The Huntress

Illustration of the Huntress - Arachne legend, as rendered by HATESHI.

The Huntress was a Lesser Spirit.

The Huntress was the patron of Revenge and of the Hunt. She was also a great enemy of Arachne, and sometimes even the arkati, Eorgina. The Huntress gained immortality after experiencing an epiphany under the influence of arachnid poisoning in the desert. She had been sent to the desert as a banishment for fraudulent charges that she had sought to kill the king she had been in charge of protecting. The charges had been made by the Queen, jealous of the Huntress' beauty, and carried out by Arachne.

The Huntress, immortalized by an unknown deity, returned to gain revenge on the Queen. In the process, she discovered Arachne, imprisoned for her knowledge of the plot, and who pleaded with the Huntress to free her. This the Huntress did. However, as the Huntress slew the Queen, Arachne plunged a dagger into the Huntress' back, eager to drink of the Huntress' immortal blood. In the process, a spider bit Arachne, changing her forever. From that period on, the Huntress and Arache were eternal enemies.

The Huntress' symbol was an eight pointed symbol on a field of black.

Shrines, Statuary, and Holy Places

Ancient Altar, River's Rest

The Ancient Altar, which was used for praying to The Huntress, was located through the magical green barrier in the River Tunnels located under the city of River's Rest.

The altar is constructed of an odd black rock, the type of which you have never seen before. It has been carved into the form of a female humanoid with catlike features. As you move about the room, the pointed ears and slitted eyes seem to follow your movements. She holds extended horizontally in her hands a vicious looking scythe, perhaps on which to place offerings. Inscribed in the ancient common tongue on the base of the altar is one word . . . "Huntress".

Cleric Guilds

Displayed in the Prayer Rooms of each Cleric Guild is a state of the Huntress. These prayer rooms are considered a holy shrine to multiple deities.

The visage of the Huntress is of surpassing beauty, yet her expression of implacable, controlled anger mutes its attractiveness. She is clad in chainmail and carries a wickedly curved scythe at the ready. She glances slightly over her shoulder, alert to the possibility of attack.

K>touch Huntress
You reach out and touch the statue of the Huntress.

Your limbs tingle with a faint suppressed anger. "When wronged, what honor have you if you do not avenge yourself upon those that wronged you? What honor have we if we do not aid those that cannot avenge themselves? It is a sacred trust, more sacred than any, and we shall be the ones that keep it."

Wehnimer's Landing Cleric Guild

Located in the Antechamber of Others is a statue of the Huntress. This area is not considered a holy shrine.

Quite detailed in its rendering, this statue depicts a woman of surpassing beauty dressed in silver chainmail. Her visage is stern, almost angry, and she holds a scythe at the ready. Upon the base of the statue is her symbol, a silver eight-pointed star on a field of black.

River's Rest Cleric Guild

There is a niche in one of the Alchemy workshops inside the River's Rest Cleric Guild dedicated to the Huntress.

A large dead spider lies in the corner of the room, its legs curled up and over its body, just beneath a niche set into the wall.

An eight-pointed tarnished metal star sits immediately above the niche, and inside, rests a simple stone altar. The stone, sliced in half and polished, is carved with the likeness of a woman with feline features.

Twilight Hall, Bleeds' Room

The room of Bleeds in Twilight Hall is a holy shrine.

[Twilight Hall, Bleeds' Room]
Walls of gleaming obsidian arch seamlessly into the ceiling of this room to form a smooth, black dome. Thousands of shiny silver points glimmer in the firmament above, all of them dwarfed in size by a large, eight-pointed star which shines at the zenith. A web of filigreed silver emanates from the larger star to touch each of the smaller ones in turn, giving the appearance of a large spider's web arching protectively over the heavens. You also see some black pillows, a small obsidian altar, an obsidian statue and some deep red leather armor.
Obvious exits: none

Vipershroud Shrine

The onyx tablet in Vipershroud is a holy shrine.

[Vipershroud, Shrine]
A single, giant, petrified redwood stands amongst lesser pines and firs. A deep black, onyx tablet displaying an eight-pointed star of pure silver is firmly imbedded in the tree, and a row of small stones, carefully placed end-to-end, encircles the tree. A large bouquet of trumpet flowers and the carcass of a woodchuck have been laid at the tree's base. Interestingly, both offerings seem to be fresh.
Obvious paths: up

See Also

• Official Documentation on the Huntress
• The Huntress (saved post)