Zarril pipe

A Zarril pipe is a tube-like device that you can use to store a single-replay message when outside in the cold while wearing mittens. If you don't have your fingers to manipulate anything, you can grab this item. Gently blow into the desired zarril pipes, filling them with the condensation of your breath in the cold air. A special material coating inside stores the condensation as long as the outside temperature is cold enough. You can then hang the item from a tree branch for example. If another person comes across it, they can open the pipes to let out the air. As the condensed air leaves it makes a soft organ-like sound. Based on how full the pipe is with condense, the note it plays changes. Trained users can usually distinguish up to 5 or 6 different notes per pipe. An unskilled user can usually only create 2 to 3 different notes per pipe.

To be more versatile multiple zarril pipes are often combined to form a zarril flute. Since a zarril flute is designed as travel-gear, one zarril flute usually contains 3-8 zarril pipes to keep it small and light. This limited amount of pipes means you can only leave a limited amount of information. Examples of meanings of a single pipe are:

• A threat. Common threats like wild animals, or other local natural hazards are written on the pipe. based on the note the listener can understand which threat to look out for
• A number. Based on the amount of breaths, the sound changes, and one can convey a number.
• A direction. Again, each direction (North, south, east, west, up, etc) can be signified using a specific note
• a timespan. Hours, days, weeks, months or years.
• A name. One's own name, or the name of a village.
• Utilities. Things like water, food, warmth, safety, a road.

Mechanics & Inner Workings

A Zarril pipe is a simple wooden pipe with two holes that are usually both closed. The inside of the wooden pipe is coated in a special coating made from herbs and other natural materials, that allows the condensed air to stay in its condensed form and not form water droplets on the surfaces. One opening the sender can open and then blow into to store the condensed air. The second hole the receiver can open to let the air pass through a small opening. Depending on the amount of condensed air, the note it plays differs. Somewhat similar to how a flute works. Written on the outside of the pipe are the different meanings of each note. A zarril pipe will only play the note one time when it is opened. So after a single replay, it has to be re-filled again using new breaths.

History

Zarril pipes were created during the Cold Age to leave simple messages between clan members. Especially useful during the coldest months when mittens are a must when walking outside, this form of communication was designed to mark when certain food sources had been gathered and the location of long-term traps.

Item type

Communication

Rarity

Uncommon. Only skilled craftsmen can make them, and only skilled users can fill them. But the basic materials are abundant.

Weight

0.5 to 2 kg

Dimensions

10x20x15