Inter-Weyr and Inter-Hold Politics

Political Factions

IFWA

IFWA - The Ista-Igen Five Weyrs Alliance - is a political organization that works almost exclusively in the Weyrs. There are supporters of this influential group in every Weyr and Hold, though the strongest support is located in Ista and Igen Weyrs. The leadership of Ista Weyr and the Weyrwoman of Igen are great haters of the Southern Project, as they call it. They give the barest civility to Atoran riders, believing them to be dangerous liberals, who flaunt tradition by going south, and whose very presence away from the North endanger the ancient holdings and Weyrs. IFWA believes firmly that when thread returns, the Northern Weyrs will be overstretched to protect both their traditional holdings and the only hold of the destroyed Benden Weyr that was not obliterated in the Volcanic eruptions. The fact that Lemos now looks to Telgar, which does not complain of the added burden, does not bother IFWA; the alliance is sure that the change in the traditional order of the beholden to Weyr will lead to the downfall of Pern in this Pass. IFWA's major goal is to force Atora to disband and send its wings to bolster the Northern Weyrs. As it is comprised almost exclusively of dragonriders, little thought has gone to the growing Southern Holds.

The Harpers

While the Harperhall is a crafthall, it is also an extremely influential tool of whichever political faction it sides with, earning its mention here. At present, the current MasterHarper, Werbian, is cautiously opposing IFWA. The MasterHarper believes that the Southern Settlement is necessary to alleviate the overcrowding in Hold, Hall, and Weyr; he also firmly believes that some reform in the tithes of the Holds are necessary. The Weyrs, panicking in face of thread, have been demanding ever higher tithes from the Holds, who also have many preparations to make. The Harpers have been subtly trying to influence the Weyrs into gentler dealings with the Holds, with some effect. Recently, Ista Weyr compromised on the subject of grains, no longer demanding that the Holds send both first fruits and a quarter of final harvest, as long as the tithing of herdbeasts was increased by ten percent. The harpers have long been respected as arbitrators and peacemakers; the dealings between Hold and Weyr are often influenced by them. The majority of harpers side with their Master in opinion - that is, for gradual reform - but there are a few dissidents, including IFWA supporters.

IIN

IIN = Ista-Igen-Nerat. Trouble seems to come from the Ista-Igen region these days, and not just in the Weyrs - those Lords beholden to Ista Weyr have banded together to push through tithe reform. Tired and angry at the ridiculous demands of the Weyrwoman, and unwilling to make up for the Weyr's shortage in food supplies if they have to sacrifice their own stores, Lords Drannet of Ista, Keogsy of Igen, and Berder of Nerat have allied, and none will act unless there is a unanimous agreement. This alliance holds sway over tithes, dealings with crafthalls, reprisals against renegades in the region, encroachments by other holds, and matters in the Council of Lords. This alliance would probably not have worked, except for the diplomatic skills of Keogsy, and the obediance of Berder to Drannet. In Council, the three are a headache for the other Lords, and the Weyrs regard them as a dangerous nuisance. Ista Weyr has been trying to break the faction, and the other Weyrs have been eyeing their own holds nervously, trying to forstall such an alliance in their own territory.

The Weyrs

Fort Weyr

Fort Weyr, as the chief Weyr and head of council, has always tried to remain scrupulously impartial, and has also always tried to keep tradition foremost in the thoughts of the other Weyrs. Its leaders, two hidebound but fair riders, are Sejza and D'hon. Sejza is the older of the two, and the more traditional. She has no love for Atora or its new Weyrwoman - a Fort rider originally - but Sejza does not participate much in council, and her counterpart is fairly balanced on the issue. D'hon is a good rider and wingleader, and not bad as a Weyrleader, but he is still a nervous politician, having never expected this rank (his dragon, however, always expected to fly Rameleth). In council, he tries to keep things in check between the Ista-Igen alliance and the liberal views of Telgar and Atora.

High Reaches Weyr

The High Reaches, almost as remote as Atora, has decidedly polar views. Their Weyrleaders are both in their sixties; it is expected that Vebey's Tchalketh will never rise again, and as Ghartith has only won the past few flights because Tchalketh prefers him above all the other bronzes, it appears that a new pair will be on the scene soon. F'hien is even more of a traditionalist that Fort's Weyrleader; too, he has resented Atora's existence from the start. He believes that the excess riders from Benden should have bolstered the Northern Weyrs, and not gone South. To complicate matters, he still remembers the old songs the harpers tell of the plague that came from the South, and to this date he refuses to believe that any good could come from the Southern Continent. While not currently colluding with Ista and Igen, due mostly to Vebey's more moderate views, High Reaches is an enemy to Atora.

Telgar Weyr

The only Northern supporter of Atora, Telgar Weyr has long been a home of more liberal, dissatisfied riders in the North, and, as Atora was formed from excess or unwanted riders, the two often agree on matters in council. Islain was a great friend of Santara, and she still laments the loss of the previous Weyrwoman. The Weyrleading pair are mature riders, well capable of leading a Weyr, and the only Weyrmated pair on Pern at the current time, as both have affection and respect for their partner. U'rel is several turns Islain's junior, but he is a very competent strategist and fighter, and Islain has always taken an active role in council. The pair are not popular with Fort or High Reaches, however, since their liberal, "permissive" leanings are squarely opposed to those of the traditionalist Weyrs, and the Ista-Igen alliance has always disliked Telgar as a supporter of Atora. As the weakest Weyr is Telgar's only supporter, it often has a difficult time pushing through its opinions and resolutions in council.

Ista Weyr

Ista's Weyrwoman, Yevine, is young and very irresponsible. Only twenty-seven when she took the helm of her Weyr, she managed to run through the supplies of the Weyr at an alarming rate, and did not tithe the holders appropriately, demanding too many luxuries and too few necessities. As a result, when a more sensible Weyrleader came to power, the holds under Istan control were dissatisfied and unwilling to make up the gaps in stores. Ista, finding itself pinched, put great pressure on the holds, and at the moment the relationship between Weyr and Holding are abyssmal. Yevine's first counterpart, K'tay, was barely older than she, and managed to make so many other bronzeriders angry during his first term that Z'nove won with ease, simply because of his experience. Z'nove was an oldschool rider, and also a great hater of the scheme to make a Southern Weyr. He flatly refuses to acknowledge Atora's right to exist, and Yevine does whatever he says. Z'nove is responsible for IFWA, and is Atora's worst enemy in council, opposing anything it tries to do simply because of what it is.

Igen Weyr

Igen is currently in a state of turmoil. Its new Weyrleader is the first brownrider to hold the position in centuries, and is vastly unpopular. However, his dragon Xolenth has been catching queens for turns, being swifter and cannier than many Igen-bred bronzes, and despite two flights since his ascension, none have been able to push him out. His Weyrwoman, Buenelle, feels ashamed that her Lamqueth was caught by a mere brown, and as a firm supporter of IFWA, the two are often at odds with each other, whether in council or at home. However, S'var has kept his Weyrwoman in check, and has stayed fairly neutral in council, renouncing IFWA entirely. Atora has been nervously eyeing the Weyrleader as a possible ally, but the general feeling in Igen Weyr itself is soundly against Atora.

Atora Weyr

The youngest Weyr, Atora is also the least influential. Fort has never given it much say in council, feeling its junior rank and dubious status as a true Weyr don't deserve much say. When Santara was alive, the brilliant woman managed to influence the council towards a less hostile view, with T'lobl aiding her, but the few months with Xianine at the helm have undone all her work, and Alandra is still so new in her position that she has not yet had the chance to prove her worth. While the new Weyrwoman is ambitious, and determined to make her position a permanent and powerful one, she doesn't have a Weyrleader yet, and her views are Fortian - that is to say, traditional. Atora was formed from mostly liberal stock, as the Weyrs were siphoning off its least wanted riders. As a result, Alandra has little popular appeal, and it is still very unclear as to whose bronze will fly Lastianth in her imminent flight.

The Holds

Due to the number of holds, I will simply give a brief explanation of what the terms under Political Stance refer to.

Traditionalist: The traditionalists follow the old ways by the book, and if ever any trouble or problem occurs, they refer to the hides and the ballads for guidance. If it has been done before, it can be done again; if it worked for the ancients, it will work for us. Fort Hold, as the oldest, is the most rigid and traditional of all. In traditionalist holdings, women have little freedom, and the Weyrs, while not viewed as necessarily evil, are distrusted and obeyed more out of fear than love. Women and girls who go to the Weyr, whether from search or for some other reason, are viewed as tainted and lost. Few choose to return home.

Disbelievers: The disbelievers - there are always a few - believe that thread is gone for good. The fact that it has fallen for turns, always has, and probably always will, never impresses these Lords, and it is unlikely that anything except an actual thread attack will convince them that the Pass is at hand. These holds do not, as a rule, love the Weyr, and their tithes are often meager.

Pro-South: These are holds who support the southern movement for various reasons. The predominant one is that the Lord wishes to dispose of excess sons by shipping them south to settle the lands there. These holds are not necessarily more liberal than the rest, but do not generally harbor many anti-Weyr feelings.

IIN: See above note on Political Factions.

Liberals: The liberal holdings are usually pro-Weyr, pro-South, and are more permissive than the other holdings. These holds generally have more relaxed attitudes about women, and women crafters are not unusual. The Lords of these holdings are usually younger than the other, more traditional, Lords.