Fabrinath is Sr. WeyrWoman Sabria's gold dragon and she will be having her next PC (Player Character) Hatching this Spring. OOC (Out of Context) applications for Search will be available in late Feb. Interviews will be conducted throughout the OOC period, though IC (In Context) Search will not actually be conducted till Fabrinath clutches sometime in late March. Applications will be accepted only up till the day of the Clutching and we will most likely search all Candidates within the first two weeks afterwards. The Hatching itself is scheduled for late April to early May. More specific dates will be posted both on the MOO and on this page when they are available.

Policy and Rules

This is a list of general rules and guide lines that Bahrain Weyrleaders and Searchriders will follow in terms of Search. While some of the rules may be bent, the rules that state will not will certainly not be bent or broken at all.

1. Staff members such as the Headwoman, Steward, etc, are unlikely to be Searched. However if the person has already spent several months at Benden or were present for more than one Hatching, then considerations will be made. Since IC permissions from the area leader is needed to apply, speak with Sabria if you have questions.

2. Crafters posted at the weyr are considered to be temporary residents since reposting is up to the craftmasters. However, crafters will not be Searched without permission from their craft and we would prefer if they spend sometime at the Weyr before applying.

3. Weyrfolk are expected to have spent at least several months at the Weyr before applying for Search. This is make sure there is plenty of character developement, as well as making sure residents are not here at Benden simply because they believe it will make the chance of Impression higher. The only way it does is because we get to know you better during those months.

4. As a courtesy, Benden Weyr will not Search in the lower caverns of other Weyrs, nor will Searchriders of other Weyrs be expected to come to Benden.

5. VP policy states that for now, there will only be one rider alt per player. This may change later when VP opens more Weyrs, but that will not be determined till a later date. Until then, the one rider per player rule stands.

6. Lord/Lady Holders or CraftMasters will not be Searched.

7. Crafters with the rank of Master, Lord/Ladies, or Heirs will not be Searched except for special circumstances and IC/OOC permissions from all relevant area leaders. It will be very unlikely that this will happen.

8. Residents of Holds, Journeymen and Apprentices of all crafts, need to have IC permission to be Searched from their area leader, before applying.

9. We would rather not Search Holdless people, we prefer that characters have settled into some part of Pern society before applying. This is so that if you unfortunately don't Impress, you have a home or craft to return to.

10. The character should be minimum 13 turns of age or maximum 25 turns. Exceptions might be made, but the best chances are for characters within that range. Characters are expected to have been created at least one week before applying for Search. Candidates are expected to be physically fit and able to perform the duties of a dragonrider, there will be a mandatory physical performed by the Weyr healer after Search (rp'd).

Please understand that these rules are only for your benefit and if given careful thought, there are not many rules that would affect most applicants and are logical in nature.

Please note that the committee reserves the right to confidentiality about Search. If you are not searched and wish to know why, @send to *bwsearch. If we feel we can tell you the reasons, then you will be mailed a response, if not, there is nothing we can do to help, regrettably. Note that harassing committee members will not be in your favor for the next Search.

If there are any other questions, page Sabria, Kalanthe, Elisandra, or Muireann. Or send mail to *bwsearch. Or email Sabria Thank you for reading this.

How To Get An Application

Tips and Suggestions

Info Packet on Gold Riding.

Stay tuned for more.

A Synopsis of what Hatching Day might be like!

Imagine, you're doing last minute chores when suddenly the ground seems to resonate and a building bizarre, eerie sound echoes through the entire Weyr. You're told to get back to the Candidate Barracks and change into your robe. There's chaos, some hysterics, some laughter, lots of excitement as you're herded out towards the Hatching Grounds. You pass beneath the great arching entranceway, the floor is smooth from the thousands of feet that must have passed this way, many with the same fears and anticipations you feel as well. Then you're there, the oppressive heat from the blinding white Benden sand wafts over you like a wall. This isn't like a beach, but rather like suddenly walking into the heart of a desert. The Cavern itself is lit by glows and the great gaping maw of the sky entrance. It is then you realize the sheer magnitude of the cavern's size, whole wings of dragons are passing through overhead to deposit their riders and passengers on the stands at the south side of the Sands. Huge stands, ringing the entire side wall. And completely filled with people. Normally this cavern echoes with there merest trickle of sand, but with hundreds of people around, the air practically moves with sound, and you realize as you enter, that every eye will land on you at some point.

Just as you're about to put a foot down on the Sands, the most awesome/scary sight you might ever encounter meets your eyes. A large, GRUMPY, and VERY PROTECTIVE Queen mother is standing, hovering over her eggs and sided by an equally large bronze sire. They'll both eye you as if sizing you up, deciding if you're worthy of even coming close. I suggest you bow and show your respect. After you do, you step onto the sands and OUCH!! They are hot, burning, scalding, those Candidates who didn't choose to wear sandals are going to leave with light blisters or worse for sure.

The eggs are/or will tremble and that's when an eerie hush will settle (at least in comparison to the earlier mindless chatter from the stands) across the cavern as the first egg breaks. The dragonet emerges. Now, this isn't a creature of light and air, he/she can't even fly yet. The dragonet will be sticky-wet with egg goo, clumsy from limbs that have never been used before, and most of all, they're bent on finding their one true love, food. Oops, I mean their partner/lifemate. Since they're so intent on finding THE ONE, they might not quite... see you standing there, unless it is you they're looking for. If a dragonet shows no sign of slowing down as it barges, rolls, trips, or lumbers towards you... GET OUT OF THE WAY. The creature bearing down at you will be awkward, sometimes with oversized limbs, still having to grow into them. They might be noisy, pushy, or very picky, but if one should miraculously and lovingly choose you... then suddenly it's like a window opening into a bright new spring day, or a bomb set off in your mind... they become an integral part of you, something that will always be there for you and most of all, entirely wonderful and beautiful to your eyes.

But till that moment though, it'll be mass confusion there. Some dragonets will mill around for ages looking for their lifemate, sometimes walking right past them and then finding them hours later going, "Oh! There you are!" Impressions will be happening left and right, sometimes there'll be a long break between any movement of the eggs at all. A Hatching could be frighteningly quick, with partners wobbling off the sands together in no time, or it could drag as the babies take a good long time to emerge. But in any case, there's usually very little way of telling which one heading your way is actually THE ONE until he/she (Yes, he or she, they're not "its" in any sense of the word, fully sentient creatures of wonderful nature) looks into your eyes and speaks into your head.

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