Welcome to Gaia! ::

When did the balance of power shift? At what crucial moment did the future become our present? There has been some discussion, a scholarly debate if you will, surrounding these events. Those that were there remember the abnormal clutch, the spying and the volleys of raids... and tactics best left to the shadows. It all began roughly ten turns ago, when the minions of the tyrant Keller, a Wherhandler bent on remaking the world in his brutal vision, sought to deal a blow to Trine that would send a message of power.

Now, Keller had succeeded in leading the coup that took Benden and Malvren, making them Wherholds and sending a number of refugees to Trine. The political climate was already unstable as the three Weyrs traded blows while the rest of the world watched, curious and fearful. Trine had recently enjoyed a Gold Flight, one of its newer queens had taken to the sky and flown well, and it was a time for celebration.

However, during the gravid period of Queen Sharath, Keller's minions stole into her weyr and poisoned the pregnant queen. Their intent had been to kill but the fiery gold did not succumb, though she remained ill as she lay her eggs upon the sands. The Weyrfolk had hoped for a strong clutch, numerous and large, to bolster the dragons flying thread but what they were met with... it stoked the outrage and fear that had gripped the populace after her poisoning. A large clutch of small eggs was all that Sharath could muster... barely a brown among them.

Then tragedy struck and her illness stole her life, leaving the runty clutch motherless. This, I believe, is the point where our present became the inevitable.

After the death of Gold Sharath, Trine was whipped into a fury. Demands for Keller's head drowned out any other views and her rider, a ghost of what she was, became consumed with vengeance. It was time that Keller's reign was over and the Weyrs re-established. The ensuing conflicts, known as the Wherwars, lasted nearly three Turns before the other Weyrs of the world were drawn into the conflict. Keller's ideals were spreading, taking root in even the most traditional of the Weyrs, threatening to upend the fragile balance of the dragonriders, forcing their hands.

Banding together, All of Pern's Weyrs sought to put down Keller's growing cult. The first great push saw a massive confrontation at Benden as Traditionalists and New-Weyr riders alike confronted Keller's fanatical forces. It was a brutal battle in close quarters and many were lost, dragonpairs and wherpairs alike. When the smoke cleared and the fighting subsided, Benden had been regained with what remained of Keller's forces fleeing to Malvren's island stronghold. For a long time, Benden stood silent, empty out of respect for the fallen. A memorial now stands at one end of the weyrbowl to mark the battles and the lessons within its halls.

Within Keller's ranks, however, dissent was stirring as those who had flocked to his flag found his promises empty. Under the guise of equality, Keller ruled with fear and brutality where might made right. Some flourished under this mask of democracy but others chaffed at the injustice of a wild weyr. Dragons often came second and rumors could ruin a well tended reputation in an instant – the world of the Wherhold was not for the faint of heart. Quietly, secretively, a movement began with the ultimate goal of overthrowing Keller and bending his cult to more noble ends.

It was an unfortunate coincidence that as the coup came to a head, the forces of Pern's Weyrs came down upon Keller in his island fortress. Attack from sea and air, it became a war of attrition, his forces starved within and picked off without. The coup's members had dwindled significantly from Keller's growing paranoia and increasingly heavy handed punishment by the time his defenses crumbled. It had lasted months before the internal sabotage and external pressure finally took its toll.

The raid, when it came, was a savage, desperate sweep. Many consider the crowning moment of victory to be when the coup's survivors joined with the forces of the World's Weyrs to corner Keller. His precious golden Wher was slain and he was captured, thrown in shackles, to face prosecution at the hands of those he'd wronged.

Sadly, it was not meant to be. Before his trial could be held, he was killed in his cell, taken by poison. Coincidentally, Sharath's rider took her own life not long after. Some suspect the two are connected, an ironic end for the tyrant who changed the face of Pern.

Now Malvren stands empty, an abandoned Weyr rife with haunted memories. Much blood and fear has found its way into the rocks with those that once called it home avoiding it. The associated Holds have fallen to disrepair, the familiar either long gone to greener pastures, or overburdened and made destitute by Keller's men. The entire territory has fallen into disfavor, though rumors of the disenfranchised sometimes finding their way there occasionally circulate.

In the wake of the Wherwars, the world slowly began to recover. Wherhandlers were now viewed with even more distaste then before and trust ran thinly. Weyrs and Holds alike employ fewer Wherhandlers for fear of another tyrant among their ranks. Some, but not all, remember the loyalty of those who stood by the Weyrs and see the movement for its idealized goal: better treatment not just of Wherhandlers but of Dragonriders as well.

Enough of those who understood ranked among the elite of the Weyrs and in the years that followed conferences and meetings were held to diplomatically bring change to Pern. Survivors of the war were frequently among the witnesses, their accounts of the dangers of both the Traditional and Keller's viewpoints weighing heavily in the minds of the people.

As talks drew to a close and the changes began to truly take hold among the riders, those used to being Hatched to power began to grumble in earnest. Goldriders and Bronzeriders alike argued that such a change in political structure would upend the world worse then even Keller's grab at power. Golds were queens, rulers in their own right and born to ascend. Bronzes, it was argued, were naturally born leaders, their stamina and authority respected by all... it would not do to upset that balance. Every dragon had its place and it had worked for centuries.

Afraid that their status as Weyrwoman would be stripped from them politically so soon after Keller's movement had been put down, a handful of Traditionalist Goldriders began to exert their power overtly. It was with the best intentions that they commanded dragons, demonstrated their centrality in the grand scheme, and their inborn power. Pern's reaction to these ambitious individuals was raw and swift. Having recently avoided the dream of one tyrant, Dragonriders around the world were not prepared to accept the 'inborn power' of an ambitious Goldrider laying down. Comparisons between Keller and the Goldriders were drawn and concern over the accountability of Goldriders came to dominate the conversations in the circles of power. Not just the Weyrs spoke of Golden Tyrants, the Holds and the Wherhandlers weighed in as well.

Met with such hostile response, some of the Goldriders panicked and pushed harder for their place in society. The actions of a few, however, tainted the intentions of the rest and its was not long before a consensus was reached: Goldriders would no longer be born into power. They would be among the regular folk, expected to work and lead and contribute as any other rider, with one exception – abuse of their power would result in severe punishment determined by a newly formed Council made up of senior riders across all colors, typical and atypical alike.

Under these new laws, the panicked Goldriders were charge with Abuse of Power. Only one was caught, the others fleeing into the wilds to become what are now known as Rogue Queens. They have become a thorn in the sides of many, stealing away males when they Rise, attracting the disenfranchised, raiding tithe caravans and all with impunity afforded them by the Gold's commanding abilities. For those who remained with the Weyrs, numerous opportunities opened for them. They were expected to join society as contributing members and now it's not uncommon for a Goldrider to earn Rank as a Search dragon or even a Candidate Master. Many have grown to enjoy this freedom from the yolk of power, viewing the Rogue Queens as foolish or reckless. This schism among the queenriders provided new opportunities: to fight gold, counting a gold among your team was of great benefit. Teams were formed to manage the Rogue Queens, to bring them to justice and put down their pirate rings.

During the early years of these teams, many dragons were lost to the telepathic battles between queens, but one unexpected aspect found the light. Atypical dragons, whether due to their inferior genes or some previously unknown ability, proved to be resistant to a Queen's Command. The larger the Atypical, the less they were bound to her will... it wasn't long before the Rogue Hunters were populated with Atypical Dragons. Their prestige and their quirky methods swiftly gained popularity.

The Fall of the Golds brought with it a significant problem: if Golds were subject to the same dangers and duties as fighting dragons, how would future generations be guaranteed?

The answer was brilliantly simple.

Long considered to be neither breeders nor fighters, Crimson Riders stepped forward to take up the mantle. Though their clutches were smaller and less frequent then a Gold's, their numbers were significantly greater then the Queens. This balance would make up for lost queens and guarantee future generations, Golds or no. They also lacked the commanding power of the Golds and thus could not run rampant among the Weyrs, another feature highlighted by a team of dedicated Crimson riders. Thus, Crimsons found their places among both the Fighting Wings and the Breeding Weyrs, sometimes envied for their ability to choose.

It has been ten turns since Sharath's Death. Pern is recovering from the Wherwars, resplendent in a new era of merit and respect. Lessons learned from the Fall and Wherwars are still fresh in the minds of all Pern's people. No longer are metallic dragons born to power. Across every Weyr, positions of power are earned through merit and skill. Weyrwomen and Weyrleaders alike are elected, no longer bound to the breeding prowess of their partners. Wingleaders, Wingseconds, and all the other ranks are open to those with enough ambition and skill to attain.

There are, of course, still kinks to be worked out in this new system and some have adapted more easily then others but compared to the darkness of the past decade, there is an air of hope and renewed faith in society in the Weyrs.

To foster this new sense of camaraderie, annual games are held where all the Weyrs of Pern compete to showcase their skills in flying, athletics, and a multitude of other events.

Though Thread still falls, many believe it an easier foe, and look forward to a future bright with opportunity.

I am inclined to agree.





A Note Regarding Backstories for the Jump....
As long as it makes sense for your character to be involved in the particular events described in the time jump post, feel free include them in the events. A character can be a founding member the Coup within the Wherholds, a hero at the battles of Benden and Malvren, a survivor of Keller's paranoia, or even among the Goldriders who tried to keep tradition the norm. It's up to you, as long as it is in reason. Please note that your character can be among the important people for any event, they cannot be the important person/hero/etc.

Only characters who ended up at Trine after all was said and done will be considered Active characters, though you can write a character's history to have them end up at another Weyr (and thus be off-screen).

Whenever a character is brought forward from the Old Guild to the New Guild, they will require updates based on the jump post as stated above. This applies to all characters.