The Hunter, The Hiker, and the Herbalist

The Hunter turned away once more, the Herbalist and her granddaughter fading into the embrace of the trees behind her. She wondered as she walked, with her bandaged wound aching softly, how the fires of the demonic could burn so gently?

The Hunter, The Hiker, and the Herbalist is a folktale that emerged in the countryside of Herriland, near Starfell. The story follows a Holy Vampire Hunter slowly befriending a priest of Goat and her granddaughter.

Date of Setting
Around 2555 IBT
Related Organisation
Church of the Lightbearer
Related People
Lariniam

Story

Characters

There are 3 major characters in the story. Their names are unknown, and they are simply reffered to by their title.

The Hunter is the protagonist of the story. In most versions of the tale she is described as a Holy Vampire Hunter with blonde hair just like The Lightbearer herself. In some versions of the story, she interpreted as a regular huntswoman or culler instead, this is often used to explain how easily she was "corrupted".

The Hiker is the secondary antagonist of the story. She is often depicted as a young girl, the daughter or granddaughter of the Herbalist. She is described as a trickster and persuader, though sometimes is told to have kidnapped the injured Hunter or led the Herbalist to the hunter.

The Herbalist is the main antagonist in the story. She is described as an old woman and a worshipper of the Goat, wearing two pairs of horns on her head, and holding a giant wood torch. She is commonly called a witch because of her "demonic magic" and natural remedies. In a few telllings of the story, she uses dark magic to heal and corrupt the Hunter, rather than plants and words.

Summary

Spoilers ahead for a story in the near future
Show Summary

In the tale, a diligant vampire hunter finds herself injured and lost in the woods near her village. The Hunter is found by a young girl with a small horned head piece, known only as "the Hiker." The girl, curious about the Hunter, offers her help for her wounds. She was hesitant at first, though after much persuasion, the Hunter agreed and followed the Hiker through the forest. The girl took the nun to an old woman dressed in straws and wearing the skull of a goat, the Herbalist. She tended to the Hunter's wounds while telling her of the goat demon she worshipped, eventually offering for her to stay and learn more. At this suggestion, the Hunter hastily left, though not before the Hiker could invite her to return.

The Hunter contemplated the words of the Herbalist. She would sometimes return to the forest to spy on the Herbalist, soon discovering there was a small group of cultists that looked to her as their leader. She was said to have been slowly charmed by the warm exterior of the Herbalist, tricking her into becoming more sympathetic towards the unholy. Eventually abandoning her position as a Holy Vampire Hunter, and becoming a deciple of the Herbalist. After months of learning, she became a follower of the wolf, and a warrior to the group.
The Herbalist was said to have corrupted the Hunter further, convincing her to attack the village with a few others. The church would not accept these actions, and soon tracked the group to their meeting spot, attacking them. The Hunters of the church captured or killed most of the group, including the Hunter, the Hiker, and the Herbalist. Later that night, the Herbalist was burned at the stake, revealing the monstrous "truth" of her words as she died. The Hunter was brought back to the church, helping her recover from the corruption and become holy again.

Historical Basis

The tale said to be based on a real event from a few years before it was first told. Though the details have been lost to history, and the accuracy of the events in the story is unkown.

Cultural Details

Spread

The story spread from the small towns in the countyside surrounding Starfell, at first as news and gossip, but it soon became a folktale within the region, especially in more rural areas. In Starfell, the church made efforts to supress the story, seeing it as unholy. They succeded, as the story is rather unknown outside of vampiric circles in Starfell, but is common knowledge in the rest of the country.

Reception

The reactions to the story vary throughout Herriland. In Starfell, the tale is considered taboo as it depicts someone "holy" being corrupted. Though in the countryside, especially in and around the area the tale is said to have taken place, the story is a staple, and is often told as a cautionary tale against Demonic corruption.

In Vampiric and cultist circles both in the city and out, the story is very well known. It is seen both as a tragedy and a story of hope, showing that even those trained to oppose them can see the truth.