Anyone who has read the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey will know that it takes a lot of work to manage a Weyr. There are dragons and dragonriders to take care of, Holds and Crafthalls to see to, and most importantly, Pern to protect from Thread. Even if you haven't read this fantastic series, it might be interesting to find out how you would do if you were in charge of a Weyr (the home of dragons and their riders). Just answer the questions and add up the number of A's, B's, and C's you get.
1. Your queen dragon looks like it will be ready to mate soon, along with another rider's queen. It is very important they do not fly at the same time so they don't view each other as competition and hurt or kill one another. You:
a) wait until the last minute to get your dragon to a safe place. That other rider should have to hide, not you.
b) tuck your queen away as soon as you can.
c) ask the other rider what she thinks is fair, and then act accordingly.
2. Your dragon has been in the mud again and now is a complete mess. You:
a) let her be dirty, even though it will make her skin itch and not heal properly. She's got to learn not to make so many problems for you.
b) bribe one of your friends to get her clean.
c) scrub her clean, of course. Even though you're dead tired, it's your responsibility to take care of her.
3. After your dragon has been cleaned, you notice a strange wound on her left wing. You:
a) listen sympathetically to her complaints, but figure it will probably go away on its own and don't take it very seriously.
b) make a note to ask the healer about it this week.
c) take your dragon to the healer immediately. You don't want it to turn into something worse.
4. Unfortunately, that wound spread and prevents your dragon from ever flying again. You:
a) feel bad for your dragon, but are kind of relieved that you have a companion like that without the work of fighting Thread that comes with it.
b) feel disappointed, but try your best to make your dragon feel useful.
c) are upset, but try to console your dragon while directing all of your energies into the other aspects of managing a Weyr.
5. While visiting a Weyr, you witness a dragonrider threaten a craftmaster's assistant with a knife for refusing to give away the device he is working on. You:
a) let the dragonrider attack him. It used to be that craft halls obeyed a rider's orders.
b) get someone to stop the fight. You don't want a petty quarrel to escalate into something serious.
c) step in and stop the fight yourself. Dragonriders should know not to attack someone of a craft hall for simply doing their job.
6. The Weryleader rushes in to see you in the middle of the fight, and instead of helping you, he attacks you! You:
a) fight the Weyrleader and the dragonrider to the death. If they want to start something with you, you're going to finish it.
b) try to explain the situation while dodging both of them.
c) fight back, but refrain from killing them, no matter how angry you are.. You've always been taught that dragonriders don't fight, and they certainly don't try to kill each other.
7. Finally, everyone has settled down and you and the other Weyrleaders meet to talk about what happened. Some of them are being quite rude and accusatory towards you. You:
a) react with the same anger and intensity that you are being treated with.
b) get flustered at times in the discussion, causing you to forget what you were going to say or speak less diplomatically than you had planned.
c) try not to lose your temper and listen to what others have to say, but also make sure your point gets across.
8. Someone discovers that grubs protect the land from Thread and that along with dragons, it is an effective way of protecting Pern. The problem is, everyone is used to thinking that grubs hurt forest area rather than help it grow. You:
a) are apalled at this new idea. No way is anyone going to convince you that those parasites are actually beneficial.
b) are skeptical of the idea and wait to see what other Weyrs think about it.
c) are willing to listen but insist on having proof that it works.
9. Another creative person comes up with an idea to visit the Red Star and destroy Thread at its source. This would mean Pern would no longer have to fight or hide from Thread, but no one is sure how dangerous it would be to actually go to the Red Star. You:
a) try to discourage the idea. It's not the risk that bothers you, but the disruption of routine and the possibility that if the plan succeeds, you won't be in control of Pern anymore.
b) are aware that people want a quick solution, but would prefer using grubs instead of taking such a risk.
c) look into it cautiously, only agreeing to go if you can be sure of the size of the Star, if there is oxygen, etc.
10. You have somehow proven that it would be reasonably safe to visit the Red Star and destroy all of the Thread. But would you actually do it?:
a) No, you would find some excuse not to. You like the power and the privileges that come with being a dragonrider more than the guarantee that Pern will always be safe.
b) Not sure. You want to help your planet, but what are you going to do after you've eliminated all threat? Dragons fight thread and dragonriders direct the creatures to do just that.
c) Yes, even though it means dragons and dragonriders will no longer be of any use to Pern. Your main concern is to protect Pern, not further yourself.
That's it! Add up your answers:
Mostly A's
Mostly B's
Mostly C's
