Weyrling Training Guide

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Month 1-6
Month 7-12
Month 13-18

If you have a Candidate persona or a Weyrling persona, you are expected to read the Weyrling rules and the training guide in their entirety. At some point in the future, we may have a separate set of rules and a guide for Candidates.

In many ways, you can consider this your first Weyrling lecture by Adina, Cibryen's current Weyrlingmaster ("WLM"). The rules mentioned here are rules for your Weyrling persona to follow – obviously, you can choose to RP your persona breaking the rules, but in doing so, be aware that there will be IC consequences for your Weyrling persona's actions. This can make for great RPs, so don't be afraid to jump in. All we ask is that you check in with the WLM first if it's a major rule breakage.

There will be a Weyrling Lesson RP some time after the Hatching. It will be marked with your Weyrling Class name. Don't change the title when you respond – this will remain the same all throughout the "official" Weyrling RPs, until your Weyrling persona graduates. Each time a new lesson is to be taught, we will introduce it. Obviously, not every single lesson will be officially RPed – but as time goes by, you are welcome to RP practicing items that your Weyrling would already know based on the lessons listed. You are always welcome to start other non-class oriented RPs with your Weyrling persona.

And please keep in mind that every persona can't be perfect and expect to excel at everything. If you give your persona excellence in something, we expect you to demonstrate that persona's weakness somewhere else. This makes them human. And don't be contradictory in what you decide your persona is good at – look at the personality and skills and history already on the sheet, and find a complimentary skill to be good at.

Here are the rules given to Weyrlings on their first day of class (breaking these rules could result in your persona having his or her ears boxed by Dayna who has no trouble with meting out corporal punishment – and then of course there would be extra work duties):

1. Weyrlings do not have intimate relationships of any kind (whether or not actual sex is involved). The only exception to this is later in weyrling training, when greens rise to mate for the first time. This occurs usually around their first turn. Golds don't rise to mate until they're two. Smaller dragons mature sexually sooner, larger dragons mature much more slowly. On average, browns will reach sexual maturity at 1 1/2 turn, with blues before them, but after the greens. Bronzes will mature after the browns, but before the queens. They may not reach their full growth until after sexual maturity, depending on the dragon.
   
   OOC commentary: This isn't a Weyr-specific rule. This is an Anne rule. She set the standard in her books, and always, what's in the books comes first. The DLG says (this is a direct quote): "The bemused, newly Impressed dragonpairs are led from the Hatching Grounds to the Weyrling Barracks, a place set off from the rest of the Weyr. Young dragons, and occasionally young riders, are given to excesses (emotional, culinary, even sexual) that often result in a distressed dragon and rider. Inflicting such emotions upon the rest of a Fighting Weyr could have disastrous consequences, so the young Weyrlings [genders] live apart." It also states that the Weyrlings are put in the WLM's charge and care and are trained as he sees fit and by his rules.
   
   Those are Anne's words. This is a non-negotiable subject. Sneaking around could result in the permanent scarring of both dragon and rider. The reason that Weyrlings can't have relationships – period – is for the dragon's sake. Whether the dragon is awake or not, he or she can feel his/her rider's emotions. People can let their feelings get the better of their logical senses. By continuing a relationship during weyrlinghood, sex becomes a major temptation. If they DO have sex, the dragon can panic, not understanding what he or she is feeling. It has happened that a dragonet, not understanding what is happening to his or her rider, can try to go to help the rider, and accidentally fly between. It doesn't take much imagination to think what will happen to an untrained dragon, with no visualization. The young dragon gets lost between and tragedy occurs.
   
   

2. Weyrlings are not allowed to leave the Weyr under any circumstances, without express permission from the WLM.

3. Don't try anything before you've been taught. This includes riding your dragon, chewing firestone and flaming, and especially going between.

4. No tormenting those with any sort of limitation or restriction, both authority-wise or health wise. Harassing younger Weyrlings or candidates will not be tolerated.

5. Daring other Weyrlings to do something they have not been taught, or inciting them to break any rules will not be tolerated.

6. Whenever the WLM or one of his assistants are speaking, you are to give them your full attention. You are expected to obey orders – this prepares you for when you become part of a Fighting Wing. Questioning or disobeying a superior's orders can result in the death of you, your dragon, or a fellow rider and his dragon when fighting Thread.

Now, for some OOC rules:

1. Weyrlings are never taught timing – not only that, but your personae don't even know timing exists, so it should never even come up in any of your RPs. If you want your Weyrling to somehow discover how to time it, you must ask the WLM and the entire BOD. In 99.99% of the cases, the answer will be a resounding "No." If your Weyrling times it without permission, that Weyrling will die, no exceptions.

2. Death is a part of life on Pern, especially for dragonriders. It's a dangerous life, and it's been calculated that as many as half of every Weyrling class never makes it through training. But before you decide to kill off a Weyrling persona, you need to get BOD and WLM approval.

3. If your Weyrling's dragon is a bronze or gold, then you are expected to post frequently. Refer to the requirements page for exact details on how much is expected of you.

Email the BoD if you have any questions about where you are in training.

View the Clutch Charts to see what class your weyrling is in, or find out if there are any backdatable slots available

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