The Prydonian or Prydon Chapter (PROSE: Lungbarrow) was the most powerful of the original Chapters on Gallifrey. It produced devious Time Lords, and more than a few renegades, amongst them the Doctor and the Master.
The Prydonians had a Prydon Chapterhouse Guard. (PROSE: Lungbarrow)
History
The Prydonian Chapter was named after the hero Prydonius. (PROSE: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible)
Rassilon was the Grand Master of the Prydonian Chapter even before the Gallifreyans became Time Lords. (COMIC: Star Death) At the time, the Chapter was attacked by the Order of the Black Sun in its Question Hall. (COMIC: 4-D War)
Subsequently, more Time Lords from this chapter assumed the office of Lord President than all others put together. (TV: The Deadly Assassin) By the time of the Valeyard's trial, there had not been a non-Prydonian president for centuries. (AUDIO: Trial of the Valeyard) This Chapter greatly opposed the creation of the N-Forms. (PROSE: Damaged Goods)
The House of Blyledge had senior members as part of this chapter. (PROSE: Cat's Cradle: Time's Crucible, PROSE: Cold Fusion) The Doctor and their Cousins belonged to the House of Lungbarrow. (PROSE: Lungbarrow)
By the beginning of the War in Heaven, the Chapter was represented by an eponymous college in the Time Lord Academy. (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell) However, as the War progressed the six ruling chapters were replaced by six ruling Great Houses. (PROSE: The Book of the War) A once-powerful chapterhouse associated with the colour scarlet was reduced to a servitor of House Dvora. Two Eighth Wave soldiers at the Battle of Cratosi Fields were from this chapterhouse and proudly wore scarlet armour. (PROSE: Going Once, Going Twice) The records library's "Scarlet Chapterhouse" collection contained the secret minutes of House Dvora. (AUDIO: A Labyrinth of Histories)
Characteristics
Each Chapter had its own colours. The Prydonians had scarlet and orange ceremonial robes and were represented by an abstract symbol known as the Prydonian Seal. (TV: The Deadly Assassin, The Five Doctors) Prydonians were noted for their cunning. One could not take their eyes off them for a second. (AUDIO: Spring) Whilst they were known to be devious, it was believed that they were quite honest about this trait amongst their Chapter. (PROSE: Damaged Goods) Members of this chapter swore "Prydonian vows"; it was thought that once a Prydonian had forsworn those vows and their "birthright" as a Prydonian, they would be especially dangerous. (TV: The Deadly Assassin)
The Master once referred to the Prydonian Chapter as "hippies." (AUDIO: The Toy)
Chancellor Djarshar had great disdain for the college, saying that the institution was comprised of "renegades, fugitives, lunatics and ingrates". He went on to suggest that Prydonians "[thought] Gallifrey owed [them] everything." (PROSE: The Ancestor Cell)
Notable members
The Eighth Doctor clearly remembered being a Prydonian on Gallifrey in his youth. (PROSE: The Face-Eater, The Eight Doctors) The Fourth Doctor stole Prydonian robes to wear when he visited Gallifrey on a formal occasion, and he was acknowledged as Prydonian by Borusa and others. (TV: The Deadly Assassin) As Clara Oswald stated to the Cybermen, his Prydonian privileges were revoked after the First Doctor's theft of a TARDIS and subsequent departure from Gallifrey. (TV: Death in Heaven) The Twelfth Doctor swore an oath as a Time Lord of the Prydonian Chapter. (TV: Extremis)
The Eighth Doctor identified himself as a Prydonian renegade. (AUDIO: The Scapegoat)
Skagra noted that Romana was a part of the Prydonian Chapter. (PROSE: Shada) In her third body she had a tiny Prydonian seal on her left ankle. (PROSE: The Shadows of Avalon)
Ragnar was a member of the High Council sub-committee that had oversight over the Temporal Scanning Service who also was a Prydonian. (PROSE: World Game)
The Deca were all Prydonians. (PROSE: Divided Loyalties)
The Magistrate and the Doctor were the first and second highest-ranking members of the Prydonian Chapter. (PROSE: The Infinity Doctors)
Behind the scenes
- In Anthony Coburn's second draft of the Pilot Episode, Dr. Who's origin is as a "Lord of the House of Dooclare" and his granddaughter Suzanne is as "Findooclare", the to-be-queen of their homeworld, but they are in exile after the Palladin hordes invaded the Homeworld. (DWM 467)
- The character of Lady Estelle is presented as a Prydonian in her first appearance.
- The city of Prydos, housing the Prydonian Academy, appears in David Martin's Make Your Own Adventure with Doctor Who novel, The Garden of Evil. The city is paved with mosaics illustrating its long history and is home to a wide variety of foodstuffs traded from galactic powers friendly to Gallifrey. The region outside its walls is used by the High Council to establish an encampment of galactic refugees known as Riff City.