Shrykull

“

An ancient power for desperate times.

”— Description of the Shrykull in Oddworld: Soulstorm

The Shrykull is a Mudokon spiritual power and demigod, appearing as a creature that has the physical features of both a Scrab and a Paramite. The Shrykull has the body of a Scrab, but limbs similar to a Paramite's forelegs protruding from its midsection. It also has a fringe of Paramite facial-digits around its head, forming a sort of crown. The Shrykull electrocutes the area around itself with powerful bolts of electricity, killing any hostile forces and exploding any hostile ordnance that happens to be nearby.

The ability to transform into the Shrykull can be granted to a Mudokon by a shaman, once the inductee has survived several trials and gained the scars to prove it. Abe is currently the only known Mudokon who has been given the power of the Shrykull.

Gameplay

Abe's Oddysee

After completing the Scrabania and Paramonia trials, Abe has the ability to charge the power of the Shrykull by sending the appropriate number of Mudokons through a numbered bird portal. The charge can then be carried around until activated by chanting. In Abe's Oddysee, there are anti-chanting devices in some places which prevent a Mudokon's chant, this does not stop the Shrykull, however, as chanting will trigger the transformation and destroy such devices. Chanting without any sligs or machines nearby will still activate the Shrykull, but it will not waste the charge.

Abe's Exoddus

Abe is presumably able to transform into the Shrykull throughout the whole game, but bird portals only appear after the player first enters Feeco Depot. The Shrykull's power acts identically to how it did in Abe's Oddysee.

Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty

In Oddworld: New 'n' Tasty, it's still required to send a certain number of Mudokons through a bird portal in order to receive the charge. However, unlike in Oddworld: Abe's Oddysee, this process can be repeated for multiple charges as long as enough Mudokons are available in the area. Since the game is not screen based, the Shrykull will only attack the Sligs, Slogs, and devices within a certain radius. In addition, all Shrykull Charges can be lost by passing through a motion detector.

Oddworld: Soulstorm

Abe must still send a certain number of Mudokons through a portal in Oddworld: Soulstorm, although once that number is reached that portal can no longer be used to receive Shrykull Rings. The radius element from New 'n' Tasty has been kept, but only Sligs and Slogs will be attacked. Using the Shrykull renders Abe invincible as always, but it also completely refills his health. Similarly to Abe's Exoddus, the Shrykull only appears after Abe has received his Chest Tattoo.

Development

In the early planning stages of Abe's Oddysee, the scars instead represented a "Shadowlock Medallion". It would come in three parts: corresponding to the Forest, Tropical and Desert areas respectively. The Tropical area was cut due to disc space and time concerns, along with the Meeches that were meant to live there. This design of the scars would largely disappear with them, although it can still be seen on the walls of the Paramonian Temple.

Following this, the remaining scars would be shared across each hand, and defaulted to being the standard glyphs representing the Paramite and the Scrab respectively,

While these hanbd scars are absent in Abe's Exoddus itself, one of the box art variants shows the designs of the Mudomo and Mudanchee glyphs on each hand. This would be the design in all games going forward.

Notes

In Abe's Oddysee, Abe is given a Shrykull charge immediately after finishing the second 'nest' area. In New 'n' Tasty, he gets it after entering the temple inside the Monsaic Lines.
In Abe's Oddysee, it's possible for the player to not see the Shrykull after the Monsaic Lines, as there is a way to kill every Mudokon in the game.
The ending sequence for Abe's Oddysee, where Abe jumps down into the board room, requires only a single Shrykull Charge to kill everyone. In New 'n' Tasty, Abe is required to use it twice.