Toofie

The blue prismatic ancient stag nicknamed ‘Toofie’ was given to the Grav’Nak family following their successful integration of the stag transport network. The network revolutionised how the dwarven populace got around the city of Ang'Verd and eventually how they managed to drastically cut travel times to all the nearby cities. As a reward for their grand contributions to society, the royal family at that time gifted Toofie to the family.   The primary carer for Toofie was the head of the family, Hobie Grav’Nak but, following his passing, Toofie was inherited by his heir, Frobious Grav’nak.   Stags in the wild unfortunately have a very short lifespan of anywhere between fifteen and twenty-five years on average as a direct result of the hunting from marauding goblin parties. In captivity and through the removal of threats, they are able to live astoundingly long lives due to their ability to rejuvenate and reverse the aging process each time they shed their exoskeleton. Although Toofie’s actual age is unknown, he has outlived two prior owners and has been in the care of Frobious for sixtyfive years. Making his total known age to be at least three hundred and eighty three years old but is likely to be closer to four hundred.   When first given to the family, it was actually seen as a minor slight by the royals towards the upcoming family and subsequent transport guild. The cost of housing and feeding a stag as a pet is sizable. Usually, these costs would be absorbed and outweighed by putting a stag to work among the transport network but that would have been seen disrespectful towards the royals. Similarly, it would be equally disrespectful to reject the gift or to dispose of it by any means. Luckily, Toofie was able to earn his keep by becoming the mascot for the family over time.  

This is a submission for my second Summer Camp - I hope you enjoy the world I am building!