A note on the text
Despite author Anne McCaffrey's vehement pleas for the contrary, the hit science fiction series The Dragonriders of Pern has inspired many to breach the copyright laws so firmly installed. Many fans of the series have decided to sit down and do what I am about to begin the process of doing: write a piece of fanfiction. I take no shame in the fact that I am indeed breaching Ms McCaffrey's precious laws as I sit here and type these words. I am one of the many with the firm belief that there is no greater compliment to a writer's work than a good, well thought out and canon fanfic. I'm not sure about crossovers and such – I don't think they're really much of a compliment, personally. But if a writer of fanfiction adheres to the plot and ambiance of a book or series, then there surely cannot be higher praise.
It is interesting to note, however, that I have not entirely spoken the truth. For if one were to stand back and witness all the breaches of these copyright laws for this series alone, they would soon realise that there is a relatively small portion of fanfiction within that total. Indeed, most people believe that, while partaking what is probably the largest culmination of copyright law breaches ever, steering away from certain minor aspects of these laws makes it all acceptable. I am, of course, talking about the NetPern role-playing universe, of which I was once and intend to be again part of.
I choose the word universe intentionally. The accepted term in this context is generally community. However, that word simply does not cover the hundreds upon hundreds of NetPern role-players out there. For those not in the know, as I was not two years before I wrote this page, role-playing is in essence a user creating a character whom they guide with words in a world of certain design, with the aim simply to live a second life as that character. It doesn't sound much fun, but I can assure you, a good community can achieve addictiveness, fun, skill and a strong communal feel that sets the role-players logging on for sometimes hours daily.
On a certain server (I will not name it here, but I will freely direct anyone who emails me to its URL), NetPern runs riot. It essentially divides the community that thrives off this server into two groups: DRoPpers and anti-DRoPpers. DRoPpers are, of course, those who either play or support Dragonriders of Pern role-plays. Anti-DRoPpers are against them. But there is a very sad reason why anti-DRoPpers exist, and that is the divide between two sections of DRoPpers.
The common term "n00b" must come into play here, for that is the first of the two groups I will speak of: the n00bs. I won't give them a more specific name, because this is not a subject many address openly. It's taboo, in a way. One name springs to mind as the single worst offender on this server. I won't name her, but she told me once that she owned over 30 RP sites. I will shamelessly say that I struggled to maintain one. Every single one of her sites that I ever saw was DRoP, with exactly the same layout, an almost identical array of myriad stupid mutations available for Impression, and the one that I joined lasted for a grand total of one week. The role-play was based solely around Impression, and once the Hatching was over, everyone automatically vanished. Such is a prime example of what I call the n00bs of NetPern.
The other group, to which I proudly transferred after about a month, was the decent RPers who also happened to love DRoP. One well-managed, active, long-lasting site to an RPer maximum. Role-play that extended well beyond the basic realms of Impression, mating flights and Threadfall, and delved into human relationships and plot progression. And of course, the prettiness of the site was always a plus.
No Dragonriders of Pern fan is an anti-DRoPper to my knowledge. But a good number of anti-DRoPpers could be fans. I personally converted a few, and I know full-well that this is exactly the predicament that Ms McCaffrey was trying to avoid with her laws. This is what I am trying to do my bit to cure with the writing of this fic.
I am taking three of the most over-used, poorly done and overall n00bish plot lines that suck the life from NetPern on that server, and attempting to do them well. Trying to show people that this horrible torture of a brilliant series is entirely unnecessary, and that there would be no need to live in fear of the wrath of Anne McCaffrey's beloved laws if the fanbase gave the series good press.
Wish me luck.
~Rhnsz