Grubs / Thread Burrows

[Jane]

A few related questions here.

What is the status of grubs in the Triad Weyrs scenario?  There are only two mentions I could find on the FAQ and one of them said "...the South originally had the protection of the grubs that helped protect the land from Thread."[Link 1] Does the use of 'originally' indicate that they are now gone?

The other reference is after the first 'Falls of the current Pass and says "After they learned to protect their crops with grubs ..."[Link 2] Does this imply a reintroduction and now widespread use?  Would the grubs be as widespread in the Northern Continent?  (That is, would their protective properties be familiar to a dragonrider transferring from a Northern Weyr.)

What is the failure rate of dragonriders fighting Thread?  Would there be burrows every 'Fall?  If burrowing Thread just keeps going until it reaches rock or water, what would be done for 'ground strikes' causing burrows in isolated areas?  Would dragonriders fly in the flamethrower teams?

If the incidence of ground strikes by Thread is very low, would riverboats (and trader caravans) do very much in the way of protecting themselves?  (I can see that ships at sea would need to because dragonriders wouldn't ordinarily chase Thread over the open ocean.)

Thanks!

[Kaysea]

Is this question because of that post?

Or just general interest?

[Jane]

Is this question because of that post?

Or just general interest?

It's one of the reasons we've never worked through the Thread protection issue - because I haven't felt we had enough to go on.  We can wing it in the current post but one day I'll have to write up a proper article about it.

[Jane]

Is this one 'under action'?

[emma]

It's being talked about

[Jane]

Thank you.  :pirate:

[Clancey]

Here is the picture of Pern today, as relates to Grubs and Burrows Hopefully this helps!

There are grubs in the North and South, and grubs can help eat Thread burrows, but they wouldn't stop Thread from killing crops, which is the real worry. They might keep the Thread from destroying all organic material in the ground, but it does nothing for the surface.

At this point there are still burrows from time to time. Maybe not every Fall, but it happens since the Weyrs are not at full strength yet and most of their older, experienced riders were killed in the first turn of learning how to fly Thread. There is less Thread missed now than there was in the begining, but its still a learning process.

As far as isolated areas the burrows would be left to the grubs since it doesn't matter as much.

And finally,  everyone protects themselves as much for the psychological factor as the statistical possibility.

[Jane]

Thank you.  Just what I needed.