Flight & Hatching Information

Flights/Runs

Flights and Runs are a very important part of Weyr life. When a female dragon reaches sexual maturity at 2 turns of age, her hide will begin to glow and she will fly into the sky. At this point she will send out a call for suitors to join her in the sky, and she will lead them on a chase to determine which is the most suitable mate for her. This can range from acrobatics competitions to contests of speed or endurance. When she has chosen a suitable mate, she will allow them to “catch” her, and the pair will then copulate briefly.

After the initial flight and copulation, if the female dragon catches, she will become egg-heavy over the next two sevendays. After these two sevendays are up, she will lay her eggs on the Weyr’s hatching sands, and guard them until they are ready to hatch.

In the case of whers, who are incapable of true flight, they will instead have a “run”, which is very similar to a flight. The female wher will begin to glow when ready to run, and send out a call to the whers of the weyr. Upon joining her outside of the Weyr, she will lead them on a chase as well, using whichever criteria she may have to choose a suitable mate. Upon choosing her mate, the pair will copulate, and the female wher may grow egg-heavy. Much like dragons, she will lay her eggs after two sevendays, and guard them until they are ready to hatch.

Touchings

A practice exclusive to candidates hopeful to impress a dragon, a touching is the candidate’s chance to interact with each egg before they hatch. This is done when the egg’s shells have hardened, and are in less danger of being destroyed by an overzealous candidate. Candidates will be called down to the sands by the mother dragon, and will be permitted to briefly touch each egg. Usually, eggs will give brief impressions or reactions to a candidate, mainly just vague feelings. However, a particularly positive reaction from an egg can be a sign that this may just be the candidate’s dragon!

During this process, all candidates are expected to be respectful of the clutchmother, the eggs, and each other. Fighting or dangerous behaviour will result in the candidate being expelled from the sands, and if particularly bad may even have them barred from standing for a clutch or two. If a candidate manages to break an egg, they will be expelled from candidacy entirely if the mother dragon doesn’t maul them first.

Hatchings/Handouts

Depending on the dragonkin, the way they handle their eggs hatching is vastly different. In the case of dragons, almost all the dragonkin in the Weyr will start a sort of humming close to the eggs hatching. At this point, the Weyr knows to prepare for hatchling dragons, and the days leading up to the hatching will be spent preparing everything and bringing guests from the holds in. Finally, when the eggs begin to crack, the mother dragon will call for first her mate, and then the Weyr, to come watch her eggs hatching.

Guests and non candidates will go into the stands to watch the proceedings, while the candidates will line up at the entrance to the sands with the candidatemaster, and then enter in a spaced-out line. As each candidate enters, it’s recommended to bow their head to mother and her rider as a sign of respect.

Candidates will then space themselves out across the sands, a respectful distance from the eggs, and wait for them to hatch. As dragonets begin to emerge from their eggs, they will seek out their chosen bonded. Usually, this will be from among existing candidates, but on rare occasions one may climb the stands and bond to someone without a dragon there. During this time, it is forbidden to touch a dragonet that is not yours and has not asked for help. Doing so can lead to confusion, and may result in being mauled or even the hatchling betweening.

After a hatchling has safely impressed, their newly chosen rider will lead them over to the side of the sands, where buckets of meat will have been pre-prepared for the hungry hatchlings. Their riders will help them eat, and once all hatchlings have safely impressed they will be bathed and taken to their new weyrling quarters.

For whers, there is much less fanfare. The wher mother will call out to any hopeful wher candidates and single-bonded handlers, and will choose who will receive an egg from the people assembled. As the wherlets hatch, those who received an egg must blood themselves and smear it on the new babie’s face to bond to it. However, being handed an egg is not a guarantee, as some whers will choose their own rider. Note we will never do this to your candidate unless you specifically ask for them to be snubbed.

In the case of firelizards, it’s even more simple. Most often, the eggs will be bundled into a warm basket, and the eggs will be handed out to whoever wants them in a common area. Some people charge marks for eggs, others will give them away for free. The mother Firelizard may or may not even be involved with this, as many can be disinterested mothers.