The Yoyarr is a bizarre creature that dwells in the Black Lakes of Trumatyreon within the caverns inhabited by the Trumarim Dwaves and Darkling Brownies in western Nybelmar. Yoyarr, perhaps better known as the Akotiljor, are noted for their ability to survive in the otherwise inhospitable lakes and for their massive, glowing teeth. Unfortunately, while Trumarim are known to possess a wealth of information on most subjects that involve the Black Lakes, it appears that overfishing has removed Akotiljor from those sections of the lakes that reside nearest their settlements long ago, leaving Darkling Brownies both their main source of the glowing teeth and of researchers' information on these enigmatic creatures. [1]

Appearance. After removing the layer of dark brown lake oil covering it, a Yoyarr is a black, slimy creature. The Yoyarr’s body is similar to that of an eel, with two long fins running along the top and bottom before ending a short distance before the tail, which is pointed. Two, broad short fins emerge from the body behind the head and just before the tail, which one surmises are used to help the creature maneuver in the subterranean murk. Specimens range from a fore to a fore and a half in length with some particularly monstrous examples extending to two fores.

The Yoyarr’s most notable aspect is its jaw, which can actually unhinge and enable the Yoyarr to consume larger prey. Also of particular importance are the size of the teeth. These teeth are long and curved and very durable and they glow in a bright, purplish colour. So, to uncanny effect, do the eyes.

Special Abilities. Aside from whatever unnatural constitution allows it to swim in the subterranean oil lakes, the Yoyarr is able to unhinge its jaw, which allows it to swallow smaller prey whole. Equally “special” but of unknown provenance is the glow which the eyes of the Yoyarr emit. This stops when the creature dies, so it is believed that the creature produces a glowing fluid to allow it to see in the oil. The Yoyarr is also capable of spitting oil from its mouth, usually at things it wishes to eat outside of the lakes.

Territory. The Yoyarr has never been found outside of the Black Lakes of Trumatyreon in western Nybelmar. Due to overfishing for its teth, the Yoyarr is found so infrequently near caves with any sizable Trumarim presence that most dwarves settle for trading with brownies for the locations of particularly rich caves, which benefits both parties quite nicely.

Habitat/Behaviour. The Yoyarr swims quietly below the surface of the oil, before suddenly rearing out of the water to snatch a creature off the shore and into its belly. It is not otherwise known what Yoyarr spend their days doing, but they are believed to swim at the bottom of the oil lakes when not hunting. Particularly crafty examples of the creature have been known to swim just below the surface of the oil to attempt to snare hunting parties or to wait for something they can knock into the oil to consume it. Yoyarr have been seen to drag prey from the shore and are believed to use the oil to "preserve" their food. Brownies themselves have actually been known to hunt down Yoyarr and gut them for the sake of retrieving the corpses of their luckless fellows for proper burial.

Diet. Aside from unlucky (or stupid) Darkling brownies, the Yoyarr feeds on paprabaabs, spiders and in some cases, other Yoyarr. "We caught an akoltiljor, we were fishing for something else at the time. None of us rightly remember what it was. We gutted it, hoping that it had perhaps eaten something of value. They swallow some things whole, you see. The first thing that came out of it's belly looked to have been half of a spider, and then a jumble of guts and bones. Torchhand spotted something shiny in the whole mire there, half of it looked like it might have been oil at one time or another. Turns out it was a gem, out of a paprabaab, glowed pretty nice. While we sat there eating, someone (can't remember who now) had the bright idea that we should try to guess what some of those bones were from. Some of them were right tiny like. Piscinites we guessed. There were teeth in there though. Akoltiljor teeth. Disgusting."- Trumarim Journal Entry, belonging to Gravst Oilbeard, donated to researchers by his great-granddaughter. Entry dates C. 1332 a.S.

Mating. Occasionally, glowing balls float to the surface of the Black Lakes. These are the eggs of the Yoyarr, a rough 3-5 nailsbreadths across, which researchers believe are laid at the bottom of the lake in a sticky secretion. Researchers also postulate that this secretion is used to afix groups of eggs to walls or the lakebed, and that other denizens may knock them about during their passage, causing them to come loose and float to the surface. Darkling Brownies shoot these eggs on sight, with spears or arrows tied to ropes, for fear of allowing the monstrous Yoyarr to breed more than it does already. They will eat these eggs, since they are considered something of a delicacy and lucky besides.

Usages. Darkling Brownies that manage to kill a Yoyarr make their teeth into spear points, which double as poor lighting, this effect does wear off after some months, usually about the time the spear has become too weak to be sharpened any further. Occasionally sections of bone become fearsome hats, worn by Piscinite religious leaders particularly during the month of the Rock Oil Spirit and the month of the Fish. Some bones, particularly the ribs are used as the base for Brownie houses. Yoyarr eggs, as noted above, are eaten by Piscinites. The soft "shell" of the egg is said to be somewhat rubbery, while the insides are pungent in smell and taste and both are often well spiced in order to be more palatable. Eggs are prepared by boiling them in their casing until the goo on the outside hardens and begins to crack, at which point the egg is removed from the fire, cut and seasoned before being consumed. Properly prepared, Yoyarr eggs are said to be very fortifying, if somewhat unpleasant.

Trumarim use the luminescant properties of the Akotiljor's teeth to form the base of a glowing paint they use to mark tunnels. The teeth are ground up and mixed with the baseparfi, a type of rock-oil that the Trumarim guard the secret of jealously. However, in this form the glowing properties of the teeth last for a fraction of the time the whole tooth would.

Paint formed in this manner glows for four hours at most unless mixed very carefully with ground paragems, which extends this glowing property to half a week. Some miners actually use small paint markings (often numbers) to tell how long they've been in a particular tunnel. Since it is not particularly safe to carry open flames through the lakes, the "fixed" paint is used in glowglobes, a cheaper substitute for paragems. The fixtures in which Trumarim install enchanted paragems are usually warded with Akotiljor teeth for luck and some use mirrors to project the tooth light further.

Myth/Lore. The Yoyarr’s teeth are believed to be the basis for the Darkling Brownie pictogram representing (depending on the context) danger or evil, a jagged line of varying height. If a Yoyarr is killed, its blood is drained and returned to the lakes, believing it might poison other Yoyarr. The Trumarim believe that the Akotiljor (a contraction of Akotil, the Thergerim word for "evil" and anjor "fish") is a blight on the oil, so they killl it as much as the Piscinites do.
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Footnotes.
[1] Chronicler's Note: While this entry uses Yoyarr more often than Akotiljor to refer to the beast in question, the latter is the more common appellation, and should be used when discussing the creature. Information gathered for this entry was procured from Piscinites more often than not, and the use of their name for the Akotiljor does reflect this. [Back]

17th Burning Heavens 1669 a.S. Information provided by Valan Nonesuch