About Pernese Dragons

Pernese Dragon Wiki
(This refers to things I may not have mentioned though most is book-oriented.)

Basic Overview

Dragons have five basic, traditional colors: gold, bronze, brown, blue and green. Traditional white dragons are like Ruth, the white dragon from the Ninth Pass. They are small, the same size as the first dragons of the First Pass. For Cannon-Pern there can be no other white dragons as the egg shells grow to hard for the hatchling to emerge and the dragonet will die. This was a programed default to keep the species strong and prevent dragons like Ruth. However, sport sized dragons are useful and in Cyber-Pern, freeing those dragonets are more common. Another way to obtain a rare color is genetic manipulation which has resulted in rare dragons from minor to major in appearance. Some colors are only hatched when science is involved, however genetics do allow for more then a sport sized white to hatch and getting a gold sized white is possible. (The FGPC WeyrHall has more information on Genetic Codes used to determine color.)

It is a much heated debate on the size of Pernese dragons. The Dragon Lovers Guide to Pern (DLGtP) states meters as the length for the dragons. However, it has been cited that McCaffery made a mistake and meant feet. Though I have found charts in meters that make sense if you read the first three books that were written, I prefer to go by other references and will remain with feet.

Below is the Size Class Chart for the present Pass, which is the Eleventh, and the other Passes. The Sixth Pass was when the "programmed size" was reached The Third Pass was when the "programed size" was reached and is also what I use for Falas Weyr's Size Classes. (I miss read information however if you would rather have the original set I created, they're still up just add "b" to the file names and numbers for 4 and 5.) I feel that by the time Falas was founded, the genes that created huge dragons like Ramoth and Mnementh would have been bred out, leaving us with the sizes that should have been. All sizes for these were determined by this chart. They are approximates taken at the end of the Pass, not the beginning.

View Full Size
Size Class Charts For All Passes
First Pass - Second Pass - Ninth Pass

Dragon Colors

"Natural" Rare Colors
silver, copper, cream, black, white, two-tone, speckled

Other Rare Colors
(Please visit the FPGC WeyrHall for more information on other colors and genetics.)

The Traditional Colors of Pern
These are the original colors and the most common. The smallest of them are the greens, which are always female and make up fifty percent of the dragon population, equaling the number of the male bronze, brown, and blues. Golds are less common and are the largest as well as the only females that are able to reproduce.

True Rares and Genetic Rares
White, when also a sport size, is the truest rare. The other colors are, somewhat, variations of the traditional colors and seem to appear in a similar order. Silver, copper, cream, black, and white being the most common when a "natural rare" is shelled. Two-tone dragons also appear, often in the first ten colorations above but can branch out to the rarer colors listed at the FGPC. Speckles, though never really noted, have hatched before though some are now more noticeable then others. Genetics play a large role with speckles and some patterns may have numerous names depending on where the dragon was shelled.

About Personality Stereotypes
Despite the typical fashion, I prefer not to stereotype the traditional colors however each color does have a few traits that tend to follow them. The color of the dragon does not make the rider, the rider makes the dragon, so to speak. When I look at a candidate I try to find specific traits that accompany them and match them that way. Other factors will play in the final Impression yet personality is the key – sort of.

Of course, the traits I listed are vague and they are meant to be. Gold and bronze riders, as well as brown, tend to be the leaders of the Weyr while the blue and green are the fighters under them. It was common in the earlier days of Pern to choose females to stand on the Hatching Sands to Impress, often greens. As Pern's population grew, fathers wanted there daughters for marriage and the practice stopped. In Cyber-Pern this tradition is more common, perhaps coming from the world we do where certain things are "unacceptable". Females may Impress green and gold, as well as blue and brown depending on there personality type. A more independent girl may Impress a blue while a very level headed girl may Impress a brown.

Mating and Clutching

Once in the air, the female tries to outwit and outmaneuver the males until she tires, has had enough, or is caught by the most cunning of her suitors. Riders share this experience with there dragons. Multiple partners is not frowned upon in the Weyr because of this and a male rider may have several offspring with different women. Many weyrbrats are children of riders from mating flights. There have been cases where a rider prefers another over the one who caught her rider. This is often frustrating for the dejected rider but there are always others in the Weyr to "stand in". The male, once he catches her through wit, patients, luck, or all three, will lock talons and twin there necks and tails to prevent other dragons from intervening. The genitalia are concealed behind pouch-like flaps of skin under the junction of the tail and body, and are only revealed during mating. Both dragons will open there wings, gliding downward at a gentle angle. Skilled males are able to prolong the flight this way if they have enough stamina for it. The two will break apart before they hit the ground.

After the flight, it takes approximately three months for the clutch to be lain. It can take a few days before the clutch is finally lain depending on the size of the clutch and the size of the female. It may take a week before a gold finishes her clutch. I average three to five eggs a day depending on the size of the female. All eggs typically reach an average man's knee, so about a foot and a half in size. They are ovular in shape and have a molten hue of cream and off white. Gold eggs have a slightly more golden hue to them so that they are distinguishable among the rest of the clutch.

Once the eggs are lain its up to the mother to guard and protect them for a period of six sevendays. Not all greens will stay with there clutch and may get annoyed at mother hood and leave them, in which case other more maternal dragons will tend the clutch. This had happened in a few instances, and even a few males may try there hand at a clutch. Abandoned clutches have a higher dud rate then a well maintained clutch. Golds are far more protective of there clutches and may only leave when the need arises, some don't even leave for a Fall. The mother will rotate and move the eggs around during the incubation, during which the eggs will grow from leather-hard to near rock-hard.

Impression and Riding

The hatching is not as long as one may think and no one is really able to see every Impression made. A Hatching can take from ten to fifteen minutes but for the Candidates it may see like forever. The eggs crack, roll, and break open to reveal the dragonets who are gangly, wet, and hungry. Some candidates get hurt during this time for the young dragons may disregard a person as they walk over them. Dragonets have soft claws but they can do enough damage to a boys or girls skin. Dragons are able to pick out the boy or girl that best fits there own personalities or sexual preference. Gold eggs are commonly last to hatch. Golds tend to be a bit more vicious upon hatching so the strongest minded girls are usually the ones she will choose.

The stories one will read in the Records Room are not an recorded account of the Hatching. The only thing that is able to be recorded are the list of riders, what they Impressed and the names of the new dragons.

Once all the eggs are have hatched, blue and green riders may come to pick up the Candidates that remain and bring them back to the Lower Caverns to recover from not being chosen. The sands are cleaned by cavern workers and drudges while eggs that did not hatch are taken between.

After the Hatching, the dragonets are lead outside into the Bowl where meat has been cut and proportioned for the hungry dragonets. The new riders are often aided by senior riders of the Weyr during this time. The dragonets are hungry and often try to inhale there food rather then chewing it. Once they've eaten, they are bathed by the lake and oiled. By this time, the new baby dragon only wants to sleep so they are settled into the Weyrling Barracks. The rest of the Weyr will celebrate this event, and the new riders are allowed to join the festivities if they choose. Male riders are able to choose there elided names and not all names are taken from there own. Females will not but some choose to take a shorter version, or a common nickname, to simplify there names.

Dragons reach there full height by there eighteenth month. They grow exponentially. Most are only one to one and a half feet tall when they hatch but grow very rapidly. A sport dragon is very obvious for they are under a foot tall, often closer to the size of a firelizard. By the time they are a Turn old, they are seventy-five percent there final size. Due to this, sport dragons often have to wait before they can fly and are held back until there dragon can carry there riders' weight without stressing the wing muscles. The general rule is to wait until the dragon is two, then allow them to begin flight training. Until flight training begins, they are considered junior weyrlings. There tasks are similar to the rest of the Weyrfolk yet they focus more on there dragon then other duties. Once they are allowed to fly around the Weyr to strengthen wing muscles, they become senior weyrlings. During this time they learn to go between, fly in formations and with groups, practice flaming, drills, and anything else that S'mar uses to prepare the riders for what the became riders for.

A weyrling's first Thread fall is called "Blooding". This is there first encounter with Thread and some riders come back haunted and afraid. Some are killed, and some are injured. It is there write of passage into the Fighting Wings. During their weyrlings years, every Wingleader has been watching them. The Weyrleader watches them during drills and everyday life. Those that show potential at leading are given a little extra attention. Every rider joins a Wing as a Wingrider. J'ren holds these ceremonies often during the evening meal. New riders are asked to walk the tables just like apprentices do in the Halls. They move from the Weyrling's Table to the table where there new wing sits. This is the same for promotions from Wingrider to Wingsecond, or Wingsecond to Wingleader. The new rider will meet his new Wingleader and receive his shoulder knot before sitting down. From there, they may rise in the ranks if they please there Wingleader and the Weyrleader agrees to a promotion or a Wing of there own.

Any rider who wishes to transfer out of Falas Weyr may do so once S'mar feels they can get to there new location safely – or another rider comes to escort them back. Any rider transferring to Falas joins the Weyrlings Wing no matter how much they've learned. S'mar "finishes" there training which gives the Weyrleader and Wingleaders a chance to see the new rider's skills before placing them. Most of my riders transfer to Falas Weyr early on thus have enough to learn that they don't get angry at S'mar for repeating information or forcing them to re-learn something they learned differently.

Pernese Dragon Facts
Original Colors	gold, bronze, brown, blue, green
Natural Rare Colors	silver, copper, cream, black, white
Other Rare Colors	many, please visit the FGPC WeyrHall for more information and charts
Eyes	green: sleeping, pleasure red: anger orange-red: sexual agitation/desire white: extreme danger purple: stress yellow: fright, anxiety orange: hunger blue: love red orange: uncertainty, suspicion rainbow: agitation The whirling speed indicates intestity of the emotion.
Physical Features	head knobs ('ears'), neck ridges, faceted eyes, hide, their blood is dark green
Length Range	gold: 38'-42' bronze: 35'-40' brown: 30'-35' blue: 25'-30' green: 20'-25' sport:15'-20'
Length Conversions	height - 28% head - 12% neck - 16% body - 28% tail - 50% one wing - 110% shoulder width - 6% wingspan - 226%
Lifespan	not known
Maturity	2 turns
Sexual Maturity	3 turns
Clutch Size	gold: 12-20 bronze: 10-18 brown: 8-16 blue: 6-14 green: 4-12 sport: 2-10 runt: none
Population	many
Abilites	telepathy - can speak mind-to-mind and project images teleportation - can transport different locations instantaniously (between) telekinesis - can move objects with their mind assisted firebreath - can breath fire after chewing certian rock (firestone)
Bonding Rate	100%; they need a rider to survive
Bonding Preferance	Humaniod; males have a better chance of bonding then females
Personality Traits	Pernese dragons have slight 'sterotypes' for each color; the personality of the dragon souly depends on the rider, often simular with a slight difference so that they compliments each other
Naming Style	Always ends in 'th'

Credits

Eye color emotions from the Pernese Dictionary (link void); edited