There are many hunters in the Kingdom of Aravia but only one can bear the title of Royal Huntsman, and it takes no small amount of skill and dedication to claim it. Masters of archery and stealth, they are expected to carry out some of the monarch’s darker orders without question, in service of the realm. For this reason, the Huntsman’s golden helmet is a sight that discomforts many in the palace of Aravia.
If ever an enemy of the crown needs to be reminded of the ruler’s power, or if an overly loud dissenter needs to disappear, the Royal Huntsman is sent to climb through their bedroom windows at night to leave a message, or to send an arrow through their heart from atop the palace’s spires. Little is known about the current Royal Huntsman, only the stories and rumors that circle him and the fact that he has held the position for over a century. If pressed on his identity, he gives the name Melatheril, though whether it is true or false remains unconfirmed. In common gossip, it is believed he came from humble birth and that his family name, or lack thereof, is a source of embarrassment to him.
It is undoubtedly true that his identity being hidden benefits him in his role, but some speculate that he has renounced his name, either to fully embody the duties of the Royal Huntsman without sullying himself, or to abandon a shameful past. Perhaps the most infamous of his rumored deeds was the first task supposedly given to him by a past Aravian king. This ruler was a powerful seer and had a vision of rebellion and a crumbling kingdom at the hands of a fair maiden. Hunters from across the land were hired to find and kill her. While others scoured city underbellies and criminal hideouts, Melatheril, a hunter then of little importance, discovered the Elf woman living a peaceful countryside life, having never made any advances against the crown, and with no apparent intentions of doing so. Melatheril took out her heart and delivered it to his liege regardless. In some iterations of the tale, the maiden was the crown’s rightful heir and was murdered by an usurper before she could raise a rebellion against the false ruler. In others, she was an innocent beauty who became the target of the monarch’s jealousy.
No matter the version of the story, the Royal Huntsman’s role remains one of a brutal, remorseless killer. Most stories of Melatheril’s service share the same dark endings of slit throats or arrow-riddled bodies, but these have become fewer and farther between in recent times. The Royal Huntsman’s dark robes have been replaced by regal golden armor and his official duties now align more with those of a soldier and bodyguard, rather than those of an assassin. In battle, the Royal Huntsman lurks between ranks, identifying enemy commanders from afar and plucking them off one by one with his bow. It is said that he can shoot a moving target from across a battlefield and have a fresh arrow nocked and ready before his last finds its mark.
Should the city of Aravia ever be sieged, the Royal Huntsman will take up his post at the top of the palace’s highest tower where he can oversee the city in its entirety. With his keen eyes, he can spot all threats advancing through the streets and rain down arrows upon them before they can reach the palace gates. When not on campaigns, Melatheril can be seen among the royal guard patrolling the palace, but his unyielding loyalty to the crown sets him above even the steadfast custodians he walks among. Besides being an unyielding sentinel, he is the liege’s prime servant – fast, efficient, and unquestioning in his work. As a result, he acts as a royal messenger trusted with the most secret missives, as well as a spy capable of intercepting enemy communiques and relaying captured intelligence back to the palace.
Though publicly the Huntsman’s role has changed, his underlying threat remains. It is disconcerting to many High Elves how the kingdom’s laws bend around Melatheril’s methods. So long as his missions are completed, the crown appears to care not about the means. And though these acts are conducted in the dark and concealed from most outside the royal court, the rumors that surround Melatheril and his long absences from the palace leave many suspecting his activities. As much as the crown may wish to promote a gracious and noble front, their diligent Royal Huntsman can always become their arrow in the night should the need arise, a chilling thought for many in the Aravian court, and the very reason why so few can meet the Huntsman’s eyes without shuddering.
