Writing can be a labyrinthine process. While writing the lore for Hunt: Showdown over the last few years of development, we've ended up with a number of pieces that, for one reason or another, won't make it into the game. The reasons that a piece of writing might need to be cut from the in-game library are multi-fold: maybe there was another piece that ultimately did the job better, maybe something was cut (our lore entries are all tied to specific game unlocks, so cut one, and you might find you have an orphaned piece of writing on your hand), or maybe we just ran out of space. Over the next few months we'd like to share a few of those cut pieces or lore with you: short stories that are peripheral to the lore's main threads, atmosphere pieces, and outtakes. We published the second in the series last week, and you can read it here. If you want to discuss, feel free to stop by the Hunt lore Discord channel to say hello.

-hawthorne&hearne

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The Papers of Hayden Collins

Filed under, “Miscellaneous"

Story draft?

Undated

3/3

He would build his own casket, thinking all the time that it would be an instrument of life, not death.

I had hired him to cooper one year previous, and he made good, sturdy barrels, standard powder kegs mostly, for those were most in demand of my customers. He knew nothing of the true nature of his task, only that I was in need of three large barrels, quick-as.

The thousand injuries of the cooper I had borne as best I could; but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge. I am not a petty man, though you perhaps have already chiseled the moniker upon my grave, a grave you are already digging for me as you judge, judge, judge, as you slip the noose around my neck in your mind as you read my confession. But I did not make threats, no! At length I would be avenged. A wrong left unreprised overtakes its repriser. It is equally foolish when that man fails to make his purpose and intention felt.

You could not call me friendly, though neither could you call me mean. Quiet. Blunt. Gruff. But hard-working, so people don't mind.

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