the night watch and fighting against wild whers and other feral beasts that get too close to the Weyr.
- Leading expeditions through the mines and the newly discovered cave systems in the mountains.
- Leading crews through the impenetrable sandstorms of the Igen Desert to search for those who may be stranded there.
[Firelizards]
Firelizards are miniature dragons who act as pets as opposed to partners. One person can Impress many firelizards, and many firelizards from different people form fairs of their own independent of their bonded's wishes. They can be trained to fish, carry messages, and many other things, but they are primarily companions, and their potential is all up to how their bonded wishes to use them. Firelizards have the weakest bond among the dragonkind. Even though they remain bonded for life, they can only transmit weak emotions every now and again to the person they bonded to. Firelizards are named by their bondeds.