Approved by Con
(I’ve taken a few liberties with the setting she was in, let me know if you want any of that stuff changed. Left Weyrmistress/master open, since wasn’t sure what you wanted her predecessor to have been.)
Name: Nersha
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Rank: Goldrider
Appearance: Nersha is probably not what people expect the rider of Sereth to look like. Over time how meek she looks has probably been glossed over. Very petite in build Nersha at least manages to escape being short by standing a comfortable 5’6 and by the skin of her teeth evade being referred to as ‘childlike’ or ‘boyish’. The woman looks as though she may have never quiet managed to struggle out of her gangly teen turns however, having rather long and thin limbs, making her look a little stretched out and thinner she really is. Liking things simple Nersha tries to avoid frills and patterns to the best of her ability. A simple, plain, skirt and blouse will suffice, thank you. There’s already enough to do, she doesn’t want to be spending candlemarks getting her clothes on.
Her face is narrow, with a long nose and pointed jaw line. Nersha has a sort of wide-eyed look to her, meaning her resting face often has her looking concerned or outright startled. The woman is often asked what she’s worried about or what’s gone wrong when she’s happened to stare off into space. Her eyes themselves are a rich, dark, brown. Surrounding her face are long blond locks that, much to the woman’s relief, do not take too much effort to tame. Usually the thick length is secured at the nape of her neck either in a braid or tied by a simple band. Nersha will do more with her hair should the occasion call for it, but elaborate isn’t something she naturally strives for.
Personality: If there was ever someone you wanted nearby when trying to accomplish something, it’s Nersha. Bordering on desperate to be liked this woman will frequently give more than she should to help others achieve their goals. Nersha will even change herself if she thinks it’ll help. Being liked by many for who she seems to be being preferable than being liked by few for who she is. Nersha wants everyone happy as often as possible and often juggles things to try and make that happen. She knows that you really can’t make everyone happy all of the time, so often will weigh her choice so that she can make the majority happy overall. She is in fact so eager to please other people and gain their approval that Nersha will more often than she should sacrifice her own happiness to accomplish it. There is a strong drive in Nersha to provide, protect and support and during her time as Weyrmistress this swung out to include everyone in the Weyr.
This can lead Nersha to be worryingly easy to take advantage of. While looking for respect and approval she can be swayed into making decisions and taking paths she usually wouldn’t. Although she can make it look like she knows what she is doing, in the early stages of a choice Nersha can be swayed if made to believe that this new choice will make people happier or benefit them more overall. As Nersha has gotten older she has gotten better at recognising when someone is trying to manipulate her, people try often enough, but she is not always on the look-out for it and if she’s not handling a large decision a slight remark can still be slipped in her ear and take root.
Overall Nersha has the best intentions at heart, but worries too much about others opinions and doesn’t always trust her own judgement. Although she can lead, more through practice than natural flair, she’s more comfortable not being the one in charge of an entire population. A small, close, team, now that she could do, but once scores of people start throwing their two marks in doubt shows up. Even when it comes to her own appearance and personal actions Nersha listens too much. Someone, off-handed, makes a comment and Nersha will pour over it until she finds a solution. Even if it does mean never wearing that blouse that she liked again because someone said it was too revealing. Constantly checking her appearance Nersha strives to keep herself at her best as often as possible.
Despite her tendency to doubt herself, once Nersha is set on a task and decided there is no swaying from it. Once her teeth are into it she is not letting go come between or high water. Her determination will not let Nersha abandon a course of action once she’s started it, the fear of failing is too high. It might take longer than they planned and maybe some details will have to be tweaked, but they will get it done. This determination can sometimes walk right on into stubborn territory, with Nersha refusing to give in long past when she should have. The idea will have to be wrenched from her or the failure completely undeniable before she has to face up to it. When this happens Nersha will comb over every single detail to find her mistake. It’s only then that she can learn and move forward. Her failures will often make Nersha sad for a while, the length of time directly proportional to how catastrophic it was.
Being Weyrmistress Nersha didn’t have a great deal of time for personal friendships outside the people she worked with and Sereth. When however she did manage to make a real friend the woman would place great value on them, always striving to make them happy. Fortunately these individuals usually weren’t the sort to take advantage and so Nersha could relax a considerable amount, as long as they didn’t ask what she wanted to do. There’s a strong sense of loyalty and duty to those that have stood by her and the defence of her friends is one of the rare times where ‘meek’ could not be used to describe the woman. She will do anything for those she owes loyalty to and can reach inside and find a strong, steel, part of her when the time comes. Although Nersha is strongly of the opinion that this part of her is probably more Sereth than herself.
History: Born to a rider and a Journeywoman who really didn’t want to raise a child at that time, Nersha was placed into the crèche long before she can remember. Despite this being the norm and the majority of the rest of the Weyr’s children growing up in the same situation, Nersha had trouble accepting it. Throughout her childhood Nersha constantly tried to impress her natural parents in some hope that eventually the pair would decide that she was good enough and they would look after her. Of the two her mother was better at acknowledging her attempts, humouring her at least. Her father was Weyrborn and had other children in the crèche and so really found Nersha’s behaviour more odd than anything else. Getting a more positive response from her mother Nersha became a healer apprentice at the first opportunity. Joining the craft gave her more excuse to be around the woman and although their relationship was far from a parent-child one they were at least on pleasant terms and Nelanna could appreciate the young teens help and progression in their craft.
When Nersha was seventeen her mother left the Weyr in an attempt to gain a Mastery. It would be difficult and take several turns from what Nersha gathered. Still she could continue to study and hopefully by the time her mother returned she would be a journeywoman herself. It was simply by a slip up by another healer that Nersha discovered her mother was never planning on coming back. That may have been the driving force of Nersha choosing to stand when a gold egg was laid. With her mother gone her father was really her only chance and maybe if nothing else had gained his approval then being a gold rider would. Weyrmistress was the highest rank that Nersha could conceive of, how couldn’t she be accepted if that was the case?
Nersha was more doubtful by the time the hatching rolled around however. There were many other girls and young women stood in the circle around the gold egg and something told her nobody was going to be putting their marks on the gold hatchling picking out the gangly weyrbrat. The weyrbrats seemed more to make up the numbers than anything. The gold egg seemed to take it’s time hatching, dragons of other colours even coming over and claiming female candidates. Nersha didn’t envy them that, she’d heard of women on dragons being outright forced to transfer to other Weyrs. When the egg finally did hatch the gold wasted no time at all, working her way around the circle and shoving each candidate out of her way as she went. Finally reaching Nersha the hatchling loudly announced her name as Sereth and demanded to be fed immediately.
For the first few months everything was rather relaxed, Nersha didn’t have to learn to fight or anything and the main focus seemed to be sure that Sereth was as healthy and content as she could be. Even when Nersha was expected to learn things pertaining to her new role it wasn’t difficult so much as it was tedious. Constantly repeating the names of other Weyrleaders and the families of note. Being sure she knows who everyone is, where she stands in regards to them, what they do, where they do it and how to behave in most situations. The importance of hammering in that she was now a representative of Benden and all her actions would reflect back onto the Weyr didn’t do much to help the teen who was already rather concerned about how people saw her. With Sereth now by her side though the young woman did have an added boost of confidence, at least when the dragon was awake. Her father also now seemed to acknowledge her, although it seemed he was more interested in people knowing that someone from his family line had impressed a gold than actually forming a relationship with the girl.
The coming nine turns allowed Nersha and Sereth to settle into a comfortable niche. As a junior goldrider Nersha’s main job was to assist the duties of the Weyrmaster/mistress and with the other goldriders this didn’t exactly leave her run ragged. Not being the most experienced meant that she was usually given the more intermediate tasks such as making sure inventories were up to date and giving the odd instruction to younger gold riders when they arose. One of Nersha’s primary responsibilities was being sure the infirmary run smoothly, checking in with the Weyrhealer to be sure they had everything they needed and that there weren’t any problems. It was a peaceful life and Nersha was most content. Sereth for the most part enjoyed her ability to lounge and have no real expectations on her other than to rise and clutch well, which of course she always did. Nersha did however often have to listen to the gold comment on how really she should be the senior gold, after all she was the best.
It all went off course however when the Weyrmistress/master passed away from an illness. The previous leader had been elderly, but not the type to relinquish their position. As such there was no clear idea who would be the successor. Sereth was immediately intent that it would be her, desperate to rise first. A tense month went by with no gold rising before Sereth eventually got her wish and took to the sky, cementing herself as the senior gold of Benden Weyr. The dragon was ecstatic, her rider was not as enthused. She couldn’t run a Weyr. Someone had always been there to guide her, how was she going to make the important decisions that the Weyrmistress had to make on her own? Nersha tried her best, luckily a large part of her job was making sure things remained the same and that she could do. However when new choices had to be made the twenty-six turn old would often get flustered by the varying opinions around her, not sure who to believe. Sereth was of no help, basking in her newfound top of the heap status. She was of the opinion that Nersha could make whatever decision she liked and that the others would just have to accept it because she was Weyrmistress and that was that.
A bronzerider named N’kai came to the struggling woman’s aid. Outside his own duties he began to assist Nersha as much as possible. Being a fair twenty turns her senior he had more experience in how the Weyr ran and, although he couldn’t help with everything, he would often step in when Nersha was becoming to flustered to lay everything out so she could see things more clearly. N’aki appeared to have the Weyr’s best interests at heart and rarely tried to force Nersha to change her opinions, only make sure she was as informed as he could make her. When Sereth rose a second time Nersha worked to convince her that N’kai’s bronze was the best choice. Sereth really only needed convincing that Fuvarith was the strongest and Nersha could convince her of that.
The pair worked well together over the coming turns. As time rolled by Nersha gained more confidence and became more comfort in her role, gradually seeking N’kai’s confirmation of her decisions less and less. N’kai ran the wings efficiently and when the time came to two organised the best ways to arrange for the coming danger. Organising wing training and making sure they would be able to handle the dramatic increase of hatchlings they were likely to have. During their time as a pair Nersha had found herself growing fonder of N’kai. This was a new experience for her as Nersha’s affections previously had been held almost exclusively for women. Timid at first Nersha eventually found the courage to approach the man about her feelings. Only to discover that N’kai did not see her that way, not even slightly. Still he was gentle with the subject and the two managed to remain friends after Nersha’s rejection, though it did nothing to actually get rid of her feelings.
They were prepared, at least as prepared as they could be. Thread would come and they would rise to meet it. Only it didn’t. Their menace did not fall from the skies and the longer those skies remained clear the more restless the Holders became. They had supplied the Weyr through the interval so they would protect them, now that protection was not needed. Why should they support a Weyr they have no use for? Conflict grew, the Lord’s demanding dragon riders take on extra tasks and that they restrict their golds from rising. After lengthy discussions with N’kai and the other ranking members of the Weyr Nersha calls a meeting of the Lord’s and the Weyr’s leaders. They would talk it out. N’kai is sceptical, but Nersha is confident that if they all come together they can reach a compromise together.
That, however, would not be the case. Everyone arrived and at first all was well, no fights broke out and people seemed willing to be civilised about it. Or they were simply biding their time. The attack came at breakfast, the riders unsuspecting and unarmed. Nersha’s brain had scrambled to comprehend what it was seeing and it was only when the first keen ripped through the Weyr that she realised the traitors she had brought into her home. The riders, unarmed and untrained, fought well. Nersha gathered any she could, it didn’t matter who they were, what colour they rode if any, and these murderers were intent on getting any Weyrfolk their swords could reach. Sereth called the dragons together, trying to control those that panicked with their riders in danger. They were to flee, grab any human they could and escape. This was not a fight they could win. As dragons blinked out of existence around her the gold had felt an intense pain, only to find herself uninjured.
It was Nersha, a sword, aimed for her and knocked aside by a rider, had dragged its way down her side. Still the woman struggled to get her people to safety. She was small, not a fighter by any means and up to now dodging and blocking with tables and chairs to aid her comrades’ escape had been her best bet. With her injury however her ability to move was hindered. Still, she needed to be here. She had to get everyone to safety. Everyone she could. Sereth’s roar was deafening as Nersha, during her angry refusal to leave, was struck and forcibly removed from the danger. The First Wingleader received a cripplingly foul look as he ran to Sereth and handed her rider over, but Sereth was not the type to hang around and keep Nersha in danger just to scold the rider. The dragon fled, taking her kin with her and jumped between.
Now the two have woken. Far from home and many of those they knew. Unsure where they will fit in this new world with its giant dragons and strange ways. Will they return to Benden? Or find a new life for themselves elsewhere?
Name: Sereth
Age: 19
Colour: Gold
Appearance: Golds: 32' long, ~8' tall at the shoulder. Sereth must be between 30' and 34' long.
Sereth was big for her time. To go with her large and in charge attitude, naturally. True she was by no means the largest gold on Pern at the time, but she could potentially have made the list. Sereth is built for long flight, with large wings and powerful muscles to move them. For the most part her muscle is held in her chest, leaving her with thinner proportions elsewhere on her body, such as her back legs, hips, tail and neck.
(Markings and such to be added)
http://resources1.news.com.au/images/2013/03/14/1226597/277477-four-winged-bird.jpg
Personality: Sereth does not do mixed emotions. She feels one thing at a time and she feels it intensely. Sereth is not angry, she is furious. She is not sad, she is distraught. This dragon is terribly dramatic, no emotion is ever left unexpressed and you don’t need her eyes to know what she’s feeling. Tantrums are not unknown to her and are never more common than when she can’t have her way. Sereth gets what Sereth wants and woe betide the one who stands in her way. She will go to most lengths to attain the things she wants, but much prefers the route of being overly vocal until someone gives it to her.
This dragon has always loved being the focus. She wants to be on top of the heap so everyone has to look up to her. It’s nice to have things just for the sake of having them. Sereth’s want to be in charge doesn’t stem from wanting to be in control, she just wants everyone to know she’s the best. When it comes to what people are actually doing she doesn’t care all that much. Are you causing her a problem? No? Well carry on then. If you aren’t challenging her and she doesn’t have to deal with the aftermath of your actions then go right ahead. Still she definitely wants attention from you. Sereth needs someone to be doting on her most every waking moment and praising the gold is second-nature to Nersha by now, but hearing it from others is always lovely. Ignoring Sereth is never wise, she’ll just get louder and more dramatic until you listen to her.
Somewhat in line with the stereotype of metallics, Sereth is a prideful thing. Back in Benden she was the biggest dragon around and she loved it. Naturally she is smarter, stronger, better looking, and just flat out better than any dragon out there. Luckily she doesn’t always have to rub it in people’s faces. Not always. Even in this new world of giant dragons she is the best. Let’s see another gold match her for speed. No matter the circumstance, Sereth will find a way to spin it so she is the best. Competition isn’t handled very well. If she can beat it, that’s fine, but the dragon can often get envious of others. How dare that green have so many bronzes chase her! That gold’s clutch is far too big! How come that brown gets a bigger herdbeast than she does?! Sereth will seethe away in this situations until either justice is done or she forgets why she was angry. Of course she can’t outright challenge them that would make her look foolish.
At times Sereth and be awkwardly contrary. She does what she wants when she wants, that’s that. With a stubborn streak a mile wide this dragon will sometimes decide to do the opposite of what people ask simply because they asked her to do it. How dare they presume to expect anything of her? Okay, so, yes, maybe she didn’t want to go to the lake for a swim, but they wanted to go flying so naturally she has to do something different.
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