Weyrling Lessons:
Months 7-12
Month 7
Size: Approx. sixty five percent of adult size
Training:
Suggestion for IC play: Errands provide more scope for...individual expression of flight (hence the lectures on strains). Self defense classes. Similar to previous months
Training:
- More complex activities with the Dragon-Rider bond.
- Complex ground drills with a minimum of external commands.
- Able to draw up, interpret and translate a Thread Fall chart into practicalities.
- Continued exploration of social structures and Weyr territories.
- Draconic First Aid- Emphasis on Fall related injuries and general condition (especially overflying) - lectures from dragon healers.
- Dragonrider Ethics Introduction, including problem solving in this regard.
- Self defense training for browns and bronzes, select male blue riders (males only) begins *only* if they passed the test. Introduction to blade work.
- Goldriders will be working more with Weyrwomen at this time.
- Continual testing as appropriate.
- Flying straight errands within close Weyr territory begin- with only 1 person (meaning the rider) on dragon.
- Female riders, greenriders, and blueriders not in self-defense classes will continue errand running for wingleaders, weyrleader, weyrwoman, or whoever the WLM assigns them.
Suggestion for IC play: Errands provide more scope for...individual expression of flight (hence the lectures on strains). Self defense classes. Similar to previous months
Month 8
Size: Approx. seventy percent of adult size
Training:
Suggestion for IC play: Exam anxiety. Entering own Weyr feeling like a proper Dragonrider. Interview with WM or WLMA. Potential for RP similar to previous months.
Training:
- Visualizations training, with picture relayed to a Weyrlingmaster's dragon to discern accuracy.
- Ground drills, but lessened as many subjects being assessed in this month.
- Flights around the Weyr to strengthen dragon and human muscles. More frequent errands.
- Dragontoss- tossing firestone bags rider to rider, a-dragonback in the air.
- As endurance increases, the pair is allowed to transport a single passenger, but still staying within the valley, exploring thermals within that enclosed space.
- Reviews of political, social and Weyr territories - including assessments.
- Review maintenance of Thread fighting equipment and riding straps - assessments.
- Geography of surrounding area, with attention to landmarks.
- Beginning first aid for humans - emphasis on Fall injuries and Thread scores by Weyr Healers.
- Hand to Hand combat, wrestling and more complex blade work (bronze, brown, and select male blue riders).
- Review exams covering all areas.
- Following the exams an interview with the Weyrling Master on progress to date.
- If the Weyrling Master is satisfied with the progress of the Weyrling, dragonet and rider are allowed to move from the Weyrling Barracks to a private weyr.
- Goldriders will report first to Weyrling Master then to assigned Jr. or Sr. Weyrwoman.
- Light transport within the Weyr, with passengers taken from ground level to upper weyrs.
- Female riders and green riders continue to report to Weyrling Master for duties during classmate's self-defense training.
- Two days to transfer to their assigned personal Weyr.
Suggestion for IC play: Exam anxiety. Entering own Weyr feeling like a proper Dragonrider. Interview with WM or WLMA. Potential for RP similar to previous months.
Month 9
Size: Approx. seventy five percent of adult size
Training:
Suggestion for IC play: Similar options to month before. Possibly discovering their dragon’s strengths and weaknesses in flight and in the Wing.
Training:
- Flight exercises increased. Flying styles differentiated. Sprint and stamina flights worked on.
- Ground drills continued but lessen in proportion to flying and concentrate on translating ground sequences to the air.
- Distance flights each day, though runs for riders continue. Dragonet/rider pairs are assigned to groups of three who practice drill formations in the air, including synchronized turns, climbs, and dives.
- Advanced Dragon-Rider bond work.
- Continued exploration of social structures and Weyr territories.
- Continued coordinates work, with maps and review of Threadfall charts.
- Problem Solving, practical, theoretical and ethical.
- Self defense training for bronze, brown, and select blueriders: sparring in pairs.
Suggestion for IC play: Similar options to month before. Possibly discovering their dragon’s strengths and weaknesses in flight and in the Wing.
Month 10
Size: Approx. eighty percent of adult size
Training:
Suggestion for IC play: Jumping between is probably the big one to RP here and hunting with ones dragon. Potential loss of a fellow Weyrling
Training:
- First jumps between one on one with the Weyrling Master and Assistants.
- When triad formations are mastered, three triads are combined and training progresses in groups of nine.
- First training Wing flights outside the Weyr.
- Begin drills on recognition points around the Weyr.
- Comprehensive exams on Pern-wide politics, history, geography and weather patterns.
- Review of aerial formations.
- Advanced Self defense techniques (bronze, brown, and select male blue riders).
- Goldriders will report to assigned Jr. or Sr. Weyrwoman.
- Special instruction and delayed between training for those who do not seem to be getting the details of visualization or who seem overly frightened.
- Female riders, greenriders, and bluerisers not in self-defense classes still report to Weyrling Master for duties.
- Transport to areas outside of Weyr, but only through straight flight.
- Learn to hunt with their dragons outside the Weyr (with escorts)
Suggestion for IC play: Jumping between is probably the big one to RP here and hunting with ones dragon. Potential loss of a fellow Weyrling
Month 11
Size: Approx. eighty five percent of adult size
Training:
Suggestion for IC play: Again, between is a good one. The Firestone In flight refueling is good for comedy as well as any of the standard RP possibilities.
Training:
- Jumps in small groups, with help of a member of Weyrlingmaster staff.
- Advanced Dragon-Rider bond exercises - in Flight and Wing context.
- Assigned Holds to fly to and return between to the Weyr (with escorts).
- Formation flying drills continue. Ground drills rarely used unless working through a new formation.
- Learn the Firestone refueling in air technique.
- Problem Solving at all levels.
- All Weyrlings have lessons preparing for mating flights (not only whole class lessons but also lesson for green and goldriders separate from the lesson for bronze, brown, and blueriders).
- Self defense training continues ( bronze, brown, and select male blue riders).
- Goldriders will report to assigned Jr. or Sr. Weyrwoman.
- Female riders and green riders will report to Weyrling Master during this time for duties.
Suggestion for IC play: Again, between is a good one. The Firestone In flight refueling is good for comedy as well as any of the standard RP possibilities.
Month 12
Size: Approx. eighty five percent of adult size
Training:
Suggestion for IC play: Firestone. Feeding the dragon Firestone and the inevitable problems that occur as a result of inexperience. Too much, too little. no control etc. A sweep ride has potential to be interesting in the North. Interview RP if necessary.
Training:
- Dragons learn to chew Firestone.
- Flaming whilst in flight and in wing formation.
- Formation flying drills continue and become more complex.
- Return to triads for aerial drills, now with precision jumps *between* and back.
- Drills with jumps in groups of nine.
- Continue training on betweening to points further from the Weyrhold.
- Flame first aid, then control and flame variation.
- Bronze and Brown riders- Lessons begin in proper behavior for their rank, how to handle the lower colors, and the do's and dont's of their ranks (trained by selected wingleader or wingsecond, most likely a bronze rider, possibly even the Weyrleader or weyrsecond).
- Blue and green riders- Lessons in proper behavior for their rank, what is expected of them, how to respond and obey higher ranking riders, and the different crimes and punishments. (Trained by Weyrling Master, wing third or possibly a selected blue rider).
- Principles of Sweep Riding- shadowing Sweepriders.
- All Weyrlings continue lessons preparing for mating flights.
- Personal interview with the Weyrling Master or WLMA on progress to date.
- Transport duties, taking first goods then people to points outside of the Weyrhold.
- Hunting for younger weryrlings or for Weyr's human population.
Suggestion for IC play: Firestone. Feeding the dragon Firestone and the inevitable problems that occur as a result of inexperience. Too much, too little. no control etc. A sweep ride has potential to be interesting in the North. Interview RP if necessary.