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Written by Jenny
Shortly after establishing a Hold at Roaring Cliffs, the newcomers discovered
the intelligent shipfish. After the first couple of rescue incidents, the settlers
realised that these creatures seemed to be attempting some sort of communication.
It wasn't long before they decided that a programme should be properly organised
to try to try to communicate with these intellegent creatures. It didn't seem
an alien concept to them, after all dragons impressed and communicated with
humans, so why wouldn't there be other creatures capable of intelligence? It
didn't take long for the shipfish to put them right , that they were mammals,
and that they were called dolphins. The following three or four turns saw a
huge learning curve for the humans and the beginnings of a Dolphin Hall.
Most of the teaching was done by the dolphins, they remembered how men and dolphins worked together. The men would remove the parasites the dolphins couldn't reach themselves. If dolphins were hurt, cuts and the like, men would sew them up, help them get better. Men would play with them. In return the dolphins would lead men to the biggest shoals of fish. They would warn of weather dangers. When storms hit the islands the dolphins would help to recover lost equipment. They assisted in the recovery of boats in distress and saved humans from drowning in a number of situations. They were even used by the Healer Hall on occasions, by using their sonar abilities they were able to detect abnormal growths, broken bones any tissue invasions, as well as detecting early pregnancies.
Now well established, with a culture of their own. An accepted training programme with planet wide recognition, and Craft acceptance Roaring Cliffs Dolphin Hall is one of the foremost on Pern.
Candidates are accepted from any background, competition is fierce, and places
for apprenticeships few. The first turn is used purely to standardise each of
the students. They are taught to swim, if they can't already, and to enhance
that ability to a level good enough to accompany the dolphins. Basic lessons
are taught, in the dangers of the ocean and all it's currents, environmental
awareness of the islands and the coastal zone, its dangers and its beauty, the
flora and fauna and a little basic dolphin husbandry.
If after the first turn it is felt they have an aptitude and the potential to
make a good dolphineer they are invited to continue a formal apprenticeship.
Like all Perneese Apprenticeships it takes five turns to gain Journeyman status, and it is at this stage that pairings are made. The choice is that of the dolphin and since they have been part of the training during the apprenticeship period they are very qualified to select those apprentices that are most adept
The Prime work of the Dolphin Hall lies in three areas: