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Weyrlinghood: Month 4
First Flight - June 27 - July 6
Overview
This is a big month! All that preparation is finally starting to pay off and now the young dragons will be learning to fly. First they'll be putting all that jumping-practice into simply glides, launching from the ground, extending their wings to travel a distance and landing. Once that's accomplished, they'll be adding wing strokes in increasing increments until they really have achieved proper flight.
With this new activity to be perfected, drills formations will become a bit more rote, but the drills themselves have a new facet too: you'll be riding your dragon. Now that they're big enough to fly, you'll be on their backs while ground drills are exectued. It's time to make sure you've got some decent straps so you don't fall off during that quick turn.
Once a young dragon is comfortable flying and is deemed capable of doing so without supervision, they'll be capable of getting down to the beach to explore the sand and the sea for the first time. More exercises may start to take place down there, utilizing the new terrain and waves to help continue that ever-present quest for more muscle and stamina.
In the classroom portion of training, focus is now being given to geography, navigation, visualization, as well as learning how to predict the weather. Meanwhile, the barracks are getting cramped. But never fear! New weyrs are just around the corner.
WLM/AWLM
Up until now, the worst that might happen to a weyrling pair could be a nasty stumble, a rough patch of skin and a bout of constipation. Now that those young dragons are up in the air, the WLM team is reminded of the possible dangers lurking ahead. Are they taking off and landing safely? Are the weyrlings keeping an eye out for soreness, stiffness and muscle strains as the dragons venture into new territory? The WLM team will be on the look out for signs of trouble, helping weyrlings recognize their dragons' limitation and overcoming set-backs, but now is the time to start driving home the importance of safety. Lives could be at risk.
Part of this new push for safe flying involved heightened attention to straps, making sure each weyrling is capable of constructing satisfactory straps and maintaining them. Falling a few feet to the ground might hurt, but falling out of the sky would be another story altogether.
After months of stress and exhaustion, things might be getting a bit tetchy in the barracks. Now might be a good time to also look for ways to help your charges relax and blow off steam.
Rules
- At long last that pesky 'no romantic interaction' rule has been lifted! However, it's not a free-for-all. While a little canoodling is all right, weyrlings are still expected to refrain from sex.
- No getting drunk - While there is no 'rule' against drinking, getting intoxicated is definitely out. Weyrlings will be allowed to use their better judgment when consuming beer or wine (stronger beverages are highly discouraged) and anyone caught getting drunk (or if a dragon seems to be upset by the behavior) will find this privileged revoked.
- No movement restrictions! - While it wasn't really a rule exactly, because young dragons were incapable of flying down to the beach or managing the steep, narrow path, now weyrling pairs are capable of going anywhere in the Weyr grounds.
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