Post by Phoenix Fawkes on Feb 4, 2008 7:50:41 GMT -5
Pernese Dragons are unlike most of the dragons from stories that you've heard about. These dragons, think and talk with their riders through a telepathic link that formed from the moment they hatch from the egg. These majestic beasts fight against a mortal enemy using nothing but maneuvers and fire. Able to teleport between distances and even time with a clear thought, they are, above all, the hopes and dreams of every person on Pern.
Impression:
This is the act of the mental bonding between rider and dragon from the moment of hatching. The Candidates are circled around the clutch of eggs, anxiously waiting for the dragonets to hatch. Once the dragonet spills out onto the sand, they've already got a rider in mind and stumble to them, announcing their name and starting that mental bond that brings those two closer than any friend or family member. They can sense each other's moods and feelings, and also speak with one another through telepathy. A dragon is dependent on it's rider and should it's rider die, the dragon will commit a suicide of sorts by jumping between and never returning. Dragonless riders hardly ever Impress again, as the void leaves them empty feeling. Ultimately, it's the powerful thing to happen on Pern.
Between:
A dragon is able to teleport itself and rider through great distances in the time it takes to count to 3. Between is a frigid cold and eternally dark place to be, but with a clear vision of the desired destination, a dragon can teleport across the world if they needed to. At points, a dragon can actually transverse time as well as space. However, at a young age, dragonets are forbidden to travel between until they are much more experienced.
Mating:
When a female comes into season, it's costumary for a Mating Flight to take place in which the sutors (the males) chase the female in a aerial acrobatic scene that results with one male being the victor and mating with the female. The higher they fly, the longer they can mate in mid-air. It's said that longer matings lead to larger clutches. For this, the female and sutors only gorge themselves on the blood of their prey, leaving them lighter but energized for the flight.
Queens rise to mate roughly once a Turn, while Greens rise about 3-4 times a Turn.
Due to the intense psychic bond between rider and dragon, dragonriders are overcome by the powerful emotions and sensations associated with mating flights. The riders of the mating pair engage in sex themselves, to varying degrees unaware of what they are doing. This contributes to a much looser attitude toward sexuality in general among dragonriders than in the rest of Pernese society.
For much of Pern's history, all greenriders are male. During these periods, all green mating flights result in homosexual intercourse between the riders of the dragons involved. This homosexual intercourse is accepted in the Weyr as being separate from the rider's personal preferences unless the rider has shown otherwise. Mating flight sex between two riders, one of whom is not the other's chosen partner (known as a weyrmate) is not considered to be "cheating." It is understood within the Weyr that sex during mating flights is not optional for the rider. Anne McCaffrey stated that "The dragon decides, the rider complies."
Names:
Pernese Dragon names always end in -th. Such as Mnemeth, Ramoth, Tireth, and Sorith
Colors:
- Golds (also called Queens) - Are the largest of the dragons, ranging in sizes of 38 - 43 feet long. They are the dominant Females of a Weyr and all the other colors obey orders from a Queen, even against the will of their rider. Golds are the only fertile female, leaving them responsible for populating the weyr with dragons. A healthy large queen can clutch between 30-50 eggs. A Queen egg is quite notable as it's larger and has a slightly golden sheen to the shell. Queens are most like to Impress a heterosexual female candidate.
- Bronze - Are the largest males ranging in sizes of 35 - 38 feet long and are the only males allowed to mate with a Queen, as the smaller colors lack the stamina to fly the Queen during mating. The senior Bronze of the Weyr is determined through which Bronze wins the mating flight with the Queen. Bronze are most like to Impress a heterosexual male Candidate
- Brown - Are the second largest males, Range in sizes of 30 - 35 feet long. They may occasionally mate with a queen is they range on the larger side, but as the queen size grows, this is almost unheard of. Browns tend to Impress heterosexual males, but bisexual or masculine homosexual males are not unheard of.
- Blue - The smallest male, Range in sizes of 25 - 30 feet long. They are not as agile as Greens are, but they have enough stamina to last an entire Threadfall. They typically mate with greens as they are two small to keep up with the Queen during mating flights. Blue riders are mostly masculine homosexual, but bisexual or heterosexual is not uncommon.
- Green - The smallest and most agile female, ranging in sizes of 20 - 25 feet long, they are a nimble asset to the Weyr and make up about half the weyr population. Though they lack the stamina to fly for a whole Threadfall they tend to fly in shifts of two or three. Originally Greens Impressed female riders, but females were needed for the population growth of Pern, and the Greens started to Impress homosexual males. However, recently Greens have started to Impress young heterosexual females once more.
