Dragon's Weyr Clan
From the
Weyr and from the Bowl,
Bronze and brown and blue and green,
Rise the dragonmen of Pern,
Aloft, on wing, seen, then unseen.
~ From Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
Bronze and brown and blue and green,
Rise the dragonmen of Pern,
Aloft, on wing, seen, then unseen.
~ From Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
What? You've never been to a Hatching and Impression? There
is nothing in the world like it. Words cannot paint as accurate picture of the
Event, but I shall do my best. After all, I am a Harper.
The first sign of a Hatching is any resident Firelizards suddenly flying in a flair with many wild acrobatic movements. Either exactly at the same time or closely following will be heard the humming of their larger cousins, the Dragons. You can even feel this humming in your bones.
The second sign is the sudden flurry of activity in the Weyr. The Canidates found on Search and from the Weyr rush to get into their white robes, and assemble near the Hatching Grounds. Riders and Dragons take off Between to pick up the family members of Canidates that wish to attend and other Notables to witness the Event. Only to return shortly with their passengers and drop them off so they may enter the Hatching Grounds and get seated.
The Hatching Grounds are within a rather large cavern. On entering them, the first thing that will catch your eyes is the heated sands and the clutch of eggs in the middle. If a clutch contains one or more Queen eggs, they will be off to one side of the clutch, with the Golden Queen hovering near it all. Those Bronze, Browns, Blues, and Greens that can fit, are up on a ledge high over the chamber looking down, their eyes a glowing swirl of blue-green while they still hum a welcome to those about to hatch.
About three-quarters around the Grounds are rising tiers of bench-like seats in the rock where everyone sits watch the Hatching and Impression. Watching people mince and hop as they cross the sands to their seats can be a funny sight to the observer. The Sands are so hot, you can feel it through the thickest soled shoe. The walk has even been dubbed The Hatching Walk. Hushed conversations can be heard as people speculate what colour dragon will come out of which egg. The only egg that is discernable as to what resides in it is the Queen egg, a pale golden in colour. Bets are sometimes made on who will Impress what colour, as well as which colour dragon will hatch first.
Suddenly, the Dragons fall silent, the Canidates are led in by the Weyrling Master, and all eyes are on them, the eggs, or back and forth trying to see it all at once. The Grounds are so silent, that when the first crack of an egg happens, it is as if thunder has just sounded. Which will hatch first? Bronze, Brown, Blue, or Green? A Bronze hatched first is usually seen as a good omen, but reguardless of the colour, all are concidered a joy and are welcome.
Hatchlings are clumsy when they first emerge, and as they search for thier bondmates, those not quick enough to get out of the way can get hurt by a flailing wing or claw. When the dragonnette finally finds its partner, a stillness envelops the two as they communicate for the first time telepathically. It generally ends when the youth chosen shouts out his or her dragon's name. New pairs are lead off the hot Sands to Weyrfolk waiting with fresh bowls of cut meat to feed the dragonnettes, for they have voracious appetites. All that work hatching is hungry business, so I am told. If a clutch has a queen egg, it will be the last to hatch.
Once all eggs have hatched, and pairings done, the Weyrlings and their dragon partners are led off to the Weyrling Baaracks. After their dragons are taken care of and bedded for the night, the new Weyrlings will join everyone else in the Weyr Feast Hall for food, relaxation, and congratulations.
A Dragon and its Rider bond for life. The bond is only severed due to the death of one. If the Rider dies, the Dragon will suicide, going Between, never to return. If it is the Dragon that dies, the Rider will become half a person. Some have been known to go on to other things, or old skills. Generally though they die a slow death of indifferance to life.
The first sign of a Hatching is any resident Firelizards suddenly flying in a flair with many wild acrobatic movements. Either exactly at the same time or closely following will be heard the humming of their larger cousins, the Dragons. You can even feel this humming in your bones.
The second sign is the sudden flurry of activity in the Weyr. The Canidates found on Search and from the Weyr rush to get into their white robes, and assemble near the Hatching Grounds. Riders and Dragons take off Between to pick up the family members of Canidates that wish to attend and other Notables to witness the Event. Only to return shortly with their passengers and drop them off so they may enter the Hatching Grounds and get seated.
The Hatching Grounds are within a rather large cavern. On entering them, the first thing that will catch your eyes is the heated sands and the clutch of eggs in the middle. If a clutch contains one or more Queen eggs, they will be off to one side of the clutch, with the Golden Queen hovering near it all. Those Bronze, Browns, Blues, and Greens that can fit, are up on a ledge high over the chamber looking down, their eyes a glowing swirl of blue-green while they still hum a welcome to those about to hatch.
About three-quarters around the Grounds are rising tiers of bench-like seats in the rock where everyone sits watch the Hatching and Impression. Watching people mince and hop as they cross the sands to their seats can be a funny sight to the observer. The Sands are so hot, you can feel it through the thickest soled shoe. The walk has even been dubbed The Hatching Walk. Hushed conversations can be heard as people speculate what colour dragon will come out of which egg. The only egg that is discernable as to what resides in it is the Queen egg, a pale golden in colour. Bets are sometimes made on who will Impress what colour, as well as which colour dragon will hatch first.
Suddenly, the Dragons fall silent, the Canidates are led in by the Weyrling Master, and all eyes are on them, the eggs, or back and forth trying to see it all at once. The Grounds are so silent, that when the first crack of an egg happens, it is as if thunder has just sounded. Which will hatch first? Bronze, Brown, Blue, or Green? A Bronze hatched first is usually seen as a good omen, but reguardless of the colour, all are concidered a joy and are welcome.
Hatchlings are clumsy when they first emerge, and as they search for thier bondmates, those not quick enough to get out of the way can get hurt by a flailing wing or claw. When the dragonnette finally finds its partner, a stillness envelops the two as they communicate for the first time telepathically. It generally ends when the youth chosen shouts out his or her dragon's name. New pairs are lead off the hot Sands to Weyrfolk waiting with fresh bowls of cut meat to feed the dragonnettes, for they have voracious appetites. All that work hatching is hungry business, so I am told. If a clutch has a queen egg, it will be the last to hatch.
Once all eggs have hatched, and pairings done, the Weyrlings and their dragon partners are led off to the Weyrling Baaracks. After their dragons are taken care of and bedded for the night, the new Weyrlings will join everyone else in the Weyr Feast Hall for food, relaxation, and congratulations.
A Dragon and its Rider bond for life. The bond is only severed due to the death of one. If the Rider dies, the Dragon will suicide, going Between, never to return. If it is the Dragon that dies, the Rider will become half a person. Some have been known to go on to other things, or old skills. Generally though they die a slow death of indifferance to life.
By the Golden Egg of Faranth
By the Weyrwoman, wise and true,
Breed a flight of bronze and brown wings,
Breed a flight of green and blue.
Breed riders, strong and daring,
Dragon-loving, born as hatched
Flight of hundreds soaring skyward,
Man and dragon fully matched.
~ From Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey
By the Weyrwoman, wise and true,
Breed a flight of bronze and brown wings,
Breed a flight of green and blue.
Breed riders, strong and daring,
Dragon-loving, born as hatched
Flight of hundreds soaring skyward,
Man and dragon fully matched.
~ From Dragonflight by Anne McCaffrey