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 on Wednesday, October 18th, 1998, for the benefit of members unable to attend. Logged by Pyrene.
Hunting for Harpers
(I've no idea if anybody has the first part, but essentially, Harper Aife met up with bluerider Enya, visiting dolphinhealer Jezabel and brat Pyrene in the bowl while looking for her missing apprentice Fasulkad. She promptly draughted them in to help. This was part of a harper TP.)
Enya nods, "Course. If he's awake I think Kyleth can get a sense on 'em...found that healer girl when she ran off a turn or so ago." she remarks with a affectionate pat of bulky blue's neck, "Where to start?"
Aife points toward the ground weyrs, and the secret tunnels behind them. "In there."
How ominous, "You mean, there're tunnels over there?" Jez blinks slightly, wondering at the tunnels, or so Aife says there are tunnels. "He's inthere/? And we have to go /after/ him?" She might be just a -touch- claustrophobic sometimes.
Pyrene hesitates, "Got any glows?" It's /dark/ in there and she's heard the stories from the weyrbrats....
Aife nods impatiently, stalking toward the ground weyrs as if she tried to herd them with her. "Yes. I have glows. If you're that worried 'bout it don't come." This is a volunteers-only mission, of cousre, but do you /want/ the Harper wandering all over by herself?
Pyrene isn't too bothered about the harper, but she doesn't want the other brats to hear that she's wherry-livered, "Ok..." and she trails after.
Enya has to laugh, "Perfectly safe in there! As weyrlings we'd dare each other to spend the night in the dark catacombs." she warns with a nodded grin, "I know my way fair through there...he'd not go far.."
Aife giggles awkwardly at Enya. "C'mon then..?" She knows it's safe. She's been there too. Let her prove it.
Open sky is exchanged for protecting stone.
Ground Weyrs
Once a mere overhang in the bowl wall, this arched stone enclave was deepened in aeons past by who-knows-what to provide shelter for injured dragons and their mates. Craggy walls loom high to dwarf rider and dragon alike, sloping back from the weather-open entrance to a low opening into the infirmary itself. Stacked under rock-shaded cover are low supply chests of sturdy timber, flanked with long tables. Other openings are shaded by wherhide curtains, leading to smaller, private caverns for the dragonhealers' patients.
It is a spring evening.
Settled on rough-hewn ledge are Tatal and Torey.
Brown Keshalth is here.
You see Ferdin here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl Inner Ground Weyr Infirmary
Aife comes into shelter from bowl's wide open spaces.
Enya comes into shelter from bowl's wide open spaces.
Jezabel comes into shelter from bowl's wide open spaces.
Aife finds the key and slips into the Weyr's catacombs through the rusted iron-grate.
Finding the key, you slip it into the rusted lock and push open the corrugated iron grate.
Catacombs
Some ancient volcanic forces has shredded the Weyr's intestines, leaving behind these innards of blind corners, dead ends, and forgotten rooms. Ocassionally heavy doors block the way, and sometimes the roof itself has fallen in. The only way through, if one does not get lost, is up the seemingly endless flight of stairs; step after step, ledge after ledge, steep and slick they go forever upwards.
On the perch is Rome.
You notice Jorais asleep here.
Aife is here.
Obvious exits:
Stairs Ground Weyrs
Jezabel arrives from the ground weyrs, closing the heavy grate behind them.
Enya arrives from the ground weyrs, closing the heavy grate behind them.
Pyrene fidgets and tries not to huddle too closely to the others. "Now what?" she whispers, casting wistful looks behind her.
And here, where all have passed more than a few times....a smell, in the caverns, a musty fetid smell like stale air.
Aife sneezes. "Um...we just start hunting?" she suggests, a bit unsure.
Enya easily finds perch from one jagged part of the floor to another, short hieght making the need for ducking useless, "Try checking down those grottos...mighta wandered 'way from main path.." she suggests, dodging under a spinner web or two.
Pyrene ohhs. Well, yeah, that would work... She takes some glows and wanders edgily about, not going more than a half dragonlength from the others. "And if /we/ get lost?"
This isn't exactly Jez's forte, she's clueless as always, a catacombs are regarded with a careful look. "Umm.. look around? Maybe if we spread out we can cover more space or something."
"We aren't supposed to get lost..." Aife explains tolerantly, her small form vanishing behind a pile of rubble. And then, higher pitched, excited. "What's this?"
Pyrene follows after Aife hastily, stumbling on the rough ground but keeping upright. "What's what?" she pants as she peers over the rubble.
Short bluerider watches band of searchers with a amused look, but dark jade eyes blinking for a moment as she hears remark, "What?" Enya echos, creaping up on rubble to get better look.
Aife crouches behind a bit of rock, near a door that seems to be exuding that stale smell. "...Was this here before?"
Green eyes peek, slim form following after Aife's as a sneeze is contained by Jez, a sniffle as dust gets into eyes. She /isn't/ allergic, or Jez doesn't think so, as rubble is eyed warily, "What'd'ya see?"
And then, Aife vanishes through the door. "I don't think so...c'mon, let's see what's there..." In case what's there happens to be her missing apprentice.
From Pyrene's shoulder, Poldhu sneezes and squawks loudly. Pyrene shakes her head, "I don't know, but Pol doesn't want to go in. How about we look for Fas somewhere else?" She eyes the door warily.
Aife slips softly south.
Enya strides quietly south.
You go to the Hidden Room.
Hidden Room
A ghost room, a gallery for the work of a thousand spinners whose webs drape mournfully over dust-covered walls. A table stands waiting, work abandoned, even the crusted clay of a long-forgotten klah mug on its surface awaits its owner's return. A shelf of cubbyholes dominates one grey wall, colourless, bland, filled with yellowed, decaying hides from a bygone age. Boxes stack here and there, ancient treasure chests themselves, hiding from view whatever long-forgotten artifacts hide among them.
On the perch is Inspire.
Fasulkad, Aife, and Enya are here.
Obvious exits:
Catacombs
Loe and behold -- laying right square just inside the enterance lays a Harper Apprentice. Also known as Fas by those that care. However, slightly pale -- and rather unconscious -- signal he won't be responding to the other's enterances.
Pyrene chokes and sneezes while Pol presses his head in her hair, "Wh-where are we?" Kind of hard to see with eyes streaming. She blinks several times and points, "There's Fas!" Observation at its finest
Enya gives little mouse-like sneeze at dust, "What the..." she murmers, dark jade eyes blinking wide through air is sniffed curiously, then gaze lands on apprentice, "Oh! Wait! Don't breath in the air too much.." she gives warning, making way over to unconcious Fas with a worried click of the tounge.
"I told you!" Aife yelps. Who could breathe anything and not damage herself any further than has already been done. "Fas..?" No answer. Big surprise. She crouches next to him and tugs on an arm. Still nothing. Hmm. "Suppose we ought to drag him out?"
Pyrene decides to remain by the door, somebody's got to hold it open. She tries to fan fresh air into the room, which Pol manages a bit more effectively with his wings, "Is he OK?"
Jezabel slips in from the Catacombs.
Drag? Mightn't that hurt the poor unconscious guy? Not that'd Fas'd realise it until he was awake again, but as it is, no simple pokes or prods seem to bring him around. He remains sprawled out on the floor.
Pyrene continues to feebly try and wave clean air in. She's definitely not leaving the doorway! An anxious glance is cast Jez-wards, "Didn't you say you were a healer?" She's fairly sure somebody did.
Course it would. Thus brow of bluerider furrows, "No..here...help me lift him..then Kyleth can help once out of the catacombs.." Enya offers instructions, well...not like lil Ene can just swing him over her shoulder herself!
Aife heard that. And looks up at Pyrene hopefully. "Well? What d'we do with 'im?" The little Harper carrying anyone is out of the question, but Enya's better equipped. She tugs an arm upward again. "I'll help."
Jezabel walks out.
Pyrene helpfully holds the door wide open to make any dragging out easier. "Can you manage?"
Aife can't. But Enya with Aife's help can. Tug, drag...Fas should just be glad he isn't awake for this. "Infirmary?"
Pyrene stands back to let them pass through with their cargo. "Infirmary sounds good, Umm, do you want me to leave the door open?" Don't want anybody else geting caught.
Aife nods. "We'd better...let the air clear out." Grey eyes trail once more around the room itself. "I'm gonna want to come back in here...Look at all this stuff?"
Pyrene looks obligingly but isn't really all that impressed, "Mouldy hides, yeah..." She kicks some stones against the door to hold it, "OK, let's go!" not that she's eager to leave or anything.
Aife slips softly to the Catacombs.
Aife carries Fasulkad out.
You go to the Catacombs.
Catacombs
Some ancient volcanic forces has shredded the Weyr's intestines, leaving behind these innards of blind corners, dead ends, and forgotten rooms. Ocassionally heavy doors block the way, and sometimes the roof itself has fallen in. The only way through, if one does not get lost, is up the seemingly endless flight of stairs; step after step, ledge after ledge, steep and slick they go forever upwards.
On the perch is Rome.
You notice Jorais asleep here.
Fasulkad and Aife are here.
Obvious exits:
Stairs Ground Weyrs
Aife opts for heading through the large, corrugated, rusty door.
Aife carries Fasulkad out.
You find your way back out again, recognizing the heavy grated door near the infirmary and ground weyrs.
Ground Weyrs
Once a mere overhang in the bowl wall, this arched stone enclave was deepened in aeons past by who-knows-what to provide shelter for injured dragons and their mates. Craggy walls loom high to dwarf rider and dragon alike, sloping back from the weather-open entrance to a low opening into the infirmary itself. Stacked under rock-shaded cover are low supply chests of sturdy timber, flanked with long tables. Other openings are shaded by wherhide curtains, leading to smaller, private caverns for the dragonhealers' patients.
It is a spring late night.
Settled on rough-hewn ledge is Tatal.
Brown Keshalth is here.
You see Ferdin here.
Fasulkad and Aife are here.
Obvious exits:
Bowl Inner Ground Weyr Infirmary
Aife pushes open double doors to enter the infirmary.
Aife carries Fasulkad out.
Shining steel and redwort tang assault the senses on entry to the infirmary.
Infirmary
Echoing and austere, blank stone walls are vaulted high to overshadow the row of white-curtained cots along the back wall. Ancient metal gleams steel-bright in the form of sinks and examination table, lit relentlessly by bright glows and reflecting the colours of bottles and jars shelved above. Padlocked cabinets hide the more dangerous drugs and implements, whilst healer paraphenalia litters one solid oak table with sweetly-fragranced herbs and tattered scrolls. A dark staircase twists up from one corner to the dragonhealer's lair; one low door leads into the lower caverns, another to weyrhealers' quarters. Barn-sized doors open inwards with creak of hinges from the ground weyr.
Comfortable on top of a cupboard are Skye and Sunny.
You see Girta here.
You notice K'len asleep here.
Fasulkad and Aife are here.
Obvious exits:
Ground Weyrs Inner Caverns Healers' Quarters
Aife and Enya, between them, get the unconscious Fas onto a cot somewhere. The bluerider goes hunting for a Healer, and the Harper goes searching for smelling salts. She knows they're here somewhere.
Pyrene hovers, not overly fond of infirmaries either. All she wanted was a nice quiet evening. Tentatively she approaches Fas and peers at him. Yup, still breathing, "Found anything Aife?"
Aife holds up a little jar triumphantly. "Aye." Grey eyes narrow, dart one way, then the other, in search of Healer and bluerider who could still catch her. Then waves the jar slow, slow under Fas' nose. Does this stuff work?
Pyrene can smell it from here. She wrinkles her nose and backs away. That'd get her up if she was dead. "ugh!"
A light twitch of Fas' hand is first signal of possibly working, and the second is Fas' hand suddenly waving at the jar in an attempt to get it away from him as he gives a mutter under his breath.
Aife giggles a little evilly, and jerks her hand out of the way. "Watch it, don't hit me." So there. "Least you're awake now."
Is not. Or not much. Another mutter, and Fas rolls over on his side, single understandable words being, "Lemme' 'lone..." Basically because of the smelling salts.
Pyrene steps forward again to look at Fas, "How'd you feel? Double vision or anything?" Cause that would be interesting...
Aife slips the little jar into a pocket...that might come in handy later. "Yeah, how d'you feel?" Aren't they so considerate? Asking all this.
"Tired n' crowded," Fas mutters under his breath, more to himself than anyone else as he remains on his side, arms in front of him and half curled up.
Pyrene looks at Aife, "Maybe we could throw water on him?" It'd help wake him up of course, but it would also be fun.
Aife consider this. It's all a matter of whether Good Aife or Evil Aife is currently in control. "Naw...we'd better not," she says reluctantly. "He might actually be damaged." That wouldn't be good at all.
Pyrene thought Fasulkads were waterproof, oh well. She leans over him again, and says clearly and /loudly/, "Are you OK?" He just has to answer in the affirmative and then perhaps they'll leave him alone.
"Listena' Aife," Fas advises in another mutter. "She knows bettern'a do thata' me." After all, Fas may be down now, but he'll be back to normal eventually. At screaming in ear, one eye lazily opens, and glances sideways. "Only if you go away."
Aife almost snickers. Not quite. "Aw...but you're the most exciting thing t' happen around here in ages," she pouts. "Besides, did you see all the /stuff/ in that room?"
Pyrene didn't scream, exactly. She looks at Aife, shrugs and retreats somewhat. He's Aife's apprentice, she can deal with him.
"I was a little busy passing out," Fas replies in another mutter, shrugging.
Aife shrugs. "Well, I don' know how much you saw first..." Curiousity clouds her eyes as she leans over the cot. "How /did/ that feel, anyway? Did you just go in and fall--thud? Or what?"
Pyrene perks up her ears. She's never fainted, wouldn't hurt to be prepared in case she ever does, "Did the room swim?" She's heard rooms do that at these times.
Another shrug, and Fas momentarily doesn't answer. It almost seems like he might've slipped out of consciousness again, but then he mutters, "More like open door, bad smell, the room just blurred 'fore I could see anything," -- which would be a yes for room swimming, as far as Fas can tell -- "and the next think I know a bad smell is waking me up...."
Aife shrugs noncommitally. "Better'n the one that put ya to sleep...." And she'll keep it around, just in case. "I'm gonna go back later. It's pretty impressive. There's...old stuff everywhere."
Pyrene grimaces, "Smelly hides, what's so impressive about that?"
"Old? You write 'em when you were young?" Fas asks in a muted mutter. And he's only half awake on the insult-o-meter!
Aife kicks the leg of Fas' cot hard. Oops, did she do that? Naa. had to be your imagination.
Fasulkad waits for the cot to settle down, at which point, in the same muted mutter, he claims, "Guess so."
Pyrene eyes the goings on in half disapproval, half shocked delight. They're meant to be too grown up for that. She'll remember this. But Ziraaaade, Aife did it to Fas! She watches quietly in the background, hoping for more of the same.
"You," Aife points out dryly, "are exactly one sevenday younger than me." Down to the day. "And have a longer memory on top of it." See? She can be logical, doesn't /need/ to resort to petty actions like kicking people in bed.
Pyrene prefers petty behaviour, "So everything's OK? Fas isn't dying or anything? Definitely no need for the water?" She can only hope.
"Still younger, ain't I?" Fas questions, shifting a bit to wrap his arms around the pillow. "No need for the water."
Aife shrugs. "Only 'cause my brother says so." She doesn't remember being born, after all. She could be wrong. "Anyway, I outrank you." So there. "Naa...we really oughtn't to." No throwing water on him. Yet.
Pyrene pouts a little, and perches herself on a spare cot, swinging her legs idly. She's tired after all that door holding and stuff you know.
"What's your point?" Fas asks in response to Aife's comment about rank. As if not willing to hear, pillow is transfered from under Fas' head to on top of it. There.... Better to drown out the noise....
Aife shrugs. "Just remindin' ya." Not that she does't let him forget it the rest of the time. "Oh well. I'm gonna go send a note to the hall about those hides...get some sleep or somethin', all right?"
"Mhmm. Sure. Wha' eva'," Fas mutters in agreement, yawning, and snuggling down into the cot. "Bu'...."
Aife winks at Pyrene and slips out..
