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Woodcraft was one of the crafts on Pern. It was established in the Ninth Pass. The major crafthall was located in Lemos Hold.

Description[]

A detailed description of the Craft on the basis of the The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern

Wood has been in scant supply throughout the history of Pern. The only hardwood was brought by the original colonists; with Threadfall decimating the plant life fifty years out of two hundred and fifty, hardwood trees did not evolve. Except for the sky-broom, native Pernese trees are softwoods. Sky-brooms are giants, standing many dragonlengths high over the Lemosan forest. The abnormally tall trunks terminate in bushy crowns of tufted needles, much like the growth on Earth cedars. The wood of the sky-broom is dense and metal-hard, covered with a rough mat-like material protection from Threadfall. It is difficult to work, though it is much prized in the Woodcraft. Until the carefully fostered oak forests mature, sky-broom is the wood of choice for supporting the roofs of freestanding buildings.

Asgenar's father propagated the forests in Lemos Hold in an effort to bring up the supply of usable wood. He was fond of whittling and wood carving and understood the importance of the different types of trees, knowledge that he shared with his son. He and Asgenar permitted their holders to cut wood free to heat their homes during the long cold season. Pine, deal, and sponge-wood grew quickly, increasing the availability over the long Interval. Asgenar innovated the hardwood and fruitwood stands while still his father's heir, a little over five Turns ago. Unfortunately, these trees take a long time to mature, and he fears it will be many Turns before his investment pays off.

Wooden furniture, a mark of wealth elsewhere, is plentiful in Lemos. Popular items are upholstered chairs and settees, chairs made with wooden frameworks and leather slings, canopy beds, and pigeonhole desks. Styles vary widely, depending on the imagination and skill of the woodworker.

Lemos and Bitra also ship wood to the Harper Hall for instrument making, and to the Smithcraft for use as tool handles where a nonslip grip is required and hide will not serve. As F'lar explained to Lord Asgenar, wood is a flexible and important commodity, and the Pernese are just relearning its uses. The Crafthall also provides the wood blanks for marks and formulates varnishes and oils for the care of wood, as well as stains and dyes for tinting it. The Woodcraft is young and has a lot of potential into which it may expand.

Positions and responsibilities[]

  • Woodsmith — general name of specialists engaged in Woodcraft
  • Woodsman — presumably unskilled workers who work in forestry, perhaps — do not belong to the Woodcraft

History[]

Eighth Interval / Ninth Pass[]

Although Woodcraft always existed, a scarcity of hardwood made carved wooden items a rare luxury. Thus, for many turns, Woodcraft was merely a subsidiary of the Smithcraft. With Lord Asgenar's experiments in tree cultivation during the Ninth Pass, however, hardwood became much more widely available, and the demands on Woodcraft were such that a separate Crafthall was able to be established. Bendarek was elected as the first Craftmaster, and the newly independent hall was established at Lemos Hold. In addition to wooden furniture, the Woodcraft also produced paper, which Bendarek reinvented early in the Ninth Pass. Papermaking kept the Woodcraft extremely busy, especially after the discovery of AIVAS. The Woodcraft worked closely with the Printercraft, providing the reams of paper needed for printing.


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