Green dragons were the subordinate females of the dragon species. They were the most numerous color, making up about half of all dragons.
Characteristics and Personality[]
Though the most numerous color of dragon, green dragons were also the smallest, ranging from thirty to forty feet. They could be any color of green. Greens had the lowest stamina of all dragons and were generally unable to last an entire threadfall. They made up for this by being the most agile of the dragons. Originally, green dragons would impress women of any sexual orientation; however, a lack of candidates eventually led to greens impressing homosexual men for most of Pern's history. Greens once again began impressing women in the Ninth Pass. Green dragons were noted to have trouble understanding advanced concepts like going between times on their own, and they usually required guidance from another dragon. However, the ability of telekinesis was first discovered by a green dragon, Zaranth, who later taught others the ability.
Like queens, greens experienced a periodic estrus, and participated in mating flights. Unlike queens, greens tended to mate more often which, alongside their higher numbers, made their presence in a weyr important for satisfying the urges of the male dragons that could not fly queens. Greens required little preparation for a mating flight, and green mating flights were often shorter in duration due to lower stamina. Unlike queens, greens could chew firestone, which was believed to sterilize them. The Pernese considered this acceptable since the offspring of fertile greens would have resulted in overpopulation and a predominance towards smaller colors.
Role in the Weyr[]
Green dragons and their riders usually took subordinate positions in the Weyr. They were typically part of a fighting wing and participated in Threadfall. Green dragons typically flew fall in two to three shifts. Some green dragons and riders handled sacks of firestone, ensuring that the other riders had a sufficient supply. Greens were noted to be especially vital due to their agility.
Green dragons played a large role in ensuring a healthy weyr. As queens made up only one percent (1%) of the population, and only mated with bronzes, green dragons were important for helping other males dragons satisfy their sexual urges. Many riders were known to keep track of the cycles of green dragons for this purpose, and greens were often sought following a queens mating flight. Green flights, though shorter, were known to be especially intense. Green flights did not result in eggs, as greens were normally sterilized by chewing firestone.
However, following a plague in the Second Interval, some green dragons were kept away from firestone to allow them to clutch as part of an effort to quickly repopulate the dragons. In some of these clutches, queen eggs were found. These queens had the ability to bond with their riders before hatching. This was speculated to be a way of helping green clutches hatch, as the green fire lizards from which they developed were poor parents. It was further theorized that green and blue were the first colors to develop, with brown, bronze, and gold developing later on.