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Mid Ranks and High Ranks

• Mid Ranks are those ranks a character earns that confers responsibility greater then that of a basic Wingrider position. These ranks generally involve interaction with the non-Weyr community and/or ensuring the Weyr's safety.
  
• Mid Rank include: Search, Courier, Warden, and Watch.
  **Note: A player may have an unlimited number of Mid Ranking characters.

High Ranks

• High Ranks are those ranks characters earn that confers great responsibility upon them. They are the movers and shakers of the Weyr, the ones around which politics and Weyr welfare revolve.
  
• High Ranks include: Junior Weyrwoman/Weyrleader, Assistant Weyrlingmaster/Candidatemaster, Wingleader, and Wingsecond.
  **Note: A player may only have a maximum of 2 High Ranking characters total at a time.

Obtaining Ranks

• The special activity requirements to acquire ranks have been waived for this event, however activity checks to keep the rank will occur.
  
• These ranks are open to any characters currently Impressed and currently ranked characters can change their rank to anything the player feels is suitable for their character.
  
• Art for the ranks will be given out after the first activity check has been performed, and passed, but roleplay as the rank can begin as soon as it is confirmed by a staff member.

• There are 4 Positions available - 2 A. Weyrlingmasters and 2 A. Candidatemasters
  
• To obtain this rank, we are holding an open application process (like a job application) - all colours are welcome - simply fill out the form below.
  
• Applications are open from June 21 2015 @ 9:00am PST to June 27 2015 @ 5:00pm PST.
  
• After applications close, we will select those applications that provide the best/most memorable impressions.
  
• Please answer the questions in the form In-Character.
  
• You may put in multiple applications as long as each application is for a different character.
  
• Art will only be given out after the first activity check has been completed and passed.
  
• **We reserve the right to not award all available positions.

• The Junior Weyrleader/Weyrwoman is the highest rank a player-character can achieve. They are political persons, charged with aiding the coordination, logistics, discipline, and diplomacy of the Weyr, as well as seeing to the personal needs of the Weyrleader and Weyrwoman. The Juniors are often the individuals sent as the official representatives of the Weyr and thus speak for all of the people of Trine, including the Weyrwoman or Weyrleader.
  
• These are sensitive positions with a supreme amount of responsibility.
  
• There are 4 positions available - 2 Junior Weyrleaders and 2 Junior Weyrwomen.
  
• Applications are open from June 21 2015 @ 9:00am PST to June 27 2015 @ 5:00pm PST
  
• Any Gender, Age, and Dragon Colour can be considered.
  
• Please answer In-Character.
  
• You may enter a maximum of 2 characters total, one per J. Weyrleader and one per J. Weyrwoman.
  
• These positions will be given out via competition - fill out the form below and the best 4 entries will be chosen.
  
• Art will only be given out after the first activity check has been completed and passed.
  
• **We reserve the right to not award all available positions.

Round 1 Wingleader/Wingsecond Application
Name: Zen
Dragon/Colour: Brown Fafneeth
Age: 27

1) If chosen for a Wingleader position, what would your motto for the Wing be?

To give up is worse than to fail.

2) Do you have experience organizing large groups?

Do six trundle-brained older brothers count? Never in any official sense but Fafneeth and I have made a habit of taking control during both weyrlinghood exercises and afterwards in various tasks set to us by our Wingleader.

3) Describe a regular day for your Wing.

In general on a non-Fall day my riders would start their mornings with an hour after sunrise allotted to personal time including breakfast followed by a briefing for the day's schedule. After that another hour for gear checks and repairs if needed before we start mornings drills. Most of those are going to be warm ups and going over routine formations and the basics just to keep them fresh. A break for lunch, followed by specific drills focusing on their preformance in the previous falls, or mock emergency drills such as my loss, the loss of my wingseconds, or the loss of a significant portion of the wing.

Midafternoon will be down time. It's too shaffing hot down here to get anything done at that point. I'll meet with my wingseconds in the evening to discuss potential needs or problems among my riders. Then evenings will be free for the most part. Any riders I feel need extra attention will be asked to return for specific one on one work with me or one of my seconds while the others work on the days administrative duties or meet with the Weyrleaders and Jr's. It's at this time I'll be available for personal concerns.

Dinner is followed again by free time to be used as a rider wishes so long as they show up on time in the morning.

That's basically it. Of course it will be adjusted on Fall days as necessary, or if something else comes up.

4) What do you consider the most important aspects of a rider or dragon's personality to be when it comes to fighting Thread?

Courage. No matter what a rider and their dragon need to be able to face and accept their fears and fight through them. Or at the very least, put them aside for as long as necessary to deal with later. You want to have an emotional breakdown? You can wait till after the last filiment of thread is ash. You're more than welcome to indulge in a healthy display of emotion then. While it's falling though I need every rider's complete focus and control.

5) Are you willing to make difficult decisions that may result in the deaths and severe injury of people you personally know?

If necessary, yes. Preferably not without consulting with the parties involved but if push comes to shove, a rider knows the risks they take when they take up their knots. Death is always an option for us.

6) What is your opinion about Holders' tithing to the Weyr?

While I wouldn't go so far as to say the holds 'owe' anything to the weyrs. I would say it can be negotiated as a fair payment for survices rendered. You have what we need. We have what you need. I see nothing wrong with that.

7) What is your opinion about colour equality and the different strengths/weaknesses of the various colours?

All for it within reason. I'm not going to tell a green rider they can't lead a wing but I'd expect them to have the common sense to realize their limitations and prepare for it. I'm not going to clean up your mess when your wing falls apart after your dragon collapses of exhaustion halfway through a Fall.

8 ) If your dragon cannot last an entire threadfall, how do you plan to lead your Wing when your dragon is recuperating?

Fafneeth has no problems lasting an entire fall. In the event we are grounded though, I and my Wingseconds will have drilled on who is to step in first after me and how the wing will shuffle depending upon various losses we may suffer.

Mid Rank Availability
Username: Meepfur
Character: Iafri
Dragon: Girofleth
Colour: Green
Rank: Watch

Prompt:
It is a beautiful night, MyHeart, is it not? Girofleth asked her rider even as she extended one long wing to shield her from a light patter of rain that was likely to turn to a downpour sooner rather than later, if the clouded sky and distant rumblings of thunder were any indication. A pity we don't have a brush, it looks like there will be enoguh rain that you could scrub me now instead of in the lake tomorrow.

It is, Iafri agreed, leaning against her dragon, But I wish it wouldn't do this while we're on watch. It's so much harder to tell if something's coming when the weather's bad. What if we miss something? We're so new at this, maybe-

The tiny green turned her head to nuzzle at her anxious bonded, giving a comforting thrum. Easy, there is no need to fret. We cannot change the weather, and we are no more likely to miss something than anyone else. All we can do is keep our eyes open, just as we have been. We sighted well just the other day, did we not? There is no reason to worry. Not that we should not be vigilant. As you said, the weather does make it more diffcult.

Are you sure this was really a good idea? Just being wingriders wasn't so bad.

No, it was not, but why should we limit ourselves to only doing the very least that we must? Watch is a good position - underappreciated, certainly, often taken for granted, not out on display like the rest, but just as vital. There is honor in it, even if not everyone sees it.

I know, I just...

Would you rather have campaigned for Junior Weyrwoman?

"No!" she gasped aloud, eliciting a chortle of laughter from her companion.

That's what I thought. As the rain came down harder and the wind picked up, Girofleth altered the angle of her wing to keep her beloved dry. As we have discussed before, this is the best place for us. We do not want to fight, you do not want to lead. We will leave the showing off to others, and do our duty for our Weyr in peace.

I'm sorry. Do you want to be a Junior?

Girofleth considered the question for awhile, but when she sensed that her delay in answering was worrying her bondmate, she finally answered. I like the idea of it. The world is new now, but old ideas and hatreds linger. I worry that we will fall to fighting again, that the voices for peace could be drowned out by louder, hungrier ones. Some yet miss the war, I think, though few would admit it. But no, I do not think that I would like to be a Junior. I do not care for politics, the manuevering and honeyed, insincere words, the gray areas of what is acceptable and what is not. Such...moral flexibility makes me uncomfortable. I will leave it to those who enjoy such games, and perhaps we should watch them as we watch the sky.

If that's what you want to do, we will.

But for tonight, just the sky will do.

Mid Rank Availability
Username: Kyrieko
Character: Narisa
Dragon: Cepheith
Colour: Gold
Rank: Warden

Prompt:
She was up late reading scrolls again, sitting outside in a chair with her feet propped up on a stool. She hadn’t wanted to disturb her weyrmate while studying old texts on some of the ailments that may befall human and dragon alike and require healing. Nothing major, as she was not of the healer craft. But enough that she could provide proper first aide while out in the field. It was one of the duties that would soon befall her. She'd been taking lessons and learning from the healers themselves to make sure she was ready. Emergency response was only one of the several duties that she and Cepheith would likely face.

Leaning back in her chair, Narisa glanced out towards the night, where she could faintly see the golden hide resting not too far out. Beside it, a smaller bronze hide. She wanted to be able to care for them if anything happened to them. But it had been more than that. As a goldrider, her original purpose was to be a candidate to potentially become Weyrwoman. However golds no longer hatched into that leadership position. They now had to earn it if they wished to hold it. This had also opened up the opportunity for other dragon colors to rise up and prove they too could be on top. Which was not something Narisa was sure she wanted. Not anymore.

Others believed she could do it, and at one time, she had believed it herself. After events that had occurred leading to the end of the wherwars, Narisa doubted her ability to be a good leader. Despite what her dragon argued. Yet she did not want to abandon the knowledge and specific skills she had developed while being a junior weyrwoman. So she had carefully considered what sort of options were now available to herself and Cepheith. They could be wingriders with their mates now. Which they had been doing for the past turn or so. But it didn’t feel quite like what they really wanted. What they were meant to do. And Watch dragon was definitely not an option for Cepheith. She’d get too bored quickly and likely leave her post. They had considered being Searchrider’s, and truthfully still considered it an option along with Courier.

But one job in particular caught Narisa’s eye. It gave her the chance to continue using some of her skills from before the golds fell from power, like inspection of goods that foreigners brought in. Or conversing with traders before allowing them to seek out the current Weyrleaders about their trade goods. She was no stranger to the needs of a Weyr and its occupants, and felt that this ability would assist greatly in not wasting time of potential traders and foreign dignitaries.

There would also be defensive and offensive training for it. Something she was still interested in after all these turns. And for good reason, she felt. Afterall, if they were going to be Wardens they had sharding better be able to hold their own! Thank Faranth for all the time she’d spent having lessons in self-defense training all those turns ago. They would also have the chance to escort caravans, showing them along the way that golds were still amazing creatures!

Narisa couldn’t help the curl of her lips as she watched her sleeping dragon. If nothing else, it all gave Cepheith more than enough to hold her attention and keep her from growing bored! A bored gold could be quite creative in finding ways to entertain herself. Plus, it allowed them the chance to fly outside the Weyr more, instead of being confined as they had been when younger. That freedom had been one of the big deciding factors in their choices of possible jobs. But it had been the chance to see if she was still capable of being a leader of sorts that the Warden position had truly won over as the best option for them.

We do the best that we can. And we’re good at this. A lazy honeyed tone embraced her mind.

Yes. I think we’ll do quite well at this job! She smiled again, looking down at her scrolls before deciding it was time to rest. Tomorrow as a new day full of tasks to be done.

(Word Count: 717)

Assistant Weyrlingmaster/Candidatemaster Application
Name: Carwyn
Dragon/Colour: Alaiath, Green
Age: 36
Position Applying for: Assistant Weyrlingmaster

What leadership experience do you possess?

I worked within Malvern Wherhold to undermine Keller during the Wherwars after experiencing the reality behind his promises, collaborating with a team of fellow dissenters to provide information and assist in the organization of forces during the coup of Malvern, leading one team as they fought against the loyal Wherholders. After the Wherwars Alaiath and I worked towards acting as a Search pair*, recognizing the importance of representing Trine Weyr and seeking out potential candidates.

Have you worked with youth before? In what way?

Before impression I worked in the creche to educate children as a harper, so I am quite familiar with the rigors of teaching and working with children. I realize that as an educator one must both lead by example and make personal connections with pupils so that they are more receptive to the lessons needed for success. While acting as a Search rider, I gained experience in tempering relationships between hold and weyr, working with families of prospective candidates that were not always eager to see their son or daughter fly away on dragonback.

Why does the position interest you?

I adore working with children and have always had a passion for the teaching ballads my mother taught me and my siblings. This passion prompted me to pursue harpercraft to begin with in the aim of educating and since then I’ve found ways of working with children in the weyrs I’ve called home. I firmly believe in the need for strong-willed riders to serve as role models for the newly impressed and believe that I can serve as an example for learning from one’s mistakes and taking action when you recognize something that needs correcting.

In your opinion, what is the most important aspect of the position you're applying for?

The most important part of this position is entrusting the future of the weyrs and this new Pern in the hands of experienced riders; it is vital that the newly impressed are taught to properly care not only for their bonded, but also care for this tentative peace that’s been found over the past decade. Riders are to serve those surrounding holds and now- thankfully- earn their position within the weyr, to this end it is crucial that those responsible for weyrlings’ educations help them realize their full potential, identifying strengths to build upon and weaknesses to work on improving, assisting them in becoming responsible, self-sufficient members of the weyr, and coaching them in building strong relationships with those they will work with or under and help protect.

How would you deal with the following situations:

1) A Weyrling has chosen to learn to fly before her dragon's wing muscles are ready. They injure themselves in the attempt and, in trying cover up their mistake, blame it on rough housing. One of their peers informs you of their mistake - how do you approach the problem?

I would approach the situation with a calm front and level head, regardless of how infuriated I may be with their recklessness I know it won’t make them any more receptive to what I need to say if I approach them both arms swinging. With Alaiath’s assistance I will address both the issues of spreading false information and acting before they are mature enough to handle flight. I would emphasize that trust is essential between members of a weyr and the need to be ready both physically and mentally prior to moving forward in training, impressing upon them the reality of those weyrlings and riders who have been lost between, especially those who attempt the maneuver before they are ready.

3) A newly Impressed individual is having trouble fitting in with their group because their dragon maimed several Candidates, and injured a handful of hatchlings on the Sands and the new riders are worried about the safety of their own dragons. How do you handle this situation?

I would hold a restorative conference with the weyrlings to repair the relationships between them, identifying the tumultuous nature of Impression and the resilience of dragons. Emotions may run high during impression, particularly when a dragonet is seeking out theirs, but in the end a dragon’s true nature develops as they age- just because a dragonet behaved violently fresh out of the shell, does not mean they bear any ill-will towards their clutchmates.

((*OOC: If Carwyn isn’t accepted as an assistant I’ll have her take up a search position instead and continue working towards assistant weyrlingmaster IC.))

Claim approved~