Rain softens to steady dripping around the hollow. The slain beast lies beneath the stone shelf, slate hide gleaming, its horned head turned toward the mud.
The improvised stakes have broken beneath its weight. Three broad toes mark the entrance and circle the carcass, revealing a heavy gait and cautious approach.
Xalli Tekuani
The horn is worn smooth at the tip, but the hide is thickest along the shoulders.
Xalli examines the creature’s wounds without disturbing the deer’s skull. The punctures beneath its body came from the trap, while the glaive wound ended its struggle.
He draws a clean strip from his supplies and binds the shallow cut beneath his yellow-orange cowl. The pressure steadies the bead of blood.
With the hollow quiet, the tracks become easier to read. The three-toed beast came alone from the stone shelf, but older impressions vanish among roots beyond the rain-dark trees.
The deer skull remains intact beside the carcass, antlers caught in the ferns. For now, no pursuit disturbs the hollow, leaving Xalli time to recover and decide what the signs mean.
✓ Quest Accepted
Discover what left the older tracks
“First Xalli would grab the deer skull and carv his tribe symbol into it and carving it where it could be worn as a mask, then grabbing the beast’s body and ripping out it’s skull and ripcage, then carving the skull with the tribe symbol and adding a strap to be used as a shield, then making the ripcage as armor, then he would decide “today is enough” packing up all the bodies’ meat and going to the nearest tavern”
FAILURE (Superb Reasoning, rolled -3)
“First Xalli would grab the deer skull and carv his tribe symbol into it and carving it where it could be worn as a mask, then grabbing the beast’s body and ripping out it’s skull and ripcage, then carving the skull with the tribe symbol and adding a strap to be used as a shield, then making the ripcage as armor, then he would decide “today is enough” packing up all the bodies’ meat and going to the nearest tavern”
SUCCESS (Legendary Agility, rolled -1)
Xalli lifts the deer skull from the ferns and carves his tribe symbol across its brow. He cuts away the inner edges, shaping it into a wearable mask, then fastens a cord through the bone.
He turns to the slain beast. With practiced strength, he separates the skull and ribcage from the heavy body, working through hide and sinew without disturbing the horn.
The beast skull receives the same mark, scored deeply between its horns. Xalli threads leather through the sides, making a broad shield that hangs securely from his arm.
He binds the cleaned ribcage over his dark chest plates, shaping the curved bones into rough armor beneath the yellow-orange cowl. The new trophies sit firmly against his frame.
Xalli Tekuani
The horn is worn smooth, but the skull is strong.
Xalli strips usable meat from both bodies and packs it with his supplies. The deer skull remains his mask, while the beast skull and ribcage become trophies and protection.
Deciding today is enough, Xalli leaves the hollow and follows the nearest traveled path through the dripping forest. By dusk, warm firelight and tavern voices gather beyond the trees.
Reach the tavern
+ New Item Acquired
Deer Skull Mask
+ New Item Acquired
Beast Skull Shield
+ New Item Acquired
Ribcage Armor
+ New Item Acquired
Packed Venison