Hyleoroi (Blue Siren) - Project: Diesel Pirate

View more art from this project here: metadragonart.deviantart.com/g…

I also got a facebook page, for those interested! www.facebook.com/metadragonart

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this started out as a christmas present for one of my cousins. She wanted a blue butterfly, so i went and designed this creature based off of a blue butterfly

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A hyleoroi (high-lee-oh-roy) is a type of creature that lives in the underworld of Aether (the underworld is what the sky-dwelling Aetherans refer to the ground of the planet's surface as). Residing within forested areas, they are docile creatures that normally spend their time singing beautiful songs. They have the appearance of a feminine, anthropomorphic butterfly with blue wings and a blue, translucent, dress-like covering flowing over their lower body.

The song of a hyleoroi is generally pleasing to the ear with soft, drawn-out syllable pronunciation in their melodies. Some have compared their singing to that of a choir of melancholic angels. To most people, their songs seem to consist of random syllables. However, some researchers believe that it might be a form of language that the hyleorois use to communicate with. It also has a calming effect on the local wildlife in range of the song. If you can hear their song, then you usually wont have to worry about getting attacked by anything. However, there have been documented instances where a hyleoroi suddenly switches from a soft melody to an almost scream-like falsetto, causing the wildlife within range of the song to go berserk. These songs have been described as "vile, fear-inducing madness". While Aetherans themselves don't actually go berserk due to these songs, it is commonly accepted that the animals will due to the song terrifying them so much that they freak out in an attempt to stop the noise that is haunting them. It is because of these songs, and the beauty of the creature itself, that the hyleorois are more commonly referred to as "blue sirens", or just "sirens".

Their songs aren't the only beautiful aspect about them. Their bodies are absolute works of art, with engravings all throughout their body. These engraved parts are an exoskeleton that protects their bodies. Their wings are reminiscent of a butterfly, though they don't use them to fly. Instead, they appear to use them to assist in their movement, usually in the form of gliding their bodies while they walk, jump higher distances, or slowing down their descent as the come down from a higher place. Their movement is usually described as smooth and fluid. The most interesting aspect of their bodies, though, is the translucent dress-like covering they have on their lower bodies. It is made of a silk-like substance that grows out from under their ribs, much like how a finder nail or claw would grow from a hand or paw. It serves no protective purpose, and appears to exist only for looks. Hyleorois are believed to be hermaphrodites, so some speculate that the dress may be a way to attract potential mates.

Hyleorois are most often found near bodies of water, usually ponds or rivers. They also have a strange fondness for the wreckage of downed skyships. If a piece of wreckage is near a body of water, the hyleorois will more than often choose to perch themselves on pieces of the ship instead of anything natural, like a rock.

In pop culture, hyleorois are almost always referred to as "blue sirens, or just "sirens". They are seen as symbols of beauty. Comparing someone to a "siren" is usually a way of telling them that they are beautiful, or have a beautiful singing voice (as the whole screaming aspect is usually downplayed or ignored entirely, with the beautiful melodies always taking the spotlight). Aetherans that work at resource gathering facilities in the underworld usually try their best to avoid hyleorois. While hyleorois can provide a safe haven, they can just as easily turn it into a hellhole, so most workers prefer not to take the risk. A few years ago, there was an incident where a resource facility was brutally attacked by hordes of berserk animals, killing many people. That facility remains abandoned to this day, with no one revisiting the site at all since the incident occurred. One theory states that the incident was caused by screaming hyleorois, though an attack of that scale and magnitude is unheard of in regards to a hyleoroi scream being the cause, so that idea was dismissed by the public and investigators. However, the "siren theory" is still commonly believed by the underworld workers.

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resources from: 
www.photobash.org/
www.textures.com/
gumroad.com/gaelleseguillon