Half-Circle Sea Hold

Half-Circle Sea Hold
Hold Information
Continent:	Northern
Era Founded:	Second Interval
Protected by:	Benden Weyr Nerat Hold
Coat of arms:	On a white field, four medium blue Half Lozenges
Known Holders:	Rinir, Old Uncle, Yanus
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Half-Circle Sea Hold was one of the Minor Holds in Nerat Hold.

Description

A detailed description of the Hold (copied from The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern) established the surrounding countryside, the economy and other relevant features.

Half Circle Sea Hold was located on the west side of the Nerat peninsula. 350 people were housed in the Hold itself and in the family Holds to the north along the cliff face. Half Circle got its name from the shape of the cove in which it lied. Seen from above, the harbor was perfectly hemispheric.

A curious volcanic overhang provided a sheltered Docking Cavern into which tall ships could sail without taking down their masts, and in which the entire fishing fleet could dock. There was room on the deep shelf for dray carts to haul away the catch to the drying caverns or to build or repair fishing boats.

A causeway leading from the Docking Cavern to the Hold overlooked a curving sandy beach thirty dragonlengths long. The road that led to the east from the center of the beach, and the palisade road toward the north, provided access for beachfront cliff dwellers to reach cropland where the seaholders grew grain, tubers and fruit, and gathered wild greens along the shore.

The Sea Hold was virtually isolated through most seasons of the Turn except during Gathers and when a ship docked or a party of traders came through. Until recently, the Sea Holder had no exchange of fosterlings to draw Half Circle closer to any other Hold or to bring new ideas. The coming of the new Journeyman Harper Elgion early in the Ninth Pass precipitated many changes that would prove beneficial to Half Circle, including preparing Sea Holder Yanus for his daughter Menolly's new status as a Journeywoman at Harper Hall. Half Circle was an excellent example of a Hold's autonomy; it was so far from any other Hold that in times of Threadfall or other disaster; no one but a dragonrider could reach it with any speed; it must be completely self-sufficient to survive but it need not be so isolated.

Location

The Sea Hold was positioned halfway down Nerat Bay near the Dragon Stones. It was shaped like a crescent, with the living hold behind the cliff face on the right and a sheltered docking cavern on the left when facing the Hold from the sea. It was very isolated during most seasons. The women of Benden Weyr Lower Caverns went to Half Circle every spring and fall to berry or cut withies and grasses. The Sea Hold sent their tithe of sea produce, salted, pickled or smoked, to Benden Weyr. Occasionally, a dragonrider came to the Sea Hold asking for fresh fish for a special feasting, like a Hatching.

Founded during the Second Interval, Half Circle was beholden to Benden Weyr. The shoreline was pebbly.

Residents

Second Interval / Third Pass

• Rinir — Holder
• Trinar — Dockmaster
• Bordan — Hold Healer, Journeyman
• Jalor
• Marset
• Genin
• Vilo
• Tanner

Ninth Pass

• Yanus — Holder
• Mavi — Yanus' wife
• Alemi — their son
• Sella — their daughter
• Menolly — their daughter
• Petiron — Harper
• Elgion — new Harper, Journeyman
• Old Uncle, a man in the Hold, previous Holder

Appearances

• Dragonsblood
• Dragongirl (mention)
• The Masterharper of Pern
• Dragonsong
• Dragonsinger
• The White Dragon (mention)
• The Renegades of Pern (mention)
• The People of Pern
• The Atlas of Pern