Pernese traders are some of the hardiest and most colorful folk on the planet. Largely unbound to any Hold, Hall, or Weyr (and therefore voluntarily Holdless, in a sense), they spend much of their lives on the road. However, many choose to base themselves near or within one of these major locales during a Pass for the sake of protection. While some operate alone, most opt to travel as part of a caravan for both safety and practicality's sake.

In the most traditional sense, traders will hire themselves out to move merchandise and even people, or will take on large amounts of goods from one place to sell for a small profit at another. However, some of Pern's traders (such as the Reika) also deal in retail by selling a good amount of their own crafted items. Others, like the Zingari, use entertainment as trade, specializing in all manner of performance (and some lesser known services) in exchange for needed marks and supplies.

Additionally, some traders have been known to act as guides. While dragonriders have a unique perspective on the world due to the airborne nature of their lives, most traders are intimately familiar with the roads and terrain of Pern out of necessity. After all, without knowing how long it takes to move from place to place at different times of the Turn, and with Threadfall not being completely predictable, thorough knowledge of where Thread shelters and other safe havens are is essential for survival.

Northern Traders (Igen Weyr, et al.)

Chadey

Kadall

Reika

Reika Candidates

Reika Dragonriders

Probationary Members

Wherz

Wherz Candidates

Zingari

Zingari Dragonriders

Zingari Candidates

Independent Traders

Southern Traders (Southern Weyr, et al)

Roma

Independent Traders