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Hadrylo — Description

My trip down in the Underworld has been endlessly fascinating, with so much to see and do! But, honestly, one of the things I didn't even think of was all the things to hear! Because when I think of the Underworld, I think of dark caverns, carved cities of demon and shade, strange fauna in pocket biomes and such. "Sights" are mainly what come to mind, even the expectation of being in complete darkness fits there! Traveling through the many tunnels and caverns, though, has awakened me to the world of sound. Yes, caves can be eerily quiet, the sound of your own breath and body the only thing you hear. Perhaps the drip drip of water, or the occasional scurrying of something unseen. That does happen in some places, but elsewhere, the music of life is rich and incredible.
If I had talked to musicians upon the surface, they probably could have told me much of the same, but it is my time down below that let me experience it more fully. Turns out, the structure of a room (or cavern) changes the sound around you in subtle and incredible ways. I think the term is "acoustics," which I have probably heard once or twice in my life but never truly paid it any mind. I may have heard it or read about it in a book, but being in the intricate labyrinth of the Underworld really brings the concept to life. How our voices echoed through the darkness, how the calls of wildlife seemed to ring about all around us. There was so much difference between each cavern we visited, some quiet and some cacophonous. Even the civilized areas where the denizens live have factored in structures and sound. Warning and announcement systems strategically placed so that the words echo across the whole city. Carved amphitheaters that bolster performances with their design, and lets not forget the temples! Recall how worship of the God Below Pyrogohna involves dance, and know that dancing needs music! Oh, how those temples are filled with it! Lively and energetic, while the worshipers dance to keep the flame alive! And it isn't just her, Svrnacht deals with music too! The song of metal rings loud and clear, as the Alloy Intoners give prayer through the careful strikes and strokes. Just gorgeous to behold. though sometimes it can be a bit overwhelming! Their ears are probably more used to this, as I found some performances almost dizzying with the sheer complexity and volume! Which ties in well with the Hadrylo, which is good because I was positive I was going on a tangent that had no purpose.
The Hadrylo is a bizarre creature found in the Underworld, one that I think is far weirder looking than any I have seen below! There is certainly a delightful variety down here, but the Hadrylo sits in its own special category. It does have the basic shape of a beast, with a head, body, limbs and tail. They have six cylindrical legs that end in grasping pads, and a head that is evocative of some kind of jawless fish. Weird, but manageable, until you get to the horn! What a bizarre structure! Like some kind of sideways harp? A backwards C? I don't know! It is hollow, and has all sorts of orifices on it. Air is able to flow in and out, which creates a droning noise, but only at certain points. The Hadrylo's breathing and controlling of its airflow allows it to play this horn like an instrument. And what music it makes!
Firstly, before we dive in too deep, lets talk diet. What does this weird thing eat? Well, it appears to eat "air," and by that I mean it filters out nutrients from the laden air around it. The enclosed nature of the Underworld means that stuff like spores, dust, tiny larvae or eggs can drift about. The Hadrylo sucks that all in and uses its "gills" to filter out the tasty stuff. That might not sound like the most exciting or nourishing diet, but the Hadrylo doesn't really live that crazy of a life. Plus, it appears that it can scoop up water, juicy carcasses and even guano to filter and consume, so there is that! Yes, they can eat poop. Bet eating air doesn't sound too bad now? But obviously, when you are breathing in and out that often, it makes sense to get some use out of it! Hadrylos combine their feeding method with the use of their horns to create specific sounds and calls. The basic drone appears to be some kind of echolocation, helping it navigate. But it can also call to others of its kind, giving signals of mood, location or danger with just subtle variations of its song. And if you learn how to pick up on it, you can learn this info too! Specifically, demons down here keep an ear out for their "danger" song, which can give a crucial heads up of predators in the area. Pretty nifty! And when a threat is around, that very same music is used to defend!
Though they have that big horn, it isn't for defense. Well, not physically. It isn't really designed to charge or gore, its hollow nature making it a poor weapon. But, the thing is. Hadrylos can get loud. Real loud. When predators threaten their group, they stand together and take a deep breath. What is unleashed is a blast of noise that can knock you off your roots! Loud, strong and absolutely disorienting! Your ears are ringing for hours afterwards! And in the Underworld, where the sense of hearing is as important (or more) as sight, getting pummeled with this sound wave can hurt like all get out. My guides warned me that you can even be rendered deaf if you are too close to their bellow! I didn't actually get to hear their attack when I was down there, but a part of me thinks that was for the best.
To the demons and shades down here, the Hadrylo is a revered beast of the Underworld. They are seen as the living embodiment of music, singing the ancient songs of the Gods Below. As I said before, their calls even help relay information to those in the know, and listening out to the echoes while you travel the tunnels can be vital. Hadrylo herds are left in peace, and even their migrations through the tunnels coincide with special festivals. Of course, this doesn't mean the folks down here won't touch them. Dead Hadrylos are harvested for their hide, but the big thing to get is their horn. Careful carving and modification of it creates a sacred instrument known simply as the "Hadrohorn." It is used mostly in ritual and worship, though there are certainly quite a few Underworld songs that employ its unique sound. It is a bizarre instrument to behold, it honestly looks fake! Like the scribbling of a sapling come to life! Yet that sound! How wonderful it is! Makes me wonder how it would pair with instruments on the surface! Imagine a collaboration! Oooo!
But one thing I will make quick mention of is the fact that I actually got to try a Hadrohorn! As we were visiting a temple, it appears the priests took notice of my curiosity with the instrument. They showed me how it was played, giving a sample of a song, but then offered me the chance to give it a blow! The honor! I couldn't say no, even though I was nervous! I am not that talented when it comes to music, so there was no way I could knock them down with a killer tune, but maybe I could at least produce something vaguely pleasant sounding? I took the deepest breath I could muster and gave it a shot. And you know what? I think I did pretty good! Only a couple of notes, but they didn't sound terrible! Slightly rhythmic and nice. It made me light headed for sure, because it took a lot of breath to get it done! But I noticed the impressed look on the faces of the priests, which filled me with pride. I guess I am a natural! In truth, the shock was the fact that I played it at all, because apparently Hadrohorns take a whole lot of air to work, and demon lungs are far better suited than man's. They had expected me to sputter and fail, but I proved them wrong! I had also noticed that Valac had been grinning the whole time I played (which was mere seconds), and I asked him if he thought I was going to fail too. He said "no" and told me that he had been confident I would succeed, which was a delightful bit of flattery! Whiiiiich was then quickly squashed because this confidence came from the fact that I am "full of air" in reference to how much I talk. "You can talk for hours without end, of course you got the wind to spare!" .....thanks....

Chlora Myron
Dryad Natural Historian
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Alright, alright, you all earned a nice break from the boobery. Lets pop back in with Chlora and see what is up.