The Wild Hunt

The Wild Hunt is an idea drawn directly from northern European mythology. The Hunt is a spectral force, a merciless hunt that stops for nothing but the killing of the quarry, a dark and clamorous presence carrying spirits of the dead and bringing a doom upon those who unwittingly ride with it - at least, if you read the right legends. It was led by any one of a dozen or so gods and goddesses, with a pack of hounds before and a herd of souls behind.

In Amber, the Hunt is a desperation move, the last-ditch effort when someone powerful absolutely has to be eliminated. Sand holds the power and the knowledge of the quarry, and Julian holds the hounds and the hunting itself. The Hunt brews Shadowstorms in its wake and leaves every Pattern-attuned Amberite close to its place of formation with the mother of all headaches. Its summoning calls up ghosts of deceased Amberites to ride - all but Oberon. As for the quarry - well, thus far, the Hunt has a 100% success rate.

Sand learned of the Chaos version of the Hunt from Dworkin some time during her childhood, perhaps about the time he gave her the five half-Chaos horses that became the founders of the Hellmares. However, this knowledge was not put into use until about 200 years before the beginning of the chronicle - at which time Sand first gained Julian's assistance in the matter. That time, it was called on a man thought to be Delwin - actually an imposter and a spy of the old Chaos regime. They used the half-Chaos horses for mounts and the Hellhounds for the pack, and, with such ghosts as Eric and Caine riding at their backs, proceeded to slaughter the false Delwin. The Hunt was called again recently, with similar circumstances, in order to eliminate the real Delwin.

The Hunt is an elemental force. There are drawbacks. For one, once the Hunt is formed, it does not cease until the quarry is destroyed. It cannot be broken out of - once you're inside, you're stuck. The Hunt is a severe mental and emotional drain on all participants, especially the leaders (i.e., Sand and Julian); this is not helped by the fact that the Hunt is only called when straits are dire and choices are few.

Everyone is fully aware that, should they set their minds to it, Sand and Julian could wipe out every member of the Amber royal house, as well as a good part of Chaos. This is why the Hunt has only been called twice; the more it's called, the more fear is generated that a catastrophic coup will take place.

No member of the younger generation has been involved with a Hunt. Sand, when she speaks of it, claims that Dworkin was not convinced that she could do it, and thus she fears that it would kill a member of the younger generation outright. Julian has nothing to say on the subject.

The part that has all the elders puzzled is why Oberon, of all the dead of Amber, is not present in the Hunt. Was he too powerful in life to be compelled after death? Is his spirit trapped in the Pattern or the Jewel or his body in the Abyss? Or is he just not dead - again?



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