TEXT: D
  RAGON
  The Great Wyrm
  Travellers have an inexhaustible supply of tales of fantastical beasts
  residing in the Hârnic wilderness. The fire-breathing fiend of a thousand
  such tales is the dragon, which descends from its lair to devour an entire
  village or just one helpless maiden. While many such tales can be
  discounted as the ravings of madmen, or acts of human cruelty or nature’s
  fury, others are clearly based on actual sightings and encounters.
  History
  Few dragons are personable enough to approach on the subject of
  their history. What little is known about their legends and myths is mostly
  based on Hârnic theology, in particular the tragic tale of Ahnu and
  Dhivu, founders of the dragon race.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  #4612
  DRAGONS 1
  CREDITS
  WRITERS
  N. Robin Crossby
  Chris J. Van Tighem
  ARTIST
  Richard Luschek
  CONTRIBUTORS
  C.S. Black
  Edwyn Kumar
  Peter Leitch
  Patrick Nilsson
  Cal Stengel
  EDITORS
  Tom Dalgliesh
  Grant Dalgliesh
  
  Other creation myths exist as well. The ILME (p7) place the creation of
  all dragons during the hatching of The Primal Egg in a place known as
  Ssanimar. The Ilme also put the governance of these early dragons under
  the auspices of the Ahnaka, beings of divine descent.
  Dragons are an ancient race. The Sindarin and Khuzdul have tales
  recording dragonkind on Hârn before the Elder Folk, but they do not reveal
  the origins of dragons. Scholars speculate that dragons, although they
  cannot read or write, must have some form of oral tradition. If true, there is
  no record of a dragon ever sharing this oral knowledge with humankind,
  unless they did so just before snacking on the wiser recipient.
  BIOLOGY
  Few dragons now reside on Hârn, some say less than ten beasts.
  Elsewhere in Lythia, dragons have been observed in Ivinia, Shorkyne,
  Quarphor, Jankor, Shoju, and Kaneum.
  Dragons are long, sleek, and light boned. They have four legs with
  taloned feet, and long graceful tails. They have been sighted at over 40’ in
  length, and they can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. There are two distinct
  species; Ahnerin (Fire Dragons) and Dhiverin (Ice Dragons). The species
  share many of the same characteristics and abilities, but can be identified
  by their coloring.
  Ahnerin have a reddish hue to their scaly skin that darkens to almost
  black as they age. This color change is believed to be caused by their
  tendency to live near brimstone.
  Dhiverin young are almost pure white, the result of short, tightly
  grouped hairs covering their scales. The hairs darken and wear-off over
  time, gradually changing the dragon’s appearance to mottled grey and
  eventually black. Ahnerin and Dhiverin young are easy to distinguish, but
  older dragons of the two species look very similar.
  Dragon skin is strong and highly resistant to damage, even the
  membrane covering their wings. Their bones are immensely strong, but
  light and hollow like those of a bird. The bones do not appear to become
  brittle with age, yet crumble to dust within a few years of death. The
  physiology of dragons certainly suggests an otherworldly origin.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  DRAGONS 2
  Anhu & Dhivu
  The Libram of the Pantheon, the most
  popular source of theology, gives the
  following creation myth of dragons:
  There came an impasse in the war
  between Larani and Agrik. Calling upon
  the craft of Ilvir, and lore stolen from
  Save K’nor, the Sage of Heaven, Larani
  built a new god to champion her cause.
  This god she called Ahnu, first of the
  dragons. Ahnu was a mighty, graceful
  beast, fuelled by fires from the heart of
  Yashain and able to ride the winds on
  majestic wings.
  Larani won Ahnu’s loyalty by love
  and sent him forth to Agrik’s fortress
  Balgashang to turn her enemy’s fiery
  weapon against him. Ahnu breathed
  mightily upon the towers of Balgashang,
  and its warlord was afraid, for the
  weapons to fight fire were repugnant to
  him and beyond his ken and control.
  Morgath, however, decided that he
  did not desire the fall of Balgashang and,
  gazing within Bukrai, drew upon his own
  lore to create a mirror image of Ahnu,
  which he called Dhivu. But where Ahnu
  was a creature of primal fire, Dhivu
  contained a tiny part of the icy void. Her
  strength was that of the glacier, her breath
  the blizzard. Morgath set the compulsion
  of Bukrai upon her and sent her forth to
  battle Ahnu.
  But once she came to Balgashang,
  beyond the power of the dark orb, and
  looked upon Ahnu, she forgot the shadow
  and was free. Ahnu and Dhivu gazed
  upon each other and perceived beauty.
  The great dragons betrayed their creators
  and fled to the mortal worlds.
  Ahnu and Dhivu were of fire and ice
  and consummation of their love was
  painful. Each touch gave a mortal wound,
  and when they were done they lay
  lifelessly entwined. Then Peoni, the gentle
  maiden of Valon, took mercy upon them
  and shed tears above them. She brought
  forth the eggs of dragonkind and set them
  safe upon mortal worlds. Ahnu she set
  among the stars, and Dhivu she revived,
  placing her upon Kethira in the land of
  Ivae. Each thousand years they would
  change places, for never could they meet
  again. But their seed grew and prospered.
  
  Dragon females are fertile only once every few years and never lay
  more than two eggs at a time. Mating occurs sporadically and the chance of
  pregnancy is slight. A female dragon will fly great distances searching for a
  male to fertilize her eggs. One or two eggs are laid thirty days after
  fertilization and these hatch about one hundred days later. Dragon young
  are approximately 24 inches long when they hatch. Since dragons do not
  demonstrate strong maternal or paternal instincts, many newborn die in the
  first year. Dragons achieve sexual maturity at about 60 years of age.
  Dragons have an extremely sophisticated metabolism that adjusts to
  availability of food. They are able to devour and digest twenty mountain
  goats in a few hours after decades of starvation and dormancy. They
  obviously can store essential nutrients for very long periods of time,
  because they spend a considerable amount of their long life asleep.
  Dragons live at least 250 years, but some scholars insist they have a
  lifespan of 1000 years.
  DRAGON ABILITIES
  Dragons have several mysterious and magical abilities that lend
  support to their semi-divine nature and origin.
  Flight
  Considering their size and weight it is truly amazing that dragons are
  able to fly. Dragons soar almost effortlessly and rarely flap their wings. This
  has made some scholars argue that dragons are not true fliers, but must
  employ magic to stay aloft. It matters little – an airborne attack by a hungry
  dragon, whether flying, gliding, or hovering is never a pleasant experience.
  Charm
  CHARM is a unique psionic talent that allows dragons to influence the
  mind of their victims. All dragons may precede their combat turn by
  attempting to CHARM one (1) nearby victim with their multifaceted, gemlike
  eyes. A dragon accrues one Fatigue Level (F1) for each CHARM attempt.
  Generate success roll:
  MS Charm: Victim makes Will x5 test; failure renders victim
  immobile in a trance for 1d6 combat rounds.
  CS Charm: Victim makes Will x2 test; failure renders victim
  immobile in a trance for 1d10 +2 combat rounds.
  Breath
  Ahnerin can exhale fire every second combat round. They must take a
  very deep breath first (this takes one combat round) and then exhale in
  their next combat round. They accrue two Fatigue Levels (F2) each use.
  The fire is an area attack: it forms a cone with a 60-degree apex; its
  length is three times as long as the dragon. Fire impact is equal to 60% of
  the dragon’s length minus the victim’s range in hexes.
  EXAMPLE: against an opponent 4 hexes away, a 30 foot dragon’s breath
  weapon would have an effective impact of 14 points of fire damage (60% of
  30 is 18 minus 4 hexes equals 14).
  Dhiverin exhale a bone chilling blast of frost that has a similar effect to
  the Ahnerin’s blast of fire.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  Habitat:
  Alpine
  Length:
  30 feet
  Wingspan:
  45 feet
  Weight:
  8000 pounds
  Diet:
  Carnivore
  Lifespan:
  250+ years
  Group:
  Solitary (usually)
  ATTRIBUTES
  48 STR
  17 EYE
  13 INT
  36 STA
  15 HRG
  13 AUR
  05 DEX
  14 SML
  19 WIL
  08 AGL
  Combat Attributes
  Endurance 34, Move 14, Fly 42.
  SKILLS
  Awareness 60, Flying 80, Charm 85*,
  Magic 60. *A dragon may precede its
  turn by attempting to CHARM a victim
  with its multifaceted, gemlike eyes.
  Combat Skills
  Initiative 60, Dodge 40,
  Bite 70:10p, Claw 45:6e, Tail 60:9b,
  Breath 75:**
  ** Fire/Frost impact is 60% Dragon’s
  length, minus target range in hexes.
  ARMOUR
  B12  E15  P12  F14   GAC 4
  STRIKE LOCATIONS
  01-06  Head
  07-20  Neck
  21-30  •Fore Limb
  31-35  •Fore Foot
  36-45  Thorax
  46-50  Abdomen
  51-70  •Wing
  71-80  •Hind Limb
  81-85  •Hind Foot
  86-00  Tail
  • Odd = Left, Even = Right
  DRAGONS 3
  HârnMaster
  
  Magic
  Ahnerin use semi-instinctive “Peleahn-like” magic
  while Dhiverin are able to cast “Odivshe-like” magic.
  Magic ML is equal to half of the dragon’s age (maximum
  100 + SB). Dragons cast their spells without having a
  convocational Foundation within their Aura. Some mages
  believe they must have Peleahn or Odivshe principle in
  their blood.
  WAY OF LIFE
  Dragons are carnivores. They feed mainly on
  mountain goats, sheep, and deer, but are particularly fond
  of horseflesh. Dragons also exploit gargun as a food
  source. There have been accounts of gargun lairs torn
  open with the shattered remains of eggs, princesses, and
  warriors strewn about. When hunting, dragons fly an
  outward spiral pattern from their lair until a suitable meal
  has been spotted and plunged upon. Ahnerin prefer their
  meat roasted.
  Old dragons often get too heavy or infirm to fly.
  They are then dependent on their charm and magic
  abilities to lure victims to their lair. Legend has it dragons
  hoard treasure simply to entice human thieves to drop by
  for lunch.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  DRAGONS 4
  Most dragons live in alpine regions and have been
  blamed for eating large patches of vegetation from
  mountainsides. Since they are carnivores, these clearings
  are more likely caused by avalanches, landslides, or forest
  fires. Of course, any of these events might be caused by
  dragon activity.
  Dragons prefer to dwell in caves above the tree line.
  Ahnerin nearly always make their lairs near brimstone
  deposits, and are thought to eat sulphur. Caverns with
  narrow winding passages to confine and enhance their
  fiery breath, and active volcanic activity are especially
  desirable. Dhiverin also make mountains their home,
  usually well above the treeline in regions of ice and
  snow. Ice caves and crevasses found in a glacier provide
  a good lair for Dhiverin.
  Dragons are solitary creatures. Pairs of dragons are
  extremely rare, except during mating. Sometimes, siblings
  will stay together for several years after leaving their
  mother’s nests, but this arrangement usually dissolves
  when they grow too large to share a cave.
  
  W
  YVERN
  Bjaka’s Eagle
  Wyverns inhabit most of Hârn’s mountain ranges. Their largest
  concentration is the Rayesha Mountains, the most isolated and hostile
  alpine area of the island. A male wyvern’s territory ranges from 150 to
  200 square miles. A female’s territory can overlap with several male
  territories, but if a male invades another male’s territory the outcome is
  usually fatal for at least one of them. Due to their fierce territorial
  nature, wyvern population rarely exceeds fifty creatures, four fifths of
  them male.
  BIOLOGY
  Wyverns are warm-blooded reptiles. Although they must range
  farther in winter when their prey descends to milder climes, they are
  generally less active in the cooler months. Females and males live apart
  most of the year. In early spring a female will visit several neighboring
  male territories to begin the courtship ritual. Once a female has chosen
  a male they embrace in the air and tumble towards the ground in a
  frenzied mating ritual. This coupling can end prematurely if the
  participants misjudge their altitude. Usually the female will attempt to
  keep the male beneath to break her fall.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  Habitat:
  Alpine
  Length:
  12 feet
  Wingspan:
  18 feet
  Weight:
  300 pounds
  Diet:
  Carnivore
  Lifespan:
  60 years
  Group:
  Solitary
  ATTRIBUTES
  25 STR
  19 EYE
  01 INT
  18 STA
  15 HRG
  03 AUR
  • DEX
  17 SML
  13 WIL
  11 AGL
  Combat Attributes
  Endurance 19, Move 10, Fly 40.
  SKILLS
  Awareness 68, Flying 90.
  Combat Skills
  Initiative 65, Dodge 55,
  Bite 65:10p, Claw 65:8e, Tail 70:4p*
  *A successful strike by the tail that
  exceeds a target’s armour value
  causes an immediate shock roll
  (4d6 + accumulated fatigue).
  Failure results in the victim being
  paralyzed for 1d6+2 rounds)
  ARMOUR
  B8  E5  P8  F7   GAC 2
  STRIKE LOCATIONS
  01-10  Head
  11-25  Neck
  26-35  Thorax
  36-45  Abdomen
  46-70  •Wing
  71-80  •Hind Limb
  81-85  •Hind Foot
  86-00  Tail
  • Odd = Left, Even = Right
  DRAGONS 5
  HârnMaster
  
  Once a wyvern’s eggs are fertilized she will return
  to her nest and raise one to two young for up to a
  year. Newborn are 10 inches in length. During the first
  month of their life, they are fed by their mother
  regurgitating food into their mouths. After a month the
  young can fly and begin hunting small prey like rabbits
  for themselves, staying well within their mother’s
  territory.
  The ratio of males to females is four to one which,
  along with their sometimes-fatal mating practices, has
  kept wyvern population low. Females are smaller and
  less aggressive than males unless guarding their
  young. Males do not have any role in raising the
  young. They will kill offspring that stray into their
  territory.
  Wyverns are often mistaken for their greater
  cousins, the dragon. There are clear differences
  between the two species, but these are not always
  noted when a speedy departure from the scene is
  necessary. Some scholars suggest that dragon
  sightings on Hârn are mostly wyvern sightings.
  Wyverns are not an intelligent species. They have
  no language and communicate with each other
  through a combination of calls and physical displays.
  Unlike dragons, wyverns do not have the capacity to
  breath fire or frost. They only have only two legs and
  these end in large powerful claw-like talons. Adults are
  10-15 feet in length, with a wingspan one and a half
  times their length. The tail of a wyvern is extremely
  flexible and has a single venomous talon on its tip that
  causes paralysis to a victim. Their tail is also used like
  a third arm to hold down struggling prey.
  Wyvern bodies are covered with hard and
  inflexible scales that undergo a heavy molt in spring.
  Splinters and shards of shed wyvern scales are a sure
  sign of proximity to a lair. Their color is usually dark
  gray to black, but can be dark green or brown. The
  wings are leathery bat-like membranes. Wyverns can
  soar for considerable distances and can use thermals
  and air currents to remain aloft for hours.
  Suiting their mainly carnivorous diet the teeth of a
  wyvern are razor sharp. Their jaws can easily crush
  bone. Mountain goats and sheep are a favored meal,
  but full grown adults also hunt large ungulates like elk
  and even moose. They usually seize a grazing animal
  from the air with their talons, and then dismember the
  prey in a truly gory spectacle. Wyvern also fly over
  and swat large prey with their tail, returning shortly to
  feast on the now paralyzed animal. They often bury
  prey under a carpet of leaves and return to it
  repeatedly rather than gorge themselves all at once.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  DRAGONS 6
  WYVERN
  The wing membrane of a wyvern is made up of
  three different layers of skin that move independently
  of one another. This provides the wyvern with
  amazing maneuverability when flying and also
  provides for some protection from tears caused by
  fights with other wyvern or courageous prey. Where
  gashes and ripped flesh appear the wyvern is able to
  shift the membranes to cover the hole with
  undamaged membrane and maintain its glide.
  The bone structure of a wyvern is also quite
  remarkable. Their bones are thin yet strong, reinforced
  by bands of muscle. This structure allows wyvern to
  be much lighter than their size suggests.
  WAY OF LIFE
  The typical wyvern nest is perched high atop a
  mountain cliff. They can then pounce on unsuspecting
  prey below, or soar on wind currents in a wider search
  for food. Wyverns are notoriously territorial. They will
  fight any intruder until one of them flees or dies.
  Battles between rival wyvern generally occur in the air
  with combatants diving at each other, attempting to
  tear each other’s wing membrane or knock them
  spinning out of control. Battles for territory occur year
  round, but are most intense in spring during mating,
  and early summer when the nestlings have left their
  mother to establish their own territory.
  Males usually allow females to share their territory
  as this provides them with more opportunity to mate.
  Females are equally voracious hunters but due to their
  smaller stature tend to prey on smaller game.
  Most of a male’s life is occupied with hunting and
  gaining new territory. Large males often challenge
  smaller ones to drive them away. Females rarely fight
  amongst themselves or with males. Since their
  territory overlaps with several males, a young female
  without territory will often search for an area that is
  unoccupied by other females to establish her nest.
  Females are intensely protective of their young. They
  will attack any intruder that approaches closer than a
  few hundred yards of their nest.
  
  I
  LME
  Meredragon
  The Ilme, often called meredragons, are among the most unique and
  curious of the intelligent races on Hârn. They are found only in the
  Ilmen Marsh along the southern shore of Tontury Lake. They call their
  habitat Haralan, a name that translates approximately as “The cold
  water that lives amid the land.” Their population is probably between
  500 and 800. Ilme tend to stay in one area for most of their lives.
  HISTORY
  According to the Ilme, they once lived in a place called Ssanimar,
  where they were the thralls of their cousins the true dragons. Both the
  Sindarin and Khuzan legends mention the Ilme, although it is clear that
  neither of the elder peoples paid the meredragons much attention. It is
  possible that the Ilme pre-dated the coming of the Sindarin.
  Their own history is oral and generally of little interest to humans.
  Indeed it is hardly comprehensible to non-Ilme, being largely an
  intricate recounting of seasons, births, and deaths. Their history is
  almost indistinguishable from their myths, further muddying the issue.
  Both take the form of extremely long rhyming sagas. The experience of
  spending several days listening to the rhythm of meredragon history is
  one that few travelers have stayed awake through.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  Habitat:
  Ilmen Marsh
  Length:
  18 feet (male)
  20 feet (female)
  Weight:
  3,600 pounds (male)
  4,500 pounds (female)
  Diet:
  Omnivore
  Lifespan:
  200 years
  Group:
  Male 1–12
  Female: solitary, or
  with 2-4 offspring
  ATTRIBUTES (male/female)
  36/45 STR
  12 EYE
  13/09 INT
  30/37 STA
  14 HRG
  08 AUR
  07/07 DEX
  14 SML
  06/12 WIL
  06/06 AGL
  Combat Attributes
  Endurance 24/31, Move 11, Swim 6.
  SKILLS
  Awareness 56, Swimming 85.
  Combat Skills*
  Initiative 30/40, Dodge 30,
  Bite 45:12p, Claw 50:10e,
  Tail 40:8b
  *Males that cannot avoid combat,
  fight in a frenzied state. All
  defensive rolls are counterstrikes.
  ARMOUR
  B10  E8  P7  F9   GAC 3
  STRIKE LOCATIONS
  01-12  Head
  13-20  Neck
  21-35  •Fore Limb
  36-40  •Fore Foot
  41-60  Thorax
  61-70  Abdomen
  71-80  •Hind Limb
  81-85  •Hind Foot
  86-00  Tail
  • Odd = Left, Even = Right
  DRAGONS 7
  HârnMaster
  
  BIOLOGY
  Except for brief encounters during mating, male and female Ilme
  keep separate from each other. Females are generally ill tempered and
  are wisely left alone. Female Ilme mostly inhabit the northern area of
  the Ilmen Marsh.
  The ratio of males to females is about five to one. The females are
  larger and far more aggressive than males. They mate infrequently and
  only by choice. It is common for females to mate only two or three
  times during their lives. During the early summer some females select a
  male, who often tries in vain to escape, and consummate the mating.
  Females cease to be fertile after their fortieth year.
  Ilme are ovoviviparous; their eggs are fertilized within the female
  and undergo almost all development in the oviducts. Since the eggs
  hatch within the female just minutes before birth, Ilme give the
  appearance of bearing live young. In the spring, females bear either two
  or three young. Newborn are eight to twelve inches long and weigh
  about one pound. During their first month of life, mothers regurgitate
  food into newborn mouths. Young stay with their mother until they
  reach maturity at age two years. By then, Ilme are seven to ten feet
  long and weigh 900 to 1300 pounds. Females are fiercely protective of
  their offspring.
  Ilme grow quickly, attaining their full size within six years of birth.
  Males can reach a weight of two tons and a length, including tail, of
  twenty feet. Females are about twenty five percent larger. Both sexes
  live about 200 years. With the possible exceptions of Gargun and men,
  they have no natural enemies.
  Ilme are warm-blooded but tend to be somewhat torpid in the
  winter. They are good swimmers and spend about half their lives in the
  water, especially during cold weather, when they often submerge and
  leave only their nostrils exposed. Ilme have huge lungs which allow
  them to hold their breath for up to thirty minutes. They have two
  moveable eyelids and a transparent nictitating membrane over each
  eye. This membrane enables them to keep their eyes open underwater.
  Ilme are capable of standing erect but walk on all fours. They have
  sharp-clawed hind feet, but flexible fingers and an opposable thumb on
  their fore feet. Their bodies are covered with coarse, bead-like tubercles
  of variegated colors, giving their skin a multi-colored, pebbled
  appearance. Common colors are green, brown, and black. Ilme have a
  ridge of triangular plates down their backs that contain small quantities
  of a viscous oil, called N’relkine. Recently, a priestess of the Temple of
  Halea in Golotha deciphered an ancient text which described this oil as
  a powerful human aphrodisiac.
  Ilme tails are heavy and flexible, serving to store fat as a food
  reserve for periods of starvation. The tail can also be used as a weapon.
  Ilme have chisel-like incisors, flanked by two pairs of sharp canine
  teeth. They also have large grinding bicuspids and molars. Their narrow
  fleshy tongue can extend about a foot.
  Ilme brains have highly developed anterior cerebral hemispheres,
  which are the seat of their considerable intelligence. Their brains bear
  similarity to those of humans although they are considerably larger.
  Their intelligence is alien to humans.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  DRAGONS 8
  ILME
  Former Colonies
  According to Ilme legend, there were once
  two other colonies of their kind on Hârn.
  One was located “where the land lies amid
  the salt” and the other was “ the home of
  rich waters”. It could be surmised that the
  descriptions hint of the Anoth Delta and
  Lake Benath, although there is no
  surviving evidence of colonies at either
  location. The Ilme believe the
  meredragons in these colonies left Hârn
  and now dwell to the east in a land of
  peace, contentment, and abundant food.
  There are several well-hidden Ilme
  colonies on Lythia.
  
  WAY OF LIFE
  The Ilme establish their nests among the small
  stands of trees throughout the Ilmen Marsh. The nests
  consist of uprooted and trampled reeds.
  Although Ilme live separately, the males are social
  animals. They are gregarious and often gather to spin
  lies to one another. Their language is complex and
  incomprehensible to humans. One example of the
  complexity of the Ilmen language it its second person
  pronoun, which has over one hundred distinct forms,
  each with a subtle shade of meaning.
  Meredragon voices are pleasant, if sonorous. All
  males can speak archaic variants of Hârnic and a few
  can speak modern dialects. Few females learn
  anything but their native tongue. Humans who have
  encountered male Ilme have found them more than
  willing to talk, particularly if threatened. Males usually
  hide from interlopers.
  Males are cowardly but can be aroused to
  desperate fury if cornered. In such a state they are
  berserk and given to immense strength. However, they
  will almost always seek to negotiate a way out of
  danger. Rather than fight, males often give up any
  possession, or abase themselves to the most pathetic
  opponent. The Ruthuba Gargu-arak exploit this
  tendency to bully and rob them of food. Females are
  never impressed by such harassment and will respond
  to attempted bullying with violence.
  Ilme have omnivorous diets. They are primarily
  piscivores (fish make up most of their diet) but they
  eat anything from carrion to weeds if they are hungry.
  They also regard the venomous Praman viper, found
  in the Ilmen Marsh, as a delicacy. On occasion they
  will attack a large solitary mammal (such as a human)
  but only if they are hungry and relatively certain of
  victory. They regard cannibalism as barbaric.
  Ilme have few possessions although some do
  collect interesting souvenirs. Most of these are
  worthless in human terms. Ilme are capable of using
  simple tools (rocks as hammers etc.) but seldom have
  need for them.
  CULTURAL ORGANIZATION
  Ilme culture and government can best be described
  as placid anarchy. There is little organization, formal
  or otherwise, so there are few occasions when an Ilme
  can breach social protocol. However, they are
  conservative about what constitutes proper behavior,
  and violations usually result in temporary ostracism.
  Due to their timid and sedate lives, the Ilme consider
  adventurous behavior improper. They recite a few
  tales of meredragons that left the marsh, either alone
  or with non-Ilme companions. Such stories usually
  conclude with the unwise Ilme meeting a horrible and
  (from the Ilmean perspective) richly deserved end or,
  less often, returning chastened and wiser.
  If there were anything that might, even in the
  loosest sense be termed Ilmean government, it would
  be the periodic gatherings of males. There are,
  however, few decisions made at these “moots”. Being
  sedentary, nonterritorial, and unaggressive, male Ilme
  have very few disputes to arbitrate at their meetings.
  Males almost never fight with each other, preferring
  the safety of arbitration. Females do not intrude on
  such gatherings (unless seeking a mate), nor do they
  hold similar meetings, regarding them as pointless.
  Ilme learn the basics of meredragon culture and
  the skills necessary to survive during the two years
  they spend with their mother. Males are also told the
  names of their fathers; females are not, and usually
  remain ignorant of their father’s identity. After leaving
  their mothers, males are taught the history and
  legends of their culture by other males. Females do
  not take part in such training.
  Newborns are given birth names by their mothers.
  Both males and females keep those names all their
  lives. After a male leaves the nest additional names are
  added which define an individual’s history. Such
  names, often lengthy, are used only within Ilme
  society. Outsiders are told a short invented name,
  often physically descriptive when dealing with
  humans. Females do not lengthen their names as they
  age and never reveal any name to outsiders.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  ILME
  DRAGONS 9
  
  RELIGION & MYTHOS
  The Ilme worship a pantheon of five deities. As is the case with
  much of their society, Ilmean religion can best be described as
  disorganized. Ilme have no priests or temples and worship is generally
  left to individual taste. However, meredragons are very devout, and
  theology plays an important role in their culture. Tales of the five gods
  are used as object lessons for young or foolish Ilme, and to entertain, as
  well as for “sacred” purposes.
  Meredragon theology begins with a creation mythos that involves
  something they call “The Primal Egg”. From the hatching of this egg
  came forth the various species of great reptiles; foremost among them
  were the true dragons and the Ilme. Both races had divine leadership at
  the time of their creation. The true dragons were ruled by beings called
  the Ahnaka. The first two Ilme to hatch from The Primal Egg, Huridrissal
  Firstcomer and Vethilsivar of the Golden Nest ruled the Ilme. The hatching
  of The Primal Egg took place at Ssanimar, and the Ilme believe that for
  many generations all reptiles lived there in harmony and peace.
  Eventually the true dragons corrupted this paradise, enslaving the Ilme
  and driving out or killing many of the lesser reptiles.
  Ilmean theology portrays Huridrissal as bold and courageous. The
  meredragons believe that he rose against the Ahnaka, battling the great
  gods of the true dragons. The struggle devastated Ssanimar, rendering
  it uninhabitable. Although the Ahnaka defeated Huridrissal, his valor
  won their respect and caused them to repeal their subjugation of the
  Ilme. Huridrissal, aided by mysterious beings “who stride between the
  air” led the Ilme out of the wreckage of Ssanimar and founded several
  colonies.
  Huridrissal’s mate, Vethilsivar, is wise and kind and very maternal.
  Both of these deities represent attributes not normally found among
  Kethira bound Ilme. Two lesser deities, children of Huridrissal and
  Vethilsivar, are Scradinal Taildancer Upon the Waters and M’messin
  Clawdaughter. Scradinal, the male, is fond of ease, comfort, and endless
  talk; he presides over Tarsyne, the heaven for Ilme males. M’messin is ill
  tempered and combative; she controls Yredu, the female heaven. She is
  believed to mate with her brother, her father, and selected mortal Ilme.
  Her semi-divine children feature in many meredragon tales.
  The fifth member of the Ilmean pantheon is The Tawny Other, a
  malicious deity. The eldest child of Huridrissal and Vethilsivar, he
  cravenly failed to aid his father in the earth shaking struggles against
  the Ahnaka, hiding in a bog while Huridrissal fought. For his betrayal
  Huridrissal cursed his son, stripping him of his name, his teeth, and his
  claws. The Tawny Other was forced to survive by stealing and
  devouring meredragon eggs, and he took revenge by damning all male
  Ilme to cowardice. Ilme who have yellow-brown coloring are believed to
  suffer most heavily from his curse. The Tawny Other lives alone in The
  Court of Night, the Ilmean Hell. Hârnic meredragons believe this is
  where the Tawny Other creates and sends forth the gargun to torment
  them.
  Copyright © N. Robin Crossby and Columbia Games, Inc. 2002
  HârnWorld
  DRAGONS 10
  ILME
  The Demons Once Escaped
  The Ilmean word for gargun is “Mabranas”
  meaning roughly “the demons once
  escaped”. The meredragons speak of the
  orcs as though they have known them for
  aeons, even though the gargun are
  relatively new to Hârn (less than 600
  years). It is likely the gargun and
  meredragons dwelled together in the same
  land (or world) in the distant past.
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Harn/HarnWorld/HarnWorld - Dragons {CG 4612}.pdf