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These positions describe just about every rank on Yung's version of Pern. (If you see one missing, please point it out to your nearest admin. Thank you.) They give the responsibilities of the position, the OOC and IC duties to be upheld by that person, and serve as a basic warning for those who would take up a position at Yung Weyr. Applications for the positions are on a private page; for use when/if someone joins, and can be posted under the "Council Applications" board. Some of the definitions have also been edited from McCaffrey's official ones; if you see any familiar ones, that's probably it.

Weyr Positions	Hold Positions	Hall(s) Positions	Holdless Positions
Drudge Weyrbrat Candidate Creche Worker Cook Weyrfolk (Lower Caverns) Weyrling (Jr or Sr.) Head Cook Dragonrider (green, blue) Dragonrider (brown, bronze) Wingsecond Wingleader Weyrling Staff (Aid to Weyrling Master) Queenrider (Gold)* Junior Headwoman Weyrwoman's Second Weyrsecond Weyr Representatives	Drudge Hired Holdless Guard Holderbrat Creche Workers Fosterlings Drum-Messenger Hold Heir(s) Holderfolk (workers) CotHolder (Sub-Holders) Warden Wher-handler Watchrider (Dragonrider) Hold Artist(e) Hold Harper Hold Healer Hold Smith Hold Tanner Head Cook Junior Headwoman Steward Headwoman Lady Holder Lord Holder	Drudge Hallbrat Creche Workers Fosterlings Students Drum-Messenger Hall Healer Apprentice Crafters Hallfolk Journeymen Crafters Wher-Handler Watchrider (Dragonrider) Teacher of "Craft" Craftmaster CotHolder (Sub-Holders) Jr Headwoman Headwoman Master"Craft"er of "Craft"	Unhired Holdless Renegade Holdless Renegade Leader Apprentice Trader Journeyman Trader TradeMaster Wagonleader Caravan Leader
Most Needed Ranks
Candidate (Male) Cooks Weyrlings Dragonriders (Male) Head Cook Weyr Representatives	Hold Heir(s) Holderfolk (workers) CotHolder (Sub-Holders) Watchrider (Dragonrider) Hold Harper Hold Healer Wherhandler Head Cook Steward Headwoman Lady Holder Lord Holder	Students Hall Healer Journeymen Crafter Watchrider (Dragonrider) Teacher of "Craft" Craftmaster CotHolder Headwoman Master"Craft"er of "Craft"	Unhired Holdless Renegade Holdless Apprentice Trader Journeyman Trader TradeMaster Wagonleader

Note: * indicates that the position will be difficult to obtain.
Current Crafts:

Artist	Baker	Beast
Farm	Fisher	Harper
Healer	Mining	Smith
Tanner	Weaver	Wood

Definitions of Positions: (Alphabetical Order)

Apprentice: An apprentice is the lowest rank in the Craft - they possess no privileges, and must defer to all others of higher rank than themselves in every way. Some of the higher ranks - if cruel enough - are even permitted to take away an apprentice's belongings if they feel that they desire to do so. However, the circumstances in which this occurs is rare, and those of the Craft- who remember what is was like to be an apprentice- generally never do so. But whether an apprentice likes one of rank higher than him or not, they must obey. An apprentice is required to attend all the lessons set by the Hall that they are apprenticed to in order to become a Journeyman and be able to walk the tables- also known as "graduating" from the Apprentice ranks. While at the Halls, they may also be required to do chores in order to lighten the load on the Hallfolk upon whom they depend for their comfortable life at the Hall to which they have been apprenticed. Only the best of the apprentices, however, make it to Journeyman rank; and there are only a select number of Journeymen, so those who desire to get to the next level generally attempt to excell within all their studies in order to secure their Journeyman position.

Candidate: A Candidate can be either male or female, who has been chosen by a searchdragon from their Hold or Hall to attend the Weyr until the next clutch is hatched. Typically they can also be found from the Lower Caverns, and other Weyrbrats. They can be any age, although are typically between 14- 19, and can be searched at any time between the ages of 11-24, though both extremes are extraordinarily rare. They are preferred to be older when possible, as this encourages the possibility that the rider will be mature enough to fly with his dragon when both are sufficiently mature. Most predominately are they Searched, of course, when a clutch is upon Weyr Sands. Until the day they are actually asked to stand, they are expected to fulfill any number of duties around the Weyr, thus proving their work ethic. They are also asked to attend lessons in order to ensure that no misconceptions will mar the Hatching day- lessons missed indicate extra chores, or, in extreme cases, being sent back to the Hold/Hall. Candidates stay in Barracks together throughout their candidacy, and on the day of the hatching are given very specific instructions to follow as to clothing (white robes, sandals) and actions (where to feed dragonets, etc.)

Candidates' Master: The Candidates' Master is somewhat less powerful than the Weyrling Master, though it is undeniable that his ranks' numbers can be superior to the Weyrling Master's at times. A rank previously delegated to the Headwoman, Yung's radical history has caused a great change, and separation of duties into a different rank entirely. He keeps his Candidates for far less time than the Weyrling Master, and thereby does not require the staff that the Weyrling Master does. His primary duty is similar to the Weyrling Master's; to care for his Candidates, ensure that all of them are of sound body and mind once they are delivered to the Sands, ensure that all of them participate in the necessary chores and attend the lessons in order to ascertain that all of them know what awaits them upon the Sands. His job in the lessons is to dispel any half-formed cobwebby impressions that the Candidates may have received from the indistinct rumors of Hold and Hall, and to make certain that none of the Candidates do something to which they are not meant to do on the fateful day. If they make some sort of faux pas, the Candidate Master is the one to ensure that they be disciplined with the correct type of punishment, and it is he that organizes their ranks to ascertain that as little goes wrong upon the Hatching day as possible; if anything at all. Though he wields less power than the Weyrling Master, nevertheless, he is an important pillar in the Weyr's society.

CotHolder (Sub-Holders): A cotholder is one who holds a cottage- or more, depending on the will to claim land of the cotholder and the amount of land capable of being claimed, though once enough land is acquired, a cotholder becomes a Holder- under either a Lord Holder or a Hall. If they Hold under a Hall, they are generally required to keep with them the students and apprentices that do not fit within the Barracks of the Hall that are assigned to their cots. They must keep watch over those pre-adolescents and teenagers, and ensure that they follow the rules of the Hall, without getting into more trouble than they can live with. Under Holders, however, it's something like a lord and his vassals' situation; the cotholders work the land in return for the promise of being able to stay on it, and tithe a certain amount to the Lord Holder. If that quota is unable to be fulfilled, the promise between Lord Holder and cotholder is generally considered to be negated, and, if the Lord has found someone who will be able to meet the quota set, he will remove the family formerly working the land from their homes, turning them Holdless while the new person moves in in order to farm the land. This is the most common way to make the Holdless- renegades who have been intentionally expelled are less common.

Craftmaster: A Craftmasterof a certain craft is a Crafter who has been acknowledged by all the Masters of his Craft to have passed all the necessary goals of a Journeyman, and can thereby be named as one as skilled in totality as any of his Masters; now to be considered his peers. He is eligible for many things; including assuming the ultimate position CraftMaster at his Hall or Hold, and taking leadership of the Craft in its entirety- though for this to occur, he would need to be willingly named as successor by the current MasterCrafter. He is duty-bound to make a profit for the Hall or Hold to which he owes his loyalty, commit his life to Hall/Hold and MasterCrafter, and to keep the trade of their Craft going, either by taking on apprentices or aiding the other Masters with their apprentices. Occasionally, as exemplified by the Harper Hall, his Hall may even deem a Hold worthy or in need of a Master, and send him there in order to ensure the continued prosperity of the balance of Pern by continuing the affluence of a certain Hold or Hall. A MasterCrafter is also considered to be ranking, and occasionally receives privileges as a reward for his rank.

Creche Workers: The creche-workers are another type of 'folk- they are available at all types of places, whether it be Hold, Hall, cot or Weyr- for children are born everywhere, and require the care of an adult before they grow mature enough to care for themselves. Creche-workers are usually what the Earthborn people address as 'nannys', 'babysitters', 'governesses', etcetera. They are those who care for the Hallbrats, the Weyrbrats, the Holderbrats and ensure that they do not get into mischief while their foster-parents or true parents (depending on whether it is Hold, Hall or Weyr that the 'brats are being raised at, and whether their true parents have time enough to raise them) are busy with their work during the day. A parent or fosterparent may work here, and spend time with their children, but oftentimes, the parents do other work, and leave their young children with the creche-workers' nannies to entertain and teach them. The Hold/Weyr Harper can also be found here occasionally, attempting to teach the young children their subjects and that which they will be required to know as they grow up into adulthood, though generally only the very young children are put into the care of the creche-workers, and thereby will not require the services of the Harper until older; approximately six to seven Turns old.

DragonRider (Green, Blue): A Dragonrider is anyone who has impressed a Dragonet and then graduated from Weyrlinghood, and is now a member of one of multiple Wings (units of Dragonriders that fly to char thread). These riders can technically be a female or male, technically of any sexual orientation, and they make up most of the population of all dragonriders. The most common pairings are males to greens and blues, and females occasionally to greens. Rarely is there a female to blue Impression, but those bonds, when made, are treated as ordinarily as though the female were male. Green riders often fly in the upper levels of the thread-fighting wings, due to the speed and agility generally associated with these dragons. Whereas Blues may be slightly inferior in speed but still agile because of their comparative size. Most of the Weyr positions are made up of riders of these colors, and many Searchriders are Greenriders as well. (Blue riders are all fantastic searchriders, thereby the job is more commonly given to them.) They are also expected to help out in any of the normal duties of the Weyr, such as assisting with threadscores after Fall, and ferrying any guest to the weyr of lower importance (depending on the reliability of the pair). They also make excellent spies in other Weyrs, as the more common chromatics are rarely noticed; one more or less matters little to other Weyrs.

DragonRider (Brown, Bronze): A Dragonrider is anyone who has impressed a Dragonet and then graduated from Weyrlinghood, and is now a member of one of multiple Wings (units of Dragonriders that fly to char thread). These dragonriders are male only- browns and bronzes cannot be Impressed to a female rider- and, while brownriders are possible to be bisexual, are generally heterosexual only. Brownriders fly the middle ranks of the thread-fighting wings, and can alternate between high and low altitude, as they are the most versatile fliers, if not the swiftest or the most enduring. Bronzeriders, their dragons in possession of the most endurance, usually fly the lower ranks, never alternating as the chromatics do, as their dragons have endurance enough, though not as much agility as their chromatic cousins. Though most of the Weyr positions tend to be taken up by blue and greenriders- the smallest chromatics, in short- browns and bronzes can occupy the Weyrleader, Weyrsecond and the Wingleader positions, not to mention many other of the Weyr positions, though the blues and greens are preferred. Browns also make decent, if not terrific, Searchriders, while bronzes do not. They are usually employed as figureheads, rather than the spies, as the names of the bronzeriders are well-known throughout Pern. Browns, however, can occasionally be used as spies, as they, too, are chromatic.

Drudge: Drudges are the backbone of Pern; without the drudges, there would be far more work available for the Weyrfolk, Hallfolk, Holderfolk and the denizens of the cots upon Pern. The drudges' duties are greatly variegated; from cleaning even the most revoltingly filthy of rooms and latrines, to helping in cooking the foodstuffs that the Pernese eat (hopefully not directly after they've finished cleaning the latrines) by turning the spit when a roast is required to be prepared, fetching the correct spices, and in general aiding the Kitchens. The feeble-minded are generally made drudges, for that is all they are fit for, and it is perhaps because of this that the minor prejudice against drudges; that is to say, many of the ranks upon Pern are greatly contemptuous of them, simply because they tend to be rather servile, and they can never aspire to a higher rank other than that which they are. The progeny of two drudges will also remain a drudge; and any scion of theirs will enter the same life of servantry. All the same, there has never been a rebellion, and the Pernese are content to haeve it so; how else would the truly important things be done if the mundane weren't taken care of?

Drum-Messenger: A runner and a drum-messenger possess several similar qualities in that both of them are trusted to deliver oftentimes important messages to Lord Holders, Weyrleader(s), Cotholders and HallMasters. Though firelizards could very possibly render them obsolete, nevertheless the diminutive creatures are not quite common enough to put runners and drum-messengers out of business; and firelizards are flighty enough to ensure that both positions will always have a place in the hierarchy of Pern. A drummer is generally a Journeyman Harper trained by the Harper Halls, though he does not always have to be a journeyman, familiarized with the drum code, that sends messages to and from Hold, cot, Hall or Weyr to Hold, cot, Hall or Weyr. (Though the Weyr usually does not rely on drums, preferring to use dragonrider-messengers, which are less flighty than firelizards, and swifter to be interpreted than a drummer's message.) Each drum-messenger possesses a certain amount of hours of a shift in a day, so that no message might be missed by the recipient, and it is rare that a message is found incomplete or badly interpreted, as the drum-messengers are generally very reliable- and thankfully closemouthed.

Fosterlings: Fosterlings are generally the sons of a Lord Holder, or merely a Holder; even a simple cotholder will engage in the tradition of fostering, as it not only fosters friendship between the sons, but a good relationship between the two Holds that share the fostering. Early on, they are sent to another Hold, generally one rather far from their home, in order to both show them another way of life and perhaps plant within them the necessary traits for them to become more suitable for their station in life, and to establish a firm friendship between the two Holds that are exchanging fosterlings. On Earth, it would most likely be likened to an exchange student situation; both locations exchange one child for the other, and Turns later (though Earth generally does not permit for an exchange to last Turns), when each returns to their native home, they have learned new things, and have acquired new traits that may or may not have made them more likely to assume their role in life with renewed vigor. It is more common that the larger Holdings' lords will engage in this behavior rather than the smaller ones, as the cotholders can be somewhat closeminded and primitive at times.

Guard: Though a watchrider (which is a recent position installed within the Holds, and still not entirely accepted by some) and a watch-wher both stand guard over Hold and Hall, nevertheless, over a Hold, there are human guards as well. Their primary duties are to stand as sentinel over the Hold and to ensure that no intruders arrive to invade the Hold while they are unprepared to reiterate against an attack. However, failing that, they are to protect the Lord Holders at all costs. Hired Holdless are generally never permitted these duties unless willing folk are severely lacking, as there is always the suspicion that the hired holdless may well be renegade holdless, attempting to scout out the Hold and ensure their renegade band's safety while they raid the Hold's supplies to gain both profits and food enough to last out in the wilderness. However, there are rarely would-be guards lacking for this position, as the Gather-fighters, those who brawl for the entertainment and betting of others, are usually hired for this purpose, and are well-suited to such a task, for they possess both loyalty to the Holder (who could very well make them holdless, if he so desired) and the strength to ascertain his safety.

Hallbrat: The common Hall-born brat possesses no duties as one might think of them, save the usual chores that any childling growing up might possess. They are the product of the union between two of the folk of the location where they dwell, illicit or not, and, regardless of the circumstances of their birth, are born without stigma or a bad name associated with themselves. They are required to learn from their local Harper (and to attend the lessons, lest they be bombarded with extra chores suited to their age and range of skill), and to apprend a basic knowledge of their history. They are generally expected to participate in the trade of the location wherein they grew up, and to learn a love for it- for example, a Harper's child would be expected to learn how to listen to and perhaps compose music, unless they were mentally retarded. Often, when the children mature enough, they can be fostered off to other places in order to saturate the Holds with a feeling of well-being towards one another; the reason that Holders' and Halls' animosity against each other has never been as great as that of the autonomous, and thereby lone, Weyrs. Their duty is to obey the orders of the adults, and to learn that which is given to them.

Hallfolk: Hallfolk is a very general title; usually those with that title possess varied and specific tasks- for every task, there is a designated person. Those Hallfolk that do not refer to the more prominent Hall-persons are generally born Hallfolk; the Hallbrats that have grown up and begun to work for their Halls. They perform most of the work within the Halls, which can range from helping the cook within the Kitchens (which does not require a bakercraft education, though such a thing might help) to drudging in cleaning. In Halls, they also do varied things such as flamethrower crew (if there is no holdless to be hired, which there generally is), crop-picking, caring for the beasts, fishing, chopping trees for the lumber wood and firelogs, etc, and in the Harper Hall, they sing while Thread falls, assumably as encouragement. Drudges are also taken to be part of the Hall ranks, though they are generally treated as slightly lesser than the other Hallfolk, percieved as something akin to servants. Their duties are usually lightened by the Hallbrats, who are given chores that can be similiar to the work that such persons do, though their ranks have not swelled enough to lighten much weight from the dedicated Holdfolk's shoulders.

Hall Healer: Healers are the doctors and nurses of Pern. They heal everything from scrapes to the gravest of injuries of the oldest to the youngest of thePernese if they can, in Hall, Hold and Weyr. Regardless of the circumstances surrounding their Healings, if there is a human life in danger, or simply to ease another's pain, they will give aid- even to the most repugnant of persons. Their goal is to make more bearable the pains of life, not to add to it, and they swear something very similar to an Earthborn Hippocratic Oath, which binds them to a promise never to use their craft for harm. The MasterHealer is responsible for the efficient distribution of his Healers to the necessary locations (and he alone makes the appointments of which Healer to which Hold), the training of those who come to his Halls to become a Healer, and the discipline of all Healers; as all come under his jurisdiction. The MasterHealer himself is a universal Healer- he tends to be called to places where strange ailments have been found, and where the most complicated situations involving Healing arise- he dominates above any Healer trained within his Halls.

Head Cook: A Head Cook is a position that can be found at Weyr, cot, Hold and Hall; any of those four locations will possess that rank, and even some trader caravans on the Northern Continent have acquired one willing to brave the dangerous routes that the traders travel in order to dine regularly and well. He is generally one who has been apprenticed to the BakerCraft and possesses at least rudimentary knowledge of that Craft, and is responsible for the general well-being (in the culinary areas, at least!) of the Weyr. He also possesses a minor power over the drudges, but this is generally only in Kitchen-related duties, and it is also his duty to supervise the Candidates if they draw a chore to work within his Kitchens. If there is some deficiency, food lack or pest control necessary, he reports to the Headwoman, Junior Headwoman or, in Hold cases, the Steward with that information. Any lack on that part tends to be blamed on the Head Cook, as does poisoning, as the Head Cook is responsible for ensuring that none of his charges are poisoned, and to know every ingredient that goes into the Dining Halls' variety of victuals. He is also in charge of the food storage; specifically, carrying out the Headwoman's orders on the subject.

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