Wade Lorenzo: colonist [DD].
Wager-taker: someone who takes bets on wagers, in almost all cases Bitrans, who are famous for their wagering "business". They were often operators under the current Bitran Lord Holder, who claimed a percentage of their profits [RSR/1:25]. See also Gamester.
Waine: Weyr artist at Telgar Weyr, a little man. He gifted Iantine a sheaf of fine large-sized paper sheets and pencils. He only knew the basics of his trade and was offered additional teaching by Iantine [RSR/6:168, 171].
Walglow: a glowbasker or glowholder mounted on a wall [D1/17].
Wang: family name of two fosterlings at newly founded Ruatha. One of them is called Sal [CoP-FoRH].
Wansor: Master Glass-smith, Starsmith [D2; D3; AtWoP; SoP].
There are two official portraits of Wansor, 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]
Warbret of Ista, Lord: Lord Holder of Ista Hold [AtWoP].
The portrait on the right is the one artist Robin Wood made for the Mayfair Boardgame Dragonriders of Pern (1985, 1989). Lord Warbret does not appear in The People of Pern (1988).
[Illustration used with permission. © Robin Wood 1985, 1989]
Warder: a Hold manager and the person that acts in the name of the Lord Holder. A common nickname for warders that are not much liked is Lord Surrogate. The assistant of the warder, of which there is only one at each Hold, is called an underwarder.
Warning claxon: [D1/6].
Washell: apprentice master at Harper Hall [MHoP].
Watchdragon:
Watchrider:
Watchwher: a nocturnal reptile distantly related to dragonkind. Mutant, blunt-winged, photo-sensitive beasts.
At the end of the First Interval they refused to go do further subterranean explorations into the Fort Hold cave system, which, besides undermining the whole cliff-side, was one of the reasons it was pronounced unsafe while further interior expansion was banned [RSR/1:31]. Watchwher eggs hatch four sevendays after laying [Dfire].
Waterhole Hold: a modest beasthold, situated in Keroon but beholden to Ista Weyr. Holder is Thaniel [BB].
Wave Eater: fishing vessel [MHoP].
Weather-watch:
Weavercraft:
Wedding band: Pernese word for wedding ring, also called Spousal ring. It seems indicated that wedding bands on Pern were of the old Terran "European type": rings made of a band of plain gold with no stone, although there might have been exceptions [RSR/15:354]. The use of wedding rings doesn’t seem to last. In the sixth Pass, Nerilka and Alessan's wedding vows are symbolized by two gold coins, inscribed with the date, though this doesn't explicitly mean they didn't also exchange wedding bands (they are just not mentioned).
Wedge formation:
Wenser: wherhandler of watchwher Wensk at Camp Natalon in Crom Hold. He and his watchwher left Camp Natalon [DK].
Wensk: watchwher at Camp Natalon in Crom Hold. Handler: Wenser [DK].
Werth: queen dragon, rider Haura [Mor].
Weyr: written with a capital W it means the complete Weyr, written without the capital it means the cavern, or other place, a dragon and his rider occupy. Weyrs are autonomous and may withhold services (basic courtesies like providing transport) with sufficient justification (fighting Thread is not seen as a service and may never be withheld) [RSR/10:241].
- Overproducing prior to fall: prior to the First Fall of the Second Pass the Weyrs were overproducing (i.e. laying more clutches than needed to replace lost dragons) [RSR/3:83].
Weyr Laws: [D1/15].
Weyr Records: top performances at Threadfighting practice were recorded and put on the Weyr Records list. At the start of the Second Pass for example, Charnath held the record for the longest sustained flame emission [RSR/1:50].
Weyrbred:
Weyrfolk: all people that live in a Weyr, riders as well as others.
Weyrharper:
Weyrleader:
Weyrling: term used for a young rider or his/her dragon, before the dragon is capable of flight. Among the tasks of a weyrling are: feeding, bathing and oiling their dragonets and carving meat for them each morning until the dragonet can feed on its own, which state is usually reached almost a Turn after Hatching. A weyrling had to learn how to sew and make a dragon harness. How to learn making riding jackets and boots was optional [RSR/5:132].
Weyrling barracks: barracks in which Weyrlings and their dragonets were housed.
Weyrling practice: one of the lessons consisted out of the throwing and catching firestone sacks [RSR/13:314].
Weyrlingmaster: rider in charge of training weyrlings.
Weyrman:
Weyrmate:
Weyrsinger: the Harper of a Weyr, often a dragonrider himself.
Weyrwoman:
- Instruction of a: [D1/85-].
- Records: [D1/15].
When:
When the moons turn green: Pernese proverb [D1/92].
Wher (plural: wherries): a type of fowl roughly resembling the domestic turkey of Earth, but about the size of an ostrich.
Wherhide:
Wherry:
Whersport:
White dragon:
Whitefish: a Pernese fish variety. It will retain its flavor even when it is salted, pickled and smoked and is considered to have a delicious taste [DoP/4:68].
Whities: water plants resembling the reeds of Earth.
Whitethorn: Crataegus spp. (English Hawthorn). Flowering deciduous tree/shrub with red berries and white flowers. The leaves and berries can be used to ease heart rate and lower blood pressure. Grows in temperate zones in well-drained soil. There are more than 800 species in North America alone. Deciduous tree, to 15', with white five-petal flowers that usually blossom in May, lobed or toothed leaves. Hardy to -35, alkaline, loamy soil, full to partial shade, usually grows in hedges.
The whitethorn we know, more commonly called hawthorn, does in fact have a beneficial effect on high blood pressure and is effective in acting as cardiac suppressant. Unlike plants like aconite and foxglove, it is only toxic in extremely high doses, making it a preferable treatment in all but the most serious cases. [Submitted by Jennifer Quail]
Why under the double moons: Pernese proverb [D1/133].
Willow salic: Salix spp., Family Saleaceae. Willow salic is derived from the dried and powdered bark of the willow. It is used to reduce pain and swelling and to lower fevers. There are about 500 different species. Height from 35' to 75' at full growth depending on species. Grows in any moist soil and roots will reach for water. Prefers full sun.
The Dragonlovers Guide to Pern lists red willow specifically, but there are more than five hundred Salix species, all of which contain salicylic acid. Willow is relatively harmless and could be used at home, but why bother? The synthesized acetylsalicylic acid (trade name aspirin) is readily available and more efficiently delivered in pill form. Do not administer willow to young children (for the same reason you do not administer aspirin) and do not take it in combination with other blood thinners. [Submitted by Jennifer Quail]
Wilcox: veterinarian [DD].
Wilth: watchdragon at Ruatha, too old to chew firestone [D3].
Wimmia: rider of queen Torenth, Weyrwoman of Ista Weyr [Mor].
Winalla, Lady: Lady Holder of Fort Hold [MHoP].
Wind Blossom: granddaughter of Kitti Ping Yung. Wind Blossom was genetecist and one of the original colonists, died during the First Pass or during the First Interval. She developed whers [RSR; DK/preface].
Windows: [D1/10, 12].
Wine: there are several varieties on Pern, usually named for the location they are produced at such as Benden and Tillek.
Wine-chiller: a container in which wine is cooled with ice [RSR/25].
Wine producing Holds: Benden, Tillek.
Wing: a (fighting) wing consists out of twelve dragons [D1/8].
Wing positions: aerial wing formations were frequently practiced, so that every rider was very familiar with his/her wing position [RSR/15:363].
Wing Second: also wingsecond.
Wingleader:
Wingmen:
Wingriders:
Wingsecond: see Wing Second.
Winter: the winter of 256 was an especially bad one. This is one of the phenomena that heralds a coming Pass [RSR/2:71].
Winter Solstice: [RSR/2:68]. An astronomical term for the day of minimum sunlight hours taking place at Turn's End [RSR/11:277, 14:323].
Wirenth: queen dragon, rider Brekke [H1/.].
Witch hazel: Hamameus virginiana. Compresses made with witch hazel can be used to ease pain, including eye inflamation, burns, and hemorrhoids. Deciduous shrub or tree, twisting stems, forked branches, smooth gray to brown bark. Bright yellow threadlike petals on flowers. Reproduces in the fall when the dried seed pod forcefully ejects two seeds as far as 20'. Temperate climates, partial shade, 8-15', neutral to acid soil. The only active chemical ingredient found in witch hazel is tannin, making it basically a mild astringent. [Submitted by Jennifer Quail]
Wonegal: mastervintner at Benden Hold [MHoP].
Wood snakes: a snake variety that lives in the woods. [GWHD/56].
Workbeast: an alternative name for draybeast used in Dragon's Fire [Dfire].
Worlain: Healer at Healer Hall [DoP].
W'ter: rider of bronze Taventh, stationed at Benden Weyr [Mor].
W'ven: rider of green Balgeth, stationed at Fort Weyr [Mor].