Although the Weyr's wings have been leaderless for many months since the Rather Unfortunate incident with T'gall, that is soon to be no more. After Evmeth's flight (even if the flight itself may be a little controversial...) and her ascension as the new Weyrmistress, a new election is to be held, replacing the council of Wingleaders which has been running the Weyr.
[ What does a Weyrleader do? ]
The top of the pecking order for the Weyr's external dealing including Wing operations, combating the Thread, and diplomatic matters. They are selected by a political campaign which is run every time the Senior Gold rises. Winning this flight will give a huge boost to any campaign, as will being a man and being a bronze rider. Weyrleaders must be at least 35 turns of age.
Their rights include:
- The right to the Weyrleader's quarters, some of the finest in the Weyr. - The right to dine at the High Table. - Attending social events as a guest of honour. - The right to send anyone other than the Headwoman or Weyrmistress off on errands. (Abusing this won't make you popular though). - The right to select Wingleaders, and to demote wingleaders who they don't feel are performing well enough. - The right to demote the Huntsman if he is not performing well enough. - The right to enter a vote of no confidence in the Headwoman.
Their responsibilities include:
- Ensuring all wings are performing well. - Deciding which wings will fly Thread, and in what positions. - Maintaining good relations with the Holds. - Ensuring tithes arrive safely. - Attending social events.
[ How are they elected? ]
The Weyrleader is elected after every Queen flight: their dragon may be of any colour and they may be of any gender, but it is far easier for a male bronzerider to be elected then anyone else in High Reaches Weyr. The winner of the senior gold flight is usually elected, as this competitive and vicious event usually leaves the best rider standing. The minimum age to stand for Weyrleader in High Reaches is 35, so if a young rider wins the flight then the post is left far more open. Everyone who resides in the bounds of High Reaches Weyr and is more then sixteen turns old may vote - even drudges - and so campaigns are often vicious and hard-fought.
Dragonbraved Captain
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Dragonbraved Captain
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Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 1:48 pm
[ Weyrleader Elections Turn Four - OOC]
We're looking for a new rider to become Weyrleader, either an established one or one created solely for the role. Pre-approved characters are any existing dragonriding character aged thirty five or more. Unapproved are newly created riders, aged over thirty five, who serve in High Reaches Weyr. If you win Weyrleader, you must go through standard approval, and we will also raffle some slots for unsuccessful campaigners.
All player characters over the age of sixteen who live inside High Reaches Weyr will have an anonymous vote sent to the mule, with an attached IC reason for voting, which will be subsequently published unattached to their name.
[ Prompts ]
Politicking
You are attending the wedding of the wedding of a High Reaches Holder to a daughter of the Lord Holder. There has been some political tension, and the man to your left at the feast has been insulting you - with increasingly less subtlety - for the whole of the meal. Finally, he outright challenges you to a duel, on some flimsy pretext (or not, depending on your character...). How do you deal with this?
Tithes
Redriver Hold has not been sending its tithes on time, or in the quantities or quality required of them. They beg poverty as the cause, but you learn from a friend that they have in fact had an exceptionally good harvest and have been trading freely. How do you deal with this? Do you do anything?
Wingleaders
One of your Wingleaders has not been performing to scratch. Injuries are up in their wing, and more thread seems to be getting through. How do you deal with them? Can you give them a second chance - or even time to explain themselves - when lives and the safety of Pern are at stake?
[b]Name:[/b] [b]Age:[/b] [b]Colour:[/b] [b]Feel of voice:[/b] [b]Appearance:[/b]
[b]Personality:[/b]
[b]Other:[/b]
[b]Campaign Material:[/b] This might be a speech, posters, slogans, or anything else your character and his or her team come up with.
[b]Prompt:[/b]
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 2:06 pm
[ Rules ]
- This is for fun. If you're not having fun, take a step back, think about it, move on. - We will crack down very harshly on any OOC attempt to vote-rig or otherwise monkey about. IC, that stuff is golden! OOC, not much fun. - Don't whine please - All usual shop rules and policies apply, including those pertaining to activity for important characters. - Post entries in this thread - After the event ends the winner may have to go through the normal approval process if they are a new character. - You may enter as many times as you like. - For a new character, you do not have to fill out a full profile, bullet points are okay, but we will need a full profile for approval. - this contest will run for two weeks, until the fourteenth of december at midnight GMT. You may edit your entry at any point up to this time, but afterwards the thread will be locked.
Dragonbraved Captain
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Mriae
Devoted Cleric
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Posted: Tue Dec 09, 2014 2:36 am
Username: Mriae
Rider Character Name: Til’lene (pronounced til-leh-nay) Age: 38 Gender: Female Rank: Wingrider for Third Wing One
Appearance: [Work Attire] [Formal Attire]
Til’lene stands out from the majority of the Pernese people in terms of looks. Her skin is a pale cream, kept in such a way with the help of lotion and protective clothing to keep from burning in the sun. She is taller than most, standing at around 5’9” in height, with a slender stomach and small hands and feet. Womanly curves are evident from her bosom and hourglass figure, some of the few gifts given to her from her mother. The other gift from her mother is the rider’s vivid ivy-colored eyes, which is one of Til’lene’s favorite things about herself. Another pride of hers is her long, flowing hair that is the color of corn. The moment she completed her Weyrlinghood, the woman made it a point to not only grow her hair out as long as possible, but to take care of it as much as she could.
While she is working, Til’lene wears her hair up in a number of coiled braids, so that it doesn’t get in the way. It is only for formal events or off days that she allows her hair to cascade down, unadorned, which is how she prefers it. In terms of attire, the dragonrider wears a tight, single-strap tunic clung to her body with a functional bodice, simple pants and brown boots for when she’s working. Her formal wear consists of an elegant dress that is pine green in color, adorned with a leaf pattern on the bodice, a black ribbon at her waist, and a slit up the right s ide. So as to not be too immodest, Til’lene wears formal black boots and black stockings to cover any skin that may be seen through the slit. Her dress is complemented with a gold pendant adorned with a beautiful garnet. This necklace was a gift from Restan, her ex-husband, for their first anniversary together.
Til’lene is a people person; always has been, always will be. She has an easy time making friends, enjoys talking with people, and seems to get along with just about anyone. She seems to know just what to say to get people motivated, or just what they need. There is an aura about her that just draws people to look or to pay attention to her, and she does her best to not abuse such a gift that she has been given.
When it comes to traditions and the way things have been for the dragonriders, Til’lene is certainly more forward-thinking and progressive. Women, she feels, should have an equal opportunity as men in any field or position that they seek. They shouldn’t be looked down or considered weak when they can do just as much (if not more, what with being able to carry and deliver children). Yet her ideals don’t just involve the glass-ceiling women have to struggle with: she’s also feels that the colorism with dragons need to go away as well. A person with a green or a blue can be just as important as someone with a bronze or a gold. Having a metallic dragon doesn’t automatically make one a good leader or an upstanding citizen, nor should they have preferential treatment because of it. She wants to see riders with dragons of all colors in positions of power and influence, as she feels it is then that change can truly be made.
Knowledge and learning have always been one of the highest pursuits for Til’lene. During her youth, she would read as much as she could get her hands on, covering a wide variety of subjects. Her biggest interests, however, seemed to cover the topics of the military, history & politics, and the beloved dragons they formed their bonds with. Throughout her candidacy, it was not unheard of for the young girl to fall asleep with a book on such a subject under her head or in her hand. To this very day, Til’lene continues to read and study these subjects, as she feels one never really stops learning. There’s always more knowledge to gain. Due to her love of these studies, the dragonrider is quite a good military tactician, as well as an insightful political candidate and dragonrider. She certainly does her best to put all her interests to good use in a meaningful manner.
Til’lene has always taken the things that she does very seriously, be it her job, training, or even her passions. With her job, especially, though, she has little time for goofing off or cracking jokes. There are murderers out there who need to be caught, bandits that need to be dealt with, and people that need help. The dragonrider holds a position in Third Wing One, and she enjoys her job immensely. If people aren’t pulling their weight, she has no problem telling them off or raising her voice to get them to get the job done. This can come off as a bit abrasive to people, but she feels it’s not something she can compromise. As a hopeful candidate for Weyrleader, she feels that the head of a military needs to run a tight ship.
Sloppiness or laziness just won’t do as far as Til’lene is concerned. The wingrider has always been a bit of a perfectionist. Having said that – it should be noted that this is more directed toward herself, personally, as opposed to others. She always has held herself to extremely high standards, and still continues to do so even today. She keeps her quarters spotless, she is always cleaned and well-groomed, and she even takes extra care to make sure her dragon is well taken care of, too. If there is any sort of imperfection or weakness that she sees in herself, Til’lene not only becomes highly critical, but also considerably anxious and worried. Even the littlest of mistakes make her worry that others out there will doubt what she’s capable of, and that is the last thing she wants. If elected as Weyrleader, this sense of perfectionism might play out in a different way. While she generally only directs it toward herself, she will hold the various wingleaders accountable for keeping their wings and underlings in line and in top condition. The same goes for candidatemasters, weyrlingmasters, and the like. If a wing or group does not mesh well cohesively, she would be unafraid to bring this to the attention of the leader of the respective group, and hold them personally accountable for not doing a better job.
It is often said that Til’lene is as proud as a dragon. This pride, however, can often be a negative thing, rather than positive. She does not like to admit when she is wrong, and would rather stand in-tight lipped silence than recant such things. She also does not like to ask for help too often, seeing such things as a weakness on her part if she has to do so. Whatever she needs to do, she should be able to do it and take care of it herself. She shouldn’t have to rely on others to do things for her. This pride will most likely be tested, should she win the election. She’ll be put in a position where she’ll be forced to rely on others for help, but she is determined to not let this flaw of hers get the better of her.
History:
Til’lene has had what most would say has been an eventful life.
Born into a fishing family in Tillek Hold, she was given the name Tillene (pronounced til-leen). Her father, Jorvin, was a fisherman by trade, while her mother, Laia, helped by mending the nets and cleaning the fish upon return and so forth. Their family would have been a lot bigger, boasting at least four or five children, had it not been for the multiple stillbirths or miscarriages Laia experienced throughout her pregnancies. The family was hit with another blow when Tillene, herself, was born. The birthing process was so hard on Laia that she ended up passing away, leaving Jorvin to take care of their only child.
Despite being a single parent, Jorvin was determined to give his daughter the best life that he possibly could. He took his little girl out on the boats fishing with him, much to the protests of the other sailors about having a female on board. He didn’t seem to care what the others thought, though. It was important to him that Tillene learn and see how he worked. Over time, the disdain of the other sailors seemed to fade when the little girl would accompany them on board. She had warmed her way into their hearts and became a good luck charm of sorts for them. Fishing wasn’t a high paying or glamorous way to make a living, but the two of them had a roof over their head, food on the table, a place to sleep, and each other, so what more could they ask for?
At the age of twelve, Tillene had already accepted the fact that she would probably take up the family business and just be a fisherwoman. She loved being out in the water, catching fish was fun, and frankly it was all she knew. Yet all of those thoughts would be turned upside down the moment a blue searchdragon swooped down from the skies. She had been chosen, it would seem, as a person eligible to stand for a dragon one day. Jorvin was, at first, hesitant to let his daughter go. She was all he had, after all, and he would miss her. Yet after some prodding from the searchrider, he determined the opportunity would be too big to let slip away, much like the fish he so prized. It was decided that his little girl would go with the searchrider and join the ranks of the other Candidates at the High Reaches Weyr.
The initial candidacy training that she went through was a bit bumpy for the young girl. The physical rigor of the training seemed to take a lot out of her during the day, leaving the youth winded and sore by bedtime. She struggled, initially, only ever managing to be sub-par at any of the physical aspects. This made Tillene determined to do better, even if she wasn’t the best at the combat and self-defense training to come. Where she did shine, though, were the literacy and group sessions. Thanks to her father’s tutelage, Tillene came into her Candidacy with a basic knowledge of her letters. It was only during her training, however, that she really found her passion for reading and learning. She drank up every bit of information she could, knowing fully well it would come in handy to her later in life.
Despite not being so good at the more physical aspects of training, Tillene managed to do well enough in the eyes of her superiors to move on to becoming a squire. The rider she would squire under was a man named V’igmar, a blue rider in Third Wing Two. What people thought would be a good pairing for the two of them unfortunately turned out to be anything but. The dragonrider, in his mid-thirties when he took on the thirteen-year-old, found the young girl’s views to be “too idealistic”, as he put it. Tillene, on the other hand, found her dragonrider to be too sexist and traditional when it came to the roles of women. Eventually, the two of them decided it was just easier to be civil with one another, rather than to air their views out in the open to each other. Though, sometimes, when V’igmar got particularly annoyed or upset with his squire, it wouldn’t be unheard of for him to say that she would only amount to grunt work, should she ever impress a dragon.
Tillene’s chance to be free of V’igmar came when she turned fourteen. It was then that she was determined to be old enough to stand on the sands, and she couldn't have been more thrilled. The day of her Impression was an interesting one. Once her brown dragon, Pelgalath, had hatched from his egg, he practically bowled over any other candidate that stood in his way. Once he was at her side, he then would predatorily growl at any other girl or boy who even got close to her. Till knew from then on that she and Pelgalath were meant to be together. It was destined!
Weyrlinghood went as normal for both Tillene and Pelgalath. It provided the duo a much needed time to learn and get to know each other, which it is safe to say that the two of them thoroughly enjoyed. Watching Pelgalath take his first flight was the most memorable thing for Tillene during this time. The larger-than-average brown was initially hesitant to fly, and almost had to get shoved off the edge in order to go. It was a bit of a clunk start, but eventually he got the hang of it. Due to his size, however, Pelgalath knew he would never be the swiftest or most graceful flier, but this didn’t seem to bother him. Slow and steady won the race, after all!
Upon graduation from weyrlinghood, the young woman elided her name to Til’lene and joined the ranks of Third Wing One. It was in her newly appointed wing that Til’lene and Pelgalath really came into their own as rider and dragon. They took the to job without much difficulty, but not only that; they enjoyed it as well. The Third Wing seemed to be a good fit for the two of them, and it was nice to finally be done with all of their training.
It was around the age of twenty that Til’lene met and fell in love with a young man named Restan. Restan was a journeyman, hoping to become a glassmith for the Weyr once he was further in his training. The two seemed to hit it off right away, and not long after the two met, they became Weyrmates in a marriage ceremony. Although a dragonrider, Restan was not put off by Til’lene’s dangerous position. On the contrary, he seemed quite proud of her, although during particularly bad threadfalls and events, he could not help but be worried from time to time. Yet he knew that, in the end, she’d come out okay. She always did.
Things did not come out okay for the couple, however, when they tried to have a family. Like her mother before her, Til’lene was plagued with multiple miscarriages. This left the couple distraught and fearful that they would never have a baby. So it came as quite a surprise to the two of them when Til’lene actually managed to conceive and bring the baby to a full-term. This happiness, however, was extremely brief. When the little girl she gave birth to came out into the world, she was already gone. She never even took her first breath. It was this event that seemed to be the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Til’lene and Restan’s marriage was no longer the same after that. After the stillbirth of her daughter, the dragonrider threw herself into her work and became increasingly distant. Her husband, too, did the same. Over time, the two of them grew so far apart, that they had to make a tough decision: the two of them would get a divorce. Luckily for the former couple, there was no bad blood between the two of them. The decision they made was a mutual one, and despite splitting up, they still remained casual friends with one another, though no more than that. Til’lene was just a mere 27 when her marriage ended.
One year later, one of Til’lene’s bonds again would be tested: this time, her relationship with Pelgarath. The Great Dragon Plague had reared its ugly head and attacked with a vengeance. Her beloved brown dragon was one of the many few to get sick during this time, and he became incapacitated as a result. Sick with a high fever and tormented by periods of coughing up blood, the dragonrider feared she might lose her best friend. But Pelgarath was determined not to let that happened. Miraculously, he survived, though the majority of his kind were not so lucky. It was as the same time as the Dragon Plague that a Civil War also broke out in Pern. Unfortunately, Til’lene was unable to help during this time, as her dragon was out of commission, what with being too sick to work.
Since the end of the Great Dragon Plague and the Civil War, life has been fairly quiet and uneventful for both the rider and her dragon. The two of them spent the rest of their years up to the present day just doing their job as a wingrider. Upon reaching her 38th turn, Til’lene has decided to try something new for a change: she is planning to run for the position of Weyrleader. Part of why she made this decision was do to the recent Flight of Malcarreth and Evmeth. Not only was the spectacle a sight to behold, but it was enough to change history and break from tradition. Whether or not she will win remains to be seen, but the wingrider is both eager and hopeful for the opportunity. Given all that the two of them have been through, campaigning for the position will be a nice change of pace.
Dragon Name: Pelgalath Age: 24 Colour: Brown Feel of voice: The sound of a tree falling in the forest, a strong gust of wind blowing against a window, the crash of waves on a rocky shore, the squeeze felt when given a hug by a burly man, and the noise of a poker rustling around ashes in a fire.
Appearance: Pelgalath was always a bit on the larger side, even for a dragon of his color. Heavily muscled, he is physically strong, though not so good when it comes to being quick or agile. He is a flier that is made for long distances as opposed to sprints, and his body is evidence of that. In terms of his coloration, Pelgalath is a rich burnt umber in terms of his outer scales. His underbelly and the leather his wings, however, are drastically different - a soft cream, speckled with dots of the same burnt umber as his scales. His eyes are a rich cobalt blue in color, which provide a nice contrast to the rest of his coloration.
From the moment he burst forth from his egg, Pelgalath has always been a protective dragon. He feels it’s his personal duty to take care of not only his rider, but anyone who may be in need. With Til’lene, though, he is especially careful, given all that she has been through. After the ordeal with her husband and their weyrmateship ending, he is particularly wary to leave her alone with men for extended periods of time. All in all, Til’lene can always count on her dragon to provide her with a watchful eye. He has always looked out for her best interest, and he always will.
If anyone has a wise piece of advice to offer, it is generally the brown dragon. Although he hasn’t spent hours and hours pouring over books like his rider, he has a lot of wisdom beyond his years to offer. Til’lene can always turn to him if she needs an opinion or just someone to bounce ideas off of. Pelgalath is also quite the down-to-earth dragon, providing his rider with a sensible or practical outlook on things that she may not think of herself.
Unfortunately, mainly due to his looks, Pelgalath can be seen as a bit intimidating. It’s not unheard of for Candidates to be wary around him, hesitant to approach for fear he might roar at them. Sometimes even Til’lene can be cautious around her dragon, as he can be quite imposing when he is angry or saddened by something. This flaw of his only seems to be magnified by his blunt, cutting words that he spouts from time to time. He is unafraid to say what is on his mind, and that can be off-putting as well.
Last but not least, Pelgalath is a bit of a meddlesome dragon. Since his hatching, he has always wanted to know the whos, whats, wheres, whens and whys. It can be a bit annoying to Til’lene, especially when she feels that is not their business to get involved. Other dragons can find this part of the brown’s nature tiresome as well. It’s not becoming to poke one’s snout where, frankly, it doesn’t belong. No one asked him, and if they did, that’d be a whole other story entirely.
Other: Due to his stature, Pelgalath can be a bit clumsy when it comes to both flying or moving around on the ground. He gets especially anxious when flying around a lot of other dragons, as he’s never been the best of fliers to begin with. He actually doesn’t mind spending time on the ground. In truth, he probably feels a little bit more comfortable there, though he’d never admit this to other dragons. Pelgalath would be considered an aromantic asexual. The brown has no interest in trying to mate or have any sort of romantic relationship with another dragon. He's perfectly keen on just living his life and doing his job.
Campaign Material:
History is being made. Take flight on the winds of change! Vote for Til’lene for Weyrleader!
Posters with these simple words are posted throughout the Weyr in strategic places for all to see. Other posters have been put up as well, these ones with a very nice picture of Til’lene and Pelgalath and the simple words “Til’lene for Weyrleader!” She has also taken the opportunity to distribute out ribbons and buttons of support to those who want or are willing to take them. There are also pamphlets floating about with their various ideals and promises, should Til’lene be accepted for the position. Inside, it reads:
A Portion of Til'lene's Campaign Pamphlet
Changes to Be Made
Equal opportunity for female & trans riders!
Half of Wingleaderships positions to be granted to women & trans riders.
Wingleadership or other leadership roles for blue, green, and brown riders!
Weekly meetings with Wingleaders to discuss the status of the Weyr as a whole, questions, concerns, military tactics & missions, or to shine light on helpful or hardworkers in their respective wings.
More flexible hair lengths for Weyrlings, and being able to grow hair out a little longer during Candidacy.
Visits to the Candidates & Weyrlings to check in and see how things are going, in which the Weyrleader will provide short one-on-one meetings to those who might need or want advice or someone to listen.
A drop box to anonymously slip in questions or concerns to the Weyrleader if not in a position of power or if desired to not express such views openly.
A monthly meeting for those interested in attending to address the things slipped into the drop box.
All of this, and more – don’t be afraid to ask or tell the the Weyrleader a suggestion!
Both the rider and her dragon decided as a pair that it was best to keep their material simple and to the point. Less is more, as Pelgalath always tells her.
Prompt:
Parties, and weddings, in particular, were always wonderful to attend. They were happy events that featured a blushing bride, a beaming groom, and tens of people just happy to be there and celebrate with the newly wedded couple. Everyone dressed in their finest clothes, and there was always ample food and drink to go around – some of the best that the attendees would probably eat all turn. Yes, the wedding of the Lord Holder’s daughter would have been just that, Til’lene decided, had it not been for the boorish man she had the misfortune of being stuck next to at dinner.
Ervald, as he was announced when they took their seats, was a man from Tillek Hold who seemed to have particular sway over back in the area of his homeland. He seemed to have arrived at the party with a chip on his shoulder, and it was clear that the whole wedding had made him not only tense, but annoyed. The Lord Holder’s daughter should have married someone from his hold, he explained to Til’lene, even though she had not asked for his opinion. Why would the Lord Holder dishonor the other holds by not branching out his family to other areas within his domain? Surely, he just wasn’t in his right mind to approve such a match.
Yet Ervald’s opinions did not just stop at the Lord Holder’s marriage decisions for his daughter. When he found out that no one was paying much attention to what he was saying about the Lord, he turned his attention to Til’lene herself, since she was within earshot of him. “I heard she’s the new leader of the Weyr…” the dragonrider heard Ervald say to the woman sitting to his left. This was news to the woman, apparently, because she let out a soft gasp and leaned back in an attempt to get a good look at the newly appointed official. Til’lene, meanwhile, was just staring down at her horderves, pretending to nibble at them while she eavesdropped.
“So..umm…Madame Til’lene, is it?”
Oh, great – here we go.
“Yes, good sir. How can I help you?”
“Is it true you’re the new leader of the Weyr?” After asking this, he stared at her for a good moment or two, but didn’t actually allow her to get a word in. “I heard that you have a bunch of changes that you want to make. More leadership roles for women, even higher positions for lower colored riders! All of this is certainly unheard of and a bit preposterous, mind you. How could you even suggest such things?” Til’lene was about to speak, her mouth opening to let out the words that were about to spill out of her mouth, in an attempt to cover up the man’s ignorance, but again he kept talking, not allowing her to speak.
“And what’s more – I heard you were married but divorced!” This came out with a particular emphasis on the word divorce, as if it were some horrible thing to be ashamed of, when he had no idea on the context of why the couple split in the first place. “I bet it was because you couldn’t bare children. Rumor has it you had a stillbirth. Is that tru---..”
It was at this point that Til’lene allowed herself to cut off Ervald for a change. “Listen,” she began, her tone dripping with both annoyance and anger, “you can insult me. You can insult my husband, and hell – I might even allow you to insult my dragon,” she went on to say, her eyes narrowing into an icy glare as she looked him dead in the eye, “but I will not allow you to insult my daughter. Watch your words, old man.” A woman’s child, even if the child never breathed life into her to begin with, was still her child. Those maternal instincts were still there, and they would probably never go away.
The old man seemed to be thrown for a loop when he heard the dragonrider say this to him. He sat there, mouth agape in disbelief, before finally collecting himself with a series of rather annoying coughs. “Well, well then – madame – I must say I question not only you, but your beliefs as a whole! There is only one way to settle this: I challenge you to a duel!” By this point, the entire wedding party and all the guests were now looking over in Til’lene’s direction. Oh, fabulous! Just what else she needed: more spectators.
Yet the old man’s words were laughable, at best. A duel? Seriously? This wasn’t the First Pass any longer. Arguments were not settled in such ways, any longer. Not wanting to draw anymore attention than Ervald already had, Til’lene just responded to the man in a calm, collected, and polite manner, “You forget your place, sir. We are at a wedding, which is not only no place for such things, but it would be extremely disrespectful to the Lord Holder and his family. I don’t want to offend them on a day that should be filled with much joy and happiness, as it is a glorious occasion.” It was after saying this that the rider politely allowed herself to stand, and glance over at both the Lord Holder and his newly married daughter. “My Lord Holder,” she said, addressing the Lord first, as was customary, “and ma’am: I’d like to thank you so very much for inviting me to the wedding. It truly was a lovely event, and I’m sorry if this incident took away from it in any way, shape, or form.” She then paused for a moment to catch her breath, but then decided to continue on with one more thing she had to say.
“If it pleases your daughter, I’d love to show her and her husband around the Weyr sometime, personally, to show my apologies for what has transpired. Myself or some of the other riders, too, would love to take you for a flight, as well, I’m sure.” At this suggestion, the bride seemed to perk right up, her eyes shining bright. “Ohhh, daddy,” she chimed, “that could be fun! I’ve never been to the Weyr.” The Lord Holder just chuckled and gave Til’lene a satisfied nod. “Very good, Til’lene. That sounds wonderful.” The dragonrider couldn't help but smile back fondly.
“Thank you, my Lord. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take my leave early. There has been enough drama on my account, and I’ve duties to attend to. Once again, ma’am, congratulations on your marriage.” And with that, Til’lene politely took her leave of the party. She was lucky that the Lord Holder and his family understood. Ervald had caused enough of a ruckus for them, so it was understandable she wanted to leave. As she made her way back to the Weyr, she could only hope that the rest of the event went without a hitch, as it truly was a day to be happy for. Next to having children or impressing a dragon, there was no better day in the world.
Posted: Sun Dec 14, 2014 9:25 pm
HUGE WIP but enough to enter...
Name: A'i Age: 52 Gender: Female Rank: Wingrider, 3-1 Appearance:
A'i was definitely a beauty in her day, but time, strain, and children have aged and weathered well like fine wine. Her face is harsh – boned and frames a pair of intense, piercing brown eyes. She stands statuesque and straight and – while not tall – projects an air of quiet, serious maturity. She dresses well for a dragonrider, not beyond her station but enough for others to take notice, and all of her posessions are, likewise, in good condition. Her thick greyed hair, while at a practical length, is done up in a meticulous way, out of her face but not haphazard. Basically, she dresses smartly and does her jobs with equal meticulousness.
Personality:
Good Cunning Confident Intelligent
Bad Cold Ruthless Favoring
Neutral Diplomatic Gentle Amused
DRAGON Name: Ulehurth Age: 36 Colour: Green Feel of voice: Her voice is definitely the same as Ai's own voice, but there is a harsh, untrusting nature to it that reminds one of the desert at noon... Appearance:
A dark, dull green dragon with bright highlights and otherwise unremarkable markings.
Personality:
Good Cunning Confident Intelligent
Bad Cold Ruthless Favoring
Neutral Diplomatic Stern Amused
Other: It is hard to tell where the dragon ends and the human begins. Their symbiosis is complete, their bond so close that they are almost literally of one mind and two heads. While they were always close, the dragonplague's ravages brought the pair ever closer.
While they are distinct people and possessed of two different bodies, the personality of one has – with increasing frequency – been exhibited in the other, and it is generally acknowledged that talking to one automatically is to the other as well, more so in a way than other dragonriders, and that they are incredibly in tune with each other.
To the point where they don't even need to speak to each other – their thoughts are aligned.
History:
Drudge -> rider -> adventures and stuff -> dragonplague -> some further stuff -> time riders -> Flight -> Decision to politic.
Campaign Material:
Poster: A'i standing, proudly, with Ulehurth. Ule has a broom in her mouth and A'i is holding a rag. “From rags to regard: A'i speaks for us working folk” Or a variation: “From drudge to dragonrider, A'i speaks for the common folk”
Poster: a sketch of A'i dealing with a murderer “She's handled killers, she can handle this.”
Poster: A'i talking with what is very clearly a Clay Woman “With the Sofianists at our doors, who better to lead than a woman?” (Someone unofficial has scribbled: “Because they won't be listening to a man”)
“Don't vote for the bronze spoons – vote for the wooden ladle. A'i for Weyrleader.”
Prompt:
Wingleaders
One of your Wingleaders has not been performing to scratch. Injuries are up in their wing, and more thread seems to be getting through. How do you deal with them? Can you give them a second chance - or even time to explain themselves - when lives and the safety of Pern are at stake?
”R'lal.” A'i nodded the bronzerider into her office. “We need to talk.” He was younger than her by a few decades and, until recently, a decent wingleader.
Only a few decades however: he was scarred and aged, but that did not change his warm smile or the appreciative glitter in his eyes. He was young at heart.
But A'i was not going to be swayed by that. Not now. Things had gone too far. “R'lal, I will say it bluntly. There've been many injuries and issues in your wing.” she folded her fingers, the two of them – her dragon and her - watching his face and body carefully, as if he was one of the murderers they had so often interrogated, or assisted with.
“There's always injuries, ma'am.” he said. Both she – and her dragon nearby - narrowed their eyes in unison at their respective targets – the man's bronze, in the green's case. Was he being flippant? She bit back her retort as the bronze shot Ulehurth an apologetic look. Not the dragon's issue then – dragons could not lie as easily as their riders.
“Yes. Injuries happen. But yours are above the standard and every injury costs us.” she watched as he fidgeted. Hmmm.
“It's just bad luck, Weyrleader.” he said, not quite drolly, but she could see he was aiming very near to droll. It made the hairs on her neck stand on end, his attitude.
they asked the dragon.
“Bad luck” said A'i, waiting on his dragon's answer, “does not account for this.”
Ulehurth stared down the bronze – easily many times her size. But the dragon, at least, respected their authority, earned from experience.
The dragon would have said more, but his eyes flashed yellow, and then settled into a very apologetic yellow-white. His rider, evidently, rebuking him.
A'i watched the grimace sprawl briefly across the man's face. “Is that so.” she drawled, “We don't want to keep him waiting, do we.” She had no issue with lovers, male or otherwise, but his behavior was inexcusable. There was not a speck of shame, not a hint of apology in his face.
After all, he was talking to a woman, a greenrider, and a former competitor for the spot.
She sighed and shook her head. “I expected better of you.” she said coldly, “You'r lover can have you. You are suspended from active duty and will be moved to a lower wing.”
“What?!” he said, nearly jumping from his chair, “You can't do that!”
“I can. I will. Your wingsecond will take the post.”
“You...”
She raised a hand. “Don't bother with insults. I've heard them all, and none of them are very apt. I suggest...” she fixed him with a look, “You spend your energy otherwise, in wiser occupations.” She dismissed him.
“You'll pay for this...” he growled, storming out.
Softer now. a smile,
A dragonic sigh,
relayed Ulehurth. A'i smiled, and called for her messenger.
“Fetch me his wingsecond, will you? We have much to discuss.”
Rider Character Name: Ko’ren Age: 35 Gender: Male Rank: Wingleader of 2nd wing Appearance: At 5'8" Ko'ren is a little on the small side for a man though not tiny. Quite a lot of people would agree however that he's something of a looker; he has a striking facial structure with prominent high cheekbones, full lips, flowing silky black hair, and unusual pale skin and icy blue eyes. He could perhaps do with being a little heavier to be really fashionable - he's a lithe fellow - but some people like the slinky look! The man dresses well too, which helps; he is always at the height of whatever restrained fashion happens to be when off duty and knows well what suits his frame and coloration.
Personality: A mixture of silk and steel, Ko'ren is not a man to be casually trifled with. He's smart, suave, adaptable and possessed of an iron will and steely determination to achieve his goals. He makes little secret of the fact that he has his eye on the position of Weyrleader and has ever since he Impressed, he knows he is intelligent after all and have proved to be a good strategist and so - rather arrogantly - he believes that he is what is best for High Reaches Weyr. He does want what is best for HR, he loves his adopted home and could not be more loyal to it, but he can't accept the idea that one day and one day soon it should not be his hand on the helm of the wings as it were. As well as wanting to rise high himself Ko'ren also wants those around him to reach their full potential, whatever that might be. As wingleader he pushes his riders hard, encourages competition and constant self improvement, and won't accept slacking in any way shape or form.
Firmly set on his course though he is however Ko'ren is not inflexible; adaptable both in the field and in his views Ko'ren bends towards what will work best, there's no point trying to charge through dense undergrowth when there's a better option. This doesn't mean he always seeks the quickest course to his goals, far from it. Wherever possible Ko'ren would rather do things with words rather than force of arms, would prefer to drive bandits into a trap than make his riders face them head on and risk injury without need, would much prefer to have a quiet word with the local Holder to smooth over a difficulty than intimidate them. If it comes to that however then so be it; Ko'ren is not afraid to fight and is proud of his skills as a swordsman, he dedicates at least an hour a day to training himself above and beyond drills with his wing.
If there's one thing Ko'ren really hates it is losing. He hates it so much, fears it perhaps, that whenever he fails at something or isn't as good as somebody else at something he wants to be as good at he gets rather obsessive about self improvement in that particular area. There was a time when he lost a game of chess to J'ian and spent all of his free time for a full month practicing... and then lost again, several times. He hasn't played chess since the fifth loss and probably won't again any time soon if ever, against anyone just in case they bring up the fact that he lost.
Confidence, clarity, charm, and having been educated as a 'future leader' of the Weyr since his Impression gives Ko'ren a calm commanding air. He is almost always soft spoken - it's very rare to see him lose his temper - and moves quietly but he has presence, poise, and the casual style of a sleek feline on the prowl. His looks probably help him out too here a bit, his unusual and intense pale blue eyes give excellent direct stares and being classically handsome never hurt anyone when it comes to being taken seriously. The way he speaks helps a lot as well, Ko'ren is an excellent orator, seemingly never lost for words but never using more than are needed either.
History: Kovren was born into comfort, though not extreme privilege. His father made good living as a Smith in Tillek Hold, though he was a Journeyman not a Master he was skilled at his craft and was known to produce very fine steel. Kovren was the second son and the third child of his parents and spent his early years learning his father's craft along with his elder brother, though there was always the thought that he might manage to catch a rider's eye and go off to Impress as is considered the ideal for a second son by many. Kovren never had any trouble making friends, he was a clever boy and a charming one too, and though he thought the idea of becoming a rider rather fine he also like the idea of being a Mastersmith one day just fine as well.
Kovren was Searched to High Reaches Weyr aged sixteen and was sent off with well wishes and much pride from his family, which now included another brother and two more sisters as well as his parents and extended family. Thanks to his father he already knew his letters when he arrived and thanks to his intelligence he was a quick study at candidate lessons and as he shed puppy fat he became skilled at the physical side too, enough so that he was selected as squire by a bronze rider of First Wing. Under the rider's guidance he continued to flourish and his ambitions began to grow once more, if he would have been a Master as a Smith then he would become the very best he could be as a rider, a Weyrleader. It was only right that he gave his all to fulfill his oaths, was it not?
Korvren was twenty and starting to wonder if he was going to have to reassess his life again when he finally Impressed in turn 189 to a small dark bronze who strode straight up to him and said that his name was Morth. A lot was expected of the pair of them especially by Korvern's former squiremaster and they delivered as smoothly as ever and after an exemplary Weyrlinghood they were asked to dine with First Wing, an offer they accepted with grace and vindication.
The great Dragonplague was the next big shake up in their lives, Morth was but four turns old and Ko'ren - as he had become - was four and twenty. The enemy that he could neither reason with nor defeat by force of arms terrified Ko'ren though he hid it well, presenting a steely front of conviction that High Reaches would pull through this. When Hiraeth was sent away to the desert Morth and Ko'ren were one of the pairs to accompany her, though Morth did not sire the clutch. When the danger was passed Ko'ren returned to High Reaches, to a Weyr decimated and traumatized. To see his mighty adopted home brought so low shocked the young man deeply and he became more determined than ever to rise through the ranks so that he and Morth could bring it to prosperity again, surely there were none better qualified or more dedicated than they.
When he was twenty eight Ko'ren took the first big step towards the kind of political prominence that would give him the best shot at Weyrleadership, he was selected to become a wingsecond of First Wing and threw himself into the role with vigor. When the Pass began Ko'ren was old enough to become a wingleader and only a couple of turns later he became one thanks to the new Weyrleader, T'gall. Though it was Second Wing not First Ko'ren was well pleased with his appointment and was soon very proud indeed of his riders.
G'vian's demotion following the fiasco at the Hatching Feast of Hiraeth's tiny clutch and the subsequent attack on T'gall left Ko'ren lost for words for once in his life. He offered what services he could to the ultimately fruitless investigation but soon enough had others things to think about, mainly the news that Venk would be standing down as Weyrmaster. With Cinnamth departing the Weyr it was clear enough who the replacement would be, and when Evmeth rose Morth gave chase. That he was defeated was bad enough, worse that it was by own of his own riders, and worse still that it was a blue. At least, he consoled himself, it was not Absoth who had won; with G'vian retired and T'gall out of the running he views O'ail as his biggest rival for the position of Weyrleader.
Dragon Name: Morth Age: 15 Colour: Bronze Feel of voice: The whisper of steel, the flight of an arrow, a murmur of soft voices Appearance: Morth is a fairly small bronze, not tiny but below average in both size and build. He has a dark hide marked with flecks of brilliant bronze that look like splattered molten metal. His compact build makes him more maneuverable in the air than your average bronze but doesn't sacrifice too much in stamina.
Personality: Sharp and cunning Morth takes no prisoners, metaphorically speaking anyway. Whatever must be done to see his duty through will be done no matter how unpleasant and no matter the cost, surrender is for other people not for him. His is a dragon of action but though he is swift he acts with icy cool and clarity rather than fiery passions, it is in passion that people make the most mistakes and he has little regard for those who allow themselves to be overtaken by their feelings when there is work to be done.
The top of the pyramid is where Morth believes he belongs, like his rider he believes that he is the best dragon for the job of Weyrleader and now that his bondmate is old enough to hold the title he sees no reason why it shouldn't be theirs. T'gall was a brash fool, G'vian was an old hidebound fool, but they will be different. Morth is deeply loyal to his home and determined to see it grow and flourish until it is the strongest on Pern, until all Holders know well to respect its name and dedicate themselves to it as they should. Yes, Morth has little time for those who are not bound to a dragon; they may make the world work but they make the world work for the sake of dragons and their riders, or they ought to anyway.
It is possible to catch Morth in a good mood however and he does have friends, when he's off duty he has a clever wit and like his rider he can be charming too. He is generous to those he considers friends but he is hard on them too, convinced that they ought to always strive to better themselves even as he does. If they want his help getting promoted then they are going to have to prove they deserve the rank in the first instance, if they can do that then he is quite happy to advocate on their behalf.
Other:
Campaign Material:
"Strength and unity."
"There is a Fall to be flown this day so I will be brief, as we must always respond to the pressing needs of the moment before we allow ourselves to daydream on more lofty goals.
Without strong foundations a building will crumble. A tunnel carved without care is sure to collapse. A dam built in haste will burst. Our Weyr's foundations are strong only when we are united, only when we have the full support of the Holds who look to us. As Weyrleader I pledge to strengthen these foundations so that we may build upward from them, so that we may begin to make the changes I know many of you desire so greatly. I agree with many of the points made by my fellow wingleaders but if we leap ahead with such actions now we endanger ourselves, and I cannot allow High Reaches to come to harm because of ill judged timing. When our numbers have grown once more, when the Holds tithe on time and in full; that will be the time to turn our eyes to the stars and strive to reach our dreams, and my comrades I swear that I will get us to that point.
Vote for strength, vote for unity, and you vote for safety and prosperity with a brighter future ahead."
Prompt Tithes
Redriver Hold has not been sending its tithes on time, or in the quantities or quality required of them. They beg poverty as the cause, but you learn from a friend that they have in fact had an exceptionally good harvest and have been trading freely. How do you deal with this? Do you do anything?
“…and so that’s why I’ve invited you here” Ko'ren said, letting the Holder see the view from the star-stone. In the bowl, the two men could see riders drilling at arms, as well as the Weyr’s foot-soldiers and other troops. There were even a few wherhandlers, though no whers - the sun was too still high in the sky in the mid afternoon. It was a stunning display of the Weyr’s power and reach. Overhead, dragons wheeled and soared, flicking through drills intended to score the ancestral enemy from Pern’s skies.
“It really was excellent to catch up with you - although to be honest, I wanted to talk to you about your daughters. I wouldn’t have thought it, but when we came through would you believe the dragons thought two of them would suit? I would have asked for permission to search them, but I knew as a man who knows the worth of our Weyrs, you wouldn’t deny us fresh blood”
Well, in all honesty, if the girls Impressed it would be a surprise to Ko’ren, but who knew what might happen? Sirien was well known as a devoted family man, and Ko’ren was certain he wouldn’t starve his own children. In a few turns, he might even get them back - probably utterly unmarriageable by that point, but that was how things went when you crossed his Weyr.
“They’re just being settled in the barracks now, Morth tells me” he added, smiling as the Holder turned pale. “Of course, you can come and visit whenever you wish"
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 3:18 pm
Username: NPC
Rider Character Name: O’ail Age: 40 Gender: Female Rank: Wingleader of 3rd1 Appearance: O’ail is a large woman in just about every sense of the word, 6’1” barefoot and with a build ample enough to be fashionable anywhere on Pern if only her muscles weren’t just as impressive as the rest of her is. Her hair is black, wavy, and worn to past her shoulders though whenever she’s on duty it’s pinned up under a helmet. Her eyes and skin are a similar shade of mid brown and while the former are warm and bright the latter is calloused and scarred from a life of action as a rider and a life of hardship before her Impression. She dressed practically most of the time but enjoys finery for gathers and suchlike, favoring masculine fashions.
Personality: Duty, honour, kindness to all, and the bonds between comrades; these things are more important than anything else in the world to O’ail. No matter who you are - from the lowliest drudge in the Weyr right up to the Weyrleader and Headwoman - O’ail will greet you and treat you with respect and decency and if you’ve ever spoken to her before she probably remembers you by name too and maybe a detail or two you’ve told her about yourself. This is not out of any natural talent but by sheer dint of effort, people matter to O’ail and so she will always strive to recall them and the things that matter to them.
Hard work has been part of O’ail’s life since she could walk and she will never be found shirking her duty, nor will she accept shirking from her underlings. She is not a harsh leader over minor slip ups or indiscretions but by shells if you don’t pull your weight she will make you regret it. She will most likely achieve this through making you do demeaning chores in a public place but she also shows her displeasure to those serving under her by refusing to assign interesting missions to anyone who has messed up recently. If you go so far as to break oath with her frankly O'ail just has no time for you, these things go both ways. More than just being used to hard work O’ail thrives on it now that she’s doing something she loves; carrying out her duty to the best of her ability gives her a great sense of wellbeing.
Alongside duty and hard work there is honour, there is a right way to do things and a wrong way and if you do thing the wrong way be sure that O’ail will call you out. She is not so much ‘by the book’ as she is by her heart and instincts, if something seems wrong she will dig her heels in and refuse to do it that way even if it would get quick effective results. On the plus side however this means that she is a woman of her word and can always be counted on in a pinch.
And then to kindness. O’ail has been on the bottom of the heap, the very bottom, and she has never forgotten. She can’t stand to see those with greater privilege stomp on those with less, it’s one of the few things that can get the generally affable woman really angry really quickly. In the past she has been known to go so far as to throw good riders out of her wing for inflicting relatively minor cruelties on the Weyrs drudges. Bullying and abuse such as this will never be forgotten or forgiven no matter how much time passes and no matter how much people might repent; if they did it once, O’ail says, they will do it again only taking more care not to get caught.
History: Onalail's mother was a drudge, her father could have been anybody but her mother told her that he rode a dragon. Perhaps he did, or then again perhaps not. She grew up in Nabol Hold and was working as soon as she could do a little sweeping or fetching and carrying. She made friends amongst the other ragged children pretty well and though they really had no time to be children they made little games here and there where they could. Life was hard and though she didn’t know any different herself she saw different all around her; Nabol might not be a wealthy Hold but there was meat for the Lord every day and fine well tailored clothes on the courtiers. As a young child she coveted the wealth and power they wielded and dreamed many a dream of somehow marrying a rich man and having pretty dresses for herself, and a runner or rider, and two firelizards and.... Well the dreams went on like that until the start of the famine.
One bad harvest was bad enough but then there was another and another and.... The Hold could not feed itself, its people were starving, so it had no hope of fulfilling its tithes to the Weyr. Eventually in 168 a fourteen turn old Onalail was loaded with her mother and some other skeletal drudges onto a tithe wagon in lieu of some what Nabol owed. Not all of the drudges survived the trip and some others died in the first days at High Reaches Weyr, simply too far gone for help, and Onalail’s mother was amongst those unfortunate folk. To Onalail it only hammered home the unfairness of the world and her dreams changed; she no longer wished to be a fine lady, she wished to be somebody who changed the balance of the world in favour of the downtrodden in life; the drudges and the women for the most part.
In 179 the young drudge’s desire to better the world were noted by a bronze, shelled in Hiraeth’s maiden clutch. His name was Absoth and he shoved his way up into the stands with as much care as a wobbly baby could muster in order to stake his claim. Weyrlinghood came as a shock to Onalail, she was illiterate and had never touched a weapon in her life but she gave it her all and was assigned a special mentor to help her catch up. It still took a full two turns for the pair to graduate but graduate they did; they were asked by the leader of 3rd1 to ‘sup with them, accepted, and the one-time drudge took the name O’ail.
From then on life was on the up and up; O’ail was a hard worker and - having taken a personal decision never to even start drinking - she never turned up hungover or got into stupid fights whist intoxicated. She also proved to have a fine eye for detail and a methodical approach to cases that served her better and better as her knowledge of the world expanded. Of course having a charming bronze bondmate didn’t hurt matters at all, Absoth was a proud fellow but with what some might refer to as ‘the common touch’ and as much genuine compassion for those around him as his rider.
A few romances came and went over the turns but O’ail never found a partner to remain with long term, she cared for all of them but none of them were ‘the one’ she was looking for any so she tended to break things off before they got too serious. When the Great Dragonplague came O’ail and Absoth were as powerless and afraid as the next pair. Absoth never did sicken but they both lost many friends to it and prefer to forget the turn as much as is possible.
In turn 194, aged 30, O’ail’s hard work was recognised by her wingleader who chose her as a new wingsecond to replace a rider lost to the plague. Both O’ail and Absoth took well to the position and despite her gender O’ail was well respected, but she still resented that ‘despite’. Using her new position O’ail tried to influence at least those around her to start thinking differently, and certainly all the squires she took over the turns had it drummed into them that women were at least as good as men, but changing Weyr culture was going to take a long time. Fortunately O’ail was aware of this and is a patient woman.
In turn 198 O’ail went up in the world again; her wingleader retired and her fellow wingsecond was too young to be considered for the post of wingleader so Weyrleader G’vian awarded the post to her which surprised quite a lot of the Weyr given the man’s rather traditional views. It surprised O’ail too, though she tried not to show it, and she threw herself ever harder into persuading the Weyr to change its tune. She chose a female bronze rider to become her second wingsecond but retained the male brownrider who had been her compatriot, it didn’t seem fair to fire him just for being a man when he was doing a good job.
The return of the Thread was chaotic for the whole Weyr and it seemed to O’ail that it took away nearly as many of her friends and comrades as the plague had. She put a brave face on it, being a wingleader meant setting an example, but the losses within her own wing cut deeply and it took near a full turn for a real smile to return to her face. Just when it seemed that things were going to settle down T’gall took over as Weyrleader and though he was a little more progressive than G’vian O’ai despised the way he instantly flaunted his new wealth and station. She was all set to press for a vote of no confidence in the man when he was attacked, an act that left the Wingleader completely baffled and ill at ease. Anyone capable of such a dishonorable attack was capable of anything and they were never caught, for all she knew they remained in the Weyr....
But there were other things to think of, a thousand little crisis on top of working with the other Wingleaders to the the job of a Weyrleader by committee, and by a committee that largely a comittee that disagreed wherever it was possible to disagree. After that there was yet more to think of, namely Venk’s retirement and Evmeth’s encroaching flight. O’ail fully intended to get herself elected so that she could really push forward the changes she wished to see and started campaigning early alongside Ko’ren and a few others. The surprise outcome of Evmeth’s flight put O’ail off balance and initially annoyed her rather a lot - she had been hopeful of Absoth’s chances - but after a while she decided that it was better Malcarreth than Morth and put it out of mind to focus on her campaign.
Dragon Name: Absoth Age: 25 Colour: Bronze Feel of voice: The call of trumpets, a surge of strength in your muscles, the feel of a blade in your grasp Appearance: Absoth is a fairly average mid-bronze all over save for his belly, his toes, and the tips of his headknobs which are all extremely pale. He’s a funny looking beast overall, handsome no doubt but rather stretched; he’s much slimmer than most bronzes and much much longer, in fact he’s just over forty two feet from the tip of his nose to the tips of his tail. This peculiar build has earned him the nickname tunnelsnake amongst those who love him and love to tease him but he’s an easy going fellow to his friends and doesn’t mind this at all.
Personality: Absoth is just about everything a bronze should be; hard working, charismatic, proud, dutiful, all of those good things. He’s just not very bright is all. He’s not stupid he’s just better at giving orders than thinking them up, he relies on his rider for that. This said however he is methodical and has a decent memory for a dragon especially for people and he’s intuitive, good at reading people’s emotions and understanding their motivations.
Like his rider his duty is all important to Absoth, he wouldn’t know what to do if he wasn’t working in the best interests of his home and people. Of course he’s quite sure he could serve them best by being at the top of the heap but he doesn’t really want power for the sake of power, he wants to be able to look after people properly and to make the changes that he and his rider think need making. Justice is predictably very important to him too but he takes his cues on what is or is not just from O’ail and won’t accept any other point of view.
A social fellow when given the chance Absoth has many friends and loves to be surrounded by them, by laughter and by jests. He is confident enough in himself not to mind being the butt of the joke so long as he’s not always the butt and others around him are happy to be teased in their turn.
Other:
Campaign Material:
"There are two people, two riders in the same wing. Both of them do their duty well, they show courage and initiative and go above and beyond when it’s needed. These riders do the same work and take the same risks, but their Weyr marks one of them at only two thirds the worth of the other because one of them has brown hair while the other has black hair. Sounds outrageous, doesn’t it? I’m sure you all know where I’m going with this, you all know perfectly well that female riders receive two thirds of the pay of their male counterparts. If elected as Weyrleader I promise to change that within the turn, we work as hard so why shouldn’t be paid as well; vote for me, and we can do it.
That isn’t the only injustice within our Weyr, women are also drastically under represented amongst our combat wings and our Wingleaders and Seconds. I understand that we’re in hard times and it would be madness to shake everything up all at once but I swear that as Weyrleader I will work towards addressing these imbalances as swiftly as is feasible. We are half of all riders, we deserve to be proportionally represented in all areas of service; vote for me and we can do it.
While I’m aware that Weyrleaders are responsible for the wings and not the internal affairs of the Weyr I’ve not forgotten my roots and nor will I allow anyone else to; I swear to you, the drudges and the caverns workers who keep our Weyr running, that I will take action against the systematic disrespect I know all of you face on a daily basis. Just as the Weyr needs to change how it views and treats female riders it needs to change how it views and treats non riders. I will do my part to bring about a change in culture amongst riders and I will negotiate with our headwoman to work towards equalizing pay between genders for caverns workers and improving benefits for drudges; vote for me and we can do it.
The world is a hard place and has been harder than ever of late but all of you know me, you know I have the skill and the dedication to follow through on my promises. With that I leave you with one final promise, and that is this. I will make sure that the villain who attacked T’gall is found and brought to justice, it’s the sort of work I have spent my life doing and I don’t intend to stop. I will see to it that Senior Investigator Cedeny has all the resources she needs to continue the search, and I will see to it that it is not swept under the rug and forgotten. I may not have agreed with a lot of what he did but that doesn’t mean I don’t want justice for him.
Thank you all for listening to me, and remember; I’m O’ail, vote for me and we can do it!"
Prompt Tithes
Redriver Hold has not been sending its tithes on time, or in the quantities or quality required of them. They beg poverty as the cause, but you learn from a friend that they have in fact had an exceptionally good harvest and have been trading freely. How do you deal with this? Do you do anything?
“Let me put it like this” O’ail said briskly - the one-time drudge had little time to spare for this wherdung - putting the cup of wine firmly down. She would uphold the Oath, but it needed to go both ways - you couldn’t run a Weyr on empty stomachs, and for one hold to be getting away with it meant others would try. “You start tithing properly, or you stop tithing at all, and we stop flying thread above your hold”
She’d flown out here the moment she’d grokked what was going on, because this business was serious - and required what she would maybe term diplomacy, but what was more actually like being hit over the head with a blunt instrument until you submitted to what she wanted.
O’ail raised a hand to forestall an argument, standing up from the table where they’d been sat. “I’ll give you a few days to think about it. I sure as shards don’t want to go through on withdrawing protection, and I know you don’t want me to do it either. My wings can’t protect you without your help, though. We need to eat, and if we’re spending our time chasing down tithes…” She shrugged, then gestured to the riders who came with her. “Come on, boys. Let the man think"
Dragonbraved Captain
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Dragonbraved Captain
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Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 3:20 pm
Username: NPC
Rider Character Name: J’ian Age: 37 Gender: Male Rank: Wingleader of 4th2 Appearance: J’ian is a small man at 5’4” or so but he’s seldom seen out of heeled boots that add a couple of inches to his height. He has pointy, foxy features covered in freckles with unusual vivid curly ginger hair and bright green eyes to go with them. J’ian is seldom seen without blue at least somewhere in his outfit and whenever possible he wears it in quantity, a statement of pride in his dragon’s colour rather than any belief that it suits him especially well. Happily however it looks fairly decent on him.
Personality: J’ian is keenly intelligent and thus quite clever enough not to let on to most just how clever he is. Not for nothing was he chosen as a wingsecond when he was but twenty six, he is an excellent strategist with a really brilliant eye for practical problems. He enjoys passtimes that require the use of his brain; riddles, thought puzzles, chess and so on are amongst his favorites but he also has a soft spot for stories and can often be found listening to the Harpers’ tales of an evening.
There is perhaps a bit of the ‘small dog’ complex about J’ian; he’s a small man who looks different, is bonded to a small dragon and leads one of the ‘low’ wings. In response to the world’s bias he is fiercely proud of all of that, except for his lack of height which he tries to hide with his boots. He is also secretive about his feelings regarding the injury to his leg that saw him removed from Second Wing, he says it is the best thing that ever happened to him but many think that he only insists on that in an attempt to convince himself. The truth of the matter however is unclear, perhaps even to J’ian to himself. Whatever the truth may be it can’t be denied that J’ian resents the way the Weyr is run, he hates the advantage bronze and even brown riders have over green and blue riders and will sharply correct even little throwaway statements by his riders that reinforce old stereotypes and colour roles.
J’ian has been raised since birth to be a rider, to do a rider’s duty, and he cannot imagine doing anything else. The nature of his work over the turns however has led him to more or less throw out the rule book and just go with whatever works in any given situation, there’s no point quoting the letter of local law that technically prevents you from digging up the land you are digging up in order to halt a fire in its course.
Loyalty and solidarity are very important to J’ian, he cares deeply about all of his riders and gives a great deal of time and energy to them so he expects the same in return. Anyone trying to leave his wing is taken as a personal attack, a betrayal, and he has a hard time accepting that anyone he has been good to should do such a thing to him... and yet it keeps happening, such is the way of being a leader of one of the less prestigious wings. Those who spurn J’ian are spurned in return, he can forgive other things but never a rider who abandons their wingmates, abandons him in favour of a more ‘desirable’ wing.
History: J’ian - Jirran - is a Weyrbrat born to Ovrran the baker and Jissicari the creche worker, the third of six children born to the couple. He had a fairly normal upbringing in the creche; though unlike many he knew his parents and they were a major part of his life as were his siblings, but then again so were the other creche workers and creche children. Jirran always excelled at harper lessons and more than that he sought the teachers out to ask extra questions in his free time earning him the nickname ‘Why-boy’, for he was always asking ‘why, why, why’ and would never accept any variant on ‘just because’.
When he turned twelve and became a candidate Jirran continued to breeze through all the intellectual aspects of it and was decent enough at the physical side too, he was small but he was quick and wily and though he never truly excelled in combat bigger candidates soon learned to at least take him seriously. When he turned thirteen he was squired on a temporary basis to a bronze rider in veteran’s wing - a practice that was common enough, a chance to give promising candidates a chance to mature a bit before throwing them into action - and he quickly became close to the experienced man. The pair became so close in fact that at first Jirran resisted being reassigned to a full service rider, it took his old mentor many months to talk him around and persuade him that he wasn’t betraying him by squiring to somebody different. Eventually however Jirran was persuaded and aged fifteen he squired to a bronze rider in first wing. It was fully expected that he would soon enough get a bronze or brown of his own but hatchings came and went and he did not until eventually, aged nineteen, he Impressed... a blue.
A blue.
Jirran adored his Verath but he wasn’t blind to how people’s attitudes towards him changed, far from it. He went from a rising start to a wasted opportunity in a flash of rainbow eyes and he hated it, hated it as did his steady new bondmate. Together they worked harder than ever to prove themselves and to their credit were selected to join Second Wing when Verath was eighteen months old. The pair continued their tireless work together, determined to prove that they were worth as much as any bronze pair could be and fully intending to progress up through the ranks. When J'ian was twenty six they got their wish, though not quite the way they had envisaged it. J'ian was injured in the line of duty and though he largely recovered well he was left with a weakened right leg, which made him unsuitable for Second Wing's combat intensive work. As it happened the wingleader of 4th2 was at the time looking for a wingsecond to balance out his more experienced rider and replace a young man lost to the ravages of the dragonplague; J'ian and Verath fitted the bill despite their youth and were asked to take on the position, a proposition they were quick to take up given that the alternative was demotion to wingrider in one of the 4th or 5th wings. Much though he missed the respect and prestige of flying with second wing J'ian soon found satisfaction in the work of fourth wing and soon after that became staunchly loyal to the tier, and resentful of anyone who tried to get promoted out of it.
When Threadfall returned to Pern J'ian and Verath served their wing well, Verath's powerful frame made him tougher than most blues but slower so they picked up a few scores though nothing too major. The bronze riding leader of the wing however was less fortunate, he perished in turn two leaving T'gall to choose between the two wingseconds for the new Wingleader and J'ian was delighted to be ultimately selected. When the Weyrleader was attacked and blinded following Hiraeth's tiny clutch J'ian gave full support to the hunt for his assailant, whilst also making sure his voice was firmly heard in the council of Wingleaders which took on the duties of Weyrleader. He had been planning to lend his support to Ko'ren when the next elections came around, the promise of slow change was better than none, but when Evmeth chose a blue as her mate he was emboldened to stand for the position himself. Now campaigning hard J'ian is determined to claim the post at the top of the Weyr's military hierarchy in order to bring about the changes he believes are so desperately needed.
Dragon Name: Verath Age: 18 Colour: Blue Feel of voice: The sound of harps, the smell of the ocean, the play of sunlight on water. Appearance: Verath is a large muscular blue, not big enough to be mistaken for a brown but larger than many of his fellows. He has a handsome hide; very dark on the back, paler underneath, and covered on his darker portions with neat little white spots interspersed with broken white horizontal lines. (Reference)
Personality: Verath is a steady fellow who likes to think before he acts or speaks. An action once taken or a word once spoken can never be taken back after all so it is important to get it right the first time. This does mean however that he is slow to act and react, and can easily miss opportunities or find himself in hot water through determination to work out the very best thing to do rather than just doing something. It takes a firm shove from his rider to get him going in situations such as this and, when give such pushes, Verath will (slightly reluctantly) do as he's told because he is aware that it's better to have a less than perfect solution than to end up with dead people, it's just that he can't make the leap to make those decisions himself.
While he's not quick wit he, like is rider, is extremely intelligent; it's one of the main reasons he chose J'ian to begin with, he needed and intellect to match his own. His tendency to sit still and make meticulous plans when coupled makes him a master strategist when there is time to delay action in order to craft the perfect path forward. In his free time Verath still likes to use his brain, he enjoys riddles and puzzles and chess. It's rather hard for a dragon to play chess he joins his rider in games rather than playing himself so either they will work as a team or J'ian will just move the pieces for him, allowing him to play against any opponent who will still take either of them on.
More self assured than his rider is Verath doesn't feel the need to shout in order to prove himself. He's aware of the unfairness of the Weyr's system and he does despise it but he isn't rattled by it, he simply keeps working away until he gets where he wants to be. His calm and confident manner also makes him pretty comfortable socially, indeed he makes friends quite easily and is in general a kind a warm fellow though he can be a bit staid for the tastes of some. Verath doesn't mind this however, the sort of people who get tired of him are usually the sort of people who he would find a bit frustrating to be around long term so as far as he sees it it all works out for the best in the end.
Other:
Campaign Material:
"Thank you for coming to hear mere, I won't keep you long.
The simple fact of the matter is that while near eight in ten dragons is either a green or a blue five of our ten wings are led by bronze riders, four by browns, and but one by a blue. It is justified with words like tradition, natural aptitude and the natural order. I for one however tire of these ridiculous arguments, in fact I have been tired of them since the day of my Impression. I do not believe that the worth of a pair is measured by the colour of a dragon's hide, and I find the fact that anyone still can in this world with the example of Igen Weyr to look to completely ridiculous.
I say to you that it is past time that we break away from these hidebound views, that we cast aside traditions that serve a few and suppress the rest. Think upon the vow a rider takes when they join a wing;
I will be kind to the weak I will be brave against the strong I will fight all who do wrong I will fight for those who cannot fight I will help those who call me for help I will help my fellow riders I will be true to my friends I will be faithful in love
How can any rider who has sworn that oath and meant it support the systematic oppression of the vast majority of their fellows? Swear your loyalty to me, J'ian, and I swear that will give you my loyalty in turn, to all of you not just a privileged few. Under my leadership I swear that wingleaders will be chosen for merit alone, and I will require that each wingleader justifies their selection of Seconds and considers a range of candidates for the posts no just the two most eligible brown or bronze riders. In wings under my command there will be no bias based on colour, no bias based upon gender, and nepotism will be stamped out.
I believe passionately that 'we've always done it that way' is no excuse, our Weyr may endure if we remain the same but I believe we can truly flourish if we change. Do we not ask for our swords to be forged with the latest techniques? I see no reason why the way we select our leaders should not progress just the same. Wingleader Ko'ren would have you believe that if we change too quickly we will crumble, which is just what I would expect to hear from somebody who benefits from the status quo. As for Wingleader O'ail, I cannot help but notice that she makes little mention of equality for green and blue riders. I do respect the change that she wishes to bring about for female riders however, and if elected as Weyrleader I too promise to equalize pay within my term. I cannot promise it within a turn, it is no simple matter to find thousands more marks each turn, but I believe that the spirit of meritocracy I intend to nurture will bring greater prosperity which in turn will allow these changes, your gender - be it male, female, or otherwise - shouldn't impact how much you are repaid or the chances you have in life.
I make you a final promise because I know full well how frustrating it is to stand by powerless as your leaders make decisions you find foolish at best and self-serving at worst. It is for this reason, inspired by the recent tragic events which have forced the Wingleaders to manage the position of Weyrleader as a council, that I will create a Council of the Wingriders. This council shall be made up of three riders from each wing to be elected by their peers with a requirement that at least one from each wing be female, that at least one must be a green or blue rider, and that a maximum of one from each wing may be a bronze rider. This council shall have regular meetings with myself and the Wingleaders, shall have the right to object to the appointment of any wingleader, and to bring forward a vote of no confidence in any wingleader. In all other matters the Council as a whole shall have a vote that is equal to the vote of one wingleader. The Council shall be expected to represent the views of the riders they represent, and will be reelected every turn to ensure this remains the case. To prove that this is not for show, that it shall not be a toothless body, I have drawn up a legal agreement with our Weyrharper Master Kimment which states that should I be elected and fail to set up this body as promised within a half turn, my position shall be forfeit. I say to you again, give your loyalty to me and you shall have mine in turn.
All ichor is green my friends, and all blood is red. Weyrleaders may lead but I do not believe they should rule, they should serve the people who have put faith in them even as people - riders and otherwise - work together to serve all of Pern. My my friends, my comrades; riders, wher handlers, crafters, caverns workers and drudges; be loyal to your comrades and vote J'ian, and you shall have every beating of his red heart and the green of Verath at your service."
Prompt Tithes
Redriver Hold has not been sending its tithes on time, or in the quantities or quality required of them. They beg poverty as the cause, but you learn from a friend that they have in fact had an exceptionally good harvest and have been trading freely. How do you deal with this? Do you do anything?
“I want you to give this to the Lady of Tillek personally” J’ian said, passing the note into the hands of First’s Wingleader. “I mean, personally. Be as charming as you can be, but don’t leave until you have a response”
It was a brief summary of the situation - and a request that she dealt with it before the Holder had his named dragged through the courts. He wouldn’t want to be humiliated, and she wouldn’t want to deal with the scandal. All in all, it was a neat way of dealing with the problem, and one which would leave the Lady in his debt for warning her (as opposed to going straight to the Masterharper and hiring some legal minds). He was very satisfied with it - with himself - as the neatest solution possible. Having First Wing run around at his beck and call, delivering messages? That was just the icing on the cake.
Posted: Fri Dec 19, 2014 3:21 pm
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