Fabry: Healer [DoP].
Facenden: Harper, posted at Minercrafthall in Telgar [H2/11:238].
Fairex: a runner(beast) [Mor].
Faith Kimmer: daughter of Stev Kimmer at Honshu Hold [CoP-RR].
Falarth: bronze dragon, rider C’vrel [MHoP].
Falga of High Reaches Weyr: rider of queen Tamianth. Weyrwoman at High Reaches Weyr [Mor].
Fall: Threadfall. A Fall can be either dead or live. A dead Fall does not bring live thread to Pern's surface, a live one does. If a Fall is dead or live Fall depends on the weather conditions, mainly the ambient temperature and precipitation, at the time of the Fall. A Fall can have different flows and can manifest itself on various places at the same time (e.g.: the second and third Fall of the Second Pass were on the same day but in Fort and High Reaches territories) [RSR/1:45].
Fall accounts: an account of each individual fall was made during the First Pass, which was mostly just a dry statement of fact [RSR/1:34]. The Fall accounts were started by first Weyrleader Sean Connell [RSR/17:413].
In RSR can be found a reference to Fall #325, which took place in Turn 11, followed by a comment by Weyrleader B'nurrin concerning Fall #499 from Turn 12, which is probably nonsense except for the fact that B'nurrin would have chosen a likely number for his joke, which could be of importance [RSR/17:413-414].
Falloner see F’lon.
Fallarnon see F’lar.
Famanoran see F’nor.
Famous gathers: see Gathers, famous
Fancy: fire lizard [DD].
Fancy: fire lizard [DD].
Fandarel: Mastersmith, craftmaster of the Smithcraft [DoP/4:70]; [MHoP].
- Description: [D1/227].
There are two official portraits of Fandarel, both by Robin Wood. The one on the left was made for the Mayfair Pern Boardgame Dragonriders of Pern (1985, 1989) and the one on the right for the book The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustrations used with permission. © Robin Wood 1985, 1988, 1989]
Fanna: rider of queen Firanth. Weyrwoman of Ista Weyr [D2].
The portrait on the right is the one artist Robin Wood made for the Mayfair Boardgame Dragonriders of Pern (1985, 1989). Fanna does not appear in The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood 1985, 1989]
Fanth: brown dragon, rider B'rant [MHoP].
Faranth: queen dragon, rider Sorka Hanrahan, first Weyrwoman of Fort Hold.
At the time of the Ninth Pass (and probably much earlier the name of this legendary queen dragon was still known though the name of her rider was forgotten. Faranth is referred to in the Pernese oath "By the egg of Faranth". There are records of Faranth laying sixty eggs at a time, including several queen eggs [D1/181].
Faravene: oldest son of Lord Holder Faroguy of High Reaches Hold [MHoP].
Farelly: Harper at Ruatha Hold [Mor].
Farmercraft: see Farmcraft.
Farmhold:
Farmholder:
Farnol: Journeyman Harper at Hold Gar in Ista [H2].
Faroguy of High Reaches, Lord: Lord Holder of High Reaches Hold [MHoP].
Fawcett, Bill: see Bill Fawcett.
Fax, Lord: selfstyled Lord of the High Reaches who took possession (by force or by marriage) of six other holds, including Ruatha Hold, which he invaded. He killed, or thought he had killed, all Ruathan Blood members.
- Death of: [D1/51].
- Fight with F'lar: [D1/50, 51; MHoP/].
- Life before becoming Lord Holder: [MHoP].
- Rings: [D1/7].
- Seven holds, the: [D1/7].
- Troop, his: [D1/9].
- Troop leader, his: unnamed [D1/9].
- Youth: [MHoP].
The picture on the right is the portrait artist Robin Wood made for the book The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood 1988]
F'duril: rider of blue Dilenth, stationed at Fort Weyr. Weyrmate of A'dan, rider of green Tigrath. F'duril's and his dragoin were both Threadscored when he came out of between a fraction too soon. The seriously injured Dilenth was treated by Weyrwoman Moreta with assistance of A'dan. [Mor].
Featherfern: a herb native to Pern. A febrifuge, mentioned in Moreta, Dragonlady of Pern, it's never described, but numerous Earth plants have fever-reducing qualities, though none are ferns. It is used in a tonic, on humans as well as on runnerbeasts. This may be a misspelling of one of the common names of the Terran Chrysanthemum parthenium: feverfew. Known locations for featherfern are Fort Hold and Southern.
[submitted by Jennifer Quail].
Federated Sentient Planets: governing body, including Terra (Earth) and all human colonized planets (implied) [CoP-Survey].
Federen: Master Glass-Smith. One of Masterharper Robinton's abductors. He was also involved in the attack on Aivas' batteries. He is the brother of one of the men involved in the second attack on Aivas. For his actions and crimes he was tried at the Masterharper Robinton's abduction trial and exiled. [AtWoP].
Felicia Grant: colonist, biologist/botanist. Felicia Grant was the children's botany teacher at Landing [DD].
Felena: assistent Headwoman; second in charge of the Benden Weyr Lower Caverns. Felena is especially known because, in Dragonsong, she offers to become Menolly's foster-mother. At the time it was as yet unknown who Menolly was and the inevitability of her going to Harper Hall. [DF; H1; H2,; PoP; DLG-Impr].
The picture on the right is the portrait artist Robin Wood made for the book The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood, 1988]
Felim: head cook at Fort Hold [NS].
Felines: the picture on the right portrays the infamous feline that played such a major role in the Sixth Pass epidemic and was made by Robin Wood for the book The People of Pern (1988).
- Lion: a feline that roamed the Southern Continent (often in groups, as they do on Terra). The Pernese lion's fur has a tawny brown color and they have yellow claws. A group of fourteen (adult) lions attacked the Telgar riders P'tero and M'leng when they rested after their love-making when they were on a Telgar Weyr outing to the Southern Continent during first-month 258. The riders had accidentally chose a spot just above the cave in which the pride of lions lived as the place for their love-making [RSR/15:370, 16:374]. About the lions on the Southern Continent is known that they at least lived on the plains near the Malay River because it was there that the before mentioned attack on the dragonriders took place [RSR/15:366-367]. The attacking lions were eaten by the rescuing dragons. The Telgar brown dragon Collith remarked that they were quite tasty [RSR/16:373]. The lions were the result of a breeding program that was executed by the settler Ted Tubberman. They had broken out of Calusa (after killing Tubberman) and bred quite handily in the wild. They were some of the sport beasts Tubberman had been experimenting with. This information was obviously still common knowledge at the end of the First Interval since Leopol (a lowly helper lad) told this to P'tero, one of the injured lovers [RSR/16:374].
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood, 1988]
Felldool: Healer at Brum Hold [Mor].
Fellis (medicinal): a herb native to Pern an Pern's answer to the opium poppy. A small, brushy tree/shrub (tree in the Southern jungles, shrub in the subtropical north), with yellow five-pointed blossoms and small dark berry-like fruit. A narcotic painkiller, generally administered in liquid form, diluted in another liquid (wine, juice, water.) Potentially addictive, it can supposedly be cured through treatment with an unidentified herb which grows near it. The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern and canon sources differ on whether the active ingredient is derived from the berries or the leaves and sap. It is possible both can be the source, probably of a tincture. Closest Terran equivalent: the opium poppy, specifically to the opiate laudanum, a more dilute medication usually taken orally, which is also addictive.
In reality the idea of a plant which cancels out the effect of another growing in close proximity is reminiscent of the relationship between stinging nettle and dock, which frequently grow near each other. Dock may be used as a topical treatment for the stinging caused by stinging nettle. In terms of behavior, we don't know how this unidentified herb allegedly works, but any mechanism would have to be more complicated than a topical application for a skin irritation. The obvious opiate comparison is to morphine and the laboratory-created methadone, but as most know, methadone proved not so much to cure morphine addiction as replace it with a methadone habit. Another possibility is that the herb behaves like (again) synthetic chemicals developed to cure alcoholism through violent aversion therapy the drug induces severe nausea and vomiting when alcohol is consumed, conditioning the patient to avoid alcohol. In either case, it seems improbable at best that an easy cure for a physical/psychological drug dependence would conveniently grow beside the cause. [submitted by Jennifer Quail].
Fellis fruit: fruit of the fellis tree. The fellis is a small dark berry-like fruit with a tough skin.
Fellis juice: a juice made from the fruit of the fellis tree. The juice works and is used as a soporific. See: Fellis (medicinal).
Fellis tree: a tree native to Pern. Small, brushy and branchy, drooping tree/shrub (tree in the Southern jungles, shrub in the subtropical north), with yellow five-pointed blossoms and small dark berry-like fruit. Known/mentioned locations are: the Southern Weyr area, Nerat, Telgar Hold, Fort Hold, Paradise River Hold (wild; here fellis trunks grow larger than three men can span with fingers touching) and Ruatha. It is mainly known and famous for the narcotic painkiller it provides but it is also used to produce a dye (which dyes wherhide a deep shade of green) and its wood is used to carve furniture.
Fendler: a woodsman who had a woodsmanholding near Bitra Hold. He let the Artist Iantine spend the night with him for a small fee (an eight mark). He was a disease carrier, and Iantine became ill as a result of actually sleeping next to him because of the harsh winter storms [RSR/6:162].
Feng: colonist [DD].
Fenner, Lord: Lord Holder of Crom at the end of the Second Interval. A friendly man with kind, blue eyes. Father of Nerra [Dfire].
Fergal: grandson of Dag, runner handler at Ruatha Hold [Mor].
The picture on the right is the portrait artist Robin Wood made for the book The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood, 1988]
Ferina: spouse of Brookie, a smallholder in the Bitra region. He and his wife were among the Bitran refugees of 257 [RSR/9:235].
Fessi: a dolphin [DoP/5:99].
Festa: a castaway on the Southern Continent [RoP].
Fethir: one of the children, who were with Moran first and Halla later, who got adopted by Lord Fenner of Crom [Dfire].
Feverfew: [Dfire].
Feverroot: [Dfire].
Feyrith: senior queen at Benden Weyr, rider Weyrwoman Carola [MHoP].
F'gal of Ista Weyr: rider of bronze Sanalth. Weyrleader at Ista Weyr [Mor].
Fidello: Holder of Plateau Hold in Ruatha, brother of Corana [D3].
Fiddle: alternate, popular name for violin. Both names are found in Dragon's Fire [Dfire].
Finder: Harper at Ruatha Hold [D3].
Finger Rock:
- Benden Weyr, at: [D1/89].
Finless: An insulting name for a human used by dolphins [DoP/6].
Fira of Telgar, lady: Lady Holder of Telgar Hold [RoP].
Fire Hold: the Hold that grew around the High Reaches firestone mine that was started under Cristov and later exploited unde the leadership of Pellar and Halla [Dfire].
Fire lizard(s): the fact that fire-lizards had supplied the genetic material from which the dragons were bio-engineered was still commonly known at the end of the First Interval [RSR/3:87]. By the end of the First Interval fire-lizards have become scarce. Only three clutches had been found in Ista in the five decades preceding the Second Pass (c. 208-258), though it was thought more might be found in the Southern Continent. But even so, questing for eggs there had been futile. Around 250 the vets had decided that some sort of odd disease had infected the creatures on northern warm beaches, reducing their numbers and/or their clutches. Whatever the reason, by the end of the First Interval nobody had fire-lizard companions anymore [RSR/3:87].
- First reference to: [D1/179].
Fireminer: a miner who mines fireston [Dfire].
Firestone: a phosphine-bearing mineral which dragons chew to produce flame.
- Needed by a dragon for a Fall: a dragon typically needs at least about a hundredweight (c. 50 Terran kilograms) of firestone per Fall, sometimes even two or three. For a typical Fall a Weyr needs close to 40 tonnes of firestone, for five Weyrs that would mean 240 tonnes each sevenday!
- Under pain of firestoning: the direst threat and punishment dragonriders can measuer out to Holders [DF, Dfire].
Firestone mine:
Firestone pit:
Firestone sack: sack used to transport and storing firestone while flying Thread [RSR/13:314].
Firestoning: [D1/6].
First Crossing: term used for the colonist's journey from Terra to Pern. The Second Crossing being the move from the Southern to the Northern Continent.
First Day: the first day after Turn's End, the first day of the new year or Turn. A Pernese holiday holiday [RSR/14:323].
First Egg:
First eighteen dragons: [RSR/17:407].
First Holder: [H1].
First Impression:
First Riders: honorary title used for the first eighteen dragonriders [DD, CoP].
First Settlers: term used for the colonists [RSR/5:151].
At the time of the start of the Second Pass it was believed that the First Settlers had relied too heavily on easy access to information [RSR/7:193].
Fishcraft: the coastal fishermen of Pern fished with (weighted) creels [RSR/10:245].
Fishcraft Hall: sometimes called Masterfishmen Hall [DoP/3:44]. The crafthall of the Fish(er)craft is located at Tillek Hold.
Fishermen: people who fish for a living, also called fishmen.
Fishhold: the (craft)hold of fish(er)men, usually boasting a harbor of some kind.
Fishmaster: a Master Fish(er)man, a master of the Fish(er)craft [DoP/3:40].
Fitatric of Ista, Lord: Lord Holder of Ista Hold [Mor].
Flamel: a young boy, a bully. Son of a Journeyman Smith (the Hold's smith) at Lado Hold (Ista). He has a flabby posture. He intended to be sent to the Smithhold at Telgar to be an apprentice smith. Flamel is sixteen Turns old at the beginning of the story [EtT].
Flamethrower: an apparatus used by riders of Queen dragons on a low flying level during Threadfall, catching the strands that get through the fighting wings [RSR/17:410-411]. [D1/229].
Just before the start of the Second Pass Head Engineer Kalvi scheduled every major Hold for three days of training in the maintenance and repair of flame-throwers including a practice session.
F'lar of Benden Weyr: rider of bronze Mnementh. Wingleader at Benden Weyr under R'gul, later Weyrleader of Benden Weyr (after Ramoth's first mating flight) and considered to be Weyrleader of Pern although this never became an official title. Originally named Fallarnan [name misspelled as Fallornan in the MHoP-character list].
We know of three official portraits of F'lar, all three made by Robin Wood. The one on the left here was made for the Mayfair Boardgame Dragonriders of Pern (1985, 1989), the one in the middle was made for the book The People of Pern (1988) and the one on the right is how F'lar appears in the scene that is depicted on the dustjacket of The People of Pern where he, Lessa, Anne McCaffrey, Robin Wood and Gigi (Anne's daughter, who stood as model for Moreta) are obviously enjoying a performance by Master Robinton perform.
- Age: F'lar was nineteen years old when R'gul's Hath flew Nemorth on her last mating flight [D1/117].
- Description: [D1/76].
- Sword, his: F'lar owned and used a sword with an intricately etched hilt. [D1/7]. It is this sword he used to kill Lord Fax with.
- Youth: [MHoP].
[Illustrations used with permission. © Robin Wood, 1985, 1988, 1989]
Fledgeling:
F'lessan: rider of bronze Golanth. Son of F'lar and Lessa.
The picture on the right is the portrait artist Robin Wood made for the book The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood, 1988]
Flip: a dolphin, swimming the Fort waters [DoP].
Flo: a dolphin, pod leader of the Moncobay pod [DoP/3:61, 64].
F'lon of Benden Weyr: rider of bronze Simanith. Weyrleader at Benden Weyr prior to R'gul. Weyrmate of Jora. Got himself killed in a brawl. Father of F'lar and F'nor (by Manora).
Flora Asturias: name given to the target planet surveyed in system number four by the EEC team that also surveyed Pern, following EEC conventions of naming a planet for team members killed there. This planet was designated a DE [CoP-Survey/1:5]. It had a barely adequate atmosphere, and the survey team elected to use life support systems on the surface. This planet had once supported life, but all life forms were extinguished about a thousand years ago, at the start of Terra’s Dark Ages. The shattered surface of this planet was heavily cratered which suggested meteor bombardment, which might have also caused the oceans to boil away [CoP-Survey/1:5-6].
Flora Asturias: name given to the target planet surveyed in system number four by the EEC team that also surveyed Pern, following EEC conventions of naming a planet for team members killed there. This planet was designated a DE [CoP-Survey/1:5]. It had a barely adequate atmosphere, and the survey team elected to use life support systems on the surface. This planet had once supported life, but all life forms were extinguished about a thousand years ago, at the start of Terra’s Dark Ages. The shattered surface of this planet was heavily cratered which suggested meteor bombardment, which might have also caused the oceans to boil away [CoP-Survey/1:5-6].
Flown by: Pernese expression for: mated with. Only used concerning dragons.
F'mar: rider of bronze Tallith, stationed at Fort Weyr [CoP].
F'neldril: rider of brown Mnanth, weyrlingmaster at Fort Weyr [Mor].
F'nor: rider of brown Canth, Wingsecond of F'lar's wing at Benden Weyr. Owner of gold fire lizard Grall. Mate and lover of Brekke.
The portrait on the left is by Gino D'Achille and depicts F'nor as he appears on the cover of the first US paperback edition of Dragonquest (Ballantine Books, New York, 1971). The portrait on the right is the one by Robin Wood, taken from The People of Pern (1988).
- Youth: [MHoP].
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood, 1988]
Foley: a colonist family [DD].
Follen: journeyman healer at Ruatha Hold [Mor].
Folrath: a brown dragon, rider unknown. Mentioned as being at Landing [AtWoP].
For the love of little dragons: Pernese saying [RSR/6:159].
A variation of one of Anne McCaffrey's favorite sayings
See also For the love of little green apples.
For the love of little green apples: Pernese saying used also in other books by Anne McCaffrey (fiction as well as non-fiction) who seems to have a special liking for it.
Forist: brother of Petiron [MHoP].
Fort:
Fort Hold: major Hold, first founded and oldest Hold.
- Bound to: Fort Weyr
- Lady of: [D1/138].
- Lord Holders: Emelin [RSR]; Paulin [RSR]; Tolocamp [Mor]; Campen [Mor]; Grogellan [MHoP]; Groghe [MHoP].
- Fort Weyr: also referred to as The First (Weyr) or the Oldest Weyr.
- Diagram with trajectory of Red Star: [D1/178].
- Harpers at: Curmir [Mor]; Masdek (journeyman) [Mor].
- Hatching ground: [D1/178-179].
- Healers at: Berchar (Masterhealer) [Mor]; Jallora (journeywoman) [Mor].
- Holds under protection of: Fort Hold (major), Ruatha Hold (major), Southern Boll Hold (major).
- Records: Fort Hold's records, the oldest and most extensive, were housed in the vast storage caverns [RSR/1:30]. Due to water, leaking down the walls of the Fort Hold storage caverns in the spring of 257 a lot of the old records were lost or damaged. Beside others, dragonriders offered to spend as much time as their training schedules allowed to save them by copying them, but everyone with a legible script was welcome to join the project. Lord Paulin had done a bang-up job in making the copyists comfortable, most of whom were housed in College's dormitories, the other Holds had contributed material and work forces [RSR/1:30]. [D1/179].
Fort Sea Hold: also called East Fort Hold [D1/87].
Founding order of the Weyrs: Fort Weyr, Benden Weyr, High Reaches Weyr, Igen Weyr, Ista Weyr, Telgar Weyr, Southern Weyr.
Fountain pens: a pen that has an internal supply of ink in a small container that can be refilled. It was one of the items Jemmy was planning to re-invent [RSR/11:278].
F'rad: rider of green Telorth, stationed at Benden Weyr [D2].
Francesco Vassaloe: technician [DD].
Franco of Nerat, Lord: Lord Holder of Nerat at the start of the Second Pass. A tall, thin and bronze-skinned man, nicknamed Fran by his fellow Lords Holders [RSR/1:51]. Half-brother of Lady Nadona of Bitra (he from the first marriage of his father, she from the second).
He had not sent in his readiness report at the time of the gather at Fort in 257 for which he gave problems with vegetation as a reason [RSR/1:51].
Frank Bonneau: rider at Fort Weyr [CoP].
Fredig: a weaver-designer at Telgar Weyr [RSR]. He suggested hanging tapestries in every Weyr and Hold, depicting the return of the Red Star (with the formulae needed for the calculation of its position and trajectory in the borders), as a reminder to the people of the dangers they faced. Despite the fact that colors fade and fabrics deteriorate relatively fast probably a lot of them were made, renewing or restoring them when necessary [RSR/3:84]. It is possible that the famous tapestry, ordered by Lord Kale of Ruatha, that his daughter Lessa used to make her famous jump in time to get the oldtimers to come forward was kind of a spin-off of this tradition, though the importance of the data originally depicted on the borders was obviously forgotten and the information no longer figuring on this kind of tapestries [D1].
Frenkal: senior medic at Tillek Hold [RSR/7:186].
FSP: see Federated Sentient Planets.
F'tol: an elderly rider of an unnamed green dragon who collected Lord Chalkin of Bitra's third complaint to the Council in the Winter of 257 [RSR/11:269].
Full Council: council attended by all Weyrleaders, Weyrwomen, Lord Holders and Craftmasters.
Fulmar Stone: flight officer [DD].
Fur: on Pern there is a fur of a red variety available. It is used on boot cuffs and clothing [RSR/1:36]. Furs are often used as bedding, together with or instead of blankets [RSR/5:147].
Furbeast: [Dfire].
Furs: a name used for bedding.
Furlo: masterminer at High Reaches Hold [MHoP].