Venari Marksrat

Garland took cover behind a large bush at the base of a tree. He pulled his green hooded cowl forward, shadowing his face, and slowly notched an arrow to the string of his bow. His companion, Dale, must have seen him take cover because he crawled over to join him.

“What ya see?” Dale asked, his voice the barest of whispers.

“Not sure, but it could've been a venari,” Garland replied, staring into the undergrowth.

Dale's face went pale. “A marksrat?”

“I dunno. It was just a shadow. It didn't see me though, so we're alright.”

“Didn't see you? If that's a marksrat, not only will it have seen you, I bet it's looking down its bow at us now. We need to get out of here and fast.” Dale started to crawl away, fear twisting his face.

“You worry too much. Nobody can hunt as well as me.” Garland adjusted his position slightly and peered around the tree for a better view.

There was a subtle twang and Garland's body toppled to the forest floor behind Dale, a crude arrow protruding from his head. Venari marksrats spend more time in the forests than they do underground. Most of it is taken with hunting and foraging, with marksrats being the main food gatherers for the venari colonies that inhabit the upperdark caverns of the Realm of Silence. They are incredibly agile and have honed their hunting skills to perfection.

Their crude bows are fashioned out of branches and saplings. Don't be fooled by their unrefined look, though. These skilled archers can still hit a fleeing rabbit at a hundred yards with precision. They hunt alone or in packs, and if you ever manage to spot one, you can guarantee they saw you first and have been watching you for some time.