world :: guides :: timeline :: maps :: dragon*con notes :: riding straps :: renewable airforce :: firelizards
Notice: These are simply discussions, and not intended to be absolute canon. This is the product of many weyrs and people working together, and I didn't get ALL the information. These pages are subject to change as I compile the notes of all the BoD. Let me know if you have any questions about anything. These are not necessarily canon, and Cibryen doesn't necessarily adhere to all of these. This is simply here for those who couldn't come to Dragon*Con.
All that Glitters :: Crafters :: Dragonhealing - Their blood is green :: Dragon Sex :: Healer Hall :: Renewable Airforce :: Weyrling Training
{{note - This panel wasn't nearly as informative as we were hoping for. It gave a few interesting points, but focused more on the bronzes than the golds}}
Metallics. They are what drew almost all of us to Anne McCaffrey Fandom. But what do they do? They obviously don't just sit around and look shiny. Bronze and gold riders have duties, vital duties that keep the weyr at large running.
All metallics serve as diplomats and liasons to holders. It is the bronzes that must handle Lord Holders, and the goldriders that must represent the weyr. ALL dragonriders serve as representatives of the Weyr every time they leave its boundaries, but it is the metallics that Pern looks up to and sees most prominently.
The Weyrwoman is mostly concerned with the everyday running of the Weyr. She works hand in hand with the Headwoman to keep things running. She places weyr children in foster care. She is also considered a Weyrlingmaster assistant, and is expected to help train the weyrlings. When her dragon has clutched, she stays on the sands, usually in a specially prepared weyr just off the Grounds. Her mundane duties may be set aside and taken up by another goldrider, but the care of her dragon comes first. A clutching gold is essentially a four ton 2 turn old child. There is always a bronze guarding the entrance to the grounds, usually the dragon's mate.
When a gold candidate doesn't Impress, she has a choice. She can stay in the weyr, or she can go home. Most candidates choose to stay in the weyr. The atmosphere is of course much more liberal than in the holds, and there is always something for a woman to do if she's willing to work. A candidate may continue to Stand until they are too old to Impress. The Weyr values the kind of empathic women that are Searched for a gold egg.
A gold weyrling trains hard, and receives different training to regular weyrlings. In addition to the usual lessons, she will learn how to handle her gold during mating flights, how to restore and maintain records, tracking tithes, and much more. She won't always train with other goldriders, though. She must spend time with the Healers, and with the Headwoman. She will learn a little of everything. She must know how each part of her weyr works. She will learn much about history. She must know her weyr, as does her Weyrleader, because it is their duty to assign tasks and positions within the weyr.
In the weyr, all bronzes and golds are trained as though they will one day be the Weyrleader, or Weyrwoman. Every gold is a potential Weyrwoman, and every bronze is a potential Weyrleader. an unprepared bronze who wins the flight of a Weyrwoman's gold has a huge job on his hands, and could be detrimental to the Weyr at large. All bronzes try to fly the gold, and Weyrleaders change constantly. It is feasible to have a new Weyrleader every time the senior gold rises. Cases like Lessa and F'lar's are the exception, rather than the rule.