*Dolphincraft 2003*

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Dolphincraft Apprentice Book
Chapter 1: Introduction
This book serves as a resource for information of the people of Pern, and is accurate and applies to Earth unless otherwise mentioned. Primarily, this serves as a guide for the Apprentice Classes in the Harper's Tale DolphinCraft.
Some useful resources:
** "Dolphins and Porpoises," Richard Ellis.
** "The Greenpeace Book of Dolphins," John May.
** URL: http://mingus.loni.ucla.edu:1028/FURMANSKI/dolphin2.html

Chapter 2: Rank Duties
With each and every single member of the Craft, they are expected to behave responsibly both OOCly and ICly because they represent the DolphinCraft. If you have a potential problem, talk with a staffer about it; it's better to squelch it before it gets started.

The duties of the Apprentices:
Apprentices learn the basic DolphinCraft skills through a series of classes and tutoring from the journeymen and masters of the Craft, and through their mentor if they have one. OOCly, Apprentices may be promoted with or without classes based on merit, but only in special cases. An Apprentice must also finish an Apprentice Project assigned before promotion. (OOCly, it is recommended, though not demanded, that Apprentices spend at least 4+ hours online each week.) Senior Apprentices take the more advanced classes, teach if they log, and may choose a specialty.

The Duties of the Journeymen:
Journeymen may take mentees, or sometimes even be assigned mentees. They are expected to teach at least two classes to the apprentices. They, ICly, spend at least 2 days patrolling the coastline. OOCly, they are asked to be online for 7+ hours each week and RPing part of that time. Journeymen may become Craftsecond or Craftheads, and foster children. Also, they are asked to teach, barring extenuating circumstances, one class every 2-3 weeks.

The Duties of the Masters:
Masters will teach Journeymen advanced classes and Apprentice classes, and will do mentor duty just as always. Masters may also fill specialized positions such as Apprentice Master, Craftsecond, Crafthead, or Craftmaster. (These functions shall be explained later on.)

The Duties of Associates:
Associates are typically people who have been Searched and Impressed, or have left the Craft after a certain amount of training. They are allowed to continue to practice their skills, but have no authority or vote on things in the Crafthall. Depending on the level of training, they may return and be asked to teach or lecture about life outside the Craft, or teach skills that they learned before they left. Though as Associates they have no authority, they should be treated with respect. Chances are that they do hold authority in their primary role, i.e. rider, steward, etc.

Craftmaster/Craftsecond/Craftheads:
A Craftmaster and his/her second are the two most senior people in the DolphinCraft. Craftheads are the leaders of the smaller Dolphinhalls (ICly, the Istan Dolphinhall), while the CM/C2 stay in the main hold, Master Sea Hold. ICly, they lead the Craft and make the final decisions. They're usually also the OOC Leaders of the Craft, unless otherwise noted. Each week, they are expected to maintain 7+ hours if possible.

Apprentice Master:
The Apprentice Master is in charge of the Apprentices and their discipline, ICly. Helping the new ones get settled, solving disputes, essentially maintaining a good relationship and keeping in-touch with what's going on to solve problems or head off potential ones. In a way, they're like the mentor to the entire Hall.

Chapter 3: The Dolphin Contract
A course on the Contract often takes the form of the teacher breaking it apart, and putting it together, to help everybody come to grips to what is expected of them and their relationship with the dolphins through discussion. Teaching involves making a clear understanding of what it means, what situations it is part of, and how far it goes, plus answering any questions that come up.

The contract reads:
Dolphins would protect humans on or in the water to their best abilities, in whatever weather and unsafe conditions, even to the giving up of dolphin life to save the frailer humans: they would appraise humans of bad weather conditions, show them where the schools of preferred fish were running, and warn them of sea hazards.
Humans would remove any bloodfish that might attach themselves to the dolphins' bodies, to float any stranded dolphin, to heal the sick and treat the wounded, to talk to them and to be partners if the dolphin was willing. -- from the Dolphins of Pern by Anne McCaffrey

Suggestions are to concentrate on the sentences at logical breaks. One would discuss: Dolphins would protect humans on or in the water to their best abilities, Then move on to: in whatever weather and unsafe conditions, etc. The key topic of discussion is the Dolphins Rights and ours. Is this a partnership or a subservient relationship and by whom.

Chapter 4: Dolphin Anatomy
This class teaches about what the makeup of a dolphin is, often including a real dolphin or else a model of one as part of the class.

Bottlenose dolphins have a long beak, and a sleek, streamlined body to move easily through the water. The eyes and ears are located on the sides of the head, the ears above and behind the eyes. On the top of the head above the ears is the blowhole, which is what they breathe through. Along the body, there are two flippers on the sides, called the pectoral fins, and a dorsal fin on the back.

Underneath on the dolphin's belly is the navel, and further towards the tail is the genital slit. If the dolphin is female, there are two mammary slits beside the genital slit, one on each side. Where the body narrows for the transition to the tail is the anus. The tail is divided into two lobes, called flukes.

((For ANSI image, please see the actual book on the MOO~ it won't work on the angelfire server.))

Chapter 5: Swimming with Dolphins
Dolphineers get to cruise the seas with a dolphin at the side. This chapter is the first introduction of swimming with the creatures. The most important thing to remember is that dolphins are intelligent and human-like; they are not beasts of burden. If you want to go swimming, be polite and ask your intended partner. They are usually obliging, and enjoy aiding humans, but show respect and don't abuse the privilege.

One hand should be cupped along the dorsal fin firmly, but not too tightly. The arm you aren't using should be slack, staying back against your side to lessen resistance as you move on. Kicking is up to you, but it's suggested that you don't. Keep your head down, and body straight to cut through the water most effectively, turning your head to one side if you need to breathe, or above the surface if you need to look at something above-water.

In teaching the class, dolphins should slowly take the apprentices at a glide, until they get more used to the feeling of being towed along. What is important about this skill is that moving through the water at swift rates is of value in rescues, when you need the speed.

It is important to keep your partner appraised at all times of your actions. If you're at sea, don't just go haring off on your own, but inform the dolphin so that the creature will know what to expect, and can aid you if something goes wrong. Listen to their advice, because they often understand the sea better than you do. If they say a certain area is dangerous, or that a storm is headed your way, heed their words. Never ignore a warning, no matter what you do; drop the task and return to shore.

OOCly, the swimming is usually done through RP, but you can 'swim with ' to swim with them code-wise and actually be pulled through rooms, but only after you're added to their list of friends. Contact their dolphineer if they're Partnered, or talk to Sarin or Tseyrin to get added.

Chapter 6: Bloodfish Removal
Bloodfish are small parasitic fish that attach themselves to the dolphin via a sucker-like mouth, while they slowly feed off the dolphin. Because of their small size, they don't eat much, except over a long period of time. But if they are attached in a delicate place, it can hurt the dolphin.

There are three options to remove a bloodfish.

The first:

Slowly lift the head of the bloodfish so that it breaks thehold on the dolphin. Hold tightly so it can't wriggle, and pull away with your free hand, slipping the dull edge of the knife under the fish between the gap that you've made between it and the dolphin's skin. Do not cut the sucker-mouth off, because it can leave the dolphin vulnerable to infection, but very slowly pull, and using the knife as a lever, pry it, freeing its mouth from the dolphin. It can then be killed or released. This can cause some damage, however, to the dolphin's skin, but it should heal quickly.

The second:

Find the back of the bloodfish's skull, and insert the point of your knife there, severing the spine. It will die, and be easy to remove. Make sure that sucker does come out; it should not be a problem, but if it for some reason remains inside, you should remove it. This is equally effective as the first, but be careful not to accidentally cut the dolphin in the process of severing the bloodfish's spine.

The third:

Holding the tail firmly, sever the body from the sucker mouth, then use the point of your blade to pop out the sucker from the skin. This is more difficult to master, and should only be done only by somebody experienced, but is less intrusive than the other methods.

Chapter 7: Floating a Dolphin
Dolphins don't get beached often, so finding one that needs to be floated will be a rare occurrence. However, if you should encounter the situation, you should be able to respond immediately and effectively. A beached dolphin is in serious danger, from dehydration and overheating.

If you find a dolphin, and you're by yourself, the first thing is to send for reinforcements with a firelizard, a bystander, or another dolphin. It is quite likely that dolphins will be hanging around, so even if you don't have a firelizard, you should be able to send a message. Trust your judgment.

Until help arrives, the best thing to do is keep the dolphin wet and as much out of the sun as possible. It might be good to carry a bottle of sun-protection salve with you. Once help arrives, the goal is to move the dolphin into the water.

The different ways of doing this depend on the situation: how many of you there are, and how close to the water the dolphin is. If the tide is coming in, you can dig a trench around the dolphin, and let the water float it away naturally. If you have to lift it, have an even amount of people on each side, and lift it only high enough to clear the sand. This is extremely stressful to the dolphin. You /can/, very carefully, drag it, but be sure to dig a trench for its fins, which are vulnerable to damage.

As with any patient, human or dolphin, give them reassurance, soothe them, because they are obviously going to be very distressed. Tell them what you're doing, talk to them, provide company. This class is often taught with a model dolphin, built as heavily as a real one would be, which gives the apprentices a chance to try without actually using a /real/ dolphin.

Chapter 8: Arms Only
The swimmer pushes off from the wall with their legs, and then holds then completely still and straight for the rest of the length. They keep their head back, and the arm movements are small s paths along their sides.

This class is easily taught by, first, taking them out of the water and showing them how the arm movements work before trying it. Relax, put your head back, and use your arms to push you along without kicking with your legs.

Chapter 9: Legs Only
The swimmer glides on their back again, doing what is a version of the Elementary Back Stroke, minus the arms, keeping them folded across their chest. Bend your legs at the knees, forming an 'L', then kicking both legs out in wide arcs to the side, bringing them smoothly together and gliding before folding them under themselves and repeating the motion.

Chapter 10: Breast Stroke
The swimmer pushes off from the wall, gliding briefly underwater before thrusting their arms forwards and kicking their legs back. They then pull their arms around in a heart shaped loop that brings their head above the water so they can take a breath. While they pull their arms around, they also fold their legs up,. They then duck back under the water, thrusting their hands and arms forwards and ahead of them, and kicking their legs back in wide arcs to the side from their knees gliding through the water. They repeat this thrust - loop - and - glide to the end of the lane.

Chapter 11: Crawlstroke
The swimmer pushes off from the wall and starts kicking lightly underwater with their lower legs. Their left arm arches out of the water above their head, pointing and entering the water in front of them. As it does, her right arm comes out, arching in the same movement. Every two or three strokes, they turn their head to the right as that arm comes out, taking a breath, then turn their face back into the water when it enters, slowly exhaling their breath. Their left arm comes out again when their right enters the water, and they follow the same pattern down the length of the lane.

Chapter 12: Sidestroke
The swimmer starts themselves moving by pushing off the wall with their legs, on their side. They glide momentarily then thrust their arms in opposite directions; one towards her toes, the other in front and above , keeping both underwater. Then they bring them both to their chest, palms outward, elbows still straight away from their body. As they do so, they also bring their legs up, bending them to prepare for a kick. They thrust their hands back in opposite directions again, and at the same time does a strong scissor - kick with their legs underwater, propelling themselves, and glide for a moment before repeating, bringing them to the end of the lane.

Chapter 13: Basic Diving
The dive is done with the swimmer standing with their legs slightly bent at the edge from where they're diving, toes over the edge. The arms are straight and behind back, palms up. The swimmer then swings her arms forwards, pushing off with their legs and tucking their head between the 'v' their arms form. They enter the water at approximately a 45 degree angle.

Chapter 14: Apprentice Project/Writeup
This last assignment is sometimes unnecessary for promotion, but usually is. It is usually something small, like a fact-finding mission, a desced object, a simple TP, or a write-up. Talk with one of the journeymen or masters, hopefully your mentor to be assigned one.