Arkveld, the flagship monster of the Monster Hunter Wilds, is introduced to us as the  “White Wraith”. This spectral wyvern is the apex predator for sure, as it preys upon other top predators for more power. There is not much detail in regards to its origins; its dragon-like mythology is mostly revealed through the weapons created from the materials it drops. 

In this article we’ll discuss how the lack of conclusive mythological reference does provide hint about its in-game origin.

Wyverns as Symbols of Power, Death and Mystery

We won’t expand much on symbolism of wyverns throughout history as we’ve discussed this in two articles below:

• Rey Dau and Its Mythological Roots
• Gore Magala and Its Mythological Origins

And to be clear, there are no other mythological counterparts to Arkveld that could be said to have been a more definitive influence. Yes, there are beings that account for “White death” but non of those are wyverns. On the other hand, wyverns are not usually associated with snow or icy landscape. This is an interesting approach, considering that Monster Hunter lore is crafted well within the game’s ecology. Arkveld seams out of fit somehow.

But what I will say is that the lack of any decisive connection to a specific mythological creature does hint at the possibility that Arkveld was a man-made monster. This is something related to the lore of the game and the Artian civilization: their legacy includes the development of constructs like the Equal Dragon Weapon, a creature assembled from various dragon parts. This historical context implies that Arkveld may have been engineered by the Artians or a similarly advanced society. 

Furthermore, while chain-like limbs on monsters are not new to the games, these ones look a bit too big and evolutionary in-plausible. Arkveld hunting other apex predators and transmuting their power is an oddly specific function for an apex monster.

Why are Arkveld’s drops named after Knights of the Round?

Another important piece of the puzzle are the weapons created from Arkveld’s materials. The names of the weapons crafted from these materials are a reference to the Arthurian legends from the medieval Europe. This makes sense considering the game’s theme (heroes fighting dragons, in a nutshell). Yet this decision to name the weapons as heroes incorporates the mythology into the game history.

The list is the following:

Arkveld Weapon

Knight of the Round Table

Notable Feats

Stalwart Lamorak

Sir Lamorak

Known for his strength and battle prowess, but met a tragic end in an ambush.

Righteous Lancelot

Sir Lancelot

The greatest knight of Arthurian legend, famous for his skill, chivalry, and tragic love for Guinevere.

Guiding Artorius

King Arthur

Legendary ruler of Camelot, wielder of Excalibur, and the unifier of Britain.

Inspired Ywain

Sir Ywain

Defeated a dragon to save a lion, which became his companion in battle.

Exultant Bedivere

Sir Bedivere

Loyal knight who returned Excalibur to the Lady of the Lake after Arthur’s final battle.

Resounding Galahad

Sir Galahad

The purest knight, achieved the Holy Grail due to his unmatched virtue.

Purifying Beaumains

Sir Gareth (Beaumains)

Overcame the Red Knight and proved his worth despite his humble disguise.

Lawful Bors

Sir Bors

One of the three knights to complete the Grail Quest, known for his unwavering morality.

Indomitable Perceval

Sir Perceval

The original Grail knight in early legends, known for his innocence and eventual wisdom.

Abiding Gawain

Sir Gawain

A knight of great honor and strength, linked to the sun and the Green Knight’s test.

Enduring Tor

Sir Tor

A lesser-known but loyal knight, often associated with hunting and quests.

Aeternal Palamedes

Sir Palamedes

A Saracen knight who hunted the Questing Beast, torn between faiths and loyalties.

Expiating Caius

Sir Kay (Caius)

Arthur’s foster brother and seneschal, known for his sharp tongue and battle prowess.

Renowned Tristram

Sir Tristan (Tristram)

A great warrior and musician, famous for his tragic romance with Isolde.

It makes sense to expand the wyvern lore with other mythological references such as Arthurian tales. Still, these names can also suggest something else: Arthurian legends present a duality of glory and downfall, reflecting humanity’s endless struggle between honor, destiny, and personal flaws. In a bit broader sense, it’s a story about heroes of a civilization; most of them hunted monsters. Arkveld might represent both the Artians civilization’s glory and its downfall.

Real-Life Inspirations – The Masters of Silent Hunting

In gameplay terms, Arkveld’s hunts often begin with atmospheric changes – sudden snowfall, mist rolling in, or the environment growing eerily quiet. These environmental shifts echo how folklore describes the supernatural thinning of barriers between worlds that accompanies spectral visitations, creating an immersive experience that draws directly from ancient superstitions about death’s messengers.

This pattern of appearance and disappearance creates a creature that exists between states, neither fully present nor completely absent from the ecosystem. In my opinion, this all hints that Arkveld is man-made or more likely, man-modified monster.

While mythology provides the conceptual framework for Arkveld, its hunting techniques draw remarkable parallels to Earth’s most efficient stealth predators. Barn owls represent nature’s perfection of silent hunting. Their specialized feathers eliminate the sound of airflow, allowing them to fly in complete silence. This adaptation lets them detect and strike prey without giving away their position. 

The science behind the barn owl’s silent flight is remarkable: the leading edges of their primary feathers feature serrations that break up airflow, while their wing feathers have velvety surfaces that absorb sound. Monster Hunter’s designers appear to have incorporated these adaptations directly into Arkveld’s design, giving the wyvern wing structures with similar properties that allow it to move through the air without creating detectable disturbances.

What makes Arkveld particularly fascinating is how the game mechanics translate these natural adaptations into gameplay elements. Players must track subtle environmental cues—disturbed snow, faint footprints, brief glimpses of movement, rather than simply following obvious trails. This creates a hunting experience that more closely resembles actual tracking in the wild, where prey animals must be acutely aware of nearly imperceptible signs that predators are nearby.

Is Arkveld Based on a Real Myth? Arkveld’s design draws from multiple mythological traditions where wyverns were prominent. Weapons crafted from Arkvel’s drops refer to Knights of the Round, Arthurian, not Artian heroes.

Conclusion

Arkveld stands as another of Monster Hunter Wilds’ brilliantly conceived creatures. Its appearance and function in the game’s ecosystem has yet to be understood fully, but we can notice it’s wyvern origins as a reference to Arthurian legends. This is highlighted by the weapons crafted from the monster’s drops.

Yet there is still plenty to be understood in the game’s lore and ecology.