Character development: feelings about mating flights

PastMember · April 13, 2007, 09:33:24 AM

This isn't an inquiry so much as it is a character development question aimed at the writers of greenriders -- but the rest of you are welcome to add your non-greenriders' views too.

Forget the official canon and any club canon you've learned, and focus for the moment just on your own character's personal feelings and beliefs about mating flights -- even if you've never written about them in a post before.

Training can only go so far in preparing a greenrider for what it is like during and right after a mating flight. Experience is their true teacher, and through that experience each rider develops his / her own opinions on the *joys* and *benefits* of mating flights.

Do your characters think it's a wonderful experience or just a necessary evil (Do it for Pern, ladies!)? Is a mating flight a pathway to true love, or are the riders just using each other like pieces of meat? Are they comfortable with how they behave during a flight, or do they have post-flight guilt or embarrassment, or even a case of self-loathing in the wake of their actions? Lastly, what does your greenrider (or gold or whatever color) expect from their flight-mate after the flight?

I'll explain my own characters' take on it a little later once some of you have replied.

Bree · April 13, 2007, 10:41:24 AM

Hey, AJ! I'm going to bump this over out of the Member Inquiries forum, since technically the only people who are supposed to be replying to topics in here are Council and Mentors. ;)

But it's a great question and once I'm done being administratey I'll come back and answer. :D

Cali · April 14, 2007, 07:22:51 AM

I think any and all of what you said applies to the various greenriders. B'vin hates them, dreads them, and feels like crap because he's used. Karri see's it as just part of her job. She was raised knowing she would be married off and have to have sex with some guy she didn't know, so flights are just another thing she does. G'len sees them as a fun time between friends, nothing more than a pleasant experience, but he's also been a rider for over 20 turns and has has at least 60 flights...

PastMember · April 14, 2007, 09:14:00 AM

Aletta had no objections to them aside from the problems they seem to cause between herself and Figol

Tavia enjoyes Sawauth's flights as a way to make new friends

F'lain is looking forward to Gramth's frist and many more.

T'kala is currently scared to death of the idea of waking up next to someone he doesn't know

J'ren is wondering what other trouble he can get into thanks to a random flight

Marithi is secretly intruiged by the idea, and it hasn't occured to her that some time soon her son's brown will be one of the chasers.

PastMember · April 14, 2007, 08:36:39 PM

I have definately used flights as a plot devise... way back in my early years of writing I did the whole, "pregnant after her first flight" thing... looking back, I am somewhat embarased by how cliche some of my writing was!

Yvonne · April 14, 2007, 11:38:28 PM

Well... Harki likes to gamble, and the fact that she might end up in the sack with someone she thinks is utterly repulsive adds to a flight's fun. You never know who you're going to get. ;)

Tsaera, on the other hand, has a sort of resigned opinion of flights. On the one hand it means that Tabanirth clutches, and on the flip side there is the very real possibility that she'll have to train yet another Weyrleader. It's more of a fact of life, like having to get your hair cut or eat dinner or something.

Patrick · April 15, 2007, 07:21:08 AM

Well if I can ever get the post out you'll see Cortana's first impressions on flights. But Cherlyns always seen them as a necessity, just another fact of a dragonriders life. That is until a certain flight... :geek:

Patrick · April 15, 2007, 07:22:05 AM

Quote from: "Rebecca"J'ren is wondering what other trouble he can get into thanks to a random flight

I take credit for the results of that random flight. *bows* thank you, I try.

Vix · April 15, 2007, 07:56:56 AM

I've written flights from all types of perspectives -- though not yet while back at Triad. Flights have triggered feelings of jealousy, guilt, indifference, and much more. The important aspect -- to me at least -- is to approach the flight knowing the character and to analyze "how will this person see the flight?" Each flight has so many factors: sex of participants, upbringing, any prior contacts between those taking part, how the person has visualized his/her life proceeding and whether the whole concept of flights interferes or advances that. Flights are complicated, and when seen that way by the writers instead "oh wow -- flight! free sex post!" then the posts can be very interesting.

Devin · April 16, 2007, 09:42:01 PM

Mine are all chasers, but I'll answer anyway.

N'vanik likes Flights for the sex. :wink:

D'ren has mixed feelings about Flights. He's only ever caught once, and that was Dysali. He also goes to her when he loses. He's wary of the idea of winning someone else's Flight.

For K'mai, Flights are a great way to have fun with friends, or meet new ones.

R'masu sees them mostly as a duty, but also a chance to relax for a while.

Rochelle · April 17, 2007, 04:32:26 PM

Eleada's views on flights have changed over time. When she was younger, they were the ultimate expression of her favorite hobby -sex. But since she conceives easily (even the tea is not perfect proof against it), the damage caused by continual miscarriage and difficulties with the twins eventually almost killed her. So now she has a mixed view of flights. She looks forward to them and enjoys them immensely, because they are the only time she will allow herself to enjoy someone guilt free -after all, she can hardly keep Gliorith from flying! But before the flight and after the lust fades, she dreads the possible consequences, and feels guilty for wishing she didn't have to worry about them.

Bree · April 17, 2007, 06:00:42 PM

Man, I've got all sorts of characters with all sorts of opinions!

Dyaera's only had a few flights, and she thinks they're awesome fun except for when you wake up with someone you don't like. ;) But she's chipper enough that it didn't phase her much!

Kenza used to love them. Now she's a lot more picky about who she wakes up with, and hates it when she has to chase gangly young men out of her bed.

Lenala always hated flights, even though she loves sex. To her, it's just about the men in the Weyr competing over a goldrider... or over leadership of the Weyr, if worst comes to worst. She hopes she never has to become a Weyrwoman and deal with that! And after the last one... well, she's not looking forward to next time.