The chimerical beast, stitched together from parts of goats, cows, dogs, snakes, and bears might've fooled the miners as its dead carcass was dragged from the mouth of the mine, but sadly gossip from someone among those who knew the truth—a handful of soldiers, a palace courtier, the hero themselves—has exposed the tawdry truth. News of the deception has spread like wildfire...
The empire's soldiers are a laughing stock, and their shame has translated into battlefield weakness.