 |
1. would dragon riders be able to keep up a previous craft skill ( in Western Weyr )?
- one of the riders was a journeyman ( or elder apprentice ) harper
Dragonriders may keep previous craft skills. Before Thread returned, dragonriders pretty much were just like any holder, crafter, or trader; they had to make their own way to make marks (money), and survive. Once Thread returned, dragonriders had to make a choice to return to the Weyrs to defend the planet or not. Those that returned to the Weyr can still keep up their craft, but it can only be during their much-more-limited free time. Every rider gets a rest-day per sevenday, so that would likely be where they can keep up a bit with their craft.
2.how common is firestone? and is it a natural part of the dragons diet or only what they eat to prep for threadfall
It depends on the Weyr/location, tbh. Firestone is a naturally occuring stone, and there are different types of firestone -- some ores are better than others. High Reaches kept up stores of firestone due to their belief that Thread would one day return, but firestone mining ultimately took a backseat since the majority of Pern felt Thread was gone for good.
High Reaches is in a really good place to obtain firestone being in the mountains and situated around a lot of mining Holds. They also have a good stock, and have continued to horde it, use it, and practice with it.
Western Weyr is in a bad spot with firestone. When it got founded Thread was thought to be gone for good, so nobody was investigating firestone mines. Presently, they have yet to discover a solid vein, and so the Weyrleaders/Council have now had to import it from the Northern and Southern Continents. This is unfortunate because it takes away time from training and drilling to either mine it themselves, or to purchase it from Holds and Weyrs that do have an ample supply. High Reaches has sold some of their firestone to Western Weyr, at exorbitant prices, of course.
Firestone is not a natural part of their diet. It is only used when they want to flame something. Whites, greens, blues, browns, and bronzes all have the ability to flame by eating the stone. Afterwards they regurgitate it fro their second stomach, which the rider then gets to clean up. Yay!
Golds do not produce a flame. It's thought to make them sterile, but in our Pern, the reality firestone does no such thing. The greens were just created to be sterile. If a gold eats firestone they just cough it up and regurgitate it, without being able to produce any flame. No rider would want to risk their gold's fertility, though, so it's not something anyone would likely wish to try.
3. if the second is true, how common is the knowledge that they have to eat firestone to make fire?
It's very common knowledge. That is something that the dragonriders know even without Thread. Just because they weren't using firestone to flame Thread doesn't mean riders didn't want to have their dragons use flame in other ways. Entertainers would use it during their acts to get extra marks or extra excitement; guards and mercenaries might use flame to further intimidate or threaten, etc. It's very possible some dragons never bothered to produce flame in their lifetime simply due to firestone being a less demanded stone.
4. about how old does a dragon have to be to be considered fully grown?
Dragons have to be a Turn (a year) old. During Weyrling Training they have to achieve graduation, but before Thread's return some dragons and their riders got less strict training (unfortunately). But it' well known that it takes about a Turn for a dragon to be considered fully grown.
5. do they change in any significant way physically as they get older ( after they stop growing i mean ) like do they get lighter colorings as they age, or slower, or like joint issues, or whatever.
Dragons tend to be naturally healthy sorts. It's a strange anomaly and their riders also tend to be insanely healthy, too. Many dragons nad riders live well into their 11th and 12th decade when not under thread of Thread. Pernese in general lived long (60s was considered middle-aged, and 120 years was commonly reached according to Dragonsdawn).
That said, gold dragons tend to stop cluching once they get older, with their flights becoming less and less common as they reach well into their senior Turns. Older dragons also tend to grey a bit, particularly around their muzzle, and their tail tips, arms, and legs. Otherwise, though, they tend to be in fairly good health.
Really, really, really old dragons might suffer heart issues, since dragons do have two hearts. And obviously older dragons might have joint issues, so take offs can be harder, or landings; but really there's not mch difference. An older dragon and a younger one could be side by side and it might be difficult to guess their age. They generally tend to be healthy until their rider dies.
6. lastly how far can they travel between? like if they are on one continent can they travel between to the others?
Dragons can travel anywhere they want to on Pern, provided their rider has an accurate visual of where they need to go. Visualization is imperative for a dragon to go Between, because without it, they might get lost and trapped Between forever. That is essentially a death sentence as there's nothing Between -- no air, extreme cold, nothing. It only takes about 3 seconds (or as long as it takes someone to cough three times, as the books like to put it) before a dragonrdier should appear at their location. Longer trips might last longer, but that's very rare. (Lessa's trip back in time all those Turns took well longer than a usual jump. The fact that she didn't get lost is amazing.)
The same can be said with dragons talking to one another or hearing one another. Dragons can communicate with known dragons anywhere on Pern, but the further the distance, often it can be harder to "hear".
|
 |
Reply
