Candidacy

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Introduction

Candidates are the young men and women, between the ages of 12 and 24, who are allowed to stand on the Hatching Sands at a Weyr in the chances of Impressing a dragon or wher. You cannot Impress a dragon or wher without first being accepted by the Weyr as a candidate. Candidates for a Hatching are selected in the following ways (and ONLY in the following ways):

1) A candidate is weyrborn, and is of good mental and physical health. Once a young Weyr native comes of age, he or she is automatically allowed the choice to stand candidate for at least one Hatching, and may stand candidate as often as they wish. (Note: a weyrbred individual might not be
allowed to stand candidate, as a punishment for serious misbehavior.)

2) A candidate has been formally Searched by one of the searchriders from a Weyr. Note: under normal conditions, dragonriders will only ride Search in the territories that are under the protection of their own Weyr, but this does not mean your character cannot be transferred to another Weyr.

3) Far more rarely, an individual will petition the Weyr to be allowed to stand candidate. In this case, the Weyrwoman will review the individual's petition, ensure that the individual has no criminal background, and will make a decision on whether or not to accept this individual as a candidate.

While Searchriders are rarely refused, a Lord Holder or minor holder can refuse to allow an heir of his bloodline to be Searched; likewise, Mastercraftsmen have the right to refuse to allow ranked journeymen to be Searched. In both cases, the individual being Searched is of great political worth to his Hold or has been nurtured and trained by his Crafthall for years. Frankly, if you've spent a decade's worth of time and resources training an especially talented young craftsman, you've invested far too many resources into him to allow him to disappear into the Weyr.  

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Search Procedures

When a Weyr has eggs hardening on its Hatching Ground sands, Wings are assigned on Search duty, where they are to visit every major and minor Hold, cothold, crafthall and craftcot. Searchriders will fly in teams of two or more. Once a team of Searchriders arrive at community, that community's Lord Holder, Mastercraftsman, holder, cotholder, or craftholder are to gather all the young folk between the ages of 12 and 21 and allow the visiting dragonriders to inspect them. If a dragonrider's dragon says that a person has a chance, the rider records the name of the person and the location. If the rider thinks that a person has a chance, he/she also records the name of the person and the location. As a rule, a Searchrider is not supposed to tell a possible candidate, or any holder or crafter, who they think at this time might be possible candidates!

When they return to the Weyr, the Searchriders gives the lists of names to the Weyr's senior Weyrwoman, and she and the other goldriders write out the Search requests. These Search requests are then sent to the appropriate hold or crafthall. Whether or not a Searched individual is given a choice as to whether or not they will stand candidate is up to the Holder of Crafter who is in charge of that particularly community. Some candidates may simply be ordered to the Weyr to stand candidate for the glory of their community, while others may be Searched and never learn of it, if their Holder or Crafter decides to neither honor the Weyr's request, and never tells the individual that the Weyr had requested to Search them.

The holder or craftsperson is responsible for responding immediately to the Weyr (usually in the person of the dragonrider who has delivered the Search announcements). The holder or crafter has the right to plead hardship and not release their candidate, or they may allow the Searched individual to go to the Weyr. Please note that the Searchrider does not advise the candidate directly of their choice.

While Searchriders are rarely refused, a Lord Holder or minor holder can refuse to allow an heir of his bloodline to be Searched; likewise, Mastercraftsmen have the right to refuse to allow ranked journeymen to be Searched. In both cases, the individual being Searched is of great political worth to his Hold or has been nurtured and trained by his crafthall for years. If for any reason a holder or crafter may have financial or political complications for allowing one of their young folk to be Searched, they may have reason to refuse Search.  

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Candidacy

Upon arrival at the Weyr, candidates will be issued a white candidate robe and a bunk in one of the Candidates' Barracks. There are two Candidate Barracks, one for male candidates and one for the females. Each barracks can house up to 60 candidates, although there is little effort to give the candidates privacy. These barracks are similar to the Weyrling Barracks, as they offer their tenants only a bunk and foot locker to call their own. During their stay at their Weyr, candidates are the responsibility of the Headwoman, who will keep them occupied in chores around the Weyr.

These chores will include laundry, cleaning, cooking, sewing, bagging firestone, child care, and other community maintenance work. Candidates with special skills (for example, crafthall training in any of the crafts) will be put to work in their respective professions. Candidates who have limited skills at reading or writing are assigned to the Weyrharper and brought up to a minimum standard. These generally take place in the evening after dinner. All candidates will receive a physical from the Weyrhealer. All candidates will be expected to work during their stay with the Weyr, and failure to do so can result in a revocation of an individual's candidacy.

Candidates are discouraged from romantic relationships. Mostly this applies to female candidates, because if they get pregnant they will be expelled from candidacy. Young dragons would find their rider giving birth highly distressing, which would cause the whole group of dragons distress. It's a situation that's best avoided.  

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Touching

In addition, all candidates also will attend a couple of hour-long lectures with the Weyrlingmaster and/or his assistants prior to the Hatching, in order to prepare the candidates for the event itself. Candidates will be well prepared ahead of a Hatching - they will have had it drilled into their heads by the Weyrlingmaster and his assistants what they are to expect on the Hatching Sands, and how they are expected to behave themselves. Shortly before the Hatching itself, candidates will be taken on closely supervised visits to the Hatching Grounds in order to familiarize themselves with the hardened eggs. Candidates will be encouraged at this time to touch the eggs; the exception to this rule is the queen egg, when one is present. All female candidates will then be allowed to approach the queen egg and touch it, but only under the supervision of one or more of the Weyr's goldriders.

NO UNSUPERVISED VISITS TO THE HATCHING SANDS WILL BE TOLERATED.

Without exception, any candidate found sneaking onto the Hatching Sands will be unceremoniously returned to their home hold, hall, or cot. Likewise, any reckless behavior that endangers the eggs during supervised visits to the Hatching Grounds will not be tolerated, and the offending party will find themselves returned to their home and will never be tolerated at the Weyr again. These rules will be made clear to every candidate upon their arrival at the Weyr, and no excuses of any sort will be honored.  

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Standing

On the morning of a hatching while the rest of the Weyr prepares for the Hatching festivities, candidates are asked to remain close to their Barracks. The start of a Hatching is easy to recognize: all dragons within the Weyr will begin to hum. Once the dragonsong has begun, candidates are to put on their white robes (if they have not done so already) and assemble in the small waiting room adjacent to the Hatching Grounds. There, the Weyrlingmaster will have the candidates line up, and they will proceed out onto the Hatching Sands in a calm, orderly fashion. Once they have entered the Hatching Grounds cavern, candidates are led into a loose semi-circle around the rocking eggs, to await the hatching dragonets.

(Note: at this time, the Weyrlingmaster has the authority to hold back or restrain any individual candidate who appears to be disorderly, panicky, or hysterical - forefront in importance in the minds of the Weyrleaders and Weyrlingmaster at this time is not the personal desires of the candidates, but rather the safety of all of the infant hatchlings).

(Another note: at this time, candidates are allowed to wear only their candidate robes and necessary underthings - no footwear is allowed, nor are any belts or belt pouches. Under no circumstances are candidates allowed to carry any object out onto the Hatching Sands with them. This goes double for weapons - NO sword fights are allowed on the Hatching Grounds during a Hatching!!!)

Once the dragonets begin to break out of their shells, candidates are not allowed to approach the hatchlings in order to pry them out of the eggs; hatchlings must approach the candidates, not the other way around! If a dragonet falls, only the candidate closest to the fallen hatchling is allowed to break rank to aid the beast to its feet. The candidate must then step back into the ring of other candidates and allow the dragonet to seek out its soulmate.

Candidates are not allowed to attract attention to themselves by waving, yelling, or other forms of extreme behavior. Likewise, forced physical contact with a hatchling (tackling it, wrestling it to the ground, forcing its head to face the candidate's own) will not be tolerated. If the Weyrlingmaster himself isn't within reach of an offending candidate, rest assured that the mother gold dragon will be... and neither is likely to be gentle in their manner of restraint. Any individual behaving in such extreme manners will be considered a criminal, and will be treated as such within the Weyr. A light sentence would be an unceremonious return to their home hold, hall or cot. A more serious sentence could easily be decided upon by the Senior Weyrwoman.

Once Impression has been made, the new weyrlingpairs are led off the Sands by mature riders and taken to a waiting area where the dragonets are fed, oiled, and allowed to fall asleep of exhaustion, while the new weyrling's friends and family can come congratulate him or her. If the dragonet is strong enough after its first meal, the new weyrlingpair will be escorted to the Weyrling Barracks, where bunk assignments will be made. After the last guests have left a Hatching Feast, all candidate robes are returned and the candidates who have not Impressed are given the choice to return to their homes or to stay at the Weyr and try for Impression again.  

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Chores

Below is a list of chores Candidates may be asked to preform.

Clean out the Barrack rooms
Clean the Common Room
Replace Glows
Laundry Duty
Clean & Restock store rooms
Stocking store rooms
Inventory of stores
Laundry Duty
Replace Glows
Mending Duty
Creche Duty
Firestone Reserves
Clean dishes
Setup Food or Tables
Prep or Cook food
Clean Dining Hall
Hearth Duty
Take tray(s) of food as directed
Butchering Duty
Restock or Gather Supplies
Remove & Replace linens
Care for the Injured/Ill
Message Runner
Clean Infirmary
Stables & Corral
Clean out Stables & Stalls
Runner Workout Duty
Fill Feed & Water troughs
Cattle Duty
Night Watch
Restock or Gather Supplies
Shoveling & Moving manure
 

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Candidate Lessons

Constructed below is a layout of the lessons that Candidates and Weyrlings will learn through the course of their stay within each rank. More may be added, but these are the basics.

● Candidate Orientation: Lesson 1
Those that have been newly Searched or even those who have already been standing as a Candidate will be scheduled to report to the Candidatemaster for this lesson. This lesson is meant to instruct all new Candidates on the rules of what is and isn't allowed for a Candidate, such as no intercourse until the end of the Hatching if they do not Impress. To not cause fights or trouble. To not disrespect those of rank for they are the lowest rank in the Weyr. To understand that, if they give the Candidatemaster cause, they will not stand for a Hatching. This lesson is also for the Candidates to introduce themselves, even those who have stood before, allowing the Candidates to know one another for they may Impress and find each other in the same Weyrling class. This lesson will also allow the Candidatemaster to assign rooms for each Candidate as well as where to find their scheduled chores. Last but not least, welcoming the Candidates to the Weyr.

● Weyr life vs. Hold/Hall Life: Lesson 2
After their first lesson the Candidates will be taught on how Weyr life differs from the life style they lived outside of it. This lesson is meant to help new Candidates adapt to this new life style with ease explaining how the rank system does filter in to the Weyr. Though the titles may be different, such as Weyrleader, Wingleader, Wingseconds and thirds, Weyrwomen, and the Weyrwoman herself, there yet will be Crafters of various ranks, and that Candidates should still respect these ranks for they rank as low as an Apprentice. What to expect within a Weyr (drills, mating flights, etc) and what not to expect, allowing for Candidates to ask any questions at this time that they have to the Candidatemaster. Candidates who have stood would be encouraged to attend in the case the Candidatemaster feels they can answer a new fellow Candidate's question, though it is not required they attend.

● Touchings & Hatchings: Lesson 3
Set on the date of the Touching, all Candidates will be scheduled to report to the Hatching sands entrance. There the Candidatmaster will explain the rules of conduct as they enter the sands and are allowed to walk up and touch the eggs of the clutch. At this time the Weyrwoman/man (Junior or Senior) of the Queen will be present, she/he will be open to any questions the Candidates may have as will the Candidatemaster. Candidates are to be instructed not to act rashly, to be cautious around the eggs, and to be cautious as well as respectful of the Mother. If there is a gold egg the Candidates will be gathered by the Weyrwoman/man to be instructed on how to act towards the Mother. This will also be the time the Weyrwoman/man will explain what they are to expect if they Impress the Queen be it a Gold or Copper. After that the Candidatemaster will explain how Hatchings work, and how they will report and where they will stand. The Candidatemaster should caution them against going towards any dragonet, for even newly hatched are very dangerous as well as explaining that after this day they should not enter the sands without permission, not until the day of the hatching.

● Hatching Aftermath: Lesson 4
This will be the last lesson that Candidates will be taught. Once again Candidates who have stood are not required to attend yet they will be encouraged to do so if they are willing to tell about what they experienced at a Hatching and how they found the will to stand again. The Candidatemaster will of course explain that not every Candidate will Impress their first time around and that it can take as many Turns to Impress. Yet even if they don't Impress and do not wish to stand again they are welcome to stay at the Weyr or not. The Candidatemaster will also explain that once they Impress they will now be under the rule and guidance of the Weyrlingmaster. At this time the Weyrlingmaster will be present to introduce him/herself to the Candidates. After that they are wished luck by the Candidatemaster and Weyrlingmaster, and now all they have to do is wait on the Hatching.