High Reaches Weyr was the third Weyr on the Northern Continent. Situated on the Northwest coast, it bordered Telgar Weyr on the East and Fort Weyr on the South. High Reaches, Tillek and Nabol Holds were beholden to High Reaches Weyr.
Description[]
- A detailed description of the Weyr (copied from The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern) established the surrounding countryside, the economy and other relevant features.
High Reaches was the third Weyr, founded entirely by dragons and riders from Fort Weyr. After the First Pass ended, the queens kept laying good-sized clutches for a while. There were no deaths from Threadscore or misadventure, so the population quickly rose to a squeeze in the available living space. The volcanic caldera in High Reaches was handy.
High Reaches was one of the most striking of all the Weyrs. The north rim of the Bowl was called the Seven Spindles for the high, crownlike points arrayed around that end, formed of old flow from the volcano and clipped to sharp spikes when the caldera blew up in ages past. The Hatching Ground was in a wide, high, oval cavern at the northernmost edge of the Bowl next to the queens' weyrs.
Like Fort and Benden, High Reaches was hollowed out with stonecutters. Some thermal baths were put in in the queens' caverns and the Weyrleader's chamber, but most sanitary and bathing facilities in this and all later Weyrs were supplied with exterior pipes of ceramics or metal.
Many of the Oldtimers who came forward to High Reaches left for Southern Weyr after T'ron was almost killed in his fight with F'lar, leaving Kylara and T'bor, formerly of Southern, as the new Weyrleaders. After the two queen dragons died (Brekke's Wirenth and Kylara's Prideth), Pilgra became Weyrwoman at High Reaches. T'bor, though brash and occasionally thoughtless, was entirely behind the Benden Weyr leadership.
Capacity[]
It should be noted that a Weyr's capacity changed over the years, as riders made expansions and carved out new weyrs for themselves. For example, the capacity of all Pern's Weyrs went from 2300 Dragons in the Sixth Pass to 3000 Dragons late in the Eighth Interval and early in the Ninth Pass.
Protected Territories[]
High Reaches, Tillek and Nabol Holds were beholden to High Reaches Weyr. Although the borders changed over the years, by the Ninth Pass the High Reaches Weyr's area of protection generally matched the borders of the three Holds it protected. The Protectorate extended to the insignificant northern part of Ruatha Hold, covering, in particular, the Plateau Hold.
History[]
First Pass / First Interval[]
Sean Connell mentioned High Reaches to Sorka Hanrahan when it was first decided to found Benden Weyr and two other weyrs.
There were a few shafts where the stonecutters were used by end of First Pass to create the heating system for the Hatching Ground.
- Weyrleaders:
- L'can and unnamed bronze
First Interval / Second Pass[]
Second Interval / Third Pass[]
According to Dragon's Fire, High Reaches Weyr got its name from the seven spindles, which suggests that the Weyr was established before High Reaches Hold.
Sixth Pass[]
There is an undescribed healer journeyman not named in the book who was of the weyr when Moreta treated Tamianth during the Sixth Pass.
- Weyrleaders:
- Dragonrider with status: junior Weyrwoman Bessera, Diona ; Wingleaders B'lerion, Weyrlingmaster Cr'not
- Weyrhealer Barly, Pressen
Eighth Interval / Ninth Pass[]
Under T'kul and Merika's leadership, the inhabitants of High Reaches Weyr came forward in time, from very early in the Eighth Interval to very early in the Ninth Pass, leaving the Weyr unoccupied for over 400 turns.
- Weyrleaders:
| Weyrs | |
| Northern | Benden • Fort • High Reaches • Igen • Ista • Telgar |
| Southern | Southern • Monaco Bay • Xanadu • WeyrHolds: Honshu • Malay River |
| Western | Eastern • Midriver • Northern • Sky • Southern • Southriver • Western |
| Holds • Stakes • Crafts and Halls | |