"Orcs and Goblins are our enemies, for they are are the defilers of glades and murderers of our folk. Beastmen, the children of Chaos and Long Night are our enemies. They fight us for our right to exist in the woodlands and forests. Skaven of the Underworld are our enemies, for they gnaw the roots of the world and bring pestilence and death to our forests. Dwarfs are our enemies for they cut down trees to fill their furnaces and to power their infernal machines, and many times they have waged war against us. Kegh-mon, the hairy Humans are our enemies, for they are war-like and greedy, and would drive us from our homes if they could. Many, many of them have turned to worship of the Dark Powers. Halflings are our enemies, for they clear away trees for their fields to grow crops which they then consume with unsatisfiable hunger. They would eat the whole world if they could. Elves of Naggaroth and Ulthuan are our enemies, for they have turned their backs on Isha and Kurnous, and betrayed their Elf heritage. These are your enemies, child. Know them well and keep your bow and arrow ready."
- —Common Wood Elf teaching[1c]
The Wild Hunt of Orion confronts the foes of Athel Loren.
The Wild Hunt is the name of the entourage of Orion, the King in the Woods and co-ruler of the Wood Elves, that rides at his side to crush the enemies of Athel Loren.
The Wild Hunt consists mainly of young and aggressive Wood Elves are also mostly Wild Riders of Kurnous. They are as much nature spirit as they are Elf, and thus, most Asrai avoid them when possible, although all acknowledge their sacrifice.[1a] When Orion marches to war, every Elf and nature spirit feels the pull to join and commit acts of untold savagery and vengeance on their foes.[1b] If the Wild Hunt fails to happen, the nature spirits of the forest are unable to vent their spite and rage and begin to turn on the Asrai. As such, the Wild Hunt fulfills a vital function for maintaining the symbiotic harmony between these two groups.[2a]
The Wild Hunt begins after the rebirth of Orion and ends when the King in the Woods enters the pyre. When Orion is reborn once more, the Wild Hunt rides forth, crushing everything in their path as a sacrifice to Kurnous, the Elven god of the hunt, and the purity of the chase.[1a] The Wild Hunt usually prowls at night, with midnight being the zenith of their activity.[1b]
Trivia[]
The Wild Hunt is inspired by a motif with the same name that occurs in the folklore of various northern European cultures. Such "Wild Hunts" typically involve a chase led by a mythological figure escorted by a ghostly or supernatural group of hunters engaged in the pursuit of a quarry that is often human.