Doll by Dolldivine

Name: Ranradel (R'adel)

Gender: Male

Age: 15

Origin: Craftbred (Masonry, junior apprentice)

Height: 5'10"

Build: Sturdy, muscular, with very strong hands; he is well balanced, rather than all on top he has strong leg muscles as well as arms.

Skin: Olive-tan

Hair: violet-brown, kept reasonably short

Eyes: dark green, squints a lot

Personality: a bit callous, like his hands.

History: Ranradel, like his two older brothers, was expected to continue the family trade: knock out blocks of stone and turn them into functional housing or art. He's not artistic, at least in terms of what he might do with stone. He's adept enough at appraising rock, ore, and dig sites. However his 'artistry' often involves practical jokes that have gotten him into trouble before. His penchant for annoying his brothers and occasionally messing with the senior apprentices has held him back a bit from progressing in his trade - and also given him a more functional skill in defending himself via kicks and dirty fighting techniques. He figured if he can't out-run a group of angry masons, he could certainly humble them with his fists and feet.

He was Searched by Sedona Weyr's riders and had been eager to leave his old life behind. Perhaps with the right coaching or structure to his life, he will stop being such a jerk - though it's also possible he may adapt and thrive as such, becoming that kind of rider that gets used as examples in Holder lore.

--Questions!--

1. What color do you particularly want to Impress?
Doesn't matter, I'll take anything!

2. Any colors you do NOT want to get?
Nope, I'm fine with any of them.

3. Extrovert or Introvert?
Friends are nice, but I like plenty of time to myself as well.

4. Nervous about the Hatching?
I'm getting a little jittery and impatient.

5. Are you a leader, or a follower?
I don't think I'd like being in charge. I'd rather just keep my head down and do what I'm told.

6. Someone played a mean-spirited prank on another candidate. What do you do?
Okay, I didn't actually do it, but I still feel a bit guilty for laughing.

7. Some of your friends dare you to go somewhere dangerous. What do you do?
None of the above, I've got a better idea.

8. You find someone's stray pet canine. What do you do?
Kick it.

***

Ranradel was relieved when the hatching finally arrived. He had taken to listening to rider gossip, unable to listen to the dragons themselves. At last, as the odd blue-and-blue (a female blue? who had ever seen that?!) clutch's eggs were shaking, he just knew this would be a good day. As he stood there among the numerous candidates, he noticed as they all did: the first to hatch? The brown? It was female. Well, a female blue laid the clutch... And some of the eggs had two dragons inside them! Thankfully, after a pair and a couple others, one egg shook itself open.

The next egg really did reveal a blue, the first dragon to take after his parents in color. The male candidates all moved a little closer, relieved at having a chance of Impression after the greens. The blue actually seemed a little overwhelmed by the attention, but he strode forward anyway, stopping at the feet of one of the first candidates he came to. Ranradel looked down at the hatchling at his feet, and grinned. "Let's eat, then, Eliceth ."

He was to be known as R'adel from that moment, pride filled his heart.

The hard work he'd done almost all his life had prepared him for the strenuous riding he would later embark upon. Once he and the vibrant blue had passed the dangerous stages of weyrling practice (Eliceth really did need his instruction constantly if they were to get anywhere, particularly in Threadfall or heading between, because he was absolutely dumb as a sack of stone) they took up the request for riders to join a smaller weyr, Albion, and there would secure themselves a nice wing spot.

Nice, because once they were set up, and headed off to their first gather near Albion, Eliceth proved himself to be a good sniffer for Candidates! And of course, that meant that R'adel needed to work a bit on his own presentation. No more pranking, no more gags... well, maybe a few...