Before the Fall - An AU 9th Pass

[BTF STAFF]

Almost 200 turns ago, Thread failed to fall from the skies, raining down its deadly enemy. Some say that Thread would never fall again, while the dragonriders never stood down its vigilante watch over the skies.

However, it was a mixed blessing that Thread never came. Towards the end of the Lost Pass (as it was come to be known), a terrible airborne flu stuck at the lands of Pern with devastating effects. Dragonriders and Holders fell victim to the disease, which killed off almost a quarter of the population. For Dragonriders, the loss was even more devastating. Only four Queens survived the epidemic; only two of those Queens were still in the prime of their fertile time. The Weyrs struggled with what to do, but soon it became clear that they would have to consolidate their numbers. Closing down first Ista and High Reaches, and then Igen and Telgar when their Queens failed to rise or produce a Queen to replace them. They watched as their numbers dwindle, as more riders died than eggs being laid.

Fast forwards almost 150 turns, Fort and Benden are beginning to once again fill those long empty weyrs, forcing the opening of not only one new weyr but two, High Reaches and Igen. Almost all the Holds had either stopped tithing or cut back their Holds tithes to the bare minimums, giving only their leftovers to the two remaining Weyrs, still there are a few loyal Holds that help keep the Weyrs cupboard from going completely bare. But even with their help, the two Weyrs find that it becomes necessary for them the Dragonriders to enhancement their own incomes by finding jobs.

Fort Weyr
The Weyr of Unbelievers - that is what the 1st Weyr has become known as by those at the 2nd. A Weyr of strict hierarchy and traditionalist, Fort is far from an idyllic place filled with fear and Gold and Bronzeriders are the nobles of the Weyr, getting all the best and don't do any of the work. Brownriders are the true leaders of the Weyr, but don't let those with the ranking dragons know, as some that have voice their concern have disappeared. Women at Fort have almost no rights, instead they are thought of as breeders and drudges. They are only searched for anything but gold, and those that do impress greens are thought of as freaks and are quickly either shipped to Benden or delegated to the lowest rung at Fort.

Telgar Hold
To the Holds, the idea that Thread is coming back is blasphemy to speak of. The tithes have been sending to the weyrs have been getting smaller and smaller with some Holds cutting the Weyrs off completely. Those Holds that are traditionally beholden to Telgar have fought the hardest against the expansion of Fort Weyr and possibly being forced to now tithe to a new weyr. Some say that the Lord Holder just might cause a coop of power. Some Holds have resisted the Telgar philosophy and some have embraced it whole heartily. Strife is inevitable; the question is only when it will happen.

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