Knots & Badges
Contents
Rank Knots
Rank is an important element of daily interactions on Pern. Knots are complex cord braidings which denote the ranks of many different Pernese. They're useful in avoiding serious social errors. Once glance at another's knot, and a well-trained Pernese will know number of useful things about the position the other occupies in society.
The Pernese abandoned the use of surnames centuries ago. These days, people tend to identify themselves more by the Hold, Hall or Weyr in which they live rather than to whom they are related. In a society in which literacy is not necessarily a given, identification is by means of symbols, in the form of shoulder knots and badges. Everyone wears a badge that identifies the Hold, Hall or Weyr in which they reside. This is a symbol of pride, as a sense of patriotism to their home Hold, Hall or Weyr is usually strongly inbred.
Getting Knots
Knots can be gotten by becoming a member of a Hold, Craft, or Weyr. These are symbols of where you belong in Pernese society. They would be awarded by the leader of whichever Hold, Craft, or Weyr to which you belong.
Knot Color Standards
Where possible, we base our colors on the references within the 'The Dragonlover's Guide to Pern'.
This info comes from the Ista Weyrbook, a wonderfully complete guide to the Pern of the fandom writing club run by Harry and Marilyn Alm (obsessive fans may have noticed a bibliographic citing of the Ista Weyrbook in the DLG). This guide to the exact colors of Holds, Halls, and Weyrs uses DMC embroidery floss as a reference - which is a readily findable product in craft/sewing/embroidery stores in the US as well as abroad. The guide was worked out in consultation with Anne, and is listed as copyright to Anne McCaffrey 1986, 1994. As such I believe it should be taken as canon.
The numbers in parentheses are the DMC color number.
- Fort Weyr brown (420) and black
- Fort Hold - Weyr brown (420) and yellow (725)
- Ruatha Hold - Red (666) and brown (938 or 838)
- South Boll Hold - Red (666)
- Benden Weyr - Weyr red (816) and black
- Benden Hold - Violet (554 or 550) and Weyr red (816)
- Bitra - Dusty red (335) and white
- Lemos - Medium blue (799) and white
- Half Circle Seahold - White and medium blue (799)
- High Reaches Weyr - Weyr blue (796) and black
- High Reaches Hold - Weyr blue (796) and tan (738)
- Nabol Hold - Brown (801) and white
- Tillek Hold - White and Weyr blue (796)
- Igen Weyr - Weyr yellow (725) and black
- Keroon Hold - Weyr yellow (725), white and green (906)
- Ista Weyr - Weyr orange (900 or 947) and black
- Ista Hold - Weyr orange (900 or 947) and white
- Igen Hold - Red (666) and Weyr yellow (725)
- Nerat Hold - Weyr orange (900 or 947) and Weyr yellow (725)
- Telgar Weyr - White and black
- Telgar Hold - Red (666), white and medium blue (799)
- Crom Hold - Weyr yellow (725) and blue (809)
- Southern Weyr - Forest green (704), light forest green (699) and black
- Southern Hold - Light forest green (699) and forest green (704)
- Eastern Weyr - Midnight blue, silver, and black
- Honshu Weyrhold - Red (666), white, and black
- Baker - Light tan (739) and brown (433)
- Farmer - Weyr yellow (725)
- Harper - Rich blue (820)
- Healer - purple (718) or maroon (815)
- Herder - Yellow (783)
- Miner - black
- Fisher/Seacraft - Sea blue (806)
- Smith - Red (666)
- Woodsmith - Forest green (895)
- Starsmith - Red (666)
- Tanner - Brown (680)
- Trader - Steel grey (317)
- Vintner - Dark red (498)
- Weaver - Lavender (553)
Holders
Holders indicate their Hold with a round badge showing the heraldry or with a shoulder knot of the appropriate colors. Lord and Lady Holders, and their blood wear a thread to show whether it is a major or minor Hold (gold for major, silver for minor).
Crafters
Crafters show rank with shoulder cords in craft colors, complexity increasing with rank. A round badge may also be worn to show the craft affiliation.
Apprentice:
One loop under the arm, string with one knot at end.
Journeyman:
One loop under the arm, with a knot in the top, two small strings with quatrefoil knots at end.
Master:
One loop under the arm, one over, two small strings.
Craftsecond:
One loop under the arm, two small strings, bound at the top.
Craftmaster:
Two loops over the arm, one under, two small strings, bound at the top.
Riders
Riders show rank by design and complexity of shoulder knots, which represent both Weyr and the color of their dragon. They may also wear a badge with a dragon of appropriate color on a background of the Weyr colors, and a badge indicating their Wing affiliation. Staff members wear a simple cord in Weyr colors, unless indicated otherwise in area files.
Resident:
One loop under the arm, string with two knots.
Candidate:
Candidates wear a resident knot in the Weyr colors with a single thread of white instead of a lifemate color. This White thread is replaced with their lifemate color when they Impress.
Weyrling:
One loop under the arm, string, plus lifemate color.
Rider:
One loop under the arm, string with two knots, plus lifemate color.
Wingsecond:
One loop under the arm, string with four knots, plus lifemate color.
Wingleader:
One loop under the arm, half loop over the arm, string tied to smaller loop, plus lifemate color.
Junior Weyrwoman:
One and a half loops over the arm, string tied to smaller loop, plus lifemate color.
Weyrleader:
Two loops over the arm, thread in lifemate color, plus tassel in bronze.
Weyrwoman:
Two loops over the arm, thread in lifemate color, plus tassel in gold.
How Knots are Worn
The easiest way to understand these coded knots is by looking at the worlds military. They regularly wear knots that are not just decoration but convey information about the person to which they are attached. Following are some samples.
These are not exact productions but samples upon which you may visualize how the Weyr colors would be displayed with appropriate strings and tassles based on Anne's description in the DLG.[1]
- ↑ This information came from the Dragon Lovers Guide by Jody Lynn Nye
