Beastcraft Hall

Beastcraft

MasterHerder Fagrin

Colors: Yellow and white.
Emblem: Yellow bullshead on white background.

Main Crafthall Location: Karachi Hold.

Herders are in charge of breeding animals, and keeping track of the best bloodlines. Several varieties are stabilized into breeds for different terrain and uses. Herders know how to raise animals, care from them with healing skills, train them, and even slaughter them for food. Herders know a use for every part of a slaughtered animal. This Craft deals with bovines, runnerbeasts, llamas, porcines, caprines, ovines, canines, avians, domestic wherries, and rare fowl.

On SouCon, the BeastCraft is based in the Unified Crafthall and is under the direct auspice of the Craft Wizard. To become an Apprentice, Journeyman or Master please read through NEWS CRAFT JOINING. Characters may also request a posting to any open Hold or Weyr.

The MasterHerder is a skilled veterinarian who's responsible for animal reproduction, with the goal to breed stronger animals suitable to their uses and locations. The BeastCraft take care of the stud beasts, breeding mares and keep track of the best bloodlines. They keep stud beasts of each variety in order to breed stronger crosses in the Holds that find their stock becoming weak.

The MasterHerder is particularly keen on keeping the Holders from producing monstrosities, and the Journeymen and Masters of the Craft will step in to prevent animals, predominantly runnerbeasts, from being overbred for size or strength, instead encouraging the cultivation of appropriate breeds -- a racing runnerbeast will not easily produce a plow animal.

Apprentices generally start by mucking out the stables and feeding the animals. When the supervising Masters think they are comfortable with the animals they move on to grooming and slaughter. Journeymen study their Masters as they trace bloodlines and perform surgery, and may or may not be posted from the Crafthalls.

The BeastCraft does not involve itself with dragons, Firelizards or Watchwhers, referring problems in these areas to the Weyrs. However, they are engaged in the study of animals that once came from Earth: runnerbeasts, bovines, llamas, porcines, caprines, ovines, felines and canines. Experimentation also extends to the rare chickens and geese, in which they are working to improve egg yield and size of roasting fowl. Herders look after avians and domestic wherries, clipping their wings just shortly after they hatch. Some study Tunnelsnakes to investigate their habits so that Holders may more easily rid themselves of these destructive and dangerous pests.

Artificial insemination has survived as a skill from the early colony days. The Herders do not know the source of their knowledge, but the process works and continues to do so, so they keep on using it.

In the Turns following the Tenth Pass the number of herds increased, with more Herders being posted in the Southern Continent. Some of the Ovine herds are tended and the fleece traded to the WeaverCraft, others are traded as hides to the Tanners. Every part of the Beast is used, hoof glue being bartered to the Harpers. The BeastCraft Southern Hall was moved to Karachi Hold during the Tenth Interval, developing its own stock of breeding runners, which are famed for their speed.

SubCrafts

BeastHealer:	Unlike regular Healers, these crafters are dedicated to the medical care of beasts. They learn how to deliver animals, how to care for sick animals, as well as herbs that might be necessary. They are also trained to know when and how to put animals down.

Breeding:	Those in the Breeding SubCraft are responsible for maintaining records of breeding lines, and for judging those animals best suited to breed to improve stock in various directions. They make a study out of which kinds of traits seem to crop up most often, and which are harder to find. They must be highly literate, with the ability to maintain extensive records, and to refer to records of those who have come before them.

Canines:	Although often overlooked, Canines on Pern serve two useful functions: kitchen helpers and guards. Breeding, raising and training these creatures are all included.

Herder/Shepherd:	There are a lot of herd animals on Pern and Herders specialize in keeping their herds healthy. From Herdbeasts to Wherries, to sheep, Herders cull the weak, make sure the especially strong are separated and not eaten, and monitor the health of all the animals of the herd.

Runners:	Runners on Pern serve two purposes: transportation and racing. Those who care and train them, as well as concentrate on establishing good bloodlines, are often called upon by the noble families and traders who need good Runners on a steady basis.

CrossCrafts

Herders who want to branch out of their profession can be found in a handful of places. A specialist in BeastHealing might choose to hop over the line into human care with the Healers, or at the very least, to study those techniques to see how they might be applied to his or her own charges. Some also choose to study with the Tanners, to learn to work the leather than comes from the Herdbeasts they raise, or to make saddles for the runners they ride.

MasterHerder Fagrin:

Fagrin never really thought much about the BeastCraft as a young lad. He grew up at Xanadu Weyr, a typical Weyrbrat born to the Journeywoman Harper assigned to the Weyr and a baker there. Fagrin himself chose to remain in his birthplace when his mother returned to the Crafthall for her Mastery studies, and he has never regretted that decision. As far as he was concerned, that's where he would spend the rest of his life. That started to change on his ninth Turnday, when his father gave him a canine puppy. Mopsy was Fagrin's best friend, and when she became pregnant, he was thrilled. Unfortunately, the birth didn't go well, and his beloved pet died, and Fagrin had to consult with the Weyr's Herder in order to save the puppies. The lad found the BeastCraft information rather intriguing, and began to seek more of it. One thing led to another, and Fagrin chose to apprentice to the BeastCraft when he reached the proper age. It certainly suited him, and he rose through the ranks at all possible speed, finding a specialty in animal husbandry. He found himself appointed to the title of Craftmaster in his mid-forties, when his mentor, old Mornin, retired.

Fagrin is a rather cheerful fellow, a smile usually hovering on his lips. He is utterly devoted to his Craft, his animals, and his family, though not necessarily in that order. Quite often he can be spotted with one of his four sons tagging at his heals, and even his young, sweet wife, Healer Journeywoman Rasina, has been known to assist him in a difficult runner birth or three.

Relevant Links:

Making hide glue