Death Whistles

Mechanics & Inner Workings

No two death whistles are physically the same, but there are some agreed upon standards:

Eagle Whistles

Heavily associated with the eagle knights, the internal settings are pinched in such a way as to mimic a screaming eagle

Jaguar Whistles

Heavily associated with the jaguar warriors, the internal settings are undulating to mimic a growling jaguar

Whistling Arrows

The most straightforward configuration that slices through the rushing air at the end of an arrow shaft. It produces such an echoing sound across the battlefield when launched and wisps of coloured smoke are also added so the archers can know the target for certain.
These are a favourite of many long range units, especially the Otomies.

Owl Whistles

Owls are the harbingers of ignominious death. They contain bulbs of clay that jostle into short lived bellows like an owl.
Living owls are avoided for this association, hence it becomes more telling when owl whistles are sounded because only an army's most elite would respond, like the Shorn Ones.

Screamers

These monopolize the use in religious observances. They contain diverging branches in their wind paths that chops the breathe into screeching sounds.

Manufacturing process

Every whistle is made in concentric layers that wrap around each other in differing ways. These parts do not have to be made sequentially and are pressed together when the clay is still wet:

1. Cylinder
   • Starts as a flat sheet of puddy rolled into a thick tube
   • One opening end is altered with a hooked scalpel as needed
   • Channels the initial breath and alternations at the end closest to the sphere pinched the air flow
2. Sphere
   • Two tiny cups of soft clay are hollowed and pasted back together again to form an empty ball
   • Even smaller holes are drilled as required to induce an echoing effect
   • Most whistles only have one but some few can have two or three for more surreal sounds
3. Hollow
   • Primarily serves as the external facade in how people identify the whistle's type
   • However, internal notches and extrusions made also have an effect on the final sound

Significance

War

Triple Alignment

Military societies throughout the empire model specific calls by which commanders direct their underlings during battle.

Corn Court

Blow horns fashioned from clay or ivory are used to coordinate between carrier ballons and ground crews.

Long Step

Step Folk, particularly Elkins, mount standing poles with exaggerated metal mouths at random approaches to their territory.
When the winds blow, they emit a terrifying roar to scare invaders away.

Rituals

Sacrifice

Screamers are blasted from the top of temples at the moment the intended is slain. Being so far away seeing the ritual; the extra noise in the plaza alerts the crowds to when they should cheer and continue on their merriment.

Natural Death

Death whistles are blown as part of the last rites of deceased nobles or other important people to guide them through death.

Item type

Communication

Current Location

Sangsalgu

Manufacturer

Triple Alignment

Related ethnicities

• Courtiers
• Elkin
• Painted Tribes
• Sang

Owning Organization

Triple Alignment

Rarity

Uncommon

Raw materials & Components

• Clay
• Wood
• Paint
• Resin

Tools

• Hooked Scalpel
• Flat-head Scalpel
• Poker/Wooden Drill
• Heating Kiln

Used During