Post by Alexias on Mar 3, 2009 0:41:03 GMT -5
Felines: Felines are essentially cats. They are the same size as Terran cats. There are many mixed coloration cats: tabbies, calicos, tortoiseshells and black and whites. If using a purebred, please do not specify the breed, though you may use any picture. Pern would not really identify with breeds any longer. Usually felines are obtained from a breeder, who brings a litter to a gather or breeds for their Hold or Weyr. Caravans are well known for carrying a few rarer breeds in stock.
Canines: Canines are essentially Terran dogs. Canines are loyal, intelligent and helpful to their owners. Like felines, one can buy them from a breeder or perhaps take in a stray--stray canines are far more receptive to humans than stray felines would be. As with felines, any picture may be used but please do not specify the breed as they would not longer recognize them by the Terran breed names. They are larger and although this doesn't mean they are fiercer, it does mean they can fight and do more damage within their natural boundaries than a feline could. Some would even readily give their lives for their master.
Runnerbeasts: Runners are the equivalent to horses in the Pern world. Bred and kept for racing and riding, they are something their breeders take great pride in. Breeders try to perfect their runners for their specific purposes-be it to cart things, ride or race. They take great care to make sure their stock is well cared for and that the bloodlines are kept pure. Ridden just like the Terran horses, with saddle and stirrup, they can even be considered companions to the people of Pern. Either bought or obtained from a wild herd--which is much harder to do!--these creatures have many important uses to the people of Pern. After all, what better way to travel if you aren't riding a dragon? Runners aren't telepaths, but there are rumors of people who can understand and communicate with them on a different level than the norm.
Raptors: The only Terran birds that managed to survive and adapt to Pern were birds of prey, and Eagles especially are a rarity. Hawks and Falcons, though more common, are hard to even obtain. Their nests are jealously guarded against wherries and tunnelsnakes, and it is no small task to obtain eggs or hatchlings and raise them to maturity. Breeding is tricky and hard to do, as there are no incubators and very few have the time or patience to do so.
Only wealthy people can afford to buy hawks or falcons. They are mostly used for hunting, but some of the people who buy them put them on display simply as a way to show that they were able to afford even one. More than one is rare to have, unless you find a way to breed them. If a poorer individual is lucky enough to find an abandoned nest or a nest that the parents are away and not guarding, it is small chance that he or she will be able to hatch an egg on their own. They may obtain a hatchling but it is so rare for both parents to leave the nest at any given time, that this rarely ever occurs. Still, for those that can afford to have them, they make good pets and hunting animals.
Tunnelcats: Tunnelcats are what ferrets that were brought over from Terran to Pern are now called. After Turns in the wild they haven't changed at all, and are useful pets that even a Holder or commonwealth person might obtain and have for a pet. They are used to keep out rats and tunnelsnakes, and even Weyrs employ the use of some to do so.
Tunnelcats come in black, white and regular markings. Some are bred and trained, while others merely breed themselves where they live and the young are taken as pets. They can be trained to use a feline dirt-box and are actually quite clean creatures.
Firelizards: Called Flitts by many, firelizards are what dragons were derived from. Their colors are the same as that of the dragons, with the sizes and ranks being likewise. They can and do impress to people just like their much larger kin, in much the same manner. However, a person may be given a firelizard egg and if there is food available, that person can impress the young hatchling. Firelizards aren't capable of telepathic speech. However, they form strong bonds with their bondeds, and can communicate by means of strong emotions and images sent into their bonded's mind. They can be trained to do small tasks and tricks, such as fetching and delivering, and 'singing' along with their bonds. They mature at the same rate as dragons, but are born knowing how to fly once their wings are dried, and also flame. Many firelizards are wild ones, but they are usually friendly towards dragonkind and wild clutches can be obtained and impressed. Firelizards are hard to come by and pricey, but in the South it's easier to find clutches on the beaches and coves.
Whers: Watch Whers: The whers are the draconian kin which are like advanced watch dogs of Pern. They are not attractive beasts--save to those who own them--but they are quite useful. Used to guard Weyrs, Holds, miner camps and traveling merchants, they are loyal beasts. Whers do not like sunlight--it seems to hurt their eyes, as they see by detecting heat rather than by actually seeing as we do. They have sharp noses, and for this they are used in mines to detect dangerous gases. They do impress to people, much like dragons and flitts, but instead it is called bonding. They can speak telepathically but only in broken sentences, not at the same level as dragons. They respond to noises and when the mother wher has a clutch, she must accept you before you can take an egg. It is wise, therefore, to not be squeamish-if you don't mind slicing your palm open to let her have a taste of you, it should work well! Whers have wings, but they can't fly all that well. They are extremely loyal and their names always end in 'sk'. They take their names from their bondeds, and their is a rumor that the closer the wher's name is to the person he or she impresses, the closer the bond. Whers are the same colors as dragons, and the size ranges are likewise-Gold and Bronze largest, Green and Blue smallest. They can be ridden, as well, much like runners. Whers are not given out lightly-not by breeders who value them for guarding and mining. They eat a mixture of blood and oatmeal while they are growing. Later on they eat meat, like dragons.
Canines: Canines are essentially Terran dogs. Canines are loyal, intelligent and helpful to their owners. Like felines, one can buy them from a breeder or perhaps take in a stray--stray canines are far more receptive to humans than stray felines would be. As with felines, any picture may be used but please do not specify the breed as they would not longer recognize them by the Terran breed names. They are larger and although this doesn't mean they are fiercer, it does mean they can fight and do more damage within their natural boundaries than a feline could. Some would even readily give their lives for their master.
Runnerbeasts: Runners are the equivalent to horses in the Pern world. Bred and kept for racing and riding, they are something their breeders take great pride in. Breeders try to perfect their runners for their specific purposes-be it to cart things, ride or race. They take great care to make sure their stock is well cared for and that the bloodlines are kept pure. Ridden just like the Terran horses, with saddle and stirrup, they can even be considered companions to the people of Pern. Either bought or obtained from a wild herd--which is much harder to do!--these creatures have many important uses to the people of Pern. After all, what better way to travel if you aren't riding a dragon? Runners aren't telepaths, but there are rumors of people who can understand and communicate with them on a different level than the norm.
Raptors: The only Terran birds that managed to survive and adapt to Pern were birds of prey, and Eagles especially are a rarity. Hawks and Falcons, though more common, are hard to even obtain. Their nests are jealously guarded against wherries and tunnelsnakes, and it is no small task to obtain eggs or hatchlings and raise them to maturity. Breeding is tricky and hard to do, as there are no incubators and very few have the time or patience to do so.
Only wealthy people can afford to buy hawks or falcons. They are mostly used for hunting, but some of the people who buy them put them on display simply as a way to show that they were able to afford even one. More than one is rare to have, unless you find a way to breed them. If a poorer individual is lucky enough to find an abandoned nest or a nest that the parents are away and not guarding, it is small chance that he or she will be able to hatch an egg on their own. They may obtain a hatchling but it is so rare for both parents to leave the nest at any given time, that this rarely ever occurs. Still, for those that can afford to have them, they make good pets and hunting animals.
Tunnelcats: Tunnelcats are what ferrets that were brought over from Terran to Pern are now called. After Turns in the wild they haven't changed at all, and are useful pets that even a Holder or commonwealth person might obtain and have for a pet. They are used to keep out rats and tunnelsnakes, and even Weyrs employ the use of some to do so.
Tunnelcats come in black, white and regular markings. Some are bred and trained, while others merely breed themselves where they live and the young are taken as pets. They can be trained to use a feline dirt-box and are actually quite clean creatures.
Firelizards: Called Flitts by many, firelizards are what dragons were derived from. Their colors are the same as that of the dragons, with the sizes and ranks being likewise. They can and do impress to people just like their much larger kin, in much the same manner. However, a person may be given a firelizard egg and if there is food available, that person can impress the young hatchling. Firelizards aren't capable of telepathic speech. However, they form strong bonds with their bondeds, and can communicate by means of strong emotions and images sent into their bonded's mind. They can be trained to do small tasks and tricks, such as fetching and delivering, and 'singing' along with their bonds. They mature at the same rate as dragons, but are born knowing how to fly once their wings are dried, and also flame. Many firelizards are wild ones, but they are usually friendly towards dragonkind and wild clutches can be obtained and impressed. Firelizards are hard to come by and pricey, but in the South it's easier to find clutches on the beaches and coves.
Whers: Watch Whers: The whers are the draconian kin which are like advanced watch dogs of Pern. They are not attractive beasts--save to those who own them--but they are quite useful. Used to guard Weyrs, Holds, miner camps and traveling merchants, they are loyal beasts. Whers do not like sunlight--it seems to hurt their eyes, as they see by detecting heat rather than by actually seeing as we do. They have sharp noses, and for this they are used in mines to detect dangerous gases. They do impress to people, much like dragons and flitts, but instead it is called bonding. They can speak telepathically but only in broken sentences, not at the same level as dragons. They respond to noises and when the mother wher has a clutch, she must accept you before you can take an egg. It is wise, therefore, to not be squeamish-if you don't mind slicing your palm open to let her have a taste of you, it should work well! Whers have wings, but they can't fly all that well. They are extremely loyal and their names always end in 'sk'. They take their names from their bondeds, and their is a rumor that the closer the wher's name is to the person he or she impresses, the closer the bond. Whers are the same colors as dragons, and the size ranges are likewise-Gold and Bronze largest, Green and Blue smallest. They can be ridden, as well, much like runners. Whers are not given out lightly-not by breeders who value them for guarding and mining. They eat a mixture of blood and oatmeal while they are growing. Later on they eat meat, like dragons.