Alabaster Weyrhold's true leader is Engel (or Engell, or Engle), the white-haired, soft voiced man who managed to Impress a beautiful flurry white-silver dragon named Tehndarinth, even though he was already into his 50s. As a sign of the changed times, perhaps, he continued to lead his 'hold' even though he was also in the process of helping move the Protectorate off of Pern. A powerful psionic no matter what world he's found upon and like many of Alabaster's people he has dopplegangers everywhere, it's unwise to cross him. He knows what you've been doing. But unlike Santa, he's not going to let it rest with a piece of coal in your stocking.

His assistant Mandragora rides gold Qutteth, and is more of a bodyguard and assassin than a secretary. She is also not among Engel's lovers, though she was promised when she was put back together (after that accident with a jet airplane and her dragon flying into it...) that all her parts are 'fully functional'. Mandragora is on the forefront of cybernetic technology to do with dragons, and enjoys it when her queen manages to put out offspring that are then modified.

Alabaster exists in many different universes, the one residing on Paniya is a lovely tower of alabaster and marble, overlooking the quarry that doubles as a dragonry, and the sea. Numerous other worlds have a tower of similar stature, many with a dragon attracting portal calling to other worlds. Engel usually knows what his other selves are up to, and not just because his assortment of white dragons and flitters keep him dipped in gossip.