Sabra Stein: colonist, owner of gold (menta) fire lizard wife Fancy. Wife of (lieutenant) commander Zi Ongola whom she married at Landing in Turn 1. Ongola, who's first wife and children out of that marriage were killed by the Nathi, had courted Sabra Stein so adroitly that neither of his close friends had realized he had become attached until the couple’s names had appeared on the marital schedule. In fact, Sabra was already pregnant which had led admiral Paul Benden to remark that "the big gun was not firing blanks". Sabra and Zi had at least two children as their son Shuvin Ongola (born Landing, Turn 4 or 5) is also known albeit the only child who'se name is known. Sabra was probably in the military before she became a Pern colonist, together with Kenjo Fusaiyuki, Theo Force and Drake Bonneau she is mentioned as one of the first squadron leaders in the fight against Thread
Sabra and Zi, who lived in Europe Square at landing, later became the founders of Tillek Hold. [DD, CoP]
Sabsab: a bush which roots produced a yellow color pigment. Sabsab, which is also known on Earth, belongs to the family of the Gramineae Juss. and the genus Sabsab Adans (a synonym of Paspalum L.), within the subclass of grasses, sedges and rushes. Within Terran taxonomy Sabsab is is considered an illegitimate, superfluous name. The known location for this plant is Bitra Hold but there is no reason to assume it is only growing there. [RSR/5:150].
Many plants form yellow coloured roots when colonized by arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi. In maize, a yellow pigment is first visible as small droplets in parenchyma cells of roots in the vicinity of arbuscules, three to four weeks after mycorrhizal colonization. During the course of the development of the plants, the yellow pigment spreads all over the cells of the cortex (with the exception of the exodermis) and of the endodermis, whereas the other stelar elements remain uncoloured. Other gramineous plants (wheat, barley, millet) show the same pattern of pigment formation. In contrast, the deposition of this pigment is not detected in roots ofTagetes, garden bean, onion, or leek. Weak yellow fluorescence is also seen in the fungal structures, particularly in the arbuscules of the investigated probes. This is, however, clearly different from the intense yellow colour of the pigment formed in root cells of grasses. The yellow pigment is even detected in such cells which are never colonized by fungal structures (e.g., endodermal cells). A major constituent of the yellow pigment of AM-colonized root cells has been identified as a carotenoid with 14 carbon atoms and two carboxylic groups and termed mycorradicin. This carotenoid is likely deposited in the vacuoles of root cells as a result of the colonization specifically by arbuscular fungi.
Saday: cotholder, woodcarver, Tillek Hold. Spouse of Tortole and mother of sons Valrol and Torlin and daughter Klada. Saday is a n accomplished woodcarver and makes wooden bowls and other tableware of wood local to the north of Fort Hold. She never sold her woowork at gathers because she deemed the quality not good enough but decided to start doing so because Journeyman Robinton told her they were. Saday gifted Robinton and Kasia, his wife to be, a beautiful wooden bowl. At the famous "a wall has two sides incident" at Tortole's and Sucho's Holds, then Journeyman Harper Robinton slept in Saday and Tortole's bed. [MHoP]
Saga: a prose narrative of achievements and events in the history of a personage, family, community etc. but also any narrative or legend of heroic exploits. In the terminolgy of the Harpers of Pern it is also an operatic ballad that serves the same purpose of a written sags: to record history and pass it on.
Safety-straps: straps worn by dragons and attached to dragonriders to keep them falling off their dragon while doing difficult maneuvers or fighting thread, also called riding straps [RSR/1:29] and safety bands [RSR/10:245]. At Weyrs regular safety-strap inspections or checks were held [RSR/15:358].
Safety vest: a life vest used when swimming and sailing [DoP/1:11].
Sagittarian sector, the:
See also Rukbat.
Sagittarius: Sagittarius A (or Sgr A) is a complex radio source at the center of our galaxy, the Milky Way. It is located in the sky in the Sagittarius constellation. It consists of three components, the supernova remnant Sagittarius A East, the spiral structure Sagittarius A West, and a very bright compact radio source at the centre of the spiral, Sagittarius A*. These three overlap: Sagittarius A East is the largest, West appears off-center within East, and A* is at the center of West. Many astronomers believe that there is evidence of a supermassive black hole at the center of the galaxy. Sagittarius A* is agreed to be the most plausible candidate for the location of this supermassive black hole. The VLT detected stars orbiting Sagittarius A at speeds greater than that of any other stars in our galaxy. One star, lettered S2, was calculated to orbit Sagittarius A at speeds of over 5000 kilometers per second. [source: wikipedia]
Sagittarius is, of course, best know as the zodiac sign of the Archer. It's location is in the Zodiac constellation, which is visible in both hemispheres. It's coordinates: right ascension: 19h, declination: -25º. The source for its name is found in Greek mythology, and related to or derived from Sumerian and Babylonian myths, also Arab. The story behind the name is that the constellations that are included in the Zodiac (the 12 constellations recognized by Babylonian astronomers through which our sun, moon, and planets appeared to travel during the course of a year) are considered to be among the oldest sky patterns recognized by human civilizations. They were thought to have more significance because they were touched by the sun. In Greek mythology, Sagittarius is commonly thought to represent a centaur, a war-like creature with the torso of a man and the body of a horse. Sagittarius is most often associated with Crotus, the son of Pan (the goat-god) and Eupheme (the Muses' nurse). Crotus, who was raised by the Muses, became a skilled hunter who also absorbed a love of the arts from the Muses.The Muses begged Zeus to honor him with a constellation. The lower of the two illustrations depicts Johannes Hevelius' Sagittarius from Uranographia (published in 1690). [source: chandra.harvard.edu]
Saki Kiffin: colonist, a metallurgist. Saki is only mentioned in the UK edition of Dragonsdawn. [DD]
Sal: brother of Pol at High Hill Hold. Sal and his bother were sent to Ruatha by Holder Bestrum (of High Hill Hold), to offer Lord Alessan codolences, greetings and help. They were also ordered to inquire whether Holder Bestrum's son, daughter and servant were still alvive. Unfortunately Lady Gana's daughter had died in the first wave of deaths, nursed by the old servant, who also succumbed. Both were buried in the first of the stark mounds.The son had worked hard helping Norman, the field manager of the racing flats, before they, too, collapsed and died. They lay in the second great mound. Sal worked with Nerilka, drawing blood from the animals at Ruatha that survived the plague though he had no stomach to insert the needlethorn so he held each runner's head while Nerilka managed the bloodletting. [NS]
Sal Wang: one of two fosterlings of the Wang family at newly founded Ruatha [CoP-FoRH].
Salda of Telgar, lady: Lady Holder of Telgar Hold at the start of the Second Pass, spouse of Tashvi [RSR/1:39]. It is possible that Salda herself was also a member of the Telgar family (although she will not have been closely related to her husband) because of her name Salda, which could be a "handed down" form of the original name Sallah.
Sallah Telgar: colonist and one of the twelve pilots of the Yokohama's three shuttle vehicles. Born and raised on First Centauri, died on board the Yokohama on 23 fifth-month 9; her body was interred at Telgar Hold more than twenty-five centuries later in Turn 2525.
Owner of three fire lizards, a gold and two bronzes, of which two were menta's (their names are unknown). Called Sal for short. Her father was Terran but reared on First Centauri, her (paternal) grandparents were Alaskan. Sallah was a Charter Member of the Pern Colony. At sixteen, with service compulsory at that point in the bitterly fought Nathi war, she had chosen pilot training. She did not partake in the fighting because of the fact that the war ended when she had finished her training as a war pilot. As the only surviving dependant of serving officers, she spent her childhood being shunted from one Service post to another. She had lost both her parents in the Nathi war, which made her eligible to sign on as a charter member for the Pern Colony and war compensations permitted her to acquire a substantial number of stake acres on Pern, which she could claim once the colony had become solidly established (which she did at Karachi). Above all other considerations Sallah yearned to set herself down in once place and stay there for the rest of her natural life. She was quite content for that place to be Pern. History decided otherwise...
After coming out of coldsleep on the Yokohama, Sallah met geologist Tarvi Andiyar who was already approaching his sixth decade at the time. Soon Sallah found herself more attracted to the lanky mining enigineer than to any of the other men in the colony. At first Tarvi denied Sallah's avances and was Sallah who had to take the initiative. After some wise moves and discrete use of an aphrodisiac they came to an understanding in the extensive cave system they had just surveyed, a cave system that later came to be the most important on Pern: Fort.
When Sallah and Tarvi married, at Landing in Turn 1 AL, Sallah was already pregnant with their first child: Ram Da. This boy was followed by another four children: Dean, Ben and Cara. Strangely enough the marriage was not a grand succes with Tarvi too preoccupied with his work and not paying attention enough on his wife.
In Turn 8, when recalled to Landing because of the menace of Thread and taking training in fighting the menace from former colleague Drake Bonneau, she observed Avril Bitra, whom she had always distrusted, and discovered she had severely wounded Zi Ongola and killed Kenjo Fusaiyuki, while in the porcess of stealing the admiral's gig, the Mariposa. Sallah managed to get on board the vessel but the closing airlock took off half her heel, causing her to black out. Avril discovered her and when Sallah returned to consciousness she was bound hand and foot. Avril forced Sallah to inspect the guidance system of the Mariposa, which was recoded and missing an essential chip, a safety measure taken by Zi Ongola. Sallah was forced to help Avril and when recoding didn't help Sallah was forced to inspect the system and reveal to Bitra that the the guidance chip was missing. Sallah didn't mentioned an odd looking crystal in the guidance system however, a crystal that would get Bitra in big trouble once she took the gig into space...
Avril Bitra left Sallah on the Yokohama, bleeding to death with only a minimal supply of oxygen while taking off with the Mariposa, hoping to take her out into space a good way, let loose a homer device in the direction of traffic lanes and get herself into a coldsleep unit until she was rescued. After Avril left Sallah contacted Landing and asked captain Ezra Keroon where he wanted the three probes, that were left on the spaceship, to go. She decided to dedicate the last moments of her life to "Pern business" as she herself called it. After the probes were lauched and after she had sent important additional data to Landing Tarvi took over and finally was able to say goodbye to his wife... one among many Pernese hero's but certainly among the first and certainly one of Pern's most special and valiant women.
After Sallah's heroic death and sacrifice, Tarvi, and his children with him, changed their family name from Andiyar to Telgar thus starting the Telgar Bloodline.
The portrait of Sallah Telgar shown above was the first of a series made especially for the Pern Encyclopedia by the American artist and Pern fan Linda Eicher. It is copyright by her and you are asked politely not to reproduce it or use it in any way without prior permission by the artist.
Sallisha: elder senior didactic teacher at College at the end of the First Interval and start of the Second Pass. She was near her retirement and opposed the changes that were made to the College teaching programs. Sallisha was a very good teacher and therefore supervisor of Southeastern Pern [RSR/7:196]. Though being one of the best teachers, it was rumored that children learned her lessons quickly to get out of her clutches [RSR/11:279]. She had a joint problem that was aggravated by colder weather [RSR/11:282]. She had a reputation to be a "right wagon" [RSR/7:194]. She was vehemently opposed to take Greek history out of the new curriculum on the grounds that the Pernese had to learn where their form of government originally came from. Head Master Clisser disagreed and said that only the outline was needed, not the complete history [RSR/11:280]. At the end of 257 Clisser proposed a contract to her to teach (oversee teaching) at Nerat South, which involved six major holds and five smaller units (holds), all within reasonable distance, with the journeys to be done on Threadfree days (of course) and excellent accommodations [RSR/11:283]. She took the Nerat teaching contract (starting in Turn 258) but already moved there for the Turn's End celebration of 257 [RSR/14:328].
Saltor: head guard at Fort Hold [MHoP].
Samvel: schoolmaster at landing [DoP].
Sanalth: bronze dragon, rider F'gal [Mor].
Sandi: a dolphin swimming the Kahrain waters [DoP].
Sandman; a dolphin [CoP-DB].
Sandtable:
Sandworms of Igen: [D1/228].
Saneter: Hold Harper at Southern Hold [RoP].
Sangel of Boll, Lord: Lord Holder of Southern Boll Hold.
The portrait on the right is the one artist Robin Wood made for the Mayfair Boardgame Dragonriders of Pern (1985, 1989). Lord Sangel does not appear in The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood 1985, 1989]
Sanra: woman in charge of the children in the living cavern at Benden Weyr [H1/.].
Sara Brooks: joat (jack of all trades) [DD]. Undoubtedly named after Anne McCaffrey's sister-in-law Sara Brooks.
Sarai of Fort: rider of gold Lanath, Fort Weyrwoman at the end of the First Interval and start of the Second Pass [RSR].
Sarra: rider of an unnamed green dragon. A weyrling at Telgar Weyr, not Weyrbred and originally from Ista, she has blonde hair. She Impressed at the Telgar hatching of late autumn 257 [RSR/3:104].
Saretta: healer at South Boll Hold [MHoP].
Sariel: Master Archivist, aka Cheryl Miller, born on 20th century Terra, with a beautiful, informative and sophisticated website. Sariel was promoted from journeywoman to Master Archivist on October 12th 1999, the first anniversary of her site, by her peers. She and Elrhan work together in taking notes from the Pern books. While Elrhan will put the gathered data and information in his Pern Encyclopedia, Sariel will eventually use the notes for the compilation of her Pern Primer, a guide to Pern that will probably make The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern an obsolete book. See also Sariel's Framed Guide to Pern.
Sariel's Guide to Pern: a website completely dedicated to Pern and Anne McCaffrey. If you are are Pern lover you must have visited this site (more than once). http://www.srellim.org/pern_frames.htm.
Sarty: rider of green Ledith, stationed at Ista Weyr. One of the three teams that came on Search to Lado Hold [EtT].
S'bran: rider of bronze Kilminth, stationed at Benden Weyr [MHoP].
Scallak: a castaway, Southern Continent [RoP].
Scand: Masterhealer at Ruatha Hold [Mor].
Schultz, Anna: see Anna Schultz.
Schultz, Emily: see Emily Schultz.
Schultz, Gunnar: see Gunnar Schultz.
Schultz, Max: see Max Schultz.
Schwartz, Rudi: see Rudi Schwartz.
Sea-sky: A delphinic name for space [DoP/3].
Sea Cliff [Hold?]:
- Healers: Kylos [Mor].
Sea of Azov: a large inland sea, with pebbled beaches, on the Southern Continent [RSR/15:365]. It is fed by the Rubicon River [RSR/16:360].
Seacraft:
Sean Connell: member and leader of the original group of the eighteen first dragonriders. First Weyrleader (of Fort Weyr). Also called the Connell, by later generations. He was the one that had promulgated the rules by which the Weyrs governed themselves [RSR/1:46].
His notes on Threadfall were still used by later Weyrleaders. Of the Telgar Weyrleaders B'ner and K'vin is known that, with the Second Pass coming up, they would go over Sean's notes the day after they had nightmares about the coming dangers [RSR/1:33]. Sean owned a clipboard of which was said that it was handed down the generations and was in possession of Fort Weyrleader S'nan, a direct descendant of Sean, at the start of the Second Pas [RSR:1:46].
Search: literally a search, for prospective dragonriders. It is obvious that in later Passes there was less and less need to Search for regular dragonriders. By the Ninth Pass dragonriders only Searched for queen candidates. To respond to a Search was a holder (basic) right [RSR/3:97] (probably also written down in one of the later versions of the Charter.
The claim that a union had been arranged for a person that was Searched was enough to refuse the Search. Of course this happened very seldom because generally people were honored to be Searched and his or her relatives welcomed the dragonrider connections [RSR/3:88].
- Announcement of: see Announcement of Search.
- Girls Searched for Nemorth's last clutch: ten girls were taken, among them Lessa of Ruatha, later Weyrwoman at Benden, and Kylara of Telgar, later Weyrwoman at Southern and ... Two of the girls of this search were seriously injured during the hatching.
- Rights of a Searched person: a Searched person had the right to go to the Weyr to try and impress a dragon. If this did not succeed the first time he or she could stay in the Weyr until the next clutch [RSR/4:112].
Search list: a list on which appear the names of the persons that are Searched [RSR/3:93].
Sebell: Apprentice and Journeyman Harper. Later became the Masterharper, after Master Robinton retired officially [H2; H3; DoP/4:72; MoP].
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]
Second Crossing: name used for the move from the Southern to the Northern Continent that the colonists had to make after the eruption of the volcanoes [RSR/4:122, RSR/15:359].
Second Pass: started in early spring of 258 [RSR/1:45] and ended in 308. As far as the Northern Continent was concerned the first two Falls of the Second Pass were in the Fort Weyr's patrol area (first Fall started over the sea east of Fort Hold and came ashore at the mouth of the river, passing diagonally across the peninsula and out into the sea in the west and second Fall over the southern tip of Southern Boll, possibly missing land altogether and if not than just for a short time passing over land, then swinging and hitting the western tip of the High Reaches, proceeding out to sea, also being over land a short time), the second two in High Reaches (the third Fall started on the south coast of the Tillek peninsula, east of the site of the Hold, and proceed out to sea, again being over land just a short time; the fourth started over the seas in the east and proceed over Benden and Bitra Holds, ending almost at Igen Weyr. This Fall would normally flown jointly by Benden and Igen Weyrs) and the third two in Benden's (the fifth fall started at the northern end of the Nerat peninsula and proceeded across it, over the east coast of Keroon and the east tip of Igen, ending just offshore from Igen. This would normally be a joint Fall too, flown by Benden over Nerat, Igen over the northern part of Keroon and by Ista over the southern part of Keroon). All Falls occurred in the first two weeks of the Pass, about three days apart. The second Fall in Fort territory and the first one in High Reaches happened on the same day (three days after the first Fall) and were different flows of the same Fall. There would be Falls on the Southern Continent a week earlier. The fourth and fifth Falls were considered to be the most dangerous for unseasoned wings. At a meeting of Weyrleaders (prior to the gather at Fort in 257) it was decided that, since for all the Weyrs it would be their first experience with Threadfall, every Weyr would supply a double-wing at the initial engagement, giving each Weyr first-hand experience. Weyrleader B'nurrin of Igen was of the opinion that a first-hand experience like that could better be experienced by all Weyrs simultaneously, fighting the first falls that took place over the Southern Continent. He was backed by K'vin of Telgar but they were overruled by the others [RSR/1:45-47]. The first Fall on the Northern Continent, over the Fort area, was the seventh Fall in total, so the first six Falls of this Pass took place over the Southern Continent. Fall number 4 took pace over the old Landing site, Fall number five would start offshore of the mouth of the Paradise River [RSR/16:383]. All the Weyrleades and their Weyrwomen, except for S'nan and Sarrai of Fort, and many other dragonriders went to look at Fall number 4 over Landing, just a day to prior to the first Fall on the Northern Continent (a day earlier K'vin commented to Zulaya that Threadfall was two days away). They all had a lot of trouble with their dragons who got upset when their riders took them to where Thread was falling while having no means (firestone) to fight it [RSR/16:397-403]. It was decided that during the first live Fall over the Northern Continent a rotation of wings (every two hours) from the different Weyrs would be implemented so that most of the riders could experience Threadfighting, which was a new phenomenon for all of them. Fort Weyrleader S'nan felt deprived (the first Fall was over Fort territory) since the freezing weather was likely to do Fort Weyr out of its chance to be the first Weyr to meet Thread this Fall [RSR/17:404]. The first Fall Thread came down as black dust, sifted in with snow or sleet. The first partially live Fall was fall number 10 (in this number the Falls on the Southern Continent are counted too), over Benden, the third Fall over the Northern Continent. The weather by now was sufficiently warmer that a good deal of the Fall could be considered live and dangerous [RSR/17:405]. The tenth Fall would start across the high mountains, still deep within winter snows, where Thread would fall harmlessly and would then commence across Benden to its northern-most edge, over pasture lands, forests and small farming holds and eventually over Bitra Hold [RSR/17:406, 411]. During the first live Fall of 258 Thread fell in a steady stream, no tangles, no bare spots. it was exactly as Weyrleader Sean Connell had reported Fall #325 to be, in his records of Turn 11 [RSR/17:409, 413]. It was a fall without any injuries (except for some char burns) and with only four burrows [RSR/17:414]. It was calculated that during the Second Pass there would be about 5814 Falls (although it is possible that this was a joke by B'nurrin. Incidentally, the number given in the US edition (Dragonseye) is 6649, not 5814. A weird difference! [RSR/17:415].
Sefal: Healer at Healer Hall [AtWoP].
Sefram: Journeyman Harper at Balen Hold [H2].
Segoina: aunt of mastersinger Merelan, lives at Pierie Hold [MHoP].
Sejby, Nora; see Nora Sejby.
Sella: daughter of Yanus and Mavi of Half Circle Sea Hold, next oldest sister after Menolly (who was the youngest child and daughter) [H1/.].
Sellel see S'lel.
Semling, Hans: see Hans Semling.
Semling, Peter: see Peter Semling.
Semment: Healer at Great Reach Hold [Mor].
Senior Medic: at end of First Interval Corey was the Senior Medic [RSR/1:43]. See also Corey.
Sereth: bronze dragon, rider C'tov, stationed at High Reaches Weyr [Dfire].
Sev Ritecamp: a trader [MHoP].
Sevenday: the Pernese equivalent of a week.
Seventh Day: the Pernese equivalent of a rest day, like Terran Sunday [RSR].
Severeid: a Master Harper at Harper Hall [MHoP].
Sevvie Asturias: EEC team member, paleontologist-medic [CoP-Survey].
Sevya: rider of queen Butoth. Junior weyrwoman at newly founded Benden Weyr [CoP-SW].
Sextant: at the end of the First Interval still an apparatus that was widely used, not only by the astronomers but also by ship captains [RSR/1:63, 66].
Sexuality:
- Dragonriders: dragonrider sexuality is different from the majority of people on Pern and because of that there was a narrow minded minority that condemned the riders for it. Certain customs and habits did develop in the Weyrs to suit dragon needs, but promiscuity was not encouraged. There was a very strictly observed code of conduct within the Weyrs. There might not be formal union contracts but no rider reneged on his word to a woman, nor failed to make provision for any children of a pairing [RSR/3:96]. In the earlier Passes, when there still were female riders, some female green riders foresaw problems with their green dragons being flown by blues since this meant they might have to have sex with a gay male who, in his turn, would not be very much interested to have sex with them. Jule, a Weyrbred weyrling from the Telgar "class" of Winter 257 offered this solution: "You make an arrangement with another rider to be on hand when your green gets proddy. Then the blue rider gets his mate, if he's got one, or anyone else who's willing - and you better believe that anyone's willing when dragons are going to participate. So you bed the one you like, and the blue rider his choice, and you ALL enjoy!" [RSR/11:273].
S'gar: rider of Dunluth (color unknown), watchrider at Ruatha Hold [AtWoP].
S'gor: rider of green Malth, stationed at Fort Weyr [Mor].
S'goral: rider of green Betunth, stationed at Southern Weyr [D2].
Shadder of Benden, Lord: Lord Holder of Benden Hold [Mor].
Shalanth: blue dragon stationed at Ista Weyr. Rider R'dik. One of the three dragons that came on Search to Lado Hold [EtT].
Shanna of Igen: rider of gold Haralth, Igen Weyrwoman at the start of the Second Pass. One of the younger Weyrwomen [RSR].
Shards: a Pernese expletive or swear word.
Sharra: journeywoman healer and Lady Holder of Ruatha, spouse of Jaxom, Lord Holder of Ruatha Hold. Sister of Toric, Lord Holder of Southern Hold. Children by Jaxom: Jarrol.
Journeyed to the Southern Continent together with Menolly on the Dawn Sisters [DoP/5:104].
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]
Shattuck, Bernard: see Bernard Shattuck.
Shavian colonies: colonies that are not in the same sector of space as Pern. The possession of these Shavian colonies were the basic reason for the Nathi Space War [RSR/4:119].
Shawa: EEC team member, navigator-scout on the EEC vessel [CoP-Surv].
Shawan: second child and son of Lord Jaxom and Lady Sharra of Ruatha Hold [AtWoP].
Sheep: the colonists took sheep with them from Terra. They probably prospered though nothing is said about that in DLG. The evidence for sheep surviving untill at least the Second Pass is found in RSR, in which book Debera used a thick woollen blanket in the Weyrling barracks [RSR/4:115]. [More on sheep (ovines) used as carriers of ova in DD.]
Sheet roofing: metal roofing plates used to keep Thread out of building not made of stone [RSR].
Sheledon: teacher/composer at College, husband of Sydra. Nicknamed Shel. Head of the Arts faculty at College, an avid composer who was constantly jealous of what free time he had in which to compose [RSR/2:68]. At the end of the First Interval Sheledon was asked, by head teacher Clisser, to "whip up" some simple and effective tunes with which the youth of Pern could be taught their responsibilities in relation to Thread etc. This idea was to his liking because he had already been saying for years that the more basic stuff should be put to a musical format [RSR/2:71]. He attended the Telgar Weyr hatching of autumn 257. He insisted to use this hatching as the debut of some new music and songs that were to be part of the new "learning and warning system". Among them was a song Jemmy called "Dragonlove" and the "Duty Ballad" [RSR/3:105]. Sheledon was the composer of the Landing Suite (which made mention of the Charter and was performed first at the Turn's End celebration at Bitra in 257) [RSR/14:324].
Shelline: first year apprentice at Harper Hall [MHoP]. Looking at her name she could be a very distant relative of Sheledon.
Shelmith: dragon of unknown color, rider unknown.
Shells: a Pernese expletive or swear word.
Shelmith: a dragon of unknown color, stationed at Fort Weyr, whose rider is also unknown [CoP-SW].
Sh'gall of Fort Weyr: rider of bronze Kadith. Weyrleader of Fort Weyr [Mor; BB].
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]
Shi Lao: one of the original eighteen dragonriders. He might also have been the same person that was known as docter Lao, who wrote about dragon injuries [RSR/7:183, 185].
Ship meadow: [DoP/3:57].
Shipfish: Pernese name for dolphins.
Shonagar: journeyman harper [MHoP], later Master Harper (voice) at Harper Hall [H2].
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]
Shove: one of the two dray beasts of the Dowel and Barla family [GWHD/18]. Had dappled flanks [GWHD/40].
Shreve: son of a cotholder at the Nerat border [MHoP].
Shulse: mathematician, math teacher at College [RSR].
Shunned, the: a Pernese minority consisting out of petty and worse criminals and their friends, family and offspring. The actual shunned (outcast) people have an S on their forehead, written with indelible bluebush ink [Dfire]. Shunning people was already an established form of punishment present in the Pern Charter when the colonists first settled on the planet. In Dragon's Fire it is observed that some of the Shunned "were traders went bad" [DD].
Shuvin Ongola: son of Zi Ongola and Sabra Stein [DD].
Sickness, the: Delphinic name for the epidemic (the Fever Year) that took place early in the First Pass in Turn 16 [DoP/7].
Sidar: a Holder near Keogh who sometimes dealt with petty criminals. Killed by Tenim using firestone [Dfire].
Sidny: eldest nephew of Lord Paulin of Fort Hold, lives at Fort Hold. He had a sure grasp of hold management, was a hard worker, a fair man and a good judge of character and ability. Lord Paulin was tempted to suggest him for the Fort Hold leadership when he was gone because he had a few reservations about his own son [RSR/9:221].
Sifer of Bitra, Lord: Lord Holder of Bitra Hold [MHoP].
The portrait on the right is the one artist Robin Wood made for the Mayfair Boardgame Dragonriders of Pern (1985, 1989). Lord Sifer does not appear in The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood 1985, 1989]
Sifuentes, Bessie: see Bessie Sifuentes.
Sifuentes, Ramon: see Ramon Sifuentes.
Sigomal of Bitra, Lord: Lord Holder of Bitra Hold. Son of Lord Sifer [AtWoP].
Silga: rider of queen Brixth. Junior weyrwoman at Igen Weyr [Mor].
Silga; a hatching candidate [AtWoP].
Silly fins: A delphinic name for an ignorant calf or a stupid dolphin [DoP/6].
Silma: daughter of Lord Tolocamp and Lady Pendra of Fort Hold [NS].
Silon: a child at Benden Weyr [H2].
Silstra: a young woman at Camp Natalon in Crom Hold, nicknamed Sis. Wife of Terregar. Only daughter of Danil. Married at Camp Natalon and moved to Telgar Hold [DK, Dfire].
Silton: a Journeyman at Landing [AtWoP].
Silvina: headwoman at Harper Hall. Mother of Camo [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]
Silvrath: a bronze dragon whose rider is unknown. He was one of the dragons that helped carry the Bahrain's engine to the Red Star [AtWoP].
Sim: a drudge at Fort Hold [Mor].
Simanith: bronze dragon, rider F'lon [MHoP].
Simone Jorgenson: [DD].
Sinead Connell: clonist, a member of the Connell clan (Irish traveling folk/tinkers) [DD]. Daughter of Porrig and Bridey Connell and sister of Sean Connell [DD].
Sira: weaver auntie at Fort Hold [NS].
Sirrie: healer at Harper Hall [MHoP].
Sith: green dragon stationed at Telgar Weyr, rider M'leng. Mate of Ormonth. Sith was wounded by lions when he took part in the rescue of his rider and his rider's weyrmate and lover P'tero when they were attacked by lions while on a Telgar Weyr outing to the Southern Continent during first-month 258 [RSR/16:372].
Sitta: pert girl at High Reaches Hold [MHoP].
S'kedel: rider of brown Adath, stationed at Fort Weyr [Mor].
Skiff: a Terran and Pernese name for a light rowboat or small, open sailing vessel light enough to be rowed with ease [DoP/1:12].
Skybroom tree/wood: tree from which skybroom wood comes. Skybroom wood was expensive. It was preferred in the making of panels for paintings [RSR/5:143].
S'lan: rider of a bronze Binth. Wingleader at Benden Weyr under Weyrleaders R'gul and F'lar.
Sled: by the end of the First Interval there were still two sleds in existence on the Northern Continent, but there was no power to run them. The current engineering department never found out how the sleds were powered and could not duplicate such technology anyway [RSR/7:188]. One of them was on display at the Telgar foundry [RSR/1:24].
See also: Airsled.
Sleeping fur: a fur that is used as a blanket, to sleep under.
S'lel: rider of bronze Tuenth. Wingleader at Benden Weyr under Weyrleaders R'gul and F'lar [D1; MHoP].
S'len: rider of green Bigath, stationed at Fort Weyr [AWoP].
Slide rule: a device (used before electronic calculators were invented) consisting out of a rigid ruler with a central sliding piece, with both ruler and slide being graduated in a similar logarithmic scale to permit rapid calculations. Re-invented by Jemmy at the end of the First Interval because there were only a few electronic calculators left that were functioning [RSR/11:277].
S'ligar of High Reaches Weyr: rider of bronze Gianarth. Weyrleader at High Reaches Weyr [Mor].
S'loner: rider of bronze Chendith, Weyrleader of Benden Weyr, father of F'lon [MHoP].
Smal(ler) Subsidence: See Subsidences.
Smallhold:
Smallholder:
Smithcraft:
S'mon: weyrling, rider of bronze Tiabeth, son of Thomas the Ninth and brother of Suze. Impressed at Telgar Weyr’s autumn 257 Hatching. S'mon's original name was Thomas the Tenth but, never having liked the shortened version of his name (Tom) he changed it after he impressed Tiabeth, a fact his father was not altogether pleased with because of the long line of ancestors called Thomas in their Bloodline [RSR/102]. S'mon had black hair [RSR/5:130].
S'nan of Fort: rider of bronze Magrith, Fort Weyrleader at the end of the First Interval start of the Second Pass. As Weyrleader he had always been fussy and especially keen on preventing vegetation around the Holds [RSR/1:30]. He was old at the start of the Second Pass and owned a clipboard rumored to have been passed down from Sean Connell himself. He was a several times great-grandson of Sean Connell and therefore a member of the original Connell family. S'nan had silvery hair that was more sandy than red. He was a man that managed to pursue existing rules (concerning Weyr government) into the ridiculous [RSR/1:46]. As senior Weyrleader S'nan held the pre-Pass inspections, together with his Weyrwoman Sarai. They were said to be very officious at their work though it was also said that they were correct at wanting the highest possible standard so shortly before heading into a new Pass [RSR/1:49]. At the emergency meeting at Telgar Hold, held in the winter of 257, S'nan spoke out against the collaboration of dragonriders concerning the removal of Lord Chalkin from Bitra [RSR/11:291].
Snel: Healer at Greenfields Hold [Mor].
Sograny: Masterherder at Keroon Hold [D2].
The portrait on the right is the one artist Robin Wood made for the Mayfair Boardgame Dragonriders of Pern (1985, 1989). Masterherder Sograny does not appear in The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood 1985, 1989]
Solar panels: they were already considered priceless installations at the start of the Second Pass. Fort Hold's panels were situated on its heights and were the largest as well as the oldest solar panels. Two of Fort's panel banks were lost in the unseasonably fierce storms of the winter of 256, which was very inconvenient because Fort needed all its arrays in good working order to supply heat for its warren of corridors, power for air circulation units and for equipment that still worked. Fortunately a huge stockpile of solar panels was made during the first big wave of constructing new Weyrs and Holds, so there would be enough for generations [RSR/1:30]. Men from the enigineer corps worked on placing new panels on the day of the gather at Fort Hold in 257. They were to be hooked up to the main banks the day after the gather [RSR/2:70]. All of College's solar panels were destroyed by lightning late autumn of 257 [RSR/4:117].
Sonata's: [DoP/5:104].
Sonia: a young woman and candidate for a queen egg at High Reaches in 495. Daughter of the High Reaches Weyrhealer S'son. Sonia has a white streak in her hair [Dfire].
Sonja Ostrovsky: miner, wife of Volodya Ostrovsky and mother of Torene [CoP-SW].
Soover: smallholder at Southern Boll Hold [Mor].
Sopers, A.C.: see AC Sopers.
Sopers, Betty: see Betty Sopers.
Sorana: a dragonrider from the Ruathan Bloodline, deceased before the end of the First Interval [RSR/1-34-35].
Soreel: wife of the First Holder of Half Circle Sea Hold [H1].
Sorka Hanrahan: rider of queen Faranth, one of the original eighteen dragonriders. She came from the Hanrahan-Ruatha Bloodline that also produced M'hall (her son), M'dani, Sorana and Mairian. She survived Fall (the first Fall) and thus died after Turn 58 [RSR/1:34-35].
Sorth: brown dragon, rider L'rayl [Mor].
Sortie: son of a cotholder at the Nerat border [MHoP].
SOS: short for Save Our Souls, which used to be an internationally recognized distress signal on Earth. People started to use it less and less after the decline of morse code when that was no longer needed due to the advances made in various forms of telecommunications at the end of the 20th century. It retained its old value however and was also used on Pern [RSR/6:159].
Sousmal: son of Lord Sigomal of Bitra. Sousmal w as installed as Lord Warder for Bitra Hold when his father was impeached and exiled [AtWoP].
South Bend Hold: a farmcraft hold situated at the Bend of the Paradise River (Southern Continent) [DoP/4:69, 75]
- Harpers at: an elderly man [DoP/4:74].
South Telgar Hold:
- Bound to: Igen Weyr.
South(ern) Boll Hold: major Hold. The name Southern Boll, as opposed to South Boll, is still in use peior to the Third Pass. In later Turns the name South Boll Hold became more common.
- Bound to: Fort Weyr.
- Healers: Quitrin [Mor].
- Lord Holders: Ratoshigan [Mor]; Sangel [D1]; Janissian [SoP].
- Produce: weaving, hot peppers [Dfire]
Southern Continent:
Southern Hold:
- Bound to: Southern Weyr.
Southern Islands: a tropical archipelago. One or more of these islands were used as a place to detain criminals [RSR/11:287]. One of these islands was called Young Island, which was the only one in the chain that was volcanic [RSR/11:287].
Southern Sea:
Southern Telgar Hold: see South Telgar Hold.
Southern Weyr:
- Holds under protection of: Southern Hold.
Spacia; a runner at Fort Station [Runner].
Spakinth: bronze dragon, rider C'rob [MHoP].
Spearleek (whitebulb): Allium spp. (allium sativum, garlic). Antibiotic, antiparasitic, inhalant or syrup relieves coughs, lowers blood pressure, can prevent stomach cancer. If there's something close to a miracle drug of the herbal world, garlic's probably it. Besides the properties listed above, when used as an antibiotic it's more effective against typhus than penicillin. One disadvantage cooking does seem to reduce its effectiveness. Spearleek is probably another member of the Allium genus, such as leeks or green onions. All contain allacin, the chemical that provides the active properties, but garlic has the highest concentration. (This is also the source of garlic's pungent odor.) [Submitted by Jennifer Quail].
Spelth: bronze dragon, stationed at Telgar Weyr, a member of V'last's wing. Spelth was among the nine dragons involved in the rescue of Telgar Weyr dragonriders M'leng and P'tero who were attacked by lions while on an outing to the Southern Continent during first-month 258 [RSR/16:373].
S'peren: rider of bronze Clioth, Wingleader at Fort Weyr [Mor/].
Spit-boy/girl: a drudge, boy or girl, that was in charge of the spit and the spit-dogs in a kitchen [RSR].
Spit-dog: a dog that walked in some sort of a contraption that made the spit turn round [RSR].
Spitrun: [D1/32].
Sport animals: some sport animals were let loose on the Southern Continent and had more than ample chance to breed during the First Interval. One of those sport animals was a large orange-and-black-striped feline. One of these creatures had had the audacity to try and attack Charanth (Telgar Weyrleader K'vin's bronze dragon) during a visit to the Southern Continent that took place in the First Interval.. The feline's hide was greatly prized [RSR/15:360].
See also Lions.
Spousal ring: Pernese name for a wedding ring. See Wedding band.
Spring Games: [D1/16].
Squall: a sudden, violent storm, often accompanied by (heavy) rain(s). The most fierce examples of these phenomena are also called black squalls (because of the color of the clouds). They can stop almost as abruptly as they begin [DoP/1:17, 19-20].
Squealer: a runner [Mor].
S'son: Weyrhealer at High Reaches Weyr. Father of Sonia [Dfire].
St. John, Persis; see Persis St. John.
Stake acres:
Star and Eye Stones: the first tentative discussions for other means to accurately calculating the position of the Red Star in relation to coming Threadfall, because it was perceived technology would - for various reasons - fail to do so in the future, were voiced by headmaster Clisser at the meeting during the gather at Fort Hold in 257, though the concept of the actual stones was not yet thought of [RSR/1:63-64, 66].
- At Benden Weyr: [D1/89].
Stein, Sabra; see Sabra Stein.
Stefano Galliani: [DD].
Steng Valley: a valley in Bitra in which their were mining operations that had become more and more unprofitable by the end of the First Interval [RSR/1:61, 7:202].
Stev Kimmer: colonist, miner [DD; CoP-RR].
Stolla: Headwoman at Benden Weyr [MHoP].
Stone, Fulmar: see Fulmar Stone.
Stone-clean:
Stone-cutters: the stone cutters, used extensively in the creation of Weyrs and Hold during the First Pass, were no longer available at the end of the First Interval [RSR/7:188].
Struan: journeyman harper at Ruatha Hold [MHoP].
Strud: Journeyman Harper at Igen Seahold [H2].
Stupid: Piemur's runnerbeast [H3].
Sturt Arkady: colonist, mentioned as being at Jordan and Fort [DD].
Stylus: Pernese for pen or pencil [RSR/1:46].
Subsidences: There are two subsidences in the seas/oceans of Pern, called the Great(er) Subsidence and the Smal(ler) Subsidence by dolphinkind [DoP/5].
Sucho: herder at Fort Hold [MHoP].
Sufur: Masterherdsman at Keroon [Mor].
Suicide: a dragon who looses his rider by either accidental or natural death will suicide (by staying between). Suicide is also practised often by riders who loose their dragon. Female dragonriders (only known during the earlier Passes) were less apt to suicide, they at least had the option of sublimating their loss by having children. During the First Pass some riders who lost their dragons found solace in the companionship of fire-lizards [RSR/3:87].
Sula: a littel girl at Camp Natalon in Crom Hold. Daughter of the baker Milla. Almost 8 Turns old [DK].
Summer Games: probably Hold orientated. Location unsure. Long-distance races were part of the Summer Games. They were won by Jemmy in three consecutive years (255-257) [RSR/2:73].
Surgery:
- Plastic surgery: not in existence anymore by the time of the Second Pass, though the artist Iantine still remembered that the First Settlers had the ability to remodel noses, ears and the like [RSR/5:151].
Suriana of Ruatha Hold, Lady: first wife (deceased) of Lord Alessan of Ruatha Hold [Mor].
Susuth: queen dragon (senior), rider Mari of High Reaches [RSR].
Sutanith: queen dragon, rider Miridan [Mor].
Suze: child with a sharp tongue, daughter of Thomas 9th, sister of Thomas 10th (dragonrider S'mon) [RSR/3:100-101].
Svenda Bonneau-Olubushtu: see Svenda Olubushtu.
Svenda Olubushu: colonist, geologist. Wife of Drake Bonneau [DD].
Swacky: guard, trooper [RoP; DoP].
Swanee: Camp Natalon's supply man [DK].
Swann, Patsy: see Patsy Swann.
Sweatroot: a herb probably native to pern. A diaphoretic (drug or plant that causes perspiration). Closest Earth Equivalent: This may or may not be a Pernese native. If it is an import and not a native species, it's possible the plant is bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis), a plant found in cool, deciduous woods, which is a source of the alkaloid sanguinarine. It can be used in small doses as an expectorant, stimulant, and diaphoretic. While there are no reported fatalities from bloodroot use, it has been known to cause nausea, vomiting, headaches, and tunnel vision, and should be used sparingly under medical supervision. Another possible, though less likely, Earth plant is Virginia snakeroot (Aristolochia serpentaria), which was used to treat malaria, induce perspiration, and as an antidote to a variety of poisons. Snakeroot, unfortunately, is much more toxic than bloodroot and an incorrect dose causes intense bowel pain, vomiting, dizziness, and death by respiratory paralysis. Modern herbals advise avoiding snakeroot as anything but an ornamental. [Submitted by Jennifer Quail].
Sweep rider: a dragonrider that does a sweep or sweep ride, an aerial recognisance [RSR].
Sweep ride/riding: even done during Intervals; dragonriders see it as their duty and it serves as a patrol to see if nothing untoward is happening, varying from natural phenomena to criminal activities [RSR/6:167].
Sweet course: Pernese name for desert after a meal [RSR].
Sweet sand: Pernese equivalent of soap.
Sweetener: the Pernese name for sugar [RSR].
Sweet roll: also written as sweetroll. A roll filled with a conserve (jam) or another sweet substance [RSR/8:206].
Sydra: soprano at College, spouse of Sheledon, often sang the part of the boy soprano of the Duty Ballad. She attended the Telgar Weyr hatching of autumn 257 [RSR/3:105].