Bonehunter Stew
Bonehunter stew is a common meal shared among hunting parties within the Greenwood. Despite its name, the stew is largely plant based, typically featuring ground up scraps as the only meat present in the stew. The stew has become a highly enjoyed tradition among hunting parties and guides, as they often partake in the meal on the first night camped out in the wood as a group.
History
Bonehunter stew originally began as a variation on the popular vegetable stews that were common among the nomadic communities of the Greenwood. Hunting guides provided these foraged stews - referred to as "camp stew" - throughout the excursions they would lead as a means by which to integrate the tourists into the culture of the Greenwood. On occasion the guides would mix in scraps of meat from their previous hunts, or of small game hunted during the current excursion. At some point in the 5th century of the Third Era, guides began mixing in the meat from the previous hunt on the first night camped out of each excursion, claiming it was a way for the parties to become closer to their targets.
Camp Stew was far from the only tradition among the hunting parties of the region. The nightly campfire stories were always a favorite of guides and hunters alike, as everyone would take turns sharing legends, myths, and ghost stories of their people. It was customary for the guides to initiate the storytelling with each party, using the first night as both cook and storyteller to entrench his guests in the forest.
One night, a guide told a fable from the venerable Talamus Wynned in which a creature called the Bone Hunter would stalk hunters who did a poor job of properly processing their kills, leaving piles of bones behind within the forest. Eventually having seen enough, the Bone Hunter began killing any hunter who dared leave behind a pile of bones in his wake. Not long after the story concluded, a hunter found a small bone at the bottom of his stew. Frightened by the story, the hunter had a rough night sleep when he heard a sound outside. Slipping out of his tent, he saw motion in the forest, and after attempting to hide, the shadow figure said his name, causing the hunter to scream and fall over. Thankfully, the shadow figure happened to be the tour guide who had gotten up to relieve himself in the middle of the night, giving both men a good chuckle.
The guide returned to Aleura after the trip and shared the tale with his fellow guides who decided to build on the story for themselves. The story quickly changed to insinuate that whoever found the bone at the bottom of his bowl would be visited by the Bone Hunter that night, with the guide often times giving the man a startle in the dead of night. The joke had become so popular among the guides that virtually every new hunting party is greeted with the same story and newly renamed Bonehunter Stew, with even return parties with a new member or two will join in on the joke with the guide in order to spook the newer members.
Camp Stew was far from the only tradition among the hunting parties of the region. The nightly campfire stories were always a favorite of guides and hunters alike, as everyone would take turns sharing legends, myths, and ghost stories of their people. It was customary for the guides to initiate the storytelling with each party, using the first night as both cook and storyteller to entrench his guests in the forest.
One night, a guide told a fable from the venerable Talamus Wynned in which a creature called the Bone Hunter would stalk hunters who did a poor job of properly processing their kills, leaving piles of bones behind within the forest. Eventually having seen enough, the Bone Hunter began killing any hunter who dared leave behind a pile of bones in his wake. Not long after the story concluded, a hunter found a small bone at the bottom of his stew. Frightened by the story, the hunter had a rough night sleep when he heard a sound outside. Slipping out of his tent, he saw motion in the forest, and after attempting to hide, the shadow figure said his name, causing the hunter to scream and fall over. Thankfully, the shadow figure happened to be the tour guide who had gotten up to relieve himself in the middle of the night, giving both men a good chuckle.
The guide returned to Aleura after the trip and shared the tale with his fellow guides who decided to build on the story for themselves. The story quickly changed to insinuate that whoever found the bone at the bottom of his bowl would be visited by the Bone Hunter that night, with the guide often times giving the man a startle in the dead of night. The joke had become so popular among the guides that virtually every new hunting party is greeted with the same story and newly renamed Bonehunter Stew, with even return parties with a new member or two will join in on the joke with the guide in order to spook the newer members.
Item type
Consumable, Food / Drink
Related ethnicities
Summer Camp 2024 Submission
Food Often Eaten by Travelers
Food Often Eaten by Travelers
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