The Dragonriders of PernŽ is a trademark, Registered U.S. Patent & Trademark Office, of Anne McCaffrey. This is a recorded session, generated by Harper's Tale MOO in April, 1999, for the benefit of members unable to attend. Logged by Pyrene.
Greens for Breakfast
[One early morning... This log dates from my first experience with SearchCo. I'd come out to try RPing with Kelvren, being terribly conscientious back then... all the time I had on my hands in those days helped too]
Living Caverns
The rough-hewn majesty of this cavern far outpaces any delight in the multitudes of curves that form its enclosure. The glabrous grey granite is shot through with translucent obsidian, lending subtly-veined sparkle to the walls and the foot-trodden smoothness of the floor that shows centuries-old placements of the scarred trestle tables; carven hollows give homes for the glow baskets and the coat-pegs that line the walls. No mosaics, no painting, no tiles: just a few well-done tapestries mark the pathway that lead to the kitchen to the north and the inner caverns to the west, and frame the nighthearth's stew and snacks, while a heavier strip of oiled canvas shields the unwary from the wind in the bowl.
Tucked into a glowlit niche are Lightfoot, Kynance, Kate, Goblin, Vibo, Reno, Maeve, Snow, Nocturno, Lox, Zhaneel, Kyrus, and Ghost.
You see Tray 'o bubblies here.
Kelvren is here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl Kitchens Inner Caverns Crafting Area
Kelvren
He has dancing eyes of dark amber, golden flecked brown orbs that flicker brighter or dimmer depending upon his moods. A heavy forelock of red hair, once bleached to a burnished hue now darkened to a intense auburn, hovers over his eyes in tendrils that refuse to be managed. The rest has been cropped to a short stubble at the sides, sweeping back to the nape of his neck. Kelvren's angular face is softened by his youth, though the patrician nose stands out well over the chisled chin and high cheekbones. The young guardsman has a lean, muscular frame; broad shoulders with trim arms and legs, cut and defined from long hours of practices and duties. Though he has been sprouting taller every turn, a sense of youthful innocence still surrounds him, the cheerful smile, the easy manner, and casual confidence.
Kelvren is dressed in a simple, but rather eye-catching uniform. A rich High Reaches blue silk shirt with long full sleeves is held against his chest by a skin-tight wherhide jerkin dyed a deep black. The hide is supple, set with a series of overlapping metal disks to hinder an attacker's blade. Each arm has a similarly tight band of black hide ending at the elbow. The left bears the mark of a weyrguard, the right the crest of High Reaches Weyr, pierced by a sword. The jerkin ends where a pair of tight black wherhide pants begin, flowing down his legs. The inner cuffs tucked into a matching set of tall sturdy ebon black boots. A leather belt wraps about his waist, with sheaths and scabbards for his weapons. The uniform is completed by a pair of suede gloves, usually tucked into a loop at his waist. Kerropi is curled around Kelvren's neck.
Upon Kelvren's shoulder is a double corded knot, single looped, with a long tail in the blue and black of High Reaches Weyr, signifying his place as a weyrguard.
He is awake, but has been staring off into space for a minute.
Carrying:
Kerropi
Kelvren is 19 Turns and 17 days old.
Kelvren bustles towards the hearth, looking for klah, breakfast, the usual. "G'morn." he yawns, looking back over his shoulder to Pyrene.
Pyrene swings brightly in, and straight over to the food table as usual. "Morning," she chirps, pouring redfruit juice, "You look tired... night shift?" she asks a little too sweetly. She got a full night's sleep for a wonder, and is ready to gloat about it.
Kelvren stifles another jaw-breaking yawn and nods sleepily. "It's my shift for them this month. I really aught to be back in bed, but force of habit." Bringing over mug and platter of food, he settles at the closest table, too mind numb to actually choose.
Pyrene perches herself at the same table, too lazy to either choose or walk far. "I'm on duty with the five-eights this afternoon myself," she comments smugly, "Just small enough to boss around without having to watch too carefully. And I had such a nice sleep last night. Like a log. All night." She favours Kelvren with a sunny beam, "So, is it worth it do you think?"
Kelvren is perhaps too out of it to take umbrage at Pyrene's gibes about getting plenty of sleep. "Is what worth it?" he blinks sleepily, raising the klah mug to his lips. Which is followed by alot of coughing as he puts it back down and fumbles hurriedly for the jar of sweetener.
Pyrene waves her glass vaguely, "Guarding... our sorry lives. The weyr, you know. The kids aren't worth it, I can tell you that." Some might argue that the nannies aren't up to much either.
Kelvren spoons a generous portion of sweetener into his mug. "Worth it? Better be." he replies in a sort of surprised voice. "That's why I got posted here all the way from Ista really. Sometimes I wonder how necessary I am, but it's a living." Looking back over at her, he tries his klah again, deciding that it's now at least tolerable. "You don't like your job?" he asks.
Pyrene snorts, "I spend my days dealing with the unpretty end of babies and telling kids taller than me to behave." She glances ruefully down at herself, she's grown a little since getting drafted as nanny, but not enough in her opinion. "It's a living too though, I just wish I was allowed a larger knife or whatever it is you get." She eyes Kelvren for a moment as if he's hiding a small artillery about his person.
Kelvren isn't exactly armed to the teeth, but he _is_ carrying. His mouth twists in a wry grin. "Somehow I don't think that the parents would exactly care to see you taking a blade to their offspring." he chuckles, breaking between gulps of klah with bites from the assortment of food on his plate.
Pyrene shrugs, "I don't know, there's a few that I'm sure nobody could care about. And most would look better with a few scars." She picks up a butter knife and makes a few experimental jabs, "'Sides it's all part of growing up. I was beaten up regularly as a kid and am all the better for it." CAn't you tell? Another jab with knife scratches the table top and she hastily replaces it. Nobody saw that.
Kelvren thinks that's the sharpest butter knife he's ever seen and wonders who's bright idea it was to leave them in the living cavern where proddy riders and neurotic nannies can get at them. Kidding. "Were ya? I had my share of being kicked around myself." he comments, trying to ignore the bit about cutting up kids. He's almost positive she's joking about that. "I was the youngest in my family." he shrugs. Course, he grew up nice and big, bigger than Pyrene at any rate.
Neola arrives from deeper in the Weyr.
Pyrene peers at Kelvren, "You were the youngest? Poor you. It was bad enough being in the middle. I don't even know who the youngest in my family is... they keep deciding to have another one." You'd think they'd have learned by now, but... "Hey, Neola..." she greets, fingers straying back to the butter knife again. She wouldn't really, but well, it's tempting sometimes.
Kelvren shrugs his broadening shoulders. "Yeah I was the youngest, but it sorta made me learn how to fight back pretty well." Looking up, he nods to Neola. "Morning." Turning back to breakfast, he puts away a good portion of the food without a thought.
Neola quietly scamper-skitters in, looking left and then right before stopping midstep and taking one step back as she spots a familar someone. Horrors! Its a nanny! And.. Pyrene too. The one who made her eat those greens... Or tried anyhow, "Hullo."
Pyrene smirks wickedly at Neola. She's technically off-duty right now, but well.... She eyes Kelvren again, "So you became a guard. Weird. And I became a nanny because I've spent my whole life babysitting and the weyr saw no reason for me to stop just 'cause I'd left home." Typical that. "So who do you fight now? We don't seem to get many invaders? Or are you supposed to pull the riders off each other when they're proddy." She pauses, takes in what she just said and blushes, "I mean proddy irritable."
Off-duty or no.. She's still a nanny. Something for Neola to be on the watch for, for sure. "Whats there to eat? I thought I smelled some food or something." Then comes the automatic and typically Nee-ish question, "Any cookies?"
Kelvren chokes, spluttering klah for a second there. "No, no, no. None of that. The guards leave the riders more or less alone." Never get into disputes with someone who's got a backup crew of more than 20 tons of dragon. "We just keep a look out on the visitors who drop by for no apparent reason, the holdless who come around for free meals, keep an eye out for the tithe wagons when they're scheduled. Stuff like that." he says when he manages to clear his throat.
Pyrene could learn a lesson from the guards it seems. She regularly finds herself in trouble with 20 tons of dragon, or at least it's not exactly unheavy tail. "No cookies," she replies cheerfully to Nee, "I think there's some greens though. You like them, don't you?" She offers Kelvren a napkin belatedly, "What about nannies who are getting a bit too enthusiastic over brat discipline?" Just a random question, not at all for Nee's benefit.
Kelvren takes the napkin and mops up as he gives Pyrene a raised brow. "Hmm, might have to do something about /them/." he jokes, wiping his mouth as well. "Maybe something drastic, like tieing them up and leaving them at the hands of the kiddies for a day."
Neola blinks a moment and just turns to give Pyrene a look, "Greens? No! o' course I don't like em.. I like cookies!" Okay, so maybe that came out whiner then she wanted. But she's sick of arguments with the 'dults. They keep telling her to eat nasty foods.. Constantly. "Cookies taste better too. Why do I hafta eat greens?"
Pyrene narrows her eyes. How come this tying up thing seems to keep coming up in connection with her. "But if it's just discipline," she wheedles, "I mean, you must have to give out discipline yourself sometimes." She nods to Neola absently, "You have to eat your greens so that you can grow up as big and strong as Kelvren here. Big enough to tie nannies up apparently." She frowns at both brat and guard. It's /not/ a good idea.
Neola blinks a litttle and turns towards Kelvren, curiousity perked most definately, "Tieing up Nannies? Really? You'd can do that?" Ohh. A plan! "How? And could ya show me?" She asks, getting excited now and just smirking in Pyrene's direction. Ahh, a way for the Brats to fight back! Yes.. And she has a Nanny or two who might be able to use a good tieing up. Even if only for a day, "But instead of leaving them to the other Brats. Can ya just have a dragon watch over em? Erranth would be happy to I think."
It's Pyrene's turn to splutter now. "No he wouldn't." She affirms swiftly, "And you need to eat your greens if you want to tie me up anyway." So there.
Kelvren winks at the child. "Is that what you would do, if you could do anything you want to Pyrene over here?" he asks Neola curiously as he finishes up his meal, using left over bits of bread to mop up what's left. "Leave her with Erranth?" He chuckles softly to himself. "I don't think I could show you how to tie her up though, it's...complicated and not to mention I'm sure Pyrene could outrun you."
Neola just about bursts out in a fit of giggles at her Nanny's reaction, "But it'll be fun! Erranth is nice.. Lifts you up so nicely with his tail and everything. Good to see things from that vantage." Okay, so maybe she's being just the slightest bit cruel here. But attention goes to Kelveren as she continues, "Out run me? Nah, I don't think she could. I got her before. With mud and snow. She's not /that/ quick. But you's could teach me.. I could learn. Please?"
Pyrene nods, "I'm very fast. It's cause I ate all my greens as a child." She's allowed to lie if it promotes good behaviour. Says so in the nanny rulebook. "Maybe you could train as a guard, though, Nee. Then you'd learn the knots and everything. I'm sure you could start now?" She gives Kel a hopeful look.
Kelvren shakes his head. "Nope, sorry." he replies, giving Pyrene the hairy eyeball back. "Gotta be taller to join the guards." Teeth shine as he grins back. "Maybe if you did eat your greens, Neola, I can teach you someday."
Kelvren has hairy eyeballs? Now that is scary. At least the conversation's on the right track now. "There, see." she declares to the younger girl, "All you have to do is eat your greens and then you can tie people up." Really, that's what the conversation's proved.
OOC: Pyrene sticks a Pyrene in that pose somewhere...
Neola shakes her head again and pouts, "I'm tall 'nuff! But.. Maybe I don't wanna be a guard. I wanna be a Brat! And eat cookies." And terrorize Nannies.. And Riders, and basicly everyone else. "I don't need to be a guard. Nope! I'm quite happy the way I am. 'Sides.. I could always learn how to tie somewhere else."
Pyrene stares levelly at Neola, "But you're getting older. Soon you'll be too old to be a brat and too small to be of any use. We'd have to use you as target practice for the weyrlings or something."
As long as Kelvren's not involved with any of that, he's happy. "Good luck." Whether he meant to say that to Pyrene or Neola is hard to tell. "Glad someone likes what they do though." he chuckles, finishing off the dregs of his klah. "In any case, breakfast is over, and I guess I aught to go check up on things." Make sure the other guards aren't snoozing on their feet, got their boots polished, things like that. Ho hum. "Nice talking to ya, both of you."
Pyrene nods and waves, wondering out loud, "What do you do if things aren't right?" Always good to trade tips you know...
Kelvren looks over his shoulder as he heads out. "Take care of it. Somehow." he grins, ever so confident. Yeah right.
Kelvren exchanges the protection of stone for the bowl outside.
"Target practice?!" Comes the startled yelp, "But.. You can't use me for target practice! I'm a brat!" Neola says, frowning a little as she tries to think up more excuses, "Yeah! Thats it.. Umm. Hardly right for Weyrlings to use. 'Sides, I'll grow.. I'm already starting to you know. Ma and Da were tall, so I's will be too."
Pyrene looks gloomily at Nee from over the top of her glass. Great, another brat destined to be taller than she is. "You might not," she mutters darkly, "Something could happen to stunt your growth."
Thesy strolls in from the Central Bowl.
"Thank you, P'rat and give my love to Fianna," Calling her goodbyes over her shoulder Thesy strolls in, heading straight for the hearth. A mug is snatched and filled with klah before she turns to meander towards the Zephyr table, deserted as usual. "Morning, Pyrene, Neola!" The bluerider casts a smile at the two girls at the other table, "How's it going?"
Yumi arrives from deeper in the Weyr.
"Stunt my growth? Oh? Like what?" Neola asks, eyes on Pyrene for a moment as she asks but quickly going to Thesy to offer a cheerful, if not slightly hyperish, wave, "Hullo!" Hmm, maybe she /did/ find one of those hidden stashes of cookies last night.. But attention soon goes to Nanny again, "But whatcha mean? You don't think I'll get tall like Ma and Da? Why not?"
Pyrene raises her eyes up to Thesy, "Well enough. I s'pose, Neola was just about to eat some greens for breakfast." Yeah, time for kid torture again. The prospect brightens her spirits and Yumi gets a "Morning" all but carolled at her.
Yumi half dances into the cavern twirling SnowBall around in the air...:"Hello" She chimes with that all to happy voice of hers..
Yumi
Free flowing and carefree is what you see when you first look at her.. Her blonde hair flowing nicely down to her hips and her delicate ice blue eyes seem to sparkle with her true spice of life... Fun... She has a delicate frame and pale white skin, soft and smooth almost like fine china. Her delicately painted cheeks have a small hint of rose pink to them... Her lips have a lovely ruby red coloring to them. Her overall picture gives you the impression of a doll. Her general air around her gives you the feeling she is easy going and yet something is there... some mystery.
Yumi wears a nicely tailored skirt and blouse. The skirt has an airy movement to it. and seems to have a life of its own when she walks.. The blouse has the same feeling, flowing with her every move... As she walks the grace of a cat the clothes seems to move around her not constricting her movements. Her feet are covered in soft leather boots that come to her mid calf area.
She is awake and looks alert.
Yumi is 16 Turns, 9 months, and 9 days old.
L'shil bounds in from the Central Bowl.
Thesy takes a sip and places her notes in front of her before she grins over to Pyrene, "Making the kids detesting breakfast again?" and winks at Neola. "Morning, Yumi!" At the clatter of steel-rimmed boots she peers at the entrance and as soon as L'shil's recognized he gets a G'morning too!
L'shil
A mass of mousy brown curls perch atop his head, short-cropped and bushy; bright eyes of a warm mahongany peer out from beneath arched eyebrows so fine they're barely there. Jovial features mark his sunny, rounded face, from the prominent, bulbous nose to the firmly generous mouth and clean-shaven chin. His barrel torso matches the rest of his chunky, lumpish form, with his large, long hands and thickset legs. He seems shorter up close than he does at a distance, merely tall instead of gigantic.
Solid, plain jacinth, bright and eye-widening, reveals itself to be an unadorned long-sleeved shirt once eyes have gotten over their shock, matched with a pair of comfortable plum pants and a pair of sturdy deep brown boots.
Plum. No other name could define this scarf quite so well, so generally /plum/-ish, is it. Handsewn specifically for its owner, the tightly woven wool is of just the right length and width to properly protect L'shil's neck from the harsh winds and snows of a High Reaches winter. The two far ends are frayed, with golden-orange beads knotting the thin tendrils into thicker strands. A similarly-hued inscription has been added at either end as well, reading 'L & S', framed in a carefully sewn heart.
He is awake, but has been staring off into space for a minute.
L'shil is 17 Turns, 8 months, and 2 days old.
Neola blinks again and looks about to protest but quickly hushes and just mutters dark things under her breath, "Greens? Oh.. Sure." She mumurs softly, shaking her head and frowning, "I'd much rather eat cookies. Or maybe bubblies.. And some juice."
Yumi smiles as she prances to a seat and places SnowBall on a table and snuggles the cat close "How are all you all today?" She giggles and nods to Thesy..
L'shil waves energetically. "Hey, Pyrene. Thesy, there you are, been looking all over for you. Hello to you other folks, too, I'll give yah a proper greetin' once I know your names."
Pyrene would reel from L'shil's energy if she had enough of her own. Instead she helpfully puts in, "This is Neola, and she's going to eat her greens, because there /aren't/ any cookies. None at all. And this is..." She blinks at Yumi, "Er, who are you?"
"Looking for me?" Thesy raises a curious eyebrow, and pointing at the pile of hides on the table, she grins, "Hopefully not to remind me to not forget my studies! See, I've brought them with me. But do sit down, please."
Yumi gets the sense something was directed towards her but isnt sure so she just chimes in "Well now... How about that Kitty we have us a real rider here.." She giggles and holds the cat out..."Yumi..." She almost sings "And you are?" She giggles and postively glows with happiness..
Neola looks up quietly and blinks as she spots.. Whats this? *gasp!* Someone else is energetic too? Ooh.. "Hullo!" She greets cheerfully, tilting her head to the side slightly, "Whatcha up to?" Okay, probably not the best question to ask, but she's curious, "And she's right. I'm Neola, though I'm /not/ going to eat those greens." Glare being sent Nanny's way as she ends that, but cheerful mood soon returns, "What else is there to eat then? Surely there's something good to eat around. Even if it isn't cookies."
Pyrene checks behind her, "Two real riders... well Thesy rides blue, but they still count, I'm afraid." Unfortunately. "I'm Pyrene. Anyone for food while I serve Nee?" She wanders over to the table, cheerfully ladling greens into a bowl, and pouring redfruit juice for herself.
"Bring me some cereal, please Pyr?" Thesy hopes that riding a blue won't keep Pyrene from bringing her some breakfast too. But one never knows with her.
Yumi gasps and looks at Thesy, blushing softly "Oh sorries" She chimes slowly. Then snuggles the cat again.. Energetic... no just overly happy.. okay energetic.. "Im just sittin here with kitty" She smiles and makes the poor cat wave her paw and mew softly.
L'shil ahs. "I'm L'shil, brown Piccath's rider. How nice to meet you, Neola, Yumi. No, no, nothing like that, Thesy. I'm more likely to forget them than you. At least, the reading part. The hands-on stuff is going to be remembered no matter what. I'm not up to much, just happy." Hah. He's normally energetic. "Food? Always. Whatever's nearest, I'm not picky. Greens are good, though, if you don't decide to hate them instead of eating them. Thesy, I was actually wanting to talk to you about that stuffed dragon that's become the tradition for the youngest of each clutch to get."
Pyrene will serve blueriders if they ask nicely. Serving the dragons might take a bit more persuasion, but riders are usually fine. Cereal is deftly scooped into another bowl and another bowl of greens is prepared for L'shil. He can set Nee an example. Riders are served first, not that she's much for respect. She does agree with teaching the brats their place however.
Yumi looks at Pyrene and the negative feelings she is getting from her and smiles all the more cheerfully "So you are a...?" She leaves it open and nods. Then looking at L'shil "A stuffed dragon??" Her eyes alight with joy....
Pyrene brings her juice and Nee's greens over, setting the latter right under the child's nose. She does enjoy seeing the reaction as the smell hits, even if she can't make them eat it. "I'm a nanny," she tells Yumi cheerfully. And sometimes she even likes her job.
Neola blinks again and eyes the brown rider curiously, "So /you're/ the L'shil.." She mumurs softly, having heard his name around and always wanting to meet him, but never seeming to be able to, "Well met then." She replies, grinning now but that soon fadeing as she spots Pyrene and the greens, "Aww, there's got to be something better then greens. Isn't there?"
Yumi smiles and nods "Oh well I am " she stops and thinks, getting confused quite easily "Ummmm" she still thinks if you could see the smoke the room would be filled with it... "I am Yumi" She smiles quite proud of herself.. "This is Kitty" She holds the cat out....
Pyrene looks innocently at Neola over the rim of her glass (which is hiding her evil, evil smirk) "Neola, my dear child. What could be better than greens? They're what make you grow and give you energy like L'shil here. And Thesy, look how tall she is. /All/ riders eat their greens. I expect Yumi's do too, although I'm not sure about kitties." She squints at the cat as it's held out, "I think they prefer milk."
L'shil laughs. "What're you talking about, Neola? Greens are tasty. Some are sweet, some are bitter, some are crunchy. It all depends on what they are. Besides, you surely don't think I got to this size without eating my greens, do you?"
Yumi smiles and forces the poor cats head to nod, and she mews softly "Kitty likes everything" yup, whether or not she likes it, anyways "Oh greens mother used to put them on my plate and tell me to eat them with my fish" She smiles "Daddy also hated them but momma was a stern momma" She giggles happily remembering the time momma chased her father with a ladle.
Neola frowns a little and looks from nanny, to brown rider, to blue rider, and then back to nanny again, "But.. But.." She starts, trying to think of a good excuse but unfortunately not finding one. "They can be good?" She asks, attention on L'shil now. If anything she'll believe him. She's heard good things about him.. Nannies on the other hand are a thing to be wary of. Never ever trust a Nanny. Especially not the Pyrene type nannies. "Well, which kind are these? The bitter ones I assume." She adds as she gives the bowl a look, a sniff, and makes a face, "Yup, icky."
Pyrene peers over at the bowl, "Stewed ones I think. They're the best." Really. She regards the cat sympathetically and suggests to Yumi, "Maybe she'd be happier on the floor?"
L'shil holds up a finger. "Wait a bit. I'll take a bite, and tell you what I think they are." And with that, a forkful swiftly enters his mouth to be chewed throughly and swallowed. "They're a good mix. The little green balls, those are pretty sweet, and same with the bigger white-and-green ones. The leaves are bitter, but taste nice with cheese, and these archs are nice and crunchy."
Yumi smiles and looks at the cat and then Pyrene "Really you think?" She asks as she slowly sets her cat down and watches the cat look up to her and run away into the group of people, you swear it is like one of Elmyra's pets escaping.
Pyrene watches L'shil with interest. Dragonriders really are crazy. Noticing the cat disappear, she nods to Yumi, "She looks a lot happier now, doesn't she?"
Yumi nods really quickly "Yes she does like to make trouble " She giggles and watches Snowball.
Snowball looks around and arches her back then she looks around for a target... Yup some one to pay attention to her... She slowly moves as if stalking her prey...
"They are?" Neola asks doubtfully, but eyes the bowl again, almost as if considering that, "They can be good? Hmm. I might try a bite or something. Maybe. Just to see.." She mumurs softly, afterall, they didn't seem to kill L'shil or cause any visible damage. That she can see. Then she sets her attentions to something else: looking about the table for a fork or other such utensil, "Maybe they won't be so bad afterall."
Thesy reluctantly returns to RL. Sheesh!
Thesy has disconnected.
Pyrene nudges a fork over to Neola trying not to look too hopeful. If this works she's taking full credit and wants a promotion.
Yumi giggles and watches the nanny.
[and the university server went down! Talk about your cliffhanger endings.]
