These stories first appeared in Hunt's Book of Weapons, an in-game collection of found documents curated by an unknown researcher. They are replicated here in their original format. This means that many of the stories are not presented chronologically, or in one grouping, and it is left to the reader to put together the puzzle pieces and determine to what extent they contain fact, fiction, or fable.

Prior to the launch of Hunt: Showdown 1896, this weapon was named the Caldwell Rival 78. Our Variant terminology was also simplified. We have updated the names where relevant, but you may still see the more period accurate names within the lore texts.

+++

Rival 78

CALDWELL RIVAL 78. (See also, HENRY CALDWELL, SHOTGUN, WINFIELD REPEATING ARMS COMPANY) The Rival was the first long gun created by infamous handgun-manufacturer Caldwell, the moniker Rival a less-than-subtle gibe at competing long arms manufacturer Winfield. In response to the Rival, Winfield began work on the Adversary, a handgun that could be placed in direct competition with some of Caldwell's own best-selling arms. It followed, it is said, that Caldwell and Winfield conducted a private meeting to discuss the stand-off, and over a handshake, to have agreed to keep out of the other's territory.

The Caldwell Rival was produced between 1878 and 1889 in numbers nearing 23,000 and is a long gun refined for general shooting and hunting. The side-by-side position of its double barrels allows for easy loading of a wide range of shot, depending on the size and the nature of the target. An exposed double hammer with a double trigger and 32-inch barrel give the gun its versatility and range. The Rival and shotguns of its kind earned notoriety as so-called "coach guns," as they were often used to defend the delivery coaches from bandits, though with a sawed-off barrel.

+++

Correspondence, Philip Huff Jones
Typewritten, original
Undated

Esteemed Dr. Huff,

This letter accompanies another shipment per our agreement. The next will come shortly. I would waste no time. Due to an unpleasant business matter, my family's company has found itself with an excess of the Rival 78 that cannot be sold. It is an exceedingly capable shotgun, with great versatility and range. I expect that your people will adapt to them with ease. In the field, they will ensure that no one must fear coming too close to their prey. I must confess, it is with great curiosity that I await the moment when I see them for the first time with my own eyes.

Our engineers are doing further work based on the same design, and perhaps I will soon be able to send you some more experimental variations. This would serve the dual purpose of helping me to test a new design, and providing you with further arms for the fight ahead.

With the highest respect,
V.C.

+++

Records, Louisiana State Asylum at Jackson
Handwritten notes
Author: Unknown

Patient name: Dr. Y.R. LeMonnier

Date: May 13, 1895
Entry: Dr. LeMonnier was attacked by an asylum patient (William Salter, Ward C), during a routine examination and sustained extensive lesions, including multiple abrasions, lacerations (from fingernails of WS), and puncture wounds. WS freed himself from his bonds and attacked Dr. LeMonnier with tooth and nail and, finding a pencil left on a desk, stabbed Dr. LeMonnier in the thigh, arm, and neck. The pencil tip was embedded in the flesh of the neck, but was successfully removed. The saliva evident on the bite wounds was thick in consistency and of yellow hue.

LeMonnier remains in the infirmary for observation, as his wounds have become infected, though it has only been three hours since the incident. He is running a high fever.

Salter went missing in the chaos. The police have been notified, but there has been no sign of him at his former residence. Good riddance!

Rival 78 Flechette

RN: Up until now, it seems we've been looking for traces of VC in the wrong places, and he's been in plain sight all along: It's no wonder that around the time he arrived, it seems that many types of novel ammunition found their ways into the hands of the Hunters. Could this insight give us new leads?

Rival 78 Dragon Breath

RN: More evidence that Salter may have been a carrier of the infection. More specific findings on what became of LeMonnier could certainly shed more light on the theory...

Rival 78 Shorty

CALDWELL RIVAL 78 SHORTY. (See also, SHOTGUN) After the conclusion of the production of the Caldwell Rival, the Caldwell Arms Company began to look into which elements of the Rival's design might be useful in future arms development. The 78 Shorty appears to have been the result of experiments that company engineers were conducting with sawed-off shotguns. A significant number of sawed-off Caldwell Rivals, colloquially known as Caldwell Rival Shorty, were discovered in the factory warehouses many years later, and inexplicably, in a barn near Jackson, Louisiana. Whatever the reason for its creation, the Caldwell Shorty was, functionally, a mixed success: though powerful, the shot scatters upon firing, which reduces potential damage and accuracy, as well as range. Its main advantage is its size; it can be carried even when already weighed down with several other weapons, as it is, essentially, a pistol.

+++

Correspondence, Philip Huff Jones
Typewritten, original

May 30, 1895

Honored Dr. Huff,

The conviction of your friendship, and your dedication to this cause, moves me. This shipment of Shorties will be the last, as soon I will leave the home and employ of my father, and join our brethren, as you have so aptly named them, in this fight. I had hoped to convince my father of the cause, but his attention, as always, lies elsewhere. His single-minded purpose has brought him great success, but at what price? But I did not intend to write of personal matters.

I am sorry to hear of these recent developments and particularly of your loss. I hope your injury will not interfere with your work.

The malfunction of the cartridges troubles me deeply. Our own tests showed the initial designs for that ammunition to be stable. I can only assume that what I sent to you was in some way compromised by the journey. Perhaps by heat, perhaps cold, perhaps the movement of the coach over bumpy roads. I will not know until we have performed further tests, and I find no support among the engineers or from my father. Though tragic, the incident confirms what a dangerous weapon this could be, with further testing and precautions. I cannot believe there is no future for this weapon. I will continue to refine the design, as I think a weapon capable of spreading fire at a distance such as this would be of great help against the creatures you have described, and as your experience of four nights past has proved.

With the highest respect,
V.C.

Rival 78 Penny Shot Ammo

RN: Dr LeMonnier, from what I've heard, seemed to be a good man. But what good man could bear witness to such things? Monroe spoke of him frequently, it was said, but spoke of his silence and passivity. Perhaps that was more troubling that the sadistic manner of Huff himself?

Rival 78 Slug

RN: William had no contact with the outside world after admittance. Yet it was accordingly his attack on Dr. LeMonnier that put him such a critical condition—a condition of which we all know the cause. Was Salter carrying the Sculptor's influence? Or do these notes misattribute the cause of LeMonnier's affliction? I circle and circle and get no closer to the truth.

+++