The Hunt

The Hunt is an Amazon tradition in which a person pits their strength against the beasts and elements of untamed nature. It is a way for any citizen of Achillonia to not only test themselves but also prove their worth to others.
The Hunt involves setting out on quest to slay some designated prey -- an opponent worthy of a true daughter of Galatea -- either alone or as a team. The prey must be tracked and slain, and a trophy taken from its corpse must be brought back for others to see.

Related Organizations

• Achillonia

Related Ethnicities

• Amazons

Significance

The tradition of the Hunt has largely risen from the Amazon culture of hero worship and meritocracy. Fame is important above all, and there is need for ways for people to prove their skills.
The first Hunt a young warrior goes on is always seen as an important rite of passage. But a person can -- and indeed should -- go on multiple Hunts during their life. And many great heroes do, especially when there are no active wars to fight.

Hunting and The Hunt

Amazons live their lives close to nature, making hunting and other survival skills something that many need to master. The usual day-to-day hunting that is performed for the good of the community can put hunters face to face with mighty beasts, for the White Peaks are teeming with animals. Felling such a beast can be a famous demonstration of skill.
But The Hunt carries much more weight than regular hunting. A Hunt must be challenging -- a quest from beginning to end. The journey to find the chosen prey is as important as the prey itself. And neither is The Hunt limited to slaying simple beasts; in theory, any dangerous creature can be made a target for an aspiring Amazon's challenge.

Below: Sapient creatures both mortal and eternal can fall victim to The Hunt should they garner a dangerous reputation.

Brontes the Cyclops by CraniumBeaver

Execution

The presence of danger is one of the most important aspects of The Hunt. It is expected for a daring hunter to brave either a dangerous environment or a dangerous game -- both would be best, of course. But shooting unaware animals from afar is something a child can do. A true hunter's mettle is proven against prey that fights back, against opponents that see you coming. Animals deserve to be faced in equal terms -- as warriors. To prove their skill and strength, an Amazon should defeat an animal at its own game. To face a grizzly bear eye-to-eye, to run down and tackle a mighty stag, to dare the highest of peaks in chase of a wywern -- those are trials fit for the children of Galatea.