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Draconic Growth Chart | Weyrling Training Chart | Dragon
Wing Anatomy
| Common Wing Injuries and Draconic Ailments |
Basic Dragon Anatomy | Healer
Hall Home Page
Healer Hall Home Page Scroll Section
A dragon grows fairly quickly in its first year. The following table shows a relative sizing for dragon growth. Sizes are shown in meters.
color | 2 mos.| 4 mos.| 6 mos.| 1 yr. 18 mos.| mature
green | 4-5m |8-10m |10-12m | 14-17m |20-25m
blue | 5-6m |10-12m | 12-15m | 17-21m | 25-30m
brown | 6-7m | 12-14m | 15-17m | 21-24m | 30-35m
bronze | 7-8m | 14-15m | 17-19m | 24-26m | 35-38m
gold | 8m | 15-16m | 19-21m | 26-29m | 38-42m
(ref: DLG, some sizes were assumed.)
Weyrling training schedule
1 month dragon anatomy, care and first aid; Weyr traditions 2
months firestone bagging; firestone sack tossing 3 months make
riding straps 4 months first flights, dragon only. 5 months
higher flights, dragon only; endurance training. 6 months first
flights with rider. 7 months elevator duty; riders move out of
barracks into free weyrs 8 months individual training -
betweening 9 months weyrling wings assigned; training in teams
10-12 mos individual training - firestone and flaming 12+ mos
Weyrlings continue flying in the Weyrling wing until they are
invited to join a regular fighting wing.
Some Terms related to the dragon wing
LUB: The whole upper edge of
the wing, from shoulder to forestay tip.
LEADING EDGE: The top cartiledge of the wing.
LEECH: The whole lower edge of the wing, from the body to the
forestry tip.
TRAILING EDGE: The lower cartiledge of the wing.
BATTEN RIB: Cartiledge ribs within the mainsails, joining
sections of aileron to other ribs as well as the different
bones/body.
AILERON: The sections and membranes which make up the mainsails.
BONES: The wing has 4 major bone groups, each made up of 3
sections. Inner Bone // Mid-bone // Spar bone // Outer bone
MAINSAIL: The wing has 3 mainsails, each made up of aileron and
batten ribs Primary Mainsail // Secondary Mainsail // Spar
Mainsail
FINGER SAIL: The section of the spar mainsail which reaches
diagonally from the lowest minor joint of the spar bone to the
trailing edge.
FINGER JOINT: An extra bone which protrudes from the
"hand" of the dragon from the same point the other bone
sections merge.
Fragmented Leading Edge: The cartiledge of the
leading edge is torn, stretched, bent.
Wrenched Finger Tip: The forestay tip is broken, or bent back
from the joint above.
Stretched Tendon: Tendons around anyone of the bones stretched,
mishaping the sails.
Tattered Mainsail: The wing itself torn or broken through.
sprains, stretched tendons, wretched
fingertip:
-rest injury, immoblilize (ie wrap ect), may soak for inflamation
-analgesics for pain and inflamation (if really needed- usually
avoid drugs with dragons).
*Dragon cannot fly if hindleg or wing is involved.
cuts
clean with redwort and allow to heal in the open air.
May need to suiture deep ones
Numbweed acts as a clotting agent as well as keeping area moist
to encourage good healing.
FRACTURES:
Limbs:
Check bone's position, move into place if needed. Align endgs
then place splints at 90 degree angles to eachother and wrap
snugly with bandages. Dragons will heal fast. Keep off injury
Wings:
-Follow same proceedure as with limb fractures with the
wingbones. It is hard to wrap with bandages though. Bad fractures
(anything needing alignment) you may place reeds parallel to the
fractured bone and sew into place like with Threadscore.
Sterilize thread and needles with redwort.
Thorax and hip:
It is very hard to splint the thoracic bone (dragons only have
one bone there. This is their equivalent of the ribcage and
sternum). Bandage entire cavity snugly and keep dragon calm.
Check for damage to internal organs and movement of bone
fragment. Dragon cannot hunt/fly or move around much and must
remain in the infirm weyr.
Compound:
This is when the broken bone breaks through the hide. There will
be bleeding and additional damage.
1. clean injured area with redwort as you inspect the damage
2. align bone edges and lock into place. You may have to
internally splint with biodegradable substance (haven't figured
out what to use here though)
3. Suture the damaged muscles and veins from inside ot outside.
4. Wrap the splint around the injured area (hopefully and
external splint is enough) Check frequently for signs of
infection and pour healing. Coat injured area with numbweed 3-4
times a day until the hide is healed over.
SUITURING:
This is for major cuts and surgery.
Clean affected area with redwort (also your needles, thread and
anything else that comes in contact with the wound). Suiture from
inside to outside
-catgut - used for internal wounds. it dissolves as the wound
heals.
-Extra thick tanner's thread-use for outside and major
injuries...strong
-Cross stitch-heavy duty-easily torn areas
-back stitch -another common stitch
THREADSCORE
1. clean out wound with cold water. Make sure you kill all Thread
2. Coat wounds with numbweed
3. Leave wounds to heal in open air when possible
4. Check dragon frequently
5. Ichor should ooze into wounds and they should remain moist.
RUPTURED VEINS:
Need to suiture before dragon loses too much ichor. Rapidly
stitch area plus a 1-2 cm on either side of wound. Use very fine
stitches. Apply numbweed and keep moist until area is healed.
TRANSFUSIONS:
These are rarely needed (also described some in _Moreta_).
Occassionally a dragon will sustain such heavy injuries that he
is unable to produce suffecient ichor to cover the wounds and
heal. Ichor can be drawn from a healthy ddragon (large
needlethorn s yringe) and placed over the injuries of the hurt
dragon. Cartlidge and bones will soak up the ichor. Note: this
can be done because dragons are all of the same blood type unlike
humans.
RESPIRATORY:
A. Colds and flu - these are upper respiratory diseases that do
not have a major effect on dragon health...analogous human
disease is given throughout.
-runny nose, lethargy,
Treatment: plenty of water and rest. Check for any signs of it
getting worse.
B. bronchitis Labored breathing and cough (frequently
nonproductive). May have elevated temp.
C. Pneumonia: severe respiratory condition
extremely rare, especially in southern climates (like Ista).
Usually the result of secondary infection after major thoracic
injury (like thread). not caused by bacteria like in humans!
Indications: highly elevated temp,labored breathing, eyes dull,
hide frequently cold and clammy to touch or hot and clammy.
Treatment: Keep dragon calm and give plenty of warm water. May
cover with blankets.
You may want to allow him to breath warm steam-vapours laced with
hysop, thymus and/or aconite (fever + pain). If so, cover
dragon's head with blanket with the steam in side and keep him
calm and encourage him to breathe as deeply as possible.
CARDIOVASCULAR:
This is a problem only with older dragons for the most part. The
older dragons have weaker hearts and may develop cardiovascular
problems (or have a heart-attack=busted) if they try to fly a
younger queen. Once developed, these problems do not go away.
Light daily exercise is the best treatment -- keep the dragon in
good condition. Avoid stress. Dragons usually eat a healthy diet
(adults) so that is not a problem. "Indications: lethargy,
water retention, irregular heartbeat (usually 2nd or 3rd heart).
The text and diagram for the previous two sections was quoted
from :
"The Atlas of Pern" by Karen Wynn Fonstad, Ballantine
Books, @1984
pages 34-35
The section on dragonhealing was
passed down from L.A.Hales, who got most her info from the books.
some areas were added/enhanced from her orriginal email.
Description of a dragon:
Dragons are a six-limbed creature - four legs and two wings -
that eat meat. They are very large and resemble the firelizards
you see on peoples shoulders. They have multifaceted eyes that
reflect their moods (green/blue for contentment, yellow for
alarm, red for anger, and orange for hunger). Dragons are warm
blooded and their blood is a dark green ichor.
On the back, of a dragon, is a line of ridges which are used as
seating supports for its rider. The ridge continues down the back
of the dragon to its tail, which is forked.
At the fork is the hidden sphincter. Also under the tail is the
dragon's genitalia which is held in a pouch close to its body.
Finally, the skin (or hide) of the dragon is silky, resilient,
and metalic in color. If a dragon's skin turns dull and flaky, it
is a sign that the dragon is ill.
Color Size
________ _______
Gold 38-42 meters
Bronze 35-38 meters
Brown 30-35 meters
Blue 25-30 meters
Green 20-25 meters
Head: Enlarge frontal lobe- due to enhanced telepathic ability.48
teeth
Neck: 10 Vertebra
Back: 56 Vertebra, very strong endoskeleton
Front legs: 5 toes, Pentadoctycle claws ( Can hold things)
Back legs: Ball and Socket Joints- to prevent dislocation during
take off 5 toes on foot, similiar to front feet.
Internal System: Lg heart and lungs - hold breath up to 10
minutes.2 gullets- one for food and the other for firestone
Wings: Very thin membrane covers wing Supported by three
finger-like bones connected to arm by joints A thumb claw tips
the wing, and massive shoulder blades add extra Support to the
wings.