SENIOR JOURNEYMAN HEALER CADIEK

Persona : Cadiek
Writing Status : NPC/Free
Gender : Male
Age : 47
Rank/Craft : Senior Journeyman Healer
Residence : Thread's End Hold

Physical Description : The 47 Turn old Healer would seem to be anything but a Healer at first glance. While always clean and mostly neat, his clothes show signs of repeated mending with neat Healer's stitching, and they seldom match. It's not uncommon to see him with mismatched boots or tunic and trous with clashing colors.

His brown hair -- becoming more peppered with every passing turn -- is kept cut short. He says it's to keep it under control, but it always seems to end up sticking out all over before he leaves his quarters. A fair amount of wrinkles earned from turns of squinting against Rukbat's rays while riding on his runner line his hazel eyes, and a slight paunch is beginning to show despite his efforts to ward it off.

A runner beast accident resulting in a poorly set broken leg gave him a permanent limp. Cadiek has overcome the injury as much as he is able and can walk short distances if he takes it slowly. Longer distances require either the aid of Tipsy, his runner, or a cane. Singer is also a great help to him, assisting in the Infirmary as well as his quarters. He spent careful sevendays training her when she was a pup - as he did her predecessors - and the time paid off. They blend so well together that they almost seem as one.

Personality : The poor manner in which his broken leg was set as a youngling provided him the determination to become a Healer when he realized that he no longer had the stamina to work with runners as a craft. The permanent limp failed to prevent him from spending as much time as he could with the beasts, and he has kept one as a pet throughout his life, choosing to spend his marks on it instead of fripperies such as clothing. His current joys are Tipsy the bay mare and his golden, long haired canine Singer.

Cadiek often comes off a bit gruff and is often mistaken as cranky, but the facade hides a kindly interior. He expects the best effort one can give, and once someone gets to know him, they find that he can be very warm and is a steady friend.

Life Story : Cadiek grew up in Keroon on a runner hold. He loved that way of life and knew that was what he wanted to do. When he was 10, a chain of events unfolded that ended with the young boy receiving a broken leg. A woman from a neighboring hold tried to set it for him and, though she tried her best, did a poor job of it. By the time the Healer arrived, it had already begun to knit, and there was nothing to be done. He refused to give up the hope that he might still work with runners, but finally his lack of stamina convinced him. With a gritty determination that came to be a characteristic attitude, he decided that he would become a Healer.

His family supported his decision, and his parents as well as his 8 siblings saw him off to the Healer Hall when he turned 12. During his 5 turns as an apprentice, his older brother who was traveling as a Journeyman Harper gave him a young canine. He trained the black haired canine to help him fetch and pick up things, and he became the first of many. His canines were so well behaved that he managed to pick up a few extra marks doing the same for the pets of others.

His last turn as an Apprentice was marked by a double tragedy when one sister died during childbirth and another was trampled trying to get a herd of runnerbeasts in before Leading Edge arrived. It was during this time that his gruff demeanor developed and then deepened when yet another sister died giving birth to his niece. Finally, the turn ended, and he was given his first post as a Journeyman at Ista Weyr.

The hot climate of Ista did wonders for the chill that had wrapped itself about his heart. Rather plain -- definitely far from handsome -- it's his personality that wins a woman to his side. His three children, however, were the result of gold mating flight emotions and willing lower caverns women. Fostered out as was common, Cadiek still kept in contact with the children. One Impressed and became a dragonrider at Ista, another followed in his footsteps and became a Healer, and the third went to live on the family hold in Keroon with Cadiek's two brothers, his remaining sister and their families.

Since traveling was such an ordeal for him, he remained at Ista Weyr and put off sitting for his mastery for "another turn or so". If he was to be honest, he'd have to admit that he'd rather continue to help people get well than gain a rank knot. He had always been a hands on type of person, and he was content at the Weyr until his brother the sailor came to visit.

The younger brother's enthusiastic description of the Southern Continent stirred Cadiek's almost non-existent desire to travel. He'd never been there and hadn't been particularly interested by the tales of the dragonriders, but something in the way his brother spoke and the glow in his eyes caused the 47 turn old Healer to lodge an interest in a position there. Almost immediately, his request was granted, and he was flown by brown dragon to Thread's End Hold.

Pet's Name : Tipsy
Pet's Type : Runnerbeast
Pet's Colour : Bay

Pet's Description : Her wobbly stance when born - lasting a little longer than normal - was the inspiration for her name. She soon grew out of it, but the good size mare never lost her sweet nature. She loves to go for runs with Cadiek along the beach with Singer running along beside them.

Pet's Name : Singer
Pet's Type : Canine
Pet's Colour : Golden

Pet's Description : Raised from just a pup by Cadiek, the long haired, golden canine is devoted to the Healer. He trained her as he had her predecessors to help him manage more easily about the Infirmary and his personal quarters. On a bet with a Bitran who thought he couldn't teach the pup a new trick in less than a candlemark, he taught her to "sing" on command. The howling accompaniment to the Harpers tune won him a mark and her a name.

Last updated on 03-Oct-00