Sayume

The one who returned alone is what they call Sayume, because the chimp who left with a partner never came back. They were explorers, charting the untamed outer groves of The Heart of the Forest, seeking a place of rumored power. They found it, along with its ancient, territorial guardian. As a killing blow descended, Sayume’s partner shoved them clear, taking the full impact. The release of life-force and raw magic triggered Sayume’s ascension, a transformation forged in the fires of grief. They stumbled back to civilization wearing the skull of the beast they destroyed in their rage. It is said even the hidden master Henso respects the focus they earned at such a terrible cost. They still walk the woods, but not to discover what is there; they go to make sure nothing like that ever gets out again.