Post by Jay Kitten on Aug 14, 2013 23:00:28 GMT -8
During the initial set-up of the Weyr - that is, when the Weyr was first being brought into existence, before the main group of Riders arrived - culture first started to develop in the Weyr and differentiate itself from the rest of the world.
The first thing that's most noticeable are the clothes; normal clothing doesn't suffice here. The first thing that is almost completely important are the Specs - specialized gear invented specifically for the desert and created by Glass Crafters from the plentiful sand of the desert. They are lenses bound to a frame of fine steel wire, and shrouded with thick leather to cover much of the cheeks and forehead, as well as partially the bridge of the nose, making it easier to cover the whole face when wrapping with cloth; something that is utterly necessary during sandstorms, and a good idea if you plan to avoid sunburn. These were based originally on the design of rider goggles.
A special kind of cloth is necessary as well, light in color and breathable for maximum comfort. This cloth is luckily readily available, as it's materials were one of the things Pern was not looted for by the ravaging armies, considering they were mostly after food and weapons to fuel their war machine. It is made from a mixture of fibers from herdbeast wool as well as plant fiber, and is typically used in Candidate robes for it's heat-resistant qualities. A better version has been pioneered by the Tigrese Crafters, and this improved version has become known as Wrap by those who use it. It is used in turbans, headwraps, armwraps, and on rare occasions for those who prefer it, legwraps.
Other gear made by the initial settlers over the Turn they had been there includes the Can, a canteen made of wood and a special lacquer that allows the water to retain it's coolness, though the water near the Weyr is never very cool. It still beats boiling, however. There is also the Scope, a spyglass normally manufactured by Glass Crafters for the purpose of sailing on the open seas, however it has been adapted for use in the open, flat desert by making it of the same wood and lacquer that the Can is made from to keep it from burning one's hands as metal models usually did. There are metal models about the Weyr, however they are usually Wrapped or the owners wear gloves. The Scope is usually fitted with a lens cap as well, to keep the sand from damaging it during wind storms.
Another notable practice would be the creation of inks. These are made from local insects and pigments made from crushing specific types of volcanic rock into dust. They are mixed and cured in the sun and were originally created in an attempt to make a skin salve that blocked sun rays, though the effect instead tended to leave the skin colored for a few weeks and the idea was scrapped. Instead, they are used in artwork, and more recently, tattooing, which was discovered completely by accident when some unfortunate soul managed to stab himself while he was using his knife to paint a marker on one of the cavern walls underneath the mountain.
When a member of the Weyr has an opinion about change in the Weyr that they are radical about, and most people are against it, yet they continue to press the matter, they may be given a trial overseen by a member of Weyr authority. If they continue through the trial and majority vote agrees with them, they are allowed to hold their opinion with no consequence, and the change considered by Weyr authority, but if the majority heavily disagree, they are cast out into the Fire Plains. If they manage to survive to find their way back, they are taken back in and given another chance, but given the distance at which many are set loose, brought to the destination through between, many whom have been cast out haven't made it back, lost in the wastes and wandered too long. Those who do, are given the Mark of Rukbat, an almost rite-of-passage type marking in the likeness of the sun somewhere on their body, tattooed in red ink. It is worn as a status symbol of one whom has over expressed their opinion on others, fought for their beliefs and lived to tell the tale, and they are seen as having valued their Weyr over their own lives, trying to change it for the better.
Those who commit actual crimes, however, are sentenced to wander the wastes until they die of sunstroke, starvation, or thirst. These few are released so far from the Weyr they will never make it back before it claims their lives.
Something the people seem to value over rank is skill, and competition is usually what those who live here do for fun. Wits, bravery, smarts, combat prowess are regularly tested by their peers, and occasionally this has lead to honor duels, sometimes to the death. Most people of the Weyr regard such fights as part of the life they must endure here, as disputes between two people cannot involve others or the Weyr will fall apart, and death is an easy way to settle an argument.
The first thing that's most noticeable are the clothes; normal clothing doesn't suffice here. The first thing that is almost completely important are the Specs - specialized gear invented specifically for the desert and created by Glass Crafters from the plentiful sand of the desert. They are lenses bound to a frame of fine steel wire, and shrouded with thick leather to cover much of the cheeks and forehead, as well as partially the bridge of the nose, making it easier to cover the whole face when wrapping with cloth; something that is utterly necessary during sandstorms, and a good idea if you plan to avoid sunburn. These were based originally on the design of rider goggles.
A special kind of cloth is necessary as well, light in color and breathable for maximum comfort. This cloth is luckily readily available, as it's materials were one of the things Pern was not looted for by the ravaging armies, considering they were mostly after food and weapons to fuel their war machine. It is made from a mixture of fibers from herdbeast wool as well as plant fiber, and is typically used in Candidate robes for it's heat-resistant qualities. A better version has been pioneered by the Tigrese Crafters, and this improved version has become known as Wrap by those who use it. It is used in turbans, headwraps, armwraps, and on rare occasions for those who prefer it, legwraps.
Other gear made by the initial settlers over the Turn they had been there includes the Can, a canteen made of wood and a special lacquer that allows the water to retain it's coolness, though the water near the Weyr is never very cool. It still beats boiling, however. There is also the Scope, a spyglass normally manufactured by Glass Crafters for the purpose of sailing on the open seas, however it has been adapted for use in the open, flat desert by making it of the same wood and lacquer that the Can is made from to keep it from burning one's hands as metal models usually did. There are metal models about the Weyr, however they are usually Wrapped or the owners wear gloves. The Scope is usually fitted with a lens cap as well, to keep the sand from damaging it during wind storms.
Another notable practice would be the creation of inks. These are made from local insects and pigments made from crushing specific types of volcanic rock into dust. They are mixed and cured in the sun and were originally created in an attempt to make a skin salve that blocked sun rays, though the effect instead tended to leave the skin colored for a few weeks and the idea was scrapped. Instead, they are used in artwork, and more recently, tattooing, which was discovered completely by accident when some unfortunate soul managed to stab himself while he was using his knife to paint a marker on one of the cavern walls underneath the mountain.
When a member of the Weyr has an opinion about change in the Weyr that they are radical about, and most people are against it, yet they continue to press the matter, they may be given a trial overseen by a member of Weyr authority. If they continue through the trial and majority vote agrees with them, they are allowed to hold their opinion with no consequence, and the change considered by Weyr authority, but if the majority heavily disagree, they are cast out into the Fire Plains. If they manage to survive to find their way back, they are taken back in and given another chance, but given the distance at which many are set loose, brought to the destination through between, many whom have been cast out haven't made it back, lost in the wastes and wandered too long. Those who do, are given the Mark of Rukbat, an almost rite-of-passage type marking in the likeness of the sun somewhere on their body, tattooed in red ink. It is worn as a status symbol of one whom has over expressed their opinion on others, fought for their beliefs and lived to tell the tale, and they are seen as having valued their Weyr over their own lives, trying to change it for the better.
Those who commit actual crimes, however, are sentenced to wander the wastes until they die of sunstroke, starvation, or thirst. These few are released so far from the Weyr they will never make it back before it claims their lives.
Something the people seem to value over rank is skill, and competition is usually what those who live here do for fun. Wits, bravery, smarts, combat prowess are regularly tested by their peers, and occasionally this has lead to honor duels, sometimes to the death. Most people of the Weyr regard such fights as part of the life they must endure here, as disputes between two people cannot involve others or the Weyr will fall apart, and death is an easy way to settle an argument.