Candidates Guide.

As a candidate here at Colbalt Weyr, it is important that you understand your role in the Weyr. Candidates take classes to continue their general education as well as classes about dragons and Weyrlife. Candidates are a working part of the Weyr, helping out in various areas such as the Kitchen, the Lower Caverns, the Smithy, or within their crafts. Within the Weyr it is very important that everyone does their share and helps out.

Candidates are assigned to a barrack, usually shared with up to ten other people of the same sex. The barracks have everything necessary already provided, and the Head Woman will meet any additional needs. All Candidates receive several articles of clothing suitable for daily use, at least one outfit for special occasions, as well as boots, gloves, jackets, undergarments, and toiletries. No one at Cobalt Weyr goes without, however, luxury is not a consideration for those without significant rank. So if a Candidate has more opulent preferences, such items must be provided by family members or purchased by the Candidate themselves.

Candidates usually have pretty busy schedules, but it is important that they find time for their candidate classes. Candidate classes are mandatory. Candidate classes help candidates to familiarize themselves with the Weyr, with Weyrlife in general, and with dragon care. For some, such as weyrbrats, many of these classes are unnecessary, as they have grown up in the Weyr. However, it is recommended that all Candidates attend at least the first part of each class to see if the topic is relevant to them. A favorite class of candidates is usually the field trip to the Hatching Grounds, after a queen has laid her eggs. Candidates are then permitted to touch the eggs and become accustomed to the heat of the sands.

Candidates are REQUIRED to attend one specific class, called “Hatching Day”. This class discusses procedures for the day of the Hatching, including what the Candidate is to wear, what they are not to wear, what to do when a dragonet hatches, what to expect of Impression, and where to go when and if Chosen by a dragonet. This is when a Candidate transcends rank to become a weyrling.

Dragonets are Hatched from eggs laid by female dragons. The dragonets emerge from their shells wet with embryonic fluid. They are actually capable of flight once their wings dry, however flying is usually discouraged until the dragonets are older for fear of straining their wings. Unhealthy or defective dragonets will not Hatch due to engineering by Kitti Ping.

Dragonets (and dragons) origonaly came in 5 colors: gold, bronze, brown, blue and green; but now come in more colors: Silver, Copper, CHampagne, Ivory, Guilded, Snowy, Black and Ebony. Each dragon color is specific in terms of its rider's gender and sexuality.

A note should be said about bisexuality in the Weyr. It is common and accepted since a rider's first priority is their dragon. Females tend to be only heterosexual or bi, since their chances of being caught by a male are significantly greater than being caught by a female, although it can happen.

Once a dragon Hatches it will Search all Candidates for a good match. If a matching Candidate is not present on the Sands then the dragon might choose to Impress from those within the stands and observers. On the rare and sad occassion that there is no good match, the dragonet will go "between". Dragonets can be dangerous during this time period as they are awkard, shaky on their feet, and frantic to find their lifemate. Many Candidates have been mauled this way by being stupid enough to get in the way or too slow to move out of it.

Once a dragonet Chooses a Candidate, it usually announces it decision with mind-to-mind contact. While this may be startling at first to a now-weyrling, this method of communication strengthens the bond between dragon and rider. From this moment forward, dragon and rider are connected by a bond that transcends love and emotion.

Once the pair have accepted each other, they will be escorted to an area where fresh cubed meat will be provided. The dragonets must be instructed on how to chew and swallow. Once their bellies are full they need to be oiled with the jars and paddles provided. By this point, they are very tired (it's a busy first day!) and will need to be escorted to their weyrling chambers and stone couch.

*The number and types of candidate classes RP'd is very dependent upon the time and availability of CM (Candidate Master).

• Candidate Class One: What it means to Impress a Dragon
  
• Candidate Class Two: Weyr Sexuality
  
• Candidate Class Three: Introduction to a Dragon
  
• Candidate Class Four: Egg-Touching
  
• Candidate Class Five: What it Means to Care For A Dragonet
  
• Candidate Class Six: What to do on the Sands
  

Some of the classes may be combined to save time. The following is a brief summary of each class.

Class One: CM talks about the trials and tribulations of weyrlinghood and of a dragonrider. CM talks about duty to the Weyr and the dedication of one's life to the Weyr. The CM should give a fair speech about the good and bad points of life in the Weyr, and how they differ from that of Hold and Hall. His/Her purpose is not to discourage the candidates, but to give them a realistic view of Weyrlife, rather than the glamorous life often portrayed in harper's tales.

Class Two: The rules of sexuality that apply in the Holds and Crafts cannot apply here because of the Dragons. The effect that dragons rising can have is undeniable - it produces a compulsion that cannot be denied and riders are not worried about who their rider ends up with. Regardless of a Candidate's sexual preference, they WILL at some point end up in a combination that will not necessarily be their conscious choice. Essentially, if they like their own sex, then at some point they end up with the opposite sex...and vice versa. Please note that unless they're a Queenrider it will be nearly impossible to have their sexual preference ALL the time during Flights.
It is actually necessary that they become comfortable with this fact for the sake of their future dragon. They will not be thought of badly for any sexual practice in the Weyr, save forcing an unwilling partner. Same sex weyrmates are common. Even weyrmate relationships tend not to be totally exclusive in terms of sex - how can they be? It cannot be guarantee that when their dragon flies that they will be caught by the same dragon each time. There is no actual consideration of Land ties in the weyr population so there is no practical reason to restrain ones self and the looser more liberal attitude to relationships and sex spreads to the majority of the Weyr population.

Class Three: The CM should introduce the candidates to his dragon and to another of varying size. The candidates should be allowed to touch and speak with the dragons and their riders. This is so any sheltered candidates that have not had close contact with a dragon before can do so before they encounter a queen on the Sands. Usually a quick overview of dragon anatomy and behavior should accompany the introduction.

Class Four: The candidates should be led out onto the Sands to meet the eggs. The protective mothering instincts of the Queen (or other clutching females) should also be talked about before the candidates move onto the Sands. They should then each go about the eggs, touching and familiarizing themselves with their surroundings. The purpose is twofold. One is to get them used to the heat of the Sands, and the Hatching Grounds themselves. Also to introduce them to the gold and get them comfortable with her presence, and she with theirs. The second purpose is that touching the eggs is thought to play some part in the choosing of lifemates (though Anne has said this is not true, the Pernese do not know this).

Class Five: This class should familiarize the candidates with the care needed by a dragon. Most times, this is an ideal opportunity for some dragons to get a bath and for the candidates to learn how to bathe and oil a dragon. Theirs will of course be much smaller in the beginning, but think large to start with. They could also be asked to cut up meat for invalid dragons or spend time cleaning wallows of invalids, since they will have to do this during weyrlinghood for their own.

Class Six: This class should outline procedures for what to do on the day of the Hatching. The CM should start with when the humming begins, the candidates are to wash up and change into their robes (which they were fitted for when they declared themselves candidates). They are to have nothing else on, besides underclothes. No bracelets, no hair accessories, no pins, no broaches, no necklace, no SHOES! They are to wear nothing but their white robes. Then they are to meet at the side of the Hatching Grounds with the CM. He will direct them onto the Sands where they will form a ring around the eggs. The CM should warn the candidates not to try to interfere with Impression. If a dragon wants them, it will let them know. They should not try to block or stand in the way of any dragonet. They dragonets are large and clumsy at birth, and often have a one-track mind: find their Chosen. If anyone is in a dragonet's way, they stand the chance of being mauled, and there have been candidates that have died from being mauled on the Sands. The dragonets do not do it on purpose, but the candidates must be warned to curtail such happenings. The candidates should also be shown where the feeding troughs are so that they may confidently lead their dragonets there after they Hatch. There will be a rider that escorts them to the feeding area.

General Daily Schedule

MORNING

• Breakfast
  
• Personal Time (hobby, craft, friends, etc.)
  
• Chores
  

LUNCH

• Lunch
  
• Chores/Candidate Class (when there are eggs on the Sands)
  
• Personal Time (hobby, craft, friends, etc.)
  

EVENING

• Dinner
  
• Chores
  
• Personal Time (hobby, craft, friends, etc.)
  
• Bed
  

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Candidates live a very special life at the Weyr. They are not riders, yet they are hopeful to become them, and are often enchanted with the idea of a dragon. Many come to the Weyr with misconceptions and idealogies of what it means to be a dragonrider. Harper tales have made it into such a heroic fantasy that the WLM must try to shine through to the truth. Candidates come from all walks of life, and many have a hard time adjusting the life of the Weyr. But since Candidates are housed together in barracks, eat at the same table, and many times, spend their free time together, they usually help each other through the difficult times.

Candidates are expected to help out around the Weyr just like everybody else. If a candidate comes from a craft, they will generally be placed doing something that pertains to their craft. If they have no craft, but they show a certain aptitude towards a particular area, they will be placed in that area. If they have no specific skills, the HW will use them for general chores. They also have Candidate Classes to attend and many of them continue their education with the Weyrharper. Life in the Weyr is busy, and if they Impress, it is only bound to get busier.

Candidate Chore List

• Bagging firestone;
  
• Breaking up firestone into "bite size" chunks;
  
• Carrying out waste;
  
• Casting cookware;
  
• Cleaning Dining Cavern (sweeping/mopping floors, washing off tables)
  
• Cleaning the kitchens;
  
• Cleaning out rooms that are not in use;
  
• Cleaning the stables (runnerbeasts);
  
• Cleaning the kennels;
  
• Cleaning the mews;
  
• Cleaning crawler webs out of corners;
  
• Craft related chores
  
• Filling blackrock bins in the kitchen;
  
• Filling the reserve water supply (in the supply rooms);
  
• Helping in the kitchen (peeling, mixing, mashing, etc.);
  
• Helping with the invalids (if any);
  
• Helping in the Garden
  
• Helping out in the infirmary, doing inventory, labeling, etc.
  
• Hunting tunnelsnakes;
  
• Laundry
  
• Making Knots and Badges
  
• Making clothes;
  
• Making sure glowbaskets are filled with a handful of fresh glows;
  
• Sacking Firestone;
  
• Scrubbing pots;
  
• Stocking dragon-cleaning supplies at Weyrlake
  
• Tending Weyr flocks and herds;
  
• Unloading tithe trains