Sections
Click the Links Below to Jump to a Section of the FAQ.

Club Basics: Questions commonly asked about joining, how the club works, and getting started.
History and Timeline: Our unique time period often sparks many questions.
Dragons: How big are first pass dragons? Do male riders shorten their names?
Odds and Ends: What about whers, dolphineers, and fire-lizards?

Club Basics

Q: Do you have an OOC mailing list?

A: No, currently OOC (out of character) messages may be sent to the main mailing list so long as they have OOC in the title. Such messages may be correcting a mistake, introducing yourself, or announcing a leave of absence. We also have a message board for OOC discussions, but it is currently down.

Q: I'd like to lurk a while. May I?

A: Certainly! We welcome lurkers (people who subscribe mailing list but not officially a participant or member). Please just E-mail the BoD and let us know that you'd like to lurk and we'll add you to the mailing list.

Q: I'm a new member and I tried posting to the mailing list and my post didn't show up. What's wrong?

A: If you haven't sent your first post to the BoD for mentoring and had it approved, you won't be able to post to the mailing list. New members and lurkers have posting restrictions set until we've approved their first post just to make sure that nobody accidentally jumps the gun.

Q: I am not sure what to write for my mentoring post. Why can't I just start posting?

A: We ask new members to send their first post to the BoD so we can read it over and make sure you understand New Landing's timeline, history, and rules because our timeline and scenario is different from most Pern clubs. If you are unsure of what to write, try describing what your character does in a typical day, or asking an older member to write a co-post with you. If you have any questions, please ask the BoD or drop a post by our message board!

Q: What is the difference between round robin and full or co-post?

A: Round robin is when two or more people reply back and forth on the mailing list. Replies are generally short and it gives others the opportunity to jump in unless it is specified as a closed post. A full post, or also called a co-post post when more than one person collaborates, is a longer piece of writing that can be as short as a few paragraphs or as long as a short story. Full and co-posts are sent to the mailing list in their complete form, or broken up into parts.

Q: I've spotted a mistake on the webpage. Who do I talk to?

A: Ariel is our local webmistress and very prone to typos. E-mail her at [email protected] and she'll fix it ASAP.

Q: I am leaving the club. Will you kill my character?

A: If you have to leave the club and have would like something specific done with your character, let us know and we'll see what we can do. However, if your character is a dragonrider we may not be able to kill him or her off. Because we have so few initial dragons, we may make abandoned dragonriding characters into NPCs or put them up for adoption, unless killing them serves some plot purpose.

Q: How can I find people to plot and copost with?

A: You can visit our message board to solicit coposters. It's a great place to get to know your fellow members! Also, most members have their instant message handles listed on their persona sheets. IM is a great way to brainstorm plots!

Q: I'm having a problem with another member. What should I do?

A: Please E-mail the BoD right away and let us know what is going on. If someone verbally attacks you or harasses you, please avoid retaliation. We won't tolerate members being harassed and will handle the situation ASAP!

Q: How can I adopt a character?

A: If the character you already want to adopt has a completed sheet, just send it in to the BoD with your information at the top. If they don't already have a sheet, or have an incomplete sheet, please flesh it out and then submit it to the BoD for approval. You are welcome to check with us and make sure the character is still available before writing their sheet. We may ask that you play in the club for a while before you adopt key characters, however, so we can get to know you.

Q: The character I want to adopt says they are an adoptable NPC on the persona page, but on their persona sheet it has somebody else's information. Does that mean they aren't adoptable?

A: Many of our adoptable characters have had former owners. Sometimes we forget to remove their previous owner's information or update the adoptables list, but if their status is an ANPC under the "owner" column of the persona page, then they are an adoptable.

Q: Such-and-such isn't in the rules page, that means I can do it, right?

A: We can't anticipate every possible scenario or problem that may come up with members and make a rule about it ahead of time. Use your common sense, and if you're unsure about something, please ask us.

Q: I have a gripe with the club. Who can I complain to?

A: If you're unhappy with something, please discuss it with the BoD! We're friendly people and willing to work with you to find a compromise. If it's something more general, such as pointing out a general inconsistency in posts or suggesting something may happen a different way, you're welcome to bring it up on the message board, where members can have as much input in shaping the club as the BoD does!

Our History and Timeline

Q: How much does New Landing�s timeline have in common with Dragonsdawn? Which of Anne's characters exist in New Landing's timeline?

A: We share some basic points with Anne McCaffrey�s history: Just over 6000 colonists settled Pern, spread across the southern continent, and were attacked by Thread eight years after Landing. Kitti Ping created the dragon program before dying. Ted Tubberman created the Thread-eating grubs (which are not wide-spread, but are planted in gardens around settlements) and experimented with large cats, which turned on him and killed him before escaping into the wild. None of Anne McCaffrey�s other characters existed in our timeline nor did any of the other major events in Dragonsdawn such as Avril Bitra's escape attempt or the homing beacon.

Q: Do we have to do everything like they did in Dragonsdawn and the other Pern novels?

A: No! We're borrowing McCaffrey's world for our premise, but we are free to explore and develop our own plots and culture! Things may turn out completely differently than they did in the books.

Q: Is Kitti Ping dead?

A: Yes.

Q: What in the minimum age my persona could have come to Pern alone?

A: 18. If your persona was younger than that when he or she came to Pern, an older family member must have come along. An 18 year old would have had to prove to the colonist selection committee that they were mature enough and skilled enough to be a contributing member of the colony, and that they realized they would never see their friends or family again.

Q: When did the Nathi Space War start and end?

A: Five years before the Pern colony left. The war started about sixty years before that, so only the middle-aged and elderly remember life before the war (thanks to suspended animation during space travel). For more information, please read our Pre-Pern history. It should answer most of your questions about what happened before Pern.

Q: Where can my character be from?

A: The majority of the colonists were from Earth, First Centauri, and nearby Moonbases and Space Colonies. First Centauri had been settled for many generations, but settlers from newer and less populated colonies are unlikely, as they will not have multiplied to the point of crowding. If your character is from Earth, please keep in mind that the nations as we know them don't exist anymore, although most cities do. Most people identify with what region of Earth they are from.

Q: How do people talk in the first pass?

A: Space age slang is still prevalent at New Landing, and you'll find our members have come up with several clever curses you may see in their posts. Since nearly everyone was affected by the Nathi space war, the alien race is the subject of many curses.

Terms like shells, shards, and by the first egg haven't come into use yet. "By Faranth" isn't used because she does not exist in our timeline. Those bonded to dragons are usually referred to as dragon partners or dragonmates as well as dragonriders.

Impression, Dragons, and their Riders

Q: What exactly is known about the dragons?

A: Not as much as in the later passes. Kitti Ping was secretive about the project and even her own team of scientists doesn't know exactly what to expect. For a detailed list, please visit the dragons page.

Q: Were all five dragon colors present in the first clutch?

A: Yes. Kitti Ping was very secretive about how dragons are programmed, so nobody knows that greens are sterile. The first batch of eggs created by Kitti was lost, so the post-Kitti eggs were engineered to have specimens from all the colors because the scientists hope that the green dragons will be like green fire-lizards and be able to clutch several times a year. Because browns and bronzes are expected to be more frequent breeders, only one blue was engineered into the first clutch as a specimen for study.

Q: Does my male rider have to shorten his name?

A: In the books, honorifics didn't appear until much later in the first pass when names were slurred by those shouting orders during Threadfall. It was a very gradual shift. If you'd like your male rider to shorten his name, please ask the BoD first.

Q: I have a character already that I'd like to become a candidate. Can I have him/her Searched?

A: The dragon population will be closely monitored, studied, and directed by the scientists for quite some time. The science team will continue to select candidates based on the criteria set by Kitti Ping. Dragons may point out that they think someone would make a good rider and it will be gradually observed that the candidates favored by the dragons are the ones to Impress. This will be a long way down the road, so for now candidates still must apply with the scientists. Don't worry, the population isn't big enough for the scientists to be too choosey about who they accept! Most people who apply get in as long as they agree to the conditions of the project and are willing to commit themselves to someday being Pern's aerial Thread defense.

Q: Now that the three artificial clutches have hatched, what will happen to all of the candidates while we wait for the dragons to mature? Can I still make a new candidate character?

A: The science team won't be interviewing new candidates until the female dragons have their first mating flights (remember, they expect the greens to clutch) but candidates who were accepted for the engineered hatchings can keep their name in the candidate pool. If you'd like to create a candidate character during this time period, you can backdate them as one of the original candidates, or wait and have them apply when the dragons start breeding.

A: If you'd like your character to be a candidate, just let us know. If you'd like to play the process in character, hopeful candidates give an application to the science team and are called in for an interview. The science team can't afford to be too picky, but in order for your candidate to be accepted they must have no serious health problems, be between 18 and 30, and agree to the terms of the project, including consenting to be the subject of the scientific study and acknowledging what is expected of the dragon partners when the dragons mature. The project may send notices out to those in the eligible age range informing potential candidates that they're looking, but the team generally doesn't send official invitations to specific people.

Q: I want my character to Impress a gold/bronze. What do you look for when deciding who Impresses what? How can I �Impress� you with my candidate?

A: Play your candidates, and play them well! We prefer quality over quantity. We prefer well rounded and intentionally flawed characters to ones who are almost perfect. Be creative, have fun, and don't be afraid to get into trouble and cause conflict. When posting, just try to have fun. Avoid writing with the perfect gold/bronze rider in mind. Remember, this is a story, not a job interview! (Thanks Marasai for that analogy!) We also consider your reasons for wanting a gold or bronze you list when you fill out your candidate form. We want to know why you'd like to write a gold/bronze rider, and what plots you have in mind. Please don't just tell us how your character is smart, a good leader, and gets along with people.

Q: Do we have to establish Weyr hierarchy and structure right off?

A: No. The development of Weyr political and social structure was a long process that took many generations. If we develop this at New Landing, it won't be for a long time down the road. We are free to develop our own political structure among the dragonriders. However, the dragons themselves are a hierarchical species, although the early queens overall may have less of a superiority complex than the other colors because they aren't as rare or treasured as they are later on.

Q: But gold and bronze riders still get to be the leaders, right?

A: Not necessarily. It is fair game for everyone.

In the later passes, riders of green and blue dragons were usually not leaders because their dragons did not have the stamina to last a full fall. Because first pass dragons are so small (our queens are smaller than even ninth pass greens), there is not much of a size difference between the colors (six inches to a few feet, at the most). None of the early dragons will have the stamina to fly a full fall, so a greenrider has at much of a chance at leading a wing as a bronze, although they may find problems with a bronze obeying a green. Leaders among the early dragonriders will likely be chosen by voting amongst the riders, although they may develop a system of their own.

Q: Why do you have such high posting requirements for green, blue, and brown dragon riders?

A: Right now, the only way to get a dragonriding persona is by creating a candidate and having him or her Impress at a hatching. There is no way to create an 'insta-dragon' or transfer. Because this limits the number of dragonriding personas available, we are very serious about seeing all of the dragons played.

Q: Why don't you have higher posting requirements for gold and bronze dragons?

A: Until the dragons start reproducing naturally, gold and bronze dragons will be as common as the other colors, so we feel there is no need for stricter posting requirements. This may be revised when the dragons begin reproducing naturally.

Q: Do you allow Impression from the stands?

A: Occasionally. If you'd like to have a character Impress this way, please approach us with your proposal and tell us why it is crucial that your character must Impress this way and we may say yes. The earlier you talk to us, the better. We plan hatchings early so last minute requests will not be considered. Keep in mind there aren't really 'stands' yet in the artificial hatching grounds, so you need a creative reason for your persona being there.

Q: Does fire-stone cause sterility in female dragons?

A: No, greens were engineered to be sterile while golds were designed to be physically unable to process fire-stone.

Q: Can my dragon be the first one to figure out how to fly, between, blood kills etc.?

A: Under no circumstances will your dragonriding character make a leap in draconic discovery without BoD permission. Chances are we already have something planned. If you'd like your character to be involved in such an event, please let us know your ideas very early and we will consider them.

Q: How big are first pass dragons?

A: Our dragons are the size of large, adult fire-lizards upon hatching. See the month one dragon guide for a picture. When they mature, they are approximately 6 feet in height at the withers (base of the neck).

Q: What are the eye colors for different draconic moods?

A:
-Content/Neutral: Blue/Green
-Love: Purple
-Anger/Battle: Orange
-Lust/Hunger: Red
-Alarm: Yellow
-Fear: White
-Sadness/Mourning: Gray

Odds and Ends

Q: Can I play a dolphineer?

A: Yes. Most of the dolphineers moved north, but there are still a small handful in the south. It is somewhat of a dying craft, however, as fighting Thread, getting food, and developing the Dragon Project are currently the top priority.

Q: Can I play someone who Impressed one of the whers or a wher-breeder/handler?

A: Whers are large, dangerous animals and are in no way kept as pets. They are used in the mines at Barrier Hold. If you�d like to play someone bonded to a wher, please let us know why you want one and what you plan to do with it and we�ll let you know.

Q: Are there Weyrs yet? Where did the word come from?

A: In our timeline, the word weyr is borrowed from an alien tongue is used to describe a high place unreachable by foot. The high cliff caves above New Landing have already been called weyrs, although that is currently the only use of the word so far.

Q: I've got a character from another club. May I import him/her here?

A: You're welcome to recreate characters, but they will probably have to be revised to fit into the first pass. Unusual physical characteristics or metallic fire-lizards may not be accepted, however, merely on the grounds that your character had them in their previous incarnation. Dragonriding characters currently cannot be imported because we do not have any NPC Weyrs for them to originate.

Q: Can I have a gold/bronze fire-lizard?

A: New members may not create a persona with a gold or bronze fire-lizard. Established members may have one bronze fire-lizard once you've proved your a reliable poster. Golds are given out by the BoD as rewards. Members may request one for a plot purpose, as well, although approval is not guaranteed.

Q: Can I create a character who hears all dragons?

A: We currently have one HAD (hears all dragons) persona right now and aren't looking for anymore.

Q: Why can't my character be an artist/musician/actor/dancer?

A: Your character may paint or play an instrument as a hobby, but unless they are producing something necessary for survival (for example, a potter making pots) they can't do it for a living. People are too busy trying to save the colony from annihilation by Thread to focus on the arts.