Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyrhold
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Elsewhere on Pern
NPC Weyr (NPC)
River Bluff Weyr
Seacraft Hall
L1 Weyrleader: N'vanik
Weyrwoman: Cyradis
Weyrlingmaster: R'lor
Wingleader: S'kand
Wingleader: M'gan
Weyrsecond: A'kades
Weyrwoman's Second: Nidre
Headwoman: Alyena
Weyrdragonhealer: Y'gel
Lozenge Bleu Celeste, Per Fess wavy Azure, a dolphin sable
Articles
Dolphin Cove Clutch Records
Dolphin Cove Weyr Climate
Life in the Weyrs
Maps and Floorplans
Latest News
Welcome to sunny Dolphin Cove!
Zelah talks with R'lor about the possibility of Standing.
R'lor scolds V'tian about getting in the way of a bronze hatchling and tells him there's nothing wrong with Impressing a green. When Sh'del visits he's more gentle with V'tian.
Candidate Nijen gets knocked over at the Hatching and walks away with no dragon. Cirina asks her mother for a ride to see her new friend Aydhara at Barrier Lake Weyr. Cirina and Aydhara exchange letters.
Brown weyrlings Aeoluth and Berlinarth play rough while their riders attempt some control. C'pier and Saedyna are both uncomfortable about having classes together. C'pier asks R'lor if he can be held back for the next class instead, but R'lor says the decision is up to Saedyna.
D'hol comes to offer Cyradis comfort after her weyrmate leaves her. Despite distance and their tumultuous history, they still share a bond of love.
O'rosin and his dragon move into their weyr, the first space O'rosin has had to himself.
Gil is escorted to the bathing caverns and struggles with the mixed-gender facilities.
The Weyrwoman gives R'fal's no-good father one last chance to shape up and earn his keep.
Cyradis offers Alyena the job of Headwoman. The former holder takes a little time to consider the offer and speaks with her children about it. Both Evalya and R'ayl enthusiastically support the idea.
Written by Devin as L1 on September 12th 2024
History
Dolphin Cove Weyr was originally Thayan Peak Weyrhold, one of the four remaining Weyrholds on Pern. Thayan Peak was the last Weyrhold founded in the South, thirty-eight turns after the Ninth Pass ended. It handled a small portion of land that wasn't truly enough to support a full Weyrhold, but the area was rich in herbs and other necessities, and the dragonriders knew they would make up in trade what they lacked in land to grow crops and raise livestock. For centuries the riders made their living in this manner, and as the other Weyrholds began to dwindle in population, they took their share of riders, their own population declining more rapidly that some due to the isolation from Holds and Halls.
Dolphin Cove's current location was originally a thriving Weyrhold with a tropical location intended to provide lush fruits and such like in trade to the other Weyrholds. It was one of the last to close as dragon population dwindled, but was reopened when the original Thayan Peak location was destroyed in an earthquake in 1195. Lady Weyrholder Kaszian died in the earthquake and her grieving Lord Weyrholder S'honan led his people in reopening an abandoned Weyrhold near Topaz Sea Hold. His Weyrleadership was confirmed with young Kaedre's Advrith's rising, when his bronze Azapreth outflew younger bronzes in an open flight to win the young queen.
For turns, all ran smoothly at Dolphin Cove. But only eight months after the first strand of Thread appeared over Emerald Falls, the Weyr suffered a staggering loss: that of Kaedre and her gold Advrith. The next gold to rise was young Ysileerath, which installed the temporary Weyrwoman into permanency. The winner of the flight was none other than the previous Weyrleader. Brisis looked to him for guidance and he served as someone to keep her occasional over-zealous behavior from going too far. His loss of Azapreth in Threadfall, and surviving the loss, passed Weyrleadership to bronzerider V'leran, but Syehonan
remained with his young Weyrwoman.
In month four of the second Turn of the Pass, Brisis was poisoned at the Conclave meeting at Amethyst Cliff Hold. A young goldrider, Kalina, recently returned to the Weyr, stepped in and filled the gap temporarily. Her own gold, Moriath was the next to rise shortly after. The tumultuous relationship she had with V'leran was relieved when her gold was flown by Dalenth, leading to a complete change in leadership that took time to feel its way to stability.
For another turn after that, the Weyrleadership of Dolphin Cove suffered more change, one of the changes leading to a Thread tragedy that decimated an entire Wing of riders under then Weyrleader, O'dan. The mistaken formation cost the riders, but also the young queen, Moriath, and her rider, Kalina, who transferred out after Moriath was severely wounded.
Temporarily under the leadership of T'moran, and the Weyrwoman's Second, Jyramikah, a young gold visited Dolphin Cove from Dragonsfall and rose to mate over those hot sands. Traelyn and her gold, Nyith. J'darin's bronze Hasaarth caught her triumphantly, and both the bronze and the gold declared Dolphin Cove to be theirs, and so a Dragonsfall queen was installed as Weyrwoman of Dolphin Cove.
In Turn 4, J'darin and Hasaarth suffered an injury in Threadfall and the bronze was unable to chase the next time Nyith rose. Traelyn decided to throw the flight open and N'vanik from Dragonsfall won. N'vanik adjusted well to his new responsibilities, but Traelyn became more and more reclusive. At the end of Turn 5 her personal problems overwhelmed her and she attempted suicide, trying to take her gold /between/ permanently. She was taken to a special Mindhealer Hall and Janani took her place.
Angdelouth soon rose, confirming Janani as Weyrwoman and N'vanik retained the Weyrleadership. But now in another turn of events, Janani has left the Weyr. Cyradis replaced her and at first the new Weyrwoman's relationship with N'vanik was strained. Slowly, he's beginning to trust that she might not leave like his previous two Weyrwomen.
Location
Dolphin Cove Weyr is located in a collapsed volcano right on the sea. The semi-circular shape of the Weyrbowl empties out onto a beach. One side of the Weyr faces out to the sea and has several weyrs dotting the side overlooking the water.
The tropical location of this area creates very little fluctuation in temperatures between winter and summer, but the humidity is lower during the winter and spring months. The average winter low temperature is 71º F (22º C); the average winter high is 88º F (31º C). During the summer months, the average low temperature is 74º F (23º C); the average high 88º F (31º C). Because of its location right on the sea, it is also subject to hurricanes during the late spring into autumn.
Building Information
Dolphin Cove's Weyr is a collapsed volcano, the westernmost side open to make the Weyr itself a half circle in shape. With the more open aspect of a cliff-weyr, but the endless caverns typical of a volcanic-weyr, Dolphin Cove is less elegantly designed than some of its contemporaries. The need for living quarters for the former residents of Thayan Peak Weyrhold overrode the need for amenities, so only the higher ranking folk have access to bathing facilities and other perks, just as in the original Weyrs reopened in the North.
Additional living space was gained by using the northern sea-side portion of the old volcano. It falls away jaggedly to the water, with ledges gaining a rider an intimidating view of ocean waves far below. These weyrs tend to be reserved for those with dragons only, as there are no corridors to access the weyrs on the rugged cliff face that is the first sight any sailor sees of the huge Weyr.
A large natural cavern serves as dining cavern, with the kitchens adjoining via a corridor. Large fans circulate air through the dining cavern into the kitchens, pushing the heat from the ovens out into the open air of the Bowl. The tropical nature of Dolphin Cove means that most cooking is done to avoid the extreme heat of the daytime, and the large chilled room at the rear of the kitchens and its refrigeration equipment are essential to keeping food cooked in advance during the cool of the night from spoiling.
The Hatching Caverns are as traditional as anything the North ever produced. Majestically large, they were the original reason the volcano was settled as a Weyrhold in the late Ninth Pass, even though it was later abandoned when the population could no longer support such a large facility as the entire location demanded. Three clutches could be accommodated on the Sands at once, a feat that luckily has not been tested since Dolphin Cove was re-opened in 1195. There is a small room off the caverns for the junior goldriders, but the Weyrwoman's weyr opens directly onto the Sands.
Weyrlings are housed in a man-made barracks until their dragons are old enough to fly, then usually are assigned the smallest and highest Weyrbowl facing weyrs. Once they leave weyrlinghood they often move to slightly larger quarters, usually on the sea-side cliff-face, which is only permitted once their dragons are fully matured and able to handle the wind currents that can result from the crashing waves below. The weyrling barracks is large enough to house nearly three clutches of junior weyrlings at once, with just over 100 couches for the Weyr's smallest dragon residents.
Candidates have a barracks as well, both genders residing in the large stone building only a dragonlength from the weyrling barracks. Weyr residents of candidate age are encouraged, but not required, to Stand with the permission of the Weyrwoman, so often the candidates don't live in the barracks. They are permitted to remain with their families, if weyrbred, or in their apprentice rooms if they already have a craft. Those of journeyman rank in a craft are almost never sent to the barracks, retaining their private rooms within the Weyr. The barracks tends to be mainly the living quarters for those candidates Searched from Holds and Halls, providing a bit of a safe haven for those struggling to adjust to the differences in weyrlife versus what they left behind at home. The candidate barracks can house ninety candidates at any one time, but it is rarely over half-full, even now that Search is no longer as difficult as it once was.
Even with the half-circle shape of the Weyr, the Weyrbowl is enormous. The weyrlake and feeding pens take up space in the northernmost arm of the Bowl, and rarely is the Bowl empty of people or dragons, even in the darkest part of the night. In tropical Dolphin Cove, residents learn the advantages to some tasks being handled nocturnally. The beaches are a favorite place for weyrfolk to cool off, as well as the large bathing caverns with their cool water (a great contrast to the warmed waters of other Weyrs). Shyness over nudity is something almost non-existent at Dolphin Cove, except in the newest residents imported from Holds and Halls.
Technology Level
Because of the rush to reopen the Weyr electricity was never a priority other than some minor electricity for refrigeration in the back caverns by the kitchen. All other light is given through glowbaskets and the heat for the water is through a geothermal system that was put into place back when Dolphin Cove was first a functioning weyrhold after the ninth pass.
The Weyrleaders have begun a project of upgrading the electricity for the Weyr. Among the Weyrwoman's priorities are: a larger source of electricity from nearby streams; upgraded refrigeration and cooling fans in the kitchens; electrical lighting in the main areas; expansion of lighting and fans to individual weyrs as the project progresses.
Female Policy
Women are welcome in all aspects of life at the Weyr and now with two Halls - the Dolphin Hall and the Harper Hall temporarily at the Weyr - more young women are apprenticing to Crafts.
Population and Plague Effects
During the plague, Thayan Peak Weyrhold lost approximately a third of its total population. Since then, it has steadily increased its population and regained its former level, with a minor setback due to the earthquake that destroyed Thayan Peak.
Economy
Dolphin Cove, like all other Weyrs, is basically dependent upon the tithes of the Hold's beholden to them. The individual riders may do occasional jobs within their craft to garner a few marks to purchase items, but normally all they need is provided to them by the Weyr.
Transportation Information
Since the sea comes right up to the beach near the Weyr, it is easily accessible by sea. The land around the Weyr is almost jungle like and overland travel is quite difficult, but can be done. And as always, no place is to far when going /between/.
Distances to other locations:
Topaz Sea Hold - 500 miles (800 kilometers)
Emerald Falls Hold - 1700 miles (2720 kilometers)
Dragonsfall Weyr - 5,000 miles (8,000 kilometers)
Dream's End Weyr - 2,400 miles (3840 kilometers)
River Bluff Weyr - 4,800 miles (7,680 kilometers)