Toria: Character Hooks (Chapter 1)

Character plot hooks for Toria in the Pern campaign.

What issues will they have to deal with later in the campaign? What would you like to see happen to them?

When she’s new-ish to Healer Hall, I can see issues of inadequacy and doubt stemming from her rural upbringing in a small cothold and somewhat larger hold. Other Apprentices and Journeymen might have more connected families or have traveled more or whatever. She might not know as much about Pern at large as the others, and that might make for some low moments, but she’s positive enough that eventually she’d bounce back and focus on the task of becoming the Healer she feels she’s meant to be. Master Valora had enough faith in her to recommend her to Healer Hall; she would definitely feel an obligation to make her proud and prove her right.

She might try to overcompensate in some way by buckling down on her studies, because she realizes (or just thinks) she might be at a disadvantage. She might even discover that there was SO MUCH more to the world then she even imagined. She never thought about dragons overly much because Thread hadn’t come in so long and she lived in a small cothold and later hold, so she might not have ever seen one. She’ll no doubt be very studious and maybe also try to do other things to expand her worldview… go to Gathers, attend whatever concerts Harper Hall might put on, etc.

A rival at Healer Hall might be interesting. Maybe because she’s a top student due to her studiousness/love of the Craft/whatever or she might come off as stuck up/cold because she’s shy and spends so much time hitting the books it rubs someone the wrong way. Could be she saves someone in heroic/newsworthy fashion and it gets someone jealous.

I imagine a big issue for Toria will be around her Impression and duties to her dragon & Pern. I’m not sure if the impression will be accidental or deliberate so it’s somewhat hard to know exactly what she might deal with there. Certainly, there will be struggle with her sense of self and duty if it was deliberate, but WAY more if it was somehow not a thing she intended to do. Adjusting to Weyr life and the culture of it all will likely present some fertile ground for storytelling. Will there be conflict between her identity as a healer and Dragonrider? Will she be able to find a happy medium?

Something I kind of want to see for Toria is for her to deal with trying to find that blend of healer and Dragonrider. I don’t aspire for her to be a wingleader (if women can even BE them) or anything, but to be a vital supporting cog in the ‘machine’ that is being a Dragonrider. Maybe her wing’s medic or even something with medical care of dragons? She’s got both Animal and Dragonkin Empathy, which could make for something interesting there.

Speaking of empathy, it would be kind of cool if her Dragonkin Empathy let her hear the occasional dragon speaking to her before she Impresses. I’m not sure if it works like that. Feel free to ignore this if so.

Her empathy and desire to help others might get her in trouble or drag her into random situations.

Losing her first patient might be a tough moment that will hit her hard. She’s used to dealing with death on the farm she grew up on, but it would probably be a whole different thing to lose a *human* she was responsible (partly or entirely) for the care of. Maybe she even makes a mistake that complicates things or at least doesn’t help.

Her sickly brother back in the family cothold is always in the back of her mind. I imagine Toria writes him whenever she gets time. Could be she researches what his ailment could be in Healer Hall to try and find a cure. If he dies, it could be something that inspires her. Going home to visit family after his death could serve to show her how far she’s come, how she’s grown and changed, since leaving home.

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