The Pern Encyclopedia

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

This page last edited on 08 March 2008

H1: abbreviation use for the first volume in the Harper Hall series: Dragonsong.

H2: abbreviation used for the second volume in the Harper Hall series: Dragonsinger : Harper of Pern.

H3: abbreviation used for the third volume in the Harper Hall series: Dragondrums.

H'ages: rider of bronze Kerth, wing-second at Telgar Weyr [D2].

Hairpin turn: name for the trajectory taken by the (Pern) EEC survey team through the Rukbat system, which involves entry perpendicular to the target planet's orbit, curving around the planet, and exiting the system parallel to entry. On the target planet of the Rukbat system, it provided the team with a ten-day window for exploring the planet's surface. Because of this trajectory, it was not possible for the team to get a close look at the Oort cloud or heavy planets of the Rukbat system ([CoP-Survey/1:3].

See also Slingshot.

Halanna: contralto student at Istan Hold, daughter of Halibran [MHoP].

Halefor: one of the abductors of Masterharper Robinton [AtWoP].

Half Circle Seahold: [H1].

Harpers at: Petiron [H1]; Elgion [H1; H2].

Halibran: Istan Holder. Father of Halanna, Brahil, Brosil and Landon [MHoP].

Haligon: son of Lord Groghe and Lady Benoria. Twin brother of Horon. Lover and later probably spouse of the runner Tenna [Runner].

Hall: the home/base of a craft. The name is used for the major establishment of a craft as well as for minor establishments.

Hall Domaize: a Private Hall run by Master Domaize. A school of the arts at which at least painting, woodcarving and rudiments architectural drawing [RSR/11:297] were taught. Classes were held in a "vast barn of a place" [RSR/5:136]. Training at Hall Domaize (and at other "schools") included the learning of names of important persons at every Hold, Weyr and Hall [RSR/6:167].

See also Domaize.

Halla: young girl, born 481/482 (eight Turns old in 492), daughter of shunned parents. Younger sister of Jamal, member of a group of shunned children (actually, children of Shunned parents mostly). Spouse of Pellar. Is found out by the Crom Lord Holder who absolves her from her petty crimes and hires her to find out the Shunned and make contact with them before the Third Pass starts. She befriends Pellar and later Cristov. She has brown eyes [Dfire].

Hallath: green dragon, rider H'grave [Mor].

Hally: apprentice harper at Harper Hall [RoP].

Hamian: master Smith, brother of Lord Holder Toric [RoP; AtWoP].

Hamil, Barr: see Barr Hamil.

Hamil, Jess: see Jess Hamil.

Hamilton, Todd: see Todd Hamilton.

Hand-to-hand combat: hand-to-hand combat on Pern is an accepted way to deal with arguments, but only when all other negotiation efforts to settle it had failed [RSR/11:262].

Hanrahan Bloodline: see Ruatha (Hanrahan) Bloodline.

Hanrahan, Brian: see Brian Hanrahan.

Hanrahan, Kevin see K'vin of Telgar

Hanrahan, Mairi: see Mairi Hanrahan.

Hanrahan, Michael: see M'hall.

Hanrahan, Red: see Red Hanrahan.

Hanrahan, Ryan: see Ryan Hanrahan.

Hanrahan, Sorka see Sorka Hanrahan.

Hans Semling: teacher at Landing [DD].

Haralth: queen dragon (senior), rider Shanna of Igen [RSR].

Harkenon, Bay: see Bay Harkenon.

Harper:

Harpercraft:

Ranks: apprentice, Journeyman/Journeywoman, Master or Master Harper, Masterharper. To make spotting the Craftmasters more easily I have adopted using Master Harper for a Master in the craft and have reserved the term Masterharper for the Craftmaster.

Harper's tales:

Harper's winter tale: a Pernese expression for a fairy tale, an untrue story [D1/225.].

Hatch-mate: [D1/81].

Hatching:Dragons in the Weyr will react to the Queens maternal croon (see below) with a deep masculine humming (called "a pre-birth lullaby" by headmaster Clisser). The humming gets louder and louder and a chorus of tones will develop when more and more dragons (their throats swelling) join the queen (at the last stages the dragon's chest and belly also start to vibrate). Some of them get so excited that they start aerial maneuvers, flipping here and there on seemingly unavoidable collision courses. People react to this humming on an emotional level with a mix of primal emotions (for example: pride, joy, hope, fear, yearning, sadness and hunger), ranging from utter happiness to fear and sadness. [RSR/3:85-86]. Medics are always attending hatchings because of the minor lacerations (major injuries in later centuries) that generally occur [RSR/3:92].

Candidates: candidates at hatchings are always white clad [RSR/3:86]. It is imperative that enough, or more accurately: a surplus of, candidates attend a hatching because, if a dragonet will not find a suitable candidate (compatible personality) he will not impress and will subsequently die. At the end of the First Interval the records showed five cases in which this happened. [RSR/3:100].
Compendium of information: every Weyr had its own compendium of information concerning hatching and Impression related cases (especially pertaining to what to do with certain psychological reactions and altered behavior of weyrlings after impression) [RSR/3:86-87]. See also Telgar Weyr, sub Records
Description of a queen just prior to Hatching: emanating a rumble/sound/maternal croon (more subliminal than real noise), rearing on her hindquarters, spreading her broad wings, eyes glowing brightly green and beginning to whirl with excitement (Meranath, Autumn 257) [RSR/3:85].
Keening at: [D1/78].
Old customs; [D1/80-83].
Psychological profiles concerning Hatching: at the end of the First Interval there were still file boxes full of psychological profiles about the effect of hatching on riders, dragons and (new) weyrlings in Fort Hold's storage [RSR/3:86]. Some youngsters had no trouble at all adapting to the intense and intrusive link. Some suffered feelings of inadequacy and doubt [RSR/3:86].
Spectators: invited from local holds and crafts.
Unhatched eggs: cases where eggs did not hatch were fortunately very rare but did occur. In early days, when the technology had still been available, necropsies had been performed to establish the cause. In most of the recorded instances, there had been an obvious yolk problem, or the creature had been malformed and would not have survived hatching. Three times, however, the cause of death could not be established as the fetus had been perfect, with no apparent deficiency or disability. The message was handed down to dispose of such unhatched eggs between immediately: a duty performed on such rare occasions by the Weyrleader and his bronze [RSR/3:100].

Hatching Ground: a large cavern where Queens lay their clutches, which has a bed of heated sands, seating for spectators, and (often) ledges for dragons to perch on. [D1/87].

Hath: bronze dragon, rider R'gul. Hath was the dragon that flew Nemorth on several of her mating flights (after the death of F'lon) and also on her last mating flight.

Haura: rider of queen Werth. Junior weyrwoman of Fort Weyr [Mor].

Havers, Chuck: see Chuck Havers.

Hayara of Benden Hold, Lady: Lady Holder of Benden Hold, spouse of Lord Maidir [MHoP].

Hayon: eldest son of Hayara, Lady Holder of Benden Hold [MHoP].

Hazel: brought to Pern by the colonists [DLF1/II:16].

Head Medic: an office that bore the name Master Healer during later Passes. The head medic at the end of the First Interval was Corey [RSR/1:66].

See also Masterhealer.

Headmaster, the: head of the College at Fort Hold [RSR/1:43]. Later called the Masterharper.

Heads, professional: see Professional Heads

Headwoman:

Healer:

Healer craft:

Heard and witnessed: [D1/41].

Hegelman, Bernard: see Bernard Hegelman.

Hegelman, Eric: see Eric Hegelman.

Hegelman, Otto: see Otto Hegelman.

Hegmon: the (master) vintner of Benden Hold. In 257, during a gather at Fort Hold, he introduced a new, effervescent wine, like the old Earth champagne, which was to be called bubbly wine (or bubbling wine) by the Pernese. Shortly before the gather Hegmon refused to sell any of the wine to Lord Chalkin of Bitra. Hegmon had at least one son, who told Lord Chalkin (when he visited Benden to buy the wine) that his father was busy and could not attend the Lord [RSR/1:25-26, 39-41].

Heinrich: [DD].

Helith: bronze dragon, rider Ch'mon [Mor].

Helly: race rider at Ruatha Hold [Mor].

Hempenstall, Aisling: see Aisling Hempenstall.

Hempenstall, Pat: see Pat Hempenstall.

Herbs: all the medicinal and cooking herbs that were taken as seeds from both Earth and First Centauri by the Pern colonists, thrived well in Pernese soil [DLG1/II:16].

Herb sachets: it was common practice on Pern to make herb sachets to store with clothes to keep them smelling fresh [RSR/4:115].

Herdbeast:
There were large, wild herds of them in the uninhabited Southern Continent at the time of the start of the Second Pass [RSR/15:368].

Herdercraft:

Heth: bronze dragon, rider K'van, who was heard, discussing Threadfall, by Aramina on the journey from Igen to Lemos. He had the habit of talking constantly to his rider when doing sweeprides [GWHD/25].

H'grave: rider of green Hallath, stationed at Benden Weyr [Mor].
Probably named in honour of Matthew Hargreaves, the author of Anne Inez McCaffrey. Forty Years of Publishing. An International Bibliography.

Hides: Pernese name for blankets. In addition the name wherhide blanket is found in Dragon's Fire [DF, Dfire]

Hidebound: slang for someone who is set in their ways.

High Hill Hold: a Hold in Fort. Holders: Bestrum and Lady Gana. A son and a daughter (and a servant) went to the Ruathan gather (all died there). Another son had a gash in his leg and was treated by Nerilka. Bestrum's second son wanted to marry a girl from the next Hold and was looking for cropland.[NS]

High Reaches: a mountain range on the Northern Continent.

High Reaches, Lord of the: see Fax.

High Reaches Hold: major Hold.

Bound to: High Reaches Weyr.
Clothmen's hall: [D1/16-17].
Crafthalls: [D1/15].
Crafthold: [D1/13, 15].
Gates: [D1/6].
Great court: [D1/6].
Great hall: [D1/10].
Harpers: unnamed [D1/11].
Inner hold: [D1/10].
Firestone pit: [D1/5].
Ridge defenses: [D1/5].
Tower: [D1/6].
Valley: [D1/14].
Women's suite: [D1/13].

High Reaches Weyr:

Healers: Barly [Mor]; Pressen [Mor].
Holds under the protection of: High Reaches Hold, Nabol Hold, Tillek Hold.
Weyrlingmasters: Cr'not [Mor].

High Shoal at Nerat: [D1/198].

History Ballad: a teaching ballad that deals with Pernese history. Some of the very early ones were composed by Jemmy [RSR/11:276].

H'mar: rider of bronze Janeruth. Weyrlingmaster at Eastern Weyr [DoP/5:108].

HNO₃: see also Agenothree. an acid which destroys Thread, and which is easy to produce from scratch.

HNO₃cylinders: In the Second Pass HNO₃ cylinders were made by the engineer corp (as they had during the First Pass). Labor and material were supplied as part of their public duty. Each Hold and Weyr had an allotment of tanks, the HNO₃ would have to be made on site [RSR/1:48]. During the Winter of 257 Head Engineer Kalvi demonstrated to those who would form the Fort Weyr ground crews how to use and service HNO₃ cylinders. The demonstration was held some distance up the North Road from the Hold, where there were neither beasts nor cotholds [RSR/7:188, 192]. The apparatus had an adjustable wand that could give a long and narrow tongue of fire or a broader, shorter flame. Users had to wear a hard hat with a face screen. The effective range was six meters on the narrowest setting, two on the broader [RSR/7:189]. It had two tanks in which the separate gasses were contained [RSR/7:190].

Hobson, Rick: Rick Hobson of the Whale Conservation Institute in Lincoln, Mass. (USA) reviewed material dealing with dolphins and delphinic behaviour used for Dolphins of Pern. It was throught Rick Hobson that Anne McCaffrey and her daughter Georgeanne were able to swim with the real life Aphrodite and het son AJ, at the Dolphin Research Center at Grassy Key, Fl. (USA). Many of the names used for the dolphins in Dolphins of Pern are names of real dolphins at the beforementioned Research Center [DoP-Acknowledgements].

Hogarth: brown dragon, rider C'ver.

Hold: a place where the common people live. Originally they were cut into the mountains and hillsides. There are major and minor holds. Holds are autonomous.

Hold steward: oversees Hold management as directed by the Lord Holder, and sees to the implementation of the Holder’s orders.

Holder:

Holder, Lord: see Lord Holder.

Holder rights: one of the (basic) holder rights was the freedom to respond to a Search [RSR/3:97]. The legal land allotment is a holder right too [RSR/3:98].

Holding:

Holstrom: name of a family of colonists that died in First Fall [DD].

Holth: queen dragon, rider Leri [Mor].

Home on the range: Terran folk song [DD].

Homing device: sent by Ted Tubberman. The fact was recorded in the historical records and still remembered (at least at College) by the end of the First Interval, almost a quarter of a millennium later. By then it was believed by some that, even if it had reached Earth, there had been no reaction to it because it's message had not come from the colony leader Admiral Benden, others thought the reason why there had been no response was that Pern wasn't rich enough for anyone to undertake any action. By the time of the Second Pass the whole story was referred to as the Tubberman Tube Theory [RSR/4:119].

Homosexuality: [RSR/3:89].

Honshu:

Honshu Weyrhold:

Hop: Humulus lupulus. Hop is a central nervous system depressant, a mild anti-inflammatory. The active chemicals are found in the sticky glands in the hairs of the plants. Hops are also well-known as a flavoring used in beer. The vine is reminiscent of a grape, scaled flowers cover the fruit which appear to be sprinkled with a grainy yellow substance, the hairs which contain the active ingredients. It's a perennial and it does not flower until third year. Hardy to -35 Farenheit, prefers mildly acid to neutral soil, deep, well-drained humus, and needs full sun. Grows to 20-25' or more.
While in our world not currently used for the purpose, hops are acknowledged to have medicinal properties. They act as a CNS depressant, including relaxing heart rate, and even have been used like lavender as a pillow stuffing to aid sleep (the odor is considered offensive by some and as such it is not as popular, but it can be effective.) [Submitted by Jennifer Quail].

Hope Kimmer: daughter of Stev Kimmer at Honshu Hold [CoP-RR].

Horon: son of Lord Holder Groghe of Fort and Lady Benoria. Twin brother of Haligon [D2; Runner].

Horses: horses were obviously still called horses at the end of the First Interval, later named runnerbeasts [RSR/3:98].
Some Pern fans believe that runnerbeasts are not pure horses, but a separate breed/species developed from horses on Pern, in other words horses and runnerbeasts are not exactly synonymous terms. This might be deduced from Moreta in which a phrase appears that says that the plague killed off true horses at this time. But we know that some of Alessan’s horses survived, so this isn’t exactly right, unless Squealer was a runnerbeast and not a horse. Maybe it’s just the DLG which says that true horses died in Moreta’s time (DLG 19)]

Hosbon: son of the Holder of High Reaches Hold [DoP].

Hot Igen: a nickname for Igen Weyr. See Igen Weyr.

Hoyle-Wickramansingh(e) theory: In order to believe that life arose spontaneously, we must believe that chance overcame incomprehensible odds. During the 1970's doctors Sir Fred Hoyle and N. Chandra Wickramasinghe introduced another, revolutionary theory that states that life didn't start on Earth but in the interstellar dust clouds (lifeclouds) and then came down on earth from there in the form of germs and caused quite a few explosive reactions after it was introduced. They make a compelling case that, from the perspective of mathematical probability, life could not have arisen spontaneously (during a "big bang") or accidentally. [For more, readable (even for non-astronomers) information read: Kevin Hedges, The Origin of Life (an essay accessible at: http://www.stellarcom.com/users/kandl/Hedges/origin.htm). Literature for the seriously interested reader: Hoyle, Sir Fred and Chandra Wickramasinghe, Evolution from Space. New York: Simon and Schuster, 1981].

Hoyle, Sir Fred (1915-), F.R.S., a well known Terran astronomer, mathematician, writer, broadcaster and television personality, born in Bingley, Yorkshire, UK. He was educated at Bingley Grammar School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge. A Fellow of St. John's College, Cambridge, he was a university lecturer in mathematics from 1945 to 1958, when he was appointed to the post of Plumian Professor of Astronomy and Experimental Philosophy (1958-1973) and later made Director of the Cambridge Institute of Theoretical Astronomy (1966-1973), which he founded. He was elected to the Royal Society in 1967, becoming Vice President in 1970. In 1968 he was awarded the Gold Medal of the Royal Astronomical Society, becoming President in 1971. In 1968 he received the Kallinga Prize given by the United nations for promoting scientific understanding to a general audience. In 1969 he was elected an associate member of the American National Academy of Science - the highest U.S. honor for non-American scientists. he was knighted in 1972, and in 1974 was awarded a Royal Medal by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in recognition of his distinguished contributions to Theoretical Physics and Cosmology.
He was among the first to apply relativity equations and modern physics to cosmology. Hoyle predicted the existence of quasi-stellar objects that were later found; he also made major contributions to the theory that the heavier elements evolved from hydrogen. Among his publications are: The nature of the Universe (1950), A Decade of Decision (1953), Frontiers of Astronomy (1956), Of Men and Galaxies (1965) and Man in the Universe (1966).
He published several science fiction novels, including The Black Cloud (1957), Ossian's Ride (1959) and October the First is Too Late (1966). Together with his son, Geoffrey Hoyle (1942) he published many more science fiction novels. [source: several Penguin editions of science fiction paperbacks written by Hoyle alone and together with his son].
Wickramasinghe, Chandra N:

H'ran: rider of bronze Prynith and weyrlingmaster at isat Weyr. He is a white haired, older man [EtT].

Hundredweight: a weight measure. On old Terra a hundred weight or hundredweight was a unit of measurement for mass in the old Terran United States of America customary units and was historically used in the Imperial system in the old Terran United Kingdom and the erstwhile British Commonwealth. However, its definition differed in the two systems. In Imperial units, a hundredweight ('long') is defined as 112 pounds avoirdupois, or 8 stone, or four quarters (50.80234544 kg). That was so close to 50 kg that the transition to the later introduced metric equivalents (in the 20th Terran century) was easy. In US customary units, a hundredweight ('short') was defined as 100 pounds (equivalent to 45.359237 kg). The short hundredweight was also the normal hundredweight in the old Terran republic Canada. [Dfire].

Hurth: bronze dragon, rider D'vin, a High Reaches Wingleader (later Weyrleader) at the end of the Second Interval. Hurth is good at finding candidates on Search [Dfire].

Hydroponics: used for fresh food [RSR/1:62]. Hydroponics refers to growing food/plants in water (with dissolved nutrients) instead of soil. It is often how sci-fi writers have plants grown on space-ships, because water can be recycled for many purposes, but soil is heavy and only for plants. This would be a very convenient for the settlers to grow food indoors, protected from Thread.

Hyssop: Hyssopus officinalis (ezob). Expectorant with a strong camphor-like odor. Infusion of the leaves and tops, taken by the mouthful up to two cups a day, relieves cold, fever, and sore throat. A compact perennial with whorled flowers, tubular, blue or violet. It has opposite linear leaves, 2-3', likes a temperate climate and mildly acid, light, well-drained soil, full sun to partial shade. For some inexplicable reason, in Moreta, Dragonlady of Pern, hyssop and ezob are referred to separately while they are exactly the same herb. The name ezob is derived from a Hebrew word. [Submitted by Jennifer Quail].

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