The Master of the Wild Hunt
Cernunnos (a.k.a. Master of the Wild Hunt; The Autumn King)
Cernunnos is the oldest Archfey among the Unseelie, second only to Queen Mab herself; he is also among the most primal and monstrous of the known Archfey. Cernunnos is the Master of the Wild Hunt, one of the oldest and most dangerous Fey rituals. It is said that as Winter approaches, the Wild Hunt begins, a gathering of Unseelie Fey who ride recklessly through the Feywild in pursuit of their prey-- prey that changes depending on who is telling the story. Some legends say that Cernunnos and his troupe are after a great beast that eludes them every Autumn; others say that they ride by the order of the Winter Queen, who wishes to cull weakness among the Fey folk. Among the mortals of Raen'dor, it is said that the sight of the Wild Hunt means that death or disaster is imminent. There are even tales of individuals who claim to have seen the Hunt and joined it for the night, abandoning all reason and giving in to animal instinct before waking in the woods the next morning, exhausted and far from their home. While the truth of the Wild Hunt is unclear, the ferocity of Cernunnos is not. He may speak and walk as a mortal might, but he has the savage heart of a beast-- and not even the will of the gods could shelter one who is marked as his prey.
Comments