Welcome to Gaia! ::

The weyrlings had been flying together for some time. On top of settling into drills up in the sky with their mounts, they were still studying from various hides that had maps and charts. From local and foreign geography, topography, and maps of the night sky, the weyrlings had been put to the test. While it was important to know the Lords and Ladies of the Holds, it was even more important to know what each and every Hold on Pern looked like from an aerial view.

They had their first Between lessons two sevendays prior. The hops they made were to locations around the Weyr -- from one side to the next. They had gotten comfortable making these leaps. Coordinates were given from Orioth and other adult riders, and the dragons would take them and get Theirs comfortable with the experience. They had even taken them outside the Weyr, so both rider and dragon could see some of Pern's major Holds from a sky-high view.

Certain that both rider and dragon could handle going Between, it was now time to begin to trust them. She couldn't force them to study, couldn't force them to follow her rules--though the consequences could and might well be fatal. But weyrling lesson wasn't meant to last forever, and sooner or later, these pairs would have no one to trust but one another. Between was only one stepping stone of becoming a rider--and Threadfall would be next.

"Weyrling, listen up! Today we'll be doing more of the same -- practicing trips Between. But instead of using coordinates that I provide, or another Assistant, we'll be putting your coordinates to the test!" Faranth, she hoped they were ready.

"This sevenday, our focus is going to be the more familiar Major Holds. As the month progresses, you'll be tested on less familiar--but still important--locations." They wouldn't always be going to a Major Hold, and some times didn't have the time to fly straight from a better known location. The weyrlings had been pouring over the maps and pictures for sevendays now--she could only hope they'd be okay.

"If you get stuck, let Orioth or an Assistant know! Think clearly, don't rush yourself. Once lost, you're lost forever, so take your time!" They weren't in Threadfall yet, after all. "Make your circuits. Once back, take time to recuperate, get yourself a drink, and then mount up and make them again. And again." She was going to make sure these weyrlings would be dreaming of these coordinates and with luck, there would be no catastrophes.

Depending on the grid, you will find they have a higher level of difficulty. The higher the difficulty, the more opportunity for failure/distraction/potential panic during your trip Between. Every jump is tricky, but easier grids have a higher chance of distraction or boredom--it's easy to get complacent when you're well practiced. More difficult grids have a higher shot of panic or general failure to properly visualize. All grids can result in character (or NPC) death or trauma, so have fun!

You will begin with the Easy Grid first.

The Easy Grid: Grid 1
1. Western Hold
2. Solace Hold
3. Black Sand Hold
4. White Cliff Weyrhold
5. Western Weyr

Roll a D20

• 1. You failed. Somewhere along the way, you absolutely botched this jump. You go Between but find that it takes a lot longer than three coughs to get out. One, two, three, four...five..!... six!! Oh shaffit all! You're stuck! You can't feel, you can't breathe, and you and your dragon start to panic. But nobody hears your cries in the cold waste of Between.
  
  Dead.
  
  =Alternatively= you may opt out of this tragic fate by having your weyrling double check their coordinates with an assistant. It might be shameful but better you live another day, yes?
  
  If you roll this 3 times or more, you will be enlisted in remedial lessons =and= an NPC has died. Please let Uta know so they can suffer the fate that should have been yours.
  
  
• 2: Success or Failure! If you have one of the following: 1 or 2 as a Distraction Grid, 1 in the Exhaustion Grid, or a 5 in the confidence level, you have suddenly found yourself with a case of the dead.
  
  If this is your third of fourth time rolling, and you have a 3 in any of the grids, your mediocrity has somehow failed you. Whoops! You wind up lapsing on the coordinates, unless instinct goads you to double check those coordinates. Better luck next time, mate.
  
  Better double check those coordinates or you will find yourself hella-stuck Between.
  
  Everyone else succeeds!
  
  
• 3-6: Mostly success! Some potential failure!
  
  If this is your first roll for this circuit, and you have an anxiety level of 1 or 2, you find yourself in dire straits and panicking during your first jump. If you have a 2, you make it out, though it certainly took a lot longer and you're now feeling extra-stressed about this entire affair. If you had a 1, you get lost forever... unless you get your coordinates double-checked.
  
  If this is your fourth or fifth roll for this circuit, and you have a confidence level of 4 or 5, a distraction level of 1 or 2, a Visualization of 1 you find yourself struggling and in need of assistance! If you don't take it or get it, you'll fail your trip Between and wind up lost forever. Whoops!
  
  Alternatively, any of those deaths can be avoided by getting coordinates checked =or= taking a Scare. While it takes way longer to get to your destination, you manage, albeit are shaken. Your Visualization Levels drop one point though, because clearly, you're not doing so hot at this and now are beginning to doubt yourself.
  
  
• 7-20: Success! You made it through with flying colors! This is easy-peasy and nothing is going to stop you now! You're a wizard dragonrider, Harry!
  

- - - -

The Moderate Grid: Grid 2
1. Courtesan Hall
2. Redoubt Hold
3. Paradise Falls Hold
4. Sand's End Hold (Minor Hold beholden to Western Hold)
5. Western Weyr

Roll a D12

• 1. You failed. You don't know if you panicked somewhere, or if your visualization wasn't right, but all of a sudden that coldness starts to seep through your skin and bones. You feel your dragon, but you're stuck in that frozen darkness. You're certain you can't breathe, certain you can't scream, and though you cling desperately to the link of your dragon, your last thought is why me? You had done everything right up until now, hadn't you? Unfortunately, Between doesn't care what your hopes and dreams were, or what you could have been.
  
  Dead.
  
  =Alternatively= you may opt out of this tragic fate by having your weyrling double check their coordinates with an assistant. Don't let pride get in the way of living! You could also take a Scare and, though it takes much longer to get to the destination, and leaves you shaken, you manage to arrive nearby. Your Confidence Level will take a loss of a single point.
  
  If you roll this 3 times or more, you will be enlisted in remedial lessons =and= an NPC has died. Please let Uta know so they can suffer the fate that should have been yours.
  
  
• 2-4: Success & Failure! If this is your first roll and you have a 1 in any of the levels, you fail. Whatever the reason, you find yourself in a world of trouble, as the black void of Between embraces its newest victim... But maybe you felt a need to get those coordinates checked before you took the leap.
  
  If this is your second or third roll, if your Exhaustion Level of 3 or higher is going to be reduced by one for the rest of your rolls. i.e. If you had them down as a 5, they are now feeling like a 4. All future rolls will be based on this number until you finish the game. If you had them as a 4, they are now down to a 3, and if you had them as a 3 they are now down to a 2. You are feeling mentally exhausted!
  
  If this is your fourth or fifth roll, and you happen to have a Distraction/Intensity level of 5, your certainty of the coordinates winds up being your downfall. You didn't account for the placement of the sun and you wind up lost Between. If you have an exhaustion level of 1 or 2, you botch your coordinates due to the drain. If your Memorization/Visualization skills are 3 or less, you botch remembering the exact placement and wind up lost--unless you check your coordinates.
  
  Everyone else succeeds!
  
  
• 5-6: Mostly Success!
  
  If you have a a 3 or lower in Anxiety/Confidence levels, perhaps you needed more fear of Between because something goes wrong and you fail to return and are lost forever... unless you get your coordinates checked.
  
  If you have a 4 in Anxiety/Confidence, you learn a healthy dose of fear as it takes you a bit longer to appear Between. You make it (somehow) but even your dragon is spooked. You know that you almost got lost there, but somehow managed to make it through. For the rest of your rolls on this grid, your Anxiety/Confidence score is down TWO points.
  
  
• 7: Mostly success!
  
  If you have a Studiousness level of 4 or 5, or a Exhaustion/Alertness level of 4 or 5, all your hardwork.. fails. Maybe you memorized the wrong pages, or maybe you had too much detail and wind up lost in the wrong time. Either way, where you showed up is right, but the WHEN is all wrong! In fact, your dragon starts to panic when they realize that the time and place is... not right!
  
  Too quickly, before you are able to see much of anything worth noting, your dragon begs to return to Western Weyr. You visualize the coordinates, and pop successfully back to the right time and place--thoroughly shaken. Your Anxiety level automatically plummets to a 1 from here on out. Alternatively, you can fail your return and die on the way back to the right time. Your choice!
  
  
• 8-12: Success! You manage to make the leap without any trouble! Good job! Breathe easy!
  

The Difficult Grid: Grid 3
1. Waters Edge Cothold (Cothold beholden to Black Sands Hold)
2. Oasis Hold (Minor Hold beholden to Rivercrest Hold)
3. Stoney Tower Hold (Minor Hold beholden to Redoubt Hold)
4. Green Plains Cothold (Cothold beholden to White Cliff Weyrhold)
5. Western Weyr

Roll a D6

• 1. You failed. You had been so certain of your coordinates, or at least confident enough to give your dragon the signal to Between. But as you count your breaths, as you find yourself lost in that darkness, you begin to feel a surge of panic as the eternal blackness continues to envelop you. Your dragon begins to panic, scrambling to try to find him or herself; you also start to gasp, to try valiantly to breathe. You can't feel your dragon, save for that last, panicked and mental connection. As you thrash around in the darkness, you know there is no escape. At least you and Yours are together in the end.
  
  Dead.
  
  =Alternatively= you may opt out of this tragic fate by having your weyrling double check their coordinates with an assistant. Don't let pride get in the way of living! Otherwise, they may opt to take a Scare, and though the jump takes longer than it usually should, somehow, miraculously, you wind up in the general location.
  
  Your confidence score automatically drops down one point.
  
  Additionally, if you roll this 3 times total, you will be enlisted in remedial lessons =and= an NPC has died. Please let Uta know so they can suffer the fate that should have been yours.
  
  
• 2: Success and Failure!
  
  If this is your First or Second roll and you have a 1 or 2 in any of your stats, you are going to botch pretty dang hard and fail to make the leap. This ain't no child's play, after all. You need to be alert, you need to know your s**t, and you need to know how the heck to do this!
  
  If this is your third roll, you manage to succeed! Woot!
  
  If this is your fourth or fifth roll, and you have a 5 in any of experience levels, you wind up mucking up and fail make the leap. Oops! Perhaps you were over confident or you felt too self-assured.
  
  Everyone else? You're good to go!
  
  If you fail to make the leap, you must either keep yourself from dying by asking for help, or taking a Scare and dropping your confidence down by one point! If you roll this three times or more, let Uta know, so she can axe an NPC to take the fall in your place.
  
  
• 3: Success and Failure!
  
  If you have a Distraction Level of 3 or less, a Confidence Level of 2 or less, or a Memorization/Visualization of 3 or less, you fail! These smaller holds can be tricky, but are important to know, as dragon and rider can't always fly direct from a Major Hold!
  
  Everyone else succeeds!
  
  
• 4: Success and Failure!
  
  If you have a a 3 or less in Slacker/Studiousness levels, perhaps you needed more fear of Between because something goes wrong and you fail to return and are lost forever... unless you get your coordinates checked. If you don't want your coordinates check, you can take another Scare and lower your confidence level by one point.
  
  If you have an Exhaustion level of 1 and this is your fourth roll or fifth roll, you're just too tuckered out and start getting sloppy. You wind up making a fatal error... Unless you get your coordinates checked. If this is the second time you roll this at this low Exhaustion Level, and if you don't fail, an NPC will in your stead. DM Uta so she can iron out which NPC winds up on the chopping block!
  
  Everyone else? You're good to go!
  
  
• 5: Success and Failure!
  
  If this is your third or fourth or fifth roll, and you have an Exhaustion level of 1 or a Distraction level of 2 or 3, or Confidence of 3 or 4, or a Studious level of 4 or 5 you find yourself lost Between. Whoops! Maybe you were getting too sloppy or the coordinates too complex, or maybe you just studied the wrong thing or confused it with another Hold. Either way, you're out... unless you get some help.
  
  If you have an exhaustion level of 4 or 5 at any time while on this grid and at this roll, you find yourself getting sleepy and will lose one Exhaustion level for the duration of the game.
  
  Everyone else is good to go!
  
  
• 6: Success! You passed with flying colors! There was nothing to that jump and you're feeling great! Gain one Anxiety/Confidence level!
  

Sorsha of Gold Leoth

Stats:
Distraction/Intensity: 2
Exhaustion/Alertness: 3
Memorization/Visualization: 5
Anxiety/Confidence: 4
Slacker/Studious: 4

Sevenday 1: Grid 1
1. Western Hold
2. Solace Hold
3. Black Sand Hold
4. White Cliff Weyrhold
5. Western Weyr

Sorsha was ready for Between lessons! She had spent the entire day yesterday studying the coordinates of various locations around the Western Continent, even running the details through her mind while she tried to fall asleep. Consequently, she was a little bit tired today, but she felt confident that she and Leoth would do just fine!

"Ready, my love?" the redhead asked her beloved not-so-little-any-longer queen.

I am ready to be a grand example to our siblings! Leoth replied, sending waves of confidence over Sorsha.

With a nod, Sorsha visualized the first objective -- Western Hold -- and ordered Leoth Between...



A brief blink through the cold and black of Between, and they were in the skies above Western Hold. "Yes!" Sorsha fistpumped. "I knew we could do it!"

Of course we did it, Mine, Leoth rumbled with a touch of bemused humor. There was never a doubt.

Phryana and Gold Kleoth

Stats:
Distraction/Intensity: 4
Exhaustion/Alertness: 3
Memorization/Visualization: 4
Anxiety/Confidence: 3
Slacker/Studious: 4

Sevenday 1: Grid 1
1. Western Hold
2. Solace Hold
3. Black Sand Hold
4. White Cliff Weyrhold
5. Western Weyr

Flying with Kleoth felt like a dream, and now it was time to master the skill that would open up all of Pern for them. Western was home and always would be even if Kleoth wasn't fiercely attached to her Weyr, but to be able to go wherever they wished in mere seconds was something Phryana wanted desperately. Still, the danger easily tempered her eagerness, and though the young woman had studied intently, there was always a risk.

We will be careful and we will succeed. Kleoth assured her warmly before sending her love out to all of her siblings. Her golden twin and Yaguareth had already gone--and arrived safely, she informed her rider. She'd expected nothing less.

Phryana did not rush her visualization of Western Hold, fixing it firmly in her mind. Let's go, my love., feeling Kleoth's powerful muscles gather underneath her before she sprang aloft and gained altitude. Then, they vanished.



The shocking cold of Between stole her breath away, but Phryana's concentration didn't waver.... and suddenly, they were above Western Hold. She couldn't help but laugh out loud at their success, and Kleoth crooned with delight at her rider's triumph. The first of many trips together!

Aryale of Green Yaguareth

Stats
Distraction/Intensity: 3
Exhaustion/Alertness: 4
Memorization/Visualization: 4
Anxiety/Confidence: 4
Slacker/Studious: 5

Sevenday 1: Grid 1 - Easy Difficulty Level
1. Western Hold
2. Solace Hold
3. Black Sand Hold
4. White Cliff Weyrhold
5. Western Weyr


There would be time again to admire the view below and Aryale was ready to push onwards and get back home again - the importance of even the easiest jumps was not lost on her. She was not really a dragonrider until she could do this. She could do this. Yaguareth's confidence boosted her own and Aryale quickly pulled up the image of their next stop.

Solace hold, here they came!

Hopefully.



1,2,3 - warm air returned again and Aryale was quick to make sure they indeed had landed above the familiar (ish) hold. Maybe someday Aryale would question how a dragon was capable of such feats as jumping Between. This day, however, she shared thrill in another successful jump with Hers.

It wouldn't be long until another familiar golden hide was in view, however, one that thrilled Yaguareth far more than Leoth's did - and Aryale raised a hand to offer a wave back to Phryana as Yaguareth sent a wave of affection on.

Stats:
Distraction/Intensity: 2
Exhaustion/Alertness: 5
Memorization/Visualization: 4
Anxiety/Confidence: 5
Slacker/Studious: 1

Sevenday 1: Grid 1
1. Western Hold ✓
2. Solace Hold X
3. Black Sand Hold
4. White Cliff Weyrhold
5. Western Weyr



Solace Hold... next stop! They had this down pat, they'd be the best, that'd show Amb—... With a wide grin, Jacquol sucked a breath, intending to hold it through between as they leapt away... and then let it out in a puff as Jubath beneath her continued to wheel and turn, entirely physical, over Western Hold. "Juby? What's up...?"

The green gave a small creel of anxiety, nudging her rider mentally... You were distracted... thinking about him again... she noted, almost silently. Still the words brought a frown to her rider's tanned face, a scowl that was as angry as it was sad. I think the coordinates are wrong... you were distracted, but, we'll ask...? The green pressed again, her nervous nature flaring up.

In response, though Jacquol felt sure now that (with a certain someone firmly out of mind again) she'd got them right, she nudged the green to reach out to one of the assistants for a coordinate check. Far be it from her to keep from soothing her green's worries, numerous though they were.

Sorsha of Gold Leoth

Stats:
Distraction/Intensity: 2
Exhaustion/Alertness: 3
Memorization/Visualization: 5
Anxiety/Confidence: 4
Slacker/Studious: 4

Sevenday 1: Grid 1
1. Western Hold
2. Solace Hold
3. Black Sand Hold
4. White Cliff Weyrhold
5. Western Weyr

That tiny little scare when they jumped to Solace Hold shook Sorsha enough that she hmph'd at herself. How could she have let herself become distracted like that? Now was DEFINITELY not the time to sightsee! "I'm sorry, Leoth," she apologized, leaning over and hugging the gold's neck. "I could have gotten us... "

She didn't have to finish the sentence. Leoth gave a reassuring rumble and sent wave after wave of love and trust to her rider. What's done is done, my dear. No use dwelling on what's happened. Shall we move on to the next destination?

Sitting up again, Sorsha nodded with a smile. Black Sand Hold... She took a deep, focusing breath and concentrated on the coordinates, then ordered Leoth to jump Between...



...And just like that, they were over the tropical hold with the black beaches, with only a few heartbeats in the cold and black of Between. Sorsha let out the breath she didn't know she'd been holding and beamed happily. "We did it!" she cheered at Leoth.

Of course we did, Mine. We are the best, after all.

X'ael & Blue Cucuaranath

Distraction/Intensity: 3
Exhaustion/Alertness: 4
Memorization/Visualization: 3
Anxiety/Confidence: 4
Slacker/Studious: 3

Sevenday 1 - Grid 1
1. Western Hold
2. Solace Hold
3. Black Sand Hold
4. White Cliff Weyrhold
5. Western Weyr

Quote:

If this is your first roll for this circuit, and you have an anxiety level of 1 or 2, you find yourself in dire straits and panicking during your first jump. If you have a 2, you make it out, though it certainly took a lot longer and you're now feeling extra-stressed about this entire affair. If you had a 1, you get lost forever... unless you get your coordinates double-checked.

Flight thus far had been way more fun than X'ael had expected it to be, maybe that was because all the musings he'd ever had of flying before had come with the anxious thought of falling too. That hadn't been the case, in fact with Cucuaranath getting still larger and larger each day they had a fairly smooth time of it.

Much better than the training with the ropes. the blue posited playfully as he stretched out his wings with the lazy circles he was making. X'ael actually offered the blue a sigh of acknowledgment for that and one hand ran up to rub at his nose that had managed to heal somewhat straight. It just made him look even more ragged and shaggy, but that didn't seem to bother his dragon or the only other person it might matter to.

With a snap of his wings Cucuaranath slid into position and made as if to hover for a moment, a wave of calm and ease coming off of him as they thought of, visualized, the coordinates they'd been given. Ice cold met them both but the blue's easy calm had him all but smiling despite it. Three heartbeats, maybe four, and warmth washed over the pair, sunlight stark compared to the inky black.

That wasn't so bad, just have to make certain everything's all visualized correctly. X'ael pondered, getting ready to set the next coordinates as the blue checked about for his clutchmates.