Query from Panda

Query from Panda

Hello Todd! I recently joined a role play site for Dragonriders of Pern. I can’t say I’m fond of the changes they’re making. This Pern-world RP that seems to have cropped up choses the most RANDOM things to stay canon to then changes everything else. I’ve struggled non-stop to find something in the books or wikis or anywhere else that states that dragons, watch-whers, and lizards have spikes running from the tops of their heads to the ends of their tails and never have. Yet they insist that they have them. Which makes little sense to me because the saddle would sit on them and hurt the dragon – as well as if the rider were to be thrown, impale them. The only knobs I know of them having are the two giraffe-like ones atop their head. The person running this has created two new races – which I think is also as silly as having crimson, purple, silver, and pink dragons, but who am I to judge. However, outside of her “gryphon” race – they all have enormous spikes jutting off them like you see on the Game of Thrones dragons or the Ridgeback from Harry Potter. I guess what I’m looking for is – what are these “knobs” and “ridges” she keeps going on about? In my mind they have nearly smooth hides save the protuberances on their heads and perhaps a “ridge” along their backs similar to that of what the back of an elephant may look like because they have pronounced spines. I hope you can answer this – I like to be as accurate as possible to the world – and am a bit of a nitpicker.. it’s bad it really is.


Hi Panda,

I’m sorry you’re not liking your situation with the particular role-playing site you’ve found.

I’ve learned a long time ago: “Don’t meddle in the affairs of fans for they are subtle and quick to anger.” (Just a slight re-phrasing of Prof. Tolkien’s excellent advice.)

It’s my understanding that there are plenty of other fan-run RPGs, MUSHes, and MOOs wandering around out there.

If this one is too much annoyance for you, I imagine you’ll have no trouble finding one that works better.

— Todd

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