MASTER DRAGONHEALER NEDJEM

Persona: Nedjem
Writing Status: PC/Active
Age: 38
Gender: Female
Rank: Master Dragonhealer
Residence: Ierne Island Weyr

Physical Description: Nedjem has a flattish, oval face, small nose, and almond shaped dark eyes nestled beneath thin straight brows. Her hair is short, straight, and black. It is so short that it sometimes sticks up all over her head if she does not smooth it down with a dab of oil. However, it is Nedjem’s custom to spike it up at crazy angles on purpose should the mood strike her. Her skin is olive in tone, but runs a bit on the dark brown side if she spends too much time out in the sun. She is short and has a boyish figure that when dressed accordingly, can make her look very much like a youngling.

Personality: She is a spunky young woman, who is gregarious and merry a great deal of the time. She does not care what others think or say about her; all that matters is that she is pleased with herself and her performance in her craft. Nedjem is always looking for ways to improve on existing ideas (in anything) and do what she can to make the work of a dragonhealer better and more efficient.

Nedjem has a highly creative way of thinking and is not opposed to trying anything new. Even her way of dressing shows her creativity, as she has a peculiar style of dressing, which draws either strange looks or interest. She likes bold colors and creates her own styles on a whim; wearing whatever suits her mood despite what may be the current fashion. Different would be a good word for describing Nedjem.

She likes a good wine or ale when the time permits; and when she has enough drink in her, she has a mouth so filthy that it would put most sailors to shame. Nedjem is not above trying to drink others under the table as she knows no fear and can hold her own against most people despite her small size.

Life Story: Nedjem was born in Keogh Hold (just east of High Reaches Weyr) and was one of twelve children in her family. She was one of the youngest and not exactly the favorite child. Nedjem aspired to do something with her life besides one day being the wife of a holder and bearing numerous offspring. That sort of life did not appeal to the young girl who had dreams of adventure as a dragonrider. At the age of ten, Nedjem ran away from home with a small group of traders passing through the hold. She went south as far as Nabol where she stayed on as a drudge until at the age of sixteen. At that time, a rider from High Reaches Weyr searched the precocious young woman. It was then that Nedjem knew her life was going to change and she would have the chance to recognize her dreams.

Arriving at High Reaches, Nedjem found herself filled with high hopes and expected to Impress and begin her life as a dragonrider right away. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and Nedjem was rather upset at her first rejection. However, this did not deter the young woman, and she never missed a chance to stand on the hot hatching grounds and take her chances along with the other young hopefuls.

Nedjem was smart enough to take up a craft when not standing as a candidate for the latest clutch. She had no wish to remain a drudge for the rest of her life or work in the Lower Caverns along with the other women. In her thinking, there was more to life than that and she had high plans for herself, which meant she would do whatever it took to achieve them. She chose to apprentice in dragonhealing as it put her close to the dragons that she adored. Nedjem quickly realized that dragonhealing was something in which she was skillful at doing and thoroughly enjoyed. Her dreams slowly leaned away from being a rider and more towards mastery in dragonhealing as she grew older. It was also during this time she discovered that men were not suited to her tastes and realizing this, she stopped bothering to stand as a candidate.

Her first attempt at her mastery tests failed. Nedjem tended to generate towards trying new, even strange things, rather than sticking firmly to the traditional workings of the healing craft. The straying away from tradition was frowned at by some of the other healers, who preferred to stick to the old ways of healing; she considered them too hidebound and foolish snots. Some of her ideas were a bit on the drastic side, yet they worked despite what anyone said or thought. Nedjem kept studying and tried once again for her mastery at the age of thirty-three. At this point in her life, she was doing exceptionally well as a dragonhealer and there were no errors in her tests for the mastery. If she could not be faulted in her exams then she knew she would achieve what she wanted. She passed with little effort this time.

After five turns of working as a master dragonhealer at High Reaches, Nedjem became increasingly frustrated with her peers and elders in their hidebound ways. Therefore, she did some research and discovered a place that caught her attention, Ierne Island Weyr. She arranged for a rider friend to take her down to the new Weyr and check things out. Nedjem found the place delightful and made up her mind easily. On returning home to High Reaches, she put in for a transfer and started packing.

Having no children, family, or loved ones to leave behind, the move south was quite easy for Nedjem. She arrived at Ierne happily and with no thoughts of ever going back to her old life.

Last updated on 17-Apr-03