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====== Haikjadeam ======

Misunderstood and underutilized, the haikjadeam have also been rather underdefined. The Lensmoor helpfile states merely: //The haikjadeam race is complex, in thinking as well as in appearance. They live in matriarchial communities, suspended above the ground in the jungles and rain forests. They are cold blooded, and their skin and eyes are of like those of a snake.//

===== Legends of the Haikjadeam =====

In the beginning, go the legends, the world was a vast, dark ocean devoid of life, cold as a stone. After an eternity of nothing, Something Happened. A thought appeared over the ocean. This thought recognized itself as Different from the cold ocean, and in the recognition came Existence.

This Existence looked upon the waters and became bored, for they stretched endlessly, flat and black as glass as the winds had not yet been invented. The Existence turned and imagined Ground, and when it looked again it saw land rising up from the cold water. The Existence settled upon the land and rested for a time.

In its dreams, the Existence wondered what it would be like if there were more Existences like itself. It woke, and looked, and Others crouched around it on the land. They looked about in horror, not wonder as the Existence did, for they had come into being suddenly and not by their own will. Driven mad by it, the Others fled from the land into the ocean and were never seen again.

The Existence was saddened by this, but learned from it. It slept again, and dreamed again, and when it woke it was coiled about a clutch of eggs. Within each, Another waited, protected by the shell of the egg from Reality until it was ready to face its own Existence.

Coiled tightly about the eggs, the Existence kept them warm by will alone, but this grew tiring, so it imagined a Helper. This Helper alighted close by, but the Existence could not look upon it for it was the only bright thing in the void. The Helper sat nearby and shone and shone, and the shining brought Warmth.

For time beyond time, the Existence and the Helper waited for the eggs to hatch, and at last they did. The first hatchlings crawled forth from their shells and looked about at the barren world and imagined it differently. And in the imagining came Creation.

These hatchlings were the Elder Gods, and they took over the world from the Existence, whose purpose was fulfilled. They threw the Helper up into the sky so it could warm the whole of the world and light the darkness, and they set about filling the whole of the land and ocean with their Imaginings.

In time, the Elder Gods fell and were slain by their children, but that is another tale. For the original Existence wasn't finished yet. It was coiled around another clutch of eggs, warming them with its will and the Helper's light. From this clutch of eggs hatched the first haikjadeam.

Such was the creation of the haikjadeam race as told by the elders around the council house.

The truth is probably not as far from this as one may think. The species most closely-related to the haikjadeam is the jayadeam, an efficient land predator the size of a low-slung pony. Jayadeam physiology is unequivocally quadrapedal, and jayadeam furthermore possess long tails which serve as fat storage and counterbalances when climbing. Haikjadeam lack both the tail and the ability to run on all fours, changes which seem unlikely to emerge full-blown, yet no intermediary species has been discovered. It seems likely that the haikjadeam were created magically in the distant past, although whether by a powerful mage or by an experimenting deity is open for speculation.

Haikjadeam have been known to the gnomes of Dronlek since time immemorial. The haikjadeam, dwelling in the jungles of Tikol, excelled in tanning and working leather and wood, and traded their goods to the gnomes in exchange for metal and stone implements. Aside from this trade, very little interaction between the two races took place. The gnomes considered the haikjadeam to be stupid, lazy, and overly violent, while the haikjadeam viewed the gnomes as excitable upstart warmbloods. From their individual points of view, each race was correct about the other.

When the mainland Lensmoorian races began to trade with the gnomes, the occasional tale of the savage jungle primitives leaked across the continent. Some considered the tales apocryphal, fanciful gnomish invention. Others delved into the jungles in search of the legendary serpent-people. And it wasn't long before the diluted truth about the haikjadeam reached the rest of the world.

===== Temperment of the Haikjadeam =====

Haikjadeam, being reptiles, have slow metabolisms and enjoy nothing more than a nap on a warm, sunny perch. Most make their homes high in the trees for this reason, and spots where the sun reaches are prized lairs. The pace of haikjadeam society is considerably slower than that of comparable mammalian races, and weeks can go by at a time with nothing at all happening.

A typical day in a haikjadeam community begins with the members dragging themselves from their sleeping places to the sunning-spots. There may be a minor confrontation or two if more than one haikjadeam wants the same spot. By mid-morning, everyone but the lowest-ranked males will be at operational temperature, and that's when the community begins to resemble any other town.

By late afternoon, business is concluded and the community gathers in the council-house, where any grievances and disputes are heard and settled. Nothing continues much past sundown -- any late developments will be put on hold until the next day, as the haikjadeam find it uncomfortable at best to continue to be active after dark. Unlike most other races, haikjadeam generally do not have a "nightlife" and only frequent taverns which are open during the day.

Despite the slow, lazy pace of life which the haikjadeam enjoy, they can strike surprisingly quickly when roused to anger. And it is surprisingly easy to provoke a haikjadeam to this state.

Jayadeam generally adopt a hunting strategy that involves a stealthy stalk followed by a quick pounce. When threatened or in pursuit of prey they are capable of reaching a speed of up to twenty-five miles per hour for short periods of time, although this is very draining as it involves a temporary shift of metabolism. Haikjadeam share these characteristics with the jayadeam, but are capable of recognizing a much wider variety of stimuli as threats. The accompanying shift of metabolism is often referred to by haikjadeam as "the shakes," and is associated with either increased aggression or a strong urge to panic.

Haikjadeam frequently fight among themselves, but rarely with lethal intent. It is important during such confrontations to avoid provoking "the shakes" in one's rival, and so an elaborate threat ritual has evolved in their culture. Adhering rigidly to the ritual comforts and reassures the haikjadeam involved and prevents potentially deadly misunderstandings.

===== The Threat Ritual =====

Although the ritual can be enacted anywhere, it is usually performed in full view of the community at the end of the day in the council-house. It is initiated by standing up and insulting one's rival as colourfully and loudly as possible. The recipient of the malediction is then required to stand also and return the insult. If performed during council, whatever business was being dealt with at the time will be put on hold, although the elders look down on interrupting important discussions for trivial rivalries.

The threat ritual continues with both haikjadeam coming together in the center of the council-house and standing only a few inches apart, each staring at the other (usually with only one eye for reasons discussed later) while trading insults. The first haikjadeam to look away or be at a loss for words is considered the loser. Threatening hisses are permitted during these rituals, but any display of fangs is prohibited and is likely to lead to a duel.

While it is permissible for any haikjadeam to challenge any other in a threat ritual, they are usually restricted to haikjadeam of the same gender and similar social status. Young haikjadeam who initiate threat rituals with their elders, or males who threaten females on a regular basis, are chastised as being presumptuous upstarts. Haikjadeam who threaten those younger than they, or females who regularly threaten males, are considered bullies. While no formal punishment is made, it's possible to lose one's voice in council through such irresponsible antics.

A typical council in a medium-sized community of thirty to fifty haikjadeam may be interrupted several times a night by these threat rituals. Canny elders may initiate one deliberately during heated debates in order to defuse the tension. As long as the rules are observed, the community as a whole enjoys the performance, and even those not participating directly can vicariously release their natural aggression in the atmosphere of a ritual performed between two really creative antagonists.

Outside observers who are unaware of the purpose and value of the rituals see haikjadeam in council as fractious and aggressive creatures who can't get anything accomplished.

===== Deadly Duels =====

Duels are fought infrequently between haikjadeam. Minor conflicts of personality are usually resolved through threat rituals, while major disagreements are normally mediated by the elders in council.

A legal duel can only be fought with the approval of the community's elders. Females are never allowed to initiate a duel against males. A male who desires to duel a female is strongly discouraged from doing so, but will be allowed if he is really determined. A haikjadeam may not challenge another of lower social standing, but may challenge one of higher standing. Elders may not be challenged under any circumstances except by another elder. Most duels, when they occur at all, are fought between two females of similar age and social status. The elders will ensure that the rules are observed before approving a duel.

Duels are always fought just before sundown, when both haikjadeam have had all day to sun themselves, and never occur during the season of mist. They are always fought on the ground, usually on the burial grounds, although some communities set aside specific areas for duels. Anyone who wishes to watch may, including haikjadeam from other communities and outsiders from other races. No one is allowed to interfere.

Traditionally, a duel is fought using only sharp wooden daggers as weapons. This is rarely observed nowadays, as most fighting haikjadeam possess metal weapons imported from Dronlek or Lensmoor and feel that one should be allowed to use them. Although there is no requirement to poison one's weapons, dueling haikjadeam invariably do.

After all are assembled and the elders have given their final approval to the duel, the challenger is required to state to all assembled the reason why she is fighting the duel. The challenged is allowed, but not required, to present her own case in the matter. After these statements have been made, the two haikjadeam will fight until only one is left standing. There are no restrictions on magic use, weaponry, or tactics. The only restrictions are that neither may have any outside assistance once the duel has begun, and may not harm a bystander in any way. The winner may refrain from slaying the loser if she chooses, but no haikjadeam recalls this ever happening except in ballads.

===== Seasons of the Year =====

Haikjadeam recognize three seasons : the season of rain, the season of mist, and the mating season.

The season of rain occurs when winter grips the higher altitudes and northern continent. Irriane sends great storms across Tikol during this time, and it is considered a time of plenty to the haikjadeam. They often collect the fish washed up on shore by the storms, and many creatures that are good to hunt become active during the rains. During the early parts of the season of rain is when haikjadeam clutches hatch, and years when the rains don't come don't see any hatchlings either.

After the rains stop, Tikol slowly dries out. The jungles where the haikjadeam live continue to be fed by streams running down from the mountains of Dronlek, and in the early mornings a mist will rise off the jungle into the drier air that sweeps in from the desert to the west. The heat is terrific during the season of mist, and many types of animal enter a state of aestivation, a sort of hot-weather hibernation. Hunting becomes difficult, and it is during this season that one's true social standing is revealed, for elders and those in high regard will still be eating meat during the season of mist, while lower-ranked haikjadeam must resort to the fruits which ripen in the middle of the season of mist.

Overlapping the very end of the season of mist is the mating season, when the females enter estrus and become receptive to the advances of their mates. Threat rituals between single males become more common during this time, as they seek to win the favour of unmated females. Mated males also become uncharacteristically aggressive during the mating season, while females will rarely exhibit any aggression unless provoked.

===== Mating and Reproduction =====

Mated female haikjadeam in estrus rarely leave their homes, spending long, lazy days sunning themselves. In fact, this is one of the first signs that a female is coming into estrus, and it sends her mate running about the jungle in search of food for her. After roughly a week of conserving her energy, the female will allow the male to mate her several times a day for four days, after which she loses interest for the duration of her pregnancy. Fertilization of mated females is invariably successful.

For fifty-five days, the female will continue her passive pattern of doing nothing all day. Many will even skip the nightly councils during this time, and it is overlooked by the elders. She depends entirely upon her mate to provide food for her and for the eggs growing inside her. If the male can't provide enough, the female will fast rather than move and spend precious energy that could be better used growing eggs. Pregnant females are quite agreeable and even-tempered, and they sleep a great deal.

Precisely fifty-six days following her last day of estrus, the female will creep off at night to the hatching ground, dig a shallow hole, and lay between two and eighteen leathery eggs. She will then cover them with rotting vegetation and return home, afterwards resuming her normal behavior.

Hatching grounds are always located so that they get at least six hours of sunlight per day. Warmth is provided during nighttime hours by the rotting material covering the nests. Parental care is limited to the community assigning younger females to watch over the hatching ground to ensure that no predators eat the eggs.

===== Child Rearing =====

When the rains come, the nests are soaked, and the shells of the eggs soften. The eggs hatch shortly thereafter. Any which don't hatch within a week of the onset of the season of rain will be destroyed by mold.

Upon emerging from their shells, the hatchlings resemble cute, snub-nosed versions of the adults. They will creep around the hatching ground, enthralling the young females assigned to watch them, for a period of one to two weeks, absorbing the last of the yolk sac and learning how to maneuver themselves about.

Sometime between their first and second week of age, when the last of the yolk sac has been absorbed, each hatchling begins to experience hunger for the first time, as well as aggression. The hatchlings begin to attack and kill each other. The runts and late hatchlings are the first to go, but this period of fratricide lasts nearly a fortnight. Casualties are eaten by the survivors, as are any beetles and lizards unlucky enough to wander into the crŠche. The most common way the hatchlings murder each other is through venomous bite. Casualty rate is usually between 80% and 90%. Males and females are visually identical at this point, although they can be differentiated by the adults by their scents.

When only a few hatchlings remain, they develop an instinct to separate and venture off into the jungle. The young females collect them as they attempt to leave the hatching ground and bring them to the village, where mated couples who may or may not be their parents await them. Hatchlings are accepted by couples regardless of gender or true parentage (which is impossible to tell by now), until all the surviving hatchlings are adopted.

Haikjadeam are hatched able to bite and are capable of quadapedal locomotion a few hours after hatching. They learn to walk on two legs between three and five months of age, and start to develop language skills at about the same time. Haikjadeam children are gently taught and only disciplined when they do things which would be consider a duel-challenge if done by an adult. Social pressure is a very strong motivator in haikjadeam communities.

Since there are usually fewer surviving hatchlings each year than mated couples, a haikjadeam pair will generally only take one child every other year, sometimes once every three years. Twins, when one couple takes two children at once, are very rare.

Haikjadeam children are not clingy, and in fact require almost no parental attention on a regular basis. Unlike most mammalian children, they require no regular physical contact to thrive, and do not strongly bond to any individual. The parents provide food for the child and take the child with them whenever possible, teaching by example more than by instruction. Haikjadeam children are very observant, but tend to limit their observations to the potentially edible for the first few years. They ask many questions of their parents, and all questions are answered as truthfully and completely as possible. Haikjadeam children require so little care that their parents do not often consider question-answering to be an imposition of their time.

===== Ways and Culture =====

Haikjadeam have very few cultural taboos. Both nudity and sexual activity often occur in very observable locations, and anybody can walk through anybody else's house at any time. Eating is considered a public affair, as is bathing. It is considered proper to take oneself away from the community to defecate, and appropriate to cover one's leavings so they aren't seen. It is also considered vulgar to have one's fangs visible when not hunting or dueling.

Although haikjadeam mate for life, this is not a natural instinct in them, and so infidelity happens. This usually comes out eventually, as haikjadeam are in most respects a very open and honest folk. When it does, it is oddly enough the betrayed spouse, not the betraying spouse, who is considered at fault and whispered about. Being an adulterer does not carry nearly the same stigma as being mated to an adulterer. This is probably due to the fact that the female is usually the one who wanders, and so obviously it must have been the male's fault for not providing for her sufficiently.

There is a mild taboo against unmated females bearing fertile eggs. In this case, it is considered the female's fault, for males are thought to be too weak to control themselves during the mating season, when surrounded by females giving off pheromones. Only mated pairs may adopt children, and it is thought to be irresponsible to contribute to the crŠche before one is ready to accept children from it. First offenses are usually overlooked with a lecture, second offenses result in punishment at council, third offenses result in a much more severe punishment. Further offenses are generally unknown, but are said to carry loss of voice at council, and loss of the privilege of adopting children later.

Female haikjadeam cease to produce eggs about their fiftieth year. Once a female haikjadeam has failed to produce a clutch for two years straight, she is declared an elder and takes her place as one of the rulers of the community. Males continue to produce viable sperm throughout their lives, and so they never qualify as elders.

After the end of the mating season, when all fertile females have laid their eggs and have resumed their normal behaviors, an up-and-coming elder will be recognized before the council in an elaborate ceremony in which she recites strict vows of service to the community and to the children of the future. The sitting elders will, if they find her acceptable, present her with a headdress of braided leather and fur, which she will wear at council thereafter. Rarely, the sitting elders will choose not to recognize a newly-infertile female. While technically still an elder, such a shunned female gains no additional voice in council, and often becomes the butt of many jokes. Such females occasionally leave their communities after having been so humiliated, but this is surprisingly rare.

Aging haikjadeam are never formally removed from council. However, mental incapacity has a tendency to make itself known, and haikjadeam, even elders, who seem to have become senile tend to lose their voice in council, although many never realize it.

All adult, mated haikjadeam participate in the council's decisions, which may range from minor arbitration of dispute to declaration of war. Recognized elders have the right to interrupt the speeches of any lesser haikjadeam, but are not allowed to be interrupted and do not interrupt each other. No formal hierarchy is visibly established, yet all haikjadeam in a community know of their own social standing, and the standing of all other haikjadeam. Those of lesser regard must choose their words carefully, for a rash and poorly-thought-out speech can actually lower their standing to non-existence. Higher-ranked haikjadeam often engage in lively debates with the blessings of the elders, ignoring the attempts of lower-ranked haikjadeam to speak.

Social standing is based primarily upon age and gender, with female haikjadeam being held in higher standing than males of similar age, and with older females in higher standing than younger ones. Things become complicated when older males and younger females clash - how one handles such a situation is often used as a way for the community to gauge the intelligence, tact, and wit of those involved. It is possible for a particularly bright young male to gain considerable standing for himself by making the females his age look silly or by catching them at a loss for words, but such things must be done very carefully. Some older males, especially the mates of elders, can carry as much voice as the highest-ranked non-elder females in council if they have proven themselves clever and wise over time.

Young haikjadeam who have not yet mated also attend council, but carry no voice whatsoever, and may be ejected if they attempt to speak.

===== Rogue Haikjadeam =====

Young haikjadeam occasionally escape from the hatching ground without being captured and brought to the village. More rarely, a female haikjadeam will deposit her eggs somewhere other than in the hatching ground. Casualty rates among escapees and foundlings is high, and they are usually discovered and adopted within one year of age, if they survive.

Such haikjadeam are called rogues, and are considered marked by the gods in some way, for the feat of surviving alone in the jungle until discovered. Rogues are looked upon as fey and feckless, and, if female, are given less consideration at council than others of similar age and experience. Rogues are also said to be overly violent and overly skilled at fighting, and so challenging one in a threat ritual is considered to be taking one's life into one's own hands, and challenging one to a duel is considered as good as suicide. This reputation, whether deserved or not, clings to all rogues and is something they must deal with. Rogues are looked down upon whenever they initiate a ritual or duel, regardless of the other circumstances, as this is seen as a highly aggressive act coming from them.

All of this tends to feed upon itself like a snake swallowing its own tail. Continual low-level fear and derision stimulate the aggressive instincts of a rogue, while at the same time she is deprived of the only socially acceptable outlet for this aggression. As a result, rogues tend to be vicious and savage hunters, and often leave their communities as adventurers, thus fueling the tales that rogues cannot be trusted.

===== Physiological Specifications =====

Haikjadeam are nominally humanoid. There are a number of differences, however.

Male and female haikjadeam are outwardly very similar, and it takes a trained eye or one very familiar with haikjadeam in general to tell the difference visually. Haikjadeam themselves have no problems at all, as the scent of males and females is significantly different.

Haikjadeam have a thin layer of very soft fat immediately under their skin, and their scales are perfectly dry and smooth to the touch. While their skin is moderately resistant to abrasion and cuts, it is tactilely quite soft and somewhat loosely attached to the underlying muscle. Haikjadeam periodically shed their skins, children more often than adults.

Their eyes range in colour from a bluish-grey to dark bronze, with shades of gold being the most prized. Their pupils are vertical, and contract to nearly invisible slits when in bright sunlight. They have no eyelids, instead their eyes are covered by a clear ocular scale, which is shed along with the rest of their skin from time to time.

Their heads are spade-shaped, thick and broad. Their eyes are set on the sides of their heads, resulting in a 270 degree field of view. Binocular vision is only normally possible at a distance of 6 feet or more from their noses, where each eye's field crosses the other. This range can be shortened to a distance of 3 feet if the haikjadeam crosses her eyes, which is difficult to do and not possible for long periods. All haikjadeam have a blind spot directly in front of themselves, regardless of how hard they try to see there. For this reason, a haikjadeam who is speaking to another will usually turn her head to the side and use only one eye.

Below and a little behind their eyes are the corners of the "spade," which in another species might be referred to as their cheeks. Covered with a layer of soft fat, these bulges are partially the haikjadeam's jaw muscles, but most of the volume is taken up by the venom glands. Venom generated in the glands is routed to small sacs in the sinuses, where enough is stored for three or four bites. When aroused by "the shakes," the venom glands are capable of producing venom continuously for as long as there is an adequate supply of blood to the glands.

The venom is a complex organic molecule which acts to interrupt the chemical messages between neurons. Death is usually caused by seizure of the heart or lungs, although a bite to the head or neck region can cause fatal brain damage. The venom is fast-acting, inducing pain and seizure in the poisoned region almost instantly, and travels through the bloodstream to vital areas as quickly as the blood flows. For this reason, mammals are the preferred prey of haikjadeam, as their higher metabolisms allow the venom to spread throughout the body faster. It is possible to survive a haikjadeam bite - larger creatures, such as most sentient races and animals larger than the average human, have the best odds due to their greater body mass. A glancing bite, or one inflicted on a limb, while excruciatingly painful, is often non-fatal in and of itself, although the subsequent lack of coherent mobility in the affected region can prove indirectly fatal to one facing an enraged haikjadeam.

Haikjadeam fangs average about an inch long. They are situated behind the front teeth in the mouth, somewhat alone by themselves in the roof of the mouth. When not in use, the fangs fold back to nestle in grooves, generally not touching the haikjadeam's flesh, and are protected from doing so by bony ridges that prevent them from folding back too far. A haikjadeam enjoys a limited resistance to her own venom, but inadvertent self-poisoning is both irritating and painful, and can provide a potentially deadly distraction. Venom is topically harmless, breaks down rapidly when exposed to oxygen, and may be swallowed by anyone without fear (although it tends to taste rather nasty).

Haikjadeam are born with 14 needle-like teeth, not including the fangs, on both upper and lower jaws, for a total of 28. As they grow, they acquire another set of four teeth every two years on average, until they reach adolescence at age 10. Thereafter, they acquire two more sets of four teeth each during adolescence, with the final set coming in around age 17 or 18. Adult haikjadeam therefore have a total of 56 teeth, with fourteen on each side of each jaw. Adult teeth are identical in size to infant teeth. Fangs, however, tend to grow in length from a quarter-inch in infants (nearly the same size as their teeth) to their adult length of just over one inch as the haikjadeam ages.

The teeth are slender, needle-sharp, and somewhat loosely bedded in the tissues of the jaw. They lack roots into the jawbone, and are therefore quite easy to extract. If a tooth is subjected to enough force, it is quite likely to be pulled out entirely before it breaks. Broken teeth, while painless to the haikjadeam, are useless. Lost teeth bleed profusely for several minutes and are quite painful during this time, but heal rapidly and are subject to replacement within about two months. Haikjadeam who lack the ability to bleed a lost tooth often accidentally poison themselves - the profuse bleeding prevents venom from entering the wound before it can close sufficiently to keep venom out. A lost fang behaves much the same way as a lost tooth, and indeed the greater length (and therefore torque pressure) on a fang makes it more, rather than less, likely to be lost. Young haikjadeam who lose fangs often retrieve them and keep them as souvenirs. Adults, while scorning this practice for themselves, do not throw away the fangs they collected while children.

The tongue of a haikjadeam is long and forked, and retracts into a depression in the base of her mouth. A gap in the front teeth and a slight curve in the lip allows the tongue to be extended with the mouth fully closed. Haikjadeam have no sense of smell in the normal sense. Instead, they flick their tongues through the air and lightly over surfaces to collect scent particles, which are then deposited by the tongue on the Jacobson's organ, located in the roof of the mouth just in front of the fangs. A haikjadeam's sense of smell, when functioning properly, is superior to that of most other races. However, this sense is easily overloaded by the intense scents of cities, and can be thwarted permanently should the haikjadeam lose or severely damage her tongue.

Haikjadeam females, while very near in size to the males, tend to be heavier and stronger, and tend to have a thicker layer of subdermal fat. Overweight haikjadeam are rare, but are invariably female, and excess weight is viewed as a sign of affluence and is therefore regarded well. Pregnant females use this extra fat to sustain themselves during their period of inactivity. Should the fat layer be insufficient, the female's body will begin to metabolize muscle tissue. A female who has just laid her eggs may be quite gaunt, but her strength under normal circumstances is such that even reduced by starvation, she can still hunt with efficiency.

Haikjadeam skin colours range the rainbow, from near-black to pure white, with smoky grays, reds, blues, greens, and ochers all possible. No specific skin colour is considered more attractive than another. What is more important is the purity of the tone - most haikjadeam hides are muted earth tones, and therefore a vibrant shade is considered more attractive than a dusky one. Haikjadeam hide displays its primary shade on her back, arms, legs, and head, and becomes a paler tone on her belly and the insides of her limbs, and under her throat. Some haikjadeam display bold markings of a contrasting black or brown on their heads and backs. The reason these markings appear is not known, but seems to be related to the length of time the hatchling spends in the egg before the rains come, with those that hatched during years of late-coming rains being more likely to display such marks. Symmetrical and elegant markings are considered highly attractive, especially when combined with a vibrant dominant shade. Haikjadeam fingernails are thick and claw-like, and usually gray in colour. Darker nails which extend past the fingertips and are well-shaped, with no splits or breaks, are preferred. Some haikjadeam with paler nails have been known to stain them to darken them.

Adult haikjadeam shed their skins twice a year, once at the onset of the season of rain, and once just after the rains cease. Children shed their skins quite often, as many as five times during their first year. When shedding, haikjadeam become indolent and short-tempered for a day or so. Their skins turn greyish, and white cloudy occlusions cover their eyes as the old ocular scales separate from the new ones beneath. Haikjadeam tend to look quite ill during this period, and tolerate nothing from each other, or from other races. Adults must soak themselves in order to shed. Children do not. Haikjadeam shedding cycles are usually about twenty-six hours long, and never last more than forty-eight. When the skin becomes loose enough to itch, even while the haikjadeam is damp, she'll begin to scratch off patches of old skin until the old skin is completely shed. Children frequently eat their shed skins, and are reprimanded when caught at it, for the adults consider this to be a disgusting habit. Scars impede the proper shedding of skin, and inconveniently placed scars (such as on the back where it is difficult to reach) sometimes require aid from another haikjadeam.

Haikjadeam females have a scent gland located just under the base of their tailbones, which produces intense pheromones during the onset of estrus. Males lack this gland. Instead, this gland has been converted in male haikjadeam into a temporary repository for sperm (which are actually produced high in the abdomen), and an erectible hemipenes. Sperm production in the male is stimulated by pheromone production in the female, which in turn begins as her body prepares to enter estrus. Male haikjadeam are infertile when not exposed to the pheromones of female haikjadeam in estrus, but are capable of sexual activity at any time of the year. Female haikjadeam are fertile for a four-day period of time during the estrus cycle, and are generally uninterested in sexual activity just prior to this period, and during the period of pregnancy afterward. When not pregnant or about to enter estrus, female haikjadeam are both capable and interested in sexual activity with their partners, and the display of such activity about the community is often considered lewd or obscene by more discreet races.

Female haikjadeam produce eggs every year, whether mated or not. Unfertilized eggs develop for only sixteen days rather than the usual fifty-five, and are laid on the seventeenth day, usually on the burial grounds, although anywhere outside of the community is considered acceptable. Unfertilized haikjadeam eggs are normally eaten by birds and small jungle animals in short order, although some are recovered by adventurers and preserved for sale as oddities. Haikjadeam view this practice as somewhat disgusting, but make no moves to halt it, as unfertilized eggs are considered worthless and not worth the effort.

===== Haikjadeam Relationships with Other Races of Lensmoor =====

Haikjadeam enjoy generally good relations with the other races of Lensmoor. The gnomes of Dronlek in particular have long been trading partners of the haikjadeam. Humans, sprites, and selkie also get along well with haikjadeam, each race being generally non-judgmental of the odd customs of the others. Haikjadeam consider sidhe to be a bit on the rude and uppity side, but certain individuals are tolerable. Haikjadeam consider all mammalian races to be excitable, but quicklings are almost impossible for haikjadeam to understand, and dealing with quicklings a great deal will frustrate a haikjadeam quite soon. Ents are also nearly unintelligible to haikjadeam, who are accustomed to viewing trees as a source of building material, not as a sentient people. A haikjadeam who bothers to get to know an ent, however, will usually find something of a kindred spirit.

Antrippan races are regarded with a healthy wariness, but without the generations of antipathy that the mainland Lensmoorian races do. The thick jungles in which the haikjadeam live are so alien to the dry desert dwellers that Antrippan raiding parties have traditionally avoided haikjadeam territory entirely. Xorrtee attacks on the shores, in search of selkie, are infrequent and often unobserved, as haikjadeam only regularly venture out to the shorelines during the season of rain, when all intelligent ocean-goers stay home and out of the storms.

Word-of-mouth information from other Lensmoorian races, selkie and humans in particular, causes most haikjadeam to steer clear of Antrippans. When encountered, however, Antrippans are often observed from a distance by haikjadeam, who find them fascinating and new.

Pathology : Common Diseases and Disorders
Haikjadeam are subject to several childhood diseases, most of which cause the afflicted child to shift metabolism for an extended period. This not only makes the child a bit dangerous to be around, but can kill a child who is not properly cared for as her increased metabolism rapidly depletes her energy stores. Most communities maintain a communal hut in which a sick child can be locked. Constant supplies of food are provided to the child by the entire community, and the parents of the sick child often take turns talking to the child through the door to keep her as calm as possible. Few haikjadeam children living in healthy communities die of these diseases.

Adult haikjadeam are highly susceptible to infections, especially when not given the opportunity to sun themselves regularly. Infections of lost teeth and the venom glands are especially common, and infection of the scent gland is occasional in females. Breaks in the skin, such as cuts, usually do not become infected and often heal with no visible scar.

Haikjadeam, being cold-blooded, must bask in the sun or on warm surfaces after eating in order to avoid gastrointestinal problems. Diarrhea and indigestion are common among the lower-ranked haikjadeam of the community, who rarely have access to the better sunning spots. A haikjadeam in a cold climate who eats is in for a rough time, as it's actually possible for food to rot in the stomach if the haikjadeam cannot warm herself after eating.

Improperly shed skin attracts insects to the haikjadeam, especially after the second shed just before the season of mist. Three species of fly in particular are fond of laying their eggs under flaps of poorly-shed haikjadeam skin, and when the larvae hatch and begin to eat the dead skin, it is not only disgusting but very itchy, and can induce an infection.

Adult female haikjadeam occasionally fail to lay their eggs. While this can happen with either fertile or infertile eggs, it is most common with a female's first clutch, which is usually infertile. Often it is caused by either an excessive growth of skin which must be broken, or an oddly-shaped pelvic bone. Symptoms include severe abdominal pain as the female's body attempts to eject the eggs, along with nausea and irritability. If caused by excessive skin growth, the problem will often correct itself as the eggs break through, which is very painful but usually non-fatal. Occasionally an elder must be called upon to assist the ailing haikjadeam in cutting the skin. Such things never re-occur after the female lays her first clutch.

Pelvic deformities, whether congenital or as a result of injury, are more severe and recur every year. Haikjadeam unfortunate enough to suffer from a malformed pelvis can never carry fertile eggs and will probably die from retained eggs eventually. The only known treatment is to cut the eggs out of the female's belly, which is a dangerous proposition even when a haikjadeam skilled in healing magic is available to assist.

Haikjadeam are surprisingly resistant to the diseases carried by other Lensmoorian races. No known case of a haikjadeam catching a human disease, or passing a haikjadeash disease to a human, is known. The physiology of haikjadeam is just too different from the other Lensmoorian races to make such interspecies transmission possible.

===== Rhacziin's Roleplaying Advice =====

Haikjadeam are, in many ways, completely alien to the human way of thinking. Haikjadeam are slow-natured, yet capable of surprising violence. While they prefer to talk things out or solve problems with a verbal confrontation, they do not shy from the use of deadly force when the situation seems to call for it. And, while a member of another race may not be intentionally provoking a haikjadeam to deadly force, misunderstandings do occur.

Rigidly matriarchal and hierarchical in nature, haikjadeam females view themselves as the natural leaders of any mixed-gender group. While they will willingly follow a non-haikjadeam female of strong character or proven wisdom, they will be very reluctant to follow a male, as doing so would mark them as "henpecked" so to speak. It would take an extraordinary male to gain the loyalty of a haikjadeam female.

Haikjadeam males, on the other hand, tend to be of two general groups. The first, more traditional group, see themselves as naturally inferior to females ... whether this applies to females of all races or only female haikjadeam varies with the individual. When presented with a female haikjadeam taking command, males of this sort will quite naturally fall in line as ordered. Most community male haikjadeam can be grouped thus.

The other, more radical group of male haikjadeam rebel against what they view as an unfair discrimination against themselves. Such males often demand an equal voice for themselves in council, or the election of a male council member, and as such are usually forcibly ejected from the community. A few are more subtle about their objections, and may remain officially part of a haikjadeam community, but find the subservient attitude expected of them to be stifling, and so find excuses to travel a great deal. A disproportionate number of male adventuring haikjadeam fall into this group.

===== Author's Notes =====

When I first chose a race to pay on Lensmoor, I selected the haikjadeam simply because they were different, a decidedly non-human race, non-mammal even. Lacking instruction other than the somewhat terse helpfile description, I made it up as I went along and had a grand ol' time. Vasana, however, wished to write up a few things about the haikjadeam for everyone, rather than having each haik player selfishly hoarde his or her perspective on the race. Silly Vasana.

You can read Vasana's excellent file by clicking here.

I wrote the following after having read Vasana's take on the haikjadeam. I incorporated several of his ideas and added many of my own, and change a few that I considered less than optimal. While this is my own personal view of the haikjadeam, I am more than willing to acknowledge my debt to Vasana, without whose poking I never would have put my roleplaying style into written words.

I hope you haven't found too many inconsistancies or impossibilities, and I also hope you've enjoyed the read. If you have anything to add, change, or that you hate and want to see gone, drop me a note on Lensmoor. I can't promise anything - the integrity and internal consistancy of the race come first on my list of priorities - but I'm open to suggestions.

Thanks, Rhacziin

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