Post by Administrator on Feb 1, 2011 19:07:24 GMT -5
Guide to Whers
Written by Weaving
Written by Weaving
So you’ve got a candidate. That’s great! You’ve filled out the candidate questions at the bottom of your character biography when you come to the question “dragon, wher or both?”. Most people put down dragon, this is a weyr after all! But what about the whers? Don’t they deserve some love too? In most cases though, it’s not a matter of whers not being loved, it’s simply a matter of people being informed about how amazing they really are. So, here is this guide, to answer all the questions you could possibly ever have.
What is a wher?
Wher’s are similar to dragons in many ways and drastically different in others. They come in the same colors as dragons, but their hide is much thicker and stronger than dragons and doesn’t flake. Like dragons, greens do not clutch. They can weigh anywhere from 600 to 800 pounds and are generally the height of a pony or small runner. They are more muscular than dragons with body that looks to be poorly designed. Despite the fact that their feet have only two claws and a single pad for balance, they move surprisingly fast with great agility. They also sport wings, though these appear to be useless for whers cannot fly.
Whers have a keen sense of smell and hearing and can see effectively in the dark. They are photophobic creatures, with eyes that have no facets. This allows for the light to enter and reflect, making it easy fo them to see when there is little light. This also means that too much light irritates them, making it impossible for them to go out during the day. Instead they are night creatures. Their eyes change color depending on their mood, much like that of dragons and firelizards. Like dragons, they can also between, with or without the assistance of a human.
Wild whers vs. Domestic whers[/b]
There are two main differences between wild and domestic whers. First, wild whers are not as large as domestic whers, which can get to be as big as large runners. Wild whers tend to be more pony-sized. Secondly, while domestic whers could have their photophobic traits catered to by the humans who cared for them, wild whers could not. Those whers who could handle more light than their brothers tended to survive to breed. These traits were passed down and, over time, wild whers got to the point where they could see during dawn and dusk without too much trouble. The rest of the time they're half-blinded, though they only risk actually going blind permanently during the hours when the sun is highest. If absolutely necessary, wild whers can move about during midday for very short periods of time by squinting their eyes to minimize the amount of light let in. They will only do this during a situation that is life or death. Domestic whers cannot abide going out except at night, and will be blinded by any sunlight.
Bonding With a Wher and Communication
Unlike dragons, whers do not need to impress to a person in order to survive. Rather than impressing, they bond with people and are able to re-bond if their bonded person dies. When bonding, the wher takes a part of the person’s name and then adds –sk to the end. (ex. John impresses green Josk) The more of the person’s name that is included in the wher’s name, the stronger the bond. Rather than speak words, whers communicate with emotions and images, much like firelizards do. They are fairly intelligent creatures, though less so than a dragon and rely more on instinct as opposed to logic.
Bonds between a wher and a person are forged with blood. At a hatching, wher candidates are given knives. If they are approached by a wher, their job is to make a small incision, usually on the palm, and let the wher drink the blood. Unlike dragon candidates, wher candidates do not have to be officially searched and can simply choose to show up at a hatching.
Once bonded, both wher and wherling must attend wherling lessons. These last for six months, at which point in time the wher becomes mature. At maturity, females begin to Run. A wher run affects the person bonded to the wher with the same amount of intensity of a greenflight.
Uses for Whers
The most common use of whers is in mining, for they are able to see very well and their heightened senses make it easy to detect dangerous gases or pressure changes in the air. They are also used as guards in holds, as they are extremely territorial and can be taught to alert the hold to intruders.
At Selenitas, a nightwatch was formed to guard the weyr at night from possible Benden or Fort attacks. While it was temporarily disbanded, the Watch is back thanks to the efforts of the new generations of whers.