Post by Mango on Aug 9, 2008 19:54:46 GMT -5
The Turns that followed the end of the Red Star were marked with great changes. Social and political upheavals marked them as the Dragon Lords had to adjust to the fact that they were no longer needed.
The human population crept up even as the dragons' slowly declined. Soon, there was nothing for it but to open the Southern Continent completely. It was there that Southern showed the first bit of cunning that would turn it into an empire: everywhere a human settlement went, a band of dragonriders were dispatched. Soon, smaller Weyrs cropped up around the Southern Continent. These colonies of Southern were carefully manipulated: though technically autonomous, Southern held so much sway over the bronzeriders and Queens installed there that they were essentially puppets.
Dragons, even the smallest of them, are large creatures. Nothing like a dragon for clearing Southern jungle or carving rock. They made themselves a needed and accustomed sight at every settlement. They carried building supplies and workers; they cleared land. They controlled what was built where, and so they fared better then the Northern Weyrs in the eyes of the common people. The Southern Riders remained the Land Lords of the Southern Continent.
Turns passed, and the land changed again. Most of the technology unearthed by Avias died with him, or when the Firestone began to become scarce.
Hundreds of Turns later, the present era rolled around. It brought with it another group of people; some two hundred people with no where to go. They petitioned Southern Weyr- who maintained their dominance through the Turns- for new land to settle. It was their right, they said. The South had no land to offer them, but they did have the perfect opportunity to try for some. In a daring venture, they sent out Sweep Riders farther then they had ever done before, purposely reaching for Northern land. One sweep went up the Northern coast, where they made a surprising yet gratifying discovery: the island.
The island was set two miles from the mainland, across a shallow bay. Part of the High Reaches mountain range in times long passed, it had sunk. There was plenty of land, covered in a few of the twisted, hardy trees common to the cold North. Mostly, however, it was covered with a strange, woody scrub. When the leaves of the plant were crushed, or when the smaller branches were snapped, a thick orange sap was emitted. It was a fabric dye; concentrated, it left a rich red color where applied.
The main of the island rose to a blunt cone, hollow. Many tunnels and caverns littered the side, the remains of the once filled lava chambers. A hot springs bubbled in the northern side of the base of the crater, growing gradually cooler as it flowed south. The same source heated a snug, smaller cavern that would make the perfect Hatching Grounds with a little sand.
It was as close to perfect as it was possible to get, and Southern Weyr knew it. A fortnight after the discovery of Nowelin Island (a Harper, taken along with the exploration party had arrogantly taken the opportunity to name the precious land after himself. As such names often do, it had stuck already.) was invaded by a force of Southern Weyr Riders and Holders bent on bending the land to their will and dreaming of making a fortunate off of fish and dye.
Two weeks later, High Reaches summoned a general meeting of all the Weyrs to discuss the outrage. Their sweeps had found out about this colony of the South, and they were not about to allow it.
A series of meetings spanning six months took place at High Reaches Weyr. They were held with brittle cordialness, rigorous formality, and an underlying tone of bitter viciousness that fed off of Turns and Turns of rivalry between the Weyrs of the two Continents.
It was a long battle, but Southern Weyr had too much to risk. The Weyrwomen and Weyrleaders of all their other colonies were present at the meeting as well. They couldn't risk appearing less then reasonable before them; if they decided that the great Weyr was no longer the best place to look for guidance, Southern could kiss their strangle-hold on the Southern Continent good-bye.
Graciously, with a mind for the common welfare and a spirit bent towards serving the people of Pern- or so they said in their speech, anyway- Southern Weyr opened Nowelin island and the half-established Weyr there to transfers from any of the Northern Weyrs.
It wasn't enough. The North accepted that, and raised a counter-offer. Nowelin Weyr would be open to all riders, Northern and Southern alike, but it would be under the rule of a Sr. Queen of Northern blood... or nothing. It was Northern soil, after all.
The terms were accepted, and both sides retired to plot their next step. Nowelin Weyr might be open to all, but both Continents were determined to take it for their own, and each chose a Queenrider they thought could take the responsibility and have the ability to win the Weyr free.
Esbel and Trinath were the pick of the North; a Fortian Junior whose Queen had a steady mate: Bronze Chamith, dragon to M'cre. The man himself was a recently promoted Wingleader, full of ambition and confident enough to stand before the onslaught of the South.
The South took the opportunity to get rid of a potentially problematic Queenrider; Mab of Gold Maeveth. Mab was determined and cunning, and it was better to set her to Nowelin then to keep her around; she'd either take the Weyr in the name of Southern, or ruin it trying. Either way, it would profit the North nothing.
The Weyr was completed, and the Queens moved in. The work began almost immediately, officially focused on preparing the Weyr for what would almost certainly be a harsh winter. Unofficially, there was much feeling of alliances and testing of boundaries. It would be a winter of wars at Nowelin.
What this Weyr has to offer:
-Flexible, player-driven plots
-Openings at all ranks
-Dedicated and friendly admin
-More things coming soon
Come take a look around, or stay if you’d like, at:
s11.invisionfree.com/NWWeyr/
Any questions? Contact Admin Mango over PM there or over Yahoo!Messanger at
Rabidtrekkie
The human population crept up even as the dragons' slowly declined. Soon, there was nothing for it but to open the Southern Continent completely. It was there that Southern showed the first bit of cunning that would turn it into an empire: everywhere a human settlement went, a band of dragonriders were dispatched. Soon, smaller Weyrs cropped up around the Southern Continent. These colonies of Southern were carefully manipulated: though technically autonomous, Southern held so much sway over the bronzeriders and Queens installed there that they were essentially puppets.
Dragons, even the smallest of them, are large creatures. Nothing like a dragon for clearing Southern jungle or carving rock. They made themselves a needed and accustomed sight at every settlement. They carried building supplies and workers; they cleared land. They controlled what was built where, and so they fared better then the Northern Weyrs in the eyes of the common people. The Southern Riders remained the Land Lords of the Southern Continent.
Turns passed, and the land changed again. Most of the technology unearthed by Avias died with him, or when the Firestone began to become scarce.
Hundreds of Turns later, the present era rolled around. It brought with it another group of people; some two hundred people with no where to go. They petitioned Southern Weyr- who maintained their dominance through the Turns- for new land to settle. It was their right, they said. The South had no land to offer them, but they did have the perfect opportunity to try for some. In a daring venture, they sent out Sweep Riders farther then they had ever done before, purposely reaching for Northern land. One sweep went up the Northern coast, where they made a surprising yet gratifying discovery: the island.
The island was set two miles from the mainland, across a shallow bay. Part of the High Reaches mountain range in times long passed, it had sunk. There was plenty of land, covered in a few of the twisted, hardy trees common to the cold North. Mostly, however, it was covered with a strange, woody scrub. When the leaves of the plant were crushed, or when the smaller branches were snapped, a thick orange sap was emitted. It was a fabric dye; concentrated, it left a rich red color where applied.
The main of the island rose to a blunt cone, hollow. Many tunnels and caverns littered the side, the remains of the once filled lava chambers. A hot springs bubbled in the northern side of the base of the crater, growing gradually cooler as it flowed south. The same source heated a snug, smaller cavern that would make the perfect Hatching Grounds with a little sand.
It was as close to perfect as it was possible to get, and Southern Weyr knew it. A fortnight after the discovery of Nowelin Island (a Harper, taken along with the exploration party had arrogantly taken the opportunity to name the precious land after himself. As such names often do, it had stuck already.) was invaded by a force of Southern Weyr Riders and Holders bent on bending the land to their will and dreaming of making a fortunate off of fish and dye.
Two weeks later, High Reaches summoned a general meeting of all the Weyrs to discuss the outrage. Their sweeps had found out about this colony of the South, and they were not about to allow it.
A series of meetings spanning six months took place at High Reaches Weyr. They were held with brittle cordialness, rigorous formality, and an underlying tone of bitter viciousness that fed off of Turns and Turns of rivalry between the Weyrs of the two Continents.
It was a long battle, but Southern Weyr had too much to risk. The Weyrwomen and Weyrleaders of all their other colonies were present at the meeting as well. They couldn't risk appearing less then reasonable before them; if they decided that the great Weyr was no longer the best place to look for guidance, Southern could kiss their strangle-hold on the Southern Continent good-bye.
Graciously, with a mind for the common welfare and a spirit bent towards serving the people of Pern- or so they said in their speech, anyway- Southern Weyr opened Nowelin island and the half-established Weyr there to transfers from any of the Northern Weyrs.
It wasn't enough. The North accepted that, and raised a counter-offer. Nowelin Weyr would be open to all riders, Northern and Southern alike, but it would be under the rule of a Sr. Queen of Northern blood... or nothing. It was Northern soil, after all.
The terms were accepted, and both sides retired to plot their next step. Nowelin Weyr might be open to all, but both Continents were determined to take it for their own, and each chose a Queenrider they thought could take the responsibility and have the ability to win the Weyr free.
Esbel and Trinath were the pick of the North; a Fortian Junior whose Queen had a steady mate: Bronze Chamith, dragon to M'cre. The man himself was a recently promoted Wingleader, full of ambition and confident enough to stand before the onslaught of the South.
The South took the opportunity to get rid of a potentially problematic Queenrider; Mab of Gold Maeveth. Mab was determined and cunning, and it was better to set her to Nowelin then to keep her around; she'd either take the Weyr in the name of Southern, or ruin it trying. Either way, it would profit the North nothing.
The Weyr was completed, and the Queens moved in. The work began almost immediately, officially focused on preparing the Weyr for what would almost certainly be a harsh winter. Unofficially, there was much feeling of alliances and testing of boundaries. It would be a winter of wars at Nowelin.
What this Weyr has to offer:
-Flexible, player-driven plots
-Openings at all ranks
-Dedicated and friendly admin
-More things coming soon
Come take a look around, or stay if you’d like, at:
s11.invisionfree.com/NWWeyr/
Any questions? Contact Admin Mango over PM there or over Yahoo!Messanger at
Rabidtrekkie