With years of experience, avid hunters hone not only their predatory skills but their storytelling abilities too. Sometimes their tales get taller and taller. Here’s a story that one of Empire’s most renowned beastbanes shared with younger hunters learning the tricks of the trade:
"So there I am, trailing a pack of shrews through the forest. Spotted their tracks in the snow with my eagle eye, ya know. Soon enough I hear noises in the trees nearby. I dash over there and sure as shooting it’s them redheaded critters. ‘Course, one look at a formidable hunter like myself is enough to send them scampering for their lives. Next moment I’m back in the saddle and chasing them down. Now, shrews are tricky game, I tells ya. A less seasoned hunter than yours truly might not have been up to the task, but Maximillian Zorkus is nobody’s fool! A quarter-hour later the she-devils are cornered well and good… when all of a sudden I hear something whistling past me ears. Can’t see nothin’, but me sharp nose says it’s poisoners’ arrows. Them bastards dug in behind the bushes! “No big deal, I’ve seen worse!” I says to myself... as a squad of grim riders come charging up the left flank. Gotta be the cold weather that’s got them all hot and bothered, what else? Next thing we know they’ll be patrolling the woods with whole armies... Anywho, the hunt went on and I got me some trophies: three new scars and two cartloads of loot. Nothing Maximillian Zorkus the Fearless, the Menace of the Woods, can’t handle! Hah!"
Naturally, every anecdote should be taken with a grain of salt. For a hunter’s tale, better make it a pound! That said, this is far from being the first such report in recent days. While regular folks are inspired and delighted by stories, the Hunters’ Guild got duly concerned. To nip the threat in the bud, the Guild quickly came up with a solution.
Lords and Ladies, today the Hunters’ Guild opens a new Hunting Season and invites all hunters to take part.
1. All hunters need to be Combat Level 5 or above. Only shop artifacts are permitted, and enchantments take no effect.
2. In each combat, you alone fight an army of neutral creatures.
3. You are allowed up to 15 combat attempts per day. 3 extra attempts per day may be obtained with either a valid Hunters’ Guild license or an active Abu Bakir’s Charm.
4. Unused attempts are not lost but carried over to the next day(s).
5. You have up to 10 prey options to choose from. By defeating them, you can set a new record for your specific combat level, faction, and class. Multiple additional records may be set by switching your faction or class.
6. You can swap the available prey options for new ones at any time.
7. In addition to the record-setting challenges, each player is offered special hunting quests at the top. The objective is to defeat certain creatures while the Hunting Season lasts.
8. Three such quests are available per day, and they do not carry over to the next day. You may skip the current quest if you like.
9. Victories grant points towards the Hunters’ Guild, as well as gold, creature armaments, and/or hunter artifacts.
10. Spell damage bonuses for wizards do not apply in these hunts.
11. This Hunting Season will last for 4 days only, until May 28.
12. All Lords and Ladies who retain their records by the end of the Hunting Season will be handsomely rewarded by the Hunters’ Guild.
13. If you take part in 40 or more hunts, you will receive a 15-day version of Abu Bakir’s Charm.
The accomplishments of each Lord and Lady will be further recognized with rare artifact parts:
For 5 victories: +1 part
For 10 victories: +3 parts
For 20 victories: +5 parts
For 30 victories: +6 parts
For 42 victories: +7 parts
For 55 victories: +8 parts
If you collect 100 parts of this artifact, you will be able to assemble the fragments into a fully-fledged whole artifact. You will then be able to use this artifact yourself and transfer it for repair or enchantment, but not transfer it for use or rent.
Good luck hunting! |
