M'tal (born "Matal") was the weyrleader of Benden Weyr late in the Second Interval and early in the Third Pass. His dragon was bronze Gaminth, and both were killed by threadfall.
Biography[]
Early Life Before Impression[]
Matal was weyrborn and bred. In his youth, the Weyr had a flu epidemic that was quite nasty. Even though Matal recovered, his mother and younger sister died from it. For that reason, Matal decided to provide aid during the flu pandemic, even though Kindan and others had found records which indicated that if dragonriders and weyrfolk assisted with diseases occurring in Holds they might not recover in time to fight threadfall.
When a young Zist was attending a Hatching at Benden Weyr, he was so excited that his friend Matal had Impressed Gaminth that he let out such a loud cheer that it startled Gaminth and caused him to catch his wing in his claws. When Zist rushed to aid Gaminth, an older Zist approached both young Zist and M'tal with supplies and information on how to heal the dragon. After the older Zist left, M'tal mentioned the song "When I Met Myself Healing" and asked Zist to quietly retire the song, since it dealt with timing it, something the Weyrleaders preferred to keep secret.
Weyrleader[]
M'tal was the rider of bronze Gaminth. He was Weyrleader of Benden Weyr late in the Second Interval and early in the Third Pass. His Weyrwoman was Salina, who rode Breth. They were a loving couple and good leaders.
M'tal took Kindan, Zist and Natalon between times to Fort Hold to collect a watch-wher egg, then assisted Kindan and Nuella in raising the watch-wher Kisk/Nuelsk. When Aleesa's Wherhold was established in AL 498, he came to the settlement to inspect it and give his approval, inadvertently meeting Fiona, who had timed it back to that period to let the injured dragons of Fort Weyr recover and the weyrlings grow and train before returning to the present. He later attended the wedding of Nuella and Zenor.
He and Salina had been Weyrleaders for over twenty Turns when the Dragon Plague struck. Salina’s Breth was one of the first dragons killed by the disease, and she was devastated by the loss, though she did not commit suicide and remained with M’tal, moving out of the queen’s weyr to live with him. He led Benden Weyr against their first Threadfall of the past, but made the mistake of bringing the sick dragons with him. Many disappeared between because of the confusion called by the illness, leaving the remaining dragons in broken formations and resulting in further casualties during the following fight. When Benden's new queen dragon Minith (whose rider was Tullea) flew Caranth (whose rider was B'nik), M'tal became Wingleader under B'nik.
After Fort Weyr sent its injured and weyrlings to the past and they returned, M’tal attempted to time it back to just before they left so he could see the results. He got his coordinates wrong, and instead appeared on the same day Fiona had encountered him at the Wherhold. He confirms for them that they make it back, then departs.
M’tal and Salina support Lorana in her attempts to find a cure, helping her through her grief after the death of Arith and studying beside her when they discover the Learning Rooms left by their ancestors to help cure the plague.
After the Ista Weyrleader C'rion's death, M'tal sent J'lantir to Ista Weyr to become acting Weyrleader. Following the loss of Telgar Weyr between, M’tal came to Telgar with Lorana and Kindan to administer the cure for Dragon Plague. He remained in Telgar for a few days to help settle the new riders in. He took part in Talenth’s first mating flight, as well as Tolarth’s first flight and Melirth’s flight at Fort Weyr, though Gaminth wasn’t unsuccessful at catching any of the three queens. M'tal gave advice to Fiona about her newly complicated relationship with Lorana, Kindan, and T’mar. He and Gaminth went to Ista Weyr when Bidenth, the queen dragon of Ista's senior Weyrwoman Dalia, rose to mate. Bidenth was flown succesfully by Gaminth, and M'tal became Weyrleader at Ista Weyr. He and Salina moved to Ista, where they and Dalia formed a happy relationship.
The Threadfalls in Ista were difficult to fight due to the extreme heat of the region causing turbulent winds, which both made it difficult for dragons to fly in formation and blew Thread out of a predictable fall pattern. After a few Threadfalls as Weyrleader, M’tal was struck by a large clump of Thread blown in from behind, killing him instantly. Gamith immediately went between forever.
Personality[]
He was willing to work hard, but didn't like timing between.
Appearances[]
- Dragon's Kin (first appearance)
- Dragon's Fire (mention)
- Dragon Harper
- Dragonsblood
- Dragonheart
- Dragongirl
- Dragon's Time (mention)
- Sky Dragons (mention)