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Dragonriders of Pern Shop Captain
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 Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2009 6:48 am
Physical Information A result of further attempts to modify the dragon template, whers are essentially a nocturnal version of their draconic cousins. Described as malformed dragons, they are shorter, stockier creatures with long necks and smaller wings. They come in the same colours as dragons (gold through to green), but lack faceted eyes. Though their specially modified eyes allow them to see heat signatures (and thus perfectly in the dark), their eyes are extremely sensitive to light and overexposure to sunlight can be extremely harmful. Because of their excellent night vision, however, they are frequently used as watch dogs for Holds as well as mining aids. They are able to fly, but have stamina akin to that of a green dragon. Wher hides never dry out and crack like firelizard and dragon hides.
Sizes:
Golds - 16 1/2 - 17 hands at the shoulder and 13 - 15 feet long
Bronzes - 16 - 16 1/2 hands at the shoulder and 12 - 14 feet long
Browns - 15 1/2 - 16 hands at the shoulder and 11 - 13 feet long
Blues - 14 - 15 1/2 hands at the shoulder and 10 - 12 feet long
Greens - 13 1/2 - 14 hands at the shoulder and 9 - 11 feet long
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 7:58 am
Colors Whers are similar to dragons; their color effects their size and to a lesser extent their stamina. However, unlike firelizards, color plays only the slightly effect on intelligence. A green wher will generally be as intelligent as a gold counter part.
Also special from dragons, whers of any color will Impress to anyone, as long as they are the first person to feed and care for them. Whers do not go between if the person they are Impressed to dies, and may become rogue or seek out a new handler.
Green - The smallest of all whers. All greens are female, but they are infertile.
Blue - The fourth largest wher. All blues are male.
Brown - The third largest wher. All browns are male.
Bronze - The second largest firelizard. All bronzes are male.
Gold - The largest and perhaps most intelligent whers. All golds are female and fertile. They are more protective of clutches than greens, similar to firelizards.
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Dragonriders of Pern Shop Captain
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:01 am
Impression and Bonding Whers Impress much like firelizards (and to a certain extent, dragonets) in that they will form a bond with whoever is around and willing to feed them when they hatch. In order to deepen the bond, a Wherhandler must blood themselves, that is to say, cut themselves and allow the wher to taste their blood. This forms a telepathic bond similar to the kind formed between a dragon and their rider, however a wher is not obligated to suicide should their handler die. Whers are, however, fiercely protective of their handlers. A Wher's name is based on their handler's name, with an added –sk on the end (For example, Nuella = Nuellsk). A handler may only be bonded to one wher at a time, and unlike dragons, may get another Wher if their first one somehow dies. Likewise, a wher may rebond if its handler dies.
Unlike dragons, whers do not have an Impress or Die mentality. They can live unbonded without suffering any adverse effects. Wild whers, however, are known for being extremely aggressive, and should be avoided. As a result, whers which are bred in captivity, so to speak, and cannot find a home are killed to prevent an overabundance of wild whers. Wher eggs are small enough to be carried around, and thus can be given to a prospective handler candidate in order to ensure that the wher Impresses the proper candidate when it hatches. A young wher may bond with anyone, regardless of the candidate's gender or its own gender. A gold wher does not need to Impress a female candidate, and will just as easily accept a male handler.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:14 am
Psychic Abilities and Telepathy The blood bond between a Wherhandler and his/her wher allows for telepathic communication. Whers have the ability to 'speak', but some of them tend to convey most of their thoughts as emotions or images. Though they can communicate with dragons, other whers, and firelizards, they cannot communicate telepathically with humans other than their handlers. They can project emotions to other humans, but it is extremely uncommon for a wher to attempt to communicate mentally with another human. Typically they use their physical voice. They are often described as being child-like or animalistic in their thought and speech patterns. Whers that are bonded tend to be more intelligent than their unbonded relatives.
Whers can go between using heat signatures (usually of a person), and, if large enough, carry a single human adult passenger and perhaps some cargo. It is, however, very frowned upon (due to being dangerous) to attempt the feats one would attempt with a dragon with a wher.
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Dragonriders of Pern Shop Captain
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Dragonriders of Pern Shop Captain
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:18 am
Between Between (always written in italics) is a dimension through which dragons, watch-whers and fire lizards travel during the process of teleportation, referred to as "going between". Whers do not have to go between to suicide upon the death of their rider, but they may still choose to or they may go between if they are mortally wounded, same as dragons.
Between is universally described as a place of nothingness. Usually, for a wher to teleport between, it takes the time that it takes to cough three times. Going between frequently causes cystitis and child-bearing problems and even intentional and unintentional abortion in female humans.
Between is characterized by extreme cold (far below zero yet not as cold as outer space) and induces near-total sensory deprivation in humans who travel through it. There is no breathable air between, and riders who make exceptionally long journeys suffer the effects of oxygen deprivation. Whers can hold their breath for much longer than humans without ill effects.
Whers are not able to travel between times like dragons. None the less, it is strictly forbidden for them to attempt it.
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:23 am
Mating and Reproduction Gold whers can lay up to 2 to 3 clutches per Turn, though clutches tend to be small (around ten eggs maximum, though many are duds). Their bond is not deep enough that it effects their riders in the way a dragons would. However, they share other similarities, including that a gold is caught and flown by either a bronze or a brown.
Greens may rise, but they do not clutch.
Males are subject to a similar chase as dragons. Because of their low stamina (including golds), it is much shorter.
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Dragonriders of Pern Shop Captain
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Dragonriders of Pern Shop Captain
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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 8:27 am
Life Span Whers lifespans allude most people, as they tend to outlive those who would bother studying them. They are estimated to live about one hundred turns, barring any fatal injury or accidents. A Wher may go through multiple handlers in it's life time.
Egg Stage
Wher eggs are small enough to be carried around, and thus can be given to a prospective handler candidate in order to ensure that the wher Impresses the proper candidate when it hatches.
Two weeks after a mating flight, the queen clutches her eggs. For Whers, this number is usually ten, and some may be duds. For one sevenday, the shells harden, and the whers inside develop. After this time period, eggs may be given to candidates, traded, or be handed off through other means.
Wher hatching is less celebrated (and noisy) than a dragon hatching. Eggs may hatch at different times, and will give only a brief shake to indicate they are about to break.
Youngster ("Baby"); 1-6 Months
Whers are incredibly fast, twice as fast as a dragon, and by six months of age, they have already reached their full size. They will develop their personality, body and skills during this time.
Adulthood; 6+ months
The final stage. A wher reaches their full size and becomes sexually mature. They can now go between, breed (in the case of golds) and are often put to work now if they hadn't been before.
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Posted: Wed Sep 30, 2009 5:20 pm
Wild Whers Colonies of wild whers are rare, but not unknown. Because Holds and Halls are frequently well-lit, wild whers tend to stay away from areas populated by humans. They make their homes in deep caves far into the mountains, hunting wild game for themselves and their offspring. Whers will live together in small groups, but are extremely territorial and do not tolerate anything trespassing on their lands. They mark their territory thoroughly, and will vocalize warnings if they detect someone encroaching. Wild whers are not like their more domesticated counterparts who can be called off potential prey. They will kill anything on sight.
Wild whers are left to their own devices unless a group is getting too close to a Hold. At this point, the Wherhandler bonded to a gold organizes a hunting party in order to chase the group away or kill it. Whers are hunted at night, but the handlers come prepared with baskets of glows and torches, and blind the wild whers before they're killed. No handler would ever face a wild wher alone, nor would anyone wander unknowingly into a wild wher's territory.
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Posted: Fri Oct 02, 2009 3:30 pm
Wherhandling Wherhandling is a strict discipline, somewhere between raising flits and bonding with dragons. Unlike their smaller cousins, whers are not pets, and should not be treated as though they are the average runnerbeast or canine. On the other hand, they are working animals, and do not have the luxury of only working when Thread falls. Handlers, also, do not receive any of the prestige or honour that is awarded to dragonriders. They are treated like every other craftsperson despite the fact that they are telepathically bonded to their partner.
Prospective wherhandlers must be at least fourteen turns old to be considered for an egg. The wait list is often long, and many abandon their dream of becoming a handler in favour of pursuing another craft or trying their hand at Impressing a dragon. Whers are not encouraged to breed unless there is a need for them, and thus there is never a surplus of eggs. If it is decided that new whers are needed – usually because several have died – a bronze Wherhandler will bring his wher to a Hold with a gold wher. When she Rises, the bronze will chase her, and they will hopefully produce a clutch. At this time, prospective candidates are brought before the gold wher for approval. If she deems them unworthy, they will not be allowed to have one of her eggs.
In most cases, many of her eggs are duds, however the gold will allow the candidates she selects to choose whichever egg they want. The prospective wherhandlers will care for the eggs under the watchful eye of the Master Wherhandler. Like firelizard eggs, they need to be kept warm in order for the wher inside to grow. Those with eggs are instructed to carry around meat with them at all times, and will be called from their duties the moment the eggs begin to rock. If the hatchling is able to break free of the shell and eat, then the handler is instructed to blood bond with the wher. In the case that the candidate does not wish a more intimate connection with the wher, then they will be expect to be training a guard wher (see below for more details).
If, for some reason, the hatchling is weak and cannot eat, or cannot hatch itself out of the egg it is left to die. Even if a handler broke the egg for its hatchling and tried to feed it (and didn't get caught doing so) weak whers will die within the first few weeks of their life. Any handler caught trying to crack out a hatchling is cast out from the group, and the gold wher will kill the hatchling. Dud eggs are also disposed of. In the event that the Hold only requires x number of whers and the gold clutches more than that, only that number of eggs will be allowed to hatch. The others will be killed. Eggs do not have to be obtained from a gold wher, however. They can be bought (for a very high price) and raised outside the main Wherhandler group. The origin of these eggs can be rather dubious, so buy with caution.
Baby whers are a handful, worse than both flits and dragons because of their size and temperament. They're smaller than dragons, but this means they can get into more trouble when it comes to venturing into smaller places. They're more aggressive than both them and flits, so keeping them under control takes more effort. Though they are capable of eating raw meat, they are often fed blood porridge to ensure that they don't choke. Whers have a tendency to not only wolf down their food but also to be very protective of it. It is important to ensure that the young wher will allow humans near it while eating. Some whers, however, are so territorial that they must be separated from other whers while eating. So long as the wher is not dangerous to humans, mild aggression is tolerable. Young whers also teethe, and it is important to make sure they do not damage Hold property. Handlers are expected to keep their bonded under control and teach them the ins and outs of Hold life. If a wher is found to be too savage or a handler lets his or her wher become too out of control, the wher is killed.
Even at a young age, whers are expected to learn by example, and often shadow older whers at work. They learn to differentiate between smells (both people and chemical), as well as what to do if faced with a certain situation. The Master Wherhandler will run "simulations" of different events (i.e. an intruder in the Hold, a trapped miner, a gas pocket) to test both the reaction of the wher and the handler. Handlers will also make their own carrying bags and straps for their whers, and some may add a small section to allow for a rider.
Whers can fly as early as five months, however since flying is not an essential skill, it is generally not taught as well as in dragon lessons. They tend to mostly travel on the ground, and are ride-able once they've reached their full size. Unlike dragons, they do not need to be taught to go between, nor can they be taught, since whers and humans do not use the same kind of vision. From the moment they are bonded they can speak telepathically to their handlers. Deeper bonds allow for better flow between the minds, and thus blood bonded whers communicate better than those which are only bonded by food. Whers cannot communicate telepathically with any human other than their handler. They can, however, talk to dragons and flits.
Both whers and their handlers live in deep caves, with tunnels leading into the mines. Whers only leave their caves at dusk when the light is dim enough.
Wher Jobs
When a wher has reached its full size and maturity, it is put to work in a formal "job." A wher and their handler may be assigned three "day time" shifts a week and three "night time" shifts. Day time shifts would be working the mines, while night time shifts would be performing search and Rescue or on guard duty. One day a week is allotted to a wher for hunting and rest.
i) Guard Duty
- Whers on guard duty are expected to occupy the wher caves set out for them on the outskirts of the Hold. High Telgar Hold has four wher caves: one to the north, south, east, and west. Blood bonded whers travel to the caves with their handlers and spend the night there. Those whers which are not blood bonded are chained to the caves. Whers will sound the alarm if they believe there are intruders.
- All whers, no matter where they are or what time it is, are expected to call if they sense dragons to alert the Holders of their arrival
ii) Mining Aid
- Only blood bonded whers
- They are required to watch for dangerous gases, heat levels, pressure pockets, and anything that would cause the miners trouble if they were to hit it by accident. Mine whers also help shift rock and carry necessary tools deep down into the mines. When not actively on duty, mine whers will frequently hunt tunnel snakes for both sport and to keep their handlers safe. Mine troubles are the most common killers of young whers (and often their handlers as well).
iii) Search and Rescue
- Only blood bonded whers
- The Search and Rescue team assist in finding trapped miners as well as finding any creature that has strayed far from the Hold. Due to the rugged landscape, the survival rate outside of the hold is extremely low. Whers and their handlers are frequently sent to retrieve parties of Holders who are trapped under the snow because of their ability to see heat signatures. Their excellent sense of smell also allows them to successfully track down missing animals.
- S&R whers may also go out and escort trade caravans to the Hold if they are travelling at night.
Wherhandler Rules
- Do not touch another handler's wher unless given express permission. Whers do not have the same dislike of harming humans as their dragon cousins. They will take off your hand if they feel threatened.
- Do not speak ill of another handler's wher.
- Respect one another and respect each other's space/privacy.
- Your wher is a reflection of your self discipline and self respect. Whers which are not properly handled are a danger to everyone.
- Never risk your life or your wher's life unnecessarily. Whers will readily die for their handlers and this is not to be taken advantage of.
Changing Ranks
Unlike most crafts where apprentices must pass oral and written exams, wherhandlers deal with rank changes a little differently. Any apprentice who has successfully raised a wher for a minimum of five turns may be selected as a potential candidate by an existing journeyman/woman. Once this apprentice is brought to the attention of the other journeymen/women, they and the Master Wherhandler will take a vote to see if they believe the apprentice deserves a promotion, so to speak. If the majority agrees, then the apprentice becomes a journeyman/woman. The change is rank very little, really. Journeyman/woman handlers are expected to mentor younger handlers as well as keep an eye out for wher eggs circulating in the Hold. A Sr. Journeyman may also be in charge of an S&R party.
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