The planet Pern lies in the Rukbat solar system in the Sagittarian sector. The golden G-type star, Rukbat has five planets, two asteroid belts and a stray planet within its solar system. The only habitable planet for humans in the Rukbat system was its third planet, P.E.R.N (Parallel Earth Resources Negligible) as human explorers had called it. Pern had the breathable air, greenery and clear blue skies to attract humans to colonise the planet and soon space ships carrying six thousand colonists colonised the planet. The colonists came in hope of a new life; they discarded many of their advance technologies in favour to living off the land.
What the explorers had failed to take a lot of notice, was the stray planet Rukbat attracted and held in the recent millennia. The explorers did not deem the stray planet to be of much importance (so they did not explore it), but rather a curiosity. When the humans colonised Pern, they too took little notice of the stray planet, nicknamed the Red Planet. Unexplored, unnoticed, unwatched the Red Planet moved through it's silent path.
Pern was a dream planet, but it soon revealed its terrors and the reasons for the strange barren grass circles became evident. Out of the skies and from the Red star, came silvery 'Threads' that consumed any carbon-based forms whether human, animal or plant. These 'Threads' were merciless, anything it touched died, and those who survived were scarred for life.
What could the people of Pern do? They had abandoned most of their technology and help from Earth was remote. In the mist of this terror a new breed was genetically engineered from the local 'firelizard' species . . . dragons. Creatures named after Earth's mythical creatures. They chewed 'firestone' that allowed them to breath searing fire to kill the thread. The dragon riders were special men and women with special bonds between their dragon. Together, both dragon and rider protected the skies of Pern. Thus the Chronicles of the Dragonriders of Pern began . . .
The World of Pern is copyrighted to Anne McCaffrey (c) l967.
'The Dragonriders of Pern' (R) is a registered trademark.
