Weyr Crafts

The Istan protectorate has a longstanding tradition of being sufficiently self sustaining, although trade does occur with the rest of the Northern Continent. However due to their location and relative isolation, Ista Weyr is a Weyr far more in tune and compatible with it's main Hold. It's for the reason of commerce and the benefit of the Island and protectorate that the Weyr plays host to some of the crafts of Pern. Most apprentices begin their careers by studying the craft under a journeyman or master stationed at their home instead of traveling to the appropriate Crafthall, and the Weyr is no exception, though promising young crafters may be recommended to their home Hall to further their studies, and all Master-candidates return to their home hall for assessment before walking the tables to mastery. Crafters stationed at the Weyr often have somewhat different focuses than those stationed at a Hold or Hall, but all crafters maintain their autonomy from their station, and are under the jurisdiction of their Crafthall. They are expected to comport themselves with professionalism and to work closely with the Weyrwoman and/or Weyrleader in order to determine how best their work can serve the needs of the Weyr; however, crafters maintain their autonomy, and ultimately answer not to the Weyrleadership, but to their own Mastercrafter back at their main crafthall.

These Crafts are not represented at Ista Weyr:

  • Farmercraft
  • Mining
  • Seacraft

Crafts of Ista Weyr.

Beastcrafters

Ista Weyr plays host to a contingent of beastcrafters who care for and breed the beasts for the dragons to eat, as well as the care of runners for non-rider travel between Weyr and Ista Hold, the beasts for the Weyr to eat and felines and canines for pest reduction and companionship. Most of these are cared for just outside the Weyr in some cleared pasture land since Ista Weyr is far more relaxed about lifestyle inside/outside the Weyrbowl. This is maintained by the Weyr to lessen the burden on Ista Hold, whose primary Craft is Fishing; they have small beast herds, enough to support themselves but not also the Weyr.

Specialisations

  • Herdbeast Husbandry/Care
  • Runner Maintainance/Care
  • Porcine Husbandry/Care
  • Wherry Husbandry/Care
  • Beast Healing

Dragonhealers

The only Weyr-specific craft on Pern, this craft is dedicated to the healing of the great dragons. It's an entirely separate craft in its own right from the Healercraft, though the apprentices of both crafts often begin with the same general studies and follow a similar educational path. Because their craft is already so specialized, and the dragons themselves tend to be such hardy creatures who rarely fall ill, there is much less room for specialization within the Dragonhealers, and much more emphasis on trauma/critical care. However, physical rehabilitation is extremely important for dragons because an ill-healed injury could easily remove them from fighting-usefulness for life, and some dragonhealers choose to place emphasis on rehabilitation in their studies. During Threadfall, however, all dragonhealers are first responders, and are trained to handle all dragon injuries, though they may choose to assign patients based on an individual healer's strengths (some may be deft with wingsail injuries, others with breaks, etc.) whenever possible.

Dragonhealers during the Pass have the highest injury/mortality rate among all the crafts. Multi-ton, flailing patients in intense pain do not make for the easiest patients, particularly when the dragon's rider may also be heavily injured and unresponsive, and there's scarcely a dragonhealer who can claim not to have suffered some sort of injury by the time they walk to journeyman. It's even a sort of in-craft joke: "Walk the tables? Not til you've broken a bone!" Keeping injured dragons calm enough to be treated (and, if necessary, to separate an injured or unconscious rider from their straps so they don't accidentally hurt their own rider!) is a priority, and the dragonhealers require a great deal of assistance from non-healer staff and, when possible, other, calmer dragons who may be present and can help communicate with the injured dragon. (For this reason, many dragonhealers are also unapologetically against the practice of the golden queens flying Thread in their own Wing — from the dragonhealers' point-of-view, the queens do little with thier flamethrowers and could contribute a great deal more to the effort by remaining grounded and using their influence to keep the injured dragons calm.)

Firelizards are frequent companions of dragonhealers. Not only do they make useful hands-on study aids for the aspiring dragonhealer, they also make a crude but helpful tool for gauging the general mood and, when properly trained, specific complaints of an injured dragon who may not be inclined to communicate directly to a human who is not his or her rider.

Harpers

Harpers are responsible for the education of the young Weyrfolk, entertainment, paperwork assistance, chronicling events, providing counsel and legal information if required. They may also be called upon to provide arbitration for any disagreements that may arise between Weyrfolk, either professionally or personally.

Specialisations

  • Education
  • Record keeping
  • Legal

Healers

One of the largest crafts in the Weyr, and one of the busiest, especially now the Pass has begun. They are responsible for the healing of the humans within the Weyr. They work in close relationship to the Dragonhealers as often both Dragon and human are injured, if it is a thread related injury. No matter the specialization, all healers at the Weyr are expected to be proficient emergency responders in some capacity, and all healers are on duty during Threadfall. Outside of Threadfall, they often work long shifts (as the infirmary can never actually be closed for the night — there are always patients to treat), and rotate who is assigned to "walk the Weyr" — that is, make rounds to check up on injured or ill Weyr denizens who may be recovering in their own quarters. The infirmary itself is typically reserved for only the most severe cases who require constant supervision.

Access to the infirmary's stillroom, where the Weyr's remedies and medicines are distilled and stored, is strictly limited due to the addictive nature of some of the medicines kept within.

For more, please check out The Infirmary

Specialisations

  • General Practice
  • Pathology/Apothecary
  • Surgery/Trauma
  • Rehabilitation
  • Pediatrics, often paired with Obstetrics/Midwifery
  • Mindhealing

Smiths

Outside the Weyr, smithing is not only an important craft to the daily lives of its citizens, but it is also a vital part of the commercial viability of Ista Island, working in close concert with the minecraft (not stationed at the Weyr but at Ista Hold and other minor holdings). Within the Weyr, smiths produce the Weyr's tools, build and maintain flamethrowers, and in conjunction with the tanners, produce some of the equipment necessary for a fighting dragonrider: the metal clips and connections for a dragon's straps, the flying goggles and helmet, etc.

Specialisations

  • General Smithing (Weyr-oriented)
  • Glassmithing
  • Jewelsmithing
  • Blades/utensils
  • Locksmithing

Tanners

The tanners are responsible for the hides and leather equipment used by the Weyr and play an important part in supplying the dragonriders with the specialized equipment their job requires. They work in close concert with the beastcrafters who provide the hides and the smithcraft who often provide the metal materials needed to craft harnesses and the like.

The Weyr's tannery is located on the outside wall of the Weyr on the opposite side of the open sea, where the sea breeze is, hopefully, less likely to carry the stench of the place to the rest of the Weyr. Curing hides is a messy business, and the tanners themselves are often easily recognizable by their near-permanently dye-stained hands and the clinging odor of the tannery.

Specialisations

  • Flight Gear/Leather Clothing
  • Cobbling
  • Hide Pages

Weavers

Weavers are a small craft at Ista Weyr. They are responsible for the general clothing needs of the Weyr, commissioned clothing, rugs and general cloth item needs. They are another unobtrusive craft but one essential for the tightknit running of the Weyr.

Specialisations

  • Clothing
  • Domestic weaving (rugs, curtains etc.)

Woodcraft

The woodcrafters of the Weyr provide the furniture used throughout the Weyr, as well as doors, carts, barrels, crates, wagons, and general carpentry needs.

Specializations

  • Carpentry
  • Coopers

Craft Heads

Each Weyr Craft is led by a Master crafter who bears the title Weyr(Craft) eg: Weyrhealer, Weyrharper. All in the craft, no matter the specialisation answer to them. Under them are other Master crafters, then the Journeymen and Apprentices

Title Name Player or NPC
Master DragonHealer Therden NPC
Weyrharper Kaldavis NPC
Weyrhealer Paskam NPC
Weyrherder Honden NPC
Weyrsmith Loralu NPC
Weyrtanner Tartolgen NPC
Weyrweaver Leyd NPC
Weyrwoodcrafter Dirhaut NPC
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