Created by Goldrider Naela on Wed Aug 17th, 2022 @ 1:52am

Sevendays 1-3

During this time, all the dragonette really does is eat, sleep, and grow. A weyrling's time is spent chopping up food, feeding, bathing and oiling his lifemate. During the couple of candlemarks when the young dragonette is sleeping, the weyrling spends this time cleaning up after the mess of feeding and oiling his lifemate. Two candlemarks out of the day are spent on instruction on the health and well being of the young dragonette, and hides are available for those who wish to learn more about what is to come in the process of future training.

Skills covered:

Dragonhealing Knot Recognition Knot Making Feeding Bathing Oiling Ills of poor Oiling

Sevendays 4 & 5

By this time, the dragonette is awake more and able to begin learning with their lifemate. The ritual of feeding, bathing and oiling still occurs, but with longer intervals between naps for the young dragonette. Marching drills now commence. This entails structured routine of marching designed to teach both the weyrling and dragonette to work together, as well as to teach them to work with a group. Along with these drills, hand signals are also taught. Weyrlings march on the ground in formations they will later use in the air. Training with the use of belt knifes and hand to hand combat commences as well. This is a time honored training schedule that was necessary during the darker days of dragonriding when a dragonrider found himself in need of such skills.

Skills covered:

Dragonhealing Feeding Bathing Oiling Marching Flying signals Wing formations Belt Knife Tactics Hand to Hand Tactics

Sevenday 6 & 7

More advanced marching drills are taught at this time, including both dragon and rider. Along with this, basic healing is taught as well by the Weyrhealer. Message relaying from rider to dragon in pairs throughout a selected group is begun. It is often started as a game, teaching rider and dragon to properly relay messages. Imaging is also taught at this time, training the rider to properly send his lifemate an image and vice versa. It is at this point that weyrlings are fitted for their first set of riding leathers, and the dragon for his straps. Each weyrling and dragon are required to wear their respective leathers to get used to the weight and feel of them. Especially during marching drills. Just after morning marching drills, firestone training begins. Teaching a dragon to properly ingest firestone is a tricky business. Leathers will not be worn at this time.

Skills covered:

Advanced Marching Riding Leather care and treatment Group Training Message Relaying Firestone Training

Sevenday 8 & 9

At this point, weyrlings are moved to larger quarters designed to house their ever growing lifemates. A group of four riders are assigned to each set of barracks (unless the clutch is overly large, then they are housed in groups of five or six). The riders who are assigned to live together are not necessarily the groups each are assigned to, as these rotate from sevenday to sevenday to give train each pair in group interaction. More advanced firestone drills are taught at this time. By now, most pairs know the proper size and amount to digest. More advanced training in how to expell a proper flame is also taught at this time. Bagging firestone now becomes the weyrling's duty. Lines of weyrlings are set up to fill and move firestone in a fast and efficient manner. This duty will become a sevenday routine for the weyrlings up until they graduate from weyrlinghood. Intricate ground drills (more marching) are taught, growing in intensity as each sevenday progresses. Imaging is intigrated with this as well so that riders and dragons can get used to picturing something while moving.

Skills covered:

Intricate Group Training Advanced Imaging Advanced Message Relaying Firestone Drills Bagging Firestone

Sevenday 10 & 11

Basic flight training begins. The dragon learns to fly solo, practicing take offs, landings, and straight flights. Mounting and dismounting are also taught, although no flying is allowed by riders at this time. Continuation of marching (ground) drills, firestone drills and bagging of firestone. Goldriders begin training with senior goldriders, but are still required to participate with the regular weyrling training every other day.

Skills Covered:

Intricate Group Training Advanced Imaging Advanced Message Relaying Firestone Drills Bagging Firestone Basic Flight Training Mounting Dismounting

Sevenday 12 & 13

Morning marching drills are replaced with exercise routines including a candlemark swimming to build muscles that aren't strengthened during regular exercises. Marching drills now occure mid morning until the nooning meal. Afternoon runs are also initiated at this time as physical training for the rider intensifies. Dragons begin learning to between without their rider under the strict supervision of the Weyrlingmaster or one of his seconds. More advanced flight patterns are taught to the dragon while the rider trains on the ground.

Skills Covered:

Intricate Group Training Advanced Imaging Advanced Message Relaying Firestone Drills Bagging Firestone Intermediate Flight Training Basic /betweening/ Physical Rider Training

Sevenday 14 & 15

Physical training is intensified. Dragons and riders fly together for the first time under the direct supervision of the Weyrlingmaster or one of his seconds. Dragons and riders practice imaging, but do not /between/ together just yet. Goldriders now train mainly with senior goldriders, training with the other weyrlings only during flight training.

Skills Covered:

Intricate Group Training Advanced Imaging Advanced Message Relaying Firestone Drills Bagging Firestone Advanced Flight Training (Both dragon and rider) Advanced Physical Rider Training

Sevenday 16 & 17

The first /between/ jump is taken by the dragonriding pair at the beginning of sevenday 16. At first, short hops within the Weyrbowl are taken. By the end of sevenday 17, weyrlings are learning to /between/ between nearby Weyrs, Weyrholds, holds and crafthalls. The Weyrling Wing begins to fly pre and post falls, and sitting in on pre and post fall meetings.

Skills Covered:

Intricate Group Training Advanced Imaging Advanced Message Relaying Firestone Drills Bagging Firestone Advanced Flight Training (Both dragon and rider) Advanced Physical Rider Training Intermediate /betweening/ Pre & Post fall flight Pre & Post fall meetings

Sevenday 18 & 19

More advanced /betweening/ is practiced. Taking images from other riders and dragons are encouraged. Weyrling pairs begin catching the trailing edge of fall at the lowest altitude just under the goldrider's wing during fall.

Skills Covered:

Intricate Group Training Advanced Imaging Advanced Message Relaying Firestone Drills Bagging Firestone Advanced Flight Training (Both dragon and rider) Advanced Physical Rider Training Advanced /betweening/ Pre & Post fall flight Pre & Post fall meetings Trailing Edge Fall

Sevenday 20

Leading edge fall is flown, with a break to run firestone, then trailing edge fall is flown. All aspects of training is intensified to a harder, more encompassing schedule.

Skills Covered:

Intricate Group Training Advanced Imaging Advanced Message Relaying Firestone Drills Bagging Firestone Advanced Flight Training (Both dragon and rider) Advanced Physical Rider Training Advanced /betweening/ Pre & Post fall flight Pre & Post fall meetings Trailing Edge Fall Leading Edge Fall

Sevenday 21

Graduation! A course is set up for dragons, riders, and dragonriding pairs. First the dragon flies, then the rider runs his course, then the pair works together in a series of drills designed to gauge their readiness to fly in a real wing. If the above tests are passed, weyrlings fly their first full fall and attend graduation where they are placed in a fighting wing. Those who don't graduate continue their training.

Skills Covered:

Full Fall Flight (Blooding) Dragon Testing Rider Testing Dragon and Rider Testing