Alter Aeon The Great Library

Welcome to the Alter Aeon Historical Archive!

Note - as with any topic, researchers should question the reliability
and veracity of these texts.  The library's aim is to preserve
documents, not verify accuracy.

AABN:  19030
Title: a book titled 'The Wild Hunt'

"The Wild Hunt" by Almi Wind-Wise of the Sidhe Court

One of the most ancient and enduring legends of the Dunn Hurr is that of
the Wild Hunt. There are many variations of the legend, but at its core is
a gathering of supernatural beings: fairies, goblins, demons, even angels.
They congregate at times of ill omen to hunt mortals for sport. Usually
they appear late in the year, during or after a great storm. Some legends
describe a mounted company. In others, the hunters are on foot. A few
legends claim undead creatures travel amongst the company of hunters.
Nearly all agree they are escorted by great black faerie hounds, called
barghests.

Some legends claim that mortals are given a choice: join the Hunt or flee
it in vain. These versions of the tale claim men are transformed into
barghests when they accept the Hunt's offer. The same tales claim the
leader of the Wild Hunt, appropriately named the Wild Huntsman, is not a
faerie or demon, but a cursed mortal man. A few tales tell of wild
matinals, angels from the lower planes of light, joining the hunt, and that
barghests are the scions of Fenrir, a celestial hound that was once
companion of the Fallen angel Korven.

Whatever its true nature, the Wild Hunt is a rare event. It only enters the
historical record a few times since the beginning of the reign of Dentin.
Gatherings of the Wild Hunt were apparently more common during the Age of
Chaos. It seems to have emerged sometime during near the end of the Age of
Creation, after the events of Skyfall when the dominion of giants and
dragons was waning and the younger races were rising to prominance. Most of
the High Fairies were leaving the primal plane, returning to the
Otherworld. They left their descendants: elves, goblins, sprites, centaurs,
fauns and many others. Some say enmity rose amongst the displaced fey, and
some conspired with demons, specifcally Razna the Lord of Slaughter, to
contrive a means to wreak vengeance upon mortals. They forged a pact, and
the Wild Hunt was born.

When certain unknown conditions are met, the Wild Hunt gathers and scours
the land from sunset to sunrise. Any mortals not within the confines of a
city or house is considered fair game. The Wild Hunt has been used as an
explanation for many mysterious disappearances, especially since the exact
times when they befall are unknown, and mortal men generally seek shelter
after dark no matter the season.

Several Dunn Hurr traditions have risen up regarding the Wild Hunt. On the
Karnash Peninsula, a white goat known as the Zlatorog dwells in the
mountains. Brave hunters are  said to seek after it at night. It is said if
they manage to slay it before sunrise, they will be granted a single wish
by the faerie lords.

A similar tradition exists in Albion. A marvelous white deer, known as the
White Buck, is said to appear during certain seasons. The men of the
village hunt the beast down, and make merry when it is slain. From its
corpse, they make leather armor and a feast of its meat and fat. They
believe that slaying the White Buck brings them good fortune. Scholars
contend the White Buck is merely a stray stag, wandering in at rare
intervals from the herds of white deer from the not-too-distant Jade
Valley.

A global tradition known as the Snipe Hunt mirrors the Wild Hunt. It is
held at regular intervals, following the inter-seasonal snipe migrations.
Snipe hunters attempt to capture a snipe of each known species, flushing
the elusive birds from the hiding places beneath fallen wood or in the
underbrush. It is believed that those that perform a successful Snipe Hunt
are given a boon from the masters of the Wild Hunt.