History

AIVAS. It was supposed to put an end to Thread forevor. The Red Star would be knocked off course, and Pern would be free of the deadly parasite that had plagued her for so long. But the plan failed, and AIVAS died, and Pern was left to continue on as she had.

Turns came and went. The knowledge gleaned from AIVAS was not entirely lost, but many beleived that since Thread still fell, how did they know these other wonders would not fail as well? Though things like paper and books were used, and some of the long distance speaking devices, computers and aqua lungs, they were soon abandoned. Now only the harper hall retains a computer, and a few holds have the long distance speaking devices.

The weyrs expanded. Southern prospered, giving life to Broken Ridge Weyr in the high mountains, and Altera Weyr in the deep jungle. Holds were abundant by the time of the tenth pass, as were dragons. A new Weyr would be needed. The young sons and riders looked towards the far west of the continent, and the vast uncharted lands there. There would be the place to carve out new lives.

Dragons were sent. Goldrider Sorlana and along with a handful of bronze and brownriders scouted out a location for ther new weyr. Caravans of holdless and hodlers alike set out to stake their claim. The weyr was established, and named Horizon Weyr. Sorlana's gold Toarmeth rose, and was caught by bronze Fernith, making his rider K'ter weyrleader. She produced a clutch of twenty seven eggs.

But Thread did not fall as planned. The pass began, and there was no sign of the deadly parasite. A turn and a half later, Toarmeth rose again, and produced a much smaller clutch. All over Pern, clutches were growing smaller. People wondered if Thread would fall. And then it did.

No one was ready for the first Fall. Hundreds were lost, holders, riders, and crafters. The weyrs swore they would not be caught unawares again. The rose to fight Thread as always. Toarmeth clutched once more, finally producing a gold. Young Neryse, a southern beasthealer, Impressed the gold hatchling Rynith. Thread contnued to fall. In the north, a disease slowly spread through Fort, and made it into Benden and the holds before it could be contained. The Northern weyrs scrambled to replace the losses, including six queens. Everyone hoped that they would have time to recouperate before disaster struck again. Unfortunately, that wasn't to be the case.

Two turns later, distaster struck. An earthquake strick Horizon Weyr and Hold, decimating both. Sorlana was killed, along with thirty seven weyrlings, forty nine riders and and an innumerable number of lower caverns folk and drudges. The Weyr was destroyed, as was the Hold. More deaths were caused in the after shocks.

The riders that were left went to temporary weyrs all over the North and South. But even with the small clutches, there was just no room for them. A new weyr would have to be formed. This time, the survivors looked to the Southern Island of Bitkim. It was stable, and large enough to support a weyr, holds and crafthalls. Young Neryse with her two turn old queen led the survivors to Bitkim, to await Rynith's first flight and the arrival of a new queen.