Post by Lyrikitty on Jan 16, 2009 15:35:32 GMT -5
Black Sands was not, as many believed, found with the intent of creating a Weyr. In fact, it was purely accident that the island was even discovered.
A Gold firelizard had apparently hatched off the beaches there, and had for some unknown reason traveled to the mainland as she grew older. She was unlike any flit most had seen, for on her flank was the image, clear and black, of a six-pointed star. Much debate went on about it, and finally, curious, several riders told their flits to follow the queen, and report back with anything interesting.
Within three weeks, one Bronze returned with images of a beach, the sands as black as midnight, and a volcano. Curiosity led a small group of riders to explore, and as they appeared over the island, something about it called to them.
A Turn later, it was decided the Weyr would be settled.
Three Gold queens were sent to the island, seven Bronzes, and three wings full of Browns, Blues, and Greens. They came from all over Pern anyone who wished to help found the Weyr was welcome. It was decided that, for the symbol of the Weyr, they would use the image of the firelizard who had shown them the island, and their colors represented the Gold dragons, who gave life to the species, white for purity and hope, a new beginning, and red for the blood of those who slaved away to make the Weyr what it was to be.
The weyrs were carved by the dragons, starting with the ledges to make walkways, and then clawing into the sides. All was well and fine until that was finished, for soon a clutch would be laid, and there was no place for it to hatch. The three queens converged, thinking the problem over, and then burrowing down, creating the tunnel and finally the massive cavern dedicated to the Hatchings, hauling endless buckets of the warm black sand down to cover the floor, and then carving out wider sections, where those who came to watch the Hatchings would sit. Stands were made from the wood of the island by carpenters, once the Hatching Grounds were finished, and the dragons took to a second task, the creating of the tunnels and the rooms of the kitchens, the dining hall, and the infirmary, as well as places for the candidates, weyrlings, and the drudges to stay.
As turns passed and the Weyr neared completion, there were few placed a full-sized dragon was unable to wander. Time came again and need was seen. There was no Meeting hall for the weyrleaders to gather, and no place seemed fitting in the Weyr itself. The Bronzes scoured the island, searching for anything that would make due, and stumbled by chance on the rocky span at the edge of the water, where the Meeting Hall was soon built.
The Weyr finally completed several turns later, and several clutches having Hatched and filled the Weyr to near capacity, three things happened at once.
The first was Plague, striking all of Pern while Black Sands Weyr was still young, and separated as they were form the mainlands, their population protected by distance, they were not hit as badly as they could have been. The second was mutations in the colors. New dragons appeared in the Weyr. The third was the star. Every dragon that hatched on the sands of the Weyr bore on it's right flank a black, six-pointed star, the size of a woman's hand, as dark as Between, even those color who for thousands of turns had looked the same now added this mark to their hides.
Foreign queens and kings were brought in, and when their clutches hatched, the hatchlings still bore the mark. It was an oddity, but by far, a minor one.
Two mutations appeared in the Weyr first. Illusions and Wildfires. At first nothing seemed wrong, save the multiple wings of the Wildfires, and the odd splashes of color that came and went on the Illusions. But as each grew older, more and more oddities appeared. The Illusions began to show the extent of their abilities, as did the Wildfires, and when one eager female pushed herself, it was discovered that there was indeed a flash-point at which matter would spontaneously combust. Unfortunately it had been the dragon's rider, and so the Wildfire was lost Between before any questions could be answered.
The next mutation to show up was indeed an oddity. Utterly blind, no eyes were even formed, but the heads smooth and unblemished. Misery, they were deemed, for at the Hatching of the first one, she was nearly trampled by her siblings as she staggered blindly, only for each and every one of those who came near harming her to fall to the ground, screeching in pain.
As the mutations of Black Sands grew, something else happened. The non-mutations dragons became darker. Their hides taken a blackish tint, so that even the lightest colored Green had an eerie look to her. With the darkening hides, came a shift in the minds of all the dragons of the Weyr. Though peaceful amongst themselves, when introduced to an outsider, they became hostile, guarded, almost defensive. Only the Bronzes seemed truly capable of withstanding the presence of a dragon not native to the island, and then only because they had to, for duty deemed they must tolerate others for meetings and such.
Right about the time Plague reached it's peak, Black Sands cut itself off entirely from the rest of Pern. They refused to allow anyone near their home, ships sailing too close were sunk, dragons coming to seek news or be sure that those of the island still lived were attacked, and often killed.
During their isolation, the Weyr changed, mind slowly shifting from bright and happy thoughts to darker one, murderous ones. When finally Plague was swept away, and Pern was safe again, the Weyr emerged once more, changed. Dangerous.
Riders and dragons would creep out in the dead of night and lead attacks on Holds, on caravans. Never was an attack made to draw attention, and most of the time few were sure what had happened,much less who was responsible. Attacks and raids were done at night, times when the hides of the Illusions could easily disappear, and even the Wildfires were hard to spot. The hides of the Miseries were darkened with mud made from the beach sands, effectively lending them a cloak of invisibility as well. It seemed that Pern was no longer a safe place, no longer a happy place. Much of the damage was done by pairs, a Misery who was being manipulated by a Wildfire, until the day the blind dragons rebelled against it.
A short battle took place, dragon fighting dragon in the Weyr, the only ones to remain out of it entirely were the Golds, who huddled in their weyrs and waited it out, their hides tainted dark just like every other in the Weyr, the six-pointed star on their flank just like every other.
When it was over, the Weyr was divided in mind. Half wanted to try and redeem their reputation, half wanted to continue their darker ways, hungered for power, hungered for what they saw was rightfully theirs. Their dragons were better than any other. Their dragons could and did kill others, and rarely did they loose one of their own. Should not Black Sands Weyr rule all of Pern?
It is this mind that now plagues the Weyr, no physical illness, but a mental one, one spawned from the very island itself, and it's black sand. Will the light in the hearts of the few be able to win out over the darkness that is ruling the minds of so many, or will the Weyr fall to it's darker side, and try to take over a whole world?
**Credit, and much thanks, for the flag at the top goes to Bacch**