Jaxom

Jaxom is both a dragonrider and a Lord Holder in the Dragonriders of Pern series by Anne McCaffrey. He was declared the Lord of Ruatha Hold after his mother's death, and was raised by the ex-dragonrider Lytol. Jaxom caused controversy among the leaders of Pern by Impressing the white dragon, Ruth, when he was eleven years old. Later, he became a hero by saving a queen egg of Ramoth's although he did not tell anyone at the time, the Benden queen dragon, from the rebellious Oldtimers in their attempt to repopulate their Weyr. [ McCaffrey, Anne, The White Dragon] He was also one of the central forces of the movement to banish Thread from Pern forever. [McCaffrey, Anne, All the Weyrs of Pern]

Birth and childhood

Jaxom is born approximately a year and a half before the start of the Ninth Pass of the Red Star (Pern), whilst F'lar and F'nor are leading the search for candidates for the last Queen egg of dragon queen Nemorth's final clutch. [ [http://pern.srellim.org/time.htm] Timeline of events on Pern, from pern.srellim.org, accessed 4 April, 2007] His mother, Lady Gemma, the wife of Fax dies giving birth to him.

Fax initially agrees to acknowledge Jaxom as the new Lord of Ruatha Hold on the basis on the Hold being unable to adequately provide for its Lord, but threatens to renege on that promise and attacks F'lar. F'lar kills Fax in the duel, leaving Jaxom an orphan. [McCaffrey, Anne, Dragonflight]

Deelan, the mother of Dorse, is his wet nurse and foster mother. [ McCaffrey, Anne, The White Dragon] Until Jaxom is old enough to take his position as Lord Holder, Ruatha is left in the hands of Lytol, a former dragonrider and weaver, who acts as mentor and guardian to Jaxom throughout his younger years. [ McCaffrey, Anne, The Masterharper of Pern]

Discoveries and Impression

On a visit to Benden Weyr, Jaxom and his friend Felessan (F'lar and Lessa's son) take the chance to spy upon a clutch of Ramoth's eggs, and Jaxom expresses concern about the smallest egg. On their way back, exploring the back tunnels of the Weyr, the two boys discover a previously unknown room, with diagrams from ancient times and a microscope.

When Jaxom returns to the Weyr for the Hatching, the white egg fails to hatch, and Jaxom impresses Ruth when he breaks the egg's unusually tough shell and inner membrane. The Impression is considered a nuisance by many, as Jaxom has responsibilities as Lord Holder to uphold, and some feel it might create a conflict of interests. Ruth is not expected to mature to a size which would allow him to join a Thread-fighting wing of a weyr, which would take Jaxom away from his responsibilities in Ruatha, so the two are allowed to return to Ruatha.

Growing up, Ruth becomes his main friend, but once allowed to fly, and then to go "between", he finds friends among other students at the Harper Hall, Smithcraft and in the Weyr. He also learns how to go "between" time as well as place, and, despite thinking that it would bring down recriminations upon him, to flame Thread. Because Ruth is especially adept at 'Timing it', he and Jaxom play a major part in the end of Threadfall forever.

Adventures

*Parents: Fax of High Reaches and Lady Gemma of Ruatha and Crom Holds
*Guardian: Lytol, Lord Warder of Ruatha and former dragonrider
*Spouse: Sharra, sister of Lord Toric of Southern Hold and Mastersmith Hamian
*Children: Jarroll, Shawan
*Friends: F'lessan, Menolly, Piemur, Jancis, F'lar, Lessa, F'nor, N'ton, Jayge, Aramina, Mirrim, Sebell
*Dragon: Ruth

Notes and References