An ancient Ryautjan Rite of Purification, Warfare, and Legacy
Every last day of the planetary cycle, when the twin moons align in eclipse and cast a red shadow over the stars, the void splits open—and from its depths, descends a colossal, obsidian mothership:
Yohualli-Tecpatl, The Night Blade.
This is no ordinary vessel. Forged in the heart of a dying star, it is the mobile temple-fortress of the Ten Supreme Elders, the avatars of blood, war, wisdom, and death—the Ryautjan pantheon. As the ship enters orbit, a haunting signal echoes across the void—a thunderous, choral roar in an ancient tongue. All Ryautjan clans on the planet fall into silence. They know what it means:
The Final Hunt has begun.
At sunset, a bloodletting ceremony is held within the heart of Yohualli-Tecpatl. Each Elder stands at one of the Ten Corners of the Obsidian Circle, pouring a measure of their own blood into the Well of Trials. This act binds them to the hunt. It is said that if an Elder refuses the rite, their soul will fade from Ryautjan memory—a fate worse than death.
As the last drop hits the obsidian altar, the mothership opens like a lotus, releasing ten speartip-shaped hunter dropships into the atmosphere.
Each one contains a specific task force, led or overseen by one of the Elders themselves.
The Hunt Zones
The planet below has been seeded in secret throughout the month with Xeno-game—genetically engineered prey, apex predators, and war-mutants stolen from conquered systems. Some are designed to test strength, others strategy, stealth, or sacrifice. No prey is considered too sacred, too intelligent, or too monstrous.
The goal is not simply to kill—it is to prove which Elder’s doctrine dominates.
Eztli-Kah leads the First Spear, challenging the largest beasts and marking territory in blood.
Mixalya gathers the remains of both prey and fallen hunters, using necro-drones to guide them back to the Circle of Skulls.
Tequani-Mok seeds "unexpected evolution" into the prey mid-hunt, releasing sudden mutations that test adaptability.
Xoch’Yana selects a pair of bonded hunters and sends them on a lovers’ path—only one may return.
Tonak’Zin monitors the skies, striking down those who flee with sun-lances.
Coatl'Ix appears rarely, but his riddles left in ruins can lead to hidden relics or deadly traps.
Chantico'Ka unleashes firestorms and lava beasts in Trial Sector 9, where only the fire-born survive.
Malin-Ka dispatches ghost-warriors and assassins. Her challenges are never seen—only felt.
Atl-Tek floods entire hunt zones, turning jungle into sea. His aquatic war-beasts devour unprepared hunters.
Itzpan-Meya watches silently from the shadows, her appearance heralding tests of loyalty, treason, and history itself.