Founded after High Reaches Weyr in the First Interval, Igen at one time had one of the largest territories to patrol. The Weyr protected the Keroon and Igen River Holds on the braided streams of the river and the inhabited lands around Telgar; most of what lay between was desert or mountain. Igen has seen a long and colorful history since its founding; the residents have experienced joy, sorrow, elation and dispair but nonetheless, the Weyr has survived.
Igen Weyr was among the massed Weyrs of Pern that met Threadfall at the start of the Second Pass. Led at that time by B'nurrin, the Weyrleader, rider to bronze Ianath, and Shanna, rider to gold Haralth, the Senior Weyrwoman, Igen Weyr prospered, despite the coming of the Pass, and all was well. Dragons rose to mate, clutches were laid and hatchlings Impressed. Turns passed, the Weyr remaining as it was until the Sixth Pass, when the feline was brought from the Southern Continent by stranded seamen. Conveyed by Igen riders, little did anyone know that the beast carried a potentially lethal disease. Within days, the riders of Igen slowly became stricken with the disease, and it was Ch'mon, rider to bronze Helith, who was the first of the riders to die of the fever and his bronze promptly went between. Igen Weyr lost many riders, as well as many of their residents, but thankfully the disease was beaten back and life returned to normal for the survivors.
Many more Turns would go by, Two Passes and two Intervals would come and go. Finally, at the end of the Eighth Pass, when Threadfall had ended, Lessa and Ramoth arrived from the future. Igen was among the five Weyrs that jumped forward four hundred Turns to fight Thread in the Ninth Pass. Under the leadership of Weyrleader G'narish (Gyarmath's rider) and his Weyrwoman, Nadira, Igen Weyr was supportive of Benden Weyr, and the Weyr grew, prospered and thrived for Turns. Igen riders participated in the operations that moved the Red Star, thus ending Threadfall for all time. As the Ninth Pass ended, the residents of Igen Weyr rejoiced. Now, riders could devote more of their time to other tasks. Turns came and went, and in time, Weyrwoman Evsa and her Weyrleader D'stin became the leaders of Igen. They led well, until one day, they departed from the Weyr, and nothing was ever seen of them again. Rumors abound, however, that perhaps they decided to time it to a less stressful time where they could lounge by some other Weyr's ocean, drinking the world's largest assortment of alcoholic beverages.
The only gold remaining at Igen at this time was Xena and her gold Ildaiath, and she stepped up into the Senior position. With Ildaiath's maiden flight, B'relan became Weyrleader, and with Ildaiath's next flight, B'relan lost his position and bronzerider G'lar became Weyrleader (Ildaiath was never exactly monogomous). This flight just happened to result in a queen egg (as well as some other eggs), which is how the Gardener Ailina became the Queenrider Ailina. Things were fairly quiet for a while. Sure there was the Weyrlingmaster that enjoyed playing constant pranks on candidates and weyrlings alike, and all the fish disappeared from Igen's lake, oh and we mustn't forget the constant scandals the Weyrleader was involved in *ahem*, but for the most part things really were like any other normal Weyr. Then Ildaiath decided to change her mate again.
This time bronze Branth was the winner of the flight and his rider, the egotistical J'ham, found himself in the position of Weyrleader. However, by the end of the post-flight 'activities,' it gradually became obvious that the poor bronzerider wasn't quite the same. That perhaps he doubted his leadership abilities was rumored and gossip circulated around the Weyr like wildfire as to the true reason behind that. Whether this new leader was the cause, or she just missed the flowers that had once taken up so much of her time, Ailina transferred to Western Weyr. In fact, this transfer was shortly before J'ham stepped down, leaving the Weyrsecond Geloe of brown Seproth as acting Weyrleader.
It was said that Fort Junior Weyrwoman Ivaala was always rather fond of a certain Igen bluerider. Imagine that! It just so happens that during one of those visits to see her dear bluerider, her gold Yslinth, who was heavy with eggs at the time, decided to clutch, and on Igen Sands at that. Fort Weyr was not happy in the least, and when Igen's Weyrwoman Xena announced that as the eggs were laid on Igen sands, the resulting hatchlings would belong to Igen, Fort's Senior Weyrwoman, Bellea, was fuming. Life quickly became more stressful with poor relations between Fort and Igen, weyrlings from a newly hatched clutch to look after and a Weyrleader who was considering becoming a hermit. So when Xena succumbed to heat stroke one particularly taxing day, it wasn't much of a surprise. Fortunately (or unfortunately), she didn't perish, but her mind was certainly never the same. You may now catch a glimpse of her on her daily chaperoned walks, flapping her arms and chirping like an avian.
Geloe, at a loss for what to do, put the next to rise policy into effect to decide who would next become Senior. As the gold from Yslinth's clutch was still quite young, Junior Weyrwoman Ryhas who had transferred to the Weyr sometime earlier was considered the shoe in. However, yet again a visiting gold would foil things for Igen. In desperate need for relief from Telgar Weyr's frosty weather, Junior Weyrwoman Lailara and her gold Aegwynth decided to take a vacation in the sunniest place on Pern. Apparently, this overabundance of heat and relaxation agreed with the queen as she was soon up and away in a surprise mating flight, which, in accordance to tradition, made her Senior and the poor winner Quilerth of Western won his equally poor rider, C'ine, the position of Weyrleader.
Alas, the new leaders were suddenly faced with quite a bit of hardships for such new positions. There was a Weyr that was unsure of what to make of these strangers and then there was Fort Weyr which was still fuming about Igen's keeping of Yslinth's clutch. In an attempt to make ammends for that ill-fated gesture, Lailara offered to trade the gold pair — Phrequanth and her rider Charolette from the clutch for a pair from Yslinth's previous clutch that was wreaking havoc on Fort and causing headaches for the poor leaders since Impression. The trade was eagerly agreed to, which is how Auralii and Nyrrasilth came to Igen, but Fort continued to act rather haughtily toward Igen Weyr.
More time would pass, and eventually within Turns of her assuming Seniorhood, Lailara stepped down. Ryhas transferred north, to High Reaches Weyr, and Auralii and her Nyrrasilth went their seperate ways. Once more Igen was left without golds — Junior or Senior — and once more it was Telgar who provided the next Senior. Roberta and Ralorieth transferred in, to assume the Senior position only until a gold was clutched matured. Sure enough, in her next flight, Ralorieth was caught by Z'quir's Keysith and a gold egg was clutched.
From that Hatching, gold Pranath chose Blythe as her lifemate, and after the pair survived Weyrlinghood, they became the Seniors of Igen Weyr. From her maiden flight, won by bronze Sorvoth, another gold was clutched, and the young queen chose Veia as her rider. The future was assured for the Weyr, as the two golds rose and clutched, and more dragons began to repopulate the Weyr.
The arrival of a new gold, after seven Turns of Blythe's assumption of Senior Weyrwoman, came not in the form of a golden egg, but rather a junior traded from Eastern Weyr. Lonriya and her Isisth had come from the more gold-heavy Weyr to assist with the other queens. Blythe stepped down as Senior Weyrwoman, pinning the knot on the newly arrived Lonriya. And now, the Weyr only awaits Isisth's rising to determine the new Weyrleader.
Glowing golden in the sun, and turning her rider into quite a flirt — something that Lonriya will have to live down — Isisth took it upon herself to rise pursued by bronzes Kalerriarth and Vorshnath of Igen Weyr as well as bronze Caith of Xanadu Weyr (and a very bold and brash Axis the bronze firelizard that looks to WeyrHealer Faizah of Igen) Leading her suitors over the desert sand of Igen in her first flight since arriving at the desert Weyr to assume the seniorship. The former Eastern junior led her suitors on a merry chase, and slowly she tired. Let it not be said that she ever still favored Kalerriarth who had caught her in her maiden flight at Eastern, but when all was said and done, it was the violet-bronze who had caught her. And as she was Senior, and Kalerriarth her new (or perhaps old?) mate, that made his rider, E'in the new Weyrleader of Igen Weyr.
With Isisth's fourth flight, it was Vorshnath who caught her, and thereby K'loh became the new Weyrleader. When Isisth clutched, among her large clutch was a gold egg. Her first. Searchriders went out far and wide to assemble the Candidates and the Weyr was filled with eager and not-so-eager young people who would possibly Impress. At the Hatching that followed, it was gold Noruith who emerged from the shards of the queen egg and after hissing at the Candidates for a moment or so, chose Charlotte to be her rider. Among the other fateful Impressions that occured were that of M'ei (Meined) to green Abrynth, E'lis (Elias) to green Anwyduth, H'dae (Jahdae) to green Lathrocinth, K'avi (Kavita) to blue Travesath, D'ia (Dita) to brown Ahueyuath, Lysa (Ylysa) to brown Ikepriath, V'mir (Vynmir) to bronze Tsiranth and J'rad (Janrad) to bronze Vianth. It was a busy group for the Weyrlingmasters and all went well with the weyrlings finally graduating and being tapped into their respective wings.
Isisth rose again in time, and again it was Vorshnath who caught her, securing K'loh's tenure as Weyrleader once more. And not longer after Isisth rose, her daughter, Charlotte's Noruith took to the skies for her maiden flight and was caught by Lysa's brown Ikepriath. And once more, Searchriders go forth to Search for Candidates. The resulting clutch was small, but healthy for there were a number of hatchlings — one of whom, green Bailinth Impressed to Ciym who would after weyrlinghood become one of Igen's Assistant Weyrlingmasters. Thus, life continues for the desert Weyr, and even beyond, for one of Isisth's sons, bronze Vianth, has caught the junior gold of Fort Weyr and spread the Igen bloodlines further on.
It wasn't long after Orianath and Vianth's clutch Hatched at Fort Weyr, that Telgar Weyr began grumbling. Having carried a chip on their shoulder for over a decade about losing their juniors to the Igen seniorship, they decided they needed some new blood, and they wanted it from Eastern Weyr by way of Igen. Lonriya sought to appease them, agreeing to send the juniormost gold if they just stopped griping about it, so off went Charlotte and Noruith to the more northernly Weyr. Thus, only two golds were left at Igen, Isisth herself, and Veia's Sorchayth who really didn't seem to rise quite as often as the Eastern-blooded queen.
Isisth again rose in time, as all golds are apt to do. And yet again Vorshnath caught her. Her clutch was a fairly good-sized one with such notable Impressions as C'yn (Ceryon) and Green Mekyszereth, Tio (Tio-Alla) and Green Ladesseth, Katanali and Blue Siradasuth, Dani (Danika) and Gold Rosselith, Nenya (Kyoninya) and Brown Delduahnth, Aerin and Brown Roussanth. This gave Lonriya another junior to train which made her very pleased.
At some point following the Weyrling Graduation, the Renegades smuggled in some of their people, kidnapping Brownrider Aerin and Junior Weyrwoman Dani, and drugging gold Rosselith in the process. But luckily, the two riders were returned, although much the worse for wear. Speculations continued about what possible harm the drugs might have had on Rosselith's system, but it wasn't until later that anything was known.
Lonriya stepped down just past her third decade, having led the Weyr for a good number of Turns, due to some complications regarding her third pregnancy. But rumors continued to fly around the Weyr after that announcement about whether or not her resignition was temporary, since the goldrider was not vacating the weyr of the senior queen. It was Rosselith who rose then, and Vorshnath who caught her, keeping K'loh as the Weyrleader and Dani as the new Weyrwoman. Rosselith however had difficulties during her clutching, and after the Weyr brought in the Candidates and the Hatching was held, three of the nine eggs failed to hatch. Dragonhealers were brought in, and it was discovered that the drugs that the Renegades had given the gold dragon were the cause of it.
Dani resigned as Senior Weyrwoman, turning the Weyr back over to Lonriya who by then was quite capable of assuming command again. Not long afterwards, Dani and Rosselith packed their bags, departing the Weyr at dawn, but not without a sendoff party. This left Igen with only two golds once more, and Sorchayth had not shown any signs of rising any time soon which worried Lonriya since Isisth wasn't look to be proddy at any point in the future either.
And just when Lonriya was starting to get nervous about the golds not clutching, gold Nylaeth and her rider, Kathryn arrived from Ierne Weyrhold where they had been staying for a number of Turns after having Impressed at Telgar. Nylaeth didn't waste any time in rising, and was caught by bronze Caith, the resulting clutch having produced 1 bronze, 1 brown, 3 blues and 3 greens. Another gold, Tyanilth and her rider, Izaura, also came to the Weyr, the goldrider having been the Senior at Telgar for great many Turns before the dragon became infertile, and she has resigned. Thus they came to Igen Weyr to assume the role of Weyrlingmaster, but later turned it down in favor of W'bob and his blue, Devlith, but remained on as a healer for the Weyr, and also for the sunshine and warmth which was good for old people and dragons.
Things seemed promising for the desert Weyr, a successful clutch had boosted everyone's spirits, profits were going up thanks to the shipping wing, and by and large, the Weyrwoman was relatively calm and pleased with having people to help her with all the work. Not only that, Isisth was even starting to glow a bit, sure signs that she'd be rising at some point in the near future. And then things happened. Sort of bad things. Shortly after the birth of her fourth child, Junior Weyrwoman Veia was flown to the Healer Hall due to complications from the delivery. K'loh accompanied her, as her Weyrmate, which meant he was away from the Weyr at the exact moment that Isisth went skywards, pursued by a surprisingly large number of foreign dragons. And when she faltered, at the moment when she expected Vorshnath to claim her as he usually did, instead, it was bronze Aevisaanth of Eastern Weyr who caught her — his rider, not many Turns out of weyrlinghood, nearly a decade Lonriya's junior, and now unexpectedly the Weyrleader by the traditions of the Weyr culture.
Needless to say, things were a mess now. Es'nak and Aevisaanth returned to Eastern not long after the flight aftermath, leaving Lonriya to deal with the problems that now arose from it. She refused to comment until K'loh returned. Which he did. And things seemed to proceed as … normally as ever. That is until Isisth clutched, and Es'nak returned from Eastern whereupon much yelling and insults occured over the next few sevendays, from all sides — from K'loh not liking Es'nak, and Es'nak not liking K'loh, and various riders and residents not liking Es'nak and vice versa. And it didn't help that Pern was in the midst of a planet-wide pandemic known as The Plague of the Dark Dream, and Greenrider C'yn had fled to Eastern after throwing a hysterical fit in the Igen Living Caverns about 'IT' getting him. Which only resulted in mass panic. Igen Weyr was soon flooded with refugees from other parts of Pern, even as Candidates were coming in, and the Weyr flatly refused to Search anyone from the infected locations on Pern, for which they were thankful that a majority of their Candidate poulation was coming from their own residential population. And when Es'nak visited Easter despite the quarantine, and without Lonriya's knowledge, the Weyrwoman had a fit, and threw him out of the Weyr. Which meant everyone was happy.
And everyone was even happier when the clutch finally Hatched, producing 1 gold, 2 bronzes, 3 browns, 3 blues and 5 greens with such notable Impressions as Jess (Jessie) and Green Tikelekoth, Thaulian and Brown Ehreth, Airen and Green Romasseth, Isosa and Brown Sendatsuth, Re're (Rendre) and Brown Saenkarith, Br'yn (Branyn) and Bronze Albarith, and Neraud and Gold Sabiyath. There was much rejoicing all around at the Weyr for yet another successful clutch coming so soon after previous tragedies and misfortunes.