Writing In Pern

Created by Gold Rider Lana on Wed Oct 9th, 2024 @ 9:59am

Writing in the Dragonriders of Pern universe, created by Anne McCaffrey, involves immersing yourself in a richly developed world filled with dragons, riders, and the cyclical threat of Threadfall. Here’s a guide to help you create an authentic story in this universe, respecting its established lore while offering space for creativity. 1. Understanding Pern and its History Before you start writing, familiarize yourself with the key elements of the Pern universe. Key Terms: • Pern: A planet colonized by humans thousands of years ago, initially a technologically advanced society that regressed into a feudal-like system due to the threat of Thread. • Thread: A deadly, spore-like organism that falls from the sky and devours organic matter. It is the central antagonist of the series. • Dragons: Large, fire-breathing, telepathic creatures bio-engineered by early settlers to fight Thread. Dragons are bonded with their riders in a lifelong telepathic connection when the rider Impresses a dragon hatchling. • Weyr: The fortress-like homes of dragons and their riders. Each Weyr is led by a Weyrleader (the bronze rider who one the senior queens last flight) and a Weyrwoman (the rider of the queen dragon herself). • Impression: A key ritual where young people bond telepathically with a newly hatched dragon. • Between: A cold, dark dimension dragons travel through to instantly teleport across Pern. • Pass and Interval: A Pass is the period when Thread falls regularly (lasting about 50 years), while an Interval is the time between Passes (typically 200 years) when Thread does not fall. River Cove had over 1000 years of no thread. 2. Understanding the Structure of Pernese Society Pern’s society is structured in three main parts: • Weyrs (for dragonriders): Centers of defense against Thread, housing dragons, riders, and support staff. Weyrs are hierarchical, with the senior queen dragon and her rider at the top. • Holds (for general population): Large, often self-sustaining communities led by a Lord Holder. Holds produce food and materials for the rest of Pern and depend on dragonriders for protection from Thread. • Crafthalls (for skilled laborers): Each Crafthall focuses on a specific skill (e.g., Smithcraft, Harpercraft, Healercraft). They train apprentices, journeymen, and masters. The Harper Hall is particularly important because Harpers act as educators, record-keepers, and entertainers. Gender Roles: Though Pern society has traditionally been male-dominated, especially in leadership roles within Holds and Crafthalls, Weyrs are more egalitarian, with both men and women serving as dragonriders. Queen dragons (gold) are only Impressed by women, while male dragons (bronze, and brown) can bond only with men whilst blue and green can bond with either gender depending on sexuality.