[lore] Uulu (Patreon)

Uulu, having it's name after a singing sound they make (high-pitched "U!", descending to melodic low "u-u-ulu-u-u"), huge nautilus-like creature with legs of a crustacean. 

Uulu are analogue of milk cows on Agan and beyond (Yaraga seen these beings even at their homelands, though rarely). 

Their shell is composed of segments, pretty much like a mollusk, but these chambers are filled with milk-like substance, rich with fat and quite nutritious - uulu stores calories that way, for it exists only in two modes: eating and not eating. They eat constantly and a lot, gathering up "milk", and when full they tent to lase around in hibernation, watching younglings or looking for meadows for future. 

Uulu are used all across Agan as milk cattle - they are not edible themselves, yet it's "milk" is widely used in cooking, pharmacy and every-day beverage, especially in travels, for it lives for quite a while, tasty and calories-rich. To gather this milk, a small valve is carved into their shells to let one simply flush the substance - though uulu will immediately turn into grass cutting mode for it gets hungry after milking. 

Thus they are commonly fed with cattle mixes, bade of meadow weeds, their own milk and some fodder cereals, for it's impossible to feed these beings naturally, also lowering amounts of feeding grounds for them almost thirty times so.(Yaraga even have a profession - meadow keeper or "shepherd of grass", that tend to vast fields of feeding grounds - juicy grass and weeds stand almost shoulder-tall there!) 

That's also reason for banning milk gathering from wild uulu - for huge beasts may fail to eat enough after big portions of milk is flushed. And will perish. Thus, everyone know that you should take only a small bit - and patch the hole you drilled before leaving.

Young ones happen during feeding as well - uulu care and follow each other, offering juicy bundles of grass, occasional berries and whatever else might be tasty. And if such care is mutual, male adds own secretions to offering that makes offspring to happen. 

Female carries babies in front section of her shell and when time comes, younglings are "spit" through mouth to live their childhood on mother's shell. The roll down from time to time till their legs are developed properly - and when they make it impossible to crawl back on mom's shell, they are considered adult and start their life with the rest of the herd. Though even after that - and till the end - parents and their offspring tend to stick together, offering tasty bits and caring for each other. Actually, Arzuli have these beings as cultural symbol of a good family and relations (and that's why there are no metaphoric rude comparison with a cow in their language). 

Also, uulu would never fight for own safety, for it can just suck into own shell - and the only way to dig it back out is via a gaff or explosives. Though uulu will, most likely, just pull out anything dangerous from one's hands... Yes they protect their kin with surprising fierce and determination - tentacles and legs of these creatures can easily shatter medium-sized trees.

Good to know these giants are exceptionally dormant and friendly unless neighbors are threatened...