Editing Wild Hunt (section)

==D&D==
Four different iterations of the Wild Hunt have appeared in D&D.

===1st Edition===
First detailed in the Celtic section of Deities & Demigods, it is explained as a physical manifestation of the life force that is worshipped by druids that appears whenever there is evil in the land. The hunting party consists of the [[Master of the Hunt]], a huge black-skinned man with deer antlers and glowing green eyes, and a pack of huge black dogs whose tongues and eyes blaze with green fire. Anyone who looks upon the hunt has a random chance to either be drawn in and join the pursuit or to become the object of the hunt.

In Dragon Magazine #65, Robin Emrys Atkinson wrote an article where he revised some of the Celtic deities presented in Deities and Demigods, and added some new ones. Notably, he retconned that the Master of the Hunt is actually the god [[Cerunnos]]. During a Hunt, Cerunnos loses his sense of self and goes into a berserker-like trance until the Hunt is over.

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===3rd Edition===
Appearing in [[Dragon Magazine]] #342, this one is... not very well detailed; the rear-section of the issue dedicates its Divine character option to presenting the [[Master of the Wild Hunt]] as a deity that can be worshipped by clerics. He is described as a Neutral (leaning towards Neutral Evil) deity mostly worshipped by [[druid]]s and [[ranger]]s, who exists to hunt the most worthy prey imaginable; Wild Hunts in the [[Prime Material]] are typical sects of his mortal worshippers, and usually have more specific quarry.

===4th Edition===
It is first mentioned in the pages of the [[Monster Manual]] 2. Here, it is explained that the [[Firbolg]]s, a race of [[fey]] [[giant]]s, undertake Wild Hunts as a sacred rite, seeking to prove their worth to the three goddesses whom they worship and to punish oathbreakers. [[Dragon Magazine]] #428 would subsequently explain that the Wild Hunt of the Firbolgs is a pale imitation of the ''true'' Wild Hunt, which is led by an outcast [[archfey]] named [[Cerunnos]], the Horned Lord. The "true" Wild Hunt comprises of many different Gloaming Fey, as well as [[firbolg]]s and [[centaur]]s, aided by [[undead]] (especially [[vampire]]s; an [[eladrin]] vampire demigod named Kannoth was once a member of the Wild Hunt himself) and [[warlock]]s.

The [[Warden]] [[Paragon Path]] called the Horned Champion may be tied to the Wild Hunt in some way, as well.

===Ravenloft===
In [[Ravenloft]], the Wild Hunt, while superficially similiar to the versions above, is a manifestation created from the mists by the [[Dark Powers]]. They most often manifest in Forlorn, but can manifest anywhere temperate, and from there begin searching for any intelligent being of any [[alignment]], except True Neutral, for prey. Any being who sees the Wild Hunt after the prey has been chosen, is compelled to join the hunt, and often evil beings, such as [[hag]]s, [[Werewolf|werewolves]], [[fey]], and [[undead]], and PCs who've failed a Powers check are invited to join the hunt. Oh, and the [[Darklord]]s are immune to the call and can't be chosen as prey.
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===Birthright===
The name is also invoked in the [[Birthright]] setting as the name of an elf supremacist anti-human hate-group that is striving to drive humanity off of Cerilia through acts of murder and terrorism.