This is one of the most popular stories to base roleplaying games on. It started life as an attempt by Mrs. McCaffrey to write a short story about dragons that weren't evil, nor hunting for virgins or gold. It was an great success, pairing believable heroes every could fall in love with to those marvelous gigantic dragons that loved unconditionally.

On the world Pern colonists believe to have found a second earth, far away from a devastating war. But only to find themselves facing another danger. Every twohundred years, for a period of fifty years, a deadly rain will fall from the skies. A mindless lifeform known as Thread is brought to the planet by the Red Star, a planet in an erratic orbit. These spores look like silvery threads that rain from the sky, sizzling hot and known to devour anything organic they touch.
To safe their planet the colonist join a telepathic bond with an indigenious lifeform of Pern: the dragons. These creatures can travel round the planet in the time it takes to cough three times, by going Between. They can also fly and breath fire. With the help of the dragons the colonists struggle to char the falling Thread before it reaches the ground and lays waste to vast expanses of farmland. This bond, or Impression as it is named, occurs the moment a young hatchling breaks the shell of its egg. It allows dragon and rider to share thoughts and feelings and to love each other unconditionally. Only death can break a bond so tight. And it is very rare for a rider to live past the death of his or her dragon.

The society on Pern is shaped by this recurrent attacks of Thread. Most people live in Holds. Initially these were rock dwellings where the people of Pern can take shelter while Thread rains down. Each Hold is controlled by the Lord Holder, who has absolute authority over the people that live in the holding. Usually there are many smaller holds, or cotholds, where one (or a couple of) family live and farm. The Lord Holder protects his people, and in return receives a tithe in goods.

Housed in the Holds, but independent from the Holders, are the Crafts. This was done to prevent any single Lord Holder from controlling what was needfull to all inhabitants of Pern. Most major Holds have a main Crafthall within their walls, where the apprentices are trained and the Craft Master can be found.

Living in remote regions, in extinct volcanoes, are the Dragonriders. These places are called Weyrs. The lives of the riders are controlled by the needs of their dragons and their pecularities. At the head of each Weyr is a Gold dragon, the only fertile female dragon, and her rider: the Weyrwoman. No dragon will ever disobey a gold, but during the fight against Thread the Weyr is lead by a bronze dragon and his rider: the Weyrleader. This is the dragon that won the last mating flight of the gold dragon, the strongest, smartest and most fit of all bronze dragons in the Weyr. These mating flights have a em effect on people who are near, which is one of the reasons why the Weyrs are located in remote regions, so as not to embarass for the holders who may otherwise be overcome by dragon induced passion. The most dragons in a Weyr are of the non-metallic colours. The brown and blue males, and the most common female green dragons. All these dragons make up the wings that engage each Threadfall.

The following books have been written so far about the dragonriders or Pern, and the people of Pern. The order is as published, and the recommended reading order for the greatest enjoyment of the series.

Short stories about Pern can be found in the following books:

Books about Pern

What makes this fantasy world such a great place for roleplaying is the fact that there is only the struggle for survival against a natural danger. There is no need for players to oppose other players. Other than of course for romantic or political conflict. As metal is rare, so are weapons. And the dangers of Thread tend to drive people together, making them cooperate rather than fight each other. Pern roleplaying games as a result have a friendly atmosphere that focusses on roleplaying rather than on conflict.

Mrs.McCaffrey graciously allowed the use of her world(s) for online gaming. There are a couple of requirements she has made. One of them is that each game makes a small but significant modification which changes history enough to create a unique world. Related to this is the request that players will make no claim to any of her characters, nor claim relationship with them. That way there is no chance of somebody accidentally spoiling a story she has been considering.
Within these restrictions there are many games on the net that focus entirely on the world of Pern and its magnificent inhabitants. And even more that have a corner dedicated to Pern somewhere. Each of these games has its unique focus on the people and events of the planet and their own atmosphere.

Following are links to sites dedicated to online games set in the Dragonriders of Pern universe. They are maintained more regularly than the list on this page as well as they provide more information, so it's worth paying them a visit first.
Dragonweb by: LikeMinds
Online games on Pern by: Marian Griffith