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Dragonless was the term used for a dragonrider who had lost his or her dragon.
While most dragon deaths occurred when the dragon suicided at the death of their rider, occasionally, dragons died prematurely due to illness or accidents. Such incidents were rare, but they had a profound effect on the rider. Riders sometimes suicided as a result, but those who lived would often feel shattered or incomplete. The extent to which a rider could function varied greatly. For example, former rider Lytol was able to lead a productive life as a Master Weaver and then as Warder of Ruatha, while former rider Kylara lost her mind and was no more functional than a baby. What a dragonless rider did following their dragon's death was a matter of choice. Some chose to remain at the Weyr, while others returned to their pre-impression lives.
History[]
Second Interval[]
Mikal lost his brown dragon in a firestone explosion. He became a recluse, though he taught Pellar his woodsman skills. He also became a skilled Healer. Mikal later joined Aleesa's Wherhold.
Late in the Second Interval and into the Third Pass, many dragonriders became dragonless when their dragons succumbed to the dragon plague. Several of these dragonriders continued to live after their dragons died, including Weyrwoman Salina of Benden Weyr.
Ninth Pass[]
Lytol lost his dragon during the Eighth Interval. He became a Master Weaver and later became Lord Warder for Ruatha Hold, playing a vital part in events of the Ninth Pass. He assisted Jaxom in raising and caring for his dragon Ruth and maintained a relationship with the leaders of Benden Weyr. However, the deaths of other dragons often caused him great distress.
Brekke and Kylara became dragonless when their queen dragons fought during a mating flight and went between. Kylara lost her mind, while Brekke continued to function, helped by her ability to hear all dragons and by her Impressing of a fire lizard. There was an attempt to have Brekke re-impress a dragon, but the attempt failed due to Brekke's unwillingness to go through with Impression.