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Center bowl - Fort Weyr

The bowl is roughly oblong, stretching from the northeast where the mountain ranges to its highest, to the southwest, where some time, in the distant past, and earthslide rampaged down the side of the mountain, falling into the lake that fills most of the lower part of the bowl. Jagged rock points up into the sky over northeast like a dragon's craggy tooth, sloping down on either side. Southeast along the slope it rises a few meters where a small ledge for a Watchrider and the massive eye of the Star Stones resides, where, to herald a Pass, the Red Star will be bracketed.

Down in the bowl floor, to the west, is the large, ground level caverns that house the Weyrling dragons. South of that, the feeding grounds where the beasts are kept and the lake. Northeast, almost directly below the 'Tooth Crag', is the large entrance to the Hatching Cavern, and south along the same wall, the Living Cavern. North is the Weyrleader's complex as well as the ground weyrs of junior queens. The weyr bowl holds many hundreds of weyrs within its sharply defined boundaries. The rocky walls are dotted with many levels of large caverns and ledges, gouged out of the stone.

Please +view for more detail

Obvious exits:

Weyrling Field Southwest Bowl Infirmary Northeast Bowl

You amble southwestwards to the southwestern part of the bowl floor.

Southwest Bowl - Fort Weyr(#170RIL)

The sand and graveled ground of the oval bowl narrows here in the southwest, emptying into a wide lake. The land that butts up against the pond is sandier there than elsewhere, providing almost a cushioning spot for those wishing to enjoy the cool water. Tumbling down into the very edge of the water on the opposite side is the remnants of a landslide, ages old. A fence partitions off the small north corner of the lake against the west mountain wall and stretching in a large, vaguely triangular shape that juts out toward the lake's beach. Inside the fence are kept the food beasts and runners of the Weyr. Several ground weyrs that line the eastern wall loom wide and open, storage caverns that bunker the Weyr's supply of firestone, the smell that continually exudes from them faintly sulfurous. Yet more weyrs delve deep into the rock and earth of the slopping walls, layer upon layer of them reaching to the very rim.

The lake is visible from here, its water shimmering slightly. Far to the northeast, the 'Tooth Crag' dominates the bowl. Just to the east, south of the jagged tooth, is the Star Stones peak.

Please +view for more detail

Obvious exits:

Lake Feeding Grounds Center Bowl

FTWB>>Yilisa walks off southwestwards to the southwestern part of the bowl floor.

FTWB>>Yilisa has left.

You amble northeastwards to the central bowl floor.

Center Bowl - Fort Weyr(#100RIJM)

Please +view for more detail

Obvious exits:

Weyrling Field Southwest Bowl Infirmary Northeast Bowl

You amble westwards to the weyrling field.

Weyrling Field - Fort Weyr(#152RJh)

In this area, nearest the gaping cavern entrances leading into the barracks, protected from weather by the leather and wood baffle -- the bowl floor is nude of anything but sand and stone. There is a large ash pit that uses space in the southernmost corner, near the beast pens which is used for a variety of purposes -- not all of them ash. There is room enough and more for practice utilities to be placed here, along with the training that might occur at any given time on any day. Though the feeding pen is viewable from here, the broad circle of the pit bars passage by any means but around it through the center of the bowl. Jagged rock points up into the sky over northeast rim of the bowl like a dragon's craggy tooth, sloping down on either side. To the east is the bowl which this field only inhabits a small portion of.

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Obvious exits:

Center of Bowl Weyrling Barracks

FTWB>>Yilisa walks off westwards to the weyrling field.

FTWB>>Yilisa has left.

You amble eastwards to the central bowl floor.

Center Bowl - Fort Weyr(#100RIJM)

Please +view for more detail

Obvious exits:

Weyrling Field Southwest Bowl Infirmary Northeast Bowl

You amble northeastwards to the northeastern part of the bowl floor.

Northeast Bowl - Fort Weyr(#117RIJL)

High overhead, the jagged 'Tooth Crag' looms into the sky, dominating the oblong bowl with its slanted shadow and great height. The drab grey and brown stone of the caldera sweeps upwards to either side, fashioning a scooped bowl out of the mountain and honeycombed with many weyr dwellings. Directly northeast is the Weyrleader's Complex, its stone stair winding upwards to a large ledge and weyr entrance, with more stairs leading to the Weyrwoman's weyr, and a third tier that ties to the Weyrleader's ledge and weyr. Just to the west is another set of ledges and stairs, the ground weyrs that house the junior queens. A small tunnel to the medicinal storeroom is just to the east of the Weyrleader's complex and directly south, the portal of the Living Caverns, with the ground before it worn with the passage of time. Southwest spreads the length of the oval bowl, with a shimmering lake at its furthest southern end.

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Contents:

Wesley

Sierrath

Obvious exits:

Center Bowl Hatching Grounds Living Cavern

FTWB>>Yilisa walks off northeastwards to the northeastern part of the bowl floor.

FTWB>>Yilisa has left.

You amble northeastwards to the warm hatching grounds.

Hatching Grounds - Fort Weyr

This small area of the hatching grounds acts as a foyer for the galleries which are supported on natural stone columns and the sands. Just to the left is a small set of stairs, leading up to the tiers of seats for the guests and curiosity seekers, interested in the sands. Straight ahead the tunnel continues, big enough for two or three dragons to walk in abreast. Warm air wafts gently from what must be the sands ahead.

Obvious exits:

Sands Galleries Bowl

You amble southwards to the tiers of the htaching galleries.

Galleries, Hatching Grounds - Fort Weyr

Rows upon rows of benches rise up in the Galleries, providing an excellent view for everyone of the Sands. The benches have been polished smooth over the turns by the seating of countless anxious friends and relations of young candidates. A railing, about waist high, rings the stands, providing protection from anyone accidentally falling off onto the hot sands below.

(Type 'view' to see the sands.)

Contents:

Ricdan

Talya

Obvious exits:

Grounds Entrance

You look out.

The ground is heavily covered with hot mounds of sand, warmed by dormant volcanic activity. The cavern is large and circular with a rounded dome caused by a bubble in a long-ago flow of magma. Just inside the cavern, etched into the wall to the south, before the tiers of the upper deck that is supported by natural stone columns up off of the sand, is a curious design. The picture is a description of the Red Star along its unusual rotation. The tiers are benches just to the south that rise up into the cavern curving against the rock wall where an audience could relax. Higher in the cavern are natural cliffs; dimly visible in the vague illumination that reaches that far.

Type 'view eggs' to see a list of eggs.

Many mounds of sand that are vagely egg-shapped lie scattered about the sands, numbering somewhere around twenty-three. However, the only visible eggs you see are:

1 Bunsen Burner Egg

2 Dyed Tuber Egg

3 Colors of Light Egg

4 Moldy Bread Egg

5 Greeny Growth Egg

6 Homemade Bubbles Egg

7 Artifical Eruption Egg

8 Pin Hole Camera Egg

9 Magnified Snowflake Egg

10 Dusty Relic Egg

11 Sweetsand Racing Egg

12 Tonal Leaf Prints Egg

13 Shocking Result Egg

14 Sodium Chunk Egg

15 Threatening Thunderhead Egg

16 Biological Experimentation Egg

(Type 'view egg <#>' to see that egg.)

Threatening Thunderhead

The silvery gray of a rising storm casts an ominous shadow across this shell. Roiling along its surface, dark thunderheads are spilt chaotically in twain by jagged streaks of brilliant white. Amidst the cacophony of silver and gray charges a single path of blue. Resembling nothing so much as an alien avian, stubby wings are held by wooden spars while a ridiculously long frilly ribbon tail whips down the ovoid's midsection. Instead of a fork, a single spot of gold which looks much like a key to a Holder's store room caps the tail.

Described by Briana

Ricdan laughs at her comment, but quickly stops when he hears footsteps. "Good evening." he says as a greeting.

Talya waves to Yilisa, "Evening, ma'am."

Yilisa nods absently, studying the eggs.

From the Sands, Nicole, who has been hiding behind Rhiannoth's considerable bulk all this time, emerges at the mention of Yilisa. Lifting a hand to shade her eyes she calls across the sands to her clutchmate. "Yilisa! What are you doing /up/ there?"

Yilisa grins, leaning over the railing. "Why, d'you want me down there?"

Talya wanders over to the ledge herself.

Ricdan merelu follows everyone else. "Good evening Nicole, how is Rhiannoth tonight?"

From the Sands, Nicole crosses her arms, gently rapping the fingers of her right hand along the opposing upper arm. "Well, I see you and a couple of candidates with nothing better to do. Why not escort them down here and we'll have an impromptu egg touching. It couldn't hurt to have them a little more familiar with the eggs."

Yilisa grins, levering herself off the ledge with one fluid movement. "Sounds good to me. Come on, guys." She motions to the gallery entrance, and heads for the stairs.

You amble northwards to the steps down to the hatching grounds entrance.

Hatching Grounds - Fort Weyr

Obvious exits:

Sands Galleries Bowl

Talya ambles in from the tiers of the hatching galleries.

Talya has arrived.

Ricdan ambles in from the tiers of the hatching galleries.

Ricdan has arrived.

Yilisa shoos the Candidates onto the sands before walking onto them herself.

Ricdan walks off northwards to the the hot sands of the hatching grounds.

Ricdan has left.

Talya walks off northwards to the the hot sands of the hatching grounds.

Talya has left.

You amble northwards to the the hot sands of the hatching grounds.

Hatching Sands - Fort Weyr(#128RIJM)

Type 'view eggs' to see a list of eggs.

Contents:

Talya

Ricdan

Nicole

Rhiannoth

Corner of Sands (cs)

Obvious exits:

Grounds Entrance

Talya waves to Nicole and makes a short bow to Rhiannoth, waiting for instructions before doing anything else.

Rhiannoth lowers her head close to Nicole and rumbles softly. Her eyes whirl in a mass of blues and greens as she watches the candidates enerting her domain.

Ricdan repeats Talya's actions, he too, waiting for instructions.

Naveen ambles in from the entrance to the hatching grounds.

Naveen has arrived.

Yilisa drops a slight bow to Rhiannoth, but her grin doesn't waver. "All right, folks, move on in...I don't think Rhiannoth is inclined to bite. Move among the eggs, and get used to them."

Tamwyn ambles in from the entrance to the hatching grounds.

Tamwyn has arrived.

Talya heads straight towards her favorite of the day, the colors of light, placing a hand on the warm surface.

Nicole motions for Yilisa to join her and then says to the assembling group, "Please feel free to walk among the eggs. Try to to crowd them overly much, though, so Rhiannoth won't start feeling protective. Its alright to touch the eggs gently, but please don't tap on them or hit them." Her stern gaze indicates that a candidate who would do such would not remain a candidate much longer. "Do you have any questions before you begin?"

Tamwyn listens quietly to Nicole as he instructs them.

Ricdan walks straight ahead, looking at the thunderhead egg. He gently places his hand on the eggs surface, all the while making sure Rhiannoth doesn't look angry.

Naveen sketches a polite bow to Rhiannoth, then casts a glance at both Yilisa and Nicole to make sure he's done the right thing. Hoping that he has, he gradually creeps closer to the eggs, the homemade bubbles egg in particular. He doesn't touch, not yet; instead he seems to be just getting used to the whole idea.

Yilisa crosses over to where Nicole is standing, showing remarkably little discomfort despite the heat of the sands below her feet.

Talya glances around, exchanging a grin with Adrani as she comes in, not running, exactly, but very quickly. She too makes her bow "practice" she mouths to Talya, seeing her. Her favorite egg, though, is the sparks.

Nicole winks at Yilisa from the corner of her eye while watching the group mingle through the eggs. "Quite a group we've got. Ready to take them on?"

Tamwyn watches the queen for a moment and then makes his way over to the Homemade Bubbles egg. He carefully places his hand against the side of the egg and stands there for a moment, absorbing its heat.

Yilisa chuckles, brushing an errant strand of golden hair out of her face and tucking it back into her plait. "They can't be any worse than Ceristh's last batch, that's for sure."

Nicole lifts a hand to cover the slight chuckle. "Is X'ladin still trying to convince you that his brown will be catching Maeveth as soon as they're allowed to chase?"

Ricdan looks up at the two woman, listening but not talking. His hand still rests on the egg, but his attention is now shifting back and forth.

Naveen's fingers brush gently, briefly across the Homemade Bubbles egg. A brief smile is cast at Tamwyn before the young man moves along, brushing the back of his wrist across his forehead. "Didn't think it'd be so hot," he mumbles, before he shuffles on.

Yilisa grimaces expressively, her emerald eyes not leaving the clutch of candidates milling among the eggs. "If it isn't that, it's Veruca insisting that because she's a Holder's daughter the rest of the weyrlings are there to be her own personal drudges." She sighs. "One of these days I'm going to throw a redfruit at her."

Talya hadn't noticed the heat before someone mentioned it. Now she shuffles.

Nicole gives Yilisa a truly amused laugh. "You just send Veruca to /me/. She's not the only one related to a Holder in this weyr, and I rather think my Uncle and brother outrank her father."

Yilisa makes another face. "She's all yours. It's bad enough that I'm not all that much older than she is...but when you factor in that Salteth is rather substantially larger than Maeveth, it makes her truly insufferable."

Tamwyn nods to Naveen and then moves along to the next egg, finding himself at the threatening thunderhead egg. He examines it for a few minutes before lightly placing a hand on it.

Ricdan also notices the heat, and wipes his brow. He grins as Tamwyn find his way over to his egg. "Hey Tamwyn, having a good day today?"

Talya moves from one egg to another, finding herself at the tuber egg.

Nicole emits a muffled sound of disgust between pressed lips. "Well, because of the disaster down at Monaco C'val and Zhirith haven't been around as much as we'd like and Rhiannoth is getting a bit hungry. We'll just see how much she likes playing my drudge and doing Rhiannoth's hunting for the next few days." Blue eyes sweep the candidates, knowing full well they've been listening in. Her expression conveys a simple message. While Nicole is all for fun, /attitude/ is not something this goldrider will tolerate. Especially not from weyrlings. And this goes triply so for ones backtalking one of her clutchmates.

Naveen's gaze flickers up toward Rhiannoth again, as if trying to gauge her reaction to what's going on. Since nothing has happened quite yet, he rests his hand flat on the Magnified Snowflake egg. "It's warm!" he says, seeming somewhat startled at this, in spite of the heat of the sands beneath his feet.

Tamwyn nods as he shifts from foot to foot on the hot sands. "It's been much as usual," he says. "I spent a good bit of time hauling and bagging firestone."

Ricdan chuckles, "Yeah, chores don't vary much." He stops and looks at Rhiannoth, then back at the egg, then back at the queen. "Hard to believe something so big can come out of an egg this small," he says, not quite in awe, but in an impressed voice.

Nicole glances at Ricdan and then turns to say something softly to Yilisa. "Sounds ... ... ... opportunity ... a ..."

Nicole pages: Sounds like a good opportunity for a lecture.

Adrani makes her way to another egg, finding herself, completely by accident, of course, at the Towering Thunderhead Egg as well.

Yilisa chuckles, then turns to say something equally softly to Nicole. "Go ... ... ... say ... you ..."

You paged Nicole with 'Go right ahead and say whatever you want.'.

Tamwyn steps back to peer at the eggs and then looks over at the queen. "Well, it might be difficult if they came from the shell that large," he muses. It's hard to tell if he's being serious or sarcastic.

Nicole lifts an eyebrow to Yilisa. One that says, "Isn't that your job?"

"I wonder," Naveen says to himself, before he leans forward toward the egg. He seems to be listening for some sort of noise from within. He's very careful about it, though, with only that one hand resting lightly upon the egg's shell.

Talya shuffles some more, glancing about at all the colors, the eggs, and finding a green one that impresses her, makes her way there.

Yilisa grins, and gives Nicole a "feel free to interject" look before clearing her throat. "That's a good point, you know: The hatchlings are fairly big, but all that time in that little egg hasn't given them a lot of opportunity to learn coordination. So: stay out of their way when they Hatch." That is said in a voice that brooks no argument. "I don't want anyone thinking that being close to a hatchling will speed an Impression and getting mauled instead."

Tamwyn turns his eyes to Yilisa as she speaks and he nods thoughtfully, taking in the information and making a note of it for later.

Ricdan grimaces thinking of all the stories he has heard, embellished to be sure, but still horrible. "Do the dragons grow to their full length in the first year? Or do they just grow very little afterwards..."

Naveen stands up rather quickly as Yilisa addresses everyone in that 'you must pay attention, this is important' tone of voice. Impossible though it might seem because of the heat of the sand, the young man's face pales a little, and he takes a step back away from the egg, regarding it thoughtfully.

Yilisa glances up at Rhiannoth, then turns back to the Candidates. "Should you Impress, you'll find out exactly how fast they do grow...and how much work it is to keep them fed and oiled." She chuckles. "Dragons reach full size in two years, but are grown enough after one year to bear their riders."

Talya pales and swallows convulsively. "Does that happen often?"

Yilisa turns to Talya, and smiles. "Not often anymore, though I'm told it used to happen more often than it should. All it takes is stepping out of the dragon's way once you're sure it's headed beyond you. Not too hard, right?"

"And believe me," Nicole adds in, "If you have any doubts as to whether the dragon is headed for you it's wisest to step out of the way. If it really wants you, it will turn and follow."

Yilisa nods at Nicole. "Exactly. It's far better to step out of the way and have the dragon come looking for you, than to stand smack in the dragon's way and get walked over because of it."

Talya nods. "thank you."

Tamwyn gazes around the sands as if trying to memorize the position and lay out of all the eggs.

Ricdan nods taking it all in, and he just notices Adrani standing by /his/ egg. "Hey, glad you could make it."

Naveen's gaze turns then to the sand beneath his feet, which has collapsed just a little to allow him a small wallow. Glancing up toward the weyrwoman and the weyrlingmaster, he asks, "How often do people fall on the sands? Wouldn't they get burned by it?"

Adrani smiles at Ricdan, blushing a bit, "Yeah."

"It's not /that/ hot out here," Nicole comments. After all, she's out here day after day after day... Bleah. Don't remind her.

Yilisa chuckles. "Falling really isn't that uncommon, especially if someone's robe or belt is too long..." The unspoken hint is clear: Don't leave either of those articles too long. "But it won't burn you. It might toast your rear, though."

Naveen mutters some wry comment about being in the hot seat, before he meanders over to the Shocking Result egg. Fingers run softly across the egg's surface, though his attention wanders back to Yilisa and Nicole.

Tamwyn glances down at the ground at the mention of robes. He peers at his boots for a moment and then move to another egg, brushing his fingers over it gently.

Ricdan frowns, obviously hoping he wouldn't embarass himself on the hatching day. He decides to move to another egg, and heads over to some random egg, not really noticing what it looked like. "Doesn't Rhiannoth mind the fact that we are touching her eggs?" He doesn't look concerned, more curious.

Rhiannoth rumbles softly, her eyes focused intently upon the candidates in the same eerie fashion that makes some portraits seem to have eyes that follow you no matter where you stand.

Talya looks up at the gold as she rumbles. "I hope she doesn't."

Nicole says "She doesn't mind short visits. But she won't tolerate this for drawn out periods. Which is why we try to keep the visits shorts."

Ricdan nods in understanding and looks up at the queen, wondering just how long is too long.

Naveen's fingers drop slowly away from the latest egg he's made the rounds with. Again, he looks between Yilisa and Nicole, and Rhiannoth as she rumbles.

Tamwyn joins the other candidates in eyeing the large queen for a moment. Then he turns his attention back to the eggs, for if the queen will only allow short visits, he'd best make the most of the time they have.

Adrani asks, shyly, "Does touching the egg influence the Hatchling?"

Nicole says "On that note, it's probably best that we bring this visit to an end. We'll try to bring you back again on a regular basis now so that you can get familiar with the eggs before they hatch. I expect its getting soon." She pauses a moment to shrug at Adrani, "No one really knows. The best I can tell you is that I think it helps all of us feel safer and more comfortable on the sands when the hatch. It reduces the stress of the chaos that will be going on around you if the sands aren't totally alien and mystical.""

Yilisa nods in agreement with Nicole's statement. "I believe it also cuts down on injuries, if we get you guys familiar with the fact that dragons are coming out of these eggs. That way, when they do Hatch, it's not a total shock."

Talya nods, and turns, again, to bow at the queen, then grins, "Water'd be good, now, anyway." She waves to Ricdan and and Adrani to come with her.

Tamwyn nods thoughtfully as he moves toward the edge of the sands. He pauses to bow to queen and rider and then carefully moves off the grounds.

Ricdan bows to the queen again, and follows Talya and Adrani. "Good evening Nicole, Yilisa."

Naveen lets his hands drop back to his sides as Nicole speaks. Again, he bows respectfully to the queen and her rider, then says quietly, "Thank you very much," before he shuffles his way out.

Adrani makes her bow, as well, hurrying to catch up to Talya.

Talya walks off southwards to the cooler stone of the grounds entrance.

Talya has left.

Ricdan walks off southwards to the cooler stone of the grounds entrance.

Ricdan has left.

Naveen walks off southwards to the cooler stone of the grounds entrance.

Naveen has left.

Tamwyn walks off southwards to the cooler stone of the grounds entrance.

Tamwyn has left.

Nicole has left.