The Karkonog (singular is Karkon) live in great caves with wide mouths. They come to many lands. They have tough, dark, brown hair, and in form are like great bears. Their eyes are like dragons' eyes, their heads are long and angular, and their neck is long like a polar bear's neck, and is thicker than the head. Their paws are more like massive hands than a bear's paw, and are more skillful. They steal and hoard treasure in their caves.

They mate and separate, and the Onoi, the Karkoness, rears a single whelp, and drives it away when it reaches maturity. They prey on livestock, but only venture among men when there is rumor of treasure to be gotten. They hate the Mandar, and attempt to rob their mines, but rarely do they succeed.

Their roar can be extremely prolonged, and it can stun and confuse cattle so that they prance from side to side rather then flee. They smell strongly like heavy earth.

How dangerous are they to humans (or any race, for that matter)?

Their malice is generally towards the Mandar, and otherwise they are unlikely to show anger.

They will fight fiercely, and, in a way, indignantly, for treasure. But they will not take the time to eat some one. If treasure is stolen from them they will try to get it back, but they will not go out of their way to revenge the theft, and in this way they are very different than the common view people have of dragons.

I think there was a time when a woman was captured by a Karkon and taken to its cave. It was a long time before they found the cave, but before they stormed the cave to rescue her a wiser man sent a peasant woman's garment in to the woman by some devious means. When she changed into it and left her expensive clothes behind she walked out of the cave without the Karkon giving her the least mind.

That's very interesting.

Thank you!

What idea do you find most interesting?

Oh, just to have a creature somewhat controlled by greed, yet having it be rather non-violent. Even if violence is well within it's means.