Threadfall

[Pern Wars]

Threadfall Information

Basic Threadfall Info & Summary
Found below is the basic info about Threadfall that will help everyone become accustom to PW's style of play during Falls.

1. Thread is an organism that has the ability to consume organic material at a rate that is heart stopping. The only thing that it can not consume is metal or rock. The most efficient way to destroy Thread is by fire or water. The reason it is called Thread is because it falls in strands or clumps of strands that look like silver “thread”.

2. Dragons are the main source of protection from Thread. They fly in Wings organized to flame the strands and clumps during what is called a “Fall”. The Dragons of Pern do not breathe fire like in myth they must chew and digest a sulfuric stone known as “firestone” that produces gas in their second stomach, allowing them to belch out the gas that turns into flame when it makes contact with oxygen.

3. Whers were a second prototype to add to the Dragon numbers yet were considered a “failed” attempt. Making a creature that was as different as they were similar to Dragons, Whers were smaller, more aggressive, and were able to break a bond if forced or if abused/neglected yet they could still flame. It was found that Thread did indeed fall at night if the weather was permissible. Whers are the secondary force for fighting Thread at night.

4. There are three tiers of Wings during Fall. The three tiers are the High Wing, the Middle Wing, and the Low Wing. The sub-Wings in the High and Middle Wing are Sweep Wings and Support Wings. The Low Wing is considered by default a Wing but with the function of a Sweep Wing.

5. Not every Dragon can last through a fall. How each Fall is treated depends on the Weyrleader, for no Fall is the same. In every record thread can fall when conditions are right, meaning that sometimes a Weyr does not need to meet every Fall. Sometimes under the most extreme, two Weyrs will have to work together in order to fight thread. Either way, fighting Thread is the very reason Dragons are alive and needed.

Threadscore(d)
The title given to a Rider or Dragon when they have been injured by Thread. Depending on how long one has been in contact with Thread it can be life threatening or, minor. Thread acts like white hot metal when it comes in contact with anything other than fire, water, metal, or rock, it seems to burn. Riders and Dragons are always in danger of a missed strand, clump, or even an unnoticed strand or clump, coming in contact with skin or hide. Under the unfortunate event it does a Dragon will immediately jump between in order for the ice cold blackness to freeze and remove the deadly organism. A Rider or Dragon can be left with no scar, or left with a visible one. It can even be deadly that a Dragon with Rider will jump between and never return, or a Rider dies under the injury and the Dragon suicides. Here anything goes, but let it be known not everyone is going to be walking away without a least gaining one scar, bruises, sprained muscles, or injury eventually. That is just not canon with how Pern works, and we work Canon wise during Fall.

Areas & Time
Threadfall is charted by all the Weyrleaders of every Weyr. These charts usually tell them when Threadfall will occur over which area of the Northern Continent (For us Southern). As the Red Star comes closer to Pern, the Pass begins. Thread will start to fall once a month, to twice a month, to every two weeks, to every week onward until over a Turn it will be every three days (non-Canon). Canon wise it would be every thirty-six hours, here at Pern Was we made the gap bigger for the ability in game to set up things that normally would not be possible, a possibility. Once 50 Turns have passed it will slowly cease in Falls as like the start of it, the end is the same. Weekly, to every two weeks, to twice a month, then once a month. After a Turn Thread will stop falling until the Red Star comes closer to Pern once more. Threadfall lasts about 4 to 6 hours long, starting around pre-dawn to late afternoon. For night Falls it can last 3 to 5 hours long, during a Pass happening every five to six days. Even though Threadfall is every three days, there will be times when Threadfall is charted near a watery area. Thread will fall but it will fall into water and there will be no need of the Wings flying. So there will be times that a week or so will pass before the next Fall. Another condition that is more to a Weyr's gain is when the weather is right that there is little need to fly Thread, such as strong rain or snow storms. During rainy seasons and winter time is the only time of the Turn that there is very spread out and short falls.  

[Pern Wars]

Basic Wing Structure & Positions

No matter what Color of Dragon, each Wing is structured the very same way. A Wing is made up of at least twelve Wingmembers, this is the smallest working Wing a Weyrleader will normally permit to fly. A Weyr at full strength can have up to thirty Dragons per wing. Each Wing is led by a Wingleader, co-led by a WingSecond and Third, with the rest of the Wing formed by Wingriders who have been assigned to that Wing.

• Wingleader : Wingleader's job is to keep tab of their Wing as well as any orders the Weryleader gives, sending it down to his Wingsecond or Third, as well as informing the Weyrleader what is happening in their wing, if their strength is low, or if they must combine with another wing who is low and needs the help.

• WingSecond & Third : Wingsecond's and Third's job is to keep tab on what is happening in their wing and sending any orders given to them by the Wingleader even at times being the Wingleader if the Wingleader is land bound.

• Wingrider : Typically, this is a Dragon pair assigned to a Wing. They are the main force of any Wing, they are what makes it possible for Pern to live through a Pass. They will be in the air flaming as best as they can, sometimes they will separate from one Wing to join another that is low.
Wing Tiers

For every Weyr there is what is consider the Wing Tiers, there are three tiers. These tiers are considered the “Main Wings” that are for the sole purpose of flaming thread. Each tier has their primary functions and main. As is explained below.

• The High Wing : Top of the tier, the Wing who is always present in this tier is the Weyrleader's. His Wing arrives first and leaves last, placed on the top of all the other Wings known as the "High Wing". This position gives the Weyrleader the best visual point of all the other Wings, and the Fall itself. If numbers are low in one Wing he will be able to see it instantly in order to give the command for them to merge. If the Fall changes due to weather he will see and be able to adjust accordingly.

• The Middle Wing(s) : Between the High Wing (Weyrleader's) and the Low Wing (Queens') is all the other able fighting pairs of the Weyr known as the "Middle Wing(s)". Led by their Wingleaders there can be up to one whole Middle Wing or multiple depending on what is previously decided. Here is where the most activity is during a Fall for all the Dragons are flaming, wheeling or diving away or towards Thread. It is here that the main source of all injuries occur.

• The Low Wing : The Weyrleader isn't the only one to take part in Fall, so does the Weyrwoman/Regent and her/his Junior Weyrwomen/men. When a Weyr is lucky to have three or more Queens they make up the Queens' Wing known as the "Low Wing". By default, the Low Wing is considered a true Wing but with the title of a Sweep Wing, for they are the ones to pick up any stray Thread or if any have made burrows to deal with it using their flamethrowers if they can.

• Flight : This is when every Wing in a Weyr acts like one whole Wing, Flights are lead by the Weyrleader with selected Wingleaders acting as his Second and Third, while his own Second and Third act as Subs in turn. Flights will not have the sub-wings, if they are needed the Weyrleader will call a number of Riders to break off and deal with whatever he deems needs dealing with before merging again with the Flight.

Ground Support
The ground supports main function is to prepare bags of firestone that the Support Wings can take to the other Wings to replenish. It is also the ground supports function to deal with any Rider or Dragon who gets injured during Fall. Giant pots of numbweed will be set in stations with bandages, cots, and other items that may be used during a Fall. Candidates, weyrfolk, and any other available will be bagging firestone and forming firestone lines. The ground support in the Weyr is normally lead by a Weyrwoman/Regent who's Gold/Copper is grounded due to being egg heavy or with clutch. Rarely on the occasion the Gold/Copper or Rider is injured. If all Gold's/Copper's are able to fly this duty is left to the Headwoman who will lead in a Weyrwoman's place. It will not be surprising that any Weyrling who is not old enough to preform the duty as a Support Wing will also be helping about.  

[Pern Wars]

Duties during Threadfall

• Candidates & Weyrfolk: All available hands will be active during Threadfall in the Weyr. Either helping with bagging firestones, helping in the infirmary, or even in the kitchens or infirmaries collecting or making numbweed and any other medicine to use to help an injured dragon or rider.

• Weyrlings: Like the others, Weyrlings whose dragons are still too young to fly and jump between will be helping the others in any area they can be helping. If any pairs are able to fly and jump between they will be grabbing bags of firestones and bringing them to any dragon that is low and needs more (Support Wing).

• Dragons & Riders: All Riders and Dragons if able will be in the air flaming as best as they can, or helping out the Support or Sweep Wings.

• Wingseconds/thirds: Wingseconds/thirds' main focus is to keep tab on what is happening in their wing and sending any orders given to them by the Wingleader even at times being the Wingleader if the Wingleader is land bound.

• Wingleaders: Wingleaders' main focus is to keep tab of their Wing as well as any orders the Weryleader gives, sending it down to his Wingsecond, as well as informing the Weyrleader what is happening in their wing, if their strength is low, or if they must combine with another wing who is low and needs the help.

• Gold/Copper-riders: They will be either in the air or on the ground. If in the air they will be flaming with the rest flying the Low Wing with flamethrowers picking up any missed clumps or stray strands, being issued or issuing orders if needed. Also to help keep order if any color needs it. If on the ground they will be in charge of all activity of the Weyr. Informing the Weyrleader and leading Gold/Copper of all that is happening and what dragon is out of the Fall.

• Weyrwoman/Regent : The Weyrwoman's/Regent's job is to keep check of any clumps that fall through the Wings as well as the activity above them and of the Weyr. If land bound they will be in charge of what is happening in the Weyr, assigning another Gold/Copper to lead the wing. If in the skies they will be leading their Wing and being informed by the Gold/Copper land bound of what is happening in the Weyr. Also the Senior Queen or fellow Queens will keep any of the Dragons in line if any insubordination occurs as well as informing the Weyrleader of what is happening. If the Weyr needs help from another Weyr they will be Leading the Wing, with the other Weyrwoman as head Wingsecond and head Wingsecond as second.

• Weyrleader: Weyrleader's job is that they keep up on all activities. That of the skies, the Dragons, the Riders, as well as all Wings even their own. They will be informed of what is happening with all the Wings, issuing orders to the Wingleaders as well as informed by the Weyrwoman/Regent if what is happening either in her own Wing or that of the Weyr. The leading Gold/Copper of the Queen's Wing will be informing them of the Wing, the Gold/Copper land bound will be informing them of the activities of the Weyr and any dragon that is out of the Fall. If helping another Weyr that Weyr's Weyrleader will be leading fall leaving the helping Weyrleader as sub-Weyrleader.