Dragon Colours

Gold Dragons

Gender: Female
Type: Metallic
Size: 38-42m

Gold dragons are the Queens of the Weyrs, unmistakably seated in the highest possible position in the Weyr hierarchy. Those who become the lifemate of a Gold are automatically elevated to Weyrwoman status, granting a lot of power in the Weyr’s political structure. They are Impressed exclusively by girls, and likewise, Golds are always female. Importantly, they are the mothers of the Weyr; they are the only fertile dragons in existence. No other dragon will ever disobey an order from a Queen, which is the final step in their deep roots behind their positions as leaders of the Weyr.

Golds cannot chew firestone, even if they tried - they were designed to regurgitate any firestone eaten. Their sizes range from 38-42 metres in adulthood, and they boast the best endurance of any dragon around; this can clearly be seen in their long-ranging flights. However, they lack quite significantly in agility due to their hefty size. When fighting Thread, as they cannot chew firestone to produce a flame, a Goldrider uses a flamethrower. The Queen's Wing take the bottommost position during Threadfall, with their job being to destroy any missed thread or to save any fallen dragons or riders.

The rarest of all dragon colourings, there will be no more than one Gold egg present in a clutch at any given time, and definitely not every clutch at that. Golds rise 1-2 times a turn during a Pass, evenly spaced, and are usually caught by Bronzes, and occasionally by Browns (with no Gold eggs and poorer clutch numbers resulting from this latter coupling). Their clutches can be anywhere up to 60 eggs, with the egg count increasing during a Pass. A mothering dragon will never leave the Sands while eggs are present, even if her rider dies; she will between as soon as all eggs have hatched.

Bronze Dragons

Gender: Male
Type: Metallic
Size: 35-38m

Bronzes are the so-called "Kings" of the Weyr, as some more uppity 'riders like to call themselves, the largest and strongest of all male dragons ever to fly the skies of Pern. They are often found in high-ranking positions, up to and including Weyrleader, being that Bronzes are more likely to catch the senior Queen in her mating flights. They Impress to boys only, and the Bronzes themselves are always male. Bronzes typically possess poor Search capabilities, but this is negated by often possessing many leadership qualities; again, part of the reason why many ranking positions are taken by Bronzeriders.

Bronzes chew firestone to breathe fire, belching forth a slow, wide flame; they are able to destroy large patches of Thread at once. They grow from 35-38 metres long, and are quite bulky, sacrificing dexterity for an extreme amount of stamina and strength. They easily last through an entire Threadfall, which is part of their appeal as Wingleaders and Wingseconds. Due to their size and comparative sluggishness, however, Bronzes are restricted to flying in the lower wings during a Fall.

Though at least one Bronze normally appears in any given clutch, they are the next rarest down from Golds, and their hatching is a cause for celebration between the weyrfolk. Indeed, it is seen as a sign of good luck if the first hatchling is a bronze. Bronzes most commonly chase Golds, and have the highest chance of catching them over any other dragon colour; they find, however, the wily Greens are often too nimble for them to catch.

Brown Dragons

Gender: Male
Type: Chromatic
Size: 30-35m

Brown dragons are the middlemen of the dragon world, the jack-of-all-trades and the master of none. Strong as a small bronze and quick as a large blue, they are able to fit into just about every role in the Weyr they put their minds to. The downside is that they will never be the best in one particular area - simply good at everything. Browns have an equal chance at any rank whatsoever, even Weyrleader (though this would be very rare indeed). The male-gendered Browns can Impress either male or female Candidates, but the latter gender being Impressed is a rather rare event indeed.

Like all dragons bar Gold, Browns chew firestone, producing a flame similar to themselves - middling between speed, length and breadth. They can grow as long as 30-35 metres, and gain the best of both worlds: they have speed and agility from their Blue and Green siblings, and strength and endurance from their Bronze and Gold brethren. Most Browns can last through an entire Threadfall, and are often relegated to important positions within a Wing due to their ability to cover almost anything. Browns can fly the top, middle, or bottom of a Flight without much difficulty at all.

Browns aren't uncommon, yet again being somewhere between Blue and Bronze in Hatching frequency. Browns have the ability to chase both Gold and Green, and have a fairly good chance of catching both.

Blue Dragons

Gender: Male
Type: Chromatic
Size: 25-30m

Blue dragons are the smallest of the males, but with decreased size comes increased agility, making Blues quick and nimble in their aerial stunts. They are also excellent Searchdragons, by some internal quirk of nature. Blues, always male, look to either gender for Impression, favouring both sexes roughly equally. Blues can never become Weyrleader, but just about everything else is an open possibility for them, especially in the high-flying Wings where Blues and Greens dominate.

Quick, long breaths of flame is a result of Blue firestone consumption, perfect for flying the top Wings of a Flight. Their average size is about 25-30 metres, just a little more enduring but a touch less dextrous than their Green sisters. Larger Blues can last through an entire Fall, but most switch out halfway through, exhausted from their activities. Blues fly near the top in Threadfall, along with Greens, catching the thickest of Thread with their fiery breath.

Blues are the second-most common dragon colour, with clutches generally having a couple more Blues than Browns. Normally the Blues fly Greens, but very occasionally attempt the Queens, however incredulous that may seem to any onlookers; they have next to no chance of catching them. They do, however, have more chance at catching a Green than the other dragons, purely due to their similar skills in aerial acrobatics

Green Dragons

Gender: Female
Type: Chromatic
Size: 20-25m

Green dragons are the smallest and most common of all the dragon types, and are often looked down upon by others, literally and figuratively; it does make one feel loved, doesn't it? But the Greens play one of the most important roles in the Weyrs, as their small size and super-fast movements are perfect for fighting Thread. The only female dragons sans Gold, Greens Impress either males or females, with no particular bias towards either gender. Much like Blues, Greens can achieve almost any rank they stick their nose into, barring Weyrleader or Weyrwoman.

Greens chew firestone, letting forth rapid jets of flame; this firestone consumption is thought to render them sterile, but is actually due to their ancestral genetic modifications. Though rarely able to last an entire Fall, they are loved by Wingleaders all the same, because their speed and agility is beaten by no other. The average Green size is about 20-25 metres, their small size inducing their breathtaking speeds and aerial manoeuvrability. Greens fly at the top of the wings, above most other dragons, which is why they are loved so much by Wingleaders - they catch the major part of Threadfall.

As mentioned, Greens are the most-clutched colour of dragon, making up around half the Weyr. 1-4 times a turn, however, Greens become 'proddy', an emotional, moody state which effects them and their riders for a few days, before rising to mate. Unlike Golds, Greens do not clutch; probably a good thing, considering the frequency of their flights! They are most often caught by Blues, though Browns are not uncommon, and rarely by Bronzes, though the metallics are often simply too large to keep up.