Month #5: Dragon Ages 9 to 10 Months (And new WLM!)
Your New Weyrlingmaster:
By now, B'rok would have taken the time to meet with all weyrlings individually. (If you haven't done this yet, we need to backscene it.) His methods are very hands on and involve spending time drifting between individual weyrlings during lessons and lectures to make sure that nobody is falling through the cracks. All questions, no matter how trivial are answered without mockery. He is less strict seeming than either D'ven or R'vain but seems to know when to apply pressure to a weyrling that is struggling or cut someone just enough slack to get them through a hard phase.
However, now that the weyrling wing has progressed into drills his attitude is changing a little bit. Always serious about lessons, B'rok is saying daily that the skills that are being taught in these drills are what is going to keep riders and dragons alive in the air and that failure to pay attention here could easily mean someone's death.
As before, he is taking an immense amount of his personal time to help those that are struggling. Some believe that B'rok does not have a life of his own at all but spends it completely in his office. The current joke is that he sleeps there.
Your Assistant Weyrlingmaster:
No, regardless of the rumors, you're not getting rid of her yet. Issa will be taking a break here at the beginning of the new turn, as her pregnancy reaches its end, but she'll still be seen around the training cavern on occasion, mostly to stay updated on the progress of the weyrlings and help B'rok get up to speed. When she returns, though, it can be seen that with the change of Weyrlingmaster, Issa too has become more lenient. While she still expects the weyrlings to act as befits a rider and at least pretend to respect their superiors, she will be much more relaxed on the restrictions that were placed on the weyrlings' personal lives by the previous Weyrlingmaster.
You And Your Dragons:
Your life is now more about drills and less about your dragons. You're both beginning to be seen more as adults and prospective riders, and are expected to act like it. Your dragon's ability to concentrate has improved now, though they're still young enough to make mistakes. Their opinions are much stronger, and they may begin to test you, and other dragons and riders, in earnest. Having attained more than half of their full growth, the young dragons now generally have ample musculature and wing control to not just fly, but fly well. From now on, drills for the dragons will be taken in the air. Your lifemates are forbidden from flying unsupervised, but they have the run of the Weyr during their free time with only the limitation on unattended flight restricting them.
Another milestone is marked by the absence of the meat tubs in the barracks - even the smallest of the young dragons can now hunt, and most will hunt when they are hungry (about once daily) without need for supervision. As they become more emotionally mature, the young dragons need no longer be shielded from mating flights, though being far from sexual maturity, their interest is liable to be limited to admiration of the older dragons’ aerobatic efforts.
By the end of their ninth month, all of the dragons will have had a chance to carry their riders into the sky. Firestone toss remains a major part of the strength training program; midmonth the task will shift to dragonback in preparation for next month’s work throwing bags of ‘stone from dragon to dragon midair. As your dragons are by now probably straining the limits of their first set of straps, you’ll begin a second set to use in manned flight next month. If you make them big enough, this will be the last set of straps you’ll need until you wear them out.
By the middle of the tenth month most of the weyrlings will be experienced with manned flight and pairs begin to serve elevator duty in the bowl. However, unlike in past classes, no private weyrs have been assigned nor has any mention of them been made by the Weyrlingmaster.
Restrictions:
B'rok has become both more and less strict. Attention to drills is paramount for the reasons he keeps saying. Beyond the lessons and basic duties, B'rok has slowly been giving the weyrlings more and more slack to look after themselves. Dragons are old enough to tolerate both alcohol and sex for the most part and both are allowed so long as they do not interfere with drills or duties. If someone is hungover, they had best hide it well. On the same token, if someone makes a scene with either of these two vices they will be dealt with.
Basically, if B'rok doesn't know about it he isn't going to do anything about it. He will not be actively policing weyrling vices.
Other Activities:
B'rok believes that by now, the weyrlings (especially those who are to move towards leadership roles) should be actively out seeking to pick up extra skills with their spare time. At least a couple of times a week the 6:30 to 10:00 PM time is being assigned to be spent with important figures around the weyr. Bronzeriders may find themselves going to wingleaders for extra lessons and 'hints' on how the job is done. Chromatics will be sent to leatherworkers, smiths, extra fitness and self defense classes and all sorts of things for at least one or two days in the week. Everyone -WILL- get sent to Jandor and Neiran to pick up basic first aid lessons and what to do for threadscores. This is /NOT/ optional.
There is some choice in this and if a wants to do something in particular there are free to ask.
We have lots of crafters out there and lots of people who need RP'd with. This is your time to go poke them for some. =)
Sample Schedule:
6:00 AM - Wake up, barracks inspection, run circuits around the bowl
7:30 AM - Cleanup
8:00 AM - Breakfast
8:30 AM - Classroom lessons
10:30 AM - Strength/agility training
12:30 PM - Lunch
1:00 PM - General lessons
3:00 PM - Group exercises
6:00 PM - Dinner
6:30 PM - Optional classes/training, time to work on second set of straps. This time is not free time, however, and things will be found for any Weyrling with nothing to do. (See other activities)
10:00 PM - Lights-out