Huntleader: Natalya of gold NataskEspionage expert and consummate professional, Natalya is one of those people who are remarkably difficult to read. She’s polite, calm, a little bit witty, and overall gives off the impression that she spends her time contemplating new ways to kill a man with a butter knife. At only thirty-six she’s fairly young for a master wherhandler and Huntleader, more so given that she’s a woman in a position often dominated by men. It’s no secret around High Reaches that she’s also a veteran of the ill-fated Battle of Hestings… where she lost her first wher. At only five foot three she’s dwarfed by Natask, who is an enormous ugly monster of a wher; the gold is the heavy artillery to Natalya’s precision strikes, and the two of them together make a remarkably well-coordinated team.
Hunt members:
8 NPC handlers
Phantom Hunt is a tight-knit group of handlers specially trained to back up the Third Wings on assignments. One mission they might be tracking a murder suspect for Third-One, the next they might be running an extraction for a Third-Two rider in deep cover. In modern terms, they might be considered a special ops division. All handlers are expected to be flexible and willing to take initiative as situations arise. In return, Natalya doesn’t micromanage, preferring to observe and guide with a light hand and let her hunt do their jobs unimpeded.
All Phantom handlers are all trained in a certain basic skill set, including combat in dense cover and tight spaces, concealment, tracking, and field survival. Natalya believes that versatility is the key to victory, however, and is almost always willing to accommodate new talent. Her current squire, for instance, is an archer who’s taken up a role as lookout and sniper for the hunt. Those seeking to join or squire with Phantom Hunt will consult with Natalya personally to find a role that suits their skill set, whether that’s close combat or field medicine. Big egos beware: this is not a group where arrogance and showboating will survive for long.
