Journeyman Harper Riad

Name: Riad

Played by: Jessica

Name: Riad

Pronounced: Ree-ahd

Nickname: none

Sex: Male

Rank: Journeyman Harper

Current Residence: none - travels

Age: 28

Birthplace: High Reaches Weyr

Mother's Name, rank, location: Tarriad, green rider, High Reaches Weyr, deceased

Father's Name, rank, location: R'den, brown rider, High Reaches Weyr, deceased

Siblings: T'red, 20, blue rider, High Reaches Weyr; deceased ~ Tara, wife, High Reaches Hold; deceased ~ Denila,19, green rider, High Reaches Weyr; deceased ~ Tarden,16,apprentice vintor, High Reaches Hold; deceased ~ Arria,12, apprentice weaver, High Reaches Hold; deceased

Significant others: none

Children: none

Height: 6' 4"

Build: very lean, powerful

Hair color/style: strawberry blond, not long, not short

Eyes: pale green

Complexion: fair

Habits: whistling

Hobbies: making simple, improvised instruments

Personality: Riad is a quiet man compared to most harpers, though not compared to most people in general. He is very intelligent, quick thinking, and able to understand nuances other people might miss. Slow to anger, it takes a lot to make him angry. When angry he refuses to revert to physical means to settle things, preferring the use of words instead. He is very good with words, often able to sway people to his ideas. He is an idealist. This can be annoying to people at times. He is quick to smile and is rarely seen without one in daily life. A hard worker, and very capable. His strongest asset is his ability to mediate and he is often sent by Masterharper Alad as a mediator in disputes, as well as to interrogate when information is needed. He enjoys working undercover for the Harper Hall.  He was struck quite hard by the earthshakes as everything he'd ever known was destroyed.  Given time he's recovered and is close to his former self, though occasionally, for no real reason, an anger will overtake him.  Who can blame him when all of his family, not to mention the entire Harper Hall, were destroyed.  He is able to adapt to nearly any situation without flinching.  One moment he may be pretending to be a humble drudge and the next he's a fisherman or smithcrafter.  In his travels and through training he's learned quite a bit about a variety of crafts enabling him to blend in very easily.

Background: Raised in High Reaches Weyr by a pair of weyrmated riders he had a typical weyr upbringing. When he was 10, the harper, who was impressed by him, went to the Masterharper to request he be fostered to a Hold so as to learn their way of life as well. He was then fostered to High Reaches Hold until he was 14, apprenticing and training under the harper there. At 14 he was then sent to train at the Harper Hall as a special apprentice to Masterharper Alad. He walked the tables at 17, and began to work closely with Masterharper Alad and Journeywoman Freycinaya. He is often been sent out in undercover assignments, or openly as a representative of the Harper Hall.

Then the shakes came and all he'd ever known disappeared...  He was busy on assignment, investigating some pirating taking place in the oceans of Pern, when the planet shook sending everything into disarray and chaos.  The moment that they landed the boat he slipped away, needing to find out what had happened, what Masterharper Alad needed of him.  He commandeered the first runner he could find and began riding full tilt.  When that runner tired, he left it, running as fast as he could until he could commandeer another runner.  As he made his progress closer to Fort he could see more destruction.  He didn't wait to see who was injured, what the news was, his sole mission was to get to the Harper Hall.  He'd already felt the sorrow of the dragons echoed through his flit, Signal, but he just had to find out for himself.  In a couple of days, riding all out, he made it to Fort Hold, or what was left of it.   He tore his fingers bloody trying to find some hope of survivors, but couldn't find anyone.  After running himself ragged, without sleep, and then the emotional drain of the devastation he ended up passed out amongst the rubble.  Someone else came along and mistook him for a survivor and took him in.  He awoke in a bed, but he was so drained he couldn't move.  He was bedridden for a full day, but that day was enough for him to discover from his rescuers the extent of the destruction. 

 

Though not fully recovered, he slipped away and headed for the High Reaches area, hoping to find some trace of his family, but once again his hopes were dashed.  Not sure where to go or who to report to anymore, he holed up in a small village and began to work to help it recover.  He did what he could to help rebuild homes, finding the labor therapeutic, and he'd sing or play for them.  He's finally heard word of a Master Harper at Free Falling Weyr and so he has returned for reassignment.

PET Information:

Name: Signal

Age: 5

Color: bronze

Species: Firelizard

Personality: bold, out-going, intelligent as firelizards go, well-trained

HOLD or CRAFT Information:

Hold or Hall name: Harper Hall

Craft: harper

Time spent in Craft: 12 years