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Pern has such a diverse and colorful history.  Too much to even think about adding it all here.  This is here only to give you a basic idea and to explain where our RPG fits in.  The best way to learn more about Pern is to read Anne McCaffery's and now her son Todd's wonderful series.

Throughout Pern's history, Threads have fallen in a deadly silent, beautiful silver rain, devouring any living thing they touched. Once, the people of Pern, the Ancients, knew of where this threat came, but after turns and turns of focusing on mere survival the source was forgotten. A frightening menace and even more daunting foe than ever before seen, this threat could be met and vanquished only by the warriors who called the skies their home: The Dragonriders.

Those who took to the air a-dragonback were the only defense between the helpless planet and the silver spores, their beloved winged ones emitting breath of flame, charring the Thread before it could harm any of the people. Turns came and went, Falls occurring and halting over Intervals, and each time it ceased, Pern began to whisper. Thread was no more, it had been destroyed, it was no more... Each Interval bred such whispers, but they soon ended as the spores fell once again. However, after many turns passed and the last Interval did not end, the faint whispers that had been spreading roared into a flame of anger. Two hundred seventy turns into the Long Interval, the holders revolted against the Weyrs, and suddenly—the dragons were no more. Disappearing from crafter and holder sight, the men and woman of Pern did not see the dragons again for more than 50 long turns. However, the Weyrs were not gone, but simply hidden. The dragonriders, declining in numbers and having no desire to battle with and destroy the lords, found a new home. They rediscovered Southern which had been lost to all of Pern for more turns than most would want to count. Knowing that Thread would fall once more and all animosity would disappear as it had in the past, the riders set back, watching their numbers slowly increase.

Lateo Weyr was established first, but after it became overpopulated Sodalis was born. Soon golden eggs lay on the sands once again, and the bronze riders took to the North to Search. Those of hold and hall were astonished to see the dragonmen still alive, but none of the arcane riders would tell as to where their Weyrs now lay. It is now 143 turns into the future, and both Lateo and Sodalis prosper. Having grown in strength and might, they watch as the Red Star grows brighter and higher in the sky with each passing day. The riders know that the silver menace will return, the only question is when? However, the chivalry of the riders has decayed somewhat in the last 443 turns, though some still retain the spirit of honor the riders were always known for. Some call that they should return once more as the glorious warriors of the people, but others...believe that their time of servitude is over. That they should hail their homecoming as conquerors, not slaves.

There are battles to fight, whether you be of hold, hall, or Weyr, so now all that is left----Chose your side.

All references to worlds and characters based on Anne McCaffrey's fiction are copyright ŠAnne McCaffrey 1999- 2004, all rights reserved, and used by permission of the author.

The Dragonriders of PernŽ is Reg U.S. Pat & Tm. Office, by Anne McCaffrey, and may not be used or reproduced without permission of the author.