Arolos Weyr

Dolphin and Dolphineer Guide

Entered by: Moira
Email: moira.fae@gmail.com

Catagory: Other
Date: 2006-05-08

Relevant to: Arolos and DF

Summary: A comprehensive guide for anyone who's interested in writing for a Dolphincrafter. Information about Pernese dolphins, their characteristics and behaviors. Also an introduction to the Dolphincraft and the training process.

Article: Dolphins

Shape: A Pernese dolphin is a Terran bottlenose descendant. Their streamlined bodies are sleek, smooth, and rubbery to the touch. A long, curved body, their form consists of a nose, torso, flippers, dorsal fin and tail. They have one eye on either side of their melon; dolphins have very sharp eyesight, and the build of the eye allows it to function highly in low or bright light, in or out of water. They have sharp, cone-shaped teeth, about 20 to 25 on either side of the upper jaw and 18 to 24 on either side of the lower (that’s around 76 to 98 total!), and have beak-shaped snouts that tend to be about 3 in. long. Their ears are located directly behind their eyes and are tiny openings for such powerful instruments. Pernese dolphins are usually between 7 and 12 ft long, and weight between 350 and 700 lbs. Males tend to be longer than females, and are much heavier.

Color: A brief color description includes a gray upper side and white belly. This is a protective camouflage, allowing the dolphin to blend into the dark water below when seen from above. The gray area of their body can run from very light to, in rare cases, quite dark grey. Older ‘phins have even been known to have spots of lighter coloring. The dolphins can have certain light undertones. These can be of most "sea" colors, blue, green, or brown, but they must be based on grey and lighter than the actual color.

Diet: They prefer to hunt live fish, shrimp, squid and octopi, usually, but can be fed by hand (if you are nice). Most of them like drowned Thread. Mmmm. They tend to eat about 5% of their weight a day (between 15 and 35 lbs). They swallow everything whole, head first, although they will drag big things down to the ocean floor and use rocks to tear them apart. They hunt in pod formation and often herd their prey before eating.

Swimming: Dolphins use almost all of their external body parts for swimming. The flippers are used for stabilization. They can also be used in an oar-like fashion. The dorsal fin is cartilage and cannot move. The tail fin extends into two horizontal flukes at the end, which have no bones in them. They are fleshy and have small, almost "tassel"-like pieces of skin on the ends. The dolphins move by the use of "vertical oscillations," or the moving up and down, of the tail and flukes. Pernese dolphins are capable of sustaining up to between 3 and 8 mph. In shorter bursts, however, the dolphins can get up to anywhere from 18 to 22 mph. Also, when ‘phins ride in the bow wave of a boat they can gain even more speed, although they can only maintain it if they stay near the ship. When they gain towards top speeds, they start jumping out and back into the water, which actually helps them save energy; on Earth this is called breaching or porpoising, so on Pern it might be called shipfishing or dolphining. ;) Sometimes when breaching they can reach heights of up to 16 ft, even from a near-still start. A dolphineer usually swims with a dolphin by gripping one hand on the dorsal and letting the rest of the body relax as the dolphin pulls him through the water. They can dive down past 1000 ft, but normally will only dive between 10 to 150 ft. Generally, they dive to find food, and do not often have to dive far to find it.

Sleeping: Dolphins must be conscious to breathe, therefore they can only ‘half-sleep,’ letting half their brain sleep at a time. They sleep around 8 candlemarks a day, usually either floating at the surface, resting on the bottom and then swimming up now ant again to get a breath (only in shallow water), or swimming very slowly and catching a breath now and then.

Pods: The dolphins swim in pods that range from common small-sized pods near land, around 5 to 10 dolphins, to unusual groups of up to a 100 dolphins in far off shore groups. Males sometimes travel in solitary, but usually wander between groups of females, and even pair up, becoming ‘buddies.’ They will show dominance over each other by scratching one another with their teeth, leaving slight lacerations that do not harm or hurt the dolphin. They will also bite, chase, jaw clap and smack their tails at each other. They also show some of this in mating, along with head-butting.

Mammalian Needs: Dolphins are mammals, so they need air to breathe. They receive that air by breathing through the blowhole on the top of their heads, which they are able to seal and make water-tight with a muscular flap. Most dolphins take a breath about every two minutes or so (one breath = a short, explosive exhalation, then a longer inhalation). Dolphins can hold their breath for several minutes and can dive down to over one thousand feet. Their body temperature is just slightly higher than ours, and they can survive in all but arctic climates. Dolphineers are slowly trained to hold their breath for a number of minutes, enough to go down a small depth with a dolphin. They do not, however, have the breathing equipment that the ancients used so long ago. Therefore, dolphineers cannot stay under for as long as most would like. "Snorkels" of a kind can be used for shallow swimming (say, up to 50 feet deep). They cannot stay underwater for a large period of time; this does not prohibit any long distance swims, it only slows salvage jobs and prevents the dolphineers from joining their partners for an extended time during the Crossing of the Greater Subsidence, which will be talked about later.

Mating: "Cows" reach sexual maturity at 5 to 12 Turns, "bulls" at 10 to 12 Turns, and females usually only give birth every 2 to 3 Turns. Dolphins mate in the spring. The dolphins usually show signs of "courtship" (awwww ... ). Female dolphins give birth every 2 to 3 Turns; gestation takes between 11 and 12 months. Only _one_ calf is born (no twins), usually tail first and must quickly rise to the surface to get its first breath. Laboring mothers are closely attended by other female dolphins to help bring the calf to the surface. Though awkward at first, the calf is almost immediately capable of swimming and shallow diving. Mothers produce milk, and the calves stay with their mother as they are nursing. Mothers tend to eat more when they are nursing, around 8% of their body weight. During this time the calf learns to catch fish, which can be between 12 months to 5 Turns (although they usually stop suckling after 2 Turns). Thus, the calf forms the crucial bond that adds to the strength of the dolphins' social system. During this time, other female dolphins act as baby-sitters, allowing the mother to forage for food.

Sounds and Communication: Dolphins are very vocal animals. They use physical movement to communicate, but their main form of communication is sound. It is even suspected that they have their own language. Clicks from the nasal passages are used as sonar or echolocation. A high-pitched whistle or squeal emanating from deeper in the respiratory system is also used. It is capable of rapid pitch change, and is usually used for expressing emotion, especially warnings or sexual feelings. Sonar is used by the Healercraft for a kind of "x-ray" treatment. The dolphins the Ancients brought to Pern were manipulated by the Eridani synth-techniques so that they are able to communicate, actually _talk_ with humans. They are even suspected of being able to "eavesdrop" on dragons using telepathy. The dolphins talk in normal, simple language. Often one or two words, few syllables, although older dolphins sometimes learn to speak a little 'better' with time, gaining vocabulary and the ability to use long sentences. One dolphineer can talk with all the dolphins and vice-versa. The dolphins also respond to certain hand signals, which are usually used at long distances and underwater.
The large bells that the Dolphinhalls are equipped with are easily heard long distances, even underwater. Every Hall has one, and the big bell is usually stationed at the end of a dock. There is a chain that hangs into the water below it, allowing the dolphins to ring it. Different tattoos rung on the bell alert crafters to different things, and it is rung for everything from emergency situations to everyday chores. Dolphineers and dolphins alike learn and respond to the different patterns of the bell.

Pods and Ranks: There is a marked hierarchy in the delphinic world. Dolphins generally travel in large groups called "pods." These consist of smaller interrelated groups. The large Pern pod breaks up into large pods for each Continent, consisting of ‘wild’ dolphins and dedicated Hall pods. Dolphins of a Hall pod form work pods. Each of these work pods are usually made up of 3 to 10 members. Every dolphin in a pod has a specific job. The five main types of duties are:
Scout - Looks for food, decides what currents to take, acts as a constant messenger;
Protector - Basically keeps watch for any danger to the pod, hunts for food;
Leader - Makes decisions, oversees all work, speaks for the pod, and is also usually a protector;
Teacher - Reminds all of history, makes mental notes of land changes, and helps new pod members;
Worker - No special duties, assists anywhere needed.
Scouts and Workers are the two most common types. All pod members are expected to work equally during duty. When large tasks are necessary, underage pod members cannot participate in dangerous or large scale pod duties. They are considered calves until they pass the test of the Crossing of the Greater Subsidence, whether part of a work pod or not. They can hold any rank in a regular pod, but then the rank of Calf is a "silent rank."
There is often a special pod, usually one per Hall, consisting of pod members specially trained for Search and Rescue. All dolphineers and dolphins are trained for basic S & R, but this pod is specially trained for the most difficult missions, and they are the first and last line of Search and Rescue in the worst case scenarios. Their training includes rigorous, and sometimes harsh, endurance training, and specialized forms of underwater first aid. Often, the members of this pod are the Hall’s best of the best. The members of this pod are sometimes parts of other pods, as this pod's duty is emergency only in nature, but when needed, this pod can be called together.
Also, most dolphins are trained in echolocation for health reasons. The dolphin can be taught to use their sonar to scan any part of the human body in water and detect broken bones, tumors or malignant masses, bruising and clotting, abnormal gathering of fluids, and pregnancy. It is very much like the Pernese form of X-ray. Healers love to work in tandem with the dolphins, and the Weyrs commonly bring Candidates to be scanned by dolphins for pregnancy before being allowed on the sands. This is another ability that takes some general training, more for the dolphineer than the dolphin, to whom the ability is built in, and only needs a little direction as to what exactly they might be sensing.

Playing and Care: The dolphins love to play with toys, especially ones made out of natural materials like coral, seaweed and wood. They love to swim, and they especially love to play games. In fact, they sometimes find ways to get themselves out of working to play! They love to be scratched. On the chin or on the melon, the blubbery part of the very forehead that looks like a bulge, are great places to scratch. Never scratch around the blowhole or near or on their private parts (Which are underneath the belly in one to three slits near the tail)!!! Sloughing off skin really feels good. It can easily be done by scratching with hands or using a specially-made bristle brush.
The bloodfish or sucker-fish is a parasite that is like a Terran leech or remora. It must be removed, and can be cut off by using a knife, if you do it correctly, without hurting the dolphin. Checking for and removing bloodfish is one daily duty and service each dolphin pair _must_ go through. A normal chore for Apprentices is to do an hour of removal duty for all the dolphins in the pod that need it. The dolphins _love_ it when you perform the service. Other "morning" duties include teeth brushing and medicking.

Delphinic Tradition: The dolphins are very smart creatures with many traditions. For example, one tradition is the passing of names from the ancient times, from mother to firstborn. A great tradition, one that all dolphins hold dear, is the Crossing of the Greater Subsidence. The Greater Subsidence is the bigger of the two great Pernese whirlpools and is off the coast of Tillek. In the spring, all the dolphins of Pern gather to swim near the Greater Subsidence and listen to the Tillek tell the History, which is the history of the Dolphins after they were brought to Pern, including legends of the "first" crossing from Earth; and they listen to the Tillek speak the Words, which are the words given to dolphins by man, usually some simple everyday commands, all as perfect as when her Tillek taught it to her. Then, when all the History has been repeated and the Words spoken, the females and males who have just come of mating age take the Test and swim straight across the whirlpool. Only when they make that trip and survive unscathed are they, by dolphin standards, no longer Calves themselves, but are now worthy of mating and bearing calves. During this time, because dolphineers cannot survive lengthy visits to the whirlpool, a great festival is held at Tillek Dolphin Hall to celebrate and wait for the "results."

Death: There may come a time when the dolphin in a pair dies before its human companion. The lifespan of a dolphin is usually around 25 to 45 Turns. The loss is very, very hard on a partner because the dolphins are more than pets, even more than workmates; they are like sisters and brothers.

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Dolphineering

Becoming Partnered: To be partnered means that the dolphin has chosen a Dolphineer to work with, one on one. Most of the time a dolphin, once he or she is partnered, stays with that partner to the end of one or the other's days. It is not an empathic or metasynth connection, like with a dragon, but an emotional and highly developed working relationship. Once in a while, the dolphineer will pass away before the dolphin, and it is, of course, acceptable for the dolphin to partner again, but unlikely. Before a dolphin can become a partner, the dolphin must pass from being a calf to an adult. Most all dolphins, in swimming with the pod, learn the basics of partnering even without a partner, and much of this is taught in a calf’s beginning Turns interacting with the pod.
Often, single dolphins will group together to aid an unpaired dolphineer, and make a very formidable team. Yes, dolphineers _don't_ have to partner with a dolphin. Sometimes it's a question of compatibility, sometimes it's just that the human would rather work with a larger group of 'phins. And vice versa, dolphins can go their whole lives without pairing to one dolphineer. Some prefer it, some don't. It is much like in the wild, as dolphins both work and function in pods and sometimes pair or buddy up with each other.

Craft Rank: Just like all other crafts, the Dolphin Hall has its Apprentices, Journeymen and Masters. The different levels have different requirements in study and workload, and the amount at any given hall can depend on the size of the Hall. Arolos Dolphin Hall is a small-sized hall, meaning it has at most a few masters, though at the moment it hosts only its Hallmaster, a small group of Journeyman and a small collective of Apprentices, if that. Some small halls have just enough crafters to form one or two working pods. The Arolos Hall is unusual because of the proximity of the Weyr. It tends to have quite a few more Apprentices, especially now that the Candidates have the One Turn policy.

The Tilleks: The leader of the great Pern pod itself is the Tillek, one of the oldest dolphins, usually female, who is the strongest, wisest, and best versed of all her compatriots, "for she is the living repository of all delphinic knowledge." (The Dolphins of Pern, McCaffrey) She is usually partnered with the Dolphinhall Master of Pern, who also carries the title of Tillek, instead of "The Dolphinhall Master of Pern." They traditionally reside at the Tillek Dolphin Hall.

General Craft Information: The Dolphincraft performs many duties. These duties can include:
Shore/Ocean Patrol
Ship Escort (includes usage of harness)
Weather Service (often performed with dragonrider assistance)
Shoreline, Current, and Ocean Charting
Dolphin Health (daily morning routine)
Tracking Fish Schools
Plate Tectonics/Continental Movement
Earthquake and Volcano Predictions
Checking for Seaworthiness of Vessels
Medical Checks with Echolocation (performed in part with the Healercraft)
Search and Rescue
The amount and scale of duties performed at different Halls depend on the size of the hall and the talents of the crafters therein.

Generalized Curriculum: Throughout the career of a Dolphineer he continues to learn and study. Most of the study, of course, is done in the course of Apprentice and Senior Apprenticeship. Below are lists of curriculum studies and classes that the different training levels would consist of.
OOC: This would be a good list for In-Play threads about training or classes.

Apprentices -
Beginning Swimming Skills
Helpful Play Tricks
Harness Usage
Removal of Bloodfish and Other Daily Duties
Delphinic History
Delphinic Legend
Delphinic Tradition
Pernese History
Basic Fishing
Basic Sailing
Main Currents
Weather Signs
Basic Flag Signals
Bell Care
Bell Use
Basic Bell Codes
Delphinic Linguistics
Long Distance/Underwater Hand Signals
Partner-to-Partner Commands
Beginning Search and Rescue
Search and Rescue Communication
Beginning Endurance Training
Basic First-Aid ~ Dolphin
Basic First-Aid ~ Human

Senior Apprentices -
Intermediate Swimming Skills
Ship Guidance Duty
Shore/Ocean Patrol Duty
Vessel Check Duty
Basic Land Forms
Fish and Other Marine Life
Partner Behavior
Fish Movement and Migration
Intermediate Sailing
Bell Tones
Intermediate Signals
Charting Skills
How to Read Maps
Scribing Skills
Intermediate Endurance Training
Intermediate S&R: Signs of Life
Beginning Rescue Scenarios
CPR
Intermediate Medical
Beginning Dolphin Echolocation Health Scans

Further Studies (Journeyman/Master) -
Rescuing Techniques (Advanced Swimming Skills)
Plate Tectonics
Advanced Sailing
Advanced Signals
Advanced Bell Codes
Sending Multiple Messages
Charting From Eccolation
Underwater Rescue First Aid (In cooperation w/Healercraft)
Intermediate/Advanced Rescue Scenarios
Advanced Endurance Training
Advanced Medical
Advanced Dolphin Echolocation Health Scans

Sample: A Basic Day for an Apprentice Dolphineer.

“Up and at 'em! An early riser catches the morning tide!”

5:00 A.M. - Wake up call.
5:30 A.M. - Report outside to the Training Master/Journeyman and go swim with your swim partner; from the moment you become an Apprentice, you will undergo an intensive swim endurance routine.
6:30 A.M. - Summer: Tide ebbs, dolphins dismissed to hunt, swim training ends, breakfast break.
7:30 A.M. - Winter: Tide ebbs, dolphins dismissed to hunt, swim training ends, breakfast break.
8:00 A.M. - Summer: Classes begin. (Class schedule always varies.)
9:00 A.M. - Winter: Classes begin. (Class schedule always varies.)
11:00 A.M. - Classes break for lunch.
12:30 P.M. - Lunch is over, afternoon classes begin.
3:30 P.M. - Summer: Classes end, chores begin.
4:30 P.M. - Winter: Classes end, chores begin.
5:00 P.M. - Summer: More swim training when the tide comes in.
6:00 P.M. - Winter: More swim training begins when the tide comes in.
8:00 P.M. - Swimming ends, free time begins.
10:00 P.M. - Bed call.
11:30 P.M. - Lights out.

Links: Arolos Dolphinhall Map
The SeaWorld Bottlenose Dolphin Site
Dolphin Anatomy

The Dragonriders of Pern® is registered U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, by Anne McCaffrey, used here with permission. Use or reproduction without a license is strictly prohibited.