A Sevenday In The Life Of A Wingrider

[Zen]

I figured that some people might not really have much of an idea just what riders DO, other than their most obvious job of fighting Thread. So I wrote up this little informational to give everyone some ideas for just what their riders can be expected to be doing on a weekly basis.


Rest Days

Every sevenday wingriders have one rest day with which they can do just about whatever they please. Each Wing takes rest days separately from each other (unless there are more than 7 Wings obviously), but an entire Wing will all have their rest day on the same day as their wingmates. This rest day does not fall on the same day of the week each sevenday and varies depending on the other expectations of the Wing that sevenday.

While leaving the Weyr to visit family/friends in other parts of the world is certainly allowed on rest days, if a rider desires a longer visit/vacation they will require permission from their wingleader, and such requests are seldom granted without good reason (someone is dying or expecting the birth of a baby for instance). A female rider may also request time off from the fighting Wings should she want to try to have a child, but this is generally discouraged during a Pass and can be denied if she can't be spared.

Weyrwide rest days are granted for all riders on rare occasions, such as hatching days, turnover, and other important celebratory days, so long as Thread isn't due. Any rider whose dragon rises to mate is not expected to perform any duties for the remainder of the day, likewise for the rider of the winner of the flight.

Threadfall Days

If there are any days during the sevenday that a Wing is flying against Thread, everything that occurs for the wingriders in that Wing that day revolve around that singular activity. A couple hours before the Fall is due to begin, each wingrider will have their riding straps thoroughly inspected by one of their wingseconds and also be briefed by the wingsecond that performs the inspection on the conditions and strategy for the day's Fall, and closer to the start of the Fall they will be supplied with firestone to begin fueling up their dragon and so they are prepared with firestone to start the Fall with.

Their wingseconds will be checking in on them frequently before Fall, and if conditions change and shift the strategy each rider will be quickly informed of the change. Wingseconds are also tasked with ensuring the health of the wingriders in their Wing before a Fall, and wingriders should inform their wingseconds of anything that might cause them to be a danger to themselves or others during the Fall (whether legitimately ill or simply hungover from an irresponsible night of drinking before a Fall). If any wingriders must remain grounded for any reason, the wingseconds will report such matters to the wingleader immediately as it may affect the planned strategy, especially if several riders find themselves indisposed at once.

After the Fall, generally a Wing that did not participate in the day's Fall will be assigned sweep duty over the Fall area, checking for Thread that might have gotten through the Wings and reached the ground and assisting ground crews where needed. Obviously, seriously injured riders and dragons do not have further expectations after a Fall other than to receive treatment, rest, and recover. If they are well enough, they may attend their Wing meeting later in the day.

After the wingleaders and wingseconds meet with the Weyrleader to discuss the day's Fall, each Wing that participated in the Fall is called together for a Wing meeting during which the wingleader reports the details of the Wing's casualties, goes over Wing performance during Fall, and offers recognition where it is due, while also addressing problem areas and laying out the focus for drills in the following days in order to improve in areas the Wing was lacking in during the Fall. Before the end of the day, the Weyrleader will address the Wings at large and give an overall report of the day's Fall, similar to the subjects covered in the Wing meeting but on a broader scale. Depending on how the Fall went, this meeting can vary greatly in length.

Threadfree Days

Days that a Wing is not expected to fly against Thread (obviously that are not also rest days) are still fairly structured, with wingriders expected to report to their Wings each morning after breakfast. At morning Wing meetings the wingleader will give the Wing their schedule for the day, which will include any combination of:

• Morning and/or afternoon drills. Once a sevenday the Wings will conduct intensive drills as a Flight (three Wings together) rather than individually.
• Workouts for physical fitness (during which dragons are often sent to hunt for themselves).
• Dueling practice.
• Set times for the bathing and oiling of dragons in the Wing every other day, which takes 1-4 hours depending on the size of the dragon. This is also the time when riders are expected to inspect and mend their riding gear.

Don't think this allows green and blue riders more free time, as the extra time their brown and bronze riding peers spend bathing and oiling will for them instead be filled by individual assignments such as sweepriding and watch duty, or errands like:

• Transporting tithes/trade to/from the Weyr.
• Transporting passengers for various reasons.
• Acting as a messenger to other Weyrs, Holds, or Crafthalls.
• Search duty (which may excuse a dragonpair from some other Wing duties when a clutch is imminent).

This isn't to say brown and bronze riders never fulfill these duties, they just don't generally get assigned to do them on 'dragon maintenance' days. Other than meal times, a wingrider will also have 2-4 free hours (depending on other expectations) at some point during each day to spend however they wish.