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Description

Though I strive to study and discuss the countless species in this world in a factual manner, often I must delve into the myths that surround them. It would seem like a pointless endeavor if my goal is to teach others the truth about these creatures, but I feel it would be a disservice to ignore these legends and misconceptions. These stories are what paint the people's perception when it comes to certain species, and it is what many strangers will run into when they ask locals for more details. While I have certainly spoken negatively about a lot of rumors and myths, I don't truly think they are all bad. It adds something to our understanding of these species and at times it even elevates them to something higher in our minds. My big issue is when these misconceptions are used to demonize species and excuse their extermination, so you can be sure I will be ranting about that whenever I come across it. In some cases, these stories lead to actual fact, as they often are just the half truths warped by time, hyperbole and a bit of alcohol. So by following some of the more outlandish beliefs, you can actually wind up stumbling across a very real trait or behavior that had just been exaggerated over time! Though there are some times that they are indeed completely full of rot, be it people making stuff up or just being extremely stupid (oooh, that is getting me thinking about that Two-Headed Troll debacle, calm it down). However, sometimes it isn't fully the story teller's fault, as certain species can be quite puzzling or deceptive. Just look at the hydra to see how a single creature can make it so hard to separate the fact from fiction.

If you read legends and early accounts of hydra encounters, they will tell you that they are reptilian creatures that sport eight or more heads. Many claim that these are related to dragons, which supports the stories of these beasts spitting flames, poison and pretty much anything you want to make the tale extra exciting. Not to mention the most famous feature that these things grow their heads back instantly if chopped off, making two for every one lost! Well, thankfully some people decided not to fully accept these extravagant tales and actually bothered to do some real research about these beasts. It probably didn't take them long to realize that there were many things wrong about these stories!

First thing first, hydras are not reptiles. They have no scales and, more importantly, they have no bones. In truth, hydras are cephalopods, related to squids and octopi. Those eight or more "heads" they talk about are actually their tentacles. I will give some leeway for the story tellers of old on this misconception, because these tendrils work really hard to pass as actual heads. Their tips have three hooks that are arranged in a way that gives the impression of a beaked mouth. What adds to this idea is the fact that these "heads" have been seen "eating," so people think that is proof. Yes indeed, each tentacle is capable of swallowing food into its "beaked" mouth, and it does wind up in the stomach, eventually. The thing is, these limbs are not directly linked to the digestive system, and their "throat" is not a real one. What is happening here is a unique change in the design of the tentacles. While other cephalopods have a flattened, sucker covered part of their tentacles, the hydra takes this and actually folds it on itself. Think of it like it was a piece of paper, and you take the two ends and bring them together to make a tube. These tentacles have been flattened and rolled up so that the suckers are turned inward and are now contained within a passageway that runs from the tip to the base of the limb. If you ever get a close look at a hydra tentacle, you will actually see the seam that runs down it! This creates the fake throat that confuses onlookers, as you will see a head tear off a bit of meat and "swallow" it. What is actually happening is the meat is being transferred to this muscle tube, where it is then moved down by suckers and muscle contractions until it is popped out the base of the tentacle and right into the true mouth! The real mouth of the hydra is a beak in the center of all these serpentine heads, and that is where all the food goes when the heads start to eat. This mouth is also closer to where the true head lies, as getting a look at the side of the hydra will show you eyes! That is where the real brain of this creature lies, and its also why chopping off these snake-like "heads" doesn't kill this creature, it just makes it mad.

Another reason why people mistake these limbs for snake heads is because these things seem to move and "think" more than any regular arm or leg. I have watched these creatures for quite some time, if I didn't know any better, I would swear each one of these things was alive and thinking as its own beast. The truth is, these limbs have an extensive amount of the nervous system running through them, with practically their own brain in each. With the incredible amount of sensors and feedback, they can feel their environment and react almost instantaneously. With a small brain within them, they don't even need to contact the main brain to figure out what to do, so much so that they still move and fight even after being chopped off! A severed tentacle will continue to hunt and "eat" food, unaware that its meals are just plopping out of its stump. With their own brains, they can move and coordinate to a terrifying degree, going from a flailing nest of snakes to a synchronized strike within seconds. To add to this is the fact that not all heads are the same. Certain pairs fulfill certain roles, which you can see if you look closely at their beaks and sizes. Often there are two "central" pairs, which have rather regular beaks and an average thickness to their length. These are your every kind of use limbs, the things that pretty much do all the normal work and aren't specialized for anything fancy. Look "above" them, and you will see a pair that is a bit thinner and has a defined hook to their beak. These are meant to snare prey, lashing out and snagging them like an angler would with a fishing line. The hooked beak digs in, holding long enough for the other arms to attack and get a good grip. Below the four center tentacles are a "bottom" pair which appear to be much meatier. They have a bulk to them and their beaks are much stronger. These are the grappling limbs, meant to pull in large prey and restrain them. They are the ones that do the heavy lifting, having more strength to their bite and attacks. Once they grab hold, the fight is over, as the prey is crushed in their coils and held so that every mouth, fake or real, can start chowing down.

With such a setup, it is obvious that these are carnivores. They slither about in search of prey, using their stealthy coloration to get close enough to strike. Some may hide themselves and wait for food to walk by, while others actively stalk and attack when the moment is right. All they need is to get close enough to plant one hooked beak into the victim's hide, and then they can reel them in and finish them off. While hydras go after large and substantial prey, they have been known to pick off a couple small critters from time to time. When they are hiding, some squirrel or something may get too close. While this would not be a real meal for any big predator, the hydra can afford to slither out a single head to snap it up without blowing their cover. Essentially just deploy a tentacle to act like a snake, and gobble up some mice to keep the belly happy as they wait for something better. Once they down a big meal, they rip and tear into it, with the real mouth taking huge chunks out of the prey while the tentacles get at the harder to reach places. Left on their own, a hydra can pick a cow clean, those tentacles nipping off every scrap they can find. Some times, though, they may not have the stomach space to finish off a meal. However, leaving all those extra bits behind is such a waste, especially when you used all that energy to kill it in the first place. This is where the fake throats come in handy, as they can swallow as much meat as they can hold and keep it held within these sucker-lined tubes. This keeps the food close at hand, protected from scavengers and thieves, as well as allow them to travel without having to hang around and defend a corpse. When the hydra gets hungry, it can just empty these stores into its mouth bit by bit, as it bides its time for another big kill.

While hydras are quite large and obvious to recognize, people don't see them as often as you think. This is because hydras live in burrows when they are not actively hunting. Their tentacles and clawed fins help them dig out a deep hole that they can back up into and hide from rough weather or predators. Since they have no bones and a very flexible body, they can squeeze into surprisingly tight spaces! Don't expect some big yawning cavern like a dragon's lair, think of just some odd humble hole in the dirt that you would suspect a badger made. These same burrows are where they keep their eggs during the breeding season, hiding them down below to keep them safe. Regardless of the time of the year, it is advised to keep a far distance from these burrows and not be poking around them (which you should honestly do for any large opening, regardless if you suspect a hydra or not). Get too close or anger it, and those tentacles will come shooting out and biting. If they are hungry and get a good hold, you are going right into that burrow to become supper. Yes, the hole might not be big enough for those with bones, but the hydra is strong enough to get around that issue. Good for them, very bad for you!

Now we get to the part where people ask about the whole "regrowing head" thing. One of the famous things about hydras is their incredible regeneration and many heads, right? Well, that is true! They do have incredible regeneration and can regrow their heads! The catch is: it isn't nearly as fast as you think. People think they just pop back in seconds, when it actually takes days. "Well that doesn't sound very incredible, Chlora" you may say. To that I say "chop off your own hand and tell me how long it takes to grow back" (oh please don't actually do it, especially human readers). We dryads can regrow our limbs, but we are talking weeks and months, so this level is much faster than us! And if the tentacle is cut a certain way, it may damage the regrowth process and cause it to regrow two heads instead of one! There is your "two heads for every one" thing! Yes, it isn't as dramatic and cool looking as the legends, but it is still quite impressive when you compare it to things in the real world! I think it is awfully neat, and you should too! As for the stories about spewing fire and poison, those cases are often referring to different species and not your usual common hydra. Not to mention the cases where people are just making crap up, so be wary of any story you hear.

Outside of the fantastical tales, hydras are on the level of basilisks and manticores: lots of people know about them and they don't like them one bit. Hydras like meat, and any big prey animal will do, be it the cow or the cow farmer. Due to them attacking livestock or going after people in their territory, it is common for there to be a bounty out from them. With their many tentacles and squishy body, actually doing real damage to them is hard. Cutting off tentacles just robs them of weapons, it doesn't kill them. There have been a few stories where people chop off all eight heads and gloat over their victory, right up until the actual beaked mouth lunges forward and bites them in two. Injuring them only scares them off for a bit, as they slink away to heal their wounds. Give it a week and they will be back with a vengeance. That is the other issue, hydras are a lot smarter than you think. They can solve puzzles, figure out patterns and recognize the people they hate. Attempts to deter them or keep them out just challenges them, to the point where it almost encourages them. Their limbs can be quite dexterous and can locate any weakness or flaw. Lock your barn up tight, and it is practically guaranteed that a hydra will find the one hole you missed, and then will spend the whole night messily dragging your livestock through that one crack. Their intelligence has sparked a whole lot of interest in the research communities, with questions on how capable and sapient they are. There are too many studies and theories to list, but there is one problem to all of this. Hydras cause a whole of damage and death, which means the public doesn't like them very much. Good luck getting funding or interest when you are talking about studying a monster that ate someone's livelihood and a couple relatives too.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-------------------------------------------------------

Bout time this mythical monster was added to all this! Probably took the obvious route, but it was the best I could come up with. Yes, it doesn't have the instant head regrowth ability, but there is no way to make that natural without magic. But there is certainly more fun to be had with this species, so look forward to that! This isn't the last you've seen of them!

Description

Though I strive to study and discuss the countless species in this world in a factual manner, often I must delve into the myths that surround them. It would seem like a pointless endeavor if my goal is to teach others the truth about these creatures, but I feel it would be a disservice to ignore these legends and misconceptions. These stories are what paint the people's perception when it comes to certain species, and it is what many strangers will run into when they ask locals for more details. While I have certainly spoken negatively about a lot of rumors and myths, I don't truly think they are all bad. It adds something to our understanding of these species and at times it even elevates them to something higher in our minds. My big issue is when these misconceptions are used to demonize species and excuse their extermination, so you can be sure I will be ranting about that whenever I come across it. In some cases, these stories lead to actual fact, as they often are just the half truths warped by time, hyperbole and a bit of alcohol. So by following some of the more outlandish beliefs, you can actually wind up stumbling across a very real trait or behavior that had just been exaggerated over time! Though there are some times that they are indeed completely full of rot, be it people making stuff up or just being extremely stupid (oooh, that is getting me thinking about that Two-Headed Troll debacle, calm it down). However, sometimes it isn't fully the story teller's fault, as certain species can be quite puzzling or deceptive. Just look at the hydra to see how a single creature can make it so hard to separate the fact from fiction.

If you read legends and early accounts of hydra encounters, they will tell you that they are reptilian creatures that sport eight or more heads. Many claim that these are related to dragons, which supports the stories of these beasts spitting flames, poison and pretty much anything you want to make the tale extra exciting. Not to mention the most famous feature that these things grow their heads back instantly if chopped off, making two for every one lost! Well, thankfully some people decided not to fully accept these extravagant tales and actually bothered to do some real research about these beasts. It probably didn't take them long to realize that there were many things wrong about these stories!

First thing first, hydras are not reptiles. They have no scales and, more importantly, they have no bones. In truth, hydras are cephalopods, related to squids and octopi. Those eight or more "heads" they talk about are actually their tentacles. I will give some leeway for the story tellers of old on this misconception, because these tendrils work really hard to pass as actual heads. Their tips have three hooks that are arranged in a way that gives the impression of a beaked mouth. What adds to this idea is the fact that these "heads" have been seen "eating," so people think that is proof. Yes indeed, each tentacle is capable of swallowing food into its "beaked" mouth, and it does wind up in the stomach, eventually. The thing is, these limbs are not directly linked to the digestive system, and their "throat" is not a real one. What is happening here is a unique change in the design of the tentacles. While other cephalopods have a flattened, sucker covered part of their tentacles, the hydra takes this and actually folds it on itself. Think of it like it was a piece of paper, and you take the two ends and bring them together to make a tube. These tentacles have been flattened and rolled up so that the suckers are turned inward and are now contained within a passageway that runs from the tip to the base of the limb. If you ever get a close look at a hydra tentacle, you will actually see the seam that runs down it! This creates the fake throat that confuses onlookers, as you will see a head tear off a bit of meat and "swallow" it. What is actually happening is the meat is being transferred to this muscle tube, where it is then moved down by suckers and muscle contractions until it is popped out the base of the tentacle and right into the true mouth! The real mouth of the hydra is a beak in the center of all these serpentine heads, and that is where all the food goes when the heads start to eat. This mouth is also closer to where the true head lies, as getting a look at the side of the hydra will show you eyes! That is where the real brain of this creature lies, and its also why chopping off these snake-like "heads" doesn't kill this creature, it just makes it mad.

Another reason why people mistake these limbs for snake heads is because these things seem to move and "think" more than any regular arm or leg. I have watched these creatures for quite some time, if I didn't know any better, I would swear each one of these things was alive and thinking as its own beast. The truth is, these limbs have an extensive amount of the nervous system running through them, with practically their own brain in each. With the incredible amount of sensors and feedback, they can feel their environment and react almost instantaneously. With a small brain within them, they don't even need to contact the main brain to figure out what to do, so much so that they still move and fight even after being chopped off! A severed tentacle will continue to hunt and "eat" food, unaware that its meals are just plopping out of its stump. With their own brains, they can move and coordinate to a terrifying degree, going from a flailing nest of snakes to a synchronized strike within seconds. To add to this is the fact that not all heads are the same. Certain pairs fulfill certain roles, which you can see if you look closely at their beaks and sizes. Often there are two "central" pairs, which have rather regular beaks and an average thickness to their length. These are your every kind of use limbs, the things that pretty much do all the normal work and aren't specialized for anything fancy. Look "above" them, and you will see a pair that is a bit thinner and has a defined hook to their beak. These are meant to snare prey, lashing out and snagging them like an angler would with a fishing line. The hooked beak digs in, holding long enough for the other arms to attack and get a good grip. Below the four center tentacles are a "bottom" pair which appear to be much meatier. They have a bulk to them and their beaks are much stronger. These are the grappling limbs, meant to pull in large prey and restrain them. They are the ones that do the heavy lifting, having more strength to their bite and attacks. Once they grab hold, the fight is over, as the prey is crushed in their coils and held so that every mouth, fake or real, can start chowing down.

With such a setup, it is obvious that these are carnivores. They slither about in search of prey, using their stealthy coloration to get close enough to strike. Some may hide themselves and wait for food to walk by, while others actively stalk and attack when the moment is right. All they need is to get close enough to plant one hooked beak into the victim's hide, and then they can reel them in and finish them off. While hydras go after large and substantial prey, they have been known to pick off a couple small critters from time to time. When they are hiding, some squirrel or something may get too close. While this would not be a real meal for any big predator, the hydra can afford to slither out a single head to snap it up without blowing their cover. Essentially just deploy a tentacle to act like a snake, and gobble up some mice to keep the belly happy as they wait for something better. Once they down a big meal, they rip and tear into it, with the real mouth taking huge chunks out of the prey while the tentacles get at the harder to reach places. Left on their own, a hydra can pick a cow clean, those tentacles nipping off every scrap they can find. Some times, though, they may not have the stomach space to finish off a meal. However, leaving all those extra bits behind is such a waste, especially when you used all that energy to kill it in the first place. This is where the fake throats come in handy, as they can swallow as much meat as they can hold and keep it held within these sucker-lined tubes. This keeps the food close at hand, protected from scavengers and thieves, as well as allow them to travel without having to hang around and defend a corpse. When the hydra gets hungry, it can just empty these stores into its mouth bit by bit, as it bides its time for another big kill.

While hydras are quite large and obvious to recognize, people don't see them as often as you think. This is because hydras live in burrows when they are not actively hunting. Their tentacles and clawed fins help them dig out a deep hole that they can back up into and hide from rough weather or predators. Since they have no bones and a very flexible body, they can squeeze into surprisingly tight spaces! Don't expect some big yawning cavern like a dragon's lair, think of just some odd humble hole in the dirt that you would suspect a badger made. These same burrows are where they keep their eggs during the breeding season, hiding them down below to keep them safe. Regardless of the time of the year, it is advised to keep a far distance from these burrows and not be poking around them (which you should honestly do for any large opening, regardless if you suspect a hydra or not). Get too close or anger it, and those tentacles will come shooting out and biting. If they are hungry and get a good hold, you are going right into that burrow to become supper. Yes, the hole might not be big enough for those with bones, but the hydra is strong enough to get around that issue. Good for them, very bad for you!

Now we get to the part where people ask about the whole "regrowing head" thing. One of the famous things about hydras is their incredible regeneration and many heads, right? Well, that is true! They do have incredible regeneration and can regrow their heads! The catch is: it isn't nearly as fast as you think. People think they just pop back in seconds, when it actually takes days. "Well that doesn't sound very incredible, Chlora" you may say. To that I say "chop off your own hand and tell me how long it takes to grow back" (oh please don't actually do it, especially human readers). We dryads can regrow our limbs, but we are talking weeks and months, so this level is much faster than us! And if the tentacle is cut a certain way, it may damage the regrowth process and cause it to regrow two heads instead of one! There is your "two heads for every one" thing! Yes, it isn't as dramatic and cool looking as the legends, but it is still quite impressive when you compare it to things in the real world! I think it is awfully neat, and you should too! As for the stories about spewing fire and poison, those cases are often referring to different species and not your usual common hydra. Not to mention the cases where people are just making crap up, so be wary of any story you hear.

Outside of the fantastical tales, hydras are on the level of basilisks and manticores: lots of people know about them and they don't like them one bit. Hydras like meat, and any big prey animal will do, be it the cow or the cow farmer. Due to them attacking livestock or going after people in their territory, it is common for there to be a bounty out from them. With their many tentacles and squishy body, actually doing real damage to them is hard. Cutting off tentacles just robs them of weapons, it doesn't kill them. There have been a few stories where people chop off all eight heads and gloat over their victory, right up until the actual beaked mouth lunges forward and bites them in two. Injuring them only scares them off for a bit, as they slink away to heal their wounds. Give it a week and they will be back with a vengeance. That is the other issue, hydras are a lot smarter than you think. They can solve puzzles, figure out patterns and recognize the people they hate. Attempts to deter them or keep them out just challenges them, to the point where it almost encourages them. Their limbs can be quite dexterous and can locate any weakness or flaw. Lock your barn up tight, and it is practically guaranteed that a hydra will find the one hole you missed, and then will spend the whole night messily dragging your livestock through that one crack. Their intelligence has sparked a whole lot of interest in the research communities, with questions on how capable and sapient they are. There are too many studies and theories to list, but there is one problem to all of this. Hydras cause a whole of damage and death, which means the public doesn't like them very much. Good luck getting funding or interest when you are talking about studying a monster that ate someone's livelihood and a couple relatives too.

Chlora Myron

Dryad Natural Historian

-------------------------------------------------------

Bout time this mythical monster was added to all this! Probably took the obvious route, but it was the best I could come up with. Yes, it doesn't have the instant head regrowth ability, but there is no way to make that natural without magic. But there is certainly more fun to be had with this species, so look forward to that! This isn't the last you've seen of them!