Persona Profile: V'karel

Writer: Estelle

Name: V'karel
Age: 44
Birthday: m9 d7
Birthplace: Dragonsfall Weyr
Rank: Weyrsecond
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Craft: Farmer
Craft Rank: Junior Journeyman

Physical Description of Persona:
To those with a satirical turn of mind, V'karel could pass for a classic illustration of the simple holder. He has the kind of open face, pleasant, expressive features and wide set, blue-grey eyes that suggest a straightforward, honest and easy-to-read character. Although that isn't so far from the truth, there's an intelligence in that gaze and a firmness in the lines of his face that hint at a wider experience, authority and a more steely will than is apparent at first glance.

He's of medium height and has the tough, strong build typical of fighting dragonriders. With Turns of working and training outdoors, the first creases are starting to appear around his eyes and he's beginning to look his Turns after keeping a boyish appearance into his thirties, but his light ash-brown hair hides the first signs of grey well. His left shoulder and arm have slightly less ease of movement than his right, and heavy Thread scarring, the clear sign of being struck on his upper back, spreads to faint but visible lines on his arm, neck and the side of his face. Still, through a combination of exercise and sheer grit, he regained enough strength after his injury to fully participate in Threadfall and more than hold his own in the Wings.

Emotional Description of Persona:
V'karel is a rider of inexhaustible energy and determination. As a young man, he was highly competitive, and would work long hours both in his craft and later as a dragonrider, as much to prove himself the best among his peers as to achieve his goals. Outgoing, but also outspoken and quick to take offence, he built strong friendships but even fiercer rivalries.

The Turns since Thread returned have smoothed the rougher edges of his personality. Being wrong about Thread returning gave him a much needed dose of humility and he managed to recover from it with good humour (eventually). As a Wingleader, he had to learn tact and diplomacy, and his slow recovery from his injury taught him to deal with a level of adversity he'd not faced before. He also discovered an unexpected talent for organisation in his time as Weyrsecond that, though he doesn’t like to admit it, suits him better than leadership. Most of all, facing danger every sevenday has given him a sense of perspective and he's no longer as prickly or likely to hold grudges. But, although he comes across as more easy-going and down to earth than some of his fellow bronzeriders, he still has a fire of ambition in him and a hope that one day, it will be his turn to lead a Weyr.

History of Persona:
Valkarel was born and grew up in a hold in Dragonsfall's territory, but dragons and the Weyrhold were part of his life from his first memories. The hold had been founded by dragonriders with an interest in farming in the early turns of the Interval, mainly to supply the recently opened Vintner Hall. It was common for its younger residents to travel to Dragonsfall for a Hatching, although clutch sizes were small enough that only one in a generation would Impress. One of these was Valkarel's mother. She Impressed a green, and later returned with her dragon to earn her journeyman's knots, where she met his father, a vintner. While he was growing up she was often at the hold, only returning to Dragonsfall so that her dragon could spend time with her own kind, and her friends and clutchmates were frequent visitors.

When unusually large clutches began to be laid at the Weyrholds, Valkarel's family were sceptical of the idea that a Pass might be coming. His parents and their friends were part of a group who thought that while being chosen by a dragon was a great honour, people who talked too much of Thread and heroics gave themselves airs and thought they were better than simple holders, and they discouraged this behaviour in their children. Still, they didn't stop Valkarel going to Dragonsfall, like so many before him, to try his luck on the Sands, since no one wanted to see a hatchling die for lack of a suitable partner. Even with the larger clutches, the young man didn't expect to Impress, and he was astonished after several unsuccessful attempts to be chosen by bronze Novath.

V'karel threw himself into his training as excitement spread through the Weyrhold about the possible return of Thread. Although he shared his family tradition that it was little more than an ancient myth, he was still determined to be the best in his class and a future leader. He was disappointed to miss out on a spot at the first Northern Weyr to open, but was chosen to help open Fort the following Turn. While he was serving as a wingsecond there and hoping for a wingleader's knots, news came that a Dragonsfall rider had gone /between/ times and seen Thread's return for himself. The long hoped-for promotion came in the early months of the Pass, but not in a way he would have wanted, when he took over after the loss of his Wingleader in Fall.

In the ninth Turn of the Pass, V'karel and Novath suffered serious injury in a difficult, stormy Fall when they were flaming Thread and a gust of wind sent another clump tumbling into them. To finish off the first strands, they delayed going /between/ and barely made it back to the Weyr alive. It took the best part of a Turn of recovery before Novath was strong enough to return to fighting Thread, and their old Wing had long since been taken over by another bronze pair. The Weyrleader of Fort at the time, K’valdran, a fellow former Dragonsfall rider, offered him the role of Weyrsecond, and although he was doubtful at first, seeing it as a step down from leading a Wing, he unexpectedly found himself enjoying the work and had some regrets when the leadership changed and he was moved to leading a lower flying wing.

More recently, with another, less favourable change of Weyrleader, V’karel has found his job as Wingleader growing more difficult. Although he decided at first to stay out of loyalty to his wingriders, he’s been following the changes at Dragonsfall and wondering if it might be time to return to the place where he Impressed.

Family and Friends
Ambarel, 68, Master Vintner (Father)
Devalka, 70, Greenrider (Mother)

Dragon's Name: Novath
Dragon's Age: 24
Dragon's Hatching Date: m13 d1
Dragon's Hatching Place: Dragonsfall Weyr
Dragon's Colour: Bronze
Description of Dragon:
Novath is an undeniably handsome dragon, and with his imposing size and warm golden-bronze hide, he has all the arrogance of his type which, unlike his rider's personality, hasn't mellowed much with age. Even the Thread scarring to his left wing and front leg hasn't dulled his appreciation of his own appearance and skill, but rather adds to his sense of dignity. He likes to be in the lead, and the long recovery period from injury and setback in his rider's career were a trial to him, so he's keen to be back proving himself against Thread. No amount of gentle teasing from his rider can suppress his sense of his own importance for long.

Approved: February 15th 2026
Last updated: March 15th 2026

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Persona Profile: V'karel